Why would you be "forced to do the upgrade" They are independent devices, with IMHO, different usage models (at least in my household). Do I share some of the same apps between iPhone and iPad? Sure. But I can't see any reason you'd be "forced" to upgrade both to iOS 5.

I have an iPhone 4 so can't answer your direct question, but I would certainly share your trepidation about running iOS 5 on 3GS hardware.

Regards

delete
 

I would delete all bluetooth settings and pairings, it should be this way but the new BT 4.0 stack/protocol seems to be causing some issues with some devices.

I haven't had problems (other than the crapware) on my 3GS. The Notification stack and improvements to weather app are nice touches

I upgraded to ios 5 on my Verizon iPhone today and everything went smoothly except that I lost all ringtones. They are still in itunes but when I tried to download them back onto my iPhone, only one ringtone (same one everytime I tried) would download. Any suggestions?

My wife had a similar problem. Make sure you don't have songs of the same name in playlists. Try renaming one of the ringtones (just add a number to name or something) and sync, see if ringtone syncs, if so rename others. Hopefully yours is same problem.

I'll try that tomorrow. Thanks!

I have it running on a 3GS, 4, 4S, iPad and iPad 2. I had zero problems with upgrading any of them. Most have been running it since beta 4. It works fine on the 3GS and is definitely worth the update. Make sure you pay close attention to your notification settings though or you will drain your battery life quickly.

Didn't work for me so I had to create the ringtones all over again. Thanks anyway.

I can't help with the GPS app, but I use the JiWire Wi-Finder which shows nearby wi-fi networks and includes an optional offline database of paid and free wi-fi locations.

iMessage billing
 

OK complicated iMessage billing questions

1a) I have a wifi only iPad, everything is free from there right for me? So I iMessage a friend in the UK (I am in Colombia) it shows up blue, they have wifi turned on so reply to me, it is free for the other person too right?

1b) Still with my wifi only iPad, i send a message and the recipient is on 3G without wifi reception. They get charged to reply to me? And how and how much? Do they get charged a UK rate to send a message to a server? Or do they get charged an international rate to send a message to my Colombian mobile (which is an iPhone and also has iMessage on it so "the system" knows my phone number for replies to messages sent from my wifi only iPad)

2a) Using said iPhone, from wifi I send a message to my friend that lives around the corner and is also on wifi. Free for both of us right?

2b) Theoretically I understand that if we are using 3G we pay network rates and it goes as a text message. But I have noticed that we can be sat next to each other in a taxi both of us using 3G and the iPhones still say iMessage and it appears in blue. So that is through iMessage not a SMS is it? or is it?

Has Apple told the networks that it is chargeable if you are using a 3G connection but the practicality is that is uses data rather than SMS to send the message? Effectively "free" like BB messaging?

I haven't seen any problems with updates myself or with family/friends. I do notice that the music app takes longer to open than before. Other than that it seems to be fine.

A Calendar question....

Having recently upgraded from a dumb phone to an iPhone (running iOS 5), on my old phone, there was a way to copy a calendar event (i.e. a Dr.'s appointment) by simply bringing up today's appointment, selecting copy and just changing the time for the new event. Any way to do this on an iPhone as it's a pita do bring up the current event and change the particulars as once changed, the original event is now off my calendar

I just stuff them all on the last screen that I never get to. :rolleyes:

iOS 5 seems to work for me on my 3GS and iPad 1. I have an older iPod Touch that remains on a version 4, just in case.

Cheers

The comparison with BBM is correct. It's all data to the mobile provider, they do not charge for anything related to iMessage other than the few kb of data you are using. So to answer your questions -

1a - free for both
1b - just the charge for x kb of data that they send over the mobile network as they would for any other data. UK, Colombia, international rates, etc don't enter the equation.
2a - free for both
2b - this will be sent as data, regardless of whether you're on 3G or wifi. Won't be sent as SMS if the person you're sending to has an iOS device and that address (phone number or email) is registered with iMessage.

Any time it appears as a blue message it's an iMessage and only subject to regular data rates.

Web browsing is much faster on ios5 which is particularly noticeable on the iPad. Before ios5 I found web browsing too slow to be useful but now it's quick enough that I no longer mind. I'm surprised Apple made no mention of the faster browser experience.