Macenstein

We recently ran into our August 2007 Mac Chick of the Month Lauren Reeves and noticed she was sporting a brand new 3G iPhone – so we decided to use our meeting as a chance to catch up with Lauren, get her feelings on the new iPhone, and of course, to use it as an excuse to run some more pictures of one of our favorite MCotM’s.

Macenstein: Hey Lauren. So, what have you been up to since last year’s Mac Chick feature?
Lauren: Things have been going great with acting, I’m still doing sketches on David Letterman and I’m still performing Improv at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, and I have a few big pranks coming out on the Improv Everywhere website. The big project I’m working on now is shooting a film next summer in Alaska. I have a great script to work with, my older sister Maria (a Northwestern University grad) wrote it and we have a production crew going up to film it. It’s a great story line and I think it’ll do really well in film festivals.

Macenstein: So I see you have the new 3G iPhone there. Did you have any trouble getting it? I know the lines in NYC were (and still are) crazy.
Lauren: Actually I was really lucky, I wasn’t in New York when the iPhones came out. I was in Fairbanks, Alaska. I drove past the AT&T store at 6:45am and there were four people out front. So I went and got breakfast, then got in line around 7:30. I was the 13th person in line. I was out of the store at 10 with my new phone.

Macenstein: Nice: I’ll have to remember that “Go to Alaska” tip when the 4G iPhone comes out. 🙂 Now, as a happy 1st gen iPhone user I was torn with the idea of upgrading to the 3G model, and ultimately decided to wait. What was it that made you decide to upgrade to the 3G model?
Lauren: Well, someone stole my old iPhone at a Wired Magazine party back in May. So I got a little replacement phone and waited patiently for the 3G to come out. But even if my phone hadn’t been stolen, I would have gotten the 3G because I’m a neophiliac.

Above: Remembering the good times in 2007… awww, they looked so happy together…

Macenstein: Wow, sex with dead people, that’s pretty hard core (just kidding). So how are you loving the 3G so far? Is it worth the upgrade price and extra monthly $15?
Lauren: I actually paid $399 for the 3G. Since my phone was stolen, I was not eligible for the upgrade price because I renewed my two year plan when I got that replacement phone. I still think that’s too much for a phone, but I paid it because you know, I had to have the iPhone. I’m also fine with an extra 15 bucks on the monthly bill, I think it’s worth it.

Macenstein: Wow, that sucks. Well, now that you have it, what’s the main difference you’ve noticed between the first gen iPhone and the 3G model? Do you find you use it any differently?
Lauren: I use this phone more than the first generation model. It’s a lot faster which I love. I also use the Maps more. The GPS is really great to have on roadtrips.

Macenstein: What are your thoughts on the plastic  design of the 3G iPhone compared to the first gen’s aluminum look?
Lauren: I think the aluminum looks nicer, but the plastic ones are cool too.

Macenstein: So now that you’re running the iPhone 2.0 software, have you gone crazy, like most of us, with buying apps?
Lauren: I spent maybe two days straight going through applications. First I downloaded all the cool free ones. Then I started buying them but should probably stop.

Macenstein: What’s been your favorite app so far?
Lauren: I loved the PhoneSaber, it amused me. I used it on the subway or on the streets when people walk really slow. If only they new I was slashing them with a PhoneSaber… I also really like Shazam, Jott, Where, IWant, and the Rotary Dialer.

Macenstein: How about time wasters? What’s your favorite iPhone game?
Lauren: Cube Runner!! 2. JurboMatch 3. IPint

Macenstein: What about actually getting this done? What’s your favorite productivity app for the iPhone?
Lauren: Jott… it keeps my thoughts organized.

Macenstein: Now, I assume that unlike me, you have a ton of friends. What about social networking/photo aps for the iPhone?
Lauren: I like the Facebook app more than the MySpace one. I also just downloaded Nearby but haven’t used it yet. Near pics is pretty cool too.

Macenstein: What’s your favorite overall free app of the moment?
Lauren: Would have to be Shazam. Maybe I’m just amazed that every song I tag, it always gets right.

Macenstein: What’s the best overall pay app?
Lauren: Definitely the ILaugh Sound Machine.

Macenstein: What application have you been most disappointed in?
Lauren: I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed, just sad that the PhoneSaber is gone. It was fun while it lasted.

Macenstein: Thanks Lauren. We look forward to receiving our free copy of your movie when it comes out.
🙂

If you’d like to see more of Lauren, you can check her out at the following links.

Photos by Emily Bryan
Myspace.com/laurenreevesalaska
Facebook: Lauren Reeves
Improveverywhere.com