Linda writes: I was wanting to buy the unlocked version of the iPhone 4S for my son for Christmas but wasn’t sure if the phone was compatible with the carrier in our area. Help!

Hi Linda! So, here’s the thing with the unlocked iPhone: it will only work with a carrier that operates a GSM (or “Global System for Mobile Communications”) network, and not on carriers with CDMA (“code division multiple access”) networks.

Here in the United States, for example, the unlocked iPhone 4S will work on AT&T or T-Mobile, which are both GSM carriers, but not Sprint or Verizon Wireless, which are CDMA carriers.

Related: Why AT&T and T-Mobile phones won’t work on Sprint or Verizon (in the know)

Standard SIM card and the iPhone 4's smaller micro-SIM, compared

How can you tell whether your carrier is GSM or CDMA? Simple. A GSM carrier uses something called a SIM (short for “Subscriber Identification Module”) card to identify a specific phone on its network. These little plastic chips can be swapped in and out of a GSM-based phone, allowing it to connect to the particular network to which a given SIM card is tied.

So, if you’re curious whether your carrier runs a GSM network, just check your cell phone for a SIM card slot; it might be on the side of the phone (as in the case of the iPhone), or inside the handset itself, usually behind the removable back panel and near the battery.

Can’t find a SIM card? Then you might have a CDMA-based phone, which doesn’t use a SIM card—and that means your carrier runs a CDMA network. (If in doubt, you could always just call your carrier and ask, of course.)

Side note: The new iPhone is, in fact, a so-called “world phone” that will connect to both GSM and CDMA networks. That said, Apple has specified that the unlocked iPhone 4S will only work on GSM networks.

If you do decide to get an unlocked iPhone 4S for your son (lucky him!), you’ll need a special type a SIM card from your local carrier: a “micro-SIM,” which is basically a smaller version of a SIM card. Be sure to make the distinction when placing your order, as a regular SIM card won’t fit in the iPhone 4S.

Still have questions? Let me know!

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The cheapest 16GB iPhone 4S costs a whopping $649, or a full $450 more than a carrier-locked version.

Meanwhile, the 32GB iPhone 4S goes for $749 (versus $299 with a two-year carrier contract), while the 64GB model sells for $849 (compared to $399 through a carrier). Ouch.

Now, Apple is billing the iPhone 4S as a “world phone” that works on worldwide GSM and CDMA networks.

But on its website, Apple specifies that the unlocked iPhone 4S will not work on CDMA carriers like Sprint or Verizon Wireless.

Related: Why the “unlocked” version of the iPhone 4S won’t work on Sprint or Verizon

The restriction also applies to pre-paid carriers Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile, which both operate on CDMA networks.

Standard SIM card and the iPhone 4S's smaller micro-SIM, compared

To hop from one carrier to another using the unlocked iPhone, you’ll need a micro-SIM card: a little plastic module that identifies a phone on a given carrier’s network.

You can typically request a micro-SIM card for a nominal fee (as in a few bucks or so) from the GSM carrier of your choice, although you’ll need a data plan (either pre-paid or post-paid) to go with it.

While you can buy an iPhone 4S from a carrier for hundreds less than the unlocked version, you’ll have to sign a two-year service contract to do so.

Also, the handset will be “locked” to the network of the carrier you bought it from, meaning you won’t be able to swap micro-SIM cards to jump from one network to another.

Got questions about the unlocked iPhone—or about unlocked phones in general? Post ’em below.

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Hi Celia! When it comes to old email and text messages hogging space in your iPhone 4S’s 16 GB (short for “gigabyte”), 32 GB, or 64 GB of built-in storage, you can probably relax.

An average email message without an attachment takes up only about 20 kilobytes of storage space, while a single text message is even smaller—as in a couple hundred bytes, give or take.

Related: How big is a gig, anyway?

How big is a byte? Well, a byte’s pretty small in terms of the total storage on your iPhone. Let’s say you have the smallest, 16-gigabyte iPhone 4S. One gigabyte equals about a thousand (or 1,024, to be precise) megabytes, while a megabytes equals a thousand kilobytes, and a thousand kilobytes equals a byte. (A byte, by the way, consists of eight bits—and a bit is a simple “0” or “1.”)

So if there are about 1,000 bytes in a kilobyte, and an average email is about 20 KB, that means you could cram about 100 text messages in the space needed for a single, text-only email.

And if you were looking to fill the 16-gigabyte iPhone 4S with nothing but email, you’d need … well, about 800,000 messages, assuming my math is correct. (1,024 kilobytes = one megabyte, and 1,024 megabytes = 1 gigabyte.)

Text and email messages don’t take up much space, but photos, music, videos and apps can really add up.

In other words, your iPhone 4S has plenty of storage for text messages; indeed, you could probably get away with never deleting a text from your handset.

The same goes for text-only email messages—although messages with large attachments, like photos, can quickly add up. That’s why you might want to limit the number of email messages stored on your iPhone at one time; to do so, tap Settings, then “Mail, Contacts, Calendars,” scroll down to the Mail section, tap Show, then choose a limit between 50 and 1,000 messages. (I have 50 messages selected.)

Now, here’s the thing—your iPhone’s memory isn’t devoted to only text and email messages. You’ve also got the photos in your camera roll, and a single picture taken with the iPhone 4S’s eight-megapixel camera weighs in at anywhere between two and four megabytes. So if you have 100 photos saved in your camera roll, that’s about 300 or 400 megabytes of storage just for your pictures—and remember, there are only 1,024 megabytes in one gigabyte.

And then there’s your music (about 3-5 megabytes a song), your apps (sizes vary wildly, anywhere from a few MB for a small utility to a full GB for the largest games), and your videos (think about 1 GB for a 90-minute SD movie from iTunes).

Oh, and one more thing: your iPhone reserves about 3 GB of storage for the iOS operating system itself.

OK then, how can you tell how much free storage space is left on your iPhone? On the iPhone 4S or any iPhone that’s been updated to iOS 5, tap Settings, General, Usage. You’ll see a summary of how much storage you’ve used, what’s left, plus a break-down of the space used by your music, video, and apps, with the biggest space hogs listed first.

Tap any item to see its details, and in the case of videos and music, swipe to delete. You might want to back up your iPhone to iTunes before you start going on a deletion spree, though. Also, keep in mind that you can always re-download any music, TV shows, or apps that you bought from the iTunes store.

Not listed in the summary, for some reason, are your iPhone photo albums—and like I mentioned above, photos can really add up in terms of storage space, so be sure to prune your collection every once in awhile. You can always transfer your photos to your PC or Mac by syncing with iTunes, or try using the new Photo Stream feature in iCloud.

And what if you have an older iPhone that hasn’t been updated to iOS 5? Well, you can still check how much storage you have left (tap General, About, and scroll down to “Capacity” and “Available”), but you won’t be able to see a nice break-down of how your iPhone’s storage is being used.

Hope this helps—and if you have more questions, let me know!

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Hundreds of iPhone 4S users are lighting up Apple’s support forums to complain about a steady—and mysterious—drain on the batteries, even when their handsets are resting peacefully in standby mode.

Update (11/10/11): Apple just released a software update that supposedly fixes the iPhone’s battery woes; get the details right here.

Says one message on the iPhone help board:

My 80 year old mother just bought a Verizon iPhone 4S, her first smartphone. She lives alone, and takes her phone to bed with her as security and for emergencies. She charges it during the evening, and it now is completely dead by morning. I’ve switched off everything that is known to be a battery drain, but can’t solve the problem.

She was so excited to get an iPhone, as she’s loved her iPad. But this experience has her worried and stressed that if she needs emergency assistance, she won’t have a working phone. She’s ready to go back to a plain basic phone since the iPhone won’t even hold a charge for 8 hours.

It’s also not clear whether only the iPhone 4S is having battery trouble. Many users who’ve installed the new iOS 5 update on their iPhones have also been complaining of poor battery life … and come to think of it, my own iPhone 4 seems to have been running low on juice ever since I updated it.

Users and tech bloggers have whipped up dozens of remedies for the iPhone battery-drain problem, ranging from turning off a feature that automatically sets the iPhone’s clock to the correct time zone (which shouldn’t cause much harm, so long as you’re not boarding a plane anytime soon) to turning off Notification Center support for the iPhone calendar.

But here’s the thing: no one single battery-drain remedy seems to work for everyone. Instead, the likely culprit is something buried in the iPhone’s system software that only Apple can fix—and indeed, Apple has reportedly been quietly working with iPhone 4S users in the hopes of diagnosing the problem.

It’s also worth noting that previous iPhone models have suffered from battery-drain problems that have eventually been solved by a software update—so no, the iPhone battery itself probably isn’t to blame.

My advice: instead of driving yourself crazy trying battery fixes posted on message boards, hang tight until Apple releases an (inevitable) software update. I’ll update this post as soon as there’s any news, and you’ll be able to install the update by either syncing your iPhone with iTunes or (if you’ve updated your handset to iOS 5) by tapping Settings, General, Software Update.

In the meantime, you can conserve power on your iPhone by turning down the brightness of your screen (Settings, Brightness) and turning off “push” email (tap Settings, Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Fetch New Data, then switch “Push” to “Off”).

How’s the battery life on your iPhone been lately? Found any fixes that seem to work? Post ’em in the comments below.

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1. Instapaper ($5)
Ever come across a long, juicy article on the web that’s a little too long for the iPhone’s web browser? Just save it to Instapaper, an app that formats lengthy web pages for easy reading on the iPhone’s three-and-a-half-inch screen. Just bookmark the online article you want to read, and Instapaper will covert it to a more readable format (complete with your choice of fonts, margins, and backgrounds) and save it to your iPhone’s memory, meaning you can sit back and read even without an Internet connection. Love it.

2. Reeder ($3)
Have a few favorite blogs that you follow on a daily basis? Keep tabs on them with Reeder, which syncs with the free Google Reader service, downloads the latest posts from any blog you choose, and stores them for later viewing on your iPhone. Reeder organizes your various blogs into easy-to-manage feeds, keeps track of unread posts, and automatically deletes the posts you’ve already read—and like Instapaper, Reeder saves its articles to your iPhone’s memory for offline reading.

3. Pandora (free)
The popular—and free—music streaming service offers an excellent app for the iPhone; just sign in to your Pandora account, pick a station (or create a new one), and let the music play. You’ll need an Internet connection (either Wi-Fi or 3G) to listen to tunes on Pandora—and remember that if you’re streaming over your carrier’s 3G connection, your data use will count against your monthly allowance from your cellular carrier (namely, AT&T and Verizon Wireless).

4. Netflix (free)
Have a Netflix streaming video account? If so, you can turn your iPhone into a mini film festival with the free Netflix video app—although again, as with Pandora, you may quickly burn through your monthly allotment of data if you stream videos over your iPhone’s 3G connection. If you’re using Wi-Fi, however, you can watch to your heart’s content.

5. Instagram (free)
The new camera app in Apple’s iOS 5 software update adds such handy editing features as cropping, image enhancement, and red-eye reduction, but you can add an extra layer of artistry to your snapshots with the photo filters in Instagram. The free app also makes it easy to share your pictures on Facebook or Twitter, or with other Instagram users—although you can also keep your photos completely private, if you wish.

6. Kindle for iPhone (free)
Don’t have your own Kindle yet? You won’t need one with Amazon’s Kindle app for the iPhone, which downloads your purchased Kindle books from Amazon’s online Kindle store and lets you flip pages with the swipe of a finger. The Kindle for iPhone app will also sync your bookmarks, notes, and the last page you read with any other Kindle devices you happen to own.

7. Yelp (free)
Exploring a new city or neighborhood, and want to grab a bite to eat? Just fire up Yelp, a free app that pinpoints your location and lists nearby restaurants, ATMs, banks, and other places of interest, complete with phone numbers, hours, and user ratings.

8. Evernote (free)
Don’t let those flashes of inspiration slip away. Evernote lets you jot down your ideas in a digital notebook (you can even attach photos, if you like), which gets automatically synced with the Evernote app sitting on your Mac or PC desktop, or on your iPad. And if you’re feeling social, you can share your notes on Twitter or Facebook.

9. Twitter (free)
Do you tweet? If so, you won’t want to miss the official Twitter app for the iPhone, which lets you post updates, attach images to your tweets, add GPS location info (only if you’re willing, of course), and scan the latest updates from your fellow tweeters. Twitter for iPhone can also send you “push” alerts whenever someone replies to your tweets or sends you a direct message.

10. Facebook (free)
If you’re worried about wasting too much time on Facebook, then avoid this app at all costs. The just-updated Facebook app for iPhone lets you post updates, “like” and comment on the updates from your friends, share photos and links, and even “check in” to restaurants, stores, and other places where you and your buddies happen to be mingling.

So, that’s my list of top-10 iPhone apps. What’s on yours? Post your suggestions below—I’m all ears.

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Make no mistake—the first reviews of the iPhone 4S are calling it, among other things, a handset that “takes the finest smartphone on the market to even loftier heights” thanks to its peppy new processor, sharper camera, and Siri, the talking “intelligent assistant” that manages to comprehend the meaning behind your spoken words.

But if you already own an iPhone 4 and you’re wondering whether you need trade up for the iPhone 4S, the consensus seems to be … well, no, not really.

The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg, for starters, notes that some of the most impressive new features on the iPhone 4S—including the new iCloud service and the many improvements in iOS 5—will also be on tap for the older iPhone 4 and 3GS:

Despite Siri, the iPhone 4S isn’t a dramatic game-changer like some previous iPhones. Some new features are catch-ups to competitors. I sense Apple chose to focus more on software and cloud service than on hardware….My advice is that owners of the iPhone 4 needn’t rush to upgrade; they can get the new operating system.

USA Today’s Ed Baig argues that the iPhone 4S, but agrees that there’s no need for iPhone 4 users to rush out for an upgrade:

Yes, the 4S has a superior camera compared with the iPhone 4. And it has a clever and obedient virtual personal assistant named Siri who can frequently detect what you are telling it to do and respond in kind. For example, tell Siri you need to wake up at 7 a.m., and the alarm clock on the iPhone 4S is automatically set.

But most other noticeable enhancements arrive starting Wednesday as part of free software upgrades available to owners of the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 (not to mention the iPad, iPad 2 and recent vintage iPod Touch models).

Those compelled to purchase the top-of-the-line 4S will find only the most subtle design difference compared with its immediate predecessor.

Engadget’s Joshua Topolsky also calls the iPhone 4S a “great device for some,” but adds that it’s a “tougher call” if you already have an iPhone 4:

The phone is faster, to be sure, and has an amazing camera. And of course, you can’t get Siri unless you have a 4S… but I just don’t know if any of those reasons are compelling enough to convince previous buyers to upgrade. The concept is a particularly hard sell for Verizon customers. The gap between this year’s model and last year’s model isn’t as wide as Apple would probably like.

Last but not least, Macworld’s Jason Snell writes that the iPhone 4S’s improvements over the iPhone 4 are “subtle”:

There’s no doubt that the iPhone 4S is faster—though the iPhone 4 is not exactly poky. The 4S camera is definitely better, but the big leap came from the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4. The jump from 4 to 4S is a bit more incremental.

Personally, I’ve decided to do something I’ve never done as far as the iPhone is concerned: skip the latest generation, at least for now.

In the past, I’ve dutifully upgraded to each new iPhone model, right up to the iPhone 4. But while I love the idea of a faster processor and an improved camera—and while the initial word on Siri, which is available only on the iPhone 4S, sure sounds exciting—I’m content to wait, particularly since I’m not eligible for a discounted upgrade yet.

That said, it you’re still using an iPhone 3GS or an ever older model, you may definitely want to upgrade—particularly since the big iOS 5 update (which includes features like wireless syncing, improved notifications, and one-touch access to the camera—won’t work on the original or second-generation iPhone 3G.

So, how many of you iPhone owners are upgrading to the 4S—and if you are trading up, which iPhone do you currently have?

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At the same time, gadget fans around the world are mourning the loss of an icon: Steve Jobs, who passed away Wednesday after a long battle with cancer.

Also this week: six tips for locking down your Facebook profile, how to avoid getting burning when trading in your old smartphone for cash, and why the unlocked iPhone 4S won’t work on Sprint or Verizon Wireless.

Your iPhone 4S questions, answered
When does the iPhone 4S go on sale? Will there be an unlocked version? How’s the camera? Get answers to these questions and more, right here. Read more…

Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
Yes, we’re going to miss him. Read about how Jobs changed my life (and yours too), as well as my tribute to one of his first creations, the Apple II. Read more…

6 ways to lock down your Facebook account
Worried that Facebook is playing a little too fast and loose with your personal photos, updates, and other information? Read on for six ways to put a lid on your Facebook account. Read more…

Why the “unlocked” version of iPhone 4S won’t work on Sprint or Verizon
Get ready for an “unlocked” version of the new iPhone that will work on any compatible carrier—”compatible” being the key word. It won’t be cheap, either. Read more…

Should I pre-order my iPhone 4S through Apple or a carrier? (reader mail)
What’s the best bet for placing a pre-order for the iPhone 4S: Apple’s website, or a carrier’s? Good question. Read more…

5 tips for exchanging your old smartphone for cash
Don’t pack up your iPhone or Android device and send it off to a bunch of strangers without taking a gander at these five tips. Read more…

The iPhone 4S: What you need to know
Meet the iPhone 4S, which looks just like the iPhone 4 on the outside but boasts “entirely new” components on the inside. No sign of the iPhone 5, by the way. Read more…

Are you eligible for a discount on the iPhone 4S? Here’s how to find out
An online tool will tell you in seconds whether you qualify for the discounted $199, $299, or $399 price tags for the new iPhone 4S. Read more…

Top 5 ways that iOS 5 and iCloud will make your old iPhone better
Some of the hottest features on the new iPhone 4S are also coming to an iPhone 4 or 3GS near you. Check out the five new features I can’t wait to try. Read more…

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According to a note posted on its online store, Apple will offer an “unlocked” iPhone 4S—that is, a version of the new iPhone that hasn’t been “locked” to a particular carrier’s wireless network—starting in November. Update (11/11/11): The unlocked iPhone 4S is now available on Apple’s website.

It won’t be cheap, though, nor will it work on Sprint or Verizon Wireless.

Expect to pay a whopping $649 for the 16GB version—an eye-popping $550 premium over an iPhone that’s “locked” for use on AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon. The 32GB unlocked iPhone, meanwhile, will go for $749, while the unlocked 64GB iPhone will sell for $849.

Looking for more of a bargain—relatively speaking, anyway? Consider an unlocked 8GB version of last year’s iPhone 4, which Apple is selling for $549.

Why the sky-high price tags? Well, the unlocked iPhone 4S is a no-contract phone that isn’t “locked” to any one carrier—meaning, unfortunately, that you won’t be eligible for any carrier price breaks.

The $199, $299, and $399 iPhone 4S models on sale through AT&T and Verizon come with mandatory two-year contracts, along with generous carrier subsidies to sweeten the pill.

The beauty of an unlocked phone (get the scoop on what “unlocked” means right here) is that you can simply pick one up, insert a working SIM card (or a smaller “micro-SIM” card, in the case of the iPhone 4 and 4S), and start making calls—perfect for those who want to use an iPhone with a non-iPhone carrier (like T-Mobile), or jetsetters who want to use cheap, local SIM cards while making calls abroad.

Standard SIM card and the iPhone 4's smaller micro-SIM, compared

What’s the catch? Well, Sprint and Verizon both run CDMA networks, which are incompatible with GSM networks and don’t even use SIM cards. Indeed, any phone used on Sprint or Verizon must be specifically programmed to work on their respective networks.

Now, the new iPhone 4S is a “world phone” that’s compatible with both CDMA and GSM networks—so, theoretically, you could call Sprint or Verizon and ask them to activate your unlocked iPhone on one of their respective networks.

On its website, however, Apple explicitly states that “the unlocked iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S will not work with CDMA-based carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint.”

The restriction probably also applies to Boost Mobile or Virgin Mobile, two pre-paid carriers that also employ CDMA networks.

In any case, you can always snag a pre-paid micro-SIM card from AT&T, T-Mobile, or any number of other pre-paid carriers carriers (they’re available for a buck and up on Amazon), plug it into your new unlocked iPhone, and start chatting away.

A couple of quick caveats about using 3G data on an unlocked iPhone:

• You’ll need a data plan associated with your micro-SIM card to surf the web, stream music, or otherwise consume cellular data on an unlocked iPhone. If you’re using a post-paid micro-SIM card and you start surfing away without a data plan, you may get hit with exorbitant data fees, so easy does it. Another option: skip the data plan and only use Wi-Fi data. To do this, tap Settings, General, Network, and then flip the Cellular Data switch to Off.
• While you can access data on T-Mobile’s network through an unlocked iPhone, the iPhone 4 doesn’t support the proper frequencies for T-Mobile’s speedy 3G and 4G networks. That means you’ll have to settle for the slower EDGE network, which is OK for email and light web surfing but a non-starter for streaming music or video.

Got more questions about the unlocked iPhone 4S? Sure you do. Leave ’em below, or shoot me an email.

Note: I’ve updated this story to include information and pricing for the new, unlocked iPhone 4S and the older iPhone 4. 

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Adam writes: Does it matter whether you order the iPhone 4S through your carrier (e.g. Verizon) or directly through the Apple website? And by “matter,” I mean which option will get you the phone the fastest. I assume the Verizon site will have less traffic. I know in the past I have had trouble with Apple’s servers being overloaded. Just curious if you knew anyone that has done both and what their experience was. Thanks.

Hi Adam! Excellent question—and unfortunately, I’d need a crystal ball to give you a definitive answer.

The official story is that there’s no difference whether you pre-order (starting Friday at 12 a.m. PT) your iPhone 4S through Apple’s online store or over the AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon Wireless websites.

AT&T also says it will take pre-orders through a special iPhone app, although the promised app has yet to appear on the App Store.

Each of the respective sites will step you through the various iPhone options (16GB, 32GB, or 64GB, black or white), help you choice a monthly plan, check your credit, determine your eligibility for carrier-subsidized discount, and take your money—and yes, you can port your current number to a new carrier, even if you order through Apple.

And if place your order early enough, either through Apple or a carrier, your new iPhone should arrive on your doorstep on October 14, the same day it goes on sale in stores.

That’s how it’s supposed to work, anyway. The “X” factor is how the various servers hold up under the crush of eager customers who are sure to descend on the Apple, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon websites in the wee hours Friday.

When the pre-orders for the iPhone 4 first began in June 2010, AT&T’s servers crumbled under the onslaught of traffic—but so did Apple’s, as it turned out. Indeed, I was one of many unhappy customers who tried and failed to place a pre-order through the online Apple Store, and by the time I tried AT&T’s website, it was too late. (Ultimately, I managed to snag an in-store reservation for launch day, which meant standing for hours in a gigantic line.)

Now, you’d think that Apple and the carriers would have their acts together this time around … and hey, maybe they do. But we won’t know for sure until the clock strikes 12 a.m. on the West Coast—and based on the number of live blogs that were overwhelmed by hoards of online visitors during Apple’s iPhone event earlier this week, it’s looking like interest in the iPhone 4S is at least as strong as it was for the iPhone 4 last year.

Will Apple’s servers get more traffic than the carrier sites? Probably, yes; then again, Apple.com might be better prepared for the tidal wave of visitors than the smaller carrier sites are. Maybe.

So, Adam, I’m sorry—it’s basically a crapshoot. I wish I had a better answer for you. If you’re looking for more opinions, I suggest checking the message boards at MacRumors, where hundreds of iPhone fans are puzzling over the same issue.

And hey, maybe we can lean on our readers for help, too. Anyone have advice or experience to share when it comes to pre-ordering an iPhone? Sound off below!

Update (10/7/11, 8:35 a.m. ET): Well, the iPhone pre-order rush began early in the A.M., and there have already been reports of server outages, with Fortune noting that Apple and AT&T appear to be taking the brunt of the damage. Sprint’s site has also been “slow,” according to Technologizer, while Verizon Wireless’ site has (so far, anyway) emerged relatively unscathed.

It’s also worth noting that as of Friday morning, Apple’s site is still promising a delivery date of October 14 for the iPhone 4S—meaning that if you pre-order now, you’ll get your iPhone on launch day. Don’t be surprised if the ship date starts to slip as the day wears on, though. (Just to be clear, any changes in the ship date should only apply to new pre-orders, not ones that have already been placed.)

Got any pre-order war stories to share?

The post Should I pre-order my iPhone 4S through Apple or a carrier? (updated) appeared first on here's the thing.

Get answers to these questions and more, right after the jump.

When does it go on sale?
Apple says it’ll start selling the iPhone 4S at 8 a.m. local time on October 14 in its retail stores—and yes, expect giant crowds and a long wait in line.

Ugh, what a pain. Can I just order one online?
Yes indeed, with Apple slated to begin taking pre-orders on October 7—this Friday—starting at 12 a.m. PT. If you want your new iPhone to arrive by October 14, though, I’d suggest placing your order as early as possible; last year, Apple’s servers buckled under a crush of eager iPhone 4 customers.

How much will the iPhone 4S cost if I’m still under contract?
Well, that depends on how much time is left on your service agreement. To find out if you’re eligible for the discounted $199, $299, and $399 prices for the iPhone 4S (and yes, those price tags include subsidies from the carriers), just visit Apple’s online store and click the “Check eligibility” link.

So, Apple says that the iPhone 4S is a “world phone” that works on both CDMA and GSM cellular networks. Does that mean I’ll be able to take my iPhone 4S from Verizon, put in a SIM card and use it on AT&T or T-Mobile?
No, not unless you’re prepared to “jailbreak” your new iPhone. That’s because your carrier—be it AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon—will “lock” your iPhone 4S to their particular network. The main benefit you’ll see from the iPhone 4S’s so-called “dual-mode” capability is that you’ll be able to roam on international cell phone networks when you travel, no matter whether you’re dealing with a GSM-based carrier (which are more prevalent in Europe and Africa) or a CDMA one (think Asia).

Will there be a unlocked iPhone 4S—and if so, can I use it on T-Mobile?
There’s no official word on whether Apple will unleash an unlocked version of the iPhone 4S, as it did for the iPhone 4. That said, The Unofficial Apple Weblog unearthed some evidence on Apple’s website hinting that an unlocked 4S could be on the way.

When and if an unlocked iPhone 4S does arrive, it will indeed work on T-Mobile, which has yet to get an official iPhone of its own; that said, the 4S (like the unlocked iPhone 4 before it) won’t be able to connect to T-Mobile’s 3G data network, meaning you’ll be stuck with the carrier’s slower EDGE network.

Will the Verizon version of the iPhone 4S let you talk and surf at the same time?
Nope—unfortunately, CDMA-based networks like Verizon Wireless and Sprint aren’t capable of handling simultaneous voice calls and 3G data connections, and that still holds true for the iPhone 4S. GSM networks like AT&T and T-Mobile, however, will let you talk and surf at once.

The new Siri "intelligent assistant": just push and hold the Home key and ask your question.

What’s the deal with Siri, the so-called “intelligent assistant” that you can speak to?
Apple seems quite excited about Siri (pronounced “sear-ee”), a new software application you activate by pressing and holding the iPhone 4S’s Home key.

Once the microphone icon appears on the screen, you just ask a question, like “What’s the weather today?” or say a command, like “Wake me up tomorrow at six in the morning.” The software then parses what you said and (as Apple execs were careful to emphasize) susses out the meaning of your question or command, meaning you can ask a given question in many different ways, like “Will it rain today?” or “Do I need a raincoat?” That’s where the “intelligence” part of the voice-activated Siri assistant comes in.

Very interesting—and indeed, the software behind Siri is reportedly so powerful that it will only run on the iPhone 4S’s souped-up processor, and not only earlier iPhone models.

OK, but will Siri actually change the way we use our iPhones, or will it end up being one of those features you try once or twice and then completely forget about? Good question—and we probably won’t know the answer until the iPhone 4S actually ships.

Is the new camera on the iPhone 4S really just as good as a point-and-shoot?
Again, we won’t know the answer to that until the 4S arrives on our doorsteps, but the new camera certainly sounds promising.

Armed with an eight-megapixel sensor, versus five megapixels on the iPhone 4 (for a total of 60 percent more pixels), the camera on the 4S boasts a wider aperture and backside illumination to boost the amount of light captured for an image. Apple has also promised face detection, which zeros in on the human faces in a scene, as well as image stabilization to smooth out your handheld video footage.

So yes, the new camera sounds impressive, but whether it will actually match or surpass the photo quality of a dedicated point-and-shoot remains to be seen.

The iPhone 4S is the same shape as the iPhone 4—but does it weigh the same amount, too?
Weighing in at 4.9 ounces, according to Apple’s website, the iPhone 4S is actually a tad heavier than the 4.8-ounce iPhone 4.

Bonus: I want the $99, 8GB iPhone 4—or maybe the free iPhone 3GS. When are they going on sale?
You can actually buy them right now, although they won’t arrive at your door until October 14. Just so you know, the $99 iPhone 4 will only be available from AT&T or Verizon to start, although it’s “coming soon” to Sprint, Apple says. The free iPhone 3GS, meanwhile, remains exclusive to AT&T.

Have more questions about the iPhone 4S? Sure you do. Post ’em below, or shoot me an email.

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