I have always been a PC affectionado. I have never wanted much to do with Apple's color-coordinated computers and music systems with proprietary files. On the other hand, I know efficiency, power, and grace when I see it. Apple's iphone is clearly the most capable smartphone on the market right now hands down, and well worth the upgrade from the ancient brick of a cell phone I was lugging around.

My previous phones (a Motorolla i355 and an i205) for my wife and I were relics. Yes they functioned, but they lacked any real email and texting features. Direct Connect used to be important for me, because I had a large network of firefighters all on Direct Connect and it was a convenient way to communicate. Years have gone by, cell phones have evolved, and that network has dwindled, so it is no longer that useful to me. I needed convenient access to work email on the road, and some texting to keep in touch with friends, and my wife when I am in meetings. Thus began my quest to upgrade.

I considered the major carrier plans and researched phones. My friend showed me his iphone, and I was hooked. I was initially afraid it would be too much "gadget" for my wife, who is slow to adapt to new technology, but so far, she is doing well with it, which speaks volumes about the simplicity of navigation and design.

Before you proceed to your nearest AT&T store, do your homework and check your budget. The initial startup costs are significant, so go armed with knowledge. Your costs to walk out of the store with a new contract activation are equipment plus tax ($99 for a 8GB iphone 3G, and $199 for a 16GB iphone 3GS). Your first bill will come in about 2 weeks, and will be a whopper, including your plan costs, texting costs, phone activation costs, discout plan subscription fee, and taxes. After doing my research, I found that after equipment and initial setup costs, I would be paying only about $10 more a month, and having access to email, 3G/wireless internet, bluetooth, and most importantly, those wonderful apps.

I would up purchasing a 3GS for myself and a 3G for my wife. Setup was painless, friendly, and convenient, in part because I did my homework ahead of time. 16GB 3GS phones are a bit scarce, so I jumped at the opportunity when I found a nearby store with some in stock.

3GS upgrades over the 3G model include the following:
2-3x internet access speeds over the 3G
electronic compass
3MP camera with video-capability (3G has 2MP and no video)
Copy and paste functions
smarter portrait/landscape screen capabilities

Also, there is no replacement/protection plan for iphones. The device IS fragile, and a case is recommended. I suggest the Otterbox Defender. It is sold in AT&T stores for $50, but can be found at Amazon and ebay for $30. A variety of soft cases in a gazillion kitchy styles are also available.

The phone comes packaged in an attractive black box with a charging block, a USB cable and earbuds. The accessories are worth a mention. The charging block is the picture of simplicity, a small white block with a USB port. It is the smallest and most convenient charger I have ever owned. The earbuds are powerful and have a mute switch. Just be aware that the distinct white buds have become a bit of a tell for thieves.

The phone is sleek, stylish, and well-ballanced in the hand. Controls are simple, including a sleep button and earbud port on top, volume up/down and mute buttons on the left, and a home button below the screen. the base of the phone contains the microphone and docking/charging port. The screen is brightly lit.

The screen initially contains 16 icons, plus the 4 always-present features: phone, mail, Safari web browser, and iPod. Navigation is very intuitive with simpe finger swipes and presses. I love that you do not need to dial into voicemail. Contact information is rich and convenient to keeping multiple numbers and emails per person.

First, the phone itself. Reception is as good, if not slightly better than my previous phone on Sprint network. I do have some occasional bad reception indoors, but nothing horrible.

The email is easy to set up. I was initially under the impression I would not be able to access my work email with out an extra $15 per month Enterprise data fee, but because my work operates a "mirror" account, it is accessible over the standard data plan. BONUS!

Position mapping is accurate and fast (Google maps) and includes direction navigation. Voice navigation is available for a premium fee.
The camera takes a decent picture. The focus area is selectable by tapping the screen. Pictures are zoomable by "pinching" or "spreading" two fingers on the screen, and rotate when the phone is moved from vertical (portrait) to horizontal (landscape).

Battery life is strong considering all the powerful goodies packed into this phone, but still may need to be supplemented my a midday charge. Turning off key features when not needed will help conserve power, including wireless access, 3G access, Bluetooth, and dimming the screen. Not all USB ports carry enough juice to charge the phone. I purchased the Griffin Powerjolt car charger with 2 USB ports.

You will need an iTunes account to update your phone and keep in synched. Here, as a PC user, I ran into some troubles. First, Internet Explorer gave me a fit about downloading iTunes (imagine that?!?). This is apparently common, and I wound up having to use Firefox browser to do the job. Activation was straightforward, though I have run into synching problems with my apps becoming disabled. I no longer synch my apps.

So, apps are what this phone is ultimately about. Digging through the apps store, you will find that a majority of apps are indeed, a lot of flash and a little substance. There are some real winners, however, and many are free. Some of the best include:
BUMP - wirelessly transfer contacts and photos between 2 phones in the same vicinity
GOOGLE EARTH - self-explainatory
THE WEATHER CHANNEL - local radar and weather feeds
FACEBOOK, TWITTERFON, TWITPIC, SKYPE - access to respective applications
SLACKER and PANDORA - streaming customizable radio
SHAZAM - continuously impresses me. Allow Shazam to sample any music source, and it will quickly analyze it, identify it, and offer the links to buy it. AMAZING. THe only thing it has trouble with is techno music.

Bluetooth works great. I easily paired my iphone with my Garmin Street Pilot for handsfree capability.

The iPod function works seamlessly. You must use synching software, like iTunes to transfer music. You cannot manually manipulate files via PC connection. You can only use music ringtones from music files purchased through iTunes.

One final thing. If you plan on traveling out of country with your iphone, check with AT&T first. Roaming data charges are largely unregulated and can be aggregiously expensive.

So is all this connectivity woth it? For me, absolutely. If I was upgrading from a more advanced phone? Maybe. Smartphones are still in their infancy, and will doubtlessly become cheaper, include more features, and be available over more networks in the near future. In terms of durability, count on a solid case to protect your investment. For now, however, the iphone is clearly the best on the market in terms of seamless interface, design, and function.