Apple iPhone (8 GB) Smartphone

While trying to think of a simple synopsis for my iphone 3g, the only thing I could think of was the word "yes!" I am not an early adopter sort (note my lack of the first iPhone) but when something is useful enough to warrant the money and does a job right, I get it.

Any of you looking for hands on data, I'll tell you what I found neat, useful, powerful, weak, and clever. I'm certain you can find the factsheets and details elsewhere - you want to know how an actual owner uses it and what he thinks of it. So that's what I'll provide.

First, some basics. Yes, there is a phone in it. (heheh) The iPhone works on AT&T's cell system, both for calls and for data. Unlike a iTouch, you can access your email and the web without looking for a hifi hotspot - if you have cell coverage, you have net connections. This is very handy when you find yourself in an emergency with no networks anywhere. You can take photos with the built in camera and email it to people, which is more useful than you think. The black faceplate is also the keyboard and you do everything on it with one or two fingers. I strongly recommend getting a rubber protective case and some adhesive screen protectors. You do NOT want to scratch the display on your expensive new machine. There is a software revision 2.1 which you can install through your home computer onto the iPhone when you connect them through iTunes on your home box. This revision fixes problems with call dropping and I strongly recommend you put it in first thing. The update is free, btw.

There is a builtin GPS system in the phone, and your position data couples with Google Maps. Sure, there are plenty of GPS navigators on the market today, and the iPhone does not give verbal directions like a Garmin or tomtom will. But the iPhone lets you search for a nearby company, pick one, and call them with the touch of a finger! How cool is that? You will never need a phonebook or a map again. And unlike my Garmin units, the Google maps are a) always up to date and b) include satellite imagery.

There is a built in music player in it also (duh). My 8Gig model has 800 songs in it, and I've only filled it up 3/4 of the way. You can find particular bands or songs very easily with only two finger presses. And a nice touch is, when you make a call or get a call, the music quickly fades and is gone. And when the call is over, voom, the music picks right back up again where it stopped! You can get a car charger (but it must be for the iPhone - iPod chargers aren't the same thing, an expensive lesson) and adapters to plug into the car stereo. I use a simple 1/8" stereo cable to hook into the Aux port on my stereo. Sounds great, though you have to turn the volume to near max for it to drive the stereo.

Viewing the web on the little screen takes a bit of getting used to. The small screen makes you squint. You can "pinch" and "unpinch" the screen with your fingers to zoom in and out, and then move the image around with a finger. It's easy. And turning the unit sideways helps a lot as well. For typing, a virtual keyboard appears on the screen and you enter data with one finger. No, you won't be speedtyping with this thing. But you don't need that in something like this anyways. If you want to write the great American novel, get a laptop.

The battery life is unimpressive in default settings. In default, it is always on your Wifi connection and checking for emails (push). But by setting the mail so it only checks for emails once an hour, you can listen to music all day long and not use up a quarter of the battery. Wifi connections are simple to setup as well, and when you are in range of a connection you've setup before, it doesn't even bother you; it connects to it automatically.

You may wonder why it has both wifi and 3G data lines. Well, this gets to my one niggling little negative about the phone. ITunes will only connect to the music store through the Wifi connection. It cannot and will not work through the 3G system. This is a bit of a let down for me, since being able to grab an album anywhere at anytime was something I was looking forward to. But it doesn't work that way. Itunes will only function when you are connected to a wifi somewhere. Another irritant is that it's not a fullblown iTunes store and you cannot go to podcasts directly - you must sync to a computer in your home to get podcasts into it. Pretend it doesn't have iTunes store in it and treat it like an iPod and you'll be fine.

To summarize, you'll be surprised that 3G speed and the GPS will be so useful. With just a few touchs you can find whatever business you are looking for and call them on speakerphone before the traffic light changes. And even when you aren't in a 3G area but a standard cell network, you'll still have plenty of network connectivity. Battery life is acceptable and understandable for such a tiny device. Not inexpensive, certainly not. But if you have ever found yourself wanting a radar image while camping or need to tell lots of friends thta you are okay after tornadoes, you'll find it to be extremely useful indeed.