iPhone - my take....

[DR]

... So I have used the thing for over a week now and I got some things I wanna say about it.

The unit is great, very well made, and the UI is second to none. It is slick, and works well - it links with iTunes perfectly and is very stable. There are however some niggles, which hopefully (ones with *'s should be via software) be fixed.

I love the fact you can zoom in and tilt it to the side to get the landscape view.

*- Video Capture with camera
*- Zoom in / out on camera
*- Ability to Copy and Paste...
*- Change phone number layout (UK style )
*- When someone phones who is in your address book but with an international tag - it identify them properly for example - I have people as +44 in mine - but when the number comes through as 07 (i.e without international prefix) it doesn't find them - my Sony does though!
*- Ability to be told when over 160 characters
*- Ability to see previous dialed numbers when on a call
*- Group MMS
*- Ability to have a Flash player working - not just YouTube on it.

- Lack of removable battery - but this is a iPod trait.
- Lack of 3G
- Fact you can't use normal headphones without an adapter
- Ridiculous price for the Apple Bluetooth headset.
- Not much space, but 8GB still is not filled on mine and I have 7 films on it and about 1GB Music

Of course the lack of 3G is a pain at times, but I don't mind it - I would prefer it to HAVE 3G but I am more keen on a better battery life than having 3G present.

Of course mine is an unlocked phone, which won't be upgraded to the new firmware 1.1.1 until a 3rd party update is out, however I am getting tired of people telling me it will be 'bricked' if I plug it in. It's simple - don't upgrade it! I've sync'd mine with iTunes today without issues at all.

They could also attack the corporate world, or home worker by allowing it to integrate with the desktop more - and having it as a gateway. They have some great software guys at Apple they could easily make it as a GSM gateway - allowing you to control the phone from the Mac or PC to start, answer calls, or reply and read text messages. This would also mean you could have 1 phone for desk stuff - and be able to take it with you. They could in theory allow SIP or VoIP integration when you are plugged in to the desktop via the cable....

Overall I think it is great, and I would 100% buy one again - I would recommend people try it out, as a solution it is good - I've moved around a fair few phones recently - and my biggest bug bear has been the battery life or lack of ability to sync with my computer. This phone pretty much does all I want it to to do....

[Tarinder]

I happen to have one of these phones as well.

My main drawbacks are as follows:

I'd say that USB2.0 transfers are a little on the slow side.
The touchscreen, whilst great, cannot compete against, say, a BlackBerry's keyboard, in my opinion.
The alarm's volume isn't loud enough to wake me up.
Camera should have been a 3.2MP jobbie on such a high-end phone.
Even though the unit ships with 8GB of onboard memory I'd have liked an expansion slot built into it.
I can't find a way of copying and pasting a bunch of text, if I need to.

[Funkstar]

Good write up David

I tried one in an Apple store at the end of July. And although they are lovel pieces of hardware, i just couldn't get to grips with the keyboard.

Some of your software faults really do scream "rev 1 product". Especially the number layout and recognising international vs domestic numbering (my past 3 SE phones can do this fine and i think even my old Nokia 7110 could too).

iPhone v2 should be interesting. And if nothing else, it has given the phone market i kick up the arse

[DR]

You are right the keyboard is not as easy as a Blackberry but I can touch type on it and use it pretty quickly... I just use it for excuse as my typos are always present.

Re USB2.0 speeds, I've not noticed - but then again I just hit Sync and get on with work....

People always moan about Rev1 products from Apple but you need to be an adopter - if you want the latest stuff, I am excited about new things when they launch thats one of the reasons I started HEXUS!

The number layout is due to it being a US handset I have, and when the UK one launches I am sure they will have resolved it.

iPhone v2? Bring it on!

[Mossy]

Good write up David

I
Some of your software faults really do scream "rev 1 product". Especially the number layout and recognising international vs domestic numbering (my past 3 SE phones can do this fine and i think even my old Nokia 7110 could too).

Hence the reason I let all the people who cant wait to test the phone review it then wait to the product matures and also becomes cheaper and better versions are out. I do like the look of the apple phone but i do tend to stay away from apple products.

Do the phones come with the mug me earphones?

[Funkstar]

The number layout is due to it being a US handset I have, and when the UK one launches I am sure they will have resolved it.

Thats a fair point, i forgot about that

And it's probably fixed in 1.1.1 which will ship on UK phones

[DR]

Hence the reason I let all the people who cant wait to test the phone review it then wait to the product matures and also becomes cheaper and better versions are out. I do like the look of the apple phone but i do tend to stay away from apple products.

Do the phones come with the mug me earphones?

Yep it comes with the Apple headphones.

[Mossy]

I'm just jealous David, but yes good detailed review maybe there is some way of pointing the faults/ improvements out to apple.

[RECOiL™]

I was going to get an iPhone, but after careful assessment I am now waiting patiently for the SE W960i. For my needs, the w960i is perfect. The iPhone on those 02 tarrifs is ridiculous.

[DR]

I'm just jealous David, but yes good detailed review maybe there is some way of pointing the faults/ improvements out to apple.

I don't think they would listen...

[Mossy]

I don't think they would listen...

Not even to you tell em your the big man!

[Tarinder]

The Apple earbuds are crap, by the way, or I must have mutant ears.

[DR]

Yeah issue is they have the inline mic which you need to use...

... I have just installed ApolloIM on it - seems very sweet

[Tarinder]

I was going to get an iPhone, but after careful assessment I am now waiting patiently for the SE W960i. For my needs, the w960i is perfect. The iPhone on those 02 tarrifs is ridiculous.

Yup, you're right, but at least my phone has a better carrier and the proper branding.

[DR]

Yup, you're right, but at least my phone has a better carrier and the proper branding.

[RECOiL™]

orange??

I'm already on o2 with a great tariff.. how could i possibly use the iphone but stay on the same tariff ?

also how would this affect using the o2 edge network