A Short Review Of The iPhone

There are probably few gadgets that were subjected to the kind of scrutiny that the iPhone has experienced. After all, this is the Jesus phone, capable of doing a lot of things we only dreamed of. But can it really live up to the hype and the hysteria?

The iPhone is quite revolutionary, pushing the edge of available technology and making a lot of things available to users. But as we all know, technology is give and take. Something's got to give somehow. It has lots of features ordinary phones have but it also lacks some of the basics so common in ordinary phones.

First Impressions Last.

The iPhone is so sleek, thin and pretty that if you have big, rough hands you might be a little hesitant to touch it. It's basically a computer in your hand. You can call, send text messages, check and send e-mails, play music, watch videos and take pictures. It also functions as a web browser and organizer. Its software is simple and quite easy to operate. Basically, with an iPhone you can function on your own without your secretary or your laptop.

More Eye Candy

Everything about the iPhone is pleasing to the eyes, especially its 8.9 cm screen and its functionality. The screen reacts to your touch. In fact, the iPhone only has one Home button. Everything you need to do with it, you will have to tell it by touch. Your finger can choose a command, pinch or expand the screen, open a message, flip through choices and otherwise tell your nifty gadget what to do.

Near-Perfect Or Near-Miss?

The iPhone has a lot of features an entry-level user may find intimidating. However, it is lacking a few functionalities that experienced smart phone users will miss. The iPhone's available memory (4MB and 8MB), for example, may not be enough for voracious users of iTunes and video. It also operates 2G technology, something 3G users will find disappointing.

You will also be stuck with AT&T's Cingular because the iPhone only operates using this provider. Every plan you buy has a lock-in period of two years. The iPhone also uses a closed platform which means every update or additional program you'll receive will come from Apple and Apple only.

All in all, this is a must-have phone IF:

a) you really do need and can use all or most of the features,
b) you don't mind spending $500 or $600 for a phone and
c) you don't mind being limited to just one service provider. The first iPhone is a good phone to have but if you can, wait for the second coming. There might better deals in the future.