When Apple released the original iPod back in 2001 it sparked the birth of a new generation of mp3 players and created a worldwide buzz. A feat that many analysts said could never be matched again. 6 years later in 2007 Apple somehow recreated the same magic with the release of it iPhone and revolutionized the cellphone/pda market. While the $499 price tag for a 16gb iPhone may seem astronomically high for what is basically an iPod with a cellphone capabilities the iPhone does have several features that go beyond the typical PDA cellphone.
The first thing that catches the eye when you look at the iPhone is its slim and stylish 11.6mm aluminum case. Upon further inspection we notice the usual plastic screen cover is actually scratch proof glass which was originally introduced on the iPod Nano 2nd generation and helps to keep the device looking like new for many years to come. Power on the device and you’ll find the pleasantly large 3.5″ is a multi-functional touch screen with a stunning 480×320 pixels resolution.
The iPhone boasts a 2mp camera with a maximum resolution of 1600×1200 pixels. The picture quality is excellent provided you are not a photophile and there is enough ambient light. The camera’s lack of flash and auto focus are a major drawback.
The internet browsing is where the iPhone truly outclasses every other PDA in the market. With the built-in Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and the Safari web browser ported directly from Mac OS X you almost forget you are using a PDA. The onscreen keyboard which can also be rotated horizontally for a full keyboard feel makes writing an e-mail or even typing in a web address a breeze.
Of course the iPhone also doubles as an iPod which comes with a few new tricks. The CoverFlow application allows you to browse your music by flipping through album covers with your fingers. The sound quality is as you would expect crystal clear and on par with any iPod.
Finally as a phone the iPhone does not offer any out of the ordinary features and is pretty much on par with any of the latest releases from Nokia or Samsung. The quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 allows you to travel anywhere in the world and also offers a strong reception in both rural and suburb settings. The one feature that severely cripples the iPhone from being the greatest PDA cellphone is the lack of 3G. Considering the iPhone’s internet enabled applications the lack of 3G does not allow the user to make full use of these.
The Apple iPhone certainly is a well rounded PDA/Cellphone and despite a few shortcomings it will keep even the most techno-geeks happy until Apple releases an upgrade in a year or two.
