Payton H. Wilmott, Tech Writer
After so many months of daydreaming and finger crossing, I finally got the opportunity to review Apple's iPhone.
Phone Design
The iPhone is the smallest smart phone I have ever reviewed, light enough to fit snugly in your shirt pocket without hassle.
The mobile has an unbelievable display screen, projecting photos and videos better than my television! No complaints in this department.
iPod feature
Well, folks, Apple promised functionality and the iPod duly delivered. The smart phone functions exactly like an iPod Touch when you enable the iPod feature, a real attention grabber with tech consumers.
Obviously, iPod functionality is all it sells because the iPhone falls flat on the super cellphone index. As expected, the sound quality of the MP3s you play in the iPod option is exceptionally good, and if you convert the videos correctly, you'll get amazing reproduction.
Phone Features
No matter where you are, you'll get a signal. Voice calls are clear and, of course, the phone carries a speaker. In addition, the mobile is accompanied with a built-in two-megapixel camera.
The built-in speaker was rather low. I'm a proud owner of a Sony Ericsson K750i which beats the iPhone's external speaker volume to a pulp.
What you didn't know about the iPhone
It can't video-record. You can't use MP3s as ringtones. Aaaarrrgh! There's no facility to see or copy the phone numbers on your SIM card to the phone. You can't send or receive any file (MP3s, videos, pictures) using Bluetooth connection on the phone. The iPhone cannot zoom while taking a picture, and doesn't have a flash for taking photos in the dark! The web browser doesn't support Flash or Java. You can't add any data without using Itunes. Its design limits the types of headphones that will fit without an adaptor.The last word
A careful review of the iPhone turns up obvious disappointments: an Ipod Touch + a cheap camera phone = the iPhone! No, I take that back because the cheap camera phone would have far greater capabilities. My advice is to get an iPod touch, then buy a phone that's on sale, and save your pocket pain and the heartache that comes with it. The iPhone gets a modest 6 out of a possible 10 stars.
The products mentioned in this article were provided courtesy of Royale Computers and Accessories; telephone 906-1067, 906-1068 or 754-5048.
Tip for converting videos on iPhone
To get the best-quality videos on your iPhone or iPod Touch, use the programme called xvid4psp. It's free!
