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The Apple iPhone in 500 Words or Less by Tom Jr.
So called smart-phones have been gaining in popularity over the last several years as people have become more and more mobile and increasingly dependent upon the internet, especially web and email services. Despite having increased in popularity, however, smart-phone users have suffered from sub-par user interfaces that are awkward to use.
This past January, Apple got everyone's attention at its annual Macworld conference in San Francisco when Steve Jobs announced, and demonstrated, the iPhone. Six months and a whole lot of hype later, the iPhone is now available. But does it live up to the hype and bring a full-featured, easy to use device, with an elegant user interface to smart-phone market?
Based on my experience, the answer is a resounding yes. With the iPhone's gorgeous user interface, Apple has managed to make other smart-phones look clunky and outdated. There are plenty of in-depth reviews of the iPhone on the web, so I won't repeat the same format here. Instead, I'll provide a quick, bulleted list of features, highlights, and shortcomings.
Features:
- 3.5-inch Multi-touch, high resolution display- Appears to be very durable and scratch-resistant- Next generation iPod with CoverFlow; plays music and videos- Quad-band phone- Full featured Safari web browser and rich HTML email client- Syncs bookmarks, contacts, and email accounts from your Mac or PC- Virtual keyboard- 2 megapixel camera- Integrated Google Maps- 4GB or 8GB capacity- Wi-Fi and EDGE for wireless data
Highlights- Interface is way ahead of other devices- Very easy to use- Full featured Safari and email client are both quite good- Navigating the device using "flicking" and "pinching" is great- iPod is better than ever- Google Maps integration is very well done, and very useful- Ability to move from portrait to landscape mode by rotating phone is awesome and, combined with multi-touch capabilities, greatly expands usability- Virtual keyboard, which to some was a great cause of concern prior to the release, is actually quite good. I'm already typing faster and more accurately, and with less strain, than with my old BlackBerry 8800- Automatically switches from EDGE to Wi-Fi when available
Shortcomings- AT&T is the only service provider, meaning you'll have to either cancel your old plan with another carrier, or pay both service providers- The EDGE network can be quite slow- Supports Exchange via IMAP, but the experience won't be the same as with a BlackBerry- Battery life could be better when using the internet features of the phone, particularly over Wi-Fi- No spam filter on the email client- No threading of mail messages- Unable to delete multiple messages at once- Can't copy/cut/paste from one area to another- Rotating from portrait to landscape sometimes doesn't work properly
Tom Anderson is an Apple Certified Technical Coordinator who regularly works with businesses and consumers to integrate technology into their environments. Tom is the President & CEO of [http://www.greatervalleytech.com]Greater Valley Technology Management, a consulting company located in Winchester, VA that focuses on Apple technologies, and is a member of the Apple Consultants Network, a Daylite 3 Certified Partner, and participates in his local Chamber of Commerce. Prior to starting his consulting firm, Tom spent 13 years at AOL, LLC, as an IT professional.
About the Author
Tom Anderson is an Apple Certified Technical Coordinator who regularly works with businesses and consumers to integrate technology into their environments. Tom is the President & CEO of Greater Valley Technology Management (http://www.greatervalleytech.com), a consulting company located in Winchester, VA that focuses on Apple technologies, and is a member of the Apple Consultants Network, a Daylite 3 Certified Partner, and participates in his local Chamber of Commerce. Prior to starting his consulting firm, Tom spent 13 years at AOL, LLC, as an IT professional.
Thinking of switching from Windows to a Mac? Have an old Mac and looking to buy a new one? To download Tom's free eBook "Mac Buying Made Easy - Your Guide to Getting Started With a Mac," go to www.greatervalleytech.com (http://www.greatervalleytech.com) and click on Books in the Information Center.
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