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Criteria
Comments
Rating
- Reception and call quality No comments
- Display No comments
- Battery life No comments
- Camera No comments
- Ease of use No comments
- Design and form factor No comments
- Portability (size / weight) No comments
- Media support No comments
- Durability No comments
- Ecosystem (apps, accessories, etc.) No comments
Detailed review
My iPhone purchase came after a bad experience with my first smartphone, an AT&T Tile with Windows Mobile. Compared to what pre-dated the iPhone, iPhone 3G is an amazing leap forward in usability and functionality.
By now, you're probably trying to decide between a 3G, a 3GS, or a Droid, which are probably the three most functional and popular consumer smartphones (not including BlackBerry). If you've never owned a smartphone, or just had a Windows Mobile or phone of that sort, the 3G is an amazing new experience. I love the ability to surf the web for information smoothly, listen to not just iPod music but streaming podcasts and music, and clean phone functions.
The 100,000 apps in the store is incredible. Though you won't ever need or use 99% of them, having access to that 1% is a great thing and does put the iPhone family above Android and WebOS phones.
If you're worried about the keyboard, don't. Even in portrait mode, the phone doesn't give me any problems. You just have to trust the built-in autocorrect.
Now to the down sides. One is AT&T. You've probably heard of the network issues. It's true that AT&T has a small 3G footprint, but if you're in a metro area you shouldn't have a problem. The other problem is load of the network and it's responsiveness. If you're in NYC or San Francisco, this could be a major turnoff for you. I live in Baton Rouge, which has a metro population of just under a million people, and I don't have problems every day, but when there are large events where people are prone to use the network, like LSU home games or festivals, the network does go down from time to time.
The other issues include pricing. The phone itself is extremely affordable, $100! I bought mine before the price drop, so I paid $200 for it, but that's not a big deal. But AT&T's data service, with texting, will have you around $100 a month, and that's not all that many voice minutes. Also, if you don't like iTunes (as I don't), this is also a problem as just like an iPod, iPhone syncs with iTunes exclusively.
At this point, if you're going to get an iPhone, I'd suggest getting the 3GS. For $100 more, you double the storage, get a better camera, and a speedy phone. I wish I had waited just two months to buy this phone, as I would have got all that for the same price I paid for this one. The 3G is good as a gift (though only if they are already or are up for paying AT&T's fees).
By now, you're probably trying to decide between a 3G, a 3GS, or a Droid, which are probably the three most functional and popular consumer smartphones (not including BlackBerry). If you've never owned a smartphone, or just had a Windows Mobile or phone of that sort, the 3G is an amazing new experience. I love the ability to surf the web for information smoothly, listen to not just iPod music but streaming podcasts and music, and clean phone functions.
The 100,000 apps in the store is incredible. Though you won't ever need or use 99% of them, having access to that 1% is a great thing and does put the iPhone family above Android and WebOS phones.
If you're worried about the keyboard, don't. Even in portrait mode, the phone doesn't give me any problems. You just have to trust the built-in autocorrect.
Now to the down sides. One is AT&T. You've probably heard of the network issues. It's true that AT&T has a small 3G footprint, but if you're in a metro area you shouldn't have a problem. The other problem is load of the network and it's responsiveness. If you're in NYC or San Francisco, this could be a major turnoff for you. I live in Baton Rouge, which has a metro population of just under a million people, and I don't have problems every day, but when there are large events where people are prone to use the network, like LSU home games or festivals, the network does go down from time to time.
The other issues include pricing. The phone itself is extremely affordable, $100! I bought mine before the price drop, so I paid $200 for it, but that's not a big deal. But AT&T's data service, with texting, will have you around $100 a month, and that's not all that many voice minutes. Also, if you don't like iTunes (as I don't), this is also a problem as just like an iPod, iPhone syncs with iTunes exclusively.
At this point, if you're going to get an iPhone, I'd suggest getting the 3GS. For $100 more, you double the storage, get a better camera, and a speedy phone. I wish I had waited just two months to buy this phone, as I would have got all that for the same price I paid for this one. The 3G is good as a gift (though only if they are already or are up for paying AT&T's fees).
good review!
1 person found this review helpful