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We're not going to beat around the bush -- in our approximation, the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market right now. The combination of gorgeous new hardware, that amazing display, upgraded cameras, and major improvements to the operating system make this an extremely formidable package.

While it isn't all rainbows and flowers (the data speed issues or the voice / data considerations could be a dealbreaker for some), it does kind of feel like Apple and Verizon did the impossible: they made the best smartphone in America just a little bit better.

Apple has built a beautiful smartphone that works well, adds impressive new features and is still, overall, the best device in its class.

With iPhone 4, Apple again shows that it's a powerful player in the smartphone wars. It won't be for everyone, and AT&T remains a sticking point, but the handset's striking design, loaded feature set, and satisfying performance make it the best iPhone yet.

If what you care about, however, is size and shape, beauty and battery life, polish and pleasure, then the iPhone 4 is calling your name.

Numerous peers of ours who had no intention of getting an iPhone 4 began reconsidering it after seeing the screen ... the signal/antenna issue appears to be a serious concern; we hesitate to straight-up recommend the iPhone for this reason, though in the real world, it may not affect you as much.

Like a parent with a child too lazy or too difficult to live up to his potential, I'm frustrated and confused and sad. ... So like most, I focus on the good qualities. The speed, the camera, the screen. So what if he throws a tantrum when I hold him wrong? He's my boy.

While there is space to improve the iPhone, you don't necessarily feel you are missing out. What you have is a device that is an excellent multimedia platform and open to a new generation of unfolding possibilities.

The notable features with iPhone 4 ... are mostly tweaks. But what tweaks they are: Apple's focus on improvement is as much key to the quality of its products as innovation. Still, there's one flaw it can't completely eliminate: the unreliable quality of calls placed over AT&T.

It surpasses every past model in horsepower, screen quality, data speeds and versatility while either rivaling or improving upon their feature-for-feature battery life, and the price points are reasonable given the quantity and quality of capabilities Apple is offering.

Cutting through the hype, Apple has given longtime diehards, and first-time iPhone owners, plenty to cheer about.