The pefect gadget (Apple iPhone 3G 16 GB with contract)

Member Name: roversjenny

Product:	Apple iPhone 3G 16 GB with contract
Date:	06/05/09 (150 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Thousands of Apps, endless fun

Disadvantages: Battery life

Where do I start....

The iPhone has so many fantastic features that it is hard to know where to start when reviewing it!

I have had mine for around 3 months now, so just about getting used to it yet I am still discovering more and more new things everyday.

I have the 8GB 3G version on the £45 a month contract from o2, which gets me 500 texts and 1200 minutes every month, plus unlimited internet and 3G access. I also qualify for o2 treats which can be picked from a variety of options, at the minute I get an additional 50 texts a month.

Now onto the phone itself, the design is sleek, as with all Apple products, it is a bit bigger than a normal phone, however, its not true that the best things come in small packages, certainly not where the iPhone is concerned anyway! I would say that the one downside to the design is not the size or weight (which aren't that bulky anyway) but the lack of resiliance to scratches. It does mark quite easily, especially given that it is a touch screen phone, I use screen protectors to try and minimise any damage.

The standard applications which are loaded onto the phone are as follows:

SMS
Photo's
Camera
Calendar
YouTube
Stocks
Maps
Weather
Clock
Calculatir
Settings
Notes
Contacts
Itunes
App Store

These cannot be deleted, however, they can be moved from the front 'page' if you don't really use them. To move applications you press down on one, and they all start to shake, they can then be replaced on different screens, or if they have been manually added, they have a cross on them and can also be deleted.

The SMS application is rather funky, the conversations are kept in speech bubbles and you can see the conversation from start to finish, so you don't have to remember what you have sent someone when they reply. A lot of people don't like this lay out but I think its quite funky and fresh. You can clear conversations so they are not stored for large periods, however until you do, the conversations just keep going, and they are stored in date order and by person.

The photo application is brilliant, the photos go full screen and are fantastic quality, they really look great on the iPhone. You can scroll through by simply moving your picture over the photo. The camera is only 2mp but does a job, I think the quality looks fine when I use it, if I want better pictures, I simply use a digital camera.

One of my favourite standard applications are the maps, they are the Google maps, and have real time GPS so you can see where you are, and if you put an end point in it will give you directions as well as showing you moving along the route, its like Sat Nav without the annoying women speaking! I have found it very useful on several occasions when I have been lost. You can view a map like view, or a satellite view, great fun when you find your home etc!

Aside from the standard applications, there are ones that you can download, and literally thousands upon thousands to chose from, some of the Apps I have are as follows:

Ebay
Facebook
Traffic info
Last FM
Google Earth
iFooty

I also have plenty of games and even a pedometer! The App store has everything you could dream of and more, plenty of the Apps are free as well. You pay for the Apps via an iTunes account, and the money is automatically taken off the card that you have stored, however, you do have to put your password in before you can buy, so someone couldn't just take your phone and download loads of stuff without your password.

Things download quite quickly with a 3G signal, however, I prefer to be connected to wireless before I download as it is much quicker (depending on strenth of connection)

The music side of things is like a normal iPod, you can create endless play lists and sort your music in numerous different ways. The music can be played via headphones, but the phone also has speakers so can listen without headphones. I use mine most in my aux jack in the car, playing through the cars sound system.

You can download songs from iTunes direct to the phone, once again, better if you have a wireless connection rather than 3G.

On the wireless front, you can use normal home networks, if you know the passwords, and you can also use hotspots provided by The Cloud and BT Open Zone for free, all you have to do is put your o2 number in the first time that you access the network. Simple as that, and with thousands of hot spots around the country, in city centres etc it is unlikely that you wont be able to pick up a free wireless signal.

The internet browser is Safari and you can view webpages like you would on a computer, you can zoom in etc if you are viewing small font. It is just like a mini laptop screen and the picture quality is awsome, watching YouTube video's on the iPhone is better quality than on a normal laptop/computer.

The phone is also set up to receive emails from your personal accounts, I have mine set up to download from AOL and Gmail. You can have it access data automatially, or you can enforce downloads, I prefer the latter as it uses less battery.

You can also turn the wireless on and off, along with the 3G connection. Another handy feature is that you can turn into airplane mode so the phone loses all connection to any network and is simply an iPod so you can use on aeroplanes and other places where you aren't supposed to have your phone on.

Another downside, which has to be mentioned, is the battery life, if you are using it a lot it can drain quite quickly, however, I don't have to charge mine every day. To charge it you can either plug it into your laptop via the USB, or use the USB cable to plug it into the wall (you get an adaptor in the box).

Overall, it is easily the best gadget I have ever owned and I never tire of playing with it and discovering new things! I would recommend to all!

Summary: A must own