Apple iPhone - Even for Girls! (Apple iPhone 3G 16 GB)

Member Name: hdw4sting

Product:	Apple iPhone 3G 16 GB
Date:	24/09/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to use and personalise

Disadvantages: Targeted to Males

As a comitted techno-phobe where mobiles are concerned I was dubious that the iPhone's features would be worth the 18-month contract and high line-rental fee but I have been pleasantly surprised.

Yes, this phone is primarily aimed at gadget-loving males, but it has a lot to offer for the more casual user too. Quick links on the home screen take you through to contacts, email, browsing and MP3s.

As a contacts database it performs well, with lots of space for individual information that is easily updated, imported and shared with a PC or Mac. The input method is intuitive, making full use of the phone's copy and paste functions and enables data to be used throughout applications on the phone.

By far the most useful of the phone, in my opinion, is the ease with which webmail accounts can be integrated with the iPhone, when emails are received the phone automatically provides notification and all standard functions such as replying to, moving and deleting emails are fully supported.

The browsing function of the iPhone relies on Apple's on Safari browser which is so close to Internet Explorer in it's controls as to not cause a problem for anybody who has previously had only lmited access to a Mac. Browsing is made enjoyable due to the large screen, zooming in and out of pages, as well as completing pre populated fields and drop-down menus is easy due to the touch-screen nature of the phone.

As an MP3 player the iPhone goes above and beyond any that I have used before (including the Apple Classic and Video iPods). This is mainly due to the integrated iTtunes software which is bundled with the iPhone which enables me to download tracks as and when I want them.

SMS messages and internet addresses are typed using an on-screen keyboard and phone calls inputted via an onscreen keypad. Both methods do take a little while to get used to but provide many benefits over standard phone layouts.

The lack of predictive text input for texting means there is no need to add new words the the dictionary as you type, although the phone will make suggestions for obvious mis-spellings and the dialling pad has nice large icons to avoid mis-dialling.

SMS messages are grouped by author to form threads of conversations, making the phone seem more like a instant message service and gives the ability to follow a conversation from start to finish.

Although the camera is not brilliant, it is more than serviceable for a mobile phone. Now that MMS has been enabled (a feature which had been previously lacking) this means pictures can be sent directly to contacts instead of being limited to sending them as email attachments (of which you are only able to add one per message).

The Apple Applications store gives users the chance to personalise their iPhone as much or as little as they choose and this is probably the best feature of the product. The iPhone can be as technical or simple as required and gives the scope for any additional feautures to be genuinely useful.

Summary: All in all a highly reccommended product.

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