Apple iPhone
Phone Scoop Review
Jul 2, 2007 by Eric Lin, Eric Zeman & Rich Brome
Phone Scoop takes an in-depth look at Apple's iPhone. Is it the Swiss Army knife of cell phones that Steve Jobs promised? (with video tour) read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
Lets Look address some of the ups and downs
Ok I see several people slamming iphone for some of the basic features that are just common sense. I want to assure you that iphone is solid. However, I do agree they could have improved on a couple of things, but you have to realize this thing almost took 3 years to make. They weren't going to scrap gen I to jump to gen II and lose all that money, its apple and AT&T were talking about not some not-for-profit organization.
Lets get this show on the road and since everyone seems to be into the cons I will list my cons first. then I will list the pros
Cons
Not 3G(google maps and youtube can get frustrating if you have to deal with it too much on the EDGE network)
No MMS( I see this as more of an inconvenience because you can use your email to send out messages, yes even to phone numbers)
The battery has to be at 80% or better to sync with itunes(this is the biggest downfall that I see)
Pros
The touch screen, innovative!!!(not shoty and doesn't work like some people offer!!)
AT&T's awsome service on the phone
Unlimited email for $20 a month!(most service even on edge runs around 40 for pda's)
It's strong and easy to use wifi
Ease of use overall
The feel of the phone is light and not bulky
The widgets are easy to use and not hidden under 3 different menus
the phone/pda intergration seems to almost completly seemless an esperience that I have seen on no other phone so far!
Great phone, some con's but still love it!
Pro's
-Great screen - love that it's 100% touch screen
-Phone feels good in your hand
-Data plan is only $20 extra which includes text messaging, unlimited data, and visual voicemail.
-Sync's with Outlook
Con's
-AT&T service is not nearly as good as Verizon's
-Everyone wants to hold/try it
-Cant send text message to more than one person at a time
-No MMS
-Poor selection of pre-loaded ring-tones
-Volume on phone/speakerphone is low even on the highest setting
-Can't expand the keyboard (by turning it sideways) when sending email/text
-No zoom on camera
Great
To begin things, this phone is amazing. I'll admit I'm an Apple fanboy, but to put it in an un-bias manner, no other company has released a product this elegant and well designed as Apple has with the iPhone. Behind the beauty though, the user is presented with a fantastic interface. Built upon OS X, applications are fluid and seem to all be running at once. Switching back to HOME and to the various applications works just as demonstrated. Hardly have I come across lag of any type, and usually only with large files I'm trying to view in Safari. Some of the widgets are a little simplistic, but that's what makes them work. They aren't there to be full applications, but just small little pieces of code to get you the info you need. What I am amazed by is that Goggle Maps is starting to become my favorite app on the phone. The ability to find locations, and save them instantly as contacts is very satisfying. The iPod works well also, although I would've enjoyed to see more customization and control of that portion of the iPhone, though it still works flawlessly. All my contacts and calendars did sync up as they should, although I've noticed that all my calendar entries were moved up by 4 hours. There's probably something wrong on my part, but I haven't taken the time to check. Entering in information with the keyboard does take some getting use to, but I think age comes into factor when getting over the learning curve. As far as the other applications, they're simple and without flaws. Oh yeah, I forgot, this thing also makes calls. I've been with Sprint for two years now, and I've never really gotten great reception in Mercedes, TX. With AT&T though, reception is great. I haven't had a dropped call yet, and although I've heard a lot of complaints about EDGE, it's actually worked out pretty good. Another thing about my point of view on EDGE vs. 3G is that 3G is not yet available in my area, so I really have no platform to make an opinion on that. Great phone!
iPhone... nothing but hype
I didn't wait in line for days or pay 1000 dollars on ebay for my iPhone so I was a little skeptical at first, but decided to try it.
First of all, the commercials are misleading. The data connection and web browser (safari) are SLOOOOOOOOW. That YouTube video actually takes about 2 minutes to load.
Second, the electrostatic screen is supposed to be impossible to pocket dial, but guess what, 32 pocket calls in a month.
I'm a klutz and was amazed that you can't buy insurance for it...
Bottom line:
-Pros:
-impress people cause they saw it on TV (if you really care what other people think)
-large screen for video
-looks cool (again, form way above function)
-multitouch interface is cool.
Cons:
-ridiculous expensive
-glass front is fragile (no insurance avail)
-always wiping off face prints/fingerprints
-small hard drive for the price
-slow network
-poor call performance
-poor sound quality
-pocket dials all the time
-no interchangable battery
-you must use iTunes to xfer files
-requires data plan
-100 page bills from text detail
-No multi-media (pix/vid) messaging (are you f-ing serious!?)
-no games
-no 3rd party software
-tilt freaks out when phone lays flat
-poor volume
-can't customize ringtones
-stills only camera, no video
-impossible to type one handed
Basically after further research I found out that dozens of other devices do everything (and more) that the iPhone does at a fraction of the price. Apple actually went to Verizon first with it and they turned them down after beta testing. I'm going back to Verizon and waiting for the LG 10,000 to come out. My phone has to work well as a phone FIRST then cool extras are a bonus.
THUMBS DOWN to apple and Cingular, AT&T or whatever they're called this week.
Solid Media Phone!
I am a former Razr, Palm 650, Blackberry 8700 & 8100 user. First of all I want to say that this phone is not a blackberry and should not be conceived as being front runner as a communication device. As Steve Jobs said in his keynote. It is the best IPOD Apple ever created. And it is!!!!!! In fact, it is a great media organizer. In addition to storing all my contacts, calendars, favorite music. I have stored my entire digital photo collection on this thing. My wife who is not into anything hi-tech is simply amazed by this device. She not longer asks me where all those photos are that I took on my digital camera. I have them with me at all times. No more arguments there!!!! I could go on about this device and it is not perfect. However, if you are not in need of a business phone like a Blackberry. I would give the IPHONE a shot.
Pros: Great media device
Awesome Touch Screen
Easy to set up and use
Clean design
Bluetooth actually works with my car
Cons: Little bulky vs. Blackberry Curve (8300)
Lack of IPOD hardware compliance
Screen Smudges
No down loadable ringtoans (as of yet)
iMazing
This is not a phone and not an ipod it's an iphone a true wireless revolution and this device will change the way other companies make their phones.
Pros
osX the tip of the iceberg of potential
visual voicemail simply amazing
awesome reception
true battery life
can integrate to existing ipod car kits (mine is an audi)
Cons
expensive unless you need an ipod and a phone its about the same price
no removable battery so not extendable
no 3g... but a 3g iphone is coming later this year
needs a few more buttons
iFlop
After all the Hype I finally got the chance to use the iPhone. A friend of mine just switched to AT&T to get apples iPhone. I got to use it extensively today and see how it performed in areas around my city.
Pros:
Looks great, very nice looking
Great screen clarity
It plays music and video once transfered from iTunes..
has WiFi which is important given the insanely slow AT&T EDGE network..
good. BUT..
Cons:
#1 would have to be the AT&T network. I use Verizon Wireless myself and have never dropped a call or had to deal with slow Internet performance (this is in columbus, ohio). Using the iPhone however I experienced a number of dropped calls most notable on i270 (a major interstate in this area). Signal fluctuation and dropped calls seemed to happen often in certain areas, while others were pretty solid.
Just as bad as that was the extremely slow EDGE network of AT&T which we are forced to use for the internet unless you are in a WiFi hotspot (which is not mobile and sometimes costs to use). Honestly I wanted to smash my head into a wall when trying to experience the "full internet" abilities of the iPHone. it literally took me 2 minutes to load up CNN.com. and other sites weren't much faster.
Other cons:
- The touchscreen is very nice but easily becomes smudged up with use. the lack of real keys makes it difficult to txt and email.
- The internet is not only extremely slow but it also does not display very well on the screen. you will find yourself scrolling around all the time to try to read pages.
- This phone cannot send picture or video messages, only emails.
- I found out the camera can only take still pics, not videos. whats the deal apple its 2007??
- The battery is not removable, it dies so does your iPhone
- You cant download songs over the air
- you must sign up for iTunes w/ cc to activate the phone
- only 4-8g memory means it can store very few videos.
thoughts: save your money get a video ipod and a phone on a real network. you will be happier.
Palm to iPhone
Pros:
Great phone. Favorites & Groups are great.
Awesome email.
Awesome web surfing.
Awesome screen.
Visual Voicemail........awesome!
Pictures look great & camera works very well.
WiFi works great!
"Fine Edge or Edge 2.0" works great too....300k.
Maps are great!
YouTube is YouTube.
Setup was flawless.
Cons:
No 3G. But as chips become more power efficient & smaller they will make it into the iPhone.
make sure you know what you are getting.
I have read a lot of the review and there are some people kept picking the on the iphone. Such as battery not replaceable, no 3G etc. But that is what we expected.
I personally feels the phone were great. Very smoothing on every application on the os x. Phone working great in NYC. I haven't had any problems with the connection on the internet. It is fun to use the youtube, and the google map. The instant stock quote and weather just comes in handy. The Safari works just like the i-mac. Works perfect and the web page lay out are just nice and neat.
I was totally support of the apple iphone. No question if they had iphone 2. I will be very likely to get one. Guess it is too early to say that.
Best phone EVER made!!!
This is by far the most futuristic phone in the world choices of cell phones. It surfs the internet like a laptop, it had world class clarity in calls, it has weather, STocks, You TUbe, Maps, SMS text....what more could you ask for. It is beautfully desgined, but just plain intuitiv to use. iPhone is everything is said it would be and will simply change everything in the cell industry worldwide. Oh and Visual Voicemail? Are you kidding me?! This phone does it all and not only this but it has the best iPod built in ever!!!! The pr9ce is less than it could have been with what you get, Afterall this is new territory and absolutely groundbreaking cell phone technonly. I love mine and havent put it down yet.
There a reason this phone sold out in ONE day people and its not just hype.
