iPhone 4 review

Phone

As a phone on the AT&T network, I would have to say that I am not impressed. I tried using my iPhone 4 as my primary phone without a landline, but I have so many dropped calls it isn't funny. I invested in the AT&T MicroCell made my Cisco, and I am still not impressed. As I sit here writing this, I am looking at my MicroCell lights flashing indicating that it is not working. This is proably the 6th time its happened in the 5 months I've had it. $150 for a device that is supposed to improve my cell phone signal, as of this point, doesn't seem worth it unless AT&T can fix this issue.

Apps

One of the major draws to the iPhone is the Apps. Almost anyone can write an app for the iOS (the operating system running the iPhone) for a fee and surviving Apple's approval process. Besides those points, many app writers have become millionaires after writing a viral app. I am not saying it is worth it for everyone to learn how to write apps, there are many aspects working against you but I won't go into them in this post. There are many apps that I use every day that were free and addicting. On my iPhone, I currently use Safari (web browsing), Facebook (self explanitory), NYTimes, Red Laser (for checking prices), AOL Radio, etc. I will go into the apps I use in a lter post since it will easily take up an entire post.

Camera

The iPhone 4's camera is excellent compared to the previous version. While I did move from the iPhone 3G to the iPhone 4 (skipping the 3GS), I did notice a major difference. Photos were much, much better. The 5 MP camera sensor made a huge difference. Not only that, but the capability to take HD video makes it a competetor to devices such as the Flip cam. Another draw of the camera is a feature called HDR, or High Dynamic Range. For those who do not know about HDR, it is a type of photography that best represents what we see in our mind. Without going into detail, cameras cannot take the exact image we see in our minds. HDR takes at least 3 photos and combines them into what we see. Apple's version of HDR is not actually HDR, it is something called Tone Mapping which does a much better job than a regular camera, but is not a true HDR.

Design

The iPhone 4's design is the best looking design I've ever seen. For those of you who do not know, Apple is a hardware designer that also happens to make multiple operating systems for their hardware. Steve Jobs (Apple CEO) is personnally involved with the design of all of their products, and it shows through. He is a man who knows exactly what he wants and will not accept anything less. The looks of the device are outstanding and probably one of the best looking devices on the market. Functionally, there are some issues unforeseen. The antennae is one of them. Antennea attenuation is one of them (signal degredation) is one of them. Without holding them in a specific way, you will drop your signal and your calls. I have experienced this and a combination of both this and AT&T's poor signal strength and dropped many, many calls.

Operating System

The iOS (operating system) used on the iPhone and other Apple devices is a standard operating system that spans across multiple devices and makes them easy to use. Learn how you use the iPhone and you can use an iPhone, iPod, iPad, etc. How else can you teach millions of people how to use multiple devices than to use the same user experience? iOS is another topic that can be on its own and still take up a lot of space so I will cover it at a later date.

Hardware

While the iPhone does not have the most up-to-date hardware, just think: 10 years ago desktop computers were half as powerful. And this is in the palm of your hand, incuding the screen. The CPU is derived from the same CPU as an iPad, and the memory is about half as much. The screen is exceptional to say the least. It is extremely high resolution and you can hardly see the pixels that make up the screen. The worst part is probably the glossy screen. While it does improve the picture, when the phone is in sunlight, it is difficult to read.

Functionality

The iPhone can pretty much take the place of many devices used today. It incorporates the following: music player, cell phone, portable movie player, computer (depending on the usage), camera, camcorder, calendar, etc. Yes, many devices already do this, but I haven't had a chance to review them yet. The built-in GPS, WiFi, and microphone all add to the draw to the iPhone. I have used the GPS plently of times and it has not failed me.

Conclusion

Overall, I am very impressed with the iPhone. While it does have its issues, I think the functionality outweighs the drawbacks. There are many competators out ther such as Android that offer most of the same capabilities. Another draw to other phones is the network; the iPhone is not available on any network besides AT&T. There is a story behond that (maybe another entry) and I believe Apple took a chance and came out on top. But I think Apple should forgive and move on and offer it to the other carriers. If Apple were to give the other carriers an iPhone for their network, they would make a killing. 3.5 years exclusivity on a single carrier is enough and it is time to move on.