The Apple iPhone

How does it look?

Yes, it’s very pretty. This phone would be even nicer if every site hadn’t talked it to death (we plead the fifth). It’s the only phone that’s come and gone before it was even released. All that out of the way, it’s a stunningly nice phone with a fully touch-sensitive screen.

The usual problem with touch screens being prone to scratches and smudges applies, other than that; it’s a nice phone (one of the nicest and we say that begrudgingly).

What does it do?

Ok, in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last year and a bit and don’t know the ins and outs of the iPhone, you’re looking at an iPod/phone/camera type of affair with a few (very few) other features thrown in to try to justify the price tag.

The phone side of things is pretty straightforward. It makes phone calls and sends text messages.

The iPhone, for a phone, isn’t really a phone. For example, there’s no voice dialling. Even the Apple website kind of pushes aside the phone functions in favour of the music, video, Wi-fi access to the iTunes store, Safari, email, maps, widgets, YouTube, fully functional touch screen, Bluetooth, Wi-fi capabilities, OS X and the 2 megapixel camera.

While it’s got the YouTube factor, the browser can’t handle Java or Flash so you’re left slightly short on the videos front. It doesn’t have a memory card slot and the phone doesn’t have its own chat program.

We could yammer on about the iPhone’s flaws but in all fairness, this is v1.0. The first version of Windows Mobile wasn’t exactly stellar and the iPhone is ten times better if you’re looking at it from a v1.0 perspective.

One thing we will say is that Apple itself has said that the battery tends to lose capacity after about three or four hundred charges. Apple do offer to replace the battery free of charge when this starts to happen.

Who is it for?

The iPhone is for anyone who has bought into the hype and has been salivating or wetting themselves with excitement since they got first wind of it.

Obviously, it’s an iPod as well, making it a great gift for anyone who owns an out of date iPod along with an out of date phone.

The question remains as to whether you’d be doing anyone a favour by buying them. We say yes, because as much as we don’t want one, we wouldn’t throw it in someone’s face if we got it as a gift. That’d just be rude. . .