The Apple iPhone 3GS – 8 GB

The father of the touchscreen

The iPhone is a pleasure to use, it is intuitive, responsive and a fantastic piece of technology. It has a huge 89mm touchscreen that has had all other developers scrambling to keep up. The beauty of all things Apple is their simplicity, the home screen features large and rounded icons that are opened within one light tap. There is one button on the front of the phone, the home button, and it takes you back to your first, of up to nine, home screens or to a search screen.

The screen is a multitude of finger capabilities, being able to dance through menus scrolling with one finger or pinch to zoom. The simple extra motions that can be made like rotating pictures around with two fingers just make the device even more lovable and quirky.
The Apple App store was the craze that forced all other developers to create their own mobile store where users could purchase applications for their phones. Of course, before it existed you could always install applications to increase your devices functionality, but the App store conveniently helps you find and install those apps. The ability to pay through iTunes not only makes it easier for the user to pay for their apps but it motivates developers to compete to make better more fun and useful applications. From TomTom to VPNs, there are hundreds of apps that can make your life easier.


Similar but different

Now if you have had an iPhone before or are just upgrading from the 3G you won’t notice a massive difference, but there are some great improvements. The handset, with its sleek curved design, is exactly the same but with an extra layer of film over the screen to make it easier to clean smudges and stains. The battery and Camera have been improved so you can get a better quality snap shot and have enough bettery to take more than a handful at a time.

The new support for HTTP streaming means that you can listen to streaming radio or iPlayer audio in the background while you do your emails or text. This is a welcome addition as it makes up for the fact that there is no FM radio provided on the phone. No radio is not exactly a problem when the link up to iTunes, and 8 GB of space, means your phone will be filled with all your favourite music.

The best feature, to us, about the quick link to iTunes, via USB, is the ability to back-up all your phones memory so you never lose your messages or photos. If your phone is lost or broken, as soon as your new handset arrives, you can plug it into iTunes and its like you never lost or broke anything.

Summary

Even the elements of the iPhone that have been done for years, copy and paste and voice control, Apple seem to have done it the best. Everything is a pleasure on this phone. The features are implemented so well that the whole device feels natural to use, and its perfect for first timers. From its big on-screen keyboard to massive icons the whole phone is a pleasure to tap about on, whether making emails or updating your calendar.

The updating to OS4 means that you are able to multi-tab your apps and customize your backgrounds so all the complaints and qualms have been diminished. Even those who have been cautious at picking up a touchscreen handset should give this one a whirl, it’s easy and it’s a thing of beauty to use.


Features:

• iPhone OS 3, upgradable to iOS 4
• ARM Cortex A8 600 MHz, PowerVR SGX535 graphics
• SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email
• HTML (Safari)
• A-GPS support
• Digital compass
• Google Maps
• Audio/video player
• TV-out
• Voice command/dial

Specifications:

• 115.5 mm
• 62.1 mm
• 12.3 mm
• 135 g