My iPhone Experience: The First 48 Hours
iFart jokes aside, some have asked about my impressions of the iPhone. Really now -- what more is there to know beyond having the ability to turn a $200 cutting-edge digital device into a source of juvenile humor?
Alright, if you insist, here is my experience with it in my first two days of ownership:
First off, there's so much I have not yet done with this phone. I have not yet "synched" it with my Mac desktop at home, so I can download some music from iTunes and add Address book contacts and some personal photos. I also have hardly used the actual phone part of the iPhone, so I can't really comment yet about the AT&T service in the Baltimore area.
I have, however, put the unlimited use of data/Internet to the test, and used AT&T 3G network and my own Wi-Fi hotspot network at my house. In short, the iPhone is a powerful little device. Though I hesitate to call it a "mini-computer," it sure acts like one in many ways. Regarding the AT&T 3G network, I'm finding that its speeds and capacity are satisfactory and, in some instances, have worked quite well.
For this newspaper, I cover breaking news and yesterday, I found myself driving to two different homicide scenes in Baltimore. (I took the photo above with my iPhone, while waiting at a stoplight on Greenmount Ave. in East Baltimore.) I know the city very well, but I decided to test the Maps/GPS function anyway. The 3G network allowed me to follow my route on my iPhone, without a hitch. It made me think that my $300-plus GPS unit my wife gave me as a birthday present was pretty much unnecessary now. I was able to shoot photos of crime scenes, easily email them to my editor, and check news updates very quickly.
Checking email for multiple accounts is also fast, with just a few touches to toggle between different email addresses. The user-interface is as straightforward, intuitive, and idiot-proof as they come in the realm of smartphones. Being a tad geekish, I actually don't mind reading user manuals, but so far, I have yet to refer to a user manual to figure out how to do something I wanted to do.
Using the iPhone's built-in Wi-Fi capability really allows the phone to shine as an Internet device. The download speeds on my home DSL-linked Wi-Fi network were comparable to my experience on my desktop computer. I spent last evening surfing the Web while sitting on my couch and chatting with my wife (okay, I did do more surfing than chatting, but I promise, honey, I'll put the iPhone down tonight.) With a new baby in our house, I find myself so grateful to have this little device, because it's so easy to use in one hand, while I hold my sweet baby girl in the other.
Also, with grandparents and other family constantly clamoring for photos, I am taking photos and quickly sending them out -- again, while I hold my daughter in my arm. Last night, during bath time, I pulled up a video of Sesame Street's Ernie singing the Rubber Ducky song. While the song/video played, I propped the iPhone on the bathroom sink. My wife and I sang along and gave my daughter a bath. The speakers on the phone are surprisingly good, and certainly more than adequate for baby bathtime in my rowhouse's tiny bathroom.
What has quickly distinguished the iPhone from its competitors is the huge growth in third-party applications that the company has allowed users to download and use. Most of the apps are either free or cheap, in the 99-cent to $2.99 range. And some of the apps -- I'm thinking the Facebook and the Google suite of apps -- are designed with such fluidity that they "feel" as good as the regular websites.
I'm eager to test and download more apps because I'm finding that the explosion of software built on the iPhone platform not only makes the phone a tough cellphone/smartphone competitor -- but it will also make people think about whether they need to shell out bucks on other digital/Internet devices, or just download a cheap app for the iPhone that does pretty much the same thing.
My two complaints -- which had prevented me from buying the iPhone in the past -- was that Apple still prevents it from watching Flash video and recording video, too. Sure, we have access to some YouTube videos. But I also like to watch videos on other sites, such as Hulu.com and Viddler.com. (Apple chief Steve Jobs has said in the past that the Flash video experience isn't up to Apple's standards. Adobe apparently is working on developing a Flash player for the iPhone, but they reportedly need "buy-in" from Apple.)
Let's hope that Apple and Flash come to some kind of resolution, out of respect for those of us who shelled out $200 to $300 for an iPhone and want it able to surf the WHOLE Internet, including most video sites, which use Flash.
Also, I shoot a lot of video, for both work and personal, so having an iPhone that could take video would be extremely helpful, Mr. Jobs. If I didn't already have a video camera, I probably wouldn't be an iPhone owner today.
After all that's said and done, it's been a fun first 48 hours with my iPhone. I can't remember the last time I was so excited to play with a gadget. As a youngster, I remember people talking about the future and how we'd all be using little gadgets that wirelessly connected us to the world, to people, and to information. Well, I'm grown up now -- and the future is here. I've got it right here in my pocket.
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, iPhone
Comments
Gus, thanks for the in depth review of this phone. I'd be very interested in future reports from you regarding AT&T's phone service around town. That's the main barrier preventing me from getting this phone. I'd most likely take the plunge if it was offered on Verizon Wireless where I've experienced excellent coverage around here. Also would like to know your opinion on using the virtual keyboard (touch screen). Not sure if I like it as much as good ol' physical keys. Thanks for the good reporting.
Bob, thanks for the comment. I forgot to talk about my experience with the virtual keyboard. So far, I'd give it high marks, a B+/A- in my book. I think the predictive text capability can be improved, but overall, I'm surprised at how accurate it is. By the way, I don't have huge fingers, so I'm not getting in the way of myself while typing. Another point I should make: this morning, while walking inside the cavernous Sun building at 501 N. Calvert, I was able to surf the Internet very well while, at times, being at least 50 feet from an exterior wall. I was reading news articles while riding an elevator. So, the 3G network held up inside a very dense building. That's pretty cool. -Gus
Posted by: bob | January 6, 2009 10:03 AM
Gus,
Thanks for the info. Please continue to keep us informed.
Posted by: GeorgeD | January 6, 2009 10:04 AM
Gus,
Thanks for the info. Please continue to keep us informed.
Posted by: GeorgeD | January 6, 2009 10:04 AM
bob, 3G and the AT&T network in general has been fantastic for me in Baltimore. The ONE instance where I have not gotten service was inside the big Mondawmin Mall Target store (whereas my girlfriend's Verizon phone still had signal). Probably just a matter of cell tower placement there, because as Gus mentioned, in other big buildings I get plenty of signal via ATT.
Posted by: Paul Capestany | January 6, 2009 11:07 AM
My main hesitation for purchasing is battery life. What is your experience so far?
Doug, so far, battery life is decent, considering I'm mainly using it for Internet surfing, checking email, and occasional GPS. In my experience, doing data-intensive (i.e. downloading apps) on the AT&T 3G network seems to take a little more juice, but doing Web-surfing at a Wi-Fi hotspot seems less intensive on the battery. I haven't had much opportunity to use the phone for talking, so I don't know how much of an extra drain it will be on the phone. I can tell you that right now, at about 2:30 pm, I'm at about a third of a charge after using it since 5 a.m. several times an hour for Internet browsing, a text message, and 1 phone call. I noticed last night that the phone battery will keep a low-charge reading for some time (2+ hours). Compare that to my work-issued cellphone, which is a battered old Nokia and which can last on one charge for 2-3 days. Then again, this Nokia can only do about 5 percent of what my iPhone can do, so that's the trade-off you might have to be prepared to make for a more powerful gadget. So, I see myself having to charge this phone every day, and maybe once during the day, if I'm using it heavily. However, the good news: it charges up fairly quickly. Also, I'm more than willing to buy a backup battery pack to keep in my car -- I have backup batteries for other devices, including cameras and videos, and I work in media, so having extra batteries on-hand is a habit of mine. If you're still curious, check out this link for iPhone 3G extended battery options: (http://www.tuaw.com/2008/07/17/iphone-3g-extended-battery-options/) -- Gus
Posted by: dougB | January 7, 2009 2:32 PM
So,I took the plunge too. What I want to do is send pic to friends that don't have a smart phone with a text message like before. I guess there's difference between SMS and mms .
Sent from my iPhone
Pamela
Posted by: Pam | January 7, 2009 3:07 PM
iLove my iPhone. I've always gotten whatever free phone comes with a one-year contract so the iPhone was a big upgrade for me.
My favorite ap is Appigo's Todo, a task management ap. I keep track of appointments, projects, shopping lists, etc
I would disagree that the GPS functionality renders those pricey standalone units unnecessary. Unlike most GPS units, the iPhone doesn't talk to you and it does not adjust if you stray from the designated path. Perhaps one day they will create an iPhone ap that gives me audible turn-by-turn directions.
Linda, maybe not totally unnecessary. Yet. But I suspect the clever folks who are working on these apps are eager to figure out a way to add turn-by-turn voice functionality -- perhaps we'll see that by the end of '09. Overall, I'm impressed with the growing number of apps that are using voice commands to save time and minimize keypad clicking. Yesterday, I was in a rush and I used the "Say Where" application to speak the location of where I wanted to go. The whole process took about 4 clicks of the touchscreen -- and saved me a few minutes of typing and clicking the business I was travelling to, the town, and the location. The iPhone gave me very accurate GPS-enabled directions in real-time. -- Gus
Posted by: Linda | January 7, 2009 4:56 PM