After testing Apple's (AAPL) original iPhone last year, I didn't regret having to ship it back. The phone was slow, so browsing the Web was a pain. And it wouldn't let me to take a call while continuing to browse the Web -- a feature that many other phones offered at that point. With the new iPhone 3G, though, I'm torn. There are lots of wonderful things about the gadget that I'll miss. At the same time, the latest version still needs work.
On the plus side, while the iPhone 3G is expensive, its price is comparable with that of similar devices from other manufacturers. Research In Motion's (RIMM) BlackBerry Curve, which offers Global Positioning System [GPS], a Qwerty keyboard, and a full browser, costs $150 with a two-year contract at AT&T (T) vs. $199 for Apple's least expensive iPhone 3G model. Unlimited BlackBerry and iPhone data plans at AT&T cost the same: $30 a month. At Sprint Nextel (S), the Samsung Instinct costs $130 with a two-year contract, and an unlimited data and voice plan will set you back by $100 a month -- the typical bill an iPhone 3G owner will run up.
The iPhone 3G design is amazing -- and different from the original iPhone in subtle but important ways. The 3G version is more rounded in the back, so it fits in the palm of your hand better and feels more substantial. The new model contains 10 wireless radios vs. just six in the original model, so the phone can access more carriers' networks worldwide and offer GPS capabilities. With the new device you can multitask, surfing the Web while taking a call at the same time.
Snazzy Software But the best part is the software. I loved being able to easily associate photos and map locations with people on my contacts list, to save photos received via e-mail directly into my photo albums, and to see who left me voice mails [a capability called visual voice mail that was a hit with the prior iPhone as well]. I could also get keyboards in 20 languages, including my native tongue, Russian.
The Safari browser lets you keep open as many as eight Web pages at the same time -- a capability I've not seen on other smartphones. You can also save your favorite sites as icons on your home page for quicker access. And there is the big one: access to Apple's App Store, offering access to hundreds of cool third-party applications, such as news and games and related reviews.
Ironically, it's also the software area where I felt let down. Applications that come preloaded onto the device are a mixed bag. You can use the phone's iTunes application to purchase songs, but not podcasts. You have to download the latter onto your iTunes account first, then sync up the phone. The Stocks application had a 20-minute delay [many online services already offer real-time quotes].
GPS, which is one of the main selling points of the new iPhone, isn't fully integrated with the preloaded software.
