iPhone 3GS Impressions

So I bought an iPhone and, thanks to some of the many apps available for the device, I have managed to replace most of the tasks that I would normally have done on the computer. The problem, though, is that the phone is still made by Apple. When I signed up for the iTunes Store, it sent me the activation email, which I clicked on. It didn’t work. The activation email would not activate my account. So I phone up Apple to see if I could get them to manually activate my account. They turned a 5 minute phone call into 30 minutes by transferring me to the wrong department…. twice. I know mistakes happen, but to be redirected to an undesired department twice just seems like mismanaged customer service. And believe me: I work at Plates Eatery and Catering. I know exactly what mismanagement looks like.

With that out of the way I was able to finally download apps. That’s where this device shines. Everything else about the phone is above average, but not the best: The screen, quality of phone communication, the layout, etc. Without the app store, the iPhone would have been left in the dust by phones with OLED screens and emulated NES games.

Using the keyboard takes some getting used to. I keep hitting “Enter” key instead of the “Backspace” key. I really think they shouldn’t have put those keys so close together. When you need to erase something, it’s usually done in that frantic “I need to get rid of that” frame of mind. When you need to erase something while you’re chatting on msn, it usually happens like: “Backspace” “Backspace” “Backspace” “Enter”, sending the half deleted message and confusing the poor person on the other end. I have tiny fingers too. I’d hate to see someone with big hands or fat fingers try to use it.

The browser is quick and responsive. Heavier sites, such as Digg, take a second or two longer than on a PC, but that’s more than tolerable considering the size of the device. Being able to use WiFi instead of 3G is a great feature. At home, I can use my iPhone without any fear of going over my data plan limit and losing a bunch of money.

The one thing that I don’t understand about the phone is Apple’s obsession with white accessories. They have a white phone and a black phone. I believe that it just should be common sense: If you buy a white phone, you should get white accessories and if you buy a black phone, you should get the black accessories. I find it odd that the accessories don’t match my phone. It almost makes me feel like I’m buying the phone from some 3rd world country where no one supervises the 5 year old children assembling the iPhone boxes.

In conclusion: It’s a great phone and I highly advise buying the iPhone 3GS 16GB. Hopefully more people will get them so I have people I know to compete against in Doodle Jump or Words With Friends. I’ll review specific apps on a later date.