“We’ve already reviewed Apple’s iPhone, so why are we taking another look? There are several reasons. First, a different reviewer means a different opinion. That applies to any product, of course, but Apple’s claim that the iPhone is ‘revolutionary’ perhaps justifies an alternative appraisal,” Tony Smith writes for Reg Hardware.
“Second, the first review was of a device limited by the shackles of AT&T’s two-year subscription requirement. With an unlocked model, this reviewer is much less restricted. Thirdly – and this is the killer, really – having used the iPhone as my sole communications device for a time, I think it’s bloody marvelous and I’d like to explain why,” Smith writes.
“iPhone comes with a variety of web-centric apps: not only a browser, Safari, but also Mail, Stocks, Weather, YouTube and Maps. With the exception of YouTube and Stocks, I’ve used all these applications on a daily basis since I got my iPhone. That’s right, used – not played with and then forgotten, but used,” Smith writes.
“Other platforms do [these kinds of things], but not as well… Safari is, without doubt, the best-looking mobile browser, by a very long chalk… The virtual keyboard isn’t as quick to type on as a physical one, but it’s not much less so, and it beats typing or tapping with a stylus on the tiny virtual keyboard Windows Mobile presents,” Smith writes.
“I found the call quality to be pretty good, both on local calls and transatlantic conversations,” Smith writes. “I’d choose an iPhone over, say, a Nokia N95 any day of the week. Only the much lower price you can get an N95 for might sway me. Actually, no it wouldn’t.”
“The iPhone proves yet again what the iPod demonstrated: that great software can beat good hardware,” Smith writes. Apple’s iPhone is “a fully integrated device from day one that presents all the information you want in a consistent way. The whole is more than the sum of its parts.”
Much more in the full comprehensive review here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “RadDoc” and “Linux Guy And Mac Prodigal Son” for the heads up.]
So it was AT&T;reviewed by the Register and not really reviewing the iPhone. – hmmmm
I like the Register, read it often. But I remember they downed the iPhone big time. Oh, I don’t remember it being an AT&T;reason for this. “different reviewer means a different opinion”.
MONEY TALKS… or a free iPhone for a Good review?
The iPhone is MORE then bloody wonderful. And a review good or bad it’s going to make me change my opinion. Nor should it be at from the Register. Shame.
I prefer the term “magnificent” when describing my iPhone, but yes, I concur.
What? Wake me up! This must be a dream?!
The Register says that the iPhone is “bloody marvelous”
Something happened.
How did I get in to this parallel universe?
Here all the Mac users are Gay and the The Register likes iPhone!
Actually don´t wake me up and don´t take me back!
Still a bunch of wankers.
I just can’t wait to get mine on November the 9th in the UK. Waited since Macworld to buy one.
The damn thing is TOO good, in my opinion. I can’t stop using it and it forces me to recharge the battery every night, if not twice a day.
With other phones, I only had to recharge every couple days since I dreaded having to use them for anything else except phone calls.
I recently had to revert back to my RAZR after having forgotten to charge up my iPhone. Having to navigate that nightmarish UI on the RAZR after using the iPhone for weeks now really made it clear how superior the iPhone UI is. You really can’t get a sense of how much so until you’re forced to go back to what you had before.
I was in the car the other day, could not find the location I wanted to go to on the cars built in navigation, brought up google maps on the iPhone, found it immediatly, added my current location and was on my way in no time…….
damn amazing phone…in so many different ways
Kinda like a pocket sized MacBook.
Sure, the phone doesn’t have the full functionality of the lap top, but then the MacBook with a phone would look kinda funny held up beside your head. “Hello?!”
Sometimes size does matter.
magic word: “problem” — solved!
The O2 website in the UK is practising a bit of a “Catch 22” strategy on attracting iPhone customers.
Their online contact forms ALL require an EXISTING mobile phone number, including the form to enquire about joining up with them, and even their keep-me-posted BY EMAIL on iPhone developments form.
Such bloody idiots! I haven’t got a mobile at the moment because I’m waiting for the Apple iPhone!
great software can beat good hardware
Who says Apple is a hardware company – to my mind they are best described as a design company – good design, nay excellent.
Apple is a hardware company that can run rings around the largest software company in terms of, guess what, SOFTWARE.
problem with Microsuck is that they have no more partners that they can shortchange for them to come up with a marvelous software. IBM? Apple? OS/2? GUI?
“We’ve already reviewed Apple’s iPhone, so why are we taking another look?”
Because the Register is capricious and doesn’t have any standards for reviewing products?
Apple is a software company. Steve has all but said so. Quoting Alan Kay, “If you’re serious about software, you have to make your own hardware.”
Selling hardware funds the R&D;for software.
Icing on the cake.
Brilliant!
Oh, that’s a beer commercial.
That’s the thing, people often say that they can type faster on other devices. That might be true, they might be faster, but that doesn’t make the iPhone slow. It also doesn’t make them better. I’d rather have very good speed and a great experience than something super fast but which is ultimately crap to use.