As usual with Apple, the packaging is also treated qu’anémique! At the opening of the box feeling overcomes us minimalism: a USB cable, headphones, a charger, a rag and a small tool, which we call iTrombone for accessories only, even if the principal is there, it was always difficult to get used to this “wealth” in the accessories! It also regrets the disappearance of the dock that came with the first generation.
The iPhone 3G has taken a little overweight. It is thicker than 0.7 mm, wider than a millimeter, above half a millimeter that the first version and its back cover plastic is curved. Despite a template revised upwards and the integration of 3G and GPS chips, this iPhone is lighter than his illustrious ancestor. The battery would be less powerful therefore lighter than before?
These dimensions a little more generous finally give him a better grip. The major aesthetic change for the aluminum hull swapped for plastic black or white. The build quality is there, the hull appears sound and free of micro scratches, but the finishes are less “premium” than before and little details like the plastic slot for the SIM and the appearance of two screws surrounding the taking dock confirm this first impression.
You will find on the left edge of the unit two keys for volume control, vibrate mode, on top, the button to turn on or turn off the iPhone 3G in the 3.5-inch touchscreen is the classic home button. In this new version, the keys become metallic. Next to the dock connector are the microphone and loudspeaker.
Good news for music lovers, though the only speaker always restores a mono sound, the headphone jack is more restrictive and will accommodate all your audio devices. Still on the audio, the sound quality during a phone call is improved and with this new iPhone is more comfortable.
1 – Mac OS X and firmware 2.0: developments, but also some bugs
No need to dwell on the specifics that made the success of the first generation iPhone. The screen of the iPhone 3G is still comfortable to use and ergonomics multitouch always playful and instinctive. In fact, the iPhone offers a tactile experience impressive, placing it far, far ahead of other interfaces.
The interactivity and simplicity are the two pillars of the operating system Mac OS X. Navigate through the menus, see photos or maps spreading two fingers to zoom in on a web page by tapping the screen, the simplest operation involves a real pleasure to use …
This interface is added to the 8 or 16GB of internal memory and Cover Flow mode always makes the iPhone one of the best media players of the moment.
Building on the achievements of the first ergonomic iPhone, the new firmware 2.0 transforms the iPhone (V1 or 3G) smartphone capable of real change through the application store online App Store and able to attract professionals through its Push and its compatibility with Microsoft Exchange mail servers. In addition to these major new scientific calculator and parental control.
One of the first things you notice when you turn on the phone, it hit a screen of jaundice! Disease of youth, the iPhone 3G’s screen turns slightly yellow, a problem with the original firmware that will be quickly corrected by restoring the phone via iTunes. Therefore, will the firmware version 5A345 and 5A347 to be back to order.
This is not the only concern arising from this new firmware. By using its various news, we have seen some slowdowns or bugs of all types that cause most of the time a return to the homepage (Springboard). Even if they are fortunately infrequent, these failures are more visible than the iPhone had accustomed us to an unwavering stability.
The problem does not stop as the new app store that closes without being requested or downloaded applications that run only once every two (LastFM, WordPress), there were slowdowns especially true if crashes when navigating through menus or when using certain abilities such as multi-touch zoom.
Still on the failures associated with the new firmware, managing the camera “train” sometimes like Safari crashes without reason. To address these shortcomings, Apple is working already on version 2.0.1 of its firmware. Until this update, it will tolerate a few bugs.
2 – iPhone 3G: the Web, 5 times faster, but a battery less powerful than before!
For the lucky owners of the first generation iPhone, iPhone 3G is not a revolution, but still offers a real change: the integration of a 3G module. With this connection, the browser is up to 5 times faster than before! Pages load almost immediately becomes thus making access to the web much more comfortable on the move. For example, it takes 25 seconds to the iPhone 3G to view the home page of CNET (508 kb) while the first generation iPhone will 1 min 22 to view this same page, without comment …
To take advantage of that speed, it will of course be on an area covered by 3G, otherwise, your iPhone 3G will go through the EDGE. Mobile broadband coupled with the remarkable abilities of the Safari web browser (text adapted to the screen, intuitive zoom, switching to portrait / landscape automatically …) make the iPhone 3G the ultimate mobile on the internet, while even in the absence of Flash.
The Safari browser also offers new features: it is now possible to record images via the web browser by pressing a few seconds the image in question. This will be in the Photo folder of the iPhone. With a plug-in YouTube, you can view videos directly from your Web browser.
A battery less powerful than before!
It often evokes the greed of the 3G chip. Obviously, this connection shows much more voracious than the EDGE, but it is not a reason to deny the convenience and speed it brings! The real problem does not come from the integration of 3G but it would have been proposing a more durable battery, simply!
And we can not advance the argument of overweight would result from a battery faster one since this iPhone 3G is just lighter than its predecessor!
Worse still, according to iFixit, who was happy to disassemble the iPhone 3G and study carefully all its components, announces the battery capacity of 1150 mAh while the first generation iPhone had a battery 1400 mAh … The height of absurdity, instead of integrating a more powerful battery to support the greed of 3G, Apple has done the opposite!
Necessarily with a battery less swift and greedier connection, there is a rapid fall of autonomy during surf sessions. For example, some videos on Youtube, receiving mails Push and a bit of mobile internet will get through your iPhone 3G in just 15 hours at best!
To extend a little autonomy, you can always cut the modules 3G, GPS and Wi-Fi, but even in this case do not expect more than twenty hours of use …
3 – GPS: a gadget than a true navigation solution
Unlike 3G, GPS this manages to be as greedy and inefficient! In the absence of a real browser, it maps to have the task to guide you as best they could through the urban jungle. We quickly noticed that this software was not designed to make browsing.
First off board solution requires, Maps must download the maps each time causing numerous delays. And then there is no voice guidance, direction or pictogram, result: you will always look on the screen to follow a route. Not too reassuring when you are driving …
The GPS is not signed Infineon especially bad, but so badly Maps exploits its possibilities that ultimately guide the implementation proposed in this native iPhone 3G use is confined to a pedestrian than a true navigation solution usable by car .
To temper our criticism, we can specify that Apple is developing a firmware 2.1 which should improve maps for geo location and route-tracing, but the only salvation of this GPS seems to be facing the App Store. The emergence of a true navigation solution with integrated maps and stored in the memory of the iPhone, voice and way efficient route could save the GPS.
TOMTOM working on adapting its software for the iPhone, Apple must still acknowledge its mistakes in this area and let TOMTOM offer its navigation solution.
4 – App Store and Push Exchange, where when the iPhone is a smartphone
The App Store is the most pleasing new firmware 2.0 because it allows many applications to download free and premium games, music, social networking, finance, business there is something for everyone. Thousands of applications including the blog publishers, managers, instant messaging, 3D games, the App Store can extend the capabilities of Apple’s mobile.
In practice, the operation is quite similar to the iTunes Store, you must first login or create an account to download an application. Once you have selected the desired application, you commit the transaction by selecting “install” an application for free or “buy” for a fee. The application icon appears on the homepage of the iPhone with a progress bar indicating the download status. It usually takes a few seconds to install an application.
We only regret that there is no downloadable demo for the pay games. The use of the App Store is simple, functional and easy thanks to broadband connections (3G or Wi-Fi) is a real treat to be able to download an application while seeking another through menus (genera , top 25, search) much thought. Nothing to say.
Push and Exchange: seduce the pros
To hunt on the land of BlackBerry, the iPhone offers access to email, contacts and appointments Push through its compatibility with Microsoft Exchange servers. A breeze to configure, Mail client offers new possibilities for adjustment and management for your email. It is now possible to delete multiple messages, move along to another folder, manage multiple accounts, monitoring its calendar by adding colors, send invitations to visit or read attachments and iWork Office package, including PowerPoint.
All these procedures are done in real time, if you delete mail from your iPhone, it will be deleted from your mailbox! In the absence of an office suite, you can still edit those documents as opposed to a Windows Mobile smartphone (Mobile Office), BlackBerry (Documents to Go Premium) or Symbian (QuickOffice).
Receiving and reading attachments, even large (up to 2 MB) will not be a problem. These new opportunities will delight even the professionals receiving emails will seem a bit slow compared to a BlackBerry. Attention during the first sync, all your previously saved contacts on the iPhone will be erased and replaced by those of Exchange.
We can only advise you to configure mail servers first and then enter your personal contacts.
In the security part, alongside the parental controls that restrict access to Safari or Youtube, it will be possible to erase your personal data (contacts and mail, for example) present on an iPhone stolen or lost from your computer.
5 – So, you have to buy the new iPhone 3G?
The iPhone 3G is not without strengths. Its most attractive price makes it less elitist, the new 2.0 firmware makes it a smartphone and evolving through its simple interface and addictive, it is accessible to all audiences as opposed to Windows Mobile smartphones, Symbian and BlackBerry devices that are less flexible and fun in their approaches. His skills for the web coupled with the new 3G connection makes him the best of times and Internet Tablet provides an unparalleled Web experience. Technical improvements such as the standard headphone jack and speaker better showcase his talents as a multimedia player.
But the 2.0 firmware also causes slowdowns and unexpected return to the home page and even features “simple” as the zoom sometimes cause unusual latencies. In addition, the iPhone still suffers improbabilities. The Bluetooth connection is limited to only one profile: the earbuds from Apple, the battery is still removable and despite the integration of 3G greedy, it is even less powerful than the previous generation!
Even more frustrating with its new opportunities, the iPhone 3G is even more than previously requested. Gaps often mentioned as the lack of compatibility with Flash, not copy / paste, no MMS, no instant messaging, will be tempered with the latest firmware from Apple and especially thanks to the App Store and applications that will likely fill those gaps.
Finally, the iPhone 3G will appeal especially to new users of Apple’s mobile, as owners of the iPhone V1, the “early adopter”, only the integration of 3G and the comfort it provides on the move can induce them to acquire the new iPhone 3G.
Plus : It’s an iPhone interface and ergonomics exceptional integration of 3G Internet Tablet ultimate PMP effective standard headphone jack, less prohibitive prices, App Store, and support Exchange Push Mail.
Less : Battery less powerful than the first generation iPhone, GPS underutilized, low autonomy, lack of Flash natively.
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