Saturday, July 19, 2008 -- 12:12 p.m. -- on my couch

Well, it's been a little over a week since my iPhone 3G took its place along side my first gen iPhone. You can sometimes feel the tension in the room ... YOU LOVE HIM MORE THAN ME!!!

Errrr, what I meant to say is that it's been an interesting week to say the least. Lots of good, some bad and even a little ugly.

Let's break it down. I'm going to stick with specifics to the phone, as opposed to getting into the software. We'll save that part for another day.

The good
What's different about the iPhone 3G is that while it has some new features, many of the features that came out on launch day are also upgradable on the first gen iPhone. Never have people had a true choice as far as upgrading. Many folks have found happiness in upgrading software and not hardware. It was a good thing for Apple to do. People who don't live in a 3G area don't have to buy a whole new phone to enjoy the beauty of the App Store and other features like mass e-mail delete.

But if you do live in a 3G area, the voice quality of your calls is probably a thousand times better than on EDGE. It sounds digital and there's no crackling. And perhaps best of all, there's no ECHO! However, the echo is gone from EDGE too, so if you had that problem in the past, the new version appears to take care of that.

The other big change in the iPhone 3G is GPS. But because it's not turn-by-turn GPS, I find it a lot less useful and a lot more cool than GPS should be. By cool, I mean if you enjoy the idea of walking around or riding around with your iPhone and following that little pulsing blue dot as you go, well, it's cool. And don't get me wrong. It is. I traveled with iWife last week on our wonderful train system here in Chicago and we were pretty amazed at how spot on this thing was. The blue dot even wiggled a bit when we pulled into a train station.

But after that ... after the 3G and the GPS ... well, the 3G iPhone is basically a first-gen iPhone with a plastic back. The plastic looks nice, although it smudges, but the reason why the plastic back is so important is that there's less interference for GPS and the other extra antennas inside for the 3G service. So while at first glance it appears cheaper looking, it really isn't poor quality and that's important.

The iPhone 3G is also a little more tapered on the sides, as you've seen, and you'd be amazed at how that little bit of tapering makes for a more comfortable fit in your hand. It's hard to really put into words, but holding the 3G iPhone up to my face feels more like holding a phone than the first gen. The first gen didn't have the curve that makes it a phone. The best way to really understand what I'm trying to get at is to go to an Apple store and hold each. You'll see what I mean.

When the iPhone 3G is in 3G mode, it sucks battery power like nothing else can. When it's in EDGE mode, the battery lasts much longer than the first gen. And, surprisingly, it appears as though the most battery power is conserved when the 3G iPhone is in Wi-Fi mode. The power management in the new version is pretty impressive. Unfortunately, 3G is a battery sucker so there's not much that really can be done, however, what's shocking is that the iPhone's 3G lasts longer than most other phones with 3G. I can't imagine that. I feel like I'm charging a lot more than I was last time, but since I have 3G, I love using 3G. It's fast and clear.

Also, the speaker is clearer. If you are playing a song from your iPod or streaming a song from a service like AOL radio for all to hear, it sounds much clearer on the 3G than on the first gen. But, ringtones don't sound all that much louder. A little bit, but still not as loud as they should be. At this meeting I have every Monday at work, one of the guys who is always there has a BlackBerry that rings at least once. And it sounds like a freakin' symphony. It's not only a good ring, but it's clear and loud and unmistakable. The iPhone needs this type of ring.

The bad
I haven't been able to get confirmation yet, but either Apple is using a different kind of glass on the front of the iPhone 3G or my fingers have become much more oily in the past week. I'm leaning toward the glass being different. When I hold up my 3G to my first gen, my glass on the 3G looks older than the glass on my first gen -- like I've been swiping and tapping for years. The prints are considered a badge of honor on this device but sometimes there's a such thing as a little too much smudge.

Of course, you can get one of those plastic screen protectors that will help keep the smudge off.

The back of the device certainly picks up fingerprints. No question. But if you have a cloth -- and one of those cloth cases that do double duty work just as well -- they seem to wipe off pretty easily. Keep in mind, I'm using a black iPhone 3G. I'm not sure if fingerprints are less pronounced on the white -- my guess is that they are -- but I wonder how much dirt the white iPhone picks up. Anyone out there willing to let me know the answer to that?

Now that the iPhone 3G is tapered, there's something I can't do as easily as I could before. I used to put the first gen down flat on the table in my daily news meeting at work and text things to myself as notes to use later. And typing while it was flat was a breeze. I could even use two hands. Now, with the tapered back, the phone rocks back and forth while I try to type on it flat. I guess that's a trade off - more comfortable in the hands means it's less comfortable this way. In the grand scheme of things, I think the more comfortable in the hands part is most important. Don't want to rock the iPhone, as it were.

And don't even get me started on the videocamera. I really thought that was going to be part of this iteration and it needs to be. It should be. And while I'm sure it will happen sometime down the road, Apple is way too slow rolling out things that are already in other phones. Cell phones have had MMS since 1968. And the cell phone I bought 3 years ago had video. For some strange and odd reason, Apple thought it was more important to turn a basic calculator into a scientific calculator than add MMS. Even though I spent years staying after school in high school to learn that the cosine of an angle is the ratio of the length of the adjacent side to the length of the hypotenuse, I'd rather have MMS.

Luckily, though, if Apple ever comes to its senses -- or if AT&T wants a guaranteed revenue source -- MMS can be added to either iPhone via software. It's simply a picture sent via a text message. We know that AT&T's network is set up for it -- although it could be taxing because if iPhone users are given MMS, they'll send them -- even if they cost more than sending an e-mail attachment, which, in the U.S., at least, is free.

The ugly
There's not a lot of ugly with the iPhone 3G. The crashes in software version 2.0 are inherent to the software, not the hardware, so although that's ugly, that doesn't make this list.

What is a problem and qualifies as ugly -- and might actually also come down to software (let's hope so because it can be fixed) is 3G signal strength. It's not as strong as other 3G iPhones. There's all kinds of threads on the Apple support site that talks about people with other 3G phones showing full strength and much less on an iPhone in the same place. I don't have another 3G phone to compare it to, but while I see full bars and 3G at times here in downtown Chicago, I don't always. And I've seen 1 bar on 3G disappear and lose connection and revert to EDGE and then see 5 bars on EDGE. I don't think that a 3G signal should be lost in the middle of a major metro area like this that's covered in it. And I certainly don't think that 3G should have 1 bar while EDGE has 5.

So is it a network thing or is it an iPhone thing. I lean toward an iPhone thing in this case. If other AT&T phones have full 3G signal strength and the iPhone doesn't, well, that's not AT&T's fault. Of course, I can't say how it is in other countries. I'll ask that in a separate post, but please feel free to comment here if you'd like to get things started now.

The camera. I'm kind of disappointed that Apple didn't do something about the camera. Like so many other things that are missing from the iPhone, having such a poor camera in 2008 is almost unexplainable. I mean, there are cameras with 5 and 7 megapixels, and even if life is about more than megapixels, there's at least things that can be done with images. The iPhone's camera is about the most basic camera man could create. And considering all that Apple does with iPhoto and Aperture, it could have done so much more and created a photography experience that makes it stand out.

Also making the ugly section is the vibrate function. It's so soft. There's needs to be different profiles that allow for it to work differently depending on what you are wearing. Case in point ... on weekdays, when I wear dress pants, the vibrate is noticeable. Last night, while I was wearing jeans, I missed an important phone call because I couldn't feel the vibrate. There is no excuse, Apple, for this not to be perfect in a second-generation iPhone.

Conclusion
People ask me all the time ... is the iPhone 3G worth upgrading to. The simple answer is yes. Sound quality is better. Volume of the speaker is better. If you live in a 3G area, despite the battery suckage, the sound and speed is great.

If you do not live in a 3G area, you should wait. The 2.0 software, despite all its bugs, turns the first gen iPhone into an even better iPhone. And eventually, hopefully, those bugs will all be worked out.

The next iPhone ... Grande, supreme, biggie -- whatever it's called ... that's one I have some serious high hopes for. I had those hopes this time around, so maybe I'm setting myself up for disappointment. But overall, if you don't mind long lines, you won't be disappointed with this upgrade. If you really don't need 3G, you can wait and you won't miss out.

I hope to hear your thoughts. If I missed something that's really big to you, please let me know.

Thanks for calling.

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451600969e200e553ab6bb98833

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference A week with my iPhone 3G:

I'm one of you now- just bought the white 16gb phone this morning. Went at 9 when they open and still were about 30 or so people in line...in the rain! Were that many when I left about 10:45- amazing! The fingerprint issue is one reason I went for the white, which is all they had there today to the chagrin of some of the people waiting in line that were told that. Noticed when I stopped in twice this week that the white phones on display getting heavy use stayed looking nicer than the black ones plus the white just grew on me as I saw it more. Didn't show any fingerprints worth speaking of. Didn't looked soiled yet either but it's only the 1st week. Sync to backup was flawless thank goodness. The 1st thing I wanted to check were those profiles and the text and ringer profiles definitely sound one step louder at full vol but not as loud as we would like as you said. The vibrate is the one thing I just wish they could have improved a lot- that's what would keep us from missing stuff. The mail profile is the other glaring deficiency but even that could have compensated for by vibrate. Does feel much better in the hand and because of that, feels like it makes it a little easier to type quickly for someone like me anyway who keeps trying to improve that skill. Wonder if there's a chance of a software update being able to address the vibrate issue- would be SUCH a big help. We need to speak up for that I think. Since I'm downtown also, I'll let you know how battery life and reception are for me as I go forward with it. Made one call from the house and it sounded a little better but house is wi-fi so I'll see etc. Sure you're right that that's better. If I could get MobileMe to push and they would improve vibrate with an update and get the little 2.0 bugs out, I'd have no real complaints. Sorry about the ramble but you know I'm a little jacked....:-)

SCOTT"S REPLY: This is awesome! I am so glad you got one. This isn't a ramble ... this is an excited person who now owns an iPhone 3G. Congrats!!!

love my white 3G iPhone and have NO fingerprint or smudge issues w/the back.

SCOTT'S REPLY: That is awesome news, Karen.

Hi,
In relation to the 3G signal issue. I live just outside Oxford in the UK and I have a similar issue with the 3G signal dropping from 1 bar down to 5 bars on Edge. However I have to say that I have had exactly the same issues on both of my previous 3G windows mobile devices. In fact I actually switched on one of these devices today and the behaviour between that and my iPhone 3G is the same. So, for me at least, I think the 3G signal is just reliant on your network provider.
Love the blog. Cheers.

SCOTT"S REPLY: Thanks, Andy, for the kind words. Interesting that it's the same on previous devices. Up til now I've heard a lot of folks say it was better on other 3G devices.

You forgot to mention that the back being plastic makes it much easier to scratch. The back of my Blackberry had actually worn down from being set on my desk at work all day. Despite my best efforts to avoid putting my iPhone down on the bare desk, it happened, and yes it's scratched - on the Apple sign and where it says 8GB. I have a protector on the front (tip - the anti-glare protector cuts way down on smudges) but they don't make a nice enough case for the back! (I'm using one of the leather pouches that protects it fully in my bag).
I'm pretty sad that I've managed to scratch it already!

SCOTT'S REPLY: I did forget that. That's absolutely true. I, however, use a simple cloth case and when the iPhone is down flat, it's always on top of the case. I did that with my first gen iPhone too. Just babying it, I guess :-D

Hi Scott, Finally got my iPhone 3G this morning. I'm in the UK on O2. Went for the 8Gig model, an upgrade from the 1st gen.

My first impressions after 10 hours in use. 3G is really fast in my area. Web pages load almost instantly and i can send emails with ease. Something i couldn't really do with the 1G especially with attachments.

One problem i have is that my contacts and bookmarks have not synced yet in MobileMe, probably due to the 'scheduled maintenance' taking place at the moment. Hopefully everything will sync tomorrow.

Battery life so far is good, still over the three quarter mark but it hasn't had heavy use. Push is set to fetch every hour.

In conclusion the big thing for me is 3G. I've got a good signal where i live. I'll be able to test it further all next week around the city.

Thanks

SCOTT"S REPLY: Just great to hear, Francis. Yeah, if you have a strong signal in your area, then you are really going to love the power of 3G. Keep me posted on how mobile me goes for you.

What seems to be lost among iPhone bloggers, pundits, etc. - since they already have their new iphones - is that most of us that want one can't get one due to either Apple's unpreparedness in meeting demand or their usual M.O. getting free publicity by having a "sold out" product.
On the iphone availability page, I notice the 5th Avenue store in NYC always has stock, while most stores have limited or no stock. Preferential treatment? Maybe all the new iphones are made in the backroom of the 5th Avenue store? :/

SCOTT's REPLY: That's true, but keep one thing in mind ... some bloggers -- like yours truly -- waited outside, in the heat for his. So the waiting is still part of the equation no matter what. Ha! There is some sort of basement there. Could be!!

To answer your question about the white iPhone and smudges/dirt, I bought the white specifically because it would cover the smudges so much better. I am happy to hay I was correct. If the smudging on the black is an eight on a scale of ten, the white is at a two. As for dirt, there's none to speak of on my end, and I'm a nanny, so I have a fairly dirty job!

SCOTT'S REPLY: That's really good to know. I wonder if I'll regret my choice!

Very well put. I share your feelings on the 3G. I love it and hate it at the same time for its shortcomings.

I believe the only way Apple will move faster on making the necessary improvements is if the new RIM Thunder is a success.

Think about a product that takes all the best features of the Blackberry and incorporates all the features we all love about the iPhone.

SCOTT's REPLY: I agree on the surface, but sadly, Ed, Apple never seems to be all that concerned with other phones. So I'm not sure a successful Thunder will be the storm Apple needs to make changes, you know? Apple thinks it has the best product and while it's paying attention to the marketplace, it never seems to influence them.

Great column. I was reading some of my other Mac/iphone blogs
(sorry Scott) and one of them mentioned, and I am too lazy to link it for you, that the plastic back is really some kind of expensive composite/fiber material, and not just plastic.
Has anyone used geotagging for photos? Not being able to get a phone yet is very frustrating.
MMS is a mystery. Even cheapo flip phones have it. It must be the carrier?? Anybody?
There are other phones out there, like samsung instinct, that are approaching and exceeding the iPhone. Excellent turn by turn, high end camera, video, tv viewing, mms, voice dial. It can be done. I would love to have been in the room at Apple when this was discussed. Did Jobs just say no? Are there technical limits?
Ironically, when the iPhone was first developed, it was to improve the phone experience. Now, with apps and 3g, the phone is less important and the internet/lifestyle features are more important, but Apple is kind of behind here.

SCOTT's REPLY: LOL. You can read other sites if you really must :-D

I haven't tried the geotagging, but I know caller Kim did in the U.K. and her coordinates showed up as Russia or something weird like that. I just haven't got around to trying it yet. On my list, as they say.

The MMS thing is a true mystery. I believe that it needs to be something that AT&T builds as an app. I think that's an incredible source of revenue just waiting for them.

The white iPhone does not show the smudges. I doubt it will have a dirt problem like the MacBook because it has a high gloss on it that resists dirt.

I purchased one of the antiglare screens from the Apple Store this weekend and it solves the smudge and dirt and grease problem on the screen. It also makes the screen more tactile.

SCOTT'S REPLY: That's awesome. I have yet to see a white one in person. I was close to getting it. I'm sure it's beautiful.

Sent you a post here yesterday afternoon and at MobileMe post last night- just want to make sure you're getting them.

SCOTT'S REPLY: Oh yes. I just got around to approving the comments now. Coming through loud and clear.

I am late replying..... but the longer I have my iPhone 3G, the more I love it! I have the white 16GB and even though I use a case, I still am glad I got the white (and I went to the Apple store convinced I was going to get the black one... until I saw the white one!). I absolutely adore the better speakers - I can actually let someone listen to a song, or listen to a podcast in the car when I don't have my adapter or headset..... LOVE IT. And even though I have NO cell reception of any kind at my house (that has not changed), I do find that I have good 3G lots of other places around Richmond (VA) - and the higher connection speed ROCKS!

SCOTT'S REPLY: So glad you are happy with how everything is working, Jeanine. It's always so nice to hear that.

My son's 3g iphone vibrates way too much. Has anyone else had this problem?

SCOTT's REPLY: Susie, in what way? Is it just vibrating and not receiving e-mails or ringing?

The comments to this entry are closed.