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Here it is folks! We've had some time to play with the Apple iPhone, and we've got an introductory review for you. If you caught our live webcast of the Apple iPhone's unboxing, you also heard our initial impressions of the device. If you missed it, you should really keep checking back on our front page (or through your RSS reader) more often. Our initial impressions of the device (after only a handful of minutes of actual playtime) were that the device was solid, sleek and refined, and super fast. The iPhone is built to Apple's exacting standards - everything fits perfectly, there are minimal lines, no flexing, no superfuous movement, and the buttons (those few that the iPhone actually has) give some great feedback.
But buttons aren't not to "clicky" but not to "mushy" - they feel and sound just right (I would liken it to the feel of a Porsche's shift gate - smooth and refined movement with a satisfying click that doesn't sound too harsh).
The glass screen is a beautiful piece of work in and of itself. Free of any defects or bends, the display blends with the bod of the iPhone with precision and polish. But, the best part is that the glass display doesn't just cover the screen - it exteneds the full face of the iPhone. This gives the iPhone a sleekness that no most other phones out there just don't have.
The body of the iPhone is just as smooth and refined as the glass face. The few seams and lines that are visible on the device are fit together so precisely that you barely notice them at all. The device seems to be crafted from a single, solid piece of aluminum (aside from the glass and little plastic bottom-piece, of course). Build-quality on this phone is amazing - rivaled by nothing I have ever owned (in the mobile phone world, that is - all my Apple products are on the same level, naturally).
Like we said, the body of the phone seems to be crafted from a solid piece. And, as such, there is no flexing or twisting of the chassis. I'm not about to test that statement to the breaking point (I did wait over 24hours in line and payed over $600 for the darn thing). But, I can assure you that the iPhone is likely to resist any twisting or flexing right up to the snapping point.
As far as any superfluous movement, we just have to reiterate how precisely built the iPhone really is. Aside from the marvelous feel and feedback of the buttons, they are rigid and firmly set in place. The buttons have no play - unyielding to your finger until you apply enough pressure to actuate the button. It's a very minute detail, but that's what the iPhone is all about - the refinement in the details.

Ok, so we've covered what the iPhone looks and feels like - but what's it like to actually use it in the real world? I won't lie, there are disappointing niggles about the iPhone. But, they really are niggles (niggle: a trifling complaint, dispute, or criticism). The overall user experience is amazing - after following the device since it's conception, there really aren't any let-downs. It's not hype if it's true!


Keyboard
Keyboard? What keyboard? Oh! You mean the on-screen smart-character-input feature. We don't like to call it a keyboard because keyboards provide a basic, fixed, what-you-see-is-what-you get type of interface. But, seeing as how "on-screen smart-character-input feature" is a mouthful, we'll just resign to calling it the virtual keyboard. So, the virtual keyboard is a pleasure to use! Those of you used to your Blackberry or Treo's keyboard are likely to fumble around and make more typos than we have - and that's after one measly day of practice! Are we more dexterous and agile-fingered than the masses? Likely. But, that doesn't mean you won't be able to type away with abandon on this thing. We still suffer from a slow(ish), fumbling typing speed on every physical keyboard we've ever used (and that's pretty much every one of them). But, the iPhone's virtual keyboard promoted the kind of typing speed that would rival a full-size keyboard. The key (pun intended) to this keyboard? You just have to trust the software to correct your typos. Viuld yoi rwad rhis if I types it like this? No, you couldn't understand what sentence could possibly be saying - unless you were an Apple iPhone. In that case, you would read that sentence as "Could you read this if I typed it like this." While the tactile feedback of physical keys gives you verification of actual key-presses, you still have to make sure that you hit the right key - a struggle on the small keyboards on most mobile phones. Hit the wrong key, and you have to stop, delete, search for the right key, and re-type. With the intelligent virtual keyboard, you can fly along, tapping the general area that your intended key lies, and be fairly confident that the software will figure it out for you. The only downside is the iPhone's inability to deal effectively with pronouns. Try having the software figure out that you're really trying to send an SMS text message to "Yoeau Slivkoff" - yea, it ain't happening. Still, with a little concentration and light-fingeredness (no, that's not a real word - you really wanna argue right now?) you can get through pronouns with decent speed.


Screen
The screen is a marvelous combination of size, brightness, and resolution! As a testament to our favorite saying "numbers do not a mobile phone make" (we can't remember if that is someone else's quote, so we'll just claim it until we hear otherwise) - the screen looks "huger," sharper, and more "resolution-ier" than the technical specs would indicate. The screen is easily the best we've ever seen. The beautifully sleek design of the OS could have something to do with our perception of the superb display. Regardless, it's the cat's meow.


Web surfing
As expected, surfing the internets is a joy. Although, EDGE data speeds can temper that joy with a dash of impatience, but, overall, it's a great way to browse the word wide web. The automatic wifi detection is totally trick! All you have to do is come within range of a wireless hotspot, and the iPhone will ask if you want to join it. Simply accept the connection and you're flying through your websites! It's fantastic - until the wifi signal is lost and you are downgraded to EDGE speeds again. Still, EDGE is more than enough for the less complex websites and email. If you are a power user and you really need to have quick access to your complex, image-packed sites, then you will want to stay in range of that wifi connection. For us, we like the compromise.


Camera
The 2 megapixel camera is decent - not great (like the rest of the phone) - just decent. We can't imagine having to use this camera as our sole means of documenting everything that is interesting in the world, but for the casual daytime, well-lit photo, you can't go wrong. And framing that picture on the marvelously huge screen is a novelty all its own.


Activation/Sync
The activation process is as seamless and hassle-free as you would expect. If you caught our live webcast, we were worried that current AT&T customers would have to have their existing SIM card handy for the activation process - but, no. Just plug in the iPhone to the data cable and off you go! Within a few minutes you will be playing with a fully functioning iPhone! Our previous assumption that the SIM card would not be swappable with other GSM phones, once activated on the iPhone, was wrong - the SIM works beautifully with other GSM phones. And, if you have a 3G device, you can get your 3G fix by swapping the SIM into said 3G device! How great is that?

That's it for now. Hopefully you have a better understanding for how the iPhone feels and works. We will be bringing you a more detailed review, with photos and opinions galore, in the next couple days - we need more time to put the iPhone through its paces. Stay tuned!

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IntoMobile

We’ve got another review from tech-columnist Edward Baig, of USA Today. During his time with the Apple iPhone, Mr. Baig basically sums up our current expectations of the iPhone. It’s a great, sleek phone, with massive curb appeal - if you want to pony-up the entrance fee for a ride in iPhone-land. Says Mr. Baig, “No question, the iPhone is striking to look at. The revelation is that it’s also comfortable to hold and touch. Mostly black and silver with a stainless-steel bezel surrounding the top surface, it’s light (under 5 ounces) and less than a half-inch thick, or roughly two iPod Nanos placed on top of each other. It’s a little taller and wider than a Nano.”

Ed praises the multi-touch interface, noting that finger-smudges are not that problematic. The lack of a physical keyboard is not a problem for this reviewer - despite his missing the tactile feedback, Ed found that the virtual keyboard “is easy.” But, again, AT&T’s EDGE network leaves a lot to be desired - if you’re not within range of a wireless access point (wifi hotspot). And, as an iPod, Ed gives huge props to the beautiful widescreen with auto-rotating orientation.

Not much in this review other than reiterating what we already knew, but check it out anyways. You don’t want to miss out on all the hype.

Check out the Edward Baig review of the Apple iPhone here.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/2007-06-26-iphone-review_N.htm

IntoMobile

Steven Levy of MSNBC has published his review on his experience with the Apple iPhone. As with most reviews we’re seeing during this hyped-up pre-launch window, Steven takes a pretty positive position on the iPhone. Among his most notable comments, Mr. Levy states that he was able to get the iPhone up and running (and actually boosting his productivity) without having to read a single sentence of the instruction manual - such is the intuitiveness of the iPhone. And that is one of the iPhone’s most intriguing aspects - says Levy, “Apple has a history of using cutting-edge technology, slick design and friendly software to break the common logjam in which our machines have the capability to perform certain tasks, but developers haven’t figured out how to make the experience easy, even pleasurable, for users.” All this technology is out there, but most of it has not reached the common user, and the tech that has been incorporated into current handsets are merely that - incorporated. No thought to user experience, a kind of mish-mash of features crammed into a device just to say you have it.

There are faults, as you will likely see over the coming weeks, not just from official press, but from “street” users as well. Steven finds the keyboard a bit harder to use than Walt Mosberg did. But, aside from the reiterated foibles on AT&T’s EDGE network, Levy comes away impressed with the device.

And he makes an interesting point, Steven Levy says that, “Even those who never buy one will benefit from its advances, as competitors have already taken Apple’s achievements as a wake-up call to improve their own products.”

Find the Steven Levy review of the Apple iPhone here.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19444948/site/newsweek/page/0/

Here’s how most Apple iPhone news will start to sound over the next few days:

“The Apple iPhone is still days away from launching and there are already …”

We’re just going to skip all those formalities and get straight to the point. There are other Apple iPhone reviews out there (cough, Into iPhone, cough) from people who have had a chance to play with the iPhone for a moment, but we believe these are the first comprehensive reviews of the iPhone from well known tech-evangelists: Walt Mosberg of the Wall Street Journal and David Pogue from the New York Times (NYT has a really cool interactive iPhone graphic, go check it out). They’ve had plenty of time to play with the hotness that is the Apple iPhone (putting the iPhone under the proverbial magnifying glass), so their word is something of an authority at this point.

Mr. Mosberg came away fairy impressed with Apple’s first mobile phone offering, but admits the iPhone does have its niggles and faults. He points out that the iPhone is somewhat sluggish when it comes to browsing the web on AT&T’s EDGE network - although a WiFi connection makes quick work of surfing the internets. The virtual, on-screen keyboard was much better than expected, although the lack of dedicated Phone buttons were somewhat of an inconvenience.

The iPhone is also missing some key features, among them the ability to record video, use instant messaging and using music files as ringtones. As puts it, “Expectations for the iPhone have been so high that it can’t possibly meet them all. It isn’t for the average person who just wants a cheap, small phone for calling and texting. But, despite its network limitations, the iPhone is a whole new experience and a pleasure to use.” With all the crazy-hype surrounding this near-mythical device, the iPhone lived up to most of the expectations.

Which takes us to David Pogues perspective on the iPhone. His issues are with the on-screen keyboard (in contrast to Walt - which might indicate that user experience will vary widely) being too small, no memory card slot, no chat program, no support for Java or Flash, no MMS and that pokey AT&T EDGE network, yet at the end he thinks the iPhone was met most of the industry hype. His conclusion: “even in version 1.0, the iPhone is still the most sophisticated, outlook-changing piece of electronics to come along in years. It does so many things so well, and so pleasurably, that you tend to forgive its foibles,” adding, “In other words, maybe all the iPhone hype isn’t hype at all. As the ball player Dizzy Dean once said, ‘It ain’t bragging if you done it.’”

Again, with all the frenzied media coverage over what the “revolutionary” iPhone can do, it’s amazing that it can meet even portion of our expectations - let alone live up to the hype.

You can find Walt Mosberg’s review here.

You can find David Pogues review here.

Update: Watch Walt’s review [Via: Atmaspheric|Endeavors]

Update #2: David’s iPhone video review:

The Wall Street Journal's personal-technology columnist Walter S. Mossberg is one of the first few people that received an iPhone unit for a review. During his speech at The Chronicle's Presidents Forum, he pulled the phone from his pocket, adding that he will use the iPhone for the next couple of weeks before writing his review. "They [Apple] are claiming that through clever software they have figured out a way for this to be actually far more accurate and efficient than you think it will be, and I'm testing that proposition," he said. "And I can tell you that in the first hour it works a little better than I thought, but I'm still not sure it works as well as a regular keyboard - and the first hour is not a very fair test, so I'm going to keep going at it." (via: gadgetsonthego)

By now, everyone and their grandma is expecting the Apple iPhone to launch on Cingular/AT&T with a 40 minute battery life. First, Dvorak starting talking smack on the iPhone. Then we get "reports" straight out of the component integrator, FoxConn, that the iPhone's design falls short in terms of performance. But, would Apple really launch a product with such critical flaws? According to MacScoop, a source "we can trust but we can't name now says," that the reports are unfounded; Apple's iPhone is healthy and ready to go. The tipster reports that the official 5 hour talk/video/web time and 16 hour music playback time are reliable. In fact, after an in-depth examination of the iPhone, the tipster was confident that consumers would be surprised by the battery performance. The only drawback that the tipster noted was the slipperiness of the materials used on the Apple iPhone's casing. This resulted in a phone that seemed more prone to slipping out of the hand (similar to the feel of an iPod). Did you just cringe at the mental image of dropping a brand-new, glossy $600 phone on the concrete? Yea, we did too. Now that's a problem we'd gladly trade for a healthy dose of battery juice. via: macscoop

Check out the latest previews of the Apple iPhone - see how it looks, works, feels!

• Apple iPhone Video Tour
• Apple's Official iphone advertisements 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
• Four things you probably missed from Steve Job's iPhone presentation
• AT&T Chief Operating Officer Randall Stephenson on Apple iPhone
• CBS gets the downlow on the Apple iPhone
• David Pogue of The New York Times on the Apple iPhone
• Apple iPhone on CNBC
• Apple iPhone commercial (ripped it off some documentary)
• Apple iPhone commercial on Late Night with Conan O'Brien

David Pogue, of the New York Times, had the honor of getting some hands-on time with the Apple iPhone - and he came away very impressed.

The one aspect of the Apple iPhone on everyone's mind these days seems to be the on-screen, virtual keyboard. Cade Metz of PC Magazine stated decent accuracy with the keyboard, adding that it would take some getting used to. However, Mr. Pogue came away with a very different take on the keyboard. He found the keyboard verry accurate, with the help of the "auto-correct" feature that predicts what keys you meant to hit and displays a suggestion word underneath your typed word - but he didn't use pronouns, which is something that predictive text input has a huge problem with.

As far as the feel of the device, Pogue said it was unlike anything else that he had ever held. The stainless-steel edges are soo smooth and the device so slim that it was a pleasure to handle. He was especially impressed by the proximity detector that shuts off the display when it's close to your face.

David really like the glass surface and mentioned that finger smudges shouldn't be too much of a problem. However, web-browsing speeds on the iPhone wifi connection was OK, not good, just OK. This was troubling because AT&T's EDGE network will be slower than the wifi connection, but Steve Jobs promised that the speeds will be much improved by the time the iPhone actually starts leaving salesroom floors. But, we should mention that the web-browsing navigation features were quite impressive. Mr. Pogue really like the way the full web-page could be zoomed and stretched with smooth, animated visuals.

You can see the review here.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/01/09/some-hands-on-time-with-the-iphone/

PC Magazine has a good review of the Apple iPhone from the day after Steve Jobs' iPhone keynote. Cade Metz was lucky enough to get a few minutes of play time with the Apple iPhone, just hours after it was launched! How lucky is that?

Anyway, Cade came away from the device fairly impressed, as was everyone else at the San Fransisco unveiling - mentioning that the only real issue was with the on-screen keyboard. Now, this is cause for concern, as the on-screen keyboard with no real hard-keys has been a point of contention for as long as the iPhone has been out in the public eye. Cade says that it's not disappointing, just will take some getting used to - which is encouraging.

As far as Multi-touch is concerned - Cade says it's everything that it's been hyped up to be. The finger-touch navigation functions are seemless and smooth, making web-browsing and photo viewing/editing a cinch and enjoyable. However, call quality seemed a little fuzzy, but that could have been caused by the Moscone Hall's poor reception quality.

Check out the review here.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2082361,00.asp