The iPhone Review: Nine Months Later

Sure it's easy to find a bunch of reviews for a product when it first comes out, but what about after all the hullabaloo dies down, and people have actually had a chance to use the device?

It's hard to believe, but it's already been nine months since Apple introduced the iPhone. I thought it would be worthwhile to take a look at the phone now, through nine months of ownership, especially for those of you still on the fence about buying, or holding out for a 3G phone.

The battery life is iffy. Here at TDL HQ, the iPhone needs to be charged on a nightly basis. If you're used to smartphones, this won't be a dramatic change, but if you're coming to a standard phone, say a Motorola RAZR for example, this will take some getting used to. I don't like feeling stressed on trips about whether my charge will hold up. Miss a night, and you could be looking at a dead battery by the end of the next day.

From an interface standpoint, for an internet device, the layout is great. As a phone? Well, it certainly takes more button pushes than you're probably used to, and so far, Apple has not enabled any sort of voice-activated dialing. As an iPod, the interface  (shared with the iPod touch) is slick, however, it isn't a perfect replacement in every situation. Using the iPhone as an iPod replacement in a car, for example, requires extra attention: you can't simply "feel" the click wheel as you would with a standard iPod. It is definitely more distracting to use while driving. Additionally, don't forget that due to its recessed headphone jack, you'll need an extra adapter (or be comfortable sanding/whittling existing peripherals) to attach your accessories to the iPhone.

The iPhone has had it's shares of issues, however. I personally had an issue in which I couldn't talk to, or hear calls unless I used the speakerphone. After visiting a Genius Bar, I was told it was an issue that could be reset by plugging in, and removing the headphones. After pointing out the absurdity of needing to travel with a pair of headphones in case it happened again, I was given a replacement phone. Two months after getting that phone, the same issue is occurring. I've been told the issue is not hardware-related, so hopefully it will be fixed through a software update. As I was given the new phone I was given no guarantee that it wouldn't happen on the new phone, as the problem was not yet fixed.

When the phone launched, 4GB and 8GB seemed large enough to serve as a phone with essentially a built-in iPod nano. However, with the approaching release of the Apps store for the phone, space on those devices could quickly be at  a premium. If you are thinking of buying an iPhone at this point, go with the 16GB (or larger as they become available) at the very least. What seemed like gobs of space for tunes, goes quickly when allotted for video, photos, and a slew of new applications.

The cell phone landscape has changed immensely in the last nine months. Spurred in no small part, by the iPhone, nearly every manufacturer has some sort of touchscreen device. But a touchscreen does not make a phone an iPhone. If you want internet surfing, email,  and music in the closest form to having you Mac (or PC) in front of you, the iPhone is the way to go. If you're looking for the quickest way to make a call, or the best iPod for your car, you might want to re-consider. 

Is the iPhone SDK bigger than the PC?

When John Doerr speaks, Silicon Valley listens. As part of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the Valley's premier venture capital firm, Doerr has seen his share of huge, game-changing technology. From Google, to Amazon, Sun and others, Doerr has had the vision to see the future just ahead of others. At Apple's iPhone SDK roadmap event, Doerr, took the stage to announce the establishment of the iFund: a $100 million dollar pot of venture capital money for applications intended for the iPhone. Lost in the coverage of the fund's establishment was something else Doerr said.

"Today we're witnessing history... In your pocket you have something that's broadband and connected all the time. It's personal. It knows who you are and where you are. That's a big deal. A really big deal. It's bigger than the personal computer," Doerr said at the launch.

Let's digest that for a moment. The iPhone as a bigger development in technology than the personal computer. Is there a bigger statement that could be made about the SDK release?

Well in fact, it could very well turn out to be true. While the iPhone has proven itself has a worthy phone/ipod/portable internet device, this SDK does indeed take things to a whole new level. Suddenly everyone from an 11 year-old girl to a Wall Street executive need/want the same device. The business app integration becomes a must-have for some, while a slew of cool, independently produced games become the hip item on every playground. John Doerr is seldom wrong, and he's not wrong this time either. This is bigger than the personal computer. Period.