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iPhone 3G: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

After over two weeks of using the iPhone 3G, I can fairly say I have become familiar with this mobile device to share some insights on how it fares as a primary mobile phone.

First let me say that Apple has revolutionized the way we use our mobile phones. Before that, we are used to a lot of great phones that do a ton of tricks but often fail us when it’s time to connect to the net. In a way, I regard the iPhone 3G primarily as an internet device and media player that has the cute feature allowing you to make calls and send SMS.

That being said, if you are a heavy SMS user, then the iPhone is not for you. That’s because you will have to unlearn everything you know about text-typing all these years — and that is a hard thing to do for most phone users. So if you belong to that crowd, you can stop here and move on to the next page.

However, if you are open to trying out a new interface, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the intuitive touch screen of the iPhone.

The Killer Feature: iPhone App Store
With the new iPhone 2.0 software and the recent introduction of the iPhone App Store, extending the features of your iPhone 3G becomes almost limitless. Thousands of applications and games were developed and available for free or a fee (as low as $0.99 each). The wealth of games found in the iPhone via the App Store makes gaming on the mobile phone like the second coming of Snakes on the Nokia phone over a decade ago.

The Good

  • The real estate is in the screen and you get 3.5″ of that. The large and crisp display is what makes internet surfing and watching videos enjoyable on the iPhone.
  • The built-in Safari browser that allows zooming in and out of objects and webpages is a great feature that almost mimics the full browsing experience (minus Flash & Java apps).
  • Full-featured connectivity — WiFi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth, 3G and GPS. You can’t ask for anything more.
  • Push and Fetch Data allows you to set the phone to receive email and other data from the server (MobileMe) as well as a fetch options (in intervals of 15 mins, 30 mins,hourly or manually) for other emails that do not support the Push function.
  • Ample storage for photos, videos and music the new iPhone 3G comes in 8GB and 16GB.
  • Synchronized email, contacts and calendar management. Works best with a MobileMe account.

iphone 3g iphone 3g iphone 3g

The Bad

  • It’s a battery hog. You can easily drain it up in a single day with all the music, video, WiFi and 3G use. My average is one and a half days so I charge it up almost every day. Always bring your chargers with you.
  • It’s close to impossible text-typing with a single hand. I think 90+% of all iPhone owners use both hands when text-typing. You need full concentration and all eyes to use it (unlike the regular phone keypads where people can type without even looking).
  • Does not support Flash and Java reliant websites and there are tons of websites that heavily use them.
  • Comes with a hefty price.

iphone 3g iphone 3g iphone 3g

The Ugly

  • Predictive text input is a nice feature. It’s available on almost all phones. Problem is, you can’t turn it off on the iPhone so if you’re texting in a different language, it will suck big time.
  • No built-in copy & paste function. Them Nokia phones have it, why not the iPhone?
  • Unlike what Steve Jobs said in his announcement, the iPhone 3G is not any thinner than the old iPhone. The curvy design of the back panel gives that illusion but it’s actually thicker.
  • The built-in speakers ain’t that loud enough and they’re placed at the bottom end of the iPhone. It works but it’s just regular speakers.
  • The 2MP camera takes decent pictures but there’s no flash or autofocus function. You can’t use this on low light.
  • In iPod mode, the iPhone makes it a little hard to navigate between songs as controls are done via touchscreen. That means you need to unlock the iPhone from sleep mode everytime you want to skip or move on to the next song. There should be some physical button to do this simple job (just like the regular iPods) but I think a shake control using the accelerometer should do the trick. Apple tried to solve this by using the headphone as the physical control using single or double clicks to navigate songs forward.
  • Smudge magnet. Makes you wanna wipe the screen every other minute.

iphone 3g iphone 3g iphone 3g

Less of a Phone, More of an Internet Device
Let me say that again — the iPhone 3G is more of an internet device rather than a phone. I use it more to surf the net or play some casual games than to make calls or SMS people.

It took Apple, a new player in the mobile market, to change how the rest of the old players in the industry move forward in innovating mobile devices. Without the iPhone, we would not have seen the likes of Samsung Instinct, Omnia i900, HTC Touch Diamond, LG Dare and Sony-Ericsson Xperia this early.

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Abe Olandres
Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.
  • 181 Comments

  1. 🥉 Rookie🏆1

    Thanks for the review. Thinking twice on Iphone 3G… Looks like its better to get a Nokia E71 and Ipod Touch 2G instead.



  2. 💎 Platinum🏆1

    Good review but there are quite a few points that I want to add:

    1. You can still type using text shortcuts if you jailbreak your iPhone and install ‘asKB’ which will allow you to disable the auto-correction feature.

    2. Battery performance is improved with the latest FW2.1 update.

    3. You can actually go to the next song in iPod mode using the headset (just double click the mic). So, it’s not all touchscreen as you wrote.



  3. 🥉 Rookie🏆3

    @Lyle, was just editing that part on the headphone because I separated them between the ugly and the bad section.



  4. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    Or you can set your double tap home screen key schortcut, to ipod control.

    And another one on the bad section, palage syang nag-lag. Specially after waking it up on sleep mode.



  5. 🥉 Bronze🏆1

    I’d say you pretty much summed it all up! Nice and detailed!



  7. 🥉 Rookie🏆1

    Here’s the procedure to update to iPhone to 2.1 released today and fix some of your problems, including an increase in battery life.

    Unfortunately, there’s no fix for the high price :P



  8. 🥉 Rookie🏆1

    Great review! I really wanted to buy one but my pocket can’t afford it yet.



  9. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    Not really a fan of iPHONE…I still prefer blackberry

    Fair review… thanks :)



  10. 🥉 Bronze🏆1

    have you updated it to v2.1? just wondering if there is/are improvemnt/s



  11. 🥉 Rookie🏆1

    Predictive text input is a nice feature. It’s available on almost all phones. Problem is, you can’t turn it off on the iPhone so if you’re texting in a different language, it will suck big time.

    I manage to set this off using a tweak from cydia lols



  13. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    so… are you planning to sell your iPhone? =)



  14. 🥉 Bronze🏆1

    @abe should this be like wrong time to put out a review for the iPhone? why? the newer os upgrade was just out and there was no sign that you install that one. just wondering if your using 2.1 already and if it change some of your thoughts about the phone.. just curious..



  15. 🥉 Rookie🏆3

    @vance – nope, I didn’t install v2.1 yet. The very reason I immediately published the review. I have yet to see the improvements due to the new OS and will put up a new review for it. As for the battery life. It will take me several days to really see any difference.



  16. 🥈 Silver🏆1

    Got one last Friday and so far I’m loving it except for a few things:

    1. can’t forward sms messages
    2. can’t turn off predictive text
    3. iTunes downsamples photos when synchronizing leaving you with lower resolution images in your iPhone (as compared to the original)
    4. fingerprint magnet! (slightly solved by buying a belkin leather case)
    5. 3G signal is still not very widespread (Globe issue)



  17. 🥉 Bronze🏆1

    @abe ah I see.. will look out for the reviews on that. thanks by the way for this article



  18. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    That means you need to unlock the iPhone from sleep mode everytime you want to skip or move on to the next song.
    <– You don’t need to unlock it though. On the iPod touch at least, you just need to press the home button twice.



  19. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    You can actually press twice the small rectangular thing on your headset’s wire to skip to the next song. Pressing once will pause the song. Its also a mic.

    Also, upgrade your FW to 2.1 now. I just upgraded mine and the battery life has really improved. I used to charge everyday (running on FW v2.0) but now, even with all the emails, calls and wifi, the battery lasts for 2.5 days! Its amazing.



  20. 🥉 Bronze🏆1

    who won’t like an iphone? an ipod with a phone. but if you’re really thinking and wise, you’d rather get an ipod touch and buy a great phone that best fits your lifestyle. :]



  21. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    The iPhone is an over-hyped toy. Apple does not understand the mobile phone outside the US.



  22. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    There are a lot of tricks you can do to your iPhone including turning off the predictive text, it is even rumored to be out in the next firmware release but for now, its one of the tweaks you can do by installing a small software to the iphone.



  23. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    I actually just bought an iPhone to use as an Internet Device. My concept is to stuff in a PLDT WeRoam SIM into it and just use it for surfing whenever I need it.

    I used to have an iPod Touch and it was one of my favorite gadgets. I still like it better than the iPhone in many ways, but since I couldn’t put a SIM in it I ended up not being able to get online when I needed to. So I traded it in for an iPhone and here I am ready to surf wherever.



  24. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    I actually just bought an iPhone to use as an Internet Device. My concept is to stuff in a PLDT WeRoam SIM into it and just use it for surfing whenever I need it.

    I used to have an iPod Touch and it was one of my favorite gadgets. I still like it better than the iPhone in many ways, but since I couldn’t put a SIM in it I ended up not being able to get online when I needed to. So I traded it in for an iPhone and here I am ready to surf wherever. I don’t even use it for calls or SMS. Good for email and chat on the go, though.



  25. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    I own an iPhone 3G and I really can say that it is not for texting. It is a mobile device great for multimedia and browsing the internet. What makes the iPhone revolutionary is that there are tons of application on the app store as well as third party apps. These applications make the iPhone more than a phone and more than an iPod.



  26. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    iPhone is not so nice because its really hard to text on it. even if you just hit the number ones, it will come up that you hit it twice. for example. ur typing M and it camed up N…. its really not that good. im sorry….. but with calling , it will be great.. its all up to you…..



  27. 🥉 Rookie🏆1

    I’m Selling my Iphone 3G 16GB sealed in box from globe telecoms. for only 38T.
    you can text me at 091559*****



  28. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    i have a question…i bought my iphone in dubai, uae…well, technically, my dad bought it and will arrive here when my mom does…it hasn’t been unbricked yet because when my mom showed it to me through i.m, i can still see the..uhm, world! haha! like you know, the earth…so i’m wondering whether i can use it here in the philippines like…what if i ask globe telecom to unbrick it for me…wait, do you think they will unbrick it? like, i didn’t buy the product here but i’m a globe subscriber (an excuse?)…well, anyway, the bottom line is, can i use it here in the philippines! and someone please, pretty please answer me!



  29. 🥉 Rookie🏆3

    @yvette, you can go to a Globe Business Center and have it activated with them.



  30. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    @yuga really? like, they will really do that even though as i mentioned above, i didn’t buy it here?



  31. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    I can not include “3G” and can not be completely disable vibrating alert



  32. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    I got my iPhone this week.

    Some of the things I hate about the iPhone:

    – When I have to call someone, especially if I don’t call that person regularly, I have to scroll through my Contacts list. There’s no way to type the first few letters of the person’s name, unlike in other of my previous Nokia phones.

    – My AirborneAccess account c/o Smart Gold seems to block access from it. I couldn’t log on to my AirborneAccess account. I thought it was just me, but I heard the same thing with my friend who has a similar setup.

    – No SMS forward feature. I heard there are some apps out there that replace the built-in SMS functionality, but I couldn’t find any from the App Store.

    – Related to the SMS forward issue, there is no Copy/Cut and Paste. Having copy and paste would have been a neat workaround to the SMS forwarding problem.

    – I don’t get why App Store and iTunes icons have to be separate.

    – Smudge, smudge, and smudge.

    – I cannot make it into an Internet modem for my laptop. All browsing and email has to be done in-phone.

    – Autocorrect/Predictive typing sucks if you have to send text or email in a language other than English.

    – As a software developer, I find it disheartening that Apple has not yet opened the development program in the Philippines.

    In spite of all these, I will keep my iPhone. It’s hard to explain, but I have no regrets getting it. Hopefully, new firmware updates will address some of the issues I pointed out.



  33. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    Oops, I was wrong about the Contacts list thing. There is a search facility after all, but you have to scroll all the way up to see the search field.



  34. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    Hello from Russia

    It is very difficult to read in English, but we try:)



  35. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    “Without the iPhone, we would not have seen the likes of Samsung Instinct, Omnia i900, HTC Touch Diamond, LG Dare and Sony-Ericsson Xperia this early.”

    Sorry, not to start anything, but I disagree… SonyEricsson (Ericsson Quartz actually) had an all-touchscreen phone when they introduced the P800 and no…I don’t consider that fugly thing they clipped to it a real keyboard.

    I think a proper statement would be “Without the iPhone, the public would not have bothered with touchscreen phones.”



  36. 🥉 Rookie🏆1

    HATE IPHONE…

    i think why others buy iphone because they want to look cool and because it is a hit….



  37. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    I would like to purchase iphones original…i am a wholesaler…can you pleae tell me at what price you offer these iphone



  39. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    where can i buy the cheapest iphone here in rp? maybe a secondhand from greenhills? u have any idea how much it will cost?



  40. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    i have an iphone 3g 8gb for almost 5 months now and guess where it is now? gave it to my gf kapalit ng old phone nya…. hehehe after a few days… nagrereklamo na siya…. lagi sya lowbatt… hina pa ng signal… she was asking for her old phone back… but unfortunately i traded it off already for a new nokia 5800… no head aches anymore!



  41. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    sorry, ngayon pa lng ako naging interested sa iphone so i hope someone can tell me if it is worth buying the phone? i really don’t mind buying a 2nd hand phone… and kung 2g or 3g… just wanted to know, what are the difference between the two (besides yng 2g and 3g!)?

    hope to hear from someone soon! thanks



  42. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    I would like to ask if is it worth it to replace my samsung i780 with an iPhone 3G? They are both touchscreen but samsung has a qwerty keypad and has windows mobile as its OS. I really can’t decide yet to what i’m going to do. Please help me decide on this knowing that you have an iPhone. Thanks.



  43. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    i prefer iphone 3G because it has access a lot like:

    clippy->> copy and paste (almost like iphone OS
    3.0 beta version but this one, not
    version. its only developer who made a
    java as a code)

    games->> like NINTENDO and gameboy

    ibluetooth->> its first application from developer
    who made java also. it comes to any
    device as laptop, cp, etc

    cycorder->> its video recording. its only from
    CYDIA for those who jailbreak it with
    LOCK SIMS but it depends on your
    firmware.

    Now, i enjoyed my iphone 3G which i bought from Globe Telecom.

    for BlackBerry, it has few access but i dont know their information that much. ^_^

    for Nokia, its very simple to use but its worth.

    for Samsung, its very stylish but its worth.

    for Motorola, NO COMMENT but its only TEXT MESSAGING. in the future, they will make a new product like iphone and blackberry.

    thank you for reading this.



  44. 🥈 Silver🏆1

    lupit nito..isa sa mga wishlist ko..ang mahal lang kasi sa market..magloloptop nalang ako..waheheh



  45. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    i brought my iphone because its cool to have one,for a change,unique fone. but there’s a lot missing in this fone.. its only for a professional not for students like me.. and you have to wear the protector case forever than to suffer for the scratches!



  47. 🥈 Silver🏆1

    Before i bought iPod Touch 2G, i read reviews and found out that iPhone isn’t a good choice.

    Choice 1:
    iPod Touch 2G = Php 13,000+
    Cheap Nokia Phone = Php 1,500+
    Laptop = Php 23,000.00+

    Choice 2:
    iPhone 3G = Php 35,000+

    I preferred Choice 1.. Why? Look at it.. 3 devices versus 1 device? More features.. More devices.. :)



  48. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    Why is the iphone 3g is not half the price of iphone 2g?



  49. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    thanks for the review! im now thinking thrice whether im going for the iphone or blackberry phones.



  50. 🌱 Noobs🏆1

    salamat at nabasa ko to, i’ll keep my ipod touch 2nd gen and my nokia n82 than purchasing an iphone, dapat wise tayo hehehe….


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