Perhaps the most important device of the 21st century, the iPhone, by Apple Inc., delivers both form and function in one small package. After years of rumors and speculation, the phone is now earning Apple and AT&T some serious cash and giving users, or fan-boys as they are sometimes called, eternal gadget bliss. Some customers, however, aren’t so pleased.

The iPhone, touted sometimes as “Jesus Phone,” is still as prolific as its debut 4 months ago. It has been hacked, unlocked, and now patched. The applications are limitless. The biggest complaints of the phone are:

1. AT&T – Once you buy it, you’re trapped with AT&T as the sole carrier of the iPhone.
2. No MMS support – What phone, in this day and age, doesn’t include the popular MMS protocol to send images to other phones? Answer: The iPhone.
3. Price Tag – “OMFG” Can you justify spending $600 for the iPhone? After a few short months, the iPhone’s price tag drops to $399. Ouch, early adopters.

Each application of the iPhone is amazing. You simply can’t compare it to other phones on the market, though a lot of people try. The phone itself isn’t bad. Everything is touch-screen, so it takes a little getting used to, but the five modes within the phone feature work flawless. You have your favorite contacts, recent calls, contact list, the key pad to dial numbers, and visual voicemail. It’s a new way to make and receive calls. The phone even gives you as much Caller ID information as possible from numbers not listed in your contacts.

Having mail is important to a lot of people. With the iPhone, you have a real email client, similar to a Blackberry or other smart phone device. What’s different is the fact that it actually looks like an email client on your MacBook. PC users might not understand this point, but the simplicity of the Mail program is perfect for emailing “on-the-go.” Buyer beware though, the email program does have to use the painfully slow AT&T Edge network. This means if you’re loading a lot of messages, be prepared to wait minutes to download all of your messages. Web applications like G-mail are also frustrating because every email sent from the phone must also be retrieved after sending. Your best bet is to IMAP an email address.

Having the Internet at your fingertips is probably what makes the iPhone the most advanced mobile device ever. The power of having a Safari web browser is amazing, but the problem with Safari it’s slower and less powerful than its big brother counter parts, Internet Explorer and Firefox. Also, currently you can’t run Java or Flash yet, which makes it impressive visually, but as watered down as other mobile browsers in terms of functionality.

The built-in iPod is what you’d expect from Apple’s iPhone. It’s simple and easy to navigate. There is cover flow view which lets you flip through cover art to find the album you want to listen to, and a segregated video play list which lets you watch movies on the run.

“Third party apps” are a great thing on the iPhone. These web applications bring extra functionality to an already amazing device. At first, there were few, but as time passed, and as popularity grew, the iPhone became a booming business for third party web apps. The downside, they’re web apps.

The real power behind the iPhone is the unlockable features. You can unlock, hack, and crack your iPhone to add real 3rd party applications. Buyer beware, any form of modification will definitely void any warranty on the iPhone. Some users have “bricked” their iPhones by unlocking the phone for use with other carriers as well. Obviously these procedures are highly risky and should not be attempted by anyone unless their willing to blow their $400 dollars on a slim paper weight. Some of the 3rd party applications allow you to customize your iPhone with different graphics and icons. Some allow you to record voice notes and triangulate your position using wi-fi and cellular tower signals. Needless to say there are many benefits to hacking your phone.

Many customers have complained that Apple has gone too far in protecting their iPhone from the wrong hands and some iPhones have been permanently disabled due to illegal unlocking of the phone. Those who had the knowledge and sense to repair the lock were able to avoid this iPhone “brick” and remaining in wonderful gadget bliss.

Apple recently announced legal 3rd party applications in the coming months, with a development kit in February 2008. This time next year, expect to find open source applications, costly iPhone software and possible downloadable games.

The iPhone lives up to its hype, but could do more to please the masses. Those looking for a new, fun smart phone, look to iPhone in the coming months as prices drop and software becomes readily available. Only the die-hard fans should invest in the iPhone as it is now.

When it comes to the matter of reading iPhone reviews, it becomes important to establish the credibility of the individual who is writing the review. That is to say, if the reviewer is not qualified to write the review then the review may be without merit. While this may seem like an overly serious assessment of requirements needed to read a review, there needs to be a clear understanding present as to why the potential customer is reading the review in the first place. The primary reason people read a consumer review is to make the proper purchasing decision. Considering that there is a time and monetary commitment required for making the purchase of the iPhone, the need to be forewarned and forearmed is vital to many people who are of limited time and resources. In short, they peruse the iPhone reviews so as to make sure they are not making an inaccurate purchasing decision.

If the credibility of the review is in question, this will undermine the primary purpose and objective of reading the review in the first place. Of course, there are those who read consumer reviews for entertainment purposes only, but such trite casual reading is also deserved of accuracy in consumer review and reporting. Providing iPhone reviews – or any reviews for that matter – should not be treated tritely by the reviewer and there should be a clear and definite attempt to provide a quality review. If not, the previously aforementioned undermining of the review’s purpose becomes present.

If there was a genre that movie critics disliked to review it would be the comedy genre. The reason for this is that no matter how much they may dislike a comedy they can not say it was not a funny film if the bulk of the audience is laughing. The purpose of a comedy is to make people laugh and if it does then it succeeds at its purpose.

Similarly, liking or disliking a particular iPhone may provide entertaining reading as some iPhone reviews may serve a purpose of being little more than a vehicle for humor, but whether a person likes or dislikes the phone is irrelevant unless the liking or disliking is expanded upon to include whether or not the phone delivers on its promised service. Ultimately, this is the most important aspect of the phone – does it work or not and does it provide a functional value in concert with its cost.

Whenever a new electronic product hits the market, it is greeted by skepticism by some and with great fanfare by others and Apple iPhone has its share of dreamers and schemers who from day one were looking for ways to defeat the AT&T partnership need as well as many reports of long delays in having the phone service activated. Through the initial roll out where thousands were trying to start service, activation was back on track within a couple of days, but leaving early reviews for Apple iPhone mixed among new users.

Most companies understand that no matter how hard they try, it is impossible to make everybody happy, but with the Apple iPhone, the company tried to do just that. Possibly one of the most controversial issues with the new device is that it only works on the AT&T network, formerly Cingular, a reality that many former Cingular customers are not excited about. Although the phone system, once activation was successfully, seemed to work flawlessly for many subscribers.

The draw back is the ways available to find a contact phone number. The choices are to scroll through the entire list or got to the alphabet on the side of the Apple iPhone screen and choose an alphabetic listing by the first letter. For an average user with a couple of dozen names in their phonebook this is not a big problem but those with hundreds of contacts may find it time consuming and annoying.

The buzz for the latest techno-gadget has been heating up the internet for years, and the recent unveiling of the Apple iPhone had the requisite long lines and up to 16-hour waits to be the first to own the cell phone, handheld computer, music player, video player, internet connection and digital camera, with add-ons making stock reports, weather and email available in real time. It has been touted as the first true all-in-one gadget to keep users connected in every conceivable sense.

Despite all the hoopla surrounding its release critics have quickly spotted deficits in its design or programming, verifying the theory that a company can’t please everyone. While many people were able to get their phone activated quickly, the back log of applicants slowed the process considerably. However, once up and running, exploration began on the other assets of the Apple iPhone.

To use iTunes on the Apple iPhone version 7.3 is required and it features a graphic connection to the music installed. Simply locate the cover of the album desired and then the song from the album list to play the song. One quirk is the design of the 3.5mm headphone plug. For most headphone jacks it is recessed too far requiring the purchase of an adapter to make them fit.

Keyboard Speeds Text Messaging Service

The QWERTY keyboard on the Apple iPhone makes sending text messages easier but many complain about the lack of internet instant messaging. Perhaps the tie-in with AT&T and its texting services, all at additional cost, has something to do with that feature lacking on the Apple iPhone.

The camera yields a competitive 3.5-inch display of 160 pixels per inch, far from camera quality, but is quick and easy to set up and use. There is some concern about the inability to instant message pictures to other users.

Email System Poses Memory Issues

For casual email users, having a POP3 account easily accesses email and the keyboard helps greatly in replying to messages. However, deleting old emails is a four-step process that sends the message to the recycle bin. With the message open the delete or edit button is pushed, followed by the minus button, then the delete button. To remove message from the trash can the process has to be repeated on the Apple iPhone.

Overall, the release of the Apple iPhone was met with acceptance by most users as well as those who find fault with everything, they could not find fault with everything about the new device.