Design and interface
The iPhone 3GS looks exactly like the previous model. It shares the shape and the same external controls, but the iPhone 3GS is unique in a handful of ways. You can get both memory sizes in white or black, and the iPhone 3GS display sports a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating that is supposed to attract fewer fingerprints and smudges. The new model shares the same dimensions as its predecessor, but it's slightly heavier (4.76 ounces versus 4.7 ounces), a virtually unnoticeable difference.
The menu interface is also the same, but in the past year, as we've added apps to the Home screen, something new has begun to bother us. As intuitive and simple as the interface is, it becomes unwieldy after you get above four menu pages. Swiping through multiple pages is tedious; and it's rather painful to drag applications from page to page if you're an organizational freak. We hate that there's no way to categorize related apps into folders, such as one for news, another for social networking, and so on. Not only would this cut down on menu pages, but you'd also be able to find your app faster. And while we're at it, how about letting us delete some of the native apps we never use?
Features
Since the iPhone 3GS inherits many of the features from the previous model, we'll concentrate on what's different on this device. If you need a refresher on such elements as the clock, YouTube, weather, iPod player, calculator, and e-mail, please see our iPhone 3G review. We'll start off with the new features that only the iPhone 3GS will offer.
Camera
Until now, the iPhone's camera has been good, but far from great, with decent photo quality, but no editing features. Apple didn't include options such as white balance, a digital zoom, or a self-timer that come standard on many basic VGA camera phones. The minimalist shooter bothered us so much that we began to worry if Apple was leading a new trend of "dumbing down" cell phone cameras.
The iPhone 3GS puts some of those fears to rest. Apple boosted the camera's resolution to 3 megapixels and added a new "Tap to Focus" feature. As you point the lens toward your subject, a small box appears on the center of the display. Tapping that square focuses the camera automatically on that point and adjusts the white balance, color, contrast, and exposure accordingly. If you'd rather focus on the edge of your shot, just tap the display at your chosen point and the square moves with you. If you don't tap anywhere, the camera will focus the entire frame.
Tap to Focus performs well. For example, if we photographed a book cover sitting on a desk, we were able to get a clear reading on the book's title. If we shifted the focus away from the book, the title became somewhat blurry. Alternatively, if we focused on the brightest part of an image, the entire picture would appear brighter. But if we focused on the darkest part of any image, the photo would darken accordingly. The iPhone still doesn't come with a flash, though, so don't expect miracles.
On the other hand, the new automatic macro setting didn't appear to make much of a difference. Close-up shots looked slightly better on the iPhone 3GS than they did on the iPhone 3G, but we couldn't tell when the macro focus was working and when it wasn't. As with the autofocus feature, the macro setting is a welcome addition, but we'd prefer to have more control over it. In other words, the iPhone 3GS' camera is smarter than those on the earlier iPhones, but the camera, rather than the user, still runs the show.
On the whole, the iPhone 3GS' photo quality looks better than the 3G camera's quality, but it depends on the shot. Outdoor shots and photos taken in natural light looked less blurry in our tests, with brighter colors. Photos taken during cloudy days were less likely to be blown out, and photos in low-light conditions looked brighter and had less of an orange tint. Indoor shots without natural light showed little change, however. The iPhone's camera is not optimized for fluorescent light. For a full gallery of shots taken with the camera, see our iPhone 3GS camera slideshow.
Video recording
The iPhone 3GS is the first iPhone to offer video recording, another feature other phones have offered for years. Apple makes up for some lost time by offering an easy-to-use video-editing option right on the phone.
Controls for video shooting work just like the still camera's controls, and you can use the Tap to Focus feature here, as well. The quality is just VGA, but the camera shoots at 30 frames per second, so while colors look muted and some videos appear washed out, the iPhone 3GS did better at handling movement than most cell phone cameras. After you're done recording, you can send your clip in an e-mail or upload it directly to your YouTube account. We were able to upload to YouTube and send a video from our synced IMAP4 Exchange account, but when we tried to send a video from a synced Yahoo POP3 account, an error occurred. We're checking with Apple on the discrepancy and will report back.
3G, short for "Third Generation Wireless," is the next generation high-speed mobile system based on GSM. 3G supports broadband, packet-based transmission of voice, text, multimedia, and video data at rates from 384 kbps to 2 Mbps. At the heart of 3G is the aim to provide mobile users, wherever they may be, with the same high speed services offered by broadband. With 3G, the mobile user can access high speed internet, videoconferencing, and basic video/TV services.
3G can support a minimum of 2 Mbps for stationary or slow-moving users (walking) and 384 kbps for fast-moving vehicles (in an auto or train). Compare this to rates of 9.6-40 kbps for 2G and 2.5G systems.
3G was developed to address the ever-growing consumer demand for mobile network capacity and services. From the youth-inspired excitement for SMS to a need for seamless connectivity to the corporate network while traveling, consumers have embraced the benefits of mobility. The ITU (International Telecommunication Union) started the process of defining the 3G standard back in the mid-1980s. In 1998, the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) was established to continue developing the 3G specifications. The 3GPP is a global body that brings together several telecommunications standards bodies from Europe, Japan, the United States, Korea, and China.
3G supports the needs of a growing mobile workforce, including the typical "road warrior," as well as those working from home, a satellite office, or commuting. 3G extends the office LAN to these mobile workers, providing access to email, corporate networks, and the Internet. There are many personal-use applications as well, ranging from "smart" appliances to e-commerce and multimedia applications. And as 3G technology evolves, advanced applications beyond those envisioned today are sure to be developed.
Here are just a few of the benefits of 3G technology:
- While on the road, a manager can conduct a teleconference with colleagues to discuss an upcoming presentation. He can download the latest version, make edits online, all while talking.
- Users can take advantage of mobile video on demand to watch news, sports highlights, and video clips anytime on their mobile devices.
- 3G gives mobile staff access to critical applications like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications. For example, field engineers can view a customer's profile from the road, update their files, and even close the trouble ticket while on site. Sales people can create and place orders while still at the customer's location.
- 3G-enabled vehicles are beginning to enter the market. These provide access to traffic-view cameras, Internet access, gaming, and video-streaming.
Jamie Morris is the founder of Business Mobile - http://www.BusinessMobile.com - a leading website packed with business travel information and tips. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jamie_Morris |
