iPhone review

Long after the initial frenzy has calmed and the iPhone finds its ubiquitous place among the masses, Apple's first foray into the telecom business will certainly be remembered as one of its most anticipated and ambitious product launches in history.

Rumored to be in development for more than five years-and some accounts suggest it actually was-the iPhone's long-awaited arrival marks a significant milestone not only for Apple aficionados, but for anyone who relies on that most common piece of digital kit.

With six months of hype built-up between announcement and delivery, we won't delay in answering the question on everyone's mind: yes, the iPhone really is as cool as the ballyhoo that preceded its launch suggested it would be.

At the first glance at the iPhone's glass facade, it's apparent that Apple has delivered a level of elegance and class never before seen in the mobile market. Even ignoring the iPhone's two most impressive accomplishments, its innovative touch-screen display and Mac OS X-based operating system, the iPhone trumps the design of every other handset we have held. It simply looks and feels terrific in hand.

The iPhone's dimensions resemble that of the 30GB iPod but it appears more svelte on account of its longer design and completely curved and chrome-accented edges. It is less than half an inch thick, making it stunningly thin for a smartphone. The iPhone also feels remarkably solid due to its metal and glass construction.

Apple has learned from its experience with iPods - that while consumers may love a sleek finish, they abhor the scratches that accompany them. Accordingly, the rear is finished in brushed aluminum and the glass front is exceptionally durable, like the face of a good watch that can take a beating and still emerge unscathed.

Without being activated, the iPhone passes only for an elegant paperweight: out of the box, not even the non-mobile features will work without signing up for service through iTunes. Those who envisioned tapping their wifi network for Internet access on the iPhone and taking advantage of its iPod capability without marrying themselves to a monthly plan are out of luck.

On the bright side, Apple has taken an ingenious route in delegating activation to iTunes, as owners can have their phone up and running in under a minute by completing just a few screens of required information. It is so simple, it's easy to forget that in addition to the price of admission to the iPhone party, you have also committed yourself to a two-year contract whose charges will at least triple the price of the iPhone itself.

The iPhone's touch-screen feels immediately natural to use, although it can take some practice to discover what part of your finger actually makes contact with the screen first. Perfecting your pointing instrument is made easy on account of the instantaneous response the iPhone delivers, and the animated interface elements Apple has sprinkled throughout the iPhone only make the experience better (delete an email and watch it get sucked down into the trash can).

Like a laptop's trackpad, the touch-screen magic works by sensing the change in capacitance created by your finger, meaning it needs only to contact the screen, not actually 'press' it. This makes operating the iPhone an extremely light-weight task that won't tire your fingers and hopefully will mitigate some of the stress injuries that repetitive thumb typing can create among smartphone users. It also makes the iPhone useless in the hands of a gloved operator, a potential point of inconvenience when using the device in the winter.