Iphone 4 Review from a Regular User
Note: This is not a tech review, this is based on a normal end-user.
It's been a while since the last time I made a review of a mobile phone I recently purchased. I was not really an Apple fanboy before, I did not make any big deal about the Iphone and it's iOS operating system. Even with 3 iterations, I would still opt to buy a regular phone from the safer brands - Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.
What made me switch to an Iphone 4 were two things: (1) When a purchased Ipod Touch 3rd Gen, and (2) When I was eligible with my mobile carrier's (Globe Telecoms) loyalty award.
The ipod touch 3rd gen made me introduce to the iOS ecosystem. It was user friendly and the apps were just totally awesome. But the loyalty award was really the deciding factor to purchase one because I only got this phone for Php9000. It was really a great deal.
There are so many good things to say about the Iphone 4, but there are few flaws as well.
The display is was really sharp. Comparing with my Ipod Touch (which I sold eventually), the resolution difference was really clear. The improved processing speed made multitasking easier and responses faster. With the most updated OS, downloading apps was a lot easier since all of them are now compatible on the new version. By default, the pre-istalled apps would do the work of a regular smartphone. But downloading specific apps would make it a workhorse.
One example was when I went to Taiwan for a backpacking trip. I avoided the pains of paying roaming charges whenever I call my family from my hotel, I would use the default wifi connection to do a facetime call (my brother has an Ipod touch 4). Or, I would call him via the latest update on Yahoo Messenger App. I would also do wifi based SMS through the Chikka application.
I was on leave from work when I was in Taipei, but I had to make a few calls and a little work. And Iphone 4 just did the job! I was able to check my emails with attached screenshots. Most phone would just display plain text (e.g. Blackberry). I was able to access my work desktop through the Citrix App. And I was able to facilitate a Webex Meeting. And yes! These are all available on the Iphone.
The map and GPS application helped me find my way in Taipei. The photo and video application (samples below) captured places I have been in Taipei. The music and games kept me pre-occupied while waiting for my flight.
Overall, this is a complete mobile phone. Some of the things that could've improved would be its battery life. At times, it would last for 24 hours under heavy usage. But would last for 3 days if there's a lot of standby time. Buying a case is a must, since it's a fingerprint magent, but this hides the design of the phone, so I would suggest buy a transparent case.
Below are some sample pictures and videos that I've taken during my trip.
