As cellular technology continues to advance at a breakneck pace, the market has become flooded with 'Smartphones' and touch screen phones, all of which offer different features, packages and options. One of the most popular of these new Smartphones is Apple's iPhone, which hit store shelves last year.
While in many respects similar to its competitors in terms of usability, here are four excellent features which set the iPhone apart from the rest of the pack.
The Touch Screen
This is the single best feature of the iPhone, hands down. Apple has continued its excellent use of touch-screen technology from it's iTouch by bringing it to the iPhone. Even with a screen protector, the touch sensitivity is excellent, but won't respond if the user has gloves on or a random object hits it - it depends on the electrical conductivity of the user's fingers and the screen interacting. While the sensation is strange at first, within a few minutes flicking a finger to scroll through a menu or moving two fingers apart to zoom in seems very natural.
Easy E-mail setup
There's a small button at the lower left corner of the main screen which functions as a link to any e-mail account that the user wants to connect the iPhone to. The setup for the accounts is easy and quick, and the iPhone can then be set to 'push' for new data continuously, at set intervals of time, or manually. This makes having e-mail anywhere, anytime a very streamlined process.
The ability to download Apps
iPhones come with the ability to download extra programs which are placed on the main screen called 'apps'. These can be anything from a carpenter’s level to a dog whistle to a video game - the amount and type of apps available are almost endless. All of the apps are downloadable right from the iPhone itself via its internet connection, but can also be done from a computer at the iTunes Store website. Many of the apps are free, but there are also paid apps, ranging from $0.99 to $100 in price.
Charging and syncing ability
Right out of the box, the iPhone comes with both an AC power cord and a USB cable. This allows the iPhone to be charged either by plugging it in to a wall outlet, or by connecting it to a computer via its USB port. If connected to the computer, the iPhone will open iTunes and 'sync' the phone with any new songs or apps that have been downloaded.
This small list highlights some of the user-friendliness and functionality of the iPhone, which are defining characteristics of any mobile technology. The iPhone does well in both categories, thanks to well thought-out and meticulously implemented design.
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