June 9th, 2008 by Joanna Stern
I just finished my quick 15 minutes with the iPhone 3G. Here are some first impressions.
Smoother Look and Feel
Though I didn’t have a gen one iPhone to compare it to, the iPhone 3G felt lighter and softer in my hand. I was immediately attracted to the white 16GB (apparently because it is more feminine). The white back is glossy and smooth and has a rounded back to it. The front of the phone looks like the original with black edges surrounding the screen. It is confirmed: the headphone jack on the 3G phone is 3.5 mm.
Speedy Browsing
After checking out the new hardware, it was time to put the 3G to the test. It took about two seconds to transition from Wi-Fi to the 3G network. I tested out the speeds on three sites: It took the phone 4 seconds to load www.laptopmag.com, 2 seconds to load cnn.com; 3 seconds to load www.nytimes.com. Pretty damn speedy.
Swift GPS Connection
I couldn’t get the best handle on the GPS here in the convention center. But I was able to bring up a map of the San Fran area. According to an Apple rep, turn-by-turn directions will be available through the Maps program. Above the map was a button to find “current location.”
What else can I report on the iPhone 3G? Apple showed off its new charging cube. It is a small block that can fit into your pocket, just don’t forget to carry your USB cord. Also, the App store icon was front and center on the main menu.
After my 10 minutes were up, the iPhone 3G was taken from my hands and sent back to its charging dock. Until we meet again iPhone 3G…Until we meet again…
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55 Responses to “Hands-On With the iPhone 3G”
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June 9th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Dude, you have majorly girly hands.
June 9th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Dude, you are a girl afterall. So that’s OK.
June 9th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Really nice hands in fact. I really like them. Good job.
June 9th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
… Wow, Organism… haha
June 9th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Was the front of the white iPhone white as well? I haven’t seen any pics of the front of the white one (or I did see them but thought it was the black one).
June 9th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
it looks huge
and i would go with the white one if the front was white too but it’s black.
June 9th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Talking about freakish looking, anyone notice how thin Steve was? Me thinks his cancer is back.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Thanks for the write-up! It’ll be interesting to see how popular the white one gets!
June 9th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Why wouldnt they make more colors like red, blue, green, yellow, purple, light purple, dark purple, darker purple,etc
June 9th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Hrm, most interesting. Wonder how durable that plastic backing will be and whether or not it’ll discolor with time.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
looks like a bar of soap
June 9th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
ORGANISM! I made the same remark! apparently it’s a woman that wrote the article… but of course I must be talking non sense, there’s no woman on the internet is there ?
June 9th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
They probably didnt think about the white on the front. Then when they saw all of them hen they were made they said OH SHIT WHAT DID WE DO.
June 9th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I really prefer the aluminum back. The plastic just seems to make it come across less attractive, and durable.
June 9th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
They probably will make no more colors than black & white. Seriously who prefers the aluminum back out there?? (I do)
June 10th, 2008 at 12:13 am
honestly not impressed. I’ll keep my aluminum iPhone.
Since rumor has it: 3G options in the 2.0
patch. Only downside is my iPhone has been
Completely full for about 3 months now…16gigs would be nice..
June 10th, 2008 at 12:15 am
I prefer the aluminum too. But both new ones look decent. Sadly you’ll be able to get major fingerprints on the black one just by looking at it…and of course if you want a white one to avoid that problem you have to shell out another $100. What the shit.
Anyways…can’t wait to get one regardless.. Man. What is it about Steve Jobs…?
June 10th, 2008 at 12:16 am
They will come out with the other colors during Christmas time and I bet the 32 GB one will come out around the same time. Self-control gets you a lot of cooler products at cheaper prices from Apple.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:54 am
yes 3g, yes GPS, plastic cover meh….but same lame 2 meg pix camera?! no video?! no FM radio!? I waited for GPS to get mine but a better camera would have been really nice (especailly since most upper level phones are 3.2-5 meg pix, ie Samsung i900). I will have to take consolation that it will be cheaper.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:55 am
first three comments ftw
June 10th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Looks like a piece of crap!
June 10th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Hope Apple doesn’t continue with the trend I see forming…cutting corners…very bad!
June 10th, 2008 at 1:09 am
Steve Jobs will take all u guys money lol. I’ll stick to my BB Curve. So get ready to spend dat hard earned gas money fools! Ha ha ha! Damn dummies.Smarten da XXX up! OBAMA in 08 u suckas!!!!!
June 10th, 2008 at 1:13 am
I think everyone should wait for the next version at Xmas. That way the line will be shorter when I get mine on July 11th.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Aluminum case was bad for reception. It had to go. iPhone is a cellphone first.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:34 am
huh
June 10th, 2008 at 2:01 am
I love how they are trying to create an illusion by tapering the edges of the phone. My aluminum back matches my mbp nicely. I will keep my first gen thanks!
June 10th, 2008 at 2:50 am
Video, FM radio, IM – all available with third party apps. This is the true beauty of the potential of a hand held computer running OS X.
June 10th, 2008 at 4:23 am
I’ve already put added my name to a list for the launch here in Australia-Shame they didn’t go with a quad band, and larger capacity-ala 32gb, but that price is bloody hard to beat.
June 10th, 2008 at 5:00 am
richsneaker1983 : Obama has an iPhone
http://fakesteve.blogspot.com/2008/05/obama-flashes-his-iphone.html
June 10th, 2008 at 5:21 am
sorry to burst your bubble
snusnu Says:
June 10th, 2008 at 12:13 am
honestly not impressed. I’ll keep my aluminum iPhone.
Since rumor has it: 3G options in the 2.0
patch. Only downside is my iPhone has been
Completely full for about 3 months now…16gigs would be nice..
if you have a current iphone (edge) thats what our stuck with. 3G isnt a software update. Its hardware and may people have taken these things apart and there is no 3 G chip inside so if you want 3G you wil have to buy a new one
June 10th, 2008 at 5:26 am
Can’t wait till July 11!
June 10th, 2008 at 8:51 am
So, Joanna, is that backing basically the same finish the iPods have? That slick, shiny acrylic-like stuff?
I can’t believe eejits will stand on line AGAIN.
Do you REALLY, REALLY think there will be a shortage?! No fekkin way! Get some sleep July 10th. Waltz into a store the evening of the 11th. They’ll still be waiting for you to buy.
Just like on last year’s iDay.
June 10th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Any word on whether those mysterious boxes that have been arriving to ATT stores are the live demos of the new iPhone? Personally, right now the increase in monthly rate is a dealbreaker, but if I really like something once I get to use it there is nothing stopping me from getting one (Unless of course Apple follows in Nintendo’s footsteps and doesn’t make enough to meet demand).
June 10th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
The new bubble butts stink.
June 10th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
The white back looks like an 80s formica furniture surface.
June 11th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Yes, pretty, but not sweet. Hacks will make the AL a better device soon. no?
June 11th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I found a company that sells the iphone 3G and ships internationally. See http://www.international-orders.com/3g
June 12th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Cant believe they’ve still got 2.0MP camera, no front facer and no video. Looks like N95 8GB is still the Daddy until they sort that. Would’ve thought they would have sorted that out. Was so looking forward to getting one but wont bother now due to aforementioned being left out.
June 12th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
The aluminum does look nicer imo, but plastic will allow for better reception. Also, to all those who say they are disappointed with video, it will be possible with a third party application. There are already apps that can record video on jailbroken first gen iPhones. The 2MP camera I am a bit disappointed with, but c’est la vie.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
to the lady who actually got the hands on:
if you set it on its back on a table, would it be usable, or does the curved back let it “rock” to much to make it ideal to use it like this??
thx, and btw: Uber jealous of you
july 11 cant come soon enough
(i have mine on hold!!!!)
June 14th, 2008 at 4:40 am
As u said:”Long live metal case”
June 14th, 2008 at 4:43 am
If is a 3G phone, why there is no camera on front? 3G should be also used for video calls… right?
June 14th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
about the colors, i’ve seen 3. The black the whaite…and a red…..i’ll see if i can link that…
June 16th, 2008 at 2:49 am
I don’t see what you people are making such a big deal about. The way I see it, Apple’s timing with this phone totally sucked. By the time this phone comes out on July 11th, it’ll only be 2 more months until a phone three times as powerful with twice the features will be out through the same provider. And that phone would be the Sony Ericcson Xperia X1. So it doesn’t even matter what versions they are making come Christmas time or the fact that the back is cheap old plastic. If you’re smart, you’ll get the Xperia when it comes out in September anyway since it’ll be far better than the iphone.
June 17th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Uh, right Ceejus. And you don’t work for Sony, I’m sure.
June 17th, 2008 at 10:17 am
That site with the camera on the front and the red version were bogus photo shop pics, totally fake. dont bother posting the site
June 18th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I think it rules long live da 3g
June 23rd, 2008 at 5:46 pm
i wonder if it is white from the front though ?!
June 28th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Will bluetooth work on new 3G i phone thanks
July 7th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Will the old protective sleaves from the iphone edge fit on the new G3 iphone?
July 9th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
this phones sucks, the samsung i900 is wayyyyyyyy better 5 megapixels….and all the sh*tthis one has plus more…..one thing i dont get is why the f*** they dont let us video record….btw i had the old iphone and it was so bad i threw it to the pool and bought the samsung i900, its so much better.
i wanted to see if the new iphone was better so that i could buy it, but its pretty much the same shit!!!
July 11th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
The 3G system can be updated to the old iPhone
But I think the new iPhone is better. Its not worth upgrading since you can upload the software, but if you dont own one and are planning on getting one the 3G is a better choice as there are new features on it that maybe wont be uploaded with the 3G system.
I agree the aluminum iPhone looks better, i didnt think so before, but black is okay. I didnt really like the white, if the front was white than i would have considered it.
All in all i think its great. Going to buy one. : )
July 21st, 2008 at 4:07 pm
wow you can really tell that RichSneaker83 is a major ghetto pain in the ass. Iphone crushes BB all
day long! hands down a superior product.
February 1st, 2009 at 3:13 am
iPHONE ist super