Just bought an iPhone 4 and my thoughts...

O2 offered me a free upgrade and I decided to take it because I was really hoping Windows Phone 7 would be like Windows on a phone and that isn't what we got. I went into this having a mediocre experience with the 3GS that I sold and with some of that money I bought a HD2. I'm not an Apple fanboi, never owned an Apple product before apart from the 3GS. I have Mac, I'm really a Windows guy and wasn't fond of my 3GS.

I had no idea why I was getting the iPhone 4 because all the signal problems and not really a fan of the 3GS. However you know it's one of them things that there isn't anything better atm and while I was happy with my HD2, I really hate Windows 6.5 lol.

Opened the box and WoW the iPhone 4 is beautiful. It really doesn't come across like that on the pictures, like even if you think it is a good looking phone, it is 10 times better in person. Really really small too, wasn't expecting it to be much thicker. Also because it is glass and metal, the phone feels more expensive and solid than the 3GS.

Now when I started it up it said no signal for ages lol. I was getting really worried that the talk was true, I was just hoping that it was a few people on the net going crazy about nothing. So I phoned up O2 and they told me the sim wasn't activated yet, so they would do it now and it would be active in the next 24 hours. Luckily enough it was within 30 mins and I had 1 bar, thankfully it slowly went up to 3 bars. Now in my area no phone ever goes beyond 2 bars, we don't even get 3G here. So to get 3 was a real big surprise. I was expecting with the signal problems that it would be worse than the 3GS, instead it is one better.

Now my only gripe is the death grip is true and if you cover that one spot in the bottom left of the phone, then it will drop signal. Though even with the poor signal my area has, it has never gone to no service no matter how long I hold it. So I'm guessing if you're in an area with only 2 bars then it will drop service. For me this is a tiny issue because I hold my mobile with that hand, though when I'm holding it to my head, for some reason my hand suddenly doesn't bridge that antenna. I'm buying a case anyways like we all do cause we don't want to damage this beautiful looking thing.

The two cameras are amazing quality, if anyone could tell me how I get it to not take photos until it is still then that would be great. Camera Plus Pro used to do it for my 3GS but it seems like Apple still haven't built it in.

The screen is just so amazing it looks ten times better than what is on the HD2 and even though it is smaller, I think it is worth it. You don't realise when you're looking on your PC but not being able to see the pixels is just so amazing and it is so clear. I want to browse the net all over again on it because it looks so damn good. I didn't believe the screen hype before I got it but now I see why.

The phone is also just so fast and smooth, like it feels better than my Core I7 PC. Browsing google maps is just instant and so nice on the phone. Like I said I want to do it all on the phone now instead of on my PC. The shame is there are no good games for the iPhone 4 like my PC has lol. There seemed to be this real big push for games towards the end of 2009 and the start of 2010. However now they have all dried up really and I don't want to play anything on it.

This is my biggest gripe really, because it is locked by Apple I can't do all the stuff I can do on my HD2. I had flash working on that phone and that gives you instant access to more stuff to do on the net. Where as the iPhone wants it all on the app store, the thing is, it is mostly crap on there. I find it really annoying having to browse the iPhone version of youtube too, the searching isn't as good as the full version.


I really love the phone, it feels expensive and smart and is just such a joy to use, way better than the 3GS. The cameras are amazing and the actual 5MP camera is miles ahead of the HD2. It's so fast and the screen is so good to look at. There is that one problem of the bottom left corner, which drops my signal from 3 bars down to 1 and in an even lower signal area it will cut it off completely. This can be annoying as it is easy to cover that spot up on such a small phone, though we all get cases for these phones so I don't see that as a problem. It seems like people have made more of an issue than it really is. I can see less tech aware people not knowing what is causing the signal drop and hating on the phone though. Obviously this is an issue, I don't see why Apple haven't just put a coat of something over that area. For me however it doesn't effect my use.


Well worth the upgrade! Just wish there were good games

 

I only have 2 bars in this room downstairs and decided to call my friend. I held that point of the antenna and it went down to 1 bar really quickly but it never dropped the call. I spent near 10 mins on the call holding it and removing and putting my finger on it and the call carried on.

So I dunno I haven't had problems with dropped calls but it does impact signal.

 

Yeh I know people who have had a bad experience, but there are so many variables. I think the main thing is you get people who know nothing, tech wise, then are surprised when it does that. Where as us lot all know of the problem so it doesn't impact us. Like how people complain about windows being slow cause they don't know the msconfig command and then disable non microsoft services and programs at startup.

There are no games I like on it, I tried them all on the 3GS. I'm a PC gamer so I want high quality experiences like that, not poor mobile games. So I should expect that, I just wish I could run an emulator on it like I can my HD2, so I can play PS1 and N64 games.

 

Tried some of those games out and it obviously doesn't improve the graphics, just smooths them out which is kool. The net is the main thing I've seen the difference on, it's just so nice to browse now and google maps is instant. There aren't them checkered backgrounds anymore.

I just called another friend and I covered the antenna again and it stayed on 3 bars, didn't even drop. I can't get it to reproduce this problem the press go on about, though my hands aren't wet from sweat.