Apple iPhone 3GS (16GB - black, AT&T)

Pros: Fast
Tons of Apps
It is not Windows!
The touch screen is the best on the market

Cons: You cannot create your own rigntones
Does not mulit-task
Texts Pop up so anyone who is looking at your phone can see
Battery Life
No removable battery
Durability

Summary: Overall:

This is the best phone on the market. I was up for an upgrade this past november (09). I was considering many options. Previously I have owned a Razor with Verizon & Tmobile. I have had the Nokia N75, Sony Ericson, and Black Jack 2 on AT&T. I also have a blackberry curve 8830 through work. Initially when I was trying to decide what I wanted I was set on waiting for the BB 9700 to come out because I liked the email and OS on them so much. Then I went to a store and played with all of the phones including the HTC Pure and TIlt 2 and the BB Bold. I was against buying the iPhone. Then one of the sales reps said just go play with it. After 5 minutes I was sold. Here is why.

Touch Screen:

There is not an interface that compares with this. I have played with a Droid and yes the screen is larger and brighter, but it is not quite as receptive and it's layout and background just looks ugly to me.

Keyboard (Texting/Emailing):

I played with the Tilt 2 and Pure and their virtual keyboards cannot compare to the iPhone. It took me over 2 minutes to type a simple message on the Pure and I hate using a stylus. The Tilt 2 still had a nice touch screen and I like the physical keyboard, but I just still hate windows.

Applications:

Yes Verizon is catching up, but they still fall short in comparison to the apps for the iPhone. I can keep updated on all of my teams with the score center app and I can manage my entire Fantasy Football operation right from my phone with ease. Trying to do that on my BB or Black Jack was a nightmare.

Internet:

It is like being on the internet on a pc. It is a little slower, but it is much faster than any BB product. It is even faster than the Droid. And don't buy into the "Map for that commercial" that Verizon keeps running. Even when my 3GS is using edge I can still use the internet and all of my apps. It takes a little longer, but it still gets the job done.

Call Quality:

Call quality is great. I have dropped a few calls, but that has been when I was driving and went into a valley where the coverage was spotty not because of the phone.

Apple:

I hate Windows. The Apple OS is so refreshing and so much easier to use. The only thing that makes me mad is the ringotne issue. You have to buy the ringotnes. You can't just edit a ringtone on your phone which the Droid can do. This is why I did not give the iPhone 5 stars.

Cons Explained:

Battery - The battery lasts me about 10 to 15 hours depending on use. Don't tell my boss but I text me fiance all day long and I use my apps/games frequently. I have several Chargers from old iPods. I just keep one at my desk and hook my iPhone up to my computer if I need to charge it. This may be an issue for you but. I usually get to work around 7am and plug my phone in around 8. It then lasts me the rest of the day until about 11PM when I go to bed. By then it is under 10% but will still wake me up in the morning with the alarm I have set. Plan on charging it once a day. I recommend getting an app that will tell you when the battery is fully charged so you do not over charge the phone.

Multitasking:

I wish I could listen to Pandora and use the internet, but sadly it will not happen. However you can do anything while you are on a call which I always do.

Durability:

This was my major concern with this phone. If I drop it I am SOL. I got the Otter Box for mine. I should tell you when I went to get the iPhone my fiance was getting one too and she almost did not get an iPhone because she hated the Otter Box case so much. If you never drop your phone ignore this part, but we both drop ours all of the time. I have dropped my phone hard several time with this case on and my phone works just fine. I recommend this case very strongly. It look tacky but your phone will be very safe. Now the only thing you have to worry about is getting it stolen. Although you could probably use it as an anti theft device because you can whip the phone across the room in the case and it is fine.

Summary:

If you use the internet at all and are looking for a great multimedia phone this it it. WIll not find a better phone for texting and multimedia functions. If you are a business user and need more customization and can't live w/out multitasking then you may want to consider something else like the Tilt 2 or a BB model. But I have 2 email accounts linked to my iPhone and it works great for email. My dad's boss uses an iPhone for his work phone and he loves it so it may just depend on the person.

Hopefully Apple will change the battery issues moving forward, but for now it is was it is. I think it is great. I hope this review helped anyone who read it and I wish you the best of luck in your decision.

Updated on Feb 26, 2010

I have had the phone for three months now and I still love it. I did find a way to make your own ringtones using iTunes. There is a free app in the app store that walks you through the steps of how to make ringtones. The app oddly enough is call Ringtones.

Also I got an iskin Solo FX case to replace the Ottter Box Defender case. It protects the phone well and lets me keep it in my pocket now. The Otter Box just took too much away from the experience, and since I work in an office I don't need that level of protection.