Apple iPhone 3GS 16GB Smartphone Review

Photographs

Here is a place where a hardware upgrade and software upgrade combine to make something a little nicer than either on their own. The new OS 3.0 together with the new 3MP camera do make a big difference in image quality, but in addition they also throw in an auto focus mechanism that allows you to select your focal point by taping the screen. Of course, this will mess up many of the applications that allow you to trigger the shutter by tapping anywhere on the screen, but it is still a nice touch.

As you can see, there is a box to indicate where the camera is focused (forgive the blurry images as getting the screen shot was not easy). Auto focus works partially with video recording as the camera will choose a new focal point if you move around, but you cannot tap the screen to get it to focus.

The video on the iPhone 3GS is not bad. The 3MP camera does help with quality, but I noticed that the captured footage was quite large with 16MB for a 36 second clip in regular light and a 22MB file for a 49 second clip in low light.

I used the same area for my video testing, first without the overhead lights and then with them turned on. After having used Cycorder, I am a little disappointed with the new 3GS video recording, but at least you can edit them on the fly before you send them along. You also have the option to send them directly to YouTube if that is what you are into.

Other Odds and Ends

The Nike+iPod feature is an interesting one and works just like the iPod software that you can get with the Nike transponder. This allows you to use your iPhone as a workout tool with a separately purchased sensor from Nike. It is great if you already have this and the shoes from Nike that you need, otherwise this iPhone 3GS only feature is of little use.

A couple of other nice features that come with the OS 3.0, but are not limited to the 3GS, are Apple’s inclusion of Stereo Bluetooth support! – This feature is a long time coming and again, as with many (well, just about all) of the new things in the OS 3.0, should have been out with the first iPhone. I cannot tell you how many people I know who have been waiting for this one.

Additionally, there are slightly better parental controls available in the new OS and you can now limit quite a bit of the phones capabilities and even restrict the allowable content ratings for videos, TV and movies.

I do wish they would let you restrict things such as SMS and E-Mail, though. Or that there was a way to block everything and make the iPhone just a phone if you needed. But that is just my personal desire for the phone.

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