Apple iPhone 3GS 16 GB Black (AT&T)

Please also read my reviews of the iPhone 1.0 & 3G.

I've owned a cellphone since 1992. I've always had a "top of the line phone" (I've always had AT&T = formerly Cingular = formerly BellSouth Mobility)

In 17 years having cellphones, I've had over 100 (Yes 100+) different models & makes

The iPhone uses GSM - an international standard technology for cellphones. Verizon & Sprint use CDMA (& variants) - this technology is found in very few places widespread outside the USA & Europe.

One minor hardware complaint about the iPhone has been addressed by Apple - the new iPhone 3GS has an oil resistant coating - making it easier to clean and less "smudgeable"

The 3.0 iPhone OS is very stable. The addition of copy & paste, video, & tethering make "jailbreaking" completely unnecessary (Tethering is promised by AT&T in the US later)

I haven't had signal issues w/ many phones, it's always clumsy interfaces.

Every phone I've ever had, no matter how long I've had it - I've had a problem placing a call on hold & answering another call or joining a call into a 3-way. The iPhone interface is so well designed features are clearly labeled - I don't have that problem

I had an HP iPaq 6515 - I hated the keyboard. (Which is similar in design to Palm & Blackberry smartphones w/ physical keyboards) Physical keyboards on cellphones are hard to see, crowded w/ characters & difficult to use w/ my large fingers. iPhone users should try the pogo stylus if they have issues, but give it it time - you will become proficient within a few weeks

The camera on my iPhone 1.0 & 3G was great. The camera on the new iPhone is stunning though. I see myself taking even more pictures. I use the HP iPrint app to print my photos out. The side by side comparison is noticeable from the 1st gen iPhone camera. The viewfinder & capture buttons are crystal clear. It's easy to transfer photos from iPhone to computer for editing

Unlike most smartphones - that have Windows Mobile, the iPhone has an intuitive interface that's easy to understand & navigate. There's no need to read a manual; it's just simple to understand. A Blackberry makes me ask, "where do I go?" & "what do I do?""

The iPhone 3GS has a faster processor (600Mhz vs 433Mhz) & more RAM (256MB vs 128MB). This makes the iPhone 3GS feel significantly snappier.

Because an iPhone uses standard iPod sync & charge cables, accessories are easy to find.

Battery life is very good & improved from the previous generations of iPhones; even when utilizing power draining features like Wifi & Bluetooth.

I can actually use the calculator on an iPhone, unlike on other cell phones where you have to figure out corresponding keys

The Google Maps feature is amazing w/ the ability to use satellite data, the addition of the compass & GPS pinpoints your location w/ amazing accuracy & even better than dedicated GPS devices. The GPS integration w/ LocateMe is awesome

My complaints:

- Edge data network is acceptable & what I have to connect to the most often but I still have to pay for 3G data access = $10 more each month

- FM transmitters don't work well due to interference

- AT&T has limited some features (at least initially)

The new iPhone is definitely worth the upgrade. I now have enough room to back up the important parts of my hard drive to the iPhone, thanks to the 32GB capacity. I have right at 8GB of music & 6GB of pictures, text message, apps, etc - so the 32GB model will come in handy for me