A ROUND-UP OF APPLE IPHONE 3G S REVIEWS

The Apple iPhone 3G S is now available but with all the impressive handsets being introduced this year, consumers are looking for reviews to hep them choose the best handset. The iPhone has a good reputation and has stayed at the top of the mobile phone food chain for the last three years. However, stiff competition from other Smartphone makers such as Palm, HTC and RIM are hard on its heels. Let's look at some of the early iPhone 3G S reviews to see if Apple's handset will retain its crown. 

Walt Mossberg of the The Wall Street Journal observed that the changes offered by the iPhone 3G S are "more evolutionary than revolutionary." His tests also indicate that both the phone and the new 3.0 operating system performed well with a few minor exceptions. The speed and the battery life of the device have also significantly improved and the enhanced camera with video recording also did its job. 

Mossberg concludes that the iPhone 3G S offers new features that make a great product even better. However, he feels that the "software may be enough of a boost" and may discourage users from spending money to upgrade to the iPhone 3G S. 

Joshua Topolsky of Engadget noted that the new 3GS would be indistinguishable from its predecessor if both handsets are its is laid next to one another face up. However, he also stressed that the new model is not a clone of the previous device because the significant changes are hidden inside the phone. 

Topolsky observed that the 3GS is faster and shines when it comes to games and more graphically intense apps. He also pointed out that he can barely tell the difference on battery life between the two handsets. He wraps up his iPhone 3GS S reviews by expressing that the he feels "a bit let down by the 3G S" and that the "additions of video recording, a compass, and a speed bump just don't seem that compelling." Apple has raised the bar with the iPhone 3GS but growing competition may mean that the company needs to take it to a higher level. 

Kent German of CNET identified some of the areas which indicated the significant speed improvement on the new model. He observed that the the iPod player opened almost 5 seconds faster and some notoriously slow apps like Bejeweled 2 and Pocket God loaded more quickly. He was also impressed with the easy and incident-free pairing process of the stereo Bluetooth profile. 

German also highlights that their initial tests show that the iPhone 3G S' battery lasted longer than its predecessor's. CNET's senior editor concludes that the iPhone 3GS will be a compelling upgrade for some users. However, the device still has rooms for improvement in call quality and the 3G signal reception. He also notes the lack of Flash Lite, USB transfer and storage, or multitasking. 

Jason Chen of GIzmodo stated that upgrading to the iphone 3GS is like "getting a bigger TV or a faster car." He explains that while the new model does not offer mind blowing improvements in the the feature department but the improved speed will "amaze" users. Chen also notes the improved oleophobic coating on the screen which does a good job of keeping the device smooth and usable even if there are fingerprints or face grease on the surface. 

Chen also examined the 3 megapixel camera and observed that the auto focus, auto exposure and auto white balance allows one to "control more of what your shots look like." He wraps up the Gizmodo iPhone 3G S review by stressing that the device with its new features, improvements and increased processing speed, is a significant step forward in the iPhone family. 

David Poque of the New York Times thinks that the new voice-control feature may be the most useful addition on the iPhone 3G S because it reduces the number of steps required to place a call. He also claims that video recording on the latest model is the real deal. It's sharp, smooth and its close to what users can get from a proper digital camera or a Flip camcorder.

Pogue concludes that the new additions and changes on the iPhone 3G S allows it to vault a year ahead of its rivals. He also points out that Apple's handset has cut down the glaring weaknesses into three: lack of a physical keyboard, unswappable battery and being trapped into the AT&T network. 

That's it for this iPhone 3G S reviews round-up. We'll add more reviews once other experts publish their own iPhone 3G S reviews.