Chassis:
The iPhone 4 is compact. At 4.5″ by 2.31″ by .37″, the iPhone 4 is smaller than previous generation iPhones. In fact, the phone feels much more ergonomic than other devices on the market making it easier to use. Although a little heavier than previous models, at 4.8 ounces the iPhone is not a brick. In fact, it feels much better in my pocket than other smartphones I’ve used, including the Nokia N97 and the HTC Touch Pro2.

Regardless of size, the biggest cosmetic improvement comes in the form of materials. The days of plastic are finally gone. The back of the phone is now formed with scratch resistent glass, a welcome upgrade from the weak plastic of previous models. Sadly, there are reports of minor scratches on this glass leading users to suspect a lower grade glass than the front touch screen. The phone is then incased in a band of stainless steel to round out the professional appeal.

Speaking of the screen, the new Retina display is majestic. At 326 pixels per inch, the Retina display has by far the highest resolution screen on the market. But is the Retina screen a useful feature or marketing hype? Although it’s hard to imagine, the screen is breathtaking. The level of detail seen in pictures and images is remarkable. In fact, when you load a complex webpage like the New York Times and you can read all the text without zooming, you can more easily understand the usefulness of the Retina display. In fact, thanks to the new IPS technology found in the Retina display, the iPhone 4 has much wider viewing angles from all directions.

Also on the exterior of the phone are the antennas. Perhaps the biggest talking point of the iPhone 4 isn’t what it does well, but its reception woos. As early as launch day, left handed users were noticing signal degradation when holding their phones. As more reports hit the internet, it became clear something was wrong. Apple responded in a press conference designed to highlight the problem and showcase the issue in other device.

Apparently, the formula used to display the signal bars is completely wrong. Apple goes on to say that the reason for signal loss is poor mobile data coverage and suggests that the original bar reading may have been artificially increased. A software update has been released and Apple will supply free cases to combat these problems. Although I can reproduce this issue, I have yet to drop a call or loose connection. Either way, a free case is a nice gesture.

Finally, I’d like to address colors. When Apple announced the iPhone 4, they demoed both a black and a white unit. Unfortunately, just hours before launch Apple officially stated that white iPhone’s would not be available until late July 2010. Personally, I have no interest in this white model. However, the absence of a white iPhone has increased demand for the black model making it more difficult to purchase a unit. Apple says manufacturing issues forced their hand, but it seems to me Apple used this situation to artificially boost demand.

Camera:
One of the reasons I was so quick to jump on this new iPhone was the improved camera. At five megapixels with a larger sensor and an LED flash, pictures look much better than before. Images are crisper and autofocus continues to work wonders. I’ve been particularly impressed with macro shots taken by simply tapping on the screen. And although there isn’t an optical zoom you do have the option of using up to a 5x digital zoom, although I tend to steer clear of this method.

Moving on, video recording is very important to me. Sporting 720p HD video capture, the iPhone 4 is great mobile device for aspiring film makers. The idea of having a viabile capture option wherever you are is extremely appealing, and one of the major selling points of this device. In terms of quality, video look great. Resolution is sometimes marketing hype but Apple’s implementation of video recording works very well and creates excellent video. And if you want to edit your high definition clips on the go, iMovie has gone mobile and works quite well.

Moreover, Apple has added a VGA resolution camera to the front of the phone. Useful for taking self portraits, this camera has another great feature: FaceTime. FaceTime is Apple’s mobile video chat solution allowing iPhone 4 users to speak, see, and hear their contacts. FaceTime is limited to iPhone 4 and is currently WiFi only. Apple has said they plan to make FaceTime utilities public allowing developers to create their own solutions on top of the FaceTime API’s. I’ve yet to determine the practicality of video chat, but having the option to see my friends when I call them is appealing.

Battery Life:
Since the dawn of time, smartphone users have been crippled by poor battery performance making it difficult to last the entire day on one charge. The only solution was to disable services, forcing many users to cripple their new devices to last throughout the day. As of late, Apple has made great strides in battery performance offering powerful laptops with legitimate eight hour batteries and the iPad which lasts for over ten hours on a signal charge.

Without a doubt, the iPhone 4 takes queues from its brothers. With a battery now rated at 1420 mAh, the iPhone takes usage in stride. I’ve been able to complete a day of heaving usage while staying above 40%. Simply amazing. What’s more, Apple’s battery technology is expected to last for one thousand recharge cycles meaning you can expect quality battery performance for a long time.

Calling:
Often overlooked on smartphones, the core function of these devices is calling. Although I’ve personally moved away from voice chat in favor of SMS, MMS, and Email, I still think it is truly important to purchase a phone with solid calling abilities. I’m happy to say the iPhone performs extremely well. I’ve both made and received calls from the iPhone 4 and can honestly say it sounds life like. Words are audible, voices are clear, and I’ve noticed fewer dropped calls.

New to the iPhone 4 is a second microphone, located on the top of the device, for active noise cancellation. In simple terms, the second microphone picks up background noise and removes it from your outgoing audio making your conversations less noisy and distracting. Furthermore, Apple has greatly improved the speakerphone making calls louder and crisper while also enhancing the music listening experience.

Apple has also implemented a software feature to help AT&T’s desperate network. The device actually switches from band to band to connect to the frequency with the least amount of congestion and interference. Don’t get me wrong, if the signal is too weak the iPhone won’t connect to it, but there are other variable in play to make your experience the best it can be.

Conclusions:
You can read as many overviews and walkthroughs as you want but eventually you need to make a decision: should I buy this device? I’m sure you have discovered this by now, but I am extremely pleased with my iPhone 4. I’m always connected and the iPhone is a solid device that drives my communication: whether that be social media or direct conversation. iOS 4.0 is a great software package that makes using the device simple and reliable while also expandable with over 200,000 third party applications.

To be frank, there is no better device on AT&T at this point. The hardware of the Palm Pre Plus is dated and the few android devices are limited by AT&T’s restrictions. I’m a fan of the Tilt 2 (Touch Pro2) but at this point I’d stay clear of Windows Mobile devices, at least until Windows Phone 7 launches. If you are on another carrier, you are not excluded either. If you have good AT&T coverage, I highly suggest you switch to the iPhone, you won’t be disappointed. However, if AT&T 3G is lacking in your area I suggest you look for a different device on your network. The iPhone is a quality smartphone but if you don’t have reception the whole point of an always connected mobile device is lost.

Bitbop is solely owned by News Corporation. News corp is also a significant shareholder of Hulu (27%) which explains why we haven’t seen Hulu itself adopt the mobile platform. Clearly Bitbop is the mobile Hulu replacement which begs the question, why make two separate services dividing mobile and desktop computing? Obviously there is a reason, probably relating to advertising and operating costs, but an immediate answer isn’t available.

At CTIA, Bitbop demoed their service on a BlackBerry but state that both iPhone and Android versions of the application will be launching as well. Video looked good on the Blackberry Bold’s 480 x 320 pixel screen according to users who tried the service.

I recently spoke with Paula Batson, a prominent member of the PR team behind BitBop, to get some more information on this breakthrough service. Answers to content related questions remained vague as this service has yet to enter beta but it sounds like their soon-to-be announced partners include several other high-profile networks.

Will Bitbop include all fox shows?
“We have partnered with several large content providers and as such our programming will not just be Fox but rather a wide range of programming across networks. We anticipate a formal content announcement later this month. I think its fair to say viewers will be blown away by the breadth and quality of content available on bitbop.”
Quote from Reid Genauer, VP Marketing Fox Mobile Group

Will there be a delay as to when new programs are available, similar to the 8 day delay for House on Hulu?
There will be a slight lag in terms of when programs air and when they will be available on Bitbop. It varies by network and will likely be 1-3 days.

Are you open to partnerships with CBS, ABC, and other content competitors?
100%. Bitbop is intended to be a content distribution platform for many content providers. As noted above we have already partnered with several large networks.

Will full seasons of shows be available for viewing, or just a few of the most recent episodes?
A few of the most recent episodes for each show will be available at launch.

Will the $9.99 monthly charge include movies or just television shows?
The monthly charge will just include television. Movies will be sold a la carte.

Does the video resolution scale depending on data connection?
We have various content resolutions that the app dynamically chooses [from], [the app chooses] the best profile based on the connectivity.

Will streamed video look different than downloaded content?
The downloaded content uses the highest resolution of video available.

Will downloaded video be unwatchable after your subscription ends? If so, how will it be regulated?
Yes the downloaded content is removed from the handset at the end of the subscription using our proprietary DRM implementation.

I specifically asked about the video resolution available to users but didn’t get an answer. I expect to get more information on this service as we approach launch. Additionally, I will be a part of the BitBop beta and as such will be able to provide you more feedback on this service.

Bitbop Video Promo:

Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat from Minnesota, has some issues with these ETF’s. She believes they are “anti-consumer and anti-competitive” and previously introduced the Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act which would have reduced ETF’s and required them to be prorated or reduced as you progress through your contract.

That bill never materialized but it did temporarily pull the telecoms off their pedestals forcing them to adjust their ETF policies. Unfortunately, many have rescinded those changes over the past few months.

The big issues with ETF’s lie with the telecoms. Many are deceitful and mislead the average consumer. Currently, over the course of a contract the ETF can increase and in many cases the ETF is larger than the subsidy the company offered for signing the contract. All of which are designed to hurt the consumer and benefit big business.

To fight this villainy Klobuchar has officially introduced a new bill: The Cell Phone Early Termination Fee, Transparency and Fairness Act. This act doesn’t mandate major changes but instead requires telecoms to be honest and not try to take advantage of the average consumer. Specifically, this bill will:

• Prevent wireless carriers from charging an ETF that is higher than the discount on the cell phone that the wireless company offers consumers for entering into a multi-year contract. For example, if a wireless consumer enters into a 2-year contract and receives a $150 discount with the contract, the ETF cannot exceed $150.

• Require wireless carriers to pro-rate their ETFs for consumers who leave their contracts early so that the ETF for a two-year contract would be reduced by half after one year and pro-rated down to zero by the end of a contract term.

• Require wireless carriers to provide “clear and conspicuous disclosure” of the ETF at the time of purchase.

• Require monthly billing statements to clearly state the pro-rated fee customers would be charged if they terminate their contracts before the end of the next billing cycle.

All of these requirements in my mind are no more than common courtesy. However, profit margins tend to cloud the judgment of decision makers and it’s clear only legislation can limit these bad business practices. I’m all about an open market but sometimes collusion between companies, in this case with ETF’s, only hurt the consumer.

What do you think? Should The Cell Phone Early Termination Fee, Transparency and Fairness Act be passed, filibustered, or enhanced? Should ETF’s be removed entirely? Let me know in the comments bellow or on twitter, @blue42richman.

This launch date actually comes a few days after the end of summer making AT&T’s ridiculous lack of support on day one ever more frustrating. I mean, AT&T has supported MMS on all other phones for years so to limit their flag-ship device is simply absurd. Now AT&T claims the delay is related to the sheer number of iPhone users they have and that they expect record volumes of messages. Now I understand wanting to preserve the network, because I cannot imagine how terrible it would look if the entire network went down, but the fact that their network is so fragile is pathetic.

I’m not saying Verizon or Sprint would, necessarily, do a better job but I am concerned with AT&T’s practices. Their current network is lagging behind and they have no plans, right now, to compete with Sprint’s 4G network nor Verizon’s LTE network scheduled for launch next year. I suppose it will be nice when we finally can send pictures and videos but AT&T’s defense to this poor decision is alarming.

No word on when to expect official tethering on AT&T although they continues to say it’s coming soon.

AT&T

AT&T defends their decision by saying Smartphone users are surprised when they are charged outrageous amount per bit and requiring a data plan will helps users keep their costs down. Perhaps if AT&T’s sales staff accurately portrayed the hefty price they charge for data customers wouldn’t suffer “bill shock”. I mean, Blackberry/Smartphone data plans start at $35 a month, from what I can see on the AT&T website.

Another thing to keep in mind is how current customers will be grandfathered into the new policy. If you purchase a smart phone before September 6th you can continue to use your phone without a data plan. However, if you have a feature phone with a current Medianet data plan and you decide to upgrade to a smartphone, you will fall under this new policy and will be required to purchase a new, more expensive, data plan. Even users who currently have a dirt cheap phone will be required to purchase a data plan if they decide to upgrade to a smartphone on or after September 6th.

The one positive note comes in the form of the GSM spec. Because GSM phones use sim cards, users can continue to take their current SIM and use it with a new phone. So if you are currently using a normal phone you can take your SIM, put it into an unlocked GSM smartphone, and use the smartphone without a data plan or a lower cost medianet plan. Of course, unlocked smartphones are expensive, being as they aren’t subsidized at all, but it’s an option for those who don’t want the cost of a data plan. If you do the math, you can determine if buying an unlocked phone is cheaper than a subsidized phone with a required data plan.

Here is the internal memo that has been circulating the web confirming this information:

Beginning September 6, 2009, customers who activate or upgrade to a Smartphone will need to sign up for an appropriate data plan. Existing Smartphone customers active prior to September 6, 2009 will be grandfathered and exempt from the new policy.

Why we are making this change?
We want our customers to have the best possible experience with their Smartphones. A predictable bill is a key factor in customer satisfaction, so effective September 6, 2009 Smartphone customers will need to subscribe to a data plan, as the vast majority of customers already do. Data plans let customers fully utilize their device, without the worry of bill shock.

How we will ensure an extraordinary customer experience?
The sales representative is the customer’s expert resource in helping select the right device for their needs. When a customer does not want a data plan, we will position other devices in our industry leading portfolio for the customer to choose from, as many devices do not require a data plan.

Action Required:
Sales Managers will review the Know the Facts, Job Aid, and FAQs (found under Related Links) with their sales teams and ensure all sales representatives fully understand the new policy and how to position the Smartphone data requirement to customers. A Sales Coaching Session will be available on September 5, 2009 (document to be distributed in advance).

This news was originally reported by BGR.

Back when I had the Nokia N96 I participated in a social media experiment with a goal of creating a mobile documentary. A Day In My Life showcases a day of learning, travel, shopping, and a special visit at the end. The best part is this entire video was filmed on the N96 highlighting it’s power in terms on mobile video.

Granted, this was produced in December 2008 and technology has advanced since than but I thought I should share this experience with my auidence.

At a quick glance this device features a 2.8 inch VGA display, HSDPA (3G), WiFi, GPS, and a MicroSD memory card slot for expansion. However, looking deeper into the specs that 2.8inch display is in fact a touch screen. Additionally, the device includes a 3.2MP primary camera, with a flash and video recording capabilities, and a VGA front-facing camera for mobile video calls. Powering this beast is a 1530mAh Lithium-ion battery making the battery a noteworthy feature. Finally, this is a SIM unlocked windows mobile 6.1 professional smart phone.

Remembering that this is an unlocked phone, the price is a little high. Running around $450 it’s not the most expensive smart phone I have used but it is more expensive than other carrier-locked alternatives.

For more information on this smart phone check out Clove Technologies and the official Acer webpage.

The Nokia N96 NAM, the older brother of the N95, is a more polished version of it’s predecessor. Although most components are the same, the N96 has a new look that makes it more stylish and in some cases more functional. But is this model worth the price, we shall see soon enough.

The N96, which measures 4.1″ x 2.2″ x .7”, is a dual slider with a full number-pad and media controls. These media controls are just four black plastic buttons, there is no text or symbols on them. What Nokia did was put lights under the plastic to make the media controls light up when accessed. This little touch adds a lot to the design. The backlit number-pad supports T9 predictive text which works very nicely. However, each row of numbers sits on the same strip of plastic which decreases usability.

Nokia went on to drastically improve the look of it’s product. The primary buttons on the front are no longer oddly designed chrome but flush, touch sensitive keys. Media controls also appear on the front of the device in the same fashion as the primary media controls. The 2.8” screen, which has a resolution of 240×320, looks great with its sharp colors and popping video playback. Overall, the spring loaded slider feels solid and well made and the device fits comfortably in my hand. (Hardware Tour)

Just like the N95, the N96 has all the connectivity you need. HSDPA networking, wi-fi, and bluetooth all work nicely. The N96 also has a good built in browser that, although a little slow compared to other devices, supports flash. However, the device consistently asks me what network to connect to even though I am already connected. It gets pretty annoying after a while and I have yet to find a way to disable those pop-ups.

This phone was designed with media in mind and Nokia didn’t skip a beat. The device allows you to listen to your content in three ways: the duel external speakers, from headphones connect to the 3.5mm jack, or wirelessly with bluetooth stereo headphones. Want some more music? The device also allows you to listen to internet radio as well as FM radio with an external, but included, tuner. There is even a plastic stand on the back of the device which makes it easier to watch your videos.

A really cool media extra is the ability for you to output what is on the screen of your device right to a TV or computer monitor. All you need is an input on the TV and the included component cables. This video can give you more information.

To store your media, the N96 ships with 16gb of internal storage. Plus, you can expand that with a microSD card. Just like the N95, the music player supports all the formats you would expect: W4A, AAC+, WMA, AAC,MP3, and eAAC+ files, as well as a few DRM-protected formats. Real player, the default video player on this device, can play MPEG-4 and 3GPP video. You can also play Divx video clips if you download divx mobile, which is free, to your phone.

But what kind of content can this device make on it’s own? Well, it can record video at 640×480 resolution at 30fps and with it’s two LED’s dark videos are extremely bright. You have auto and night modes as well as scene modes, white balance, and color tone options. One problem with video recording is that there is a slight hiss on all recorded videos which I assume is from the lens autofocusing. (Video Test)

Taking pictures with the 5 megapixel Carl Zeiss lens is amazing and is leaps and bounds better then any other mobile phone I have used. Colors pop, pictures look great, and the duel LED flash makes dark pictures possible (Image Sample). Nokia gives you total control over the camera so that you can take the perfect picture. From white balance, color tone, exposure, sharpness, contrast, and ISO settings as well as several scene modes and shooting modes. You can even geotag your pictures or video with the included A-GPS.

Moving on, the N96 has everything you need for email with IMAP4 and POP3 email support. However, from my usage I have found email is displayed as text only which is a bummer. Making up for it though is the ability of the phone to read you your email or SMS messages. Speaking of messaging, the N96 supports IM and MMS messaging right out of the box

A big concern for me going in was the battery which is rated at 950mAH. Nokia claims that the N96 can get up to 220 minutes of talk time and 220 hours of standby time. From my testing, you can get about 5 consecutive hours of video and 14 consecutive hours of music playback. The device has yet to die on me during the day.

To maximize the battery, Nokia under-clocked the CPU which does show in performance. Menu’s are somewhat slow to respond and apps take a good 4 seconds to simply start. You can have applications run in the background, which is cool, but this decreases performance even further.

So is this device worth the $600+ you are going to spend on it? If you are in the market for a mobile media power house then yes, it is 100% worth the price. It does media extremely well and content it produces is superior to other mobile phones. If you are just the casual user I still recommend the phone but it’s not going to be as great a value for you. Still check it out, but there are other less expensive models for you, the casual user.

• Decrease in call set-up failures and dropped calls.
• Significantly better battery life for most users.
• Dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes.
• Improved email reliability, notably fetching email from POP and Exchange accounts.
• Faster installation of 3rd party applications.
• Fixed bugs causing hangs and crashes for users with lots of third party applications.
• Improved performance in text messaging.
• Faster loading and searching of contacts.
• Improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display.
• Repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages.
• Option to wipe data after ten failed passcode attempts.
• Genius playlist creation

This update also address several security issues. Apple even gives specific instructions on how to install the new firmware.

I am still testing this firmware and will get back to you with an update regarding my personal experiences.

Update:
My personal impressions of this new software is in the video bellow. Honestly, apple made a huge mistake shipping buggy software at launch and this 2.1 software update is what the original firmware should have been.

Now for the meat of this post, the breakdown and comparison of the Nokia N95-4 8GB NAM and the Apple iPhone 3G. The phones are compared in five different categories spanning design, navigation, features, multimedia, and call quality. Although in the end one phone must win, both are quality devices and should not be taken lightly.

Design
The Nokia N95 has a very sleek look.The glossy black front and matte-black finish on the back looks quite nice. The dual slider looks good too. The screen is pretty bright and everything looks like it belongs. However, it would have been nice if Nokia updated the look of the buttons and made the device a little skinnier. As for the iPhone 3G, Apple has once again created a device which has no competition. The screen is amazingly bright, responsive, and large while the sleek finish on the back continues the unique design from the front.
Winner: Apple iPhone 3G

Navigation
The N95′s weakest attribute is its navigation. Finding a particular application or function takes a while when you have to dig threw the file structure of this phone. Plus, you are limited by the button navigation that is far less efficient than a touch screen or scroll ball. As for the iPhone, everything you need is with-in a fingers tap, as you can store anything you need on the home screen. Plus, the touch screen works so well. Nothing currently on the market can match the sensitivity and accuracy of that screen.
Winner: Apple iPhone 3G

Features The Apple iPhone 3G is loaded with features. You have the app store which is an amazing resource for free and commercial applications, Eight or 16 GB of storage, and friendly support at your local apple store. (If you ever need it) Plus, thanks to the great interface, web-browsing on the iPhone is amazing. (Both phones have HSDPA and UMTS for 3G networking.) The N95 doesn't have a great service for finding application on the go however you can run almost anything on it. With the iPhone, Apple decides what you can put on it, the N95 however does not have any such limit. (It can even run unsigned applications.) The N95 also has some basic features the iPhone is missing including MMS messaging, the option for turn by turn directions (although that costs extra), and the ability to tether your phone's data connection to a computer. It even has copy and paste functionality.
Winner: Nokia N95