IPhone 4 - Finally!

FInally..... I managed to get my hands on an IPhone 4.

A trip down to O2 in Cardiff on Friday morning at 9am saw me getting the info that one of the other stores in Cardiff were having a delivery that day. I trudged across Cardiff to the St David's 2 store and got into the small queue expecting a 9.30 delivery. We were informed that the delivery was delayed and they weren't sure what time it would arrive. After peering through the shop window I noticed the store manager was a colleague I worked with in the Cwmbran O2 store a few years ago. I said hello, she gave me her number and promised to keep me up to date on the delivery. So I headed back to work.

Then lunchtime I was informed that the delivery had arrived. I shot down to the store asap and got into the queue with about 20 people ahead of me. After an hour of waiting I was in, out and back to work with my new phone.

Proud as punch I trotted back into my store and unwrapped my new prized possession. But..... I couldn't register with ITunes because the store internet is locked to certain sites only and because of how close the USB ports are on a MacBook I couldn't use my internet dongle. No problem I'll charge it and wait until I get home. But.... my old sim switched off immediately and the new micro sim went active. I wandered around the store trying to catch the signal of the router in the flat above on the airport of my MacBook. I managed to get a slow connection but it was enough. Within an hour it was up and running with all my messages, apps, music and photos from the back up of my 3GS.

So.... like a school kid on christmas morning I lifted my glorious new piece of kit and imagined all the wonderful things we could do together. I flicked through the menus. A bit swifter and slicker. I checked out the apps. They were the same as my 3GS. I fiddled with the camera. Wow it is pretty good, but I didn't have much to take photo of except my office. I checked out my photos. Some of my holiday photos from Thailand looked phenomenal on the new screen as they were taken on digital SLR camera. The screen resolution is out of this world. I can zoom into my Thailand photos and see the finest details. Great.

Then I sat and looked at it. My new IPhone 4. I had spent the best part of two days searching for one. I had queued three times in two days. I had bitched, moaned and ranted about not having one. I had dreamed of having one. So.... I put it in my pocket and went about my day.

The advertising from Apple states that 'this changes everything. Again.' And it doesn't really. I love it. After a few days of using it the new IPhone is slicker, quicker and more stylish. But, it isn't going to change my life. The 3GS changed the way I used my phone, the way I communicated and opened up a whole new world of apps, music, emails and internet on the go that I had never had before. The IPhone 4 does all the same stuff and not much new. Not revolutionary new anyway. The photos I took at the beach Saturday looking outstanding - great quality colour and so sharp. But, that won't change my life. You may ask what about facetime? Apple's new video calling system looks a great idea. However, I'd need to be using a Wifi connection, the person I'm calling needs to have an IPhone 4 also and be using a Wifi connection. it seems that if I want to take advantage of using facetime I need to arrange a time and a place to do so. Maybe I should call that person to arrange it. Okay. Say I do that. We get talking and discuss the facetime meeting, then general chit chat. Is there then any point in me calling to see them? I've already spoken to them. Do I just want to look at them? They could send me a photo, could they not?

If you've got a family and spend a lot of time away from them then facetime seems like the perfect tool. However, for me.... I'm not sure I'll be rushing to use it.


So was the IPhone 4 worth the hassle and additional cost? Of course it was! It's beautiful. It's slick. It's Apple. I love it.