Hello fine technology enthusiasts,

In this blog I will be having a look at the iPhone 4s which I just recently picked up. Now before I start, lately I have warmed to a stereotype I used to despise; being an “Apple Person”. I used to think that people who loved apple products were brainwashed by fantastic marketing while being robbed blind, all to have the latest white gadget available. That stereotype of “this is white, therefore it’s expensive, therefore I am rich and better than you” used to haunt my mind. However after going through multiple PCs, mini-disc players and damn near every phone manufacturer that has existed, I must admit…Apple have begun to run the show in all aspects, including brand perception, market share and so on.

But down to business, no holds barred.

The iPhone 4s is, without a doubt, a great phone. That is, however, if you are okay with being confined to Apples limitations. I have met many people who aren’t interested in being restricted in terms of how they view their websites, what apps they are allowed download and how they can personalise their phone. And to an extent, I agree. It is a downside not having Adobe Flash to be able to view certain videos on some websites, it is annoying to have to install iTunes just to turn the phone on and it can be frustrating not having widgets to make your phone more personal. However, some of these can be looked at positively.

The apps that have been approved by Apple will not be rogue apps that cause havoc with your phone. On my HTC sensation, the amount of apps I downloaded that didn’t work, froze my phone or were just plain useless was incredible. At least when I download an app from the App Store, I can be safe in the knowledge that my very expensive phone won’t get messed around with. Also widgets can just get messy, maybe Apple have it right with the sleek, consistant setup of the screen.

The phone looks close to exactly what the iPhone 4 looks like. However, Apple have fixed the “Death Grip” antenna problem by installing two antennas, they have increased the camera from a 5mp to a whopping 8mp HD camera that also records in stunning 1080p and have installed a Dual Core A5 chip (the same as in the Ipad 2…in Laymans terms; this makes the phone run faster and graphics prettier and stuff)

The camera quality is amazing and the HD video recording is superb considering you are using a phone! The iPhone itself is lightning fast and is sure to be the silent killer of lower spec digital cameras and handheld gaming devices such as the Nintendo DS, especially since the 3DS is speculated to cause eyesight issues (A Nintendo spokesman warned “very young children not look at 3D images because the muscles for the eyes are not fully formed.” That doesn’t sound dodgy at all…)

On the other hand, its not all rainbows and lollipops with the new iPhone either. The battery life hasn’t come far from its predecessor and it really won’t last the full day if you use it excessively. I have been advised not to use so many apps and make long calls all in the same day by a retail assistant to ensure my battery stays on. What? I’m sorry but that is exactly why I bought the phone, to use those features. Thanks for the great advice though: “You use up less battery if you use the phone less”. Someone put that man in charge! I just make do with charging it early so that I can enjoy every single bit of fun this phone has to offer.

Siri, the “amazing voice recognition software”, is expected to change the world as our new, highly intelligent assistant. And I’m sure this is the beginning of a new chapter in the concatenation of mobile phone and voice recognition technology. However, Apple clearly did not expect the Irish to have an accent. Now I wouldn’t consider my accent to be majorly hard to understand, yet Siri might disagree. In his British accent (as British English is the closest option we can choose to our language) Siri recalls my commands with close to 80% accuracy. Not bad you might say? Not great either, in my humble opinion, for the most publicised feature of the phone.

And this is when he decides to work at all. Too many times have I been driving and asked him to send a text when I have been greeted back with the dreaded words: “There seems to be a problem. Please try again in a little while”.  Try again later? Is this a magic 8 ball I am using or the proclaimed best voice recognition software in the world?! This happens all too regularly to the point where I have stopped asking Siri for help and I can only assume he is sitting in his butler outfit in the basement of the phone playing Angry Birds and wondering where it all went wrong.

So overall it really is a great phone. The operating software iOS 5 runs smooth as a babys bottom, the camera quality is stunning, the speed is superb and the style of the phone is impeccable. However, Siri and the battery life leave a lot to be desired. But hey thats life, they may just be the annoying worm chewing through your Apple. Eat around it.

Coran.