iPhone 3G S First Look Wrap Up

So, the iPhone 3GS will be coming out Friday and sure, it looks just like the iPhone 3G, but it does sport some serious differences, and some serious plusses you should know about. And while this model isn't perfect, we think it's a step in the right direction for Apple.

Let's start out with the good stuff. The iPhone 3GS is fast. The simple most important upgrade to this iPhone model is the speed. And while it might sport similar feature set to the 3G, the 3GS' speed boost makes it worth it. The screen has an oleophobic coating, that's meant to repel grease and fingerprints. And while it might not look much different in the grease department than the 3G, it really does work better, even if totally coated.

Everything loads much faster now. That includes turning on the phone and loading up apps. This also means there are more opportunities for apps and games now, with a 600MHz processor and 256 RAM.

Other new features that are pros in our opinion includes the updated 3-megapixel camera, which sports auto focus and video recording capability. Of course, the lack of flash is still disheartening, but the video is pretty impressive. It's capable of 30fps and really smooth in motion. There's even limited clip cropping abilities on the phone.

The Compass is simple and easy to use. It detects North easily, no matter how you hold the phone and syncs up nicely with Google Maps, showing you precisely where you are at any given time. More good news is that Voice Control works pretty well. It recognizes what you're saying fairly well, though background sound tends to cause issues.

Battery life has improved a bit, though calls still drain it quite heavily. The only real negative we've noticed so far on the iPhone 3GS is the price it'll cost you to upgrade if you're still on an AT&T plan and the AT&T network in general. With numerous problems with the network, it's kind of a shame such a high-featured phone is limited to a feature-lacking network. Also, if you already have the iPhone 3G, this model might not feel like a big enough upgrade to you to justify buying a whole new phone.