iPhone: Two Month Check-up--Part VI

In the last post, I finished off the row three applications (with the exception of Settings to be covered at a later date). This post will look at the Phone application--theoretically the main reason for getting an iPhone in the first place.

Phone: First, let me state that historically, I have been a heavy cell phone user. However, as I have progressed through the Treo 600, Treo 650, Treo 700p, and now the iPhone, I find myself actually using the phone less and the email and browser functions more.

With that said, let me state that I have not seen the issues mentioned in the blogosphere and the press regarding shortcomings in the iPhone's phone application. Therefore, let me address the most frequent complaints. First, the earpiece in the iPhone provides clarity and volume comparable to most cell phones I've owned (the iPhone is my 11th across two carriers) and superior to some. At my age, I'm becoming a little hard of hearing and I still have no complaints.

Second, the speakerphone works adequately for most discussions as long as the ambient noise is not too great. Volume can be adjusted as needed with no complaints. In a car, with the phone on the seat and in speakerphone mode the speaker is adequate, if a little low. Based on people I've called, the microphone sound and volume allow the caller to be easily heard. However, my car has an auxiliary input for an iPod- type device and when this is connected, my caller's voice is routed through the car's speakers! With my volume controls on the steering wheel, I can adjust as needed, making this set-up superior to a headset for hands-free use. Kudos Apple. However, speaker volume cannot be too loud or it creates an echo for the called party.

Another nice touch can be found with an incoming call while using the iPod function: The iPod's volume fades while the phone's ring tone increases in volume. When answered, the caller's voice is routed through the speakerphone, earphones, or the car's auxiliary input. When the call is released, the iPod's volume fades back in, continuing at the point where it faded out. Very well done.

Now a quick evaluation of the other phone features. The dial pad is great and I have yet to screw up a dialed number. Perhaps heavy use of the virtual QWERTY keyboard's smaller keys makes it easier to hit the big keys on the dial pad. The Favorites are loaded with my most used numbers, making look-ups in the Contacts list rare. (Indeed, I use the Contacts for email addresses more often than phone numbers.) Once again, Favorites has an edit function that allows the user to reorder the list by tapping and dragging an entry. As stated in previous posts, the ability to order entries is great and is a feature that should be provided in all applications that have list information.

The Recent function is comparable to other phones. However, I like the function's ability to provide a location when you have been called from an unknown number. Again, nice touch Apple. My suggestions for improvement in this feature would be to 1) place some kind of notation on calls to indicate incoming or outgoing; and 2) indicate the length of the individual calls. As currently configured, call information is grouped by phone number giving date(s) and time(s) of call(s), but no call length information.

The Contacts feature is very well done with the ability to "flick," tap a specific starting letter, or scroll through the alphabet using the letters on the right of the screen. All are very easy to use. If I had one complaint on this feature, it would be the tendency to accidentally hit the alpha list because I drag or fail to lift my finger completely, causing the feature to jump to a letter I did not want.

Although I do not use Visual Voicemail that much, its design and ease of use is far superior to any other wireless phone I have seen. I am always getting the first numbers of a phone number and then having to rewind--most often to the beginning--on competitive phones. Not so with the iPhone. I can stop the message, make notes, continue the message, or rewind a little or a lot. It is without a doubt the easiest to use voice messaging system I have seen. However, I did notice that messages kept for long periods of time are automatically deleted. I suspect this is an AT&T feature as most phone companies delete messages that are two weeks old (or some pre-set length of time). It would be preferable that the user have complete control of deleting. Another nice touch would be the ability to sync Visual Voicemail in iTunes which would allow a message to be converted to an audio file. Doing so would allow the message to be deleted from the phone, but allow it to be saved and played on the computer (or even loaded back to the iPhone as a podcast).

I will summarize by stating that other features such as conferencing, moving to another application and back during a phone call, call hold, and phone muting all worked as advertised and I think they have all been well implemented. Apple's first foray into the cell phone business has been an outstanding job.

In my next post, I will review my experience with the iPhone Mail application. In the meantime, if you have comments or suggestions for Apple, please let me know.

Walter W. Casey, Ph.D.
Sent from my iPhone