At a first glance the iPhone looks like a great piece of hardware; a widescreen iPod, an internet communications device and a mobile phone. Most companies that try to cram everything into one device usually fail with their attempts or end up with poor support for each and a device that lacks focus. 

Apple are set to change this old track record and create a revolutionary smart phone for the cultural elite as well as the business minded currently patrolling the streets with a Batman-esque utility belt and all manner of gadgets attached. The phone incorporates many new features that aren’t in many other competitor’s phones if at all, such as a multi-touch screen, random access voicemail and full internet.

As with any new piece of software their will undoubtedly be bugs, which will have to be traced and eliminated. One of the bugs from my perspective is less to do with software and more to do with price. No European price plans have been announced however they will be steep and a two year minimum contract isn’t something I want to be tied to if it’s a device I don’t like.

Apple is not allowing software developers into their precious iPhone to create applications which consumers will find useful on top of Google maps and the weather. As a student I want an app such as MSN in the dock so I can quickly connect on the EDGE network (ridiculously slow btw) and chat to my friends whilst I am waiting for the bus. Many have said it before me and I wont be the last to say it, but it’s the software that sells units and not the hardware.

The screen is large, for a handheld, but I would find the screen to be too small to possibly browse the web with any sense of comfort. The iPod functions look amazing, but iCandy is one thing because I already have a perfectly usable 8Gb nano. For the equivalent 8Gb iPhone I would be shelling out $599 which is not something a humble student on a modest wage such as myself can afford.

The alternative that I can see is to wait for future versions of the iPhone and when I have money to burn I will own an iPhone. In the meantime I will stick with the £100 laptop from ASUS and my current Sony Ericsson for my journey to college, enjoy your iPhone US cousins!