iPhones have finally hit the shelves and are selling like hot, fancy cakes. In their wake comes what seems to be a whole new wave of imitators, but who actually copied whom and is Apple really the tsunami it is claimed to be, or a mere ripple in an ocean of emergent technology? Is this analogy doomed to failure, or will I take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end it (yes, I think I might). Some of the iPhone clones seem to have all of the technology without Apple's infamously annoying incompatibility (remember iTunes, anyone?) or hefty price tag, but do these freedoms come at a price? And why am I asking you?

The Apple iPhone was released to the American market on June 29th 2007, and to the European market in November of the same year. It was even named Time Magazine's 2007 invention of the year. But hang on a minute; was it really the first of its kind? LG's Prada KE850 was announced on the 12th of December 2006, almost a full month before the announcement of the iPhone. The KE850 boasts a touch screen, Bluetooth 2.0 and a 2 megapixel camera (sound familiar?) and a price tag that makes the cortex hurt and oil leak out of your pores. To be honest, the technology has been working towards this point for a while, and PDAs are not a particularly new invention. Sure, the iPhone contains many features that are new (Apple has filed more than 300 patents related to iPhone technology), but to say that it has led the market is to believe at least some of the hype; it could easily be argued that the iPhone "clones" are simply an example of convergent technological evolution. Still, the iPhone is the predominant phone of its type, but that does not necessarily make it the best.

iPhone clones have swept the market, and the quality varies considerably. Some of the main contenders are:

* The LG Prada KE850 (who are considering whether or not to take Apple to court over design theft)

* The ASUS Aura

* The Teclast T59

* The Meizu miniOne

* The (cunningly named) iSoftPhone

* The CECT P168

Prices also vary, with the Meizu and the CECT at the cheaper end of the market, and the LG Prada making gold-plated diamonds look like mere knick-knacks. It really is quite an expensive phone. Prada, you see.

The Meizu has a 3 megapixel camera as opposed to Apple's 2 megapixels; most of the phones support windows, rather than Apple's OS X; not all are locked to one network, which is a real boon for a lot of customers out there. So why choose Apple? Well, for one thing the iPhone has the innovative Cover Flow system, which makes for easy use. For another they constantly update, which means that you are (in theory at least) less susceptible to hackers. Of course, with the iPhone being the top phone on the market they are a bit of a target, in much the same way that Microsoft are with Windows. Better security; more need of it. So which to choose? Well, in all honestly it's like cars. I have no need for a Porsche, and would frankly be mildly irritated if somebody gave me one (unless I could sell it the next day on eBay, for a tidy sum)(actually that sounds good; please send me Porsches); many people would view my current vehicle (a Daihatsu Hijet, since you're asking) with the contempt it so rightly deserves. Do your research. Some of the phones that I have mentioned are not available outside of Asia, and some are likely to go out of fashion, and therefore lose support, within the next year or so.

iPhones and iPhone clones are more than phones; they are your music, your calendar, and your office. Read up before buying one, and make sure you base your decision to purchase on what you want from a phone, rather than the name on the back.