Apple released its iPhone over a year ago in the U.S. to mostly positive reviews. There was some criticism of its higher price point and not opening its platform up to developers. Well, Apple listened to its detractors and lowered the price significantly and allowed application developers to come on board. Apple recently released its newest model the iPhone 3G. It is available in 8 and 16-gigabyte models and also in white and black colors. But how does it fair among smart phones?

The Blackberry, a close rival is smaller and has many popular features; principle among them is real time "push" email. However the iPhone also has push email capabilities and a whole lot more. The iPhone features the fastest file transfer technology available called 3G. It also has a built in iPod, a 2-magapixel camera, a full-featured Internet browser, built in WI-FI (wireless Internet) connectivity and the ability to download many applications and essential software right to the device.

There isn't much more a person could want in a phone or PDA like device (except perhaps to make your coffee. A diehard Blackberry user take heart; the iPhone's touch screen can be a little sensitive it times, so it can be easier to make mistakes, but they are also easy enough to correct. With a little practice you can get use to typing directly on the screen and, even become a proficient two-finger typist. The iPhone's 3.5-inch screen may seem a little big. The screen size does make it harder to carry, but you can comfortable watch a movie or connect it to a television for easier viewing.

The iPhone syncs with Apple iTunes. You should be aware that getting you contacts into the phone might pose some challenge if you use an older version of Microsoft Outlook. I tried to do it with Outlook 2000 and had some difficulty. The Apple customer support however was very helpful. I simply exported the contact csv file out of outlook and into "Address Book" a Windows accessory program to sync my contacts. Newer versions of Outlook like Outlook 2003 apparently sync just fine with the iPhone.

To be fair, Research In Motions' Blackberry is also a fantastic device and, like the iPhone, the newer models have built in GPS. The Blackberry also has the advantage of a user replaceable battery, which the iPhone does not have. The Blackberry can also be activated on a much wider choice of carriers. The exclusive carrier for the iPhone is AT&T in the U.S. and Rogers or Fido in Canada. So the limited choice of carriers is also a negative drawback for the iPhone.

So not everything about the iPhone is positive. However, its feature-rich tough screen interface that includes a full-featured browser, iPod (MP3 music player, built in camera, GPS, WI-FI, and phone make it a tech lovers dream. With other smart phone makers close on Apple's heals, it may not be long until some competitor improves on or adds a feature the iPhone dose not have. However, they would be hard-pressed to do so. Apple indeed innovates while others imitate.