by Kevin McGuire

Apple introduced the iPhone in January of 2007, a combination of a touch-screen iPod and a cell phone. Three years and two versions later, Apple has now done it again: on June 18th, Apple introduced the iPhone 3G S. Technically, the iPhone has three versions. The first version is the iPhone, introduced on June 27th, 2007, and does not come with 3G capabilities. The iPhone 3G, introduced on July 11th, features 3G capabilities, as the name implies. The 3G S is the pinnacle of Apple’s technology line, even faster and better than any of the previous phones currently on the market However, the hardware was not the special kick that sent iPhone users clambering into lines at 6:30 a.m. to buy the new iPhone, it was the software. And you know what they always say, its what’s on the inside that counts. Click the phone on, and its just like any other iPhone or iPod touch, slide to unlock, battery life, and AT&T 3G speed. Sitting at the home screen now, the 3G S has all the usual standard apps the iPod touch and iPhones have entered with: Calendar, Safari Internet, Stocks, Weather, Calculator, Contacts, Mail, Camera, iPod, and iTunes. But with the 3G S, you’ve got Compass and Voice Control. A GPS-enabled 3G S brings an accurate compass showing your degrees West, East, North or South. It’s fun to play with, and its fairly accurate. (Note: In spaces where a lot of Internet activity is present, you will have interference and have to reset the compass.) Next, you can hold down the Home button on the phone, and Voice Control will pop up. Just tell the iPhone what you want to do, release the home button, and viola: you’re doing it. Say you just have to listen to that new “This American Life” on NPR. Just ask iPhone. Or you’re a bit of an Irish rock fan and need Maryland governor Martin O’Malley to sing “Body of an American” to get you through the day: just ask iPhone. Or maybe you’re one of those people who have 7,000 songs on your iTunes account, and you don’t want to scroll through endless lists, just ask iPhone,” Play songs by Lil Wayne.” Voice Control is a great tool to get anywhere on your iPhone fast. One problem is the clarity. In other words, don’t chew gum while using Voice control, or the phone will not understand. The camera on the S has new improvements too, with the inclusion of a video camera and auto focus. Just turn on the camera, and slide to change from the camera to the video. The auto focus is cool to tool around with too, just tap where you want to focus and bam: you have a perfect picture. Type a sentence on any standard computer, and you can copy and paste the sentence anywhere, even on a 10 year old IBM that takes half an hour to load. Now, after three generations, the iPhone can do it too. Just tap and drag the sentence you want to copy and simply copy and paste it. Also new is the landscape keyboard that’s now available in the email and word applications, (where it should have been in the FIRST PLACE instead of just on Safari). Indeed, the iPhone 3G S will draw second glances from all people, from nerds to businessmen to popular kids who have the money. Of course, you’ll have to get inside iPhone in order to see all of its great features, from the basics like copy and paste to more advanced like Bump, which allows iPhone users to shake their iPhones and retrieve contact information instantly. The iPhone 3G S is a great little tool for all your aspects of daily life. It’s clear why Apple created a new iPhone, what with the Voice Control, Compass, improved camera, and copy and paste, the iPhone 3G S is an all-around great phone that will keep Apple fans blogging for years.