I’m still alive, just been very busy lately. I came back from Barcelona safe and sound. As an industry insider, it was great to be “at the thick of the action” at the Mobile World Congress. As an industry watcher, I would say you get a better overview just watching the blogs. I just realised that it’s been a year since I bought my iPhone. I’d like to share some of my impressions of the iPhone as a long term user.

1. It’s changed the way I consume media. I read less ebooks, and view more video. I listen to about the same amount of podcasts. With all of my “spare time” filled by the iPhone, I find that I hardly listen to music on it.

2. It should be faster. Two years after the iPhone was first launched, there are still performance issues. Considering there’s no multitasking, I still feel lags when switching between applications. The load times for SMS is very noticeable, especially when I need to send out a quick text. I wish there was a way to overclock the processor!

3. I love the App Store (and the iTunes Store). It’s so easy to search and browse through new apps and content. It’s great for impluse purchases, not so great for the wallet. Never mind the staggering numbers of available apps and downloads. Never mind the fact that most downloaded apps are free and forgotten. The fact that the App Store is on the device and works well, means that I never have the excuse of not doing anything when I have an iPhone. I’ve run through more apps in the past 1 year than the previous 9 years using a Palm OS device.

4. We need a removable battery. External battery packs don’t cut it.

5. It can work as a standalone device, with limits. I’ve brought the iPhone with me as a sole device both on vacations and on business trips. The extras that you need are: a) a reliable data network b) proximity to a power point for recharging.

6. I use a lot of data, but not as much as I expected. It could be due to the slower EDGE network, or that I mainly do emails and Google Reader while on the move.

7. It’s not scratch-proof, but amazingly durable. I’ve dropped my iPhone so many times that it has scratches and dents all over. The touchscreen is still unblemished, however.

So, one year later. I still love my iPhone, and I “fondle” it all the time. I’m still discovering new apps and new iPhone-friendly websites on a regular basis. My wife has learnt to live with it.

As I write this, the iPhone is still not available in Malaysia. But wait, rumours are going strong that it will come soon. Time for an upgrade? I’m saving up.

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