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The hype machine for the Apple iPhone was in full swing right up to its official launch on June 29, 2007. During the run up to its launch, Apple shrewdly whetted the publics appetite for the iPhone by showing off its alluring design while keeping many details about the iPhone shrouded in mystery. So what is the iPhone exactly and more importantly, is it all Apple says it is?

The Apple iPhone is actually three devices in one: a cell phone, a wide screen iPod, and a wireless Internet device. It measures in at 4.5?x 4?x 0.46?and weighs in at 4.8 ounces. Not exactly small, but the iPhone has a pretty slim profile, which further adds to its appeal.

The core of the Apple iPhone is its 3.5?touch screen. The touch screen of the iPhone has caused more than a little controversy. A touch screen provides no tactile feedback, which can make users less secure about what they enter on it. Apple is confident that once users get accustomed to the iPhones touch screen then all will be good. However, hardcore critics remain unconvinced that the touch screen will be without its problems. The area of greatest concern is users who rely heavily on texting. Will they be able to whip out short text messages on the iPhones touch screen without stumbling?

The Apple iPhone of course is also an iPod, which will play both MP3 music files downloaded from iTunes as well as video files. The iPhone syncs like an iPod to either a Mac or a PC. However, users will not be able to wirelessly download files from iTunes. This will require a physical connection to a computer.

The cell phone portion of the iPhone supports quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900), thus making it a true world phone?capable of working in the US, Europe, and Asia. On the data side, the iPhone uses 2.5G EDGE technologies. However, the multimedia features of the iPhone would be better served by the broadband capabilities of 3G networks, such as UMTS and HSDPA, which interestingly enough, AT&T now supports. One saving grace is that the iPhone will come with built-in WiFi to access high-speed Internet connections.

The iPhones battery is rated for 8 hours of talk time and 6 hours of Internet use. The battery talk time was initially rated for 5 hours, but was upgraded by Apple prior to release of the iPhone. This will make it the longest lasting cell phone battery second only to some Sony Ericsson cell phones. The iPhone is rated for 24 hours of audio playback and the battery can retain its charge in standby mode for up to 10 days.

Additional features include a 2 Mega-pixel digital, which is a high enough resolution to produce some crisp digital photos. The iPhone also supports BlueTooth technology. A feature that the iPhone will not support initially is GPS. This may disappoint some potential customers, but a workable alternative is to access Google Maps via the built-in Safari browser for your navigation needs.

A particularly cool feature of the iPhone, that may also prove to be very functional, is a series of built-in sensors that detect how you're holding the iPhone. A proximity sensor knows when you bring the phone to your ear and will dim the screen and shut off the touch screen. Theres an ambient light sensor that adjusts brightness to save battery power, and theres even an accelerometer that knows when to switch between landscape and portrait mode. Pretty slick, huh?

As of this writing, its not possible to say for sure how the Apple iPhone will catch on with consumers. However, given Apples track record for producing life-changing products such as the Mac and iPod, as well as a brilliantly executed marketing campaign, the smart money is on the Apple iPhone being a huge seller, perhaps in the same league as the iPod.

Richard R. Rojas covers the cell phone and wireless industries. Read his full, no holds barred, Apple iPhone Review at http://www.pdaflicks.com