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Mobile & Wireless: Labs Gallery: Apple iPhone 3G S Adds Welcome Speed Boost, Subtle Software Improvements


The iPhone 3G S adds a welcome speed boost when using the device, killing off the periods of lag commonly experienced with older iPhone hardware. On the software side, not much is added over the iPhone 3.0 features available for older units. Specifically, voice commands, video recording, compass-based orientation and ostensibly enhanced Bluetooth capabilities are among the other additions.
 
  • Labs Gallery: Apple iPhone 3G S Adds Welcome Speed Boost, Subtle Software Improvements
    by Andrew Garcia
  • Three Generations of iPhone
    Believe it or not, this is three generations of iPhone-all looking very similar. The newest model (the iPhone 3G S) is on the right.
  • Color, Storage Choice
    The iPhone 3G S comes is two colors (black or white rear faceplates) and two storage allocations (16G or 32GB).
  • Camera
    The iPhone 3G S bumps up still camera resolution to 3 megapixels and adds video recording capabilities.
  • Voice Control
    The iPhone 3G S introduces voice control over phone and media capabilities. In tests, I found that the voice dial worked well, while media controls left a lot to be desired.
  • Bluetooth
    The iPhone 3G S supports Bluetooth 2.1 and A2DP for stereo sound. In tests, I found that the voice controls don't work with Bluetooth and that some Bluetooth accessories supported with older iPhones no longer work with the 3G S.
  • Compass
    The integrated compass provides a little extra bearing for lost iPhone 3G S users, particularly as the functionality is integrated into Google Maps.
  • Memory
    The iPhone 3G S bumps up performance over previous models. Shown here, third-party application MemoryInfo displays memory available to users. (The 3G S is on the right, an iPhone 2G on the left.)
  • Battery Indicator
    With a subtle but welcome enhancement, users can set the iPhone 3G S to display how much battery life remains (by percentage).
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