2. Aesthetics - WOW!

I am not easily impressed by any piece of technology. So, when I start a review with "WOW!" you can be sure I have been really impressed. As with many recent Apple products, the black folder that holds the iPhone's sparse printed documentation and cleaning cloth, states in a beautiful white font on a black background "Designed by Apple in California". California my have a number of weaknesses, but poor design is often not one of them. Even the shopping bag they put the iPhone in when you buy it is a work of art.

The phone itself looks like a work of art sitting in your hand or in its minimalist docking cradle. After seeing all of the mockups and real phones in slick on-line photos and videos, as well as on TV, the phone appeared much smaller than I had expected. Chalk that one up to the hype surrounding the device.

The black area that makes up the display and its surround is supposed to be scratch proof glass, as is the phone's mostly metallic, matte silver and black case. In the short time the iPhone has been in my possession, I haven't been able to scratch it. However, I would suggest a protective case such as the incase Protective Cover shown below, because the iPhone is a bit slippery. In fact, it almost slipped through my fingers as I first took it out of its box. Note, while the display may not scratch, if you have even slightly greasy fingers, it will capture your prints and, by the end of the day, need cleaning. Even with four cleanings - hey I had to eat, test and write non-stop - there are still no scratches on the display.