Jeppesen's iPad app offers electronic aeronautical charts. (Credit: Jeppesen Systems)

So far, no US airline has adopted iPads exclusively, but Delta Airlines and Alaska Airlines are testing the device for navigational purposes. Alaska spokesperson Marianne Lindsey told the Seattle Times that the carrier is running a trial program with a select group of pilots. Calls made by CNET to the Alaska Airlines press office were not returned at the time of writing.

Switching to iPads or other tablet devices would cut down on paper, and on the equipment pilots have to carry. While some specially designed laptops, or "electronic flight bags", can weigh up to 8 kilograms, the current iPad weighs just 0.68kg (the recently announced iPad 2 is a tad lighter). What's more, instead of receiving new paper charts every few weeks, pilots could receive updates electronically.

Yes, there's an app for that

To power the iPads, Jeppesen, based in Englewood, Colorado, has developed an iPad application called Mobile TC that delivers electronic charts (an Android app for Honeycomb tablets like the Motorola Xoom is due later this year). At the the time of writing, Mobile TC covers only airport terminal charts, but Jeppesen spokesperson Brian Rantala told CNET that the app will be expanded to cover in-flight use. Mobile TC is a free download from the iTunes App Store, but the charts require a subscription.

Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration authorised private jet charter Executive Jet Management to begin using the app as an alternative to paper aeronautical charts. A wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing, Jeppesen also developed an iPhone and iPad app called CrewAlert to manage airline crew fatigue.

And back in the cabin, Qantas subsidiary Jetstar is close to using iPads as in-flight entertainment units on selected Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft. Though Jetstar initially announced its iPad plans last year, it was revealed today that the airline has compiled a presentation for major movie studios.

Via CNET

• Pilots use Google map printouts of Libya
• Friday App Wrap

The only physical difference between the Android-powered candy bar smartphones is that the Neo has a virtual keyboard while the Pro adds a physical keyboard.

On both handsets, the 3.7-inch touchscreen supports 16.7 million colours and a 854x480-pixel resolution. Three physical controls (Home, Back and Menu) sit below the display, and a volume rocker, power control, 3.5mm headset jack, a microSD card slot and micro-USB ports line the sides.

The Xperia Pro's keyboard is spacious and comfortable. The keys are slightly raised and the large space bar is located conveniently in the centre of the bottom row.

Features on both phones include a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a Sony Bravia graphics engine, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 320MB of internal memory, messaging and email, an FM radio, a personal organiser, Sony Ericsson's Timescape interface, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB syncing and mass storage, a music player, an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and HD video recording and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera.

Take a closer look at both models in our photo gallery below.

• Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini and Mini Pro hands on
• Hands on with the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo leaked

(Credit: Sony Ericsson)

Long billed as the "PlayStation Phone", the Xperia Play is very much the handset that Sony Ericsson highlighted last week during the US Super Bowl.

The four-inch (854x480-pixel resolution; 16.7 million colours) display is up to the usual Sony Ericsson standards. Colours were bright and vibrant and graphics showed up well. From our brief hands-on experience, the display also appears to do the gaming features justice. Below the display are four physical controls for the usual Android functions (back, menu, home and search). On the left spine you'll find a 3.5mm headset jack and a micro-USB port, while the power control, a volume rocker and shoulder gaming controls sit on the right spine.

Of course, what the phone can do is the real story. At the top level, the Xperia Play runs on Gingerbread (Android 2.3), so you'll get the new text selection tool, a Wi-Fi hot spot and new options in the Settings menu. And like on the Xperia Arc, you can pinch your fingers to see all five home screens on one page. As we said when the earlier handset made its debut at CES, it's very much like HTC's Leap feature.

Slide up the face to reveal the gaming controls, which are very similar to those on a Sony PlayStation DualShock controller. Instead of joysticks, however, you'll find two round touch pads. And as mentioned, the handset has only one set of shoulder buttons.

Game downloads will be available from an online Sony Ericsson store. Once you purchase a game, individual icons for each title will sit in the phone's main menu.

The Xperia Play also has a 5.1-megapixel camera with autofocus, a flash, image stabilisation, geotagging, and video recording. Other features include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, a personal organiser, a speakerphone, assisted-GPS, messaging and email, 400MB of internal memory, Sony Ericsson's Timescape interface, a music player, and a full HTML browser with Flash Lite. It also supports the usual Google apps and you can download additional titles from the Android Market.

• Sony Ericsson debuts Xperia Neo and Xperia Pro
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness
• Photos emerge of PSP phone

Sony Ericsson is busting out all over in the run up to the Mobile World Congress. First, the company teased us with a peek at the long-awaited Xperia Play, and now we catch a glimpse of another handset called the Xperia Neo.

Android Community posted photos today of a candybar smartphone that looks not unlike the new Xperia Arc. Like the Arc, the Neo should run Android 2.3 Gingerbread, though on a slightly smaller 4-inch touchscreen. On the outside it also promises mini-HDMI and micro-USB. According to Android Central, other features should include a 1GHz Qualcomm processor, 512MB RAM, an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and HD video recording, and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera.

Sony Ericsson kicks off Mobile World Congress next Sunday, 13 February with a press conference at a nightclub in Barcelona, so be sure check back for full coverage. Though anything could happen, it's pretty clear that we'll see both the Xperia Play and the Xperia Neo.

Via Android Atlas

(Credit: OnAir)

Few things in air travel are as polarising as mobile phone use on commercial flights. Though many people quake at the thought of being sealed in a metal tube next to a loud talker, others aren't quite as concerned with peace and quiet. Similarly, while some travellers savour the idea of being out of touch for a few hours, others can't bear the thought of going more than a few minutes without checking their email or updating their Facebook status.

In the US, at least, such a debate is moot since the Federal Aviation Administration shows no sings of budging from its firm "no phones" rule in the sky. But outside the US, some international airlines have introduced the use of mobile phones while aboard an aeroplane.

The table below lists airlines that currently offer mobile phone use on-board.

Most restrict use to "silent" activities like texting and email, but four airlines - Emirates, Saudi Arabian, TAM and Malaysia - allow you to make voice calls. Take-off and landing are still times when your handset must be powered off, but calling home is now an option if you're flying to Dubai, Riyadh, Sao Paulo or Kuala Lumpur. And in case you're keeping score, Emirates is the only airline to install showers on certain aircraft.

The technology, which doesn't use standard cell towers, is provided through two companies, AeroMobile and OnAir (Aircraft manufacturer Airbus is a partner in the latter company). In OnAir's case, a "leaky cable" inside the plane broadcasts the cellular signal in the cabin and also converts your communications into a satellite signal. And don't worry about possible interference, as neither company's technology will interfere with navigational systems. Of course, whether that interference even happens is a whole other debate.

Keep in mind that in an era when airlines charge for food and pillows, using your phone won't come cheap. Texts alone can be five to 10 times the price of standard texts. For voice calls you should count on paying at least US$3 per minute. Data charges will vary, but count on them being pricey as well. If you have an opinion on in-flight calling - and we're sure that most of you do - be sure to leave your comment below.

Airlines that have announced mobile phone service:

• Air New Zealand
• Cathay Pacific
• Lufthansa
• Singapore
• Turkish Airlines
• V Australia
• Virgin Atlantic

Airlines that have completed trials of mobile phone use:

• Air France
• Qantas
• Ryanair

Via CNET

• ACMA allows phone use during flights
• Qantas pilots in-flight SMS

Here's what should be the rumoured PlayStation phone. (Credit: Engadget)

From the outside, the GSM smartphone shares only a passing resemblance to Sony Ericsson's first Android handset, the Xperia X10. It has the same thin menu controls below the display and black colour scheme, though the ends are more rounded. Slide up the face, however, and you'll see the expansive gaming controls, which includes the standard Sony PlayStation controls, plus what appears to be a touch pad in the centre. Sony's shoulder controls should sit on one spine and the camera lens and flash are on the device's back side.

Engadget says the PlayStation phone should have a 1GHz Qualcomm processor, 512MB of RAM, 1GB of ROM, a microSD card slot (goodbye Memory Stick!), and the "Gingerbread" version of Android. That's either Android 2.3 or 3.0, depending on whom you talk to.

That's all we can say right now, but with the holidays fast approaching, this thing could get the official unveiling very soon. If it is true, a gaming-centric Android phone would mean a lot for the platform and for Sony Ericsson. Though plenty of Android games are available, Google's OS still hasn't attracted a gaming buzz. And for Sony Ericsson, a PlayStation phone would give a huge boost to its Android line-up after the nice, but not so amazing, Xperia X10.

For more on what we want from a PlayStation phone, check out Scott Stein's 11 must-have features for a PSP phone.

• Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X10
• Sony Ericsson to develop Android/PSP phone?
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

iOS 4.1 will be available next week for the iPhone and iPod Touch. And in a change from previous OS updates, it will be free for iPod Touch users.

Here's a summary of the new features that Jobs announced. We'll add to this list as we learn of other additions and we'll follow up with a hands-on review after next week's release.

Bug fixes

These will be for the proximity sensor, Bluetooth and iPhone 3G performance. Though Jobs didn't detail the specific problems that Apple is fixing, we've experienced the latter two issues on the iPhone 4 and previous models. In fact, Bluetooth connectivity with stereo headsets was one of the first issues we noticed with the iPhone 4 the day it went on sale.

I'm most interested in how the update will change 3G data reception. Remember that Apple's 4.0.1 update issued in July addressed only how the device displays bars on the signal meter. And that same month, Apple gave away free bumpers after customers complained about problems with the iPhone 4's antenna.

HD video

You'll now be able to upload high-definition (HD) video over Wi-Fi.

TV rentals

Though iTunes has long offered movie rentals, iPhone and iPod Touch customers will now be able to rent television programs on their devices.

(Editor's note: TV show rentals appear to only be available in the US iTunes store at this stage.)

Game Center

Ever since Jobs first announced Game Center at the iOS 4.0 announcement last April, we've known that the feature was coming later in the year. And now, after five months of waiting, it's finally here.

HDR photos

Taking a page from the stand-alone camera world and from the Pro HDR app, the iPod Touch and iPod will gain the capability to take HDR photos, which stands for high dynamic range. It's an added step that will help you get the best photos, particularly when the light may be challenging.

When you tap the option on the screen, the device's camera will take three photos in rapid succession. One image with normal exposure, another will be underexposed and the third will be overexposed. To finish off, the devices will combine the shots into a single HDR photo. You'll find it in your photo gallery along with the normal image.

As I mentioned, we'll follow up with a closer look at iOS 4.1's features when it's released next week. Until then, tell us about your favourite new addition. And if Apple missed something, let us know that, too.

• Create an HDR image in Photoshop CS5
• Apple unveils new iPods, social iTunes
• Apple iPad
• Apple iPod Touch (3rd generation, 32GB)

• Offers enhanced performance
• A lovely new display
• An improved design
• Adds a tonne of sorely needed features, both by itself and through the iOS 4 update

The bad

• Multitasking entails some trade-offs
• Home screen folders are limited to 12 apps
• AT&T reception continues to be spotty

Editor’s note: This review was originally published in the US on CNET.com and contains references to US-specific services which may not be representative of the phone’s performance in Australia.

With a revamped design, a sparkling new display, a speedy processor and additional features, the iPhone 4 is the biggest upgrade to Apple’s smartphone since the iPhone 3G. It’s also the showcase handset for Apple’s newest operating system, iOS 4, which adds a selection of long-overdue features, plus a selection of smaller tweaks that we weren’t expecting.

If they existed independently, iPhone 4 and iOS 4 wouldn’t be much more than blips on the smartphone radar screen. When combined into one handset, however, the result is a sleek, satisfying and compelling device that keeps Apple strongly competitive in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Indeed, the iPhone 4 is fast, the new hardware is a looker, and some of the new features blew us away. On other points, though, we have some concerns. Call reception still has its problems, and though we welcome multitasking with open arms, it has its drawbacks. Also, though the FaceTime video calling is more than noteworthy, we wonder if our interest will last longer than a week.

So, should you buy it? If you’re an iPhone fan, you’ve probably already ordered your new baby. But if you’re on the fence, think carefully. We won’t say that the iPhone 4 is the best smartphone on the market today. To do so would ignore so many great competing handsets, not to mention the fierce rate of change in the technology world. If you prefer Apple’s vision of a polished, highly organised and slightly closed user experience, then by all means you’ll be pleased. But if you prefer a smartphone that offers more personalisation, that isn’t shackled to AT&T, or that is equal parts phone and mobile computer, then there are plenty of smartphones in the sea.

Design

Though the iPhone 3G and the 3GS models simply tweaked the original handset’s design, iPhone 4 marks a sharp departure from those previous models. Admittedly, we never had a problem with the look of the previous handsets, but we approve of the iPhone 4’s changes. The front and back sides are glass, both surfaces are flat and a stainless steel border circles the entire phone. Though it’s a tad boxy, it also has a clean, svelte and unmistakably Apple look. What’s more, we love that the flat back means that the phone no longer wobbles when resting on a table. You can get the iPhone 4 in both black and white, but here again we prefer the former.

So much glass is shiny and beautiful, but we have a couple of concerns. Despite the oleophobic coating on both the front and back sides, the glass attracts smudges by the tonne. Also, even though Apple CEO Steve Jobs promises that glass better resists scratches and cracks than plastic, we’ll be watching long-term durability. In initial testing, the iPhone 4 did have a solid, sturdy feel in the hand and it survived a few drops to a carpeted floor. Time will tell, however, how it holds up to heavy use.

At 4.5 inches tall by 2.3 inches wide by 0.37 inch deep, the iPhone 4 is as tall as the iPhone 3GS, but slightly thinner - 25 per cent, to be exact - and narrow when measured across its front face. It does feel smaller when compared with its predecessors, but we don’t think that’s a bad thing. Jobs called it the thinnest smartphone around, but since that race changes daily, it may not hold the title for long. When put on the scales it comes in at 136 grams, which is back to what we had with the first iPhone (both the 3G and 3GS models were slightly lighter). We attribute the extra girth to the bigger battery, so we’re not going to complain. And more to the point, the difference is barely noticeable.

User controls

Other new design elements include a new front-facing VGA camera, a new LED flash with the main camera lens, and a new noise-cancellation microphone on the phone’s top side. Needless to say, we welcome the additions since they represent new functionality (see the Features section below for more details). We also don’t mind the new split volume buttons, since they’re a bit easier to grasp than the previous volume rocker.

Above the volume controls is the usual mute switch, which Apple also gave a small makeover. In bigger changes, Apple moved the SIM card slot to the right spine and switched to a micro-SIM format, just like the iPad. According to Jobs, the micro-SIM format allows more space for the larger battery. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to use a standard SIM in the phone.

The remaining exterior elements are largely unchanged. The Home button is in its normal place below the display; the 3.5mm headset jack and power key sit up top next to the aforementioned noise-cancellation microphone; and the 30-pin connector, microphone and speaker are where they belong on the iPhone 4’s bottom end. Unfortunately, and to no one’s surprise, you still can’t remove the battery.

In the box come the usual accessories, like the small wall plug, a USB/30-pin connector cable, and the standard Apple ear buds. Oddly, you do not get the SIM removal tool that came with the previous models. True, you can use a small paper clip, but we’re miffed that we didn’t get it. Apple didn’t have an explanation for the omission.

Antennas

The stainless steel border is more than just decorative; it doubles as two new antennas that circle the entire phone, minus three small notches. Seriously, leave it to Apple’s industrial design team to make an antenna pretty. The first antenna, which runs from the notch on the top of the phone to the notch on the left side, is for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. That leaves the second antenna, which spans from the top notch down the right side and around to the bottom of the phone, for EDGE and 3G.

Though Apple has not specifically promised that the new antennas will improve call quality or Wi-Fi reception, their very existence is an indirect admission (and the first that we’ve seen by the company) that data and voice reception have been troublesome and need to be addressed. Though current iPhone users largely blame AT&T for connectivity problems, remember that both a carrier’s network and a phone’s antenna play a part in reception. Yet, as we mention below in the performance section, we’re still unsure if the new antennas have improved reception.

Display and interface

Sometimes the best gift is something that you didn’t know you wanted, and that’s definitely the case with the iPhone 4’s display. It features a 940×640-pixel (326 pixels per square inch) “Retina Display”, which is four times the resolution of previous iPhone models. What’s more, it uses the same IPS screen that’s found on the iPad, with an 800:1 contrast ratio. Though we’ve always thought highly of the current iPhone displays, the company needs to compete with the gorgeous AMOLED screens and TFT displays we’ve seen on many Android phones like the HTC Evo 4G. And that’s exactly what it’s done.

Though “stunning”, “gorgeous” and “dazzling” are words we usually use to describe high-quality smartphone displays, we’re not sure if they do the iPhone 4 justice. Believe us that everything about this display is fantastic, from the bold colours and graphics to the vividly clear text. You can see it reasonably well in direct light and the details on web pages, photos, videos and applications are as sharp as they come. But the best thing is that you can’t see any pixels on the display. It’s quite remarkable and especially apparent when you hold it up next to the 3GS. No, we’re not inclined to completely believe Apple’s claim that the display exceeds what’s perceivable by the human eye, but there’s no denying that it looks good. We haven’t seen the yellow areas that users have complained about, but we’ll be sending the iPhone 4 to CNET Labs for full display comparison testing with other phones.

Of course, the iPhone 4 has the same ambient light sensor, proximity sensor and accelerometer as the previous iPhones. We saw no change in their functionality. We would have liked to see how Flash videos tested on the display, but you know how that goes.

Features

With a heavy load of new goodies, the iPhone 4 runs circles around its 3GS predecessor in bringing new features. Some are unique to the device, and others come with the iOS 4 update. We’ll cover the latter group first.

Multitasking: though you’ve always been able to multitask with native iPhone features like the music player, the option is now available for third-party apps. Your primary access point is a multitasking menu that’s accessible by double-tapping the Home button. Once there, you’ll see a list of currently running applications along the bottom of the display that you can scroll through using a sideways finger swipe. The pop-up menu shows only four apps at a time, but you can keep many more in the tray.

Managing the multitasking menu couldn’t be easier. To open a running app, scroll through the menu and tap its icon once. When you’re ready to end an app, first use a long press on the related icon and then click the tiny delete icon in the top left corner. Switching among apps is a simple process as well: as you move back and forth, you’ll return to the exact point you left. There’s also a clear sense of organisation, with the most recently used app on the left side. All things considered, it’s a very Apple experience.

But is it real? As you’d expect, Apple’s multitasking works a little differently than on other smartphones. Instead of having all device resources available to every running app, iOS 4 lets only seven app services run in the background. According to Apple, this arrangement will have less of a drain on resources like battery life and memory than if it gave developers free rein. Also, since background apps essentially pause, it will free the system from having to juggle resources and kill stalled applications.

So what can you do in the background? Apple’s seven approved processes include audio (you’ll be able to play Pandora radio, for example), VoIP services like Skype, GPS/location for apps like TomTom, push notifications and local notifications (those that don’t to have to go through a server), task completion and fast app switching (apps essentially hibernate not to use the CPU). The latter two are most notable. With task completion, an app will finish something it’s already started even if you send it to the background; it will send you an alert when it’s through. Fast app switching, on the other hand, is the app hibernation process that allows you to toggle back and forth quickly and return to the same place you left.

Though some have complained that the built-in limitations mean that iOS 4 doesn’t have “real” multitasking, we think “incomplete” is a better description. Granted, you can’t run everything in the background - your Twitter feed, for example, won’t update while paused - but iOS 4 does allow you to run certain features from multiple apps simultaneously. If that isn’t multitasking, then we don’t know what is. What’s more, it wouldn’t be the first time Apple limited features or took longer with development in order to produce a desired customer experience. You may not agree with such a philosophy, but Apple has always been honest about pursuing it. Like so many things in technology, it just comes down to what works best for you.

Nice, but not miles ahead: even after the long wait, we’re quite pleased with the multitasking experience. As it has a talent for doing, Apple has presented the feature in a slick, easy-to-use manner. It performed beautifully, without ever crashing or freezing the phone; it didn’t appear to negatively affect battery life; and it accomplishes what it sets out do. But even with strong points, we wouldn’t agree that it’s “the best” way to multitask (a common Apple claim). It may be slick and save you a few clicks, but other approaches - such as the “deck of cards” interface on WebOS - continue to impress. Similarly, though limited multitasking may result in more-efficient power management, we’ll have to run comparison testing with other smartphones before we can agree.

We also don’t share Jobs’ view that Apple’s solution isn’t a task manager. When he unveiled iOS 4 last April, Jobs took a dig at Android and other operating systems that require you to close background applications that might be slowing down the phone. “In multitasking, if you see a task manager … they blew it,” he said. “Users shouldn’t ever have to think about it.” Fair enough, but we think it’s a matter of semantics. As with most task managers, the iOS 4 multitasking menu allows you to scan through running applications and close any that you’re no longer using.

Granted, you may not have to kill frozen applications as often as you would on, say, a Windows Mobile phone, but you still have that option. We also found usability quirks that are common with task manager apps. Pressing the Home button once, for example, simply sends an app to the background; it does not end it completely. To do so, you’ll need to open the multitasking menu, find the related icon, and end it there. And we couldn’t overlook another point: now that a double-tap of the Home button opens the multitasking menu, you can no longer use the control as a shortcut for a designated feature. As such, the option is gone from the Setting menu. A small price to pay for a new feature, we suppose.

Apps will come: we know that some CNET users are concerned that many existing apps are not functioning in the background. Keep in mind that it will take time for developers to update their apps for multitasking capability. Apple plays no rule in making those updates, so contact the individual developers for a time frame.

Home screen folders: though we love apps as much as the next person, we’ve become tired of scrolling through several pages of iPhone home screens. Thankfully, that has changed with the addition of home screen folders. This is another common feature that competing devices have long offered, so it’s nice to see Apple stepping up.

To get started, use a long press on the home screen so the icons “jiggle”. When your icons are dancing (they’ll also have a tiny delete icon in the corner), you can take an app and drop it on top of another to create a folder. The folder will then appear as a square with tiny icons of the included app inside. Tap the folder to access the included apps and get an expanded view of the folder’s contents. Alternatively, if you want to remove an app, just drag it back to the home screen. It would be nice to be able to designate one app icon as the “cover” of the folder, but we realise we’re nitpicking.

Thankfully, you’re awarded a fair amount of flexibility for folder organisation. You can add as many folders as you like, change the default folder name, and add both related and unrelated apps. Surprisingly, we could even group legacy features like the Weather and Stock applications into a single folder. The process is easy, but we wouldn’t say it offers a huge change from the equivalent experience on Android. And really, Apple, we’re limited to just 12 apps in one folder?

Email and enterprise: the iPhone always has been a functional email machine, but we’ve never enjoyed switching back and forth among multiple accounts to read new messages. Fortunately, iOS 4 has a new unified inbox that is accessible under the “Mail” option on your home screen. Listed above your individual inboxes is a new option for “All inboxes”, which contains messages from multiple accounts. You can’t access individual folders from the universal inbox, but you can delete and move messages. Here again, it works well, but it’s not vastly superior to how competing OSes handle the same process.

Other email changes include the capability to add multiple Exchange accounts, organise emails by thread, jump directly to individual inboxes, resize photos before you send and open attachments with a preferred app. All are nice, but we’ll delve into a couple of our favourites for more detail. Emails in a thread will now be designated by a small number on the left side of the message header. Clicking the number will take you to a separate screen that lists all relevant messages. It’s a nice touch, and we like that you can move or delete messages in the thread. We also like the new option to delete emails directly from search results.

Worker bees will get options like enhanced data protection, mobile device management, wireless app distribution, support for Exchange 2010, and SSL VPN from Juniper and Cisco.

Home screen customisation: unlike the previous three features, this addition was low on our wish list, but Apple’s done a decent job rolling it out. Sure, you always could change the standard black background using a third-party app, but iOS 4 adds the native capability to the iPhone and iPod Touch. First, find the “wallpaper” option in the Settings menu and choose either a provided wallpaper or a photo in your camera roll. After making your selection, you’ll have the option to set it as the wallpaper for your home screen, the lock screen, or both.

It’s all straightforward, but there are a couple of troublesome trade-offs. First off, keep in mind that once you ditch the standard black background, there’s no way to get it back. You can take a photo of a black wall, the night sky or a dark room, but that’s hardly the same thing. And don’t be surprised to find that some of your native wallpapers have been replaced by new options. Apple giveth, and Apple hath taken away.

Spell check: the iPhone has long had an autocorrect feature that changes words as you type, but we’ve never considered it to be completely useful. That’s why we’re bigger fans of the new spell check feature that notifies you of unrecognised or misspelled words with a red underline. It works when you’re composing both emails and text messages, and you get a list of suggested corrections. We’d like more suggestions, but that’s a small point.

Search: iOS 4 offers a few new searching options across various features. First off, when typing a URL in the Safari browser, you’ll see not only the URL title of sites you’ve visited recently, but also the full web address. That’s a nice touch, since you can find the exact web page that you want. Over in Universal Search, you’ll see web and Wikipedia results with the content stored on the phone. It takes a couple of clicks to get them going, but it’s convenient. And finally, you’ll now find a search bar for your text messages. It works just like the search option for emails.

Connectivity: iOS 4 adds persistent W-Fi, which means the iPhone 4 will stay connected to a hot spot even when it’s in standby mode. This could have a negative effect on battery life so we’ll be watching. With wake-on wireless, the handset promises to wake from standby when it comes in range of a cellular network. It’s not something we were asking for, but we’ll take it. Lastly, there’s now support for using a Bluetooth keyboard. We haven’t had the opportunity to test this feature yet.

Additional changes: as with previous updates, iOS 4 also brings a selection of smaller features and interface tweaks. Among them are a redesigned calculator icon (the feature is the same), the ability to send apps as gifts, alphanumeric pass codes, bigger font sizes for accessibility, enhanced iPod-out capability, and a redesigned location icon in the Google Maps application (it’s an arrow instead of a bull’s eye). You also get a new Birthday Calendar that’s accessible under the main calendar app. We’re still looking for a specific birthday event field, however.

iPod player: with the iPhone 4, Apple continues to show that it positively shines with mobile music and video. This is one area where the company beat its competitors hands down. For the most part, the iPhone 4 iPod player is unchanged, but we were glad to see a few new offerings. There’s now a convenient option for creating playlists on the go. We did so in just a couple of steps and added a selection of tunes. What’s more, we’re always happy when we can do something without going through iTunes. Back in the multitasking menu, you’ll find new music player controls and a shortcut for locking the display rotation. To get there, just swipe to the far left.

Camera: the iPhone’s camera has always been decent, but it’s lacked features found on many basic phones. That’s why we applaud the 5-megapixel resolution, the new LED flash and the 5x digital zoom. The handset also has a new backside illuminated sensor, which requires a more-detailed explanation. Check out my colleague Stephen Shankland’s blog for a detailed look at the technology. The biggest gain, however, is its ability to record 720p high-definition video at a constant 30 frames per second. The iPhone isn’t the first handset to offer this capability, but it delivers on quality. Of course, we’d love more options like a brightness control and colour tones, but we doubt that we’ll ever get them.

The primary camera interface is about the same as the 3GS’s, with the usual shutter control, camera/camcorder switch and photo gallery shortcut off to one side. A new flash control activates the LED on the rear face. Thankfully, you can choose from auto or “always-on” modes. Over in the opposite corner is a control for switching between the front and rear cameras. When you’re not making FaceTime calls, you can use the front-facing VGA camera for self-portraits. Image quality won’t amaze, but that’s not surprising considering VGA shooters are hardly the pinnacle of technological development. It is great to be able to take vanity shots, though.

The shooter also includes changes that came from iOS 4. Our favourite is a 5x zoom for the still camera. When taking a photo, just tap the screen to see the zoom bar. Use your finger to pan in and out, but remember that since this is digital zoom, picture quality will degrade as you zoom in. Also, you now can use the tap-to-focus feature in the still and video cameras. We’ve never found that this feature makes that much of a difference, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have it.

In initial testing the camera quality is noticeably improved. We’ll start with still photos first. It’s not an exaggeration to say that iPhone 4 takes beautiful photos. Colours are bright and natural, there was no visible image noise, and our shots were in focus. The bright flash also makes a positive change. As with most LEDs it can make dark images look a tad overblown, but we’re just glad that we now can take images in a dark room. We also love that there’s no shutter lag like there was with previous iPhones. The camera takes the shot the instant you press the shutter.

Video quality also impressed. You’ll need to keep the phone steady, but our clips were smooth and free of any pixels or hiccups. It also handles motion quite well, and audio was in sync with the video. And, of course, you can cut your videos using the nifty video-editing feature that originated on the iPhone 3GS. Those are our preliminary impressions, but we’ll add to this section as we spend more time with the camera.

Photo gallery: you can organise all images from an event or those that feature a specific friend. For both, however, you’ll need to have already used the face-recognition options in iPhoto or Aperture and sync with iTunes. One expected change appears to have vanished, though: when we played with the initial beta version of iOS 4, we saw an option in the gallery for rotating photos, but we can’t find it again in the final version.

FaceTime: Apple is pushing FaceTime as one of the iPhone 4’s most-exciting features. It certainly looked good at the WWDC demo, so we were eager to try it. After even a short test we were pleased with the feature’s quality and we like that it’s an integrated option that doesn’t require an app. The incoming video can be a bit pixellated and jerky, particularly when your friend is using the front camera, but it wasn’t bothersome. And really, that’s to be expected when using a VGA shooter. You’ll see a slightly better feed if your friend uses the rear camera, but not by much. The video from your phone will show in the top left corner; it looked great from either camera. Also, you can use it in both portrait and landscape modes.

Obviously, FaceTime only works with another iPhone 4. You activate the feature after placing a call on a Wi-Fi network (more on that in a minute). Once the call connects, you’ll see an option for FaceTime instead of the normal “Hold” control (we’ve no clue where that option went). Both you and your friend must press the control to establish a video chat; you then can mute the call or end it directly from the FaceTime screen. And after you placed a FaceTime call for the first time, you’ll see the phone number listed twice in your recent calls list. One entry will activate FaceTime directly, and the other will place a normal cellular call.

That’s not to say FaceTime wasn’t without its problems. On more than one occasion, we couldn’t establish a connection, even though we were using two iPhone 4s on Wi-Fi. We even found on one handset that the FaceTime option wasn’t there when it should have been. The switch between normal and FaceTime calls can take a few seconds, during which reception is faulty. We never dropped a call during the switch, but it was annoying.

For 2010, FaceTime will work only on Wi-Fi. We’ve heard a lot of grumbling about this restriction, but we don’t think that’s a bad thing. Video chat uses a tonne of data so we’re sure the experience would be better on Wi-Fi than on AT&T’s strained network, anyway. What’s also great is that because you’re on Wi-Fi, FaceTime calls will not deduct from your cellular minutes. Jobs said Apple is working with iPhone carriers to carry the feature (cue speculation on possible new carriers), but he didn’t offer other details. As long as Apple kills the Wi-Fi limit in the next year, we’ll be happy.

As fun as it is, though, it’s not a feature that we were burning for, and we wonder if it will last past the novelty stage. This is not a reflection on the quality of Apple technology - so back off, fanboys - but rather on if users will really use it over the long term, after all, video chat technology has been around since 2004 .

Yet, Apple has a talent for repackaging existing features and attracting wide consumer interest. Outside of other VoIP services like the Skype app, carriers have been unsuccessful at making video-calling services popular and useful. FaceTime will face competition from other devices, but Apple could very well make it work.

Gyroscope: the iPhone 3Gs gave us a compass, but the iPhone 4 raises the bar by offering a three-axis gyroscope. Like on an aeroplane, you’ll get pitch, roll and yaw, and it’s tied with the accelerometer to provide six-axis motion sensing. Though by all means it will be useful to app and game developers, it was a lot of fun when we used it to play a few games.

iMovie and iBooks: iMovie brings movie-editing capabilities to the iPhone. You’ll pay $4.99 for the app, but it’s a nice touch. Download.com’s Jason Parker put iMovie through its paces in a a href=”http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-20008795-12.html”>separate review. Apple’s e-book reader joins Amazon’s Kindle app as an option for bookworms. You will be able to access Apple’s iBookstore to purchase new content, and if you have an iPhone and an iPad, you can read your book on both devices (with just one purchase) and sync your current page.

Processor: Under the hood is the same 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 chip that’s found in the iPad. Also, though Apple hasn’t specified the RAM, we know that it is 512MB. In early tests, the phone is quite a bit faster than the 3GS and certainly than the iPhone 3G. Menus, applications, and other features opened in a flash. And as we mentioned earlier, the app switching in the multitasking menu and the camera shutter didn’t leave us waiting.

Call and data quality

The following comments refer to the quality of the AT&T network in the US which does necessarily reflect on how the phone will perform in Australia.

Much has been said about problems with AT&T and the iPhone, and even on the iPhone 4 call quality remains the biggest sticking point. Indeed, when we tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1,800/1,900) world phone in San Francisco, we encountered mixed results, with improvements in some areas and no change in others. On the upside, audio clarity was sharper, our friends’ voices sounded natural, and the volume was a tad louder than on previous iPhones. Also, from what we can tell, the noise-cancellation mic does a good job of screening out background audio. Even when in a loud place we could continue with our conversations without any problem. What’s more, we heard no “side noise” (the sound of our own voice coming back through the phone), static, or interference. Perhaps that antenna made a difference.

But then again, perhaps it didn’t. Call quality was improved only when we could get signal, but finding and keeping a strong connection continues to be a challenge. In the first few moments of testing the device, we had a dropped call, even though we had full bars. We also had a couple of calls that failed to connect in an area where we knew that AT&T reception is good. And when we were in known AT&T dead zones, we had no luck at all.

There’s even a chance that the antenna could be doing harm. Soon after we posted this review, we heard from many CNET users who complained that when they held the phone in the hand - a common occurrence, no doubt - the signal degraded within a few seconds. The reports came mostly from people who covered the notch on the phone’s right side with their fingers while holding it in their left hand. We had mixed results in replicating this problem, though our experience varied widely by location, the phone we were using, and the person using it. At times we saw no difference, but other times we noticed the signal drop from a full five bars down to two or three. When we moved our hand away, the meter jumped back to normal. We’ve asked Apple about the issue, but the company has not responded. Some have suggested that the rubber and plastic bumper cases that Apple is selling with the iPhone 4 solve the problem because they prevent fingers from touching the antenna. Though we’ll scream highway robbery about the bumper’s $29 price tag, we’re not prone to conspiracy theories. On the other hand, we did get a selection of bumpers with our review phone. Hmmm.

Though our experience is somewhat worrisome, we’re not ready to demand a recall. As we said, the problem appears to be intermittent. Also, issues with a new device, particularly something as hyped as the iPhone 4, are common after it comes out. We saw similar problems in 2008 when the iPhone 3G first went on sale and complaints about poor reception flooded in. In that instance, though, the problem was fixed after a software update. Honestly, we have a hard time accepting that Apple didn’t catch this in the testing process, but we’ll continue to watch the issue and test the phone in more places. But in the meantime, our friends at CNET UK have offered a solution.

What’s more, the iPhone 4 still appears to have a problem with hand-offs between EDGE and the 3G network; the handset still tries to hang on to weak 3G signal when it should switch to EDGE. As we said with the iPhone 3GS, the reception jumped if we switched off the handset’s 3G radio on the Settings menu. Constantly doing that, however, can be a pain.

On their end, callers said we sounded good; a few people didn’t know we were on a cell phone. During active calls, they could hear us without any problems and they mentioned less background noise than when we used the 3GS. The first iPhone had a sensitive sweet spot, but we didn’t notice that here. A few people heard some interference, but they said it was manageable. Automated calling systems could understand us most of the time, even if we were on a busy street.

Speakerphone calls were mostly satisfactory. We could hear our friends clearly, though the volume was a tad distorted at the highest levels. You don’t need to be close to the phone to hear, but we had to be close to the phone for our friends to hear us. That’s not unusual, though. Bluetooth headset performance was mixed. Bluetooth headset calls were fine, but we had mixed issued with stereo Bluetooth headsets. See Nicole Lee’s analysis for more information.

The quality of the data connection was similar to voice calls. When we had a strong 3G signal, the busiest pages loaded in a few seconds and the connection held strong. EDGE browsing is a bit painful, so we suggest using it rarely.

Battery life

The iPhone 4’s bigger battery should mean more juice to get you through the day. Apple now officially promises 7 hours of talk time, 6 hours of 3G browsing, 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing, and 300 hours of standby. In very early testing, the battery lasted a respectable period. We used it heavily for about 5 hours and we were still going relatively strong after a full charge. We’re sending the iPhone 4 to the CNET Labs now to get more-detailed battery tests, and we’ll report the results here, but as of now, things are looking up.

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