Apple iPhone (8 GB)

Well... should you?

Basically, the iPhone is great. Be warned though that the internet can be slower than you might have been led to believe. If you have Wi-Fi you will have no probs really but the vast majority of people won't have that access at work, on the train, in the city etc... so it will either go to EDGE which is slower, or GPRS slower still. Also; if the phone is roaming for Wi-Fi all the time the battery will drain well within a day - you can turn off the Wi-Fi search easily though. Some functions like You Tube will only operate in Wi-Fi or EDGE (although it's not worth watching on EDGE as it's too slow to stream)

As for e-mail - It uses a pull system where by the max frequency is every 15 mins. I think that this is more than adequate personally. Anyone who tells you that the keyboard is hard to use either only tried it once, has no dexterity or very fat fingers! After a few texts and e-mails it becomes as natural as breathing. Thumbs up for that!

Generally speaking the functionality is fantastic - the iPod, the pics, the calender, maps etc all good. The camera isn't great but for basic pics of nights out / pets and so on it's more than adequate.

The build quality is good too - although I live in constant fear of scratching the screen (screen protectors are available). It is not a robust phone and the fact that you can't swap the sim to a less valuable phone to do 'outdoory' things is annoying.

It has a good signal strength in low signal areas and, when not constantly looking for Wi-Fi, has a reasonable stand-by battery time. It is also really easy to get started and link to a PC - if I can manage it anyone can!

Overall - the phone is awesome. Is it worth £260 + £35 / month for 18 months? Well possibly not. I can see the price dropping considerably within 6 months as the competition from other mobile manufacturers builds up.

A warning - ONLY BUY THESE FROM O2, APPLE OR CARPHONE WHEREHOUSE! If you get them from anywhere else you are throwing you money away 'cos it won't work in the UK.

My advice to anyone who doesn't have money to throw away is just hang fire and wait for three to six months to see what the price does. If you are a gadget freak then just get it because it will entertain you for weeks.

I hope this has helped you make your mind up - I am glad I got it but feel guilty for what is a considerable splash of cash!

Have fun deciding!