The release of iPhone 4 is still a couple days away, but the official embargo for reviews has been lifted. Many of the big names in tech have posted their reviews of Apple"s latest and greatest, and for the most part, they are nothing short of glowing.
Here are some choice snippets:
Engadget (Joshua Topolsky):
"Yes, there are still pain points that we want to see Apple fix, and yes, there are some amazing alternatives to the iPhone 4 out there. But when it comes to the total package -- fit and finish in both software and hardware, performance, app selection, and all of the little details that make a device like this what it is -- we think it"s the cream of the current crop."
The Wall Street Journal (Walt Mossberg):
"I’ve been testing the iPhone 4 for more than a week. In both hardware and software, it is a major leap over its already-excellent predecessor, the iPhone 3GS."
USA Today (Ed Baig):
"The new iPhone 4 I"ve been testing for about a week and a half — along with the major refresh of the mobile operating system software at the core of recent models — demonstrates once again why Apple"s handset is the one to beat, even as it faces fierce competition from phones based on Google"s Android platform, among others."
CNET (Kent German):
"On the whole, this iPhone 4 has us more excited than we were last year when the the 3GS was born. The new features, particularly those in the new operating system, are long overdue and we welcome any efforts to improve call quality (remember that it is a phone, after all)."
Boing Boing (Xeni Jardin):
"The fourth incarnation of Apple"s iPhone is an incrementally improved, familiar device—not a new kind of device, as was the case with the recent introduction of iPad. Yes, the notable features with iPhone 4—both the device and the iOS4, which came out yesterday in advance of the iPhone itself—are mostly tweaks. But what tweaks they are: Apple"s focus on improvement is as much key to the quality of its products as innovation."
The New York Times (David Pogue):
"Now, the iPhone is no longer the undisputed king of app phones. In particular, the technically inclined may find greater flexibility and choice among its Android rivals, like the HTC Incredible and Evo. They’re more complicated, and their app store not as good, but they’re loaded with droolworthy features like turn-by-turn GPS instructions, speech recognition that saves you typing, removable batteries and a choice of cell networks.
If what you care about, however, is size and shape, beauty and battery life, polish and pleasure, then the iPhone 4 is calling your name."
More reviews are sure to come in the next few days. It is also interesting to note that Gizmodo has no pre-release review available at the time of this post.