The new apple iPhone is a cell phone, portable music player, advanced web browser and two megapixel camera all rolled into one tasty technological device.

Jacob Swift, a senior business major and Best Buy employee, is ecstatic for the new mobile device. Constantly up to date on the latest electrical and technological products, Swift said he knows everything there is to know about the iPhone.

“It’s more than just a phone; it’s a handheld multimedia device,” Swift said. “Also, it’s cool to see a company like Apple getting into the phone market because they’re known for the design of their products, so maybe it will influence other companies to push their creative designs further.”

The iPhone comes with a Safari Internet browser that allows you to e-mail, surf the web, look up maps and more. The phone comes with OS X, an operating system that allows users to access desktop-like websites. It also includes features such as a 3 1/2-inch display screen, which makes viewing music, videos and movie clips more enjoyable.

The phone does not have a keypad; everything functions by touch screen. Users can e-mail and surf the web with just a tap of the screen. The iPhone is also installed with iTunes. This new compatibility makes purchasing and listening to music simple.

Besides photos of the iPhone on the web, it has not been seen by the average person.

Communications studies major John Carey had the opportunity to catch a glance at the iPhone in person. Carey recently went to the Mac Convention in San Francisco and said the new product blew him away. He explained that the iPhone was the main attraction, surrounded by a glass container. The phone was for viewing only. Carey said that the phone is “pretty, sleek, stylish and has a good design.”

Carey said he was most interested by the graphic interface of the phone, “which is very well designed. The menus blend in together and it’s very intuitive,” Carey said.

Nathan Shelton, a junior graphic design major, owns a Power Book G4, iPod mini and other various Mac products. He is knowledgeable on Apple products and believes that the iPhone will gain recognition, although he doesn’t think that it will cause such a large spark in popularity as the iPod has.

“The iPod stands out from other MP3 players because it is unique in its design and features,” Shelton said. “The iPhone won’t make too much of a statement because there are tons of cell phones out there to compete.”

The phone is set to be released in June and will first be available to Cingular cell phone carriers. It will be priced at approximately $499-$599.

Mindy Yuen can be reached at [email protected]