The new iPhone 3G should please everyone . Its look and feel are only slightly improved, but a faster network loads Web pages more quickly , true GPS functionality allows it to easily find places nearby , and the new $199 price(down from $400) makes it an affordable luxury. Before deciding whether to buy, however , make sure you can actually take advantage of the iPhone 3G's high-speed data network. 3G stands for third-generation , which in non-geek speak translates to Web pages and mail messages that, ideally, load about three times faster than on the original iPhone. Even better, 3G coverage enables you to make a phone call and surf the Web at the same time . That's great, if you live or work in a place where the 3G network of AT&T (the sole wireless carrier of the iPhone) is active. That's not so great in cities like New York where AT&T's cellular  coverage is awful. As one of my colleagues in New York City, who bought the original iPhone , commented , "It's just a toy . You can't make phone calls on it, so I carry my Verizon phone with me all the time." The real fun begins when you tap on the icon called "Apple Store" and start browsing   the hundreds of add-on applications that have been developed just for the iPhone. You will find tons of games (I like JirboBreak , a free game inspired by the Atari classic Breakout ) and mobile version of popular websites like Pandora , Facebook , MySpace and the New York Times . Most apps will cost you , but the vast majority are $9.99 or less. The apps work on the old iPhone too, but you'll enjoy them a lot more on the iPhone 3G because many of the programs , including Yelp(local business reviews ), Whrrl (mobile social networking) and UrbanSpoon(restaurant reviews), use you exact location --- provided by the iPhone 3G's GPS chip --- to make recommendations. The apps also load much faster over the 3G network. .Why does one of my colleagues carry Verizon phone with him all the time?
Because iPhone 3G is just a toy. Because he prefers Verizon phone better . Because AT&T's cellular coverage is terrible there. Because Verizon phone enables him make a phone call and surf the Web at the same time.