[Hawkeye_a]

I really liked the design of the original iPhone. it was minimalist and looked very iconic. i didn't like that plastic/rubber black thing at the bottom where i assume the antennas were located.

The iPhone 3G, imo took a step back in design.... at least visually. the black/white plastic specifically. I can guess that Apple did it to improve range for the different wireless networks supported. but i cannot understand why they had to make it with such a shiny scratch-magnet type material. sure it's great to get a new shiny product in your hands once you open the box, but it's just down hill once it starts getting scratched. Then there's the weird curviness of it, not the tapering....thats fine..i dont liek how its sorta concave in the middle. i preferred the flat aluminum on the original.

So while at work, i noticed that my HP has 'silver' brushed-aluminum type plastic all over it, and there wasnt a scratch on it. Im looking at my WD external HDD, made of plastic but looks like Aluminum... and again no scratch marks.

I think Apple needs to simplify the iPhone's design and make it look more like the original. it wouldnt hurt to be able to personalize the back of the phone with an image/inscription either. theyve been doing it with iPods for years(granted its on metal), but it should be possible.

/end rant.

Cheers

[turtle777]

Does the backside of the iPhone attract scratches ? Sure.

Does it matter ? Hell no. It's the BAKCKSIDE of a phone, who friggin cares.
If you want it to remain pristine, put it in one of these ridiculous cases and be done with it.
Your iPhone will look stupid, you will look like a nerd, and the earth will keep turning.

-t

[CorpITGuy]

I agree with the OP. No reason why Apple couldn't use brushed metal plastic. No reason at all.

I love my iPhone 3G - but I really, really miss the looks of my original iPhone.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

I like the 3G much more. With the old iPhone the corners were too round and it made holding it uncomfortable. The black plastic on the bottom for the antenna also looked like a hack job. The aluminum body also made it get rather warm when in use and it felt heavier and more fragile.

I have seen Edge iPhones that were dropped and they have huge friggin dents in them that makes the corners look square. The scratches also stood out more.

I love the design of the 3G in comparison.

[Simon]

I too think the 3G looks a lot better. Black and chrome. No more. The single-color back is much nicer than the split brushed metal and black plastic before. The buttons are nicer too. Also the tapered edges make it look a lot thinner and lighter. Next to it the 2.5G looks like a brick.

[::maroma::]

The back of the original iPhone was not brushed metal. It was anodized metal. I'm sure you can get a plastic to mimic that look, but if they went that route, people would say "hey, you went from real aluminum (or whatever) to fake aluminum... how cheap!". They also needed to differentiate the look of the first gen to the 2nd gen. Making it all black did just that.

I don't have a newer iPhone, I still use my original, and I do like the design of the original better. But I think the latest ones are fine. I would have hated them if they went with a plastic back that tried to mimic metal. That just screams crappy.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by CorpITGuy 

brushed metal plastic..

The only two ways I can get that phrase to make any sense at all either involve

a) excruciatingly CHEAP-looking plastic, or

b) plastic with a very thin coat of metal (like in the Siemens S65), which looks great until you bang it into something the very first time and the coating chips to reveal the UGLY plastic underneath.

[Hawkeye_a]

No coats of anything please. i had the original TiPBG4 and the coat of paint started chipping/flaking off within weeks. If Apple is going to use plastic anyway, i reckon they should go with something scratch-proof, shiny or not, i don't want it showing wear after "normal" usage. If Nokia can do it with their phones, so can Apple.

[sulinmi2]

beauty design 3G Iphone

[sulinmi2]

everybody in the forum says no unlock solution for iphone 3G as yet.
then how people are selling 3G unlock solutions on
www.ebuy-mall.com.

[osiris]

I keep my myPhones, er, iPhones in silicon skins, keeps them grippy and protects them.
I don't really care for the rounded, smooth, shiny design though.
It's too hard to grab if your hands are dry and just doesn't feel secure in my hands.

[Stogieman]

What's with all the spam posts in this thread?

I prefer the flat backside of the original iPhone because it doesn't wobble when I set it down on a table. However, I think the backside of the 3G looks better with the single color and tapered edges. I'm anxious to see what does with the 3rd generation iPhone.

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

The aluminum body also made it get rather warm when in use and it felt heavier and more fragile.

More fragile? I disagree. I think the aluminum body feels more solid and rugged then the plastic body.