iPhone software 2.1 reviewed

I've just downloaded and installed iPhone 2.1 software and, like iPod 2.1 a few days ago, the changes are important. There are scant new features around the fringe, but the bugfixes and streamlining are significant.

On the surface everything appears the same. But it is not. Apple has listed the following features and fixes:

• Decrease in call set-up failures and dropped calls
• Significantly better battery life for most users
• Dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes
• Improved email reliability, notably fetching email from POP and Exchange accounts
• Faster installation of 3rd party applications
• Fixed bugs causing hangs and crashes for users with lots of third party applications
• Improved performance in text messaging
• Faster loading and searching of contacts
• Improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display
• Repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages
• Option to wipe data after ten failed passcode attempts
• Genius playlist creation

The update went even more quickly than the iPod 2.1 update (for which I did a restore instead of an update). No hitches and only one restart. This is suspiciously easy.

Fantastic is all I can say about the final result. Finally, I can sync my iPhone like I did in version 1. I added a full album and it only took about 2 minutes to update the iPhone. These stupid 100mb games I bought also don't crash the iPhone when I try to install them. And they install quickly!

Dropped calls? I've been on my iPhone for 20 minutes straight without a drop. A new record for my 3G iPhone. Also, of the few calls I've made, none have failed

Can you tell I am excited? It is exciting to be back to normal. I'll update later today as I play around with it.

Now Apple, can you get to work on the push notification features that were scheduled to be released this month?

VIA:iPhone software 2.1 reviewed (bugs fixed!)