The iPhone is a fantastic piece of kit and a thing of beauty. I do think it is a shame that it doesn't have 3G though, as that is definitely the easiest way for a mobile phone to connect to the internet through the phone's network.

The iPhone can connect to the internet in two ways:

* Using a Wi-Fi hotspot
* Connecting to the internet via the EDGE network

1. Connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot

a) If you are in a Wi-Fi hotspot you can connect to the internet in the same way s you would if you were using a laptop. You simply double click on the programme you wish to load.

b) The iPhone will automatically search for familiar networks to connect to and if it can't find any, it will show you all the networks in range and you can click on the one you want.

c) If the network you want is encrypted (it requires a network key/password before you can use it) you will see an icon of a lock on it and so you'll know whether you can attempt to use it if you have the network key. You only have to enter the network key the first time you connect to an encrypted network; after the first time you iPhone will remember the key and connect automatically after that.

d) Once your iPhone has connected to the internet you will see number of bars in an icon near the top of the screen. More bars = stronger signal.

2. Finding a Wi-Fi hotspot

In the UK where I live Apple have included free use of the Cloud network into the package with the iPhone so you have access immediately to 7500 hotspots cross the country. In the US and elsewhere you need to source free wi-fi hotspots. Local libraries, internet cafes and Starbucks are good places to start and many hotels often add free wi-fi to their customer services.

Lots of people now have wi-fi networks in their houses, so if you are visiting friends it is worth asking for their network key.

3. If there are no Wi-Fi networks within range then you have to use EDGE. This is a bit disappointing in my view and I think it is a great shame Apple did not manage to get 3G into their phone. EDGE is provided by your mobile phone network provider (O2 in the UK) and costs money to use. Though it is faster than using GPRS in other phones it is still painfully slow compared to a Wi-Fi connection and just like using dial up internet access on a PC, it prevents any phone calls from getting through while you are using it. It is simple enough to use though you just double click. In the UK there are one or two O2 blackspots though, so my advice is to check the signal strength at your favourite haunts before you buy.

In both cases you will be using Apple's quite brilliant Safari web browser which copes really well with most of the things that make the internet difficult on a phone.

All you have to do is turn the phone on its side and the display will automatically flip into landscape mode, allowing wide, densely-pixelated web pages still to be scaled and visible. Safari will dynamically scale a web page, so its proportions are retained, but that will render it very small. But you can zoom in so easily with the scissor finger action on the screen which Apple have designed and you can navigate your way around the web with ease!
Be aware of one thing though- the iPhone can not cope with flash pages. YouTube and Google maps both use Flash and Apple provides special programmes to allow you to access these popular sites, but other flash pages will not load for you. You'll need your sub-notebook for those!

This is a small point really when you consider how far Apple have improved mobile internet access with safari. The iPhone is impressive.

Learn more about this author, Anne Davey.
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