How do you feel about the iPhone after a week?

My previous phone was a Nokia N95, and prior to that the E61 and E62, also by Nokia.

After living with an iPhone for a week, I was expecting the new toy sensation to have worn off and reality to sour my initial reaction.

So has it? Not at all!

A couple non-iPhone equipped friends have called to ask me how I like it, knowing that I am one finicky geek. They half expected me to abandon the iPhone for the sweetness that was the Nokia N95.

The reason I am still enthralled with the iPhone is simple. It is the first “smart” phone that deserves to be called “smart”.

The virtual keyboard learns how I communicate and adapts. The phone automatically switches between networks as I encounter them. It gracefully fades music and podcasts in and out as you take calls - well I could go on. The iPhone, as with most Apple products, just works.

The final nail in the coffin of my Nokia N95 was a simple revelation.

I was enjoying answering email on the iPhone, more than on my MacBook Pro. Its interface is fast, clean and to the point. The user experience feels like a reward for being productive.

On the Nokia N95, even over wifi, the processor and UI strained to produce modest results. The email application frequently failed to display messages.

Even with the Opera browser installed on the Nokia, the iPhone just seems to work better and faster for web browsing. My guess is that the iPhone is leveraging more memory, horse power and the benefits of having Mac OS X under the hood.

That brings me to the updates. Outside the robust Nokia N770 and N800 internet tablets, my experience has shown that Nokia, like other mobile device makers, tends to skimp on updates for existing devices. They like to roll the advances into the next device instead.

Apple, with the roots in the desktop computing, obviously built the iPhone as a platform. They fully intend to release numerous updates. Filling the application gaps like chat, MMS, improved syncing and who knows what else they dream up.

These updates translate into added value for customers. As they see their investment grow.

Regarding the lack of 3G, it was certainly a tough choice. However, part of the blame lies with U.S. carriers whom have insisted on using ever divergent flavors of networks to gain Microsoft-like positions in the market.

What about network coverage?

The iPhone can do nothing to combat any carriers limitations. If AT&T Mobility (formerly Cingular) coverage sucks in your area, it will still suck with an iPhone. They same would be true for any carrier, anywhere in the world.

Lastly, what about the AT&T and NSA angle? What about it!?

Do anyone really think that their network traffic, including voice is not being monitored? Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint may not have caved publicly, but intelligence organizations are able and willing to snoop on all but the most encrypted communications. Get over it.

What do I miss from the Nokia N95. I miss the 5MP camera and VoIP using Truphone.com, but that is all I miss.