September 22^nd marked a big day in iPhone history as the brand-new iPhone 5c was released and landed into my hands. For my 16^th birthday I was lucky enough to receive my first smartphone, and a colored one at that. My choice for the color had been green, and I haven’t regretted that decision. I had seen the latest commercial and knew that this phone would make me fall head over heels.

This iPhone has many new features as in comparison to the iPhone 5 or even the prehistoric iPhone 4. It is very useful to have as a teenager with my fast-paced, busy lifestyle of school, sports, friends, and extra activities.

It is running off of the latest software upgrade of iOS7, just as those with an iPad or iPhone 5 can update to. Airdrop has only come into use for me once or twice, but it’s a nice feature to have in the back of my mind.

The battery is meant to last much longer, as there had been many complaints by those with the 5 about battery life, though my phone is at about 5% every night when I get home. This is probably because I am constantly on it; running many different apps and games. The new charger for the iPhone 5c does not work with old iPhones. This can be inconvenient as I have had my phone die while spending time with my friends and I had no access to a charger, since most of my friends have the iPhone 4 or 4s.

Camera features have improved, with the ability to add effects as you take the picture or even after you have taken it. I have used the camera tools almost every day and it makes taking pictures more fun for me. It feels almost professional when I snap a picture of my friends sitting at a table, whether I keep it normal or make it square. There are 8 different filters available to change the image. The filters make you consider what kind of picture you want to take and how the filter will change it. The panorama effect has changed slightly and for me is more difficult to use. I have yet to find a use for it, but it is something in the future that I think could come in handy and would love to be able to master.

The fact that I can change my music, change the brightness, the volume, turn on the flashlight, turn off the Wi-Fi, or even access the camera all by sliding up on my current screen is very convenient. I use this feature more than any other new accessory.

Overall, my new phone is very exciting to me still, though I’ve had it for about a month and a half. I am constantly discovering new features and enjoying the updating technology. My only complaint would be for my battery life, but that is my fault for how often I am using up the battery. The awesome idea of colors makes my phone feel more like me, as I was able to pick the color, along with the case to my liking.