• by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, September 19, 2012

Suggesting that we’re still living in the Age of Apple, early reviews of the iPhone 5 are in -- and they’re sparkling. 

“The world’s most popular smartphone becomes significantly faster, thinner and lighter … while gaining a larger, 4-inch screen -- all without giving up battery life, comfort in the hand and high-quality construction,” Walt Mossberg writes in AllThingsD.

“The iPhone 5 is the iPhone we've wanted since 2010, adding long-overdue upgrades,” proclaims CNet. This is the iPhone, rebooted. “The iPhone 5 is really nice,” John Gruber writes on his Daring Fireball blog. “But you don’t even have to turn it on to see how nice it is. Just hold it.”

“The iPhone 5 does everything -- from computations to 3D rendering to opening apps -- faster than the 4S, in some cases at double the speed,” CBS News points out.  

“The iPhone 5 absolutely shines,” according to Engadget. “Pick your benchmark and you'll find Apple's thin new weapon sitting at or near the top.”

Sparkling as the iPhone 5’s reviews are, however, they are not spotless.

David Pogue, for one, notes in The New York Times that the phones connector doesn’t fit any existing accessories, docks, or chargers.

“Apple sells an adapter plug for $30,” he writes. “If you have a few accessories, you could easily pay $150 in adapters for a $200 phone. That’s not just a slap in the face to loyal customers -- it’s a jab in the eye.”

Meanwhile, regarding the iPhone’s relentless innovation, Engadget remarks that Apple failed to follow through with its operation system. “If anything, it's the operating system here that's beginning to feel a bit dated and beginning to show its age.”