iPhone 5 is SOOOO much better, really? Tell me more....

[BaiHu]

this is just epic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdIWKytq_q4

[dieselvrr]

this is just epic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdIWKytq_q4

From a guy who hates Apple..that was awesome.

[Odin Bravo One]

I just upgraded to the 4S. Despite repeated attempts by my service to have me wait for the 5.

Nah, I just need to talk to people, get the occasional important email, and like having my music on the same device for simplicity's sake.

I didn't know what a text was until 2008, and didn't have a text capable phone until 2010, so I am catching up quickly. Or not............

[bdcheung]

I'm not an Apple fanboy, but I am an iPhone fanboy.

And I'm getting the 5, despite having absolutely no need for it.

Planned obsolescence FTW.

[orionz06]

I like my iPhone (4S). I had Blackberries, Windows Mobile, and Android phones as well. None of them were as well rounded of a phone. I will probably buy the 5 before the end of the year (write it off!).


inb4androidisbetter

[Byron]

inb4androidisbetter
I have a deep appreciation for my Android devices, but I don't bother claiming that they're "better." Compared to its competition, Android best suits my needs. For some other people, iOS best suits their needs. Their choice has no influence on my life, and I have no interest in "converting" anyone.

I really don't want any part in the Phone Wars. They're about as appealing to me as the Caliber Wars or any other Product X vs Product Y Wars.

My one substantive complaint about the new iPhone is that Apple decided to go with a new, proprietary connector, while all other device manufacturers have converged to a standard. Owners of the new iPhone won't be able to use their old peripherals without first spending money on converters, and will still have to buy iPhone-specific peripherals in the future.

There are plenty of things to have nerd fights about, but I really don't have much care about any other aspects of the iPhone 5. I think that decision was a dick move on Apple's part though, especially considering how far so many manufacturers have gone to accommodate their previous proprietary connection. It's not just that little Timmy will have to purchase a $29 adapter (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD823ZM/A/lightning-to-30-pin-adapter?) to use his old speakers, but so will his mom for her $60,000 luxury vehicle that she purchased a year ago.

They can then choose to carry that adapter with them at all times (thereby paying for only one converter), or buy one for each of their old accessories (thereby eliminating the need to carry extra stuff, but greatly increasing their expense). I'm sure it will also be fun to have an iPod and iPad that use one connection method, but an iPhone that uses another.

In a day and age where the industry has moved away from every single phone model having a proprietary charger and peripheral cable, I find it insulting that Apple has not only stayed on this path, but pushed it further. It also pains me to know that I will have to repeatedly explain this to all of my family members who get the new iPhone 5.

But hey, accessory manufacturers will love it.

[MDS]

But hey, accessory manufacturers will love it.

Sounds like a business plan. :)

[Jason F]

I'll be ordering one.

I've got an iPhone 4 that I've been nursing along the last few months as I'm out of storage space on it... but rather than upgrading to a 4S I decided to be patient and wait it out.

I just can't decide between the 32GB & the 64GB.

Ordering opens at midnight tonight... but I think I'll wait till the morning. No need to stay up. I'll get one when I can get one.

[derekb]

My one substantive complaint about the new iPhone is that Apple decided to go with a new, proprietary connector, while all other device manufacturers have converged to a standard. Owners of the new iPhone won't be able to use their old peripherals without first spending money on converters, and will still have to buy iPhone-specific peripherals in the future.


I just wish more people would realize how big of a problem this is, and keep Apple from getting away with it. Standards are far enough from sacred in the world of technology, and large companies skipping them for no substantive reason (sure, it's probably nice to fit audio, power and data in a single connector, but come on) just makes the problem yet worse.

[LOKNLOD]

I kind of want one. My iPhone 4 is still rockin' along just fine, but the higher speed data would be nice. My office building seems to have been built with an anti-3G Faraday cage of some sort, but folks with the 4G devices seem to have better luck. I'm still grandfathered in on an unlimited data plan, and I wonder how switching might FUBAR that for me. Introduction of LTE seems like a good opportunity for them to yank that rug out from under me. I haven't come close to approaching a need for unlimited, but sure enough if you gave me faster speeds that actually worked in my office I'd probably be bouncing off the limit soon enough.

The elongated screen shape seems kind of odd. I'm not sure if everything fits that ratio well. Still I used my phone for work a lot so having some more screen space would be nice. The changing plug isn't the end of the world that some make it out to be but it's not exactly the pinnacle of convenience, either. I did just buy a speaker dock for my office so it makes sense that they'd change it so I can't use it easily... but I've got an old 3Gs with some broken functionality that is basically a dedicated ipod anyway.

The only thing that's driving me towards becoming an early adopter is getting the most value out of possibly selling my old phone to help defray the cost of the upgrade.

ETA: now that it's up and available, it seems they'll let me keep the unlimited plan even with LTE if I upgrade :cool:

[JodyH]

My house is 50/50 Android/Apple.
I was completely underwhelmed by the 5.
Will not be getting rid of the 4S or the Atrix HD.

[orionz06]

I have a deep appreciation for my Android devices, but I don't bother claiming that they're "better." Compared to its competition, Android best suits my needs. For some other people, iOS best suits their needs. Their choice has no influence on my life, and I have no interest in "converting" anyone.

I really don't want any part in the Phone Wars. They're about as appealing to me as the Caliber Wars or any other Product X vs Product Y Wars.

My one substantive complaint about the new iPhone is that Apple decided to go with a new, proprietary connector, while all other device manufacturers have converged to a standard. Owners of the new iPhone won't be able to use their old peripherals without first spending money on converters, and will still have to buy iPhone-specific peripherals in the future.

There are plenty of things to have nerd fights about, but I really don't have much care about any other aspects of the iPhone 5. I think that decision was a dick move on Apple's part though, especially considering how far so many manufacturers have gone to accommodate their previous proprietary connection. It's not just that little Timmy will have to purchase a $29 adapter (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD823ZM/A/lightning-to-30-pin-adapter?) to use his old speakers, but so will his mom for her $60,000 luxury vehicle that she purchased a year ago.

They can then choose to carry that adapter with them at all times (thereby paying for only one converter), or buy one for each of their old accessories (thereby eliminating the need to carry extra stuff, but greatly increasing their expense). I'm sure it will also be fun to have an iPod and iPad that use one connection method, but an iPhone that uses another.

In a day and age where the industry has moved away from every single phone model having a proprietary charger and peripheral cable, I find it insulting that Apple has not only stayed on this path, but pushed it further. It also pains me to know that I will have to repeatedly explain this to all of my family members who get the new iPhone 5.

But hey, accessory manufacturers will love it.

They both worked for me, in fact the phone I liked the most was an HTC running a Windows Mobile version or one of my Blackberries. I prefer the iOS but can work with either. I find the iPhone to be the best balance between having cool stuff and getting shit done.




I just wish more people would realize how big of a problem this is, and keep Apple from getting away with it. Standards are far enough from sacred in the world of technology, and large companies skipping them for no substantive reason (sure, it's probably nice to fit audio, power and data in a single connector, but come on) just makes the problem yet worse.
Part of me wishes they would go to mini-USB like everyone else but I have soldered enough replacement connectors for people using phones that have them to not want one. The connectors like to corrode and/or get loose. I have not seen this issue with any iPhones.

[JMS]

I just upgraded to the 4S. Despite repeated attempts by my service to have me wait for the 5.

I had to drop the verbal hammer on my gadget-happy roommate to get him to stop....yammering....on....about it.

"Hey, this is the 5th-gen iPhone, right...?"

"Yeah, it's gonna be SO AWEsome...."

"Coincidentally, I'm 5th-generation don't-give-a-f$%k! It's a phone, not love, Freddy Mercury...."

[Tamara]

I have a deep appreciation for my Android devices, but I don't bother claiming that they're "better." Compared to its competition, Android best suits my needs. For some other people, iOS best suits their needs. Their choice has no influence on my life, and I have no interest in "converting" anyone.

What do you even use the internet for, then?

I mean, wasn't the 'net specifically created so that people could inform everyone else that their choice in {consumer product/political belief/caliber/cosmology} was wrong while their own was right, plus they're all poopieheads?

[orionz06]

What do you even use the internet for, then?

I mean, wasn't the 'net specifically created so that people could inform everyone else that their choice in {consumer product/political belief/caliber/cosmology} was wrong while their own was right, plus they're all poopieheads?

I think he is new here... :cool:

[ford.304]

They both worked for me, in fact the phone I liked the most was an HTC running a Windows Mobile version or one of my Blackberries. I prefer the iOS but can work with either. I find the iPhone to be the best balance between having cool stuff and getting shit done.




Part of me wishes they would go to mini-USB like everyone else but I have soldered enough replacement connectors for people using phones that have them to not want one. The connectors like to corrode and/or get loose. I have not seen this issue with any iPhones.

I don't mind changes when they bring actual improvements. So far the only real improvement I see on the new connector is space compared to the old connector.

If they'd jumped straight to a Thunderbolt port or something with functionality far exceeding USB, I wouldn't complain much. This just seems like a giant hassle for marginal gain.

[orionz06]

There will obviously be some BS with Apple. I won't worry about a connector though. Both of my cars have the current Apple docks, the GTI is a cable though and it is replaceable with other connectors.

[ford.304]

There will obviously be some BS with Apple. I won't worry about a connector though. Both of my cars have the current Apple docks, the GTI is a cable though and it is replaceable with other connectors.

It's also a very good reason to buy a car adapter with a generic stereo input instead of a dock tied to any one manufacturer.

[orionz06]

VW has a generic port built into the car and sells pigtails for whatever connection you need.

[Tamara]

There will obviously be some BS with Apple. I won't worry about a connector though. Both of my cars have the current Apple docks, the GTI is a cable though and it is replaceable with other connectors.

The problem here, of course, is that Apple's product had such market penetration that dozens of companies moved to provide iThingie connectors as standard. Now Apple has unilaterally decided to move the goalposts. There will be backlash.

[bdcheung]

There will be backlash.

From whom?

Accessory manufacturers are going to be rolling in revenue as everyone picks up new Thingies with the lightning connector.

Apple alone is going to make millions on selling $29.00 30pin-to-Lightning adapters.

[Tamara]

From whom?

Generally from anybody who manufactures products with a longer intended service life than the latest generation of iThingy.

For ten years now the iPod connector has been an industry quasi-standard and other manufacturers have reacted accordingly. But if I am, say, Bentley or Ferrari , I'm going to feel a little burned if I've put iPod docks in my quarter-million-dollar-plus 2013 Mulsannes or FFs that are obsolete before the cars hit the showroom floor...

[JAD]

Speaking as a person who knows a little about connectors, I can offer this:
- the original iPod connector is terrible
- apple couldn't make the iPhone thinner until they got rid of it
- there are no standards in the consumer world
- I wish they'd really pushed it and gone MagSafe; it's the best connector design the CE market has produced.

[Tamara]

Speaking as a person who knows a little about connectors, I can offer this:
- the original iPod connector is terrible
- apple couldn't make the iPhone thinner until they got rid of it

Oh, don't get me wrong, the new connector is obviously better. (My 5G iPod Nano won't take a connector and headphone jack at the same time...)

[Byron]

there are no standards in the consumer world
With all due respect, this could not be further from the truth.

The Open Mobile Terminal Platform, GSM Association, CTIA, European Union, CEN-CENELEC, ETSI, and the International Telecommunication Union have all endorsed Micro-USB as the standard, with this particular Memorandum of Understanding (http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/301) as just one example. There are numerous other initiatives (such as the "Universal Charging Solution (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:OMTP_Common_Charging_Solution_components.png)") that all came to the same standard. These various organizations represent handset manufacturers, carriers, and other industry leaders.


Which is the agreed common interface?
On the basis of the Micro USB interface, the companies have agreed to develop a common specification in order to allow for full compatibility and safety of chargers and mobile phones

Ironically enough, Apple did sign that particular MoU that I linked above, despite their noncompliance.

I just don't understand how you could say there is no standard in this realm, unless you've been ignoring mobile devices for the past few years. There's a reason that every new non-Apple device you'll see in a Verizon or AT&T store uses Micro-USB.

[JAD]

I'm sorry, Byron, that was excessively glib. A better way to say it is that standards don't matter as much in CE as they do elsewhere because of the disposability of the product, the short design life of the product, and the relative difficulty of predicting disruptive innovations. MicroUSB, for example, can't keep up with the needs of near future devices (and blows almost as many goats as the iPod hirose design) in several technical dimensions (power delivery and bandwidth let's start with), especially since we don't really know what those needs will be in three years -- which is about how long it takes to get a standards committee to agree on anything. The most predictive thing we can say about standards in CE is that the companies who ignore them (or write and promote their own from a position of strength, like Thunderbolt) tend to be the most successful.

[t1tan]

- I wish they'd really pushed it and gone MagSafe; it's the best connector design the CE market has produced.

That's what I was expecting myself.

[Shellback]

But if I am, say, Bentley or Ferrari , I'm going to feel a little burned if I've put iPod docks in my quarter-million-dollar-plus 2013 Mulsannes or FFs that are obsolete before the cars hit the showroom floor...

If you can afford one of those cars then buying a new iPod with Bluetooth shouldn't break the bank. I'm still rolling the 3G or whatever's it called but I'll be upgrading to the 5 since I cracked my screen the other day and the kiddo's grandparents got the new iPad and want to do "Facetime".

[Tamara]

If you can afford one of those cars then buying a new...

I'm not hatin' on Apple here; I only have a couple dozen of their computers around the house, after all.

I'm just pointing out that if I'd just launched my 2013 Einschleimer Banzodinimobile with an iPod dock in place of a stereo only to find that Apple had unilaterally changed the connector before my car hit the showroom floor, my 2014 model would have a USB or Thunderbolt socket instead of an iPod dock...

[Shellback]

I'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down...

[LOKNLOD]

I'm just pointing out that if I'd just launched my 2013 Einschleimer Banzodinimobile with an iPod dock in place of a stereo only to find that Apple had unilaterally changed the connector before my car hit the showroom floor, my 2014 model would have a USB or Thunderbolt socket instead of an iPod dock...

I think I'd just buy the $29 adapter instead. If it needs to be bespoke, I'll buy a $1029 adapter with some jewels glued affixed to it.

[Suvorov]

I'm still sporting a flip phone that has a PTT (which of course isn't activated). But I'm looking forward to the iPhone 5 release as I will be getting a 4S. Despite it being old technology it will be a massive leap ahead from my flip phone. I am of the opinion that the smart phone is dumbing down the world (or at least the next generation), but in my job on the road, a smart phone is really useful for getting the latest next-rad update prior to pushback or just figuring out the loads for the next commute home. I have to be the only guy at my company with a dumb phone.

[LittleLebowski]

No simultaneous data and voice connections for the iPhone 5 on Sprint or Verizon.

[Jason F]

No simultaneous data and voice connections for the iPhone 5 on Sprint or Verizon.

Yep. Been that way for a while. It's a CDMA vs GSM network issue, not an iPhone issue.

Pretty much the only reason that I'm staying on AT&T ("More bars in less places!") when my iPhone 5 upgrade arrives in the next few weeks. I hate it (I was a long time loyal and happy Sprint customer until I switched to an iPhone 4 years ago), but until Sprint changes something, I just find that I do use data & voice simultaneously too often for it to be a non-issue for me.

Shame too because it'd be cheaper to move my wife & I over to Sprint.

[LOKNLOD]

Yep. Been that way for a while. It's a CDMA vs GSM network issue, not an iPhone issue.


Sorta, it is an issue with the networks but if they had wanted to add an extra (third, I think) antenna they could have made it work.

Sprint and Verizon have crappy coverage around here compared to AT&T plus my company is tied to AT&T so it's admittedly a non-issue for me.

[Jason F]

Sorta, it is an issue with the networks but if they had wanted to add an extra (third, I think) antenna they could have made it work.

Sprint and Verizon have crappy coverage around here compared to AT&T plus my company is tied to AT&T so it's admittedly a non-issue for me.

Well, yeah, I boiled it down really simply to the level I understand. :)

I was thinking about this last night while lying in bed.. wondering why they didn't add a 3rd antenna and just make it a moot point. Wouldn't be needed on the AT&T models, but oh well, it just won't be used. It's not the first time a tech company built something with an unused functionality or part. Seems strange to me, but perhaps Apple looks at it as a cell company problem, not a design issue. Especially now that their customers can choose between multiple carriers.

[Tamara]

I think I'd just buy the $29 adapter instead. If it needs to be bespoke, I'll buy a $1029 adapter with some jewels glued affixed to it.

I'm not talking about the consumer, I'm talking about the car manufacturer. Like Bentley, for example, which just rolled out an option for the 2013 model year that comes with iPod/iPhone docks at each seat and a couple of iPads. How retarded does the Bentley salesman feel when the customer (who I'm SURE has the latest generation of iPhone) comes in and finds their new 2012 iPhone 5 isn't compatible with the built-in docks on the 2013 Bentley

Bentley won't be making THAT mistake again. From now on, you'll get a USB port and you can bring your own dongle.

[JodyH]

you can bring your own dongle.
Phrasing!

[DanH]

I kinda thought they would go to MagSafe as well, since it is a very good idea. In fact, a variation of it is also used on my deep fryer ;p

But MagSafe isn't all that "standard" either, they just changed it not to long ago, I believe. And the reason was also to make the laptops thinner as well.

Personally, I'm just glad they went back to a larger iPod Nano, that little bitty one was just too small for my fat fingers.

[Tamara]

I am of the opinion that the smart phone is dumbing down the world (or at least the next generation)... I have to be the only guy at my company with a dumb phone.

I was a proud Luddite until I got the Android phone last year.

Look, don't look at it as a "Smart Phone": It's a computer in your pocket that also happens to allow you to make phone calls. You can't denounce computers on a computer without risking tearing a hole in spacetime...

[Tamara]

Personally, I'm just glad they went back to a larger iPod Nano, that little bitty one was just too small for my fat fingers.

I'm sticking with my 5th gen Nano. The click wheel is better than the non-tactile touchscreen when you're using the iPod in the car, since you don't have to take your eyes off the road to operate the controls.

[DanH]

That's the same reason my wife likes her iPod shuffle.

[Tamara]

That's the same reason my wife likes her iPod shuffle.

I had a 3rd Gen Nano and wouldn't have upgraded when I did, except they announced that the 6th Gens would have the touchscreen, no video camera, no video playback, et cetera... I waited until right after release day for the 6th Gen and bought a 5th Gen NOS from Apple's online store.