Ok....I'll start it......IPHONE 5?

[scottburrow]

Not a big deal at all. I am hardly ever surfing while talking on the phone. Firstly it is kind of rude haha. Secondly, then you have to go on speakerphone and it's kind of a bigger pain. The only reason I may be surfing is if I am on the line with someone and they need me to look up a phone number or address or something that I can quickly google. If you can't do that, you just say "alright, I'll do that. Call you back in 2 minutes". You kind of have to decide how often you would do that

Good, that makes me feel like it might not be such a big deal then. I feel better. I figured Verizon has to be better with LTE then AT&T.

 

[Stratoblaster]

I joined the 21rst century a couple of weeks ago by getting my first cell/smartphone which is an HTC One X Android tricorder lol...yea the texting/phone is cool and efficient, but I'm way, way more fascinated with the sensors capabilities of the device...accelerometers, GPS, magnometers, compass, gyros, etc. Was playing with some sensor nerd-apps on it and just marveled at the state of current mobile tech. The touchscreens/displays are incredible on any of the new devices.

 

[Sebastian]

Still nothing that would spoil my beloved Nokia N8 for me :razz

 

[6L6C]

Have a IPhone 4 which I like allot!! But there will most likely not be a 5 in my future they blew it for me with the screen (taller but not wider aaahhhhh). So the next phone for me “I think at this point and time” will be a Samsung, my friends Galaxy kicks the crap out of my iPhone and also has a real nice screen that I can read vertical, as well as horizontal.

As long as they force you to use iTunes for everything, I won't buy it.
And I like to decide what to do with my stuff, not let Apple decide it for me.
I like to connect my devices and have them show up in explorer as an external drive, not be forced to use that iToxic thing.
And I refuse to pay too much if I can have something similar for half the price.

I have always had the same complaint.

I won't say windows has ever been trouble free but then again it had to work with a billion combinations of hardware.

Getting ready to build a new machine in the next six months or so and I like picking my own hardware for my needs and save a ton of money. And basically tweak out the machne for what I do. Been around Apples always tempted to get one but they rape you on the hardware, for me personally can’t justify it. A friend of mine went to the Mac store last year to upgrade his ram by 2 gigs they wanted $1000 for that. I was blown away I knew they would get a few dollars more but holy s#@*.

 

[79_limited]

I am still happy with my 3GS and would rather just upgrade to a 4GS since it still uses the same connector. I have a real nice (and expensive) stereo head unit in my car that I just bought last year. The new 5 connector will not integrate!!! Yeah I could buy the adapter but I read that the adapter will not do video out which means I will not be able to use the video (i.e. no GPS) on my head unit screen.

The 5 sounds like a huge step back IMO. Plus I also have several other devices that will no longer integrate with the new connector. Apple says "we had to change the connector to make the device smaller." I call super BS. They could have used the mini USB port that the rest of the world uses. You just did this to keep it more proprietary. Oh well it looks like the 5 will still be a hit because they have already sold out of the preorders.

 

[Jack Napalm]

The micro USB ports only have 5 pins. A lot of functionality would be lost if they went the USB route.

 

[DigitalTube]

This will be cool for the iPhone if latency isn't too bad.. iRig STOMP - Your new mobile rig. Stage Ready. GET FLOORED. - YouTube

 

[Sammetal91]

I will not be buying it. As much as I like some Apple products, I never really liked iPhones. I like the iOS for the ipod touch and all, but I found myself liking Android stuff a lot more. The fact that you can play gameboy and Nintendo games on an Android without any jailbreaking involved is also a nice plus. If I'm gonna buy a new phone (not likely anytime soon), I'm gonna get my hands on that new Galaxy phone.

On a side note as an Apple user, I never really caught onto the whole "upgrade like mofo" thing that people do. I have an early 2010 MBP and a 2nd gen Ipod Touch and they both work like champs so I am not gonna fork any money over. I'm running Snow Leopard still for crying out loud.

 

[tgunn]

The micro USB ports only have 5 pins. A lot of functionality would be lost if they went the USB route.

Can you be more specific? Lots of complex devices use USB, including phones with a comparable feature set to the iphone 5.

 

[luke]

I don't know what I expected from 5, but I'm so underwhelmed I'll stick with my 4 until it dies. I may very well then buy something other than a iPhone for far less money.

 

[Tremonti]

I think I actually might go with the Motorola Razr Maxx HD when it arrives soon. As long as the camera is decent I think it looks like a winner.

Questions about Android:

1) Is there a "cloud" for having pictures transfer automatically when you get home like apple has? Also a "match" for music like apple has?
2) What can I use to transfer ALL my itunes music into and use with an Android phone easy like Itunes?
3) How is the PHONE part of the Android or Motorola phones? They have to work well and not drop calls. My 4s is very good with this.
4) Any downsides to those whom have switched from Apple to Android?

 

[GK2020]

My 'antique' 3GS is on its last legs, and I considered the 5...

... but I cannot believe that the 64GB phone that sells for $399 in the US sells for $999 over here!!!

The dollar is at 1:1 parity between the AUD and USD, and has been for a while. I cannot understand the extortion style pricing. That is a more than 100% premium on the US price. It's JUST like trying to buy musical instruments over here...

I have owned all iPhone models since the first "2G" model (2G, 3G, 3GS, 4 and 4S), but will not be buying the iPhone 5. When I upgrade I give my old phone to my wife and she handles hers to our daugher so it makes sense for me to upgrade often. Seriously, I think it is a good deal for someone moving from a 3GS or older model if you can get it with a contract for $299-$399. For someone who owns the 4S or has to pay much more for an unlocked version, it is simply not good enough to warrant an upgrade (please google "iPhone 10" and look at the images). I have been seriously considering moving to the Galaxy Note 2 as soon as it is released. The more I read about it, the more the move makes sense as I use my phone mostly for emails, internet browsing and listening to music/audiobooks so the large screen will be really cool. I don't really like the "planned obsolescence" approach Apple has been taking with the iPhone. I expect them to be innovating (they have more than enough resources to keep doing so) and not just barely catching up with the competition. Having said that I know they will sell a ton of units anyway.

 

[Tremonti]

I have owned all iPhone models since the first "2G" model (2G, 3G, 3GS, 4 and 4S), but will not be buying the iPhone 5. When I upgrade I give my old phone to my wife and she handles hers to our daugher so it makes sense for me to upgrade often. Seriously, I think it is a good deal for someone moving from a 3GS or older model if you can get it with a contract for $299-$399. For someone who owns the 4S or has to pay much more for an unlocked version, it is simply not good enough to warrant an upgrade (please google "iPhone 10" and look at the images). I have been seriously considering moving to the Galaxy Note 2 as soon as it is released. The more I read about it, the more the move makes sense as I use my phone mostly for emails, internet browsing and listening to music/audiobooks so the large screen will be really cool. I don't really like the "planned obsolescence" approach Apple has been taking with the iPhone. I expect them to be innovating (they have more than enough resources to keep doing so) and not just barely catching up with the competition. Having said that I know they will sell a ton of units anyway.

Apple probably has the iPhone 6 and 7 finished and is "playing" or milking us to get it in increments. While this is a plan that most companies do, I think they hold back too much and increments are too small. I like iPhone's, but I just may try converting to the Razr Maxx HD and give it a go.

 

[iaresee]

I expect them to be innovating

I'm seeing this comment frequently with respect to the iPhone 5. That and "underwhelmed".

What could they have done other than what they did? They made it better in every single aspect than the current 4S. But still, not "innovative" -- so what would have been "innovative"?

(NB: I'm not trying to single you out specifically here as a number of people have said they were underwhelmed by the 5. You just happened to say it most recently. )

 

[AdamCook]

I think the main problem with the iPhone 5 is that it just meets everybody's expectations as opposed to exceeding them.

Steve Jobs always said he didn't care about market research or customer surveys because he wanted to figure out what the customer wanted before the customer knew to ask for it. It's something we try to do here at Fractal. But with the iPhone 5 it feels like most of the enhancements are just giving the customer what they want... as opposed to giving customers things they didn't even know to ask for.

 

[iaresee]

I think the main problem with the iPhone 5 is that it just meets everybody's expectations as opposed to exceeding them.

Steve Jobs always said he didn't care about market research or customer surveys because he wanted to figure out what the customer wanted before the customer knew to ask for it. It's something we try to do here at Fractal. But with the iPhone 5 it feels like most of the enhancements are just giving the customer what they want... as opposed to giving customers things they didn't even know to ask for.

Sure, I get that. But it's a phone. With a screen. I'm not sure you can slice that too many ways any more. We've sort of hit the end of the road on that design paradigm IMO. All the advancements are going to be in software IMO, the hardware side of things is pretty done. What comes next will be delivered via iOS, not via hardware updates.

 

[scottburrow]

I think the main problem with the iPhone 5 is that it just meets everybody's expectations as opposed to exceeding them.

Steve Jobs always said he didn't care about market research or customer surveys because he wanted to figure out what the customer wanted before the customer knew to ask for it. It's something we try to do here at Fractal. But with the iPhone 5 it feels like most of the enhancements are just giving the customer what they want... as opposed to giving customers things they didn't even know to ask for.

Well put Adam, I agree with you 100%.

 

[GK2020]

I'm seeing this comment frequently with respect to the iPhone 5. That and "underwhelmed".

What could they have done other than what they did? They made it better in every single aspect than the current 4S. But still, not "innovative" -- so what would have been "innovative"?

(NB: I'm not trying to single you out specifically here as a number of people have said they were underwhelmed by the 5. You just happened to say it most recently. )

Not feeling "singled out" It is a fair question. When the 4S was about to be released, there were rumors Apple could be planning to incorporate haptic feedback into it. I was expecting them to do so on the iPhone 5 plus adding NFC, a larger 4.3"-4.5" screen and a better camera (12MP). Such an iPhone would have been really cool. Battery life would have suffered though and it would not have been as slim.

 

[iaresee]

Not feeling "singled out" It is a fair question. When the 4S was about to be released, there were rumors Apple could be planning to incorporate haptic feedback into it. I was expecting them to do so on the iPhone 5 plus adding NFC, a larger 4.3"-4.5" screen and a better camera (12MP). Such an iPhone would have been really cool.

The haptic feedback thing is definitely interesting.

NFC is not present in the US so it's not a big surprise Apple took a pass on it. Total chicken-and-egg problem there and it's controlled by some odd partners. Something based around the existing BlueTooth technology would be a better standard IMO. When you've got sell a specific chip to do it, it's going to be a long battle to get it everywhere.

Bigger screen, better camera: meh. Make it too big and people complain. And any resolution you make that camera people will throw up the "but it's not an SLR!" argument. I think they struck a decent balance between size, weight, pixel density and battery life. But then again: I thought the screen size on my current iPhone was plenty fine. It's got to fit in a pocket at the end of the day if it's really going to be a phone. Where iOS wins here is AirPlay mirroring -- any time you want to see it bigger you can, wirelessly and really easily. I'll often "throw things up" on my AppleTV from my iPhone or iPad to see it big sized.

Just my opinions of course.

I think all the differentiation in the next 5 years on the smartphone front will be made in software. The hardware is nice. Battery life could be better for all vendors, but whatever. It'll all come down to software now and both the current Samsung Galaxy platform and the iPhone 5 platform are well-built hardware just waiting for the innovation to come from the software front.

IMO. YMMV. That sort of stuff.

 

[tgunn]

NFC is not present in the US so it's not a big surprise Apple took a pass on it. Total chicken-and-egg problem there and it's controlled by some odd partners.

I think you're right but the Apple that came out with the iphone was a company that made things happen. They didn't wait.
If every iphone had NFC, then I'm sure that would make it very appealing (not to mention 'cool') for everyone else to start adopting it. Apple could've been the "pioneer" in a sense, or perhaps rather the make-it-happen-er as it actually was with this new wave of smart phones.