Tag: apple

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iOS 7 beta

As expected iOS 7 was announced at WWDC and as usual, I grabbed the beta as soon as it became available. IOS 7 is supposed to be biggest change since the original iPhone. Indeed there were some big changes:
  1. New Look – the biggest and most discussed change, the “flatter” interface; Skeumorphism is out, simple and modern is in. Reminds me of Android Jelly Bean and Windows Phone 8. Colors are generally flat and simple, icons and text are generally slim and crisp taking full advantage of the Retina display. Generally because the application is not consistent. Looks like the style guide is not yet in place.
  2. Notification Center – updated with today, all notifications, and missed notifications. And no, the today view is not something Google Now innovated :P Still no swipe to dismiss.
  3. Control Center – a pull up tab with quick access to system settings for Airplane Mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb Mode, Orientation Lock, and brightness. It also has the media player controls and shortcuts for some apps (flashlight, clock, calculator, and camera).
  4. Folders – animated unless it’s on the dock. Also folder now have multiple pages just like the home screen.
  5. Multitasking – improved process list with screen preview of process. You can swipe up on the previews to close apps. Supposedly, apps can actually run on the background when the phone is awake.
  6. Settings – fugly icon, new interface that reminds me of Android Jelly Bean
  7. Safari – fugly icon, new interface, smart address/search bar, tabs no longer limited to 8. You can swipe left to close tabs.
  8. Camera – new interface, swipe left and right to choose between video, camera, square (think Instagram complete with filters), and panorama.
  9. Photos – new interface, new filing system (years, collections, moments)
  10. Siri – enhanced capabilities such as adjusting system settings and new data sources
  11. Flickr and Vimeo Intgration – similar to Twitter and Facebook integration.

Overall, I like where iOS is heading. But this beta is the roughest (and most sluggish) one I’ve ever tried. That’s not a good sign.

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Apple Pricing

The 128GB iPad is now available on the Apple Store. And don’t you say “640K 64GB ought to be enough for anybody.” In any case, that’s not what I want to talk about.

ipad128gbpricing

Much has been said about the 128GB iPad but what’s interesting is Apple’s pricing. Every additional $100 get you twice as much memory as the previous model.

This pricing applies not just to iPads but also iPhone and iPods. Some would say you pay more for less with Apple products. But if we just look at the pricing between the models, you pay less for more. Is that good pricing strategy? Yes, it is!

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Apple iPad mini: Make Mine Mini

As expected Apple announced the iPad mini. They also announced the new iPad Gen 4 earlier than expected. This is primarily due to the rapid advance of the competition. Going forward, we can expect such shorter cycles not just from Apple but from its competitors.

But back to the mini. Mini it is. It’s, at first glance, the iPad 2 cut down to size. It’s smaller, thinner, and lighter. The rear camera is better at 5 megapixels. So is the front camera at 1.2 megapixels. But everything else remain the same: processor, memory, networking, even the resolution of 1024×768 (more on this later).

By creating the mini, Apple covers the market for a less expensive table. But even then, it’s positioned at the pricier end signifying that it is and still a premium tablet. It is more expensive than the Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire. This is probably intentionally for the prestige and the bottom line.

On the next cycle, when a new iPad (Gen. 5) will be announced, the iPad 2 will be retired, the Gen. 3 will drop in price and take it’s place. During that cycle (or on the next depending on the LCD panel supply chain), the new iPad mini possibly would have a Retina display.

And by keeping the display at 1024×768 , Apple takes advantage of existing iPad Gen 2 apps. In the future, an iPad mini with Retina display will take advantage of existing iPad Gen 3/4 Retina apps. It avoided (and will avoid) further fragmentation of it’s iOS lineup.

Something that simple demonstrates why Apple is a great company.

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Apple’s Got A Little More To Show You

Apple has sent out press invites to the much anticipated launch of the iPad Mini. Much has been said about Steve Jobs’ criticism of 7-inch tablets. First, the iPad Mini is likely bigger than 7 inches. Second, his criticism is for the, back then, smallish iPad competitors, not for an Apple product.Finally, that was then and this is now. Things change. Personally, I’m very much excited about a smaller iPad. It’s like the difference between a hardbound book and a paperback.

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Apple EarPods: One Less Reason to Get an iPhone 5

Grabbed a pair of EarPods yesterday. They were out of stock in quite a few stores but I finally got lucky.

The EarPods come in a case that acts as a cable wrap and is really pretty and, more importantly, functional. The earphones themselves are just as beautiful. It’s got a curvy organic look. Supposedly it was designed for the human ear. They’re not in-ear headphones but they are shaped in such a way as to deliver the sound directly into the ear canal.

The sound is definitely better compared to the old Apple earphones. The sound is not as tinny as before. Definitely there was an improvement in the mid and low range. The bass is definitely not the thumping, at least in the ear, kind of way but I guess they also had to consider voice.

I’m quite pleased with them. Too bad, because now that I have them, there’s one less reason for getting an iPhone 5 :P