Posts Tagged ‘iphone’
My Monkey – Griffin KaZoo iPhone Case
It’s whimsical. It’s cute. It’s usable. It’s protective. This is my everyday iPhone 5 cover. It is by far one of the best cases that I’ve used. I started using it because my iPhone looked just like my husband’s Razr phone and we kept getting them mixed up. With the monkey, there is no confusion. There is no way he will pick up my phone by mistake.
I love the way the monkey makes me smile. It also makes others smile, as well, especially when I am taking pictures with my iPhone.
The case is made from a thick silicone material and all the controls are covered — one of his ears is the volume control. Dropping the phone is not much of a worry when the monkey is on. The only caveat is that the rubberized material makes it difficult to slide it into a pocket.
If that doesn’t bother you, get yourself a KaZoo and it is sure to make you smile! You can also get a blue elephant and similar cases for the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch.
Manufacturer: Griffin Technologies
Retail: $24.95
Apple’s iOS 5 Goes Live – How to Update
If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that you would like to upgrade to IOS 5, you can do it now. Apple made the upgrade available about 1 pm (eastern) today.
Upgrading is easy. You can make it even easier by doing two preliminary preparations:
1. Download iTunes 10.5. This version just became available last night, so you probably don’t have it yet. To get it, start iTunes, click on the About menu option, and click on Check for Updates. Then follow the on-screen directions to complete the update.
2. Update all of your applications.
Once that is done, you can proceed to the iOS 5 update:
1. Plug your iPhone (3GS or 4), iPad (original or iPad 2), or iPod touch (3rd or 4th generation) into your computer with the USB cord.
2. If iTunes doesn’t open automatically, launch it by clicking on the iTunes icon.
3. On the left side of the iTunes windows, find your device, for example, “Sandy’s iPad,” and click it.
4. Click on the button that says “Update.” Then follow the on-screen directions.
The New iPhone — 4S
It’s not the iPhone 5, as much of the media has expected. Instead it will be called the iPhone 4S. The case and the screen will be basically the same. It will have a faster processor, faster graphics, better battery life, better camera with 1080p video, and a better antenna system. It will also be a world phone, so you can use it for traveling overseas.
All of these features are already available in a variety of Android phones. The 4S will only have 3G capabilities. It won’t take advantage of the new 4G cellular network that makes data transfers faster. Many Android phones already have 4G capability.
It looks like where the iPhone 4S will trump the Android operating system is in it’s addition of verbal commands. You will be able to ask the 4S every day questions and have it answer you. Also, Apple has included a complete overhaul of their iOS operating system. So the software on this iPhone is bound to be better and have new features.
I think the fact that Apple called it the iPhone 4S instead of the iPhone 5 says a lot. Instead of being an entirely new revision of hardware and software, it is only incrementally better. That doesn’t mean that it won’t be a great smart phone. It is sure to sell extremely well, but unless the new operating system is truly more spectacular than the Android operating system, I won’t be in a hurry to buy one.
iPhone 4 Review
There was a backlog of Verizon customers waiting for the iPhone 4 and now it is here. I took a look at the Verizon version and I liked what I saw.
The iPhone 4 is a design dream. It is small and sleek, yet very durable. The phone has everything that you have come to expect from a smart phone including two great cameras and a very responsive screen. And the Apps — oh the Apps. There are hundreds of thousands of Apps to choose from and many are free. Whether you want to use your phone to play games, get organized, or read books, there is an App for you.
The Verizon iPhone is very similar to the AT&T iPhone with only a few small differences. The one thing that you should remember is that if you buy an iPhone from Verizon, it will won’t only on the Verizon network and won’t be useable on the AT&T network.
Also, remember that the iPhone 5 will be available pretty soon. iPhones are traditionally released every year in July. This year’s release may be a bit delayed, but a few months is not too long to wait to see what Apple has in store for its next version.
Summary
With the best industrial design of any smartphone, an amazing Retina display, a great camera, and useful updates to the operating system, the iPhone 4 is working hard to stay on top of the fray. Yet, others are moving ahead with fresher operating systems, dual processors, and 4G and NFR support. Although iOS is useable, the Android and Windows 7 Phone operating systems have moved ahead with the use of widgets, improved notifications, and customization options.
While the AT&T iPhone offers better world-wide support, the Verizon performance was better in the areas of the US where we tested. AT&T also offers the ability to access voice and data simultaneously, but Verizon’s hot-spot feature seems better implemented.
Apple’s iPhone started a revolution in smart phones with everyone wanting one. Now, however, the competition has finally caught up with Apple. Even though the iPhone operating system has gotten a little old, the design of this phone is so good that if you buy one, you probably won’t care about that at all. All-in-all, this smartphone has some wonderful features and although it has some weak points, it won’t disappoint.
The Good
- Fantastic screen
- Very good rear-facing camera
- Excellent design
- Sturdy & stylish
- Dual cameras
- Very good accessibility options
- AirPlay & AirPrint
- Good noise-canceling microphone
The Bad
- No user-replaceable battery
- Non-expandable memory
- Can’t do voice & data simultaneously
- No 4G
- No NFR
- iOS need updating
My full review with pictures can be found at Hardware Secrets.