It's Not an iPhone 5, But So What?

(Reuters Photo/Robert Galbraith)
thejakartaglobe.com

To some people, Apple's new iPhone 4S is not the overhaul they had been hoping for. Its model number, which does not include a "5," stinks of the status quo.Sure, the 4S does not render the iPhone 4 obsolete, and on the surface they are almost identical. But with a faster processor, new software, a voice-activated personal assistant and a souped-up camera, it is a major improvement. 

The 4S requires a two-year service contract with Verizon Wireless, Sprint or AT&T.If you have an iPhone 4, you may want to hold on to it for now. But if you are sporting an older model such as the 3GS or are considering making the leap to an iPhone from another type of handset, it is an excellent excuse to buy one.
The coolest new feature on the 4S is Siri, a software-based personal assistant who responds to your voice in a somewhat robotic, yet soothing female tone.Siri can do all sorts of things, from setting your alarm clock to finding a good local sushi joint to playing DJ with your music. She cannot bring up websites, but she can search the Web for pretty much anything.Once you let her know who you are and where you live, she can even do complex tasks such as reminding you to call your boyfriend when you get home, helped by the phone's location technologies such as GPS. She can understand conversational English, which is great because I was able to speak as I normally would (though I did have to enunciate well). This means you can say things like, "what's happening today?" or "what's going on today?" and she will let you know what's on your calendar.She also is a dictation dynamo, transcribing emails and texts much better than a phone running Google Inc.'s Android software. It would be awesome if she could intelligently insert punctuation marks, but she does get them if you tell her "period" or "exclamation point."For a particularly difficult test, I read a random paragraph from a copy of "The New Yorker" to the 4S and to an Android smartphone. Siri did not get all the words correct, but she overwhelmingly beat the competition.

Beyond Siri, I was happy to see a better camera on the 4S, which has an 8-megapixel lens compared with 5 megapixels on the iPhone 4. My shots had sharper details as a result. The new camera also can take pictures faster, and a new lens gathers more light so pictures shot in dim lighting look better.The addition of a camera icon on the phone's lock screen makes it easier to start snapping. Just double tap on the "home" button when the phone is asleep to bring up the icon, and tap that to open the camera. Also, there finally is a physical camera button on the iPhone as the 4S's volume-up button does double duty.

The iPhone 4S has the latest version of Apple's mobile software, iOS 5, which seems geared toward making the phone even easier to use.One of the best additions to iOS 5 is iMessage, which lets you send texts, photos or videos to other Apple devices over Wi-Fi or your wireless carrier's data network. That makes it easier to send texts to iPads and other devices that are not phones. It also saves you texts, if you are not on an unlimited text plan.With the iOS 5 upgrade, swiping the top of the screen now brings up a handy notification page, which shows you things such as appointments, reminders, weather and stock quotes.IOS 5 also gets points for allowing you to step away from your computer: You can set up your iPhone and receive software updates on the device itself, without plugging it in.In addition, it includes Apple's new iCloud content-syncing software, which can store your content online and push it wirelessly to your devices. If you buy lots of digital content from Apple, you will like how it can automatically add songs, apps and e-books from Apple's iBookstore to all your iCloud-connected devices. Unfortunately, it does not do this with TV shows or movies, so you will have to go into iTunes on the device to download them or sync the content from a computer.The iPhone 4S's performance is noticeably bumped up by a new dual-core A5 chip, which is the same processor in the latest iPad. With this chip, the phone can process graphics and complete other tasks much faster. Web pages, especially graphics-heavy ones, loaded faster than they do on the iPhone 4.If you have an iPhone but don't want to trade up to the 4S, you are not entirely left out: iOS 5, which includes iCloud, will be available Wednesday as a free update for the iPhone 4 and 3GS, both iPad models and later versions of the iPod Touch.If you don't have an iPhone, however, the 4S is a great one to get, even if its name doesn't include a "5".

Source: base on article of thejakartaglobe.com

Watch Out! iPhone HTC's New Android Smartphone has a Killer Feature:3-D

Now in 3-D:

HTC EVO 3D 4G Android Phone (Sprint)  

Tackles the Next Dimension

Getting bored with your BlackBerry? Perhaps it’s time to check out the HTC EVO 3D 4G Android Phone (Sprint), the latest smartphone from Taiwanese mobile phone producer HTC.

Officially released in Indonesia two weeks ago, the Evo 3D is an upgrade of the popular HTC EVO 4G. The new version runs on the latest Android operating system, the Android Gingerbread, and with all of its features, it seems like a serious competitor to Apple’s iPhone.

Although many Indonesians are not familiar with the brand, HTC has made a name for itself in the past few years with its competitive mobile phones.

The company is a member of the Open Handset Alliance, a group of phone manufacturers dedicated to the development of Android mobile device platforms, and its HTC Dream smartphone, released in 2008, was the first phone in the market to run on Android.

Agus Sugiharto, the country manager of HTC Indonesia, said the Evo 3D was the answer to a growing demand for sophisticated smartphones, offering an attractive design and the latest, most advanced features.

“Evo 3D can do it all,” he said.

At first glance, Evo 3D looks like any other smartphone in the market. With an easy-to-grip, textured pattern, it weighs about 170 grams and includes an 11-centimeter qHD touchscreen. Its main buttons (home, menu, back and search) are protected by Gorilla Glass, a thin, sheet-glass material that is scratch-resistant and extremely durable.

But the Evo 3D also brings something new to the table: 3-D technology that essentially works like 3-D television. HTC claims the smartphone’s five-megapixel camera is able to record and play both 2-D and 3-D movies, as well as 2-D and 3-D photographs. Better still, smartphone users can enjoy this 3-D experience without wearing special glasses.

Agus said the phone’s 3-D features can help people in everyday life. For example, real estate agents can easily create a 3-D virtual tour for their clients.

In addition to its 3-D camera, the Evo 3D is equipped with another 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, which was designed for video chat.
According to Agus, the Evo 3D is more advanced than other devices in the market.

“We broke the innovation boundaries with this smartphone,” he said.

HTC says Evo 3D users can easily share their high-quality photographs and videos on Facebook or YouTube. The phone is able to interface with other devices such as digital cameras, printers and televisions.

The smartphone also promises an efficient multitasking experience with its dual-core processor, the 1.2-gigahertz Qualcomm Snapdragon. Since it has an Android operating system, users can access more than 200,000 mobile applications in the Android Market.

But the Evo 3D has its drawbacks. Even with an its improved qHD screen, tech reviewers say the phone’s display performance lags behind that of its competitors.

Its battery also loses power in less than 14 hours, even without heavy usage; the 3-D photography feature seems to be the biggest cause of the drain.

According to ABI Research, a US technology market research company, the Evo 3D will be a trendsetter in the mobile phone industry with its 3-D user content, viewing capabilities and games.

The Evo 3D comes with some exciting new features and its 3-D technology may set some trends, but it’s still too soon to say whether HTC’s new product can defeat the iPhone and other popular mobile devices in the market.

Article Source: Thejakartaglobe.com

iPad Still Favorite in Indonesia, But Many Rivals Lurk

Mandarin teacher Kendy Tanujaya says his decision to purchase an iPad over other tablet computers was a no-brainer.

“I already had other Apple products, so that made synchronizing them easy,” the 26-year-old told the Jakarta Globe. “I also use the gadgets to help me teach.”

For Cissylia, a 21-year-old student and model, it was more a question of brand appeal.

“It’s made by Apple, so you know it’s bound to be better than the other tablets,” she says.

That might have been true in early 2010, when Apple’s iPad was the only game in town. But with tablets running on Google’s Android operating system now accounting for 30 percent — and rising — of global market share, consumers are flush with choices.

Apple dominates with 61 percent of market share worldwide, although exact figures for Indonesia are not available because of the proliferation of gray-market iPads — devices that were imported into the country well before their local release date.

For the Indonesian market, the real boon will be the host of lower-priced Android tablets made by Asian manufacturers such as Samsung and Acer, says technology blogger Wicaksono.

“I think the focus in the Indonesian market will be price,” he said.

“As long as people can afford it, they’ll buy it. So I think the cheaper the tablet, the better.”

That puts devices such as Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1, widely considered the closest rival to the iPad, in an enviable position. A 16GB Galaxy retails for Rp 5.85 million ($684), while a similarly equipped iPad 2 — with both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity — sells for Rp 6.5 million. Mid-market tablets like the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101 and Acer Iconia Tab A500 are priced from Rp 4 million to Rp 5 million.

Other than the price, Wicaksono said, consumers base their buying decisions on how they plan to use their tablets and the features available.

Lucky Sebastian, a smartphone enthusiast in Bandung who created the 9,000-member gadget community mailing list Gadtorade (Gadget to Trade) in 2001, agrees Apple’s premium price will hurt it in the Indonesian market.

He says another area where Android tablets can grab market share is the nascent market for smart phone-sized tablets. With screens no larger than 18 centimeters, these devices present a handier alternative for mobile users than 25-centimeter devices such as the iPad and Galaxy Tab.

“At present, there are almost as many Android users in Indonesia as there are iPad users,” Lucky said. Among the latter, he adds, the decision to go for an iPad is often not carefully considered or is simply in response to current trends.

“People tend to buy the most expensive gadgets without considering whether it meets their actual needs,” he said.

“Indonesians think that the more expensive something is, the better it must be. You also have people who buy it because they see other people getting them, and so it becomes a must-have item.”

From his own experience, Lucky said four out of five iPad users do not know how to install apps or transfer music, pictures or other documents to their devices after buying them. They have to rely on sales staff to walk them through the process.

But he acknowledged the appeal of the iPad’s design and build, as well as its ease of use.

“It’s phenomenal — it’s made well and marketed well, and Apple has done very well getting people to want their products,” he said.

So given the array of choices, what should consumers go for? That depends on how they plan to use the device, Lucky said.

For entertainment purposes, he adds, the iPad is the best choice, with half of the more-than-300,000 apps available for it centered on gaming and entertainment.

But for work purposes, Android devices such as the ASUS Eee Pad are more appropriate, given their seamless integration with Google’s suite of services, including Google Docs, and inclusion of a memory card reader for easy data transfer.

Devices like the Eee Pad and the Motorola Xoom also come with optional docking stations that allow users to type on a physical keyboard, as well as USB ports that allow them to connect a variety of devices.

Android’s open-source nature, combined with the fact that tablets running it come in a wide variety of specifications, make these devices more customizable than iPads.

Ultimately, Wicaksono said, both platforms have their advantages and disadvantages and it will be up to the individual user to make the decision that is right for them.

iPad or iPhone 4 - Choice is Yours!

Not so long ago Apple re-invented what we perceive as a mobile phone withits first iteration of the iPhone. And three years later, it decided to try anddo it again with the iPad, which sets out to fill the – apparent – void betweenphones and netbooks.But how do the new iPhone 4 and the iPad weigh up against one another asproducts?

Granted, in an ideal world we’d have both, but as we all know the world isvery much far from ideal. So, within this context, we pit the two devicesagainst one another to see which is worth your hard-earned cash.

Screen
Obviously, the iPad, at 9.7-inches, is significantly larger than the3.5-inch iPhone 4 – this is a given. Another given is that both are designedfor different purposes. But, on the whole, when you look at the actual coreaspects of the screen, such as pixels, there isn’t that much in it – eventhough the iPad is much bigger.
For example, the iPad has a screen resolution of 1024 x 768, which is,indeed, very impressive and because of its size it’s obviously better suitedfor watching films on than the smaller iPhone 4.
Nevertheless, the iPhone 4 packs an impressive 960 x 640 pixels into its3.5-inch screen, which, when you consider the size difference, is pretty damngood.
So with this in mind we’d say the iPad if you were more inclined to bewatching a lot of films and videos and the iPhone 4 for a more general allround performer.
Verdict: The iPad is a lot bigger and, therefore, better in some respects,for viewing videos and films – but that’s about it.

Storage
Storage has always been a thorn in Apple’s side and its products, bar theold-school iPods, never seem to have enough storage. And with the iPad andiPhone 4 not much changed.
The iPad comes with three storage options: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.
The iPhone 4, on the other hand, comes with two: 16GB and 32GB.
Overall, we expected more from both – 60 to 80GB at least – and were alittle disappointed with the announcement that the most you’d be able to getacross both was 64GB on the iPad.
You can understand the iPhone 4’s rather limited storage, but the amountavailable on the iPad is practically criminal – 64GB? And, this is meant to beenough room for apps, videos, music, pictures and games? We think not. Sorry,Apple.
Verdict: Obviously, the iPad has more, but we’d have liked a lot more –especially when you consider the difference in size. In this context, then,we’d say the iPhone 4 is better value than the iPad simply because it issmaller and serves its – storage – responsibilities better as a product.

CPU and Processor
Both the iPhone 4 and the iPad use Apple’s 1GHz A4 chipset, so there’s notmuch difference here then. However, the iPhone 4 has twice as much RAM as theiPad at 512MB, which means performing operations and running applications willbe a significantly smoother process on the iPhone 4.
Many may find this shocking and, to be perfectly honest, so do we – whydoesn’t the iPad have the same, or more, RAM than the iPhone 4?
Verdict: The iPhone 4, every time.

Connectivity
In terms of connectivity – providing you get the 3G enabled iPad – it’s apretty even playing field with both devices packing in all the connectivityyou’d expect (Wi-Fi, EDGE, HSDPA, GPRS and A-GPS) from an Apple product.
That said, you will have to pay extra for the 3G-enablment on the iPad and,while you will pay for data on an iPhone 4, it’s hardly the same thing –everybody, after all, is used to forking out £30 a month and getting calls,data and texts.
Unfortunately, it isn’t the same on the iPad and if you have a smartphone aswell, you’ll be paying another data fee on top of your phones – plus, there’sno tethering allowed on the iPad.
Verdict: Again, in terms of value, the iPhone 4 gets our vote – it has morefunctionality as a device and its data allowance is usually included within acontract tariff of Pre-Pay scheme – why the hell would you want another?

Camera
This is a real simple one: the iPhone 4 has two cameras, one a front-facingVGA (640 x 48 pixel) camera and a 5-megapixel (2592 x 1944 pixel) camera roundthe back.
The iPad, on the other hand, has none.
You’d think Apple would have included at least a front-facing camera on theiPad for things like Skype or calling iPhone 4 users with FaceTime – but itdoesn’t, and, for this reason, we think Apple has really missed a trick here.
Verdict: iPhone 4

Design
The new iPhone is composed of glass and metal and, if you’ve seen the promoshots, you’ll know it really looks the part and is a clear progression from thenow old-school iPhone 3G and 3GS’ of the world.
We also really like the sound of the improvements Apple has made to thecamera, as well as the inclusion of a front-facing VGA one too. All in all, wereally like the look of the new iPhone 4 – it’s smart, stylish and has all thefinishing we’d hoped for.
Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the iPad, which, if we’rehonest, does look a little bit like a massive iPhone 3G. Don’t get us wrong, wedo really like the device, but we’re not convinced it’s the best –aesthetically speaking – that Apple could do.
Who knows, maybe Apple will pull out all the stops on the next iPad? Butuntil then we have to say the iPhone 4 is both a superior product and also amuch better looking one – plus, it has a hell of a lot more features than theiPad.
Verdict: iPhone 4

Conclusion
In our opinion, if you have the best part of £500 to spend and you’re tornbetween the iPhone 4 and the iPad, there’s only one real choice – and that isthe iPhone 4.
However, you could also just get both – but not many people will fall intothis category, unfortunately, except of course Stephen Fry.
The iPad is a brilliant device, but it lacks some features that we’d reallyexpected – plus, you can’t expand the storage and there’s no camera ortethering.
The iPhone 4 on the other hand, which doesn’t have amazing storage, doeshave a lot of additional features that make up for it – plus, you can call andtext people from it and keep all your mobile data tariffs under one roof,because if you get an iPad, you’ll have to fork out for a new one – and to us,this seems a bit unnecessary and could have been avoided had Apple allowedtethering between the iPhone and the iPad.

by Richard Goodwin
Source : www.knowyourmobile.com