Tag Archives: Apple

Mobile Operating Systems, Technology

iPhone 5, why it isn’t that great

Apple, a company known for making beautiful looking and innovative products are equally known for entrapping customers in their ecosystem and releasing incremental upgrades that you “have” to buy.  The iPhone 5 is exactly that, an incremental upgrade that honestly is not that great.  Why?

Let’s start off by getting the facts out of the way.  Apple has the largest app collection on the planet, top-tier developer support, recurring users and devices that look like they should be walking down the runway.  On the other hand, with all of these facts that they can tout; they still do not have the highest global market-share like Google’s Android.  When Apple releases a product things are greater than “big”, they are gargantuan.  The press loses its mind, there is leak after leak and fan-boys worldwide almost pass out as the new device is unveiled.  However, things just were not the same with this release.  Apple not only released this update to the phone because the iPhone 4S had been out for a year, but because they had to play catch up with the market leader.  To prove a point, these are a few of the upgrades to the iPhone:

  • 4G
  • 4 inch screen
  • Faster Wi-Fi
  • Thinner
  • Battery improvements
  • Call screen options (such as: send a text to the caller letting them know you are in a meeting etc.)
  • Panoramic photos
  • Can captures pictures will recording video

Now, with these “upgrades” in line, let’s debunk them.  4G LTE is a technology that practically every high-end device released in the last year and a half has taken advantage of, the iPhone should have included it in the 4 or 4S, but it did not.  As usual, the company forced it’s customers to wait on a technology that, at the time, was already advanced enough to go into their phone.  The part that is even worse is that the buyers of the phone accepted it; which I will never understand.  The iPhone has had the same size screen since it’s “revolutionary” debut in 2007.  Why?  The screen size of 3.5 inches should’ve been discarded with the iPhone 4 iteration, imagine if they debuted their retina display on a 4″ or 4.5″ display — that would’ve been truly resolutionary.  Honestly.

The rest of the list of “upgrades” are things that older phones have had for a while.  On the other hand, when Apple releases these same features they are treated as if they are brand new and unbelievable. Whether you love the iPhone or not, it is hard to say that these additions weren’t a long time coming.

Bottom line:  I watched the keynote, not to climb on an anti-Apple perch; but, to honestly hope to see something great and new.   I saw something good, the iPhone 5 is a beautiful looking device, perhaps the best design on the market.  But when you pair a list of improvements that aren’t new with the same stale OS from 2007 – it just isn’t that great; but Tim Cook had the audacity to say, “It is the biggest thing to happen to the iPhone since the iPhone.”

Technology

Motorola to sue Apple

Within the past two years Apple has tried to sue virtually any Android manufacturer that they saw as a threat. Apparently, competition isn’t a belief that Steve Jobs founded his multi-billion dollar behemoth of a company on.

Now, a big name has stepped up to the plate against Cupertino and this means war.  Could we use Motorola and Google interchangeably here?  Possibly.  However, Motorola is still its own entity that operates under Google.  Motorola is a wireless patent goldmine.  Although, Motorola may not own the “illustrious” slide to unlock or pinch to zoom, let’s round up a patent that they believe Apple is infringing upon. For example, Apple devices can sync data between themselves, such as bookmarks, messages, and more. Motorola is big on wireless technologies — not shapes and looks. These are standards that have been set across an industry. Some can even argue that they actually matter more.

I sure do.

Bottom line:. Motorola suing Apple sounds like the perfect idea for a company that wants to sue everyone else out of the marketplace. I call it their just desserts.

Mobile Operating Systems, Technology

Samsung Vs Apple; Why?

Recently, Apple has been more cutthroat in it’s ongoing battle against the Android ecosystem.  Although Apple has never filed an injunction against Google itself, primarily because of the fact that it would lose, it constantly engages OEMs that use the Android operating system on its devices.

No matter who wins this pathetic lawsuit (if anyone wins) the true losers are clear: US.  The consumers will lose because there will be less choice on the marketplace, which is exactly what Apple wants.  Samsung has taken the smartphone market by storm and has really shown the Android world that Samsung is the way to go.  However, although Apple has substantially better margins on the products that it produces it still wants to go after a company who is creating a product that is in the same marketplace as their own.  True technologists believe in competition; it is a shame that Apple is playing the victim when they have dominated for so long.

This entire case centers around the thought that Samsung copied Apple.  Remember this is the same company that told you you were holding your iPhone 4 incorrectly when you lost signal.  This company cannot admit when they are wrong and defeated.  Documents tied to Apple reportedly have the company making the statement, “Apple has identified dozens of examples where Android is using or encouraging others to use Apple patented technology.”  However, Samsung and other key Android OEMs has went to great lengths to differentiate their products to ensure that they do not infringe on any of Apple’s useless patents.  For example, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus was temporarily banned because of a silly patent injunction.  It truly seems that Apple wants to try any underhanded scheme they can to take competition out of the market.  Honestly, at this point Google should step in.

One word: Pathetic.

Bottom line:  For a “computer” company, you would think that they could make money in many ways; however, the savior of Apple is iOS.  Steve Jobs left a selfish attitude at the company; however, Tim Cook doesn’t view the company exactly as his predecessor did.  So, we will see how future trials, if any, turn out.

Mobile Operating Systems, Technology

Apple and WWDC; New and Borrowed…

iOS 6 is it revolutionary?  Are the new MacBook refreshes making you jump for joy?  Or are our friends in Cupertino piecing together parts from another mobile operating system and making everything over simplified to try to attract customers?

  • MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines have finally been refreshed; in addition the new MacBook Pro with retina display does NOT even include an optical drive; but, you cannot discern the pixels
  • iOS 6 (200 new features reported) adds adds a Maps application, better Siri integration (launch apps, more language support, iPad support), Facebook integration, Reply with message for phone calls and more.

Bottom line:  Are you wowed by the announcements that Apple made?  Or are these “improvements” not so new and overpriced?  You be the judge.

Technology

Foxconn turnaround?

When you think of factories what comes to mind?  Surely not over worked and under-compensated workers, right?  Most of us know that employees of factories work hard; however, in most circumstances the hours are fair, at the least.  On the other hand, this is untrue of Foxconn, an electronics manufacturing company that has its headquarters in Taiwan.  They have been involved in several controversies regarding treatment of their employees and now Apple is stepping in.

Tim Cook has paid a visit to the Apple supply chain and brought along the Fair Labor Association to audit work conditions.  However, Apple Inc. is not the only company that has electronics manufactured here, they are joined by Acer, Amazon, Cisco, Dell, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola Mobility, Nintendo, Nokia, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, and Vizio.

Employees deal with a lot of mistreatment such as:

  • Living in crowded dorms
  • 50+ hour work weeks
  • Unfair compensation for overtime; Read more [HERE]

Bottom line:  For a true difference to be made all of the above companies need to band together and show Foxconn that the people producing their products deserve to be treated with respect.