Iphone 5C and 5S

Upstatemax

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Seems like wallstreet didn't think much of apple yesterday.

A company can get itself in a lot of trouble pandering to Wall St...

Wall St is pissed that it does not have a ton a fancy bull crap features, consumers on the other hand are happy to buy a phone that just works.

Almost every Android phone I've ever used was a POS. Loaded in crap I don't want and CAN'T get rid of... Phone WOULD NOT let me delete certain "fluff" apps like FB. They ran slow and were crazy buggy. The best part, after about 8 months they would all be broken or would need to be reset every 45 minutes.

My 4s is nearly two years old without a single issue. Hell, it was even dropped in a pool and it still works perfectly fine!

I will be upgrading to the 5s once it comes out. I find with Apple products it's generally best to skip one product upgrade for it to be really worth it.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Syndil wrote: »

When Apple does finally realize that I'm right and puts a rubberized surface on their phone (and includes induction charging along with it), I'm serving up a big "I told you so," followed by "Palm did it first," and a link to this thread.

It's coming.

And of course everyone will praise Apple for the innovation. :rolleyes:

The point you're missing is that YOU'RE the only one who wants that, I highly doubt Apple is going to design a phone just for YOU, especially because since it's Apple you'd find a way to bash it anyway. Again, if everyone else cared about that stuff then we'd all be walking around with Palm phones, or other companies would be making phones with those features. It's not just Apple, NOBODY is making premium phones coated in rubber, because nobody cares. While it's technically possible that you're right and EVERYBODY else is wrong, it's much more likely that all these engineers and designers working for all these companies actually know what they're doing.

I personally don't want a rubber phone, I'd rather have a phone made of metal (iPhone or HTC One) and then have the option of putting a rubber case on if I want. I can easily go from a metal phone to a rubber case, can't really go the other way around so I like things the way they stand now. I carry my iPhone naked most of the time, but when camping or outdoors I throw it in an Otterbox case.

I would like to see inductive charging though, and I think most people would agree with you there. I'm not an engineer, but I have to assume that there are some technical challenges to overcome with inductive charging that companies have not completely figured out yet, because really the vast majority of your top tier phones (Galaxy S4, iPhone, HTC One, etc etc) don't have it. I"m not saying they don't have the ability to figure it out, but I have to trust the guys designing these things and I assume there are trade-offs that most companies aren't comfortable with. I doubt they're keeping this from us just to be mean.

Also, your blind hatred of Apple is fine, but it is distorting your view of the world. You seem to have this view where Apple gets over the top praise for everything they do (you've mentioned it twice already in this thread and in several others), when in fact the opposite is true. If anything, people are overly critical of Apple, and their stock price over the last year is proof of that (pretty much everything I've seen indicates that their stock should be trading way above what it is now). When you're at or near the top you tend to have a target painted on your back and can't do anything right, the same has been the case with Apple for some time now. Of course you have the fanboys who think they can do no wrong, but the market is not run by fanboys and the market reaction does not jive with your interpretation of events.

EndersShadow

Eh, after all the oohh and ahh's, there really isnt anything there that I is a killer feature. I have the old 4 and honestly at this point I am debating hard switching to a Android device. Apple IMHO has stopped innovating as much as just waiting for someone to add a new features, then if its something folks want, they incorporate it a year or so later and just try to do it better. I am tired of their once a year release of a phone with maybe one or two new features that they should have put in the previous model but didnt and held off on them so they could put them in the next years model.

I see nothing super new about the 5s or 5c that the Android phones havent had or tried already. I do totally understand attempting to lower the price of the iPhone (5c) in order to open up new markets so that model at least makes sense from that perspective.

I like the option of Siri to setup reminders & calendar entries for myself (I am pretty forgetful), being able to use Siri to send text messages, and I wish I had turn by turn navigation w/ voiceover. But again I dont see much in the 5s or 5c that would make me get it over just the 5.

That said I am debating the Galaxy S4 or the HTC One along with maybe a iPhone 5 if I decide to upgrade. Plus lets be honest..... they really need to make the iPhone waterproof or water resistant like some of the newer Samsungs. That would be one thing I would like to see so I dont have to buy another lifeproof case for my 5 if I decide to go that route.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Enders, a couple things:

First, on the Android side I really like the HTC One, have one of those myself and it's a very well built phone and I love BlinkFeed and the camera performance in low light is very good, and I'm partial to a more industrial design and the metal on the One.

Second, nobody is really innovating right now, the Android guys included. They're all adding new features, but none are more or less 'innovative' than those on the iPhone, they're just different. Even though I'm an iPhone user, I don't think its 'better' than they top tier Android phones (Galaxy S4, HTC One, LG G2, etc). With these phones it all comes down to what mix of features works the best for you. For me on the iPhone, it's the way it integrates with the rest of my gear, the apps that I use, iCLoud, the camera quality and finally the design of the phone that draw me in. It's not any single one of those, it's the combination of all of them.

Finally, I believe that the phones by Samsung that are waterproof are middle tier phones. That may have changed, but last I checked that was the case.

Syndil

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

The point you're missing is that YOU'RE the only one who wants that, I highly doubt Apple is going to design a phone just for YOU, especially because since it's Apple you'd find a way to bash it anyway. Again, if everyone else cared about that stuff then we'd all be walking around with Palm phones, or other companies would be making phones with those features. It's not just Apple, NOBODY is making premium phones coated in rubber, because nobody cares. While it's technically possible that you're right and EVERYBODY else is wrong, it's much more likely that all these engineers and designers working for all these companies actually know what they're doing.

I personally don't want a rubber phone, I'd rather have a phone made of metal (iPhone or HTC One) and then have the option of putting a rubber case on if I want. I can easily go from a metal phone to a rubber case, can't really go the other way around so I like things the way they stand now. I carry my iPhone naked most of the time, but when camping or outdoors I throw it in an Otterbox case.

I would like to see inductive charging though, and I think most people would agree with you there. I'm not an engineer, but I have to assume that there are some technical challenges to overcome with inductive charging that companies have not completely figured out yet, because really the vast majority of your top tier phones (Galaxy S4, iPhone, HTC One, etc etc) don't have it. I"m not saying they don't have the ability to figure it out, but I have to trust the guys designing these things and I assume there are trade-offs that most companies aren't comfortable with. I doubt they're keeping this from us just to be mean.

True, I did word that improperly. They won't make it because it's something I want, they will make it because it's what the market wants. The market just doesn't know it yet, because the majority of the market has not experienced it yet, via Palm.

But if you do want induction charging, you can't have a metal case. All of Palm's WebOS products--including the Pixi, Veer, Pre, and TouchPad--had built-in induction charging. Some of them had shiny plastic cases (which I did not like) and others had rubberized plastic, such as on the Pixi and the super rare TouchPad Go, which was a 7" version of the TouchPad. So clearly, the Palm engineers had inductive charging down. My TouchPad is sitting on its inductive charger right now.

So if induction charging is important, it's really a simple process of elimination to arrive at a rubberized case from there. It can't be metal, so which would you prefer, shiny hard plastic or rubberized plastic? Most people who have had a decent rubberized device will choose rubberized. It has a more durable, more premium, less chintzy feel to it. Yes, Samsung sells a crapload of phones with shiny plastic on them, but that is the number one complaint by people that own those phones, is that they feel cheaper than they should, exactly because of all the shiny plastic.

I'm betting there will be a similar backlash to the shiny plastic on the Apple 5C, and that we will see rubberized plastic on an iPhone soon. Especially if the shiny plastic on the iPhone is as prone to scuffing and scratching as just about any other shiny plastic. Samsung phones do not look new for very long if they are not kept in a case.

krabby5

Although I would love to have an iPhone,(I have an iPad and Apple tv)it's just too much for me. I rarely use my phone for actual talking. So I just buy a decent (not top of the line) Android phone ($150 or so) from Virgin Mobile and go prepaid for $35/month. 300 minutes, unlimited text and data. Perfect for me! Hell..it's not much more for 1200 minutes or unlimited either...compared to contract monthly prices.

Syndil

krabby5 wrote: »

Although I would love to have an iPhone,(I have an iPad and Apple tv)it's just too much for me. I rarely use my phone for actual talking. So I just buy a decent (not top of the line) Android phone ($150 or so) from Virgin Mobile and go prepaid for $35/month. 300 minutes, unlimited text and data. Perfect for me! Hell..it's not much more for 1200 minutes or unlimited either...compared to contract monthly prices.

That is exactly what I am doing. Have the HTC One V. It's a piece of **** internally, but the aesthetics are nice.

Have you found that you can buy $60 airtime cards for $51 on eBay? I do it all the time. So the $35 a month plan actually costs me $29.75 a month!

AsSiMiLaTeD

Syndil wrote: »

True, I did word that improperly. They won't make it because it's something I want, they will make it because it's what the market wants. The market just doesn't know it yet, because the majority of the market has not experienced it yet, via Palm.

But if you do want induction charging, you can't have a metal case. All of Palm's WebOS products--including the Pixi, Veer, Pre, and TouchPad--had built-in induction charging. Some of them had shiny plastic cases (which I did not like) and others had rubberized plastic, such as on the Pixi and the super rare TouchPad Go, which was a 7" version of the TouchPad. So clearly, the Palm engineers had inductive charging down. My TouchPad is sitting on its inductive charger right now.

So if induction charging is important, it's really a simple process of elimination to arrive at a rubberized case from there. It can't be metal, so which would you prefer, shiny hard plastic or rubberized plastic? Most people who have had a decent rubberized device will choose rubberized. It has a more durable, more premium, less chintzy feel to it. Yes, Samsung sells a crapload of phones with shiny plastic on them, but that is the number one complaint by people that own those phones, is that they feel cheaper than they should, exactly because of all the shiny plastic.

I'm betting there will be a similar backlash to the shiny plastic on the Apple 5C, and that we will see rubberized plastic on an iPhone soon. Especially if the shiny plastic on the iPhone is as prone to scuffing and scratching as just about any other shiny plastic. Samsung phones do not look new for very long if they are not kept in a case.

I didn't think about inductive charging on a metal phone not working, but that explains why I haven't had it on an iPhone yet. My personal preference would be a metal phone over one with wireless charging, but I know that's not for everyone.

I personally don't like the shiny cheap plastic either, I can't comment on a rubberized plastic but assume I'd prefer it over a cheap shiny plastic. The best plastic phone I've ever held was the HTC 8X, which had a great soft touch feel to it, but was unfortunately (for me) a Windows phone.

Syndil

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

I personally don't like the shiny cheap plastic either, I can't comment on a rubberized plastic but assume I'd prefer it over a cheap shiny plastic. The best plastic phone I've ever held was the HTC 8X, which had a great soft touch feel to it, but was unfortunately (for me) a Windows phone.

See, you're getting the logic now! Soft touch/rubberized, I would prefer either to shiny plastic. And induction charging is really something you undervalue until you actually experience it. I really miss it, especially having the dock in my car. I have a dock for my HTC One V, but it's a pain in the **** trying to get the phone in there and line up the USB port with the plug.

I haven't had a Windows phone yet, but I think I would like it.

AsSiMiLaTeD

So for me it comes down to a choice between a metal phone and inductive charging. I can see the appeal of inductive charging, but ultimately for me the metal phone trumps that feature. I realize that I'm a bit Apple-biased, but feel like I can still formulate a logical and reasonable opinion about their devices (I've said here and elsewhere that I don't think the iPhone is the best device out there, it just works well for me). So, keeping that in mind I will say this about the iPhone:

It's a small and probably dumb thing to appreciate, but I think the charging cable on the iPhone is the best I've ever used. It plugs in either way and, more importantly, the connection is solid and really easy to make. Its a really small thing and feels dumb to even bring it up, but I've had lots of phones (admittedly none with wireless charging) and of ALL those phones the charging cable on the iPhone 5 is the best by a significant margin. The USB connection on my HTC One and other phones is one way only, and the connection is always either not as solid or as easy to make.

I say all that because I think the wireless charging wouldn't be AS big of a deal for me since the wired charging on my device works really well.

I don't really have any issues with the Windows phone, I just don't live in that ecosystem any longer so the Windows phones don't have any particular appeal to me. If you think you'd like it though, take a look at that HTC phone, it really is the best non-metal phone I've ever handled.

Syndil

I understand that you like metal phones. But imagine the HTC 8X, running iOS7, with inductive charging. Would you still prefer a metal iPhone over it?

zingo

I'm happy with my iPhone 4S, and unless it breaks, I won't be buying a new one until they release a larger screen model.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Actually, the HTC One is a metal phone. To be honest, I actually prefer the HTC One hardware over the iPhone in some regards. It's the only 'big' phone that has the same premium feel and screen quality as the iPhone (I don't care for AMOLED screens). My perfect phone doesn't exist, but if it did would be a blend of the HTC One and the iPhone. I want to say that the HTC One running iOS would be my ideal phone, but keep wavering back and forth on screen size - what I REALLY want is a phone the size of the iPhone but with a 6" screen. I believe that one thing being two different sizes simultaneously may be in violation of the laws of physics, but doesn't stop me from wanting it.

To more directly answer your question, everything else being equal I'll take a metal phone over inductive charging every time. The fact that the charging cable on the iPhone is IMO one of its best features is just icing on the cake.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Here's a good write up on the new camera system on the 5S, can't wait to get my hands on one.

http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/12/a-photographers-take-on-the-iphone-5s-camera/

Syndil

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

Actually, the HTC One is a metal phone.

I apparently corrected my post as you were typing your reply. I meant the 8X. :redface:

I've dropped my all-metal HTC One V a few times, and it has a few permanent dings in its body as a result. As you know I despise cases and refuse to use one. I believe a phone should be designed to withstand the abuse it is likely to encounter, without having to swaddle it in another layer of plastic, adding to its thickness and hiding all of its design aesthetics.

The black paint is wearing off the metal surrounding the USB port and the headphone jack, and of course the dings are silver as well. If it were like my beloved Palm Pixi, the dings would not exist, having been absorbed by the rubberized back, and if the impact was enough to damage the rubberized material, I could just replace it, having a brand-new looking phone again. The only thing that could help my HTC One V at this point is to put it in a case to hide the damage. I'd rather suffer the damage.

I really need someone to figure out how to get a Sprint Palm Pixi working on Virgin Mobile. You'd hear a lot less from me then.

jbooker82

I ordered my HTC One when Verizon started selling them on 08/22. My previous phone was a HTC Thunder Bolt. It was a good phone just hard on the battery. So far I am really liking the One. The 1080 HD screen and the forward facing stereo speakers are great for watching video's. I also like the blink feed.

AsSiMiLaTeD

A couple quick responses to Syndil:

First, I'd never buy a metal phone that's painted or anodized, as those just add a thin layer of color over the metal that is prone to scratching. Both my phones are the raw aluminum version. That's not to say they won't take a ding if I were to drop them, but I never have the scratching or flaking issue you mentioned.

Secondly, I suppose if I were more prone to dropping my phone I would be with you on the material choice. In the 6 years I've carried a smartphone I've only had the one drop. My wife has actually never dropped here, but did leave it sitting on the top of our car and it came flying off at 60 mph on the highway. Drops just aren't an issue here, so I don't really factor that in much. The only time I'm worried about dropping my phone is when I'm camping or hiking or doing active outdoors stuff in general (yes we do those things enough that its worth mentioning), and in those instances I just throw my phone in an Otterbox, but the other 95% of the time I keep it naked, because I also am opposed to cases.

Finally, as much as I like metal phones, if the 8X were available running iOS I'd give it a strong look. I didn't give it a thorough examination at the time because I was out when I saw it ran Windows, but if they released it running iOS or even Android I would go back and give it a second look, I remember liking the feel of it THAT much. I also liked the 4.3 screen size, a little bigger than the iPhone but not obnoxiously large either.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Early reviews on both models are very positive. I think the reviews over on Anandtech are the most thorough and un-biased reviews you're going to find online, or at least that I've come across. The only problem with these review is that they'll likely be too 'in-the-weeds' for alot of people, but I prefer their approach of information overkill. I generally prefer Anandtech though, their reviews are often overly thorough and they don't seem biased towards a particular platform or brand.

Initial reports on the 5C plastic is that it's actually quite good and doesn't have the flex feeling that many plastic phones have, only time will tell how durable it is.

5S Review - http://www.anandtech.com/show/7335/the-iphone-5s-review
5C Review - http://www.anandtech.com/show/7340/the-iphone-5c-review

EndersShadow

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

Early reviews on both models are very positive. I think the reviews over on Anandtech are the most thorough and un-biased reviews you're going to find online, or at least that I've come across. The only problem with these review is that they'll likely be too 'in-the-weeds' for alot of people, but I prefer their approach of information overkill. I generally prefer Anandtech though, their reviews are often overly thorough and they don't seem biased towards a particular platform or brand.

Yup, I do like their reviews myself, normally for computer parts so its interesting to see them in the phone arena now. I spent last night knee deep in a 17 page review of the phone I am buying today, gotta say they broke down just about every single aspect of it as I imagine they did on the iPhones.

brianle

My LG Optimus g pro is only $100 with contract. 32gb, 5'5 inch1080 ips screen, quad core, 3k+ mah battery, external memory support. To upgrade from an iphone 16gb to 32gb alone cost $100 lol

Chewie

Sticking with my 5 for now.

Glen B

I ordered the gold 5S online on Friday, just after it went on sale. It is supposed to ship today. I will be giving my iPhone 5 to my wife, to replace her 4. My oldest daughter's 4S is broken, so she will inherit my wife's 4. As you can tell, we're an Apple family. We Facetime each other, and its great to be able to see and talk to the grandkids.

Glen B

mantis wrote: »

I actually like how Apple does the upgrade process. Subtle, keep it the same in many way and then upgrade what feels to be the next step. Instead of rushing out tons of new features and changing everything radically, they do everything close to home.

What do you think?

Seems a lot like what some high end audio companies do, IMHO.

Glen B

Syndil wrote: »

So the iPhone 5C has a rubberized back that encompasses the entire phone, with a raised lip to protect the screen? WHERE HAVE I HEARD THIS BEFORE.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?132871-Ever-have-problems-plugging-in-your-iPhone-in-the-dark&p=1774015&viewfull=1#post1774015

But of course I'm sure they'll be praised for the "innovation." And still no induction charging or the option for a hardware keyboard? Still not as perfect as a Palm Pixi.

I owned a Palm Plus smartphone before replacing it with an iPhone 4. It sucked bigtime. I really hated the hard keyboard. The shiny, convex keys made it difficult to see clearly, and they were way too small for my large fingers.

You could not make changes like adding custom ringtones without an aftermarket program [Bitpim, if I remember correctly] and special data cable) to access the file folders in the phone. It also did not have a camera. I have real cameras, but a decent smartphone cam is convenient for capturing unexpected events.

With iTunes, you can do a lot with the iPhone. I was resistant to the idea of iTunes at first, but have grown to like the idea of being able to regularly backup my phone contents and settings to my PC, and move files (PDF, Excel, Word, etc.) back and forth. If the phone develops a problem, you can reinstall the firmware, then restore the phone contents (apps, contacts, settings, movies, music) from the backup.

Syndil

Glen B wrote: »

I owned a Palm Plus smartphone before replacing it with an iPhone 4. It sucked bigtime. I really hated the hard keyboard. The shiny, convex keys made it difficult to see clearly, and they were way too small for my large fingers.

You could not make changes like adding custom ringtones without an aftermarket program [Bitpim, if I remember correctly] and special data cable) to access the file folders in the phone. It also did not have a camera. I have real cameras, but a decent smartphone cam is convenient for capturing unexpected events.

I'm not sure what phone you are referring to. Doesn't sound like a webOS phone like the Palm Pre or the Palm Pixi, which is what I was referring to. All webOS phones had cameras and used a standard micro-USB data cable. Maybe you had an earlier PalmOS phone.

Upstatemax

I've had my 5s since Friday and I love this phone.

It is replacing a 4s. It is very quick and responsive, the finger print feature is really nice. I figured it would be a total gimmick, but I already would hate to not have it now.

No issues what so ever with iOS7. It is easier to navigate, but I'm not in love with the new colors or app icons. It looks a bit childish to me.

I backed up my 4s to my Mac Book, plugged in my 5s and within minutes it was like I've owned the phone for years.

This phone is also crazy light! It feels like nothing my pocket, has none of that traditional Apple "brick" feel, yet it still feels very solid.

The camera is very good. very clear and detailed pics for a phone. easily beats my wife's old point and shoot Sony that we just replaced. The Canon that we replaced it with is better than the 5s and honestly it should be.

Over all i am very happy with the 5s. VERY happy with the fact that it cost me $30. $200 trade in for my 4s so I only had to pay the bull crap activation fee.

mantis

Upstatemax wrote: »

I've had my 5s since Friday and I love this phone.

It is replacing a 4s. It is very quick and responsive, the finger print feature is really nice. I figured it would be a total gimmick, but I already would hate to not have it now.

No issues what so ever with iOS7. It is easier to navigate, but I'm not in love with the new colors or app icons. It looks a bit childish to me.

I backed up my 4s to my Mac Book, plugged in my 5s and within minutes it was like I've owned the phone for years.

This phone is also crazy light! It feels like nothing my pocket, has none of that traditional Apple "brick" feel, yet it still feels very solid.

The camera is very good. very clear and detailed pics for a phone. easily beats my wife's old point and shoot Sony that we just replaced. The Canon that we replaced it with is better than the 5s and honestly it should be.

Over all i am very happy with the 5s. VERY happy with the fact that it cost me $30. $200 trade in for my 4s so I only had to pay the bull crap activation fee.

Are you with ATT? Your not supposed to have to pay upgrade fees anymore. Whats the deal?

Upstatemax

mantis wrote: »

Are you with ATT? Your not supposed to have to pay upgrade fees anymore. Whats the deal?

Verizon. They started an activation fee a few years ago.

I used to get $100 toward a new phone on contract, then it dropped to $50. Now I pay them $30 to get a new phone.

rooftop59

My wife got here new silver/white 5S yesterday and updated the iPad 4 to the new OS. I haven't really gotten to play around with either yet but it looks pretty darn cool. She was really excited about the fingerprint thing and the ability to respond to a call with a text. Since she was so excited I couldn't bring myself to tell her that my almost 2 yr old HTC One X can do that...

Upstatemax

rooftop59 wrote: »

My wife got here new silver/white 5S yesterday and updated the iPad 4 to the new OS. I haven't really gotten to play around with either yet but it looks pretty darn cool. She was really excited about the fingerprint thing and the ability to respond to a call with a text. Since she was so excited I couldn't bring myself to tell her that my almost 2 yr old HTC One X can do that...

My old 4s with iOS6 could ignore with txt...

You just had to swipe up and the option was right there. If your wife is anything like mine, it's no shock that she had no clue.