Tag Archives: apple iphone

Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus: First Impressions

Posted on by under News, Reviews

iPhone 6 Plus

I received my white iPhone 6 Plus via UPS late Friday afternoon. After signing ‘here, here, and also here’ for the Plus, I greedily ripped off the simple, yet elegant packaging much like a small child on Christmas morning.

During the Apple Keynote on September 14th, CEO Tim Cook announced that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were revolutionary devices like you’ve never seen before, and man was he right! As soon as I held the 6 Plus in my hand, I knew that this was going to be Apple’s Android-killing smartphone.

The iPhone 6 Plus is super speedy (read, scary fast) with the new A8 processor, very responsive, and very, very big. To be honest, I am trying still getting used to the new, huge size. When comparing the 6 Plus to my old iPhone 5S, it’s like comparing Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to “Mini-Me” in Austin Powers — it’s just that big!

But you know what makes the size even better? 😉 The new Retina HD display! Scrolling down my Instagram feed has never been more beautiful! Black and whites are sharp, colors are saturated perfectly and everything is vivid and super, easy-to-read clear. (My mom tried using it for 5 minutes and didn’t even need her reading glasses!)

One little thing that annoys me, however, is that some App Developers have not yet updated their applications for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus’ new, larger displays – UGGH! This causes some apps to look pixellated, or it makes menus and text larger than needed to be (much like the 2x zoom button when opening iPhone applications on iPads).

I haven’t really put the 6 Plus’ camera through its paces quite yet, but I am planning on going to the beach sometime this week to test it out. (Follow my Instagram for these pictures!)

The iPhone 6 Plus is major contender for best smartphone on the market, if not the only one! The bigger and clearer screen, faster processor, and at first impression better camera,  all together really exemplify Apple’s ability to read the market’s needs and develop a smartphone that people will really want to use and buy!

Stay tuned for my full review of the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6 coming soon.

Review: LifeProof frē for iPhone 5

Posted on by under Reviews

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When I reviewed the iPhone 5, I couldn’t stop talking about the new innovative design and larger screen size. That said, the iPhone 5 (like any other iPhone) is very easy to break or smash, so you need to invest in researching and buying for a good case. Enter, the new LifeProof frē case for iPhone 5.

Like the original LifeProof case for the iPhone 4/4S (my review here), the new LifeProof frē protects your precious iPhone from all sorts of weather/danger hazards like water,dirt,snow,dust, and shock. The frë also boasts a brand new thinner design, coming in at 0.5” thin & 5.4” long, as well as a much-needed audio sound enhancement for the speakers.

Can the frē live up to its predecessor and still be used on your iPhone? How does it compare to Otterbox’s Armor series of cases? Is it really worth $79.99 for an iPhone case? All of these questions and more will be answered in my review of the LifeProof frē iPhone 5 case.

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As soon as you take a look at the new LifeProof frē, the first thing that will catch your eye is the new contemporary design. LifeProof totally went back to the drawing board and thought up a slew of fresh new takes on the frē case, starting with the back of the iPhone accessory with a clear back window that allows the Apple logo to be displayed in all of its glory.

The frē for iPhone 5 has completely re-engineered speakers to deliver maximum acoustic output and sound quality. From booming, deep bass to pin-dropping whispers, the new Sound Enhancement System on the frē works and sounds a million times better than its precursor case for iPhone 4/4S.

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As for protecting your iPhone, you can’t get any better than the frē. LifeProof tests all of their LifeProof line accessories to be up to standard with all military specifications (Military Standard 810F-516), which keeps the case strong and durable under any stressful conditions.

I have fervently tested the LifeProof frē for iPhone 5 Case with multitude of different trials and experiments, from dropping the frē from varying heights, to going for a swim with my iPhone, the frē case has passed all of my testings with flying colors (something that is not easy to do).

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Overall, I would highly recommend the LifeProof frē for iPhone 5 case to anyone that uses their iPhone in places where it can become easily broken or damaged, like working in construction or fishermen. The LifeProof frē can also be used for people like me, who want to have the best protection for their precious investment of an iPhone 5.

Compared to Otterbox’s $100 Armor Series, the $79.99 LifeProof frē completely outshines the Armor Series cases in design, functionality, as well as customer support. Plus, who doesn’t love saving money?!

The LifeProof frē for iPhone 5 is the perfect case for protecting your fifth-generation iPhone from all sorts of possible danger, while still maintaining the phone’s sleek design and form factor. You can read more about the LifeProof frē for iPhone 5 on LifeProof’s website and purchase the accessory here.

Review: Apple iPhone 5

Posted on by under Reviews

The Apple iPhone 5 – a smartphone that has been rumored, wished, and talked about – is finally here and it’s packing a huge punch with a brand new A6 processor, bigger screen, new design, and super fast 4G LTE. Not a bad upgrade from the iPhone 4S!

Apple is one of the leading tech companies all around the world, with their vast product line of Macs, iPods, iPhones, & displays. Every year, there is always that one must-have smartphone and most of the time, Apple’s iPhone is that particular device.

Can this new iPhone 5 keep up that must-have smartphone standard? Is it that much better than the iPhone 4/4S to warrant an upgrade? Is 4G LTE that much faster than 3G? All of these questions and more will be answered in my review of the Apple iPhone 5 below.

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Design
Apple has always been known for their unique sense of design and in particular, their design used on the iPhone 4 & 4S smartphones. The iPhone 4/4S had people from all around the world ranting and raving about the sleek, glass and aluminum combination of the smartphones. These Apple devices set a standard for smartphone manufacturers to not only release high-quality products, but high-quality products with a great design and the new iPhone 5’s design takes Apple quality to a new level of craftsmanship.

Apple added a bigger screen to the iPhone 5 coming in at 4 inches (9 millimeters taller than the iPhone 4/4S). The iPhone 5 is the same width as the iPhone 4/4S, so typing with one hand is just as easy. With this added screen real-estate, the iPhone 5 also has 18% more pixels than the iPhone 4S for an impressive 1136-by-640 resolution, which makes playing games, watching movies, and even checking email, a vivid, visual delight! The color has also received a boost compared to previous iPhone models with a color saturation that is 44% greater than before.

The Apple new smartphone is just 7.6 millimeters thin and weighs in at 3.95 ounces, which despite the iPhone 5’s added screen size, makes the phone feel very thin & light in the hand; without feeling cheap or inexpensive. The iPhone 5 is 18% thinner, 20% lighter, and there is 12% less volume than the iPhone 4S.

Apple introduced a new design with the iPhone 5 as well, as the back of iPhone 5 is made of anodized 6000 series aluminum (same material used in Apple Macs) with the inlays along the top and bottom made of ceramic glass (white & silver model) or pigmented glass (black & slate model). This new design for the iPhone 5 makes it an even more beautiful device to look at and it truly is a work-of-art.

Hardware


The iPhone 5 is a beast of a smartphone, complete with 4G LTE, a blazing fast new A6 processor, and well as an 8 megapixel iSight camera on the back & an 1.2 megapixel FaceTime-ready HD webcam on the front.

The new A6 processor on the iPhone 5 makes almost everything faster. Opening apps, multitasking, editing movies or music, or creating Keynote projects, is now a breeze; without any lagging or hesitation. You might not think that the A6 processor does much on paper, but when you get your hands on an iPhone 5, you’ll realize how important it is for everyday things.

I reviewed an iPhone 5 running on Verizon’s 4G LTE network, which is one, if not THE fastest data network for a US mobile phone carrier. Downloading apps, movies, & music was very quick and again, it is a massive improvement over the 3G network that the 4S and iPhone 4 run on.

I didn’t really notice that much of a difference between the camera on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5. What I did notice was a huge difference in the photo quality of the front camera on the iPhone 5 compared to previous generations, however. Photos using the front camera were much clearer and less pixel-y than before, which is perfect for people who enjoy taking pictures of themselves or FaceTiming friends & family.

Software


The software that is shipping with the iPhone 5 is Apple’s brand new iOS 6, which was announced at WWDC 2012 back in June and was released to the public on September 19th.

iOS 6 isn’t as much as a revolutionary software update as iOS 4/5 were, but is more geared to tweaking and creating a better user experience around all iOS devices. Some of the new features include; updated UI (from grey to light blue/silver) in the standard Apple apps, Passbook, Do Not Disturb, brand new Maps, Facebook integration, FaceTime over 3G/4G LTE, new emojis 🙂 (LOL), and many more updates as well.

Passbook is an app that allows you to save boarding passes, movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards, and more are now all in one place. You can add passes to Passbook through apps, emails, & website from participating businesses. It’s a great idea and I love using it with my gift cards, as I don’t have to go digging through my car’s pockets to find my gift card. Passbook will also send you push notifications when you arrive at a location that you have a Passbook pass for, which is very handy if your at the airport or walk into a store to redeem your favorite gift cards!

Do Not Disturb has to be my most used feature on iOS 6. Do Not Disturb allows push notifications to come through to your phone, but when the notifications come in, the screen will not turn on and a sound will not be played. However, when you turn the screen back on, all your notifications will be waiting on your lock screen. I use Do Not Disturb regularly! Another great feature about Do Not Disturb is that you can allow your “Favorites” calls and text messages to come through normally but still collect other notifications not set as your Favorites in the lock screen.

Apple has redesigned their Maps application from the ground up, which means they have completely gotten rid of their Google-hosted maps, which is a good and bad thing. The good is that it looks stunning, but the new Maps app isn’t as updated as the Google Maps with driving directions and correct locations. Also added in the new Maps app, is visual and spoken turn-by-turn directions as well as real-time traffic updates.

Overall, the new iOS 6 software isn’t REvolutionary but more EVolutionary. With all these new features and tweaks, it makes using the iPhone 5 even easier & faster than before. Every year, Apple makes its iOS software even better, and this year is not any different.

Overall


The new iPhone 5 is a beast of a device – with the new design, upgraded hardware, bigger & brighter screen, faster 4G LTE speeds, and new iOS 6 software, the iPhone 5 has yet again set the smartphone bar very high for competing mobile phone manufacturers.

The iPhone 5 is available in two colors: Black & Slate, or White & Silver. Prices for the iPhone 5 on a cellular contract are 16 GB ($199), 32 GB ($299), and 64 GB ($399).

The new iPhone 5 is available on Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and Sprint.

You can read more about and purchase the iPhone 5 on Apple’s website.