Ahhhh....It`s that wonderful time of the year where Apple fans line up and Samsung releases commercials making fun of them. The iPhone 5 is finally in our hands and after spending a weekend with it im ready to give my opinions. Lets waste no time and get into it.
I was able to preorder my iPhone 5, so promptly around 10:30am it arrived. My initial reaction was DAMN, this thing is LITE! Compared to the iPhone 4s its like a feather. I also carefully examined my iPhone 5 and noticed no defects at all, which I was pleasently surprised with. Build quality is top notch and the level of detail put into this device is very appropriate of Apple and I think only Apple could make a device this sexy and sophisticated. In the box you get your charging cube and the new Lightning connector cable. One of the biggest pluses is the new headphones which sound clearer and more crisp, all while providing a nice level of bass. Its a great step for Apple to provide higher quality headphones.
Once I turned the iPhone 5 on and activated the device I pulled out my 4s to compare screen quality. My God is the iPhone 5`s screen better. Its brighter, more vibrant, and all around more sharper. Colors are spot on. This to me was the best feature, I absolutly love the screen. Speaking of the screen, its now 4inches tall. Is that a big deal? Not really, but it helps Apple catch up with the rest of the mobile word and consumers who have all been trending towards bigger device. In my opinion Apple nailed it. Keeping the device as wide as the 4s but increasing the screen and making the phone lighter just adds to a better, more comfortable feeling device in the hand. Rest asure you wont have any problems reaching the top part of the screen.
Everything about this device is fast. The new A6 processor and that Gig of Ram are a spectical. The iPhone 5 boots faster, opens apps faster, and even Siri seems a lot faster this time around. I`ve used Siri on multiple occasions and she shined, my every command was done quickly. To me this is a big plus because on my iPhone 4s I barely used her becuase it was faster for me to just do it. Another step in the right direction Apple. Apple also included LTE, which is another plus. Since I have Sprint I cant test this yet, but I will update this review once LTE is available.
Overall Apple did alot of things right. Hardware on this device is top notch. Are you upset there is no NFC? Who cares? I have NFC on other devices and I dont ever use it. It isnt where it needs to be yet. Im very happy with my iPhone 5 and it is certainly the best iPhone to date. For anyone who thinks its just another iPhone, dont judge it until you have it in your hands. I give the iPhone 5 a 5 out of 5.
I can't help but think that a major turning point for Apple has started. On September 12, 2012 Apple showed off their next iteration of the iPhone to a fairly underwhelmed crowd. Why? For months we have heard many rumors about the next iPhone, we heard about leaks, and even seen pictures and videos of the next iPhone. This year Apple failed to surprise us. While the new iPhone 5 is sexy as hell, it isn't a major change from the iPhone 4 or 4s in turns of visual design. When I personally purchased the iPhone 4s my only complaint was the screen size, I had upgraded from an Evo 4g which had a 4.3 screen. The new iPhone 5 has upgraded its screen size to 4 inches, it has a 20% for powerful A6 processor, LTE, and other very impressive hardware features. For the first time ever I felt very impressed with their hardware and it's not that their hardware is terrible, it's just that I'm usually blown away by their software. So now, what about software? Lackluster! During the whole keynote I was eager for that next big software improvement. Sadly I never received it. What we as fans received was another demo of what was shown of at WWDC last summer. Nothing new! Everything was predictable, and intern a let down. It's not that I'm not impressed, Apples new maps looks nice and Passbook seems like a great addition, but it isn't moving iOS forward. While in my opinion iOS is the best mobile operating system, and therefore doesn't need much change, it still isn't perfect. Owning a Jellybean device and using Android notification system, which is freaking awesome, and having owned WebOS devices which had the best notifications in my opinion, those devices just showcase the work Apple still has to do to bring iOS's notification systems up to date. iOS is starting to show its age, especial as Android and Windows Phone 8 mature. What about widgets? Apple get with the times! Your fans want the option! Steal from Windows Phone 8 and make your icons show live information or come up with a revolutionary new solution. So why do I think this is the turning point? Fans are still buying the new iPhone 5, it selling out in an hour is a testament to that, but many fans are growing tired of no changes and underwhelming new features. I'm not saying dramatically change the OS, but continue to surprise us. I preordered the iPhone 5 and I'm sure I'm going to love it, but this is the turning point for me because I feel that when the iPhone 6 an iOS 7 come out, if Apple doesn't innovate and surprise us, many fans including myself will start to jump ship. Now marks the wait for the fall 2013 Apple event.
Every morning, no matter what time I wake up, I find myself clicking on one specific app. Whether its my Nexus 7 or my iPhone Pulse seems to be one of my most active apps. RSS readers are becoming more popular, quick glance summarys of our most beloved sites. But is Pulse really worth you using it? Or is it going to be another app you`ve downloaded but never really use? Lets take a look...
Pulse, released in 2010 was designed to be a simple yet easy to use RSS reader. You may remember Apple Inc. founder Steve Jobs praising the app at WWDC back in 2010. How does it function? Once you open Pulse it will ask you to update it with your favorite websites. They make it very easy to search for your favorite websites, but they also make it easy to find new websites. There is a Catalog button, with recommended websites for you and different catagories depending on your preferrence. This is a very useful feature of this app because I have discovered new websites that I might have never found out about if it wasnt for this app. Adding additional websites is simple, just click the plus sign and they will now become a part of your stream. If you pull down on your stream that will cause everyone of your websites to refresh. If you want only one specific app refreshed just pull it to the right. One thing I find interesting about pulling your stream down to refresh all your websites is that the Pulse logo will actually start to Pulse, its a clean yet effective animation that makes the app high quality. Want to share your favorite articles with Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or threw email? Well this app allows you to do all of that very effortlessly and fluidly. Just click on the logo of your preferred sharing method and your article is off. Its really that easy. If you are like me and have multiple devices, Pulse makes it simple to log on and sync your favorite websites between devices. You can use your email account or your Facebook account to sign in.Once I add or remove something on my Nexus 7, when I pick up my iPhone, the adjustment has already been made. If you happen to leave your devices at home but just have an itch to read all your favorite websites from one solid source, Pulse now has their app available threw the browser at www.Pulse.me. If you like an article, you can click on the thumb nail and you`ll get the articles text and any pictures associated with the article. If you want to go to actually website all you have to do is click Continue Reading and the app will become a browser and show you the full website within the app. Pulse is a one stop shop for your websites. The only negative I have found with this app is specifically with the Nexus 7 version. When in the Catalog the animations arent exactly smooth, in fact there down right choppy! For such a high quality app its pretty unexceptable. I beleive the reason for this choppiness is because the app isnt optimized for the Nexus 7, its just a scaled up Android phone app. Over all this app is a pleasure to use. I highly recommend it and I beleive everyone should give it a try no matter what device you use. I give Pulse a 4 out of 5.
Dilemas....don`t you hate them? When the Nexus 7 first launched I noticed that a handful of users were dropping there beautiful slates of glass and messing them up or putting it out of commision entirely within the first few days. I thought to myself how extremely pissed at myself I would be. Then I wondered, why didn`t they just purchase a case for it? It was very easy to answer that question, then the only case available was the official Asus Nexus 7 case that was a dreadful grey color and seemed to be about as useful as dog crap on a hot summer day. On top of that they were sold out for about three weeks, so it was obvious to me that people wanted to protect there cutting edge Google tablets but just couldn`t find the perfect solution. Now, a month into the launch of the Nexus 7, the official Asus case is no longer sold out, but other more superior options are now avaliable. Lets take a look at the case I decided to purchase.
Back in April 3rd of 2010 I had a similar dilema, what case do I purchase for my then original iPad. I remember reading about this marvelous case called the Dodo Case. It was then referred to as the Rolls Royce of cases. Pretty big statement! I particularly remember being completely intrigued by the notebook look of the case and the simplicity that it invoked. I immediately thought it was going to be a popular case, and it was. In facted it was sold out for what felt like forever. I had no other choice but to pull the trigger on a differenet case. Bringing that experience to my present purchase of the Nexus 7 I instantaneously wanted the Dodo case. After finding out it was actually being produced for the Nexus 7 and Dodo was offering it with a 10% discount code I almost bought it. You might be thinking, almost? Yeah, almost. After putting in several hours of research I decided against the Dodo Case. I wanted to customize my case, and im not just talking about the interior color of the lining, and I knew I wanted to have some kind of stand.
IN COMES PORTENZO
I came across a particular case that I thought was brilliant. A small company located in Missori was building a similar handmade, Bamboo case, as the Dodo Case. The difference? More customization options, and in my honest opinion a superior design. The Portenzo case isn`t held by some reusable sticky magic, Portenzo constructs a Bamboo frame that perfectly fits the Nexus 7. On every corner is a plastic/silicon stopper that holds the tablet in place and allows for no movement. Once I put my Nexus 7 in the case I shook it a few times to see if my tablet would fall out, it didn`t budge. You might think, will those stoppers ever come out? Here is what Portenzo has to say, "No. We get many questions on this because of the problems found with other notebook style cases. We use completely different methods than the other guys. We use high strength industrial glue so you will never have a problem with the corners coming unglued. In fact, our case is designed so that even if a corner pad is loose on one end (or even both ends), it will still perform as originally designed." So I rest assured everything will be fine.
Another part of the design of this case that I like is the method they use to tunnel the sound out threw the bottom of the tablet. A small amount of foam is used to lift the bottom half of the Nexus 7 in order to allow the sound to travel threw the bottom without sounding muffled. I`ve read of other cases who by design cover the speaker and in doing so cause a low muffled audio. Not the problem here, in fact I was surpirsed that something so simple helps so much.
The particular case I ordered has a black cover and red interior, but I also mentioned that I wanted to have a stand. Yet again Portenzo delivers. There is a $9.99 option to add an intellistand to your case. The case has a simple function and design. The back part of the case has magnets, you prop the case up and the magnets connect to the opening flap creating a stand.
INTELLISTAND WORTH EVERY PENNY
The frame itself on the Portenzo case is impressive, everything is smooth as a baby`s bottom. Every corner of this cause almost seems done to perfection and its a good thing because the case comes with a card that identifies who constructed your case. So if it isn`t to your liking you can hunt him down! I found it gratifying to know that this particular gentleman hand crafted my case.
All in all I absolutely love this case and I highly recommend it, 5 out of 5. Extremely high quality, many options to customize it to your liking, and Portenzo`s customer service is top notch. Two thumbs up for Portenzo and there products.
While I am no legal expert, nor will I be expressing my personal opinion on the matter, but pictures are worth a thousand words. If you don`t quite understand the drama between Samsung and Apple, The Verge.com post an amazing article explaining the legal battle(http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/30/3199424/apple-vs-samsung-trial-guide). What are your opinions? Do you really think Samsung didnt copy Apple?
When I finally received my Nexus 7 I immediately thought about gaming. Most of my mobile gaming is done on my iPhone, but having a bigger screen has its benefits. I had been hearing about a game titled RipeTide GP so I decided to take the dive(no pun intended) and purchase the game. Now this game is available for both Android and iOS, and though I have played for both devices we will concentrate on the Android version, specifically the Tegra 3 version.
OVERVIEW
RipeTide GP is a futuristic jetsky racer with smooth tunes and modern graphics. The reason I chose to do this review for the Android version is because with the Nexus 7 and its Tegra 3 processor, RipeTide GP enables Tegra 3 exclusive effects(more on that later). The games layout is very clean and basic. Click to start, pick your racer and pick your course, its that easy! From the beginning you have the choice of three racers. Each racer has there own strength and weaknesses. One racer will have a fast acceleration but a much weaker top speed, while another racer will have the opposite specs. The more you play the more characters you can unlock so it helps the game be replayable and adds some player choice and variety, all of which is welcomed. There are also tiers based on the jetsky's speed. For example there are 250cc races along with others such as 500cc and 1000cc. The game will also allow you to pick the stage you want to race in. I'm happy to say the stages have enough variety that they don't become extremely repetitive. The more you play the more stages you will unlock and you will unlock different variations of existing stages also. This game also uses Open Fient for online score keeping and comparing. All in all its a solid game from a developer that obviously put in a lot of time and work into there game.
CONTROLS and GRAPHICS
So, how does this game play? Awesome! Controls are spot on. To steer your rider u use the whole tablet as the controller. The gyroscope and accelerometer definitely come into to play. I've played over games with similar controls but it never seems to get my moves completely correct, but in RipeTide GP the amount you pull/tilt to the right or left will be accurately displayed on the screen. This makes playing this game a thrill. The only on screen button during gameplay is a boost button. Basically you are rewarded for doing tricks during jumps with boost, when your meter is full tap on the boost and your off. The awesome thing about this is the Tegra 3 specific effects. On the iOS versions when you hit the boost button there is a small blur effect and you feel the sense of speed. On the Android Tegra 3 specific version you get massive blur and partical effects, this help to truly sense the speed you are moving at, it also encourages players to do tricks in order to gain boost and therefore an advantage over or opponents. Another Tegra 3 specific effect is splashes of water on your screen. Your racings past your opponent at what seems to be over 100 miles an hour, you hit a wave and SPLASH..... your screen is covers in dripping water. I personally really enjoy this effect and it gives the game a more realistic feel. Add all these effects to the amazing graphics, which I'm convinced are PS2 and GameCube level graphics, and for the price of this game($1.99 US) this is an extreme value. Water moves realistically and simple looks impressive. Environments are detailed and I particularly like the way the sun reflects in the water. Point blank this game impresses in the graphics department.
AUDIO
Rhythmic modern tunes blast threw the speakers as I confidently take first place. Music is up to par with the rest of this game. I never felt that the music score got repetitive and I always enjoyed the songs. What I didn't enjoy was the lack of splashing sounds. I mean this is a jet sky game and there rarely is sounds that convey water or splashes. I tryed lowering the music volume and raising the sound effects volume but this still didn't really help. This was truly the first let down for me with this game.
CONCLUSION
This game really is a joy to play, it has awesome controls, beautiful graphics, and good music. For 1.99 to me this is a no brainer. If you recently purchased a Nexus 7 and have the Google 25$ credit, I highly recommend this game. The lack of water and splash sound effects is minor compared to the true enjoyment you will take out of playing this game. I give this game a 4 out of 5.
