iphone 5
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Fine, you can have a physical keyboard on your iPhone
Remember back when all the iPhone naysayers cried "Fail!" because the device lacked a physical keyboard? They were wrong, but the Typo Keyboard Case is a glimpse at what those sad souls apparently wanted. Adding a full qwerty keyboard to the bottom of the phone, the Typo connects via Bluetooth, features backlit keys and can be recharged within one hour. The device is currently available for pre-order, so we haven't gotten a chance to go hands-on with one, but from a design perspective, the Typo seems like a mixed bag. If you're curious about where the Home Button went -- which was my first concern upon seeing the keyboard placement -- it has been relocated to the bottom-right of the keyboard itself, which means no more Touch ID functionality. Bummer. Still, if you've been searching for physical keys on your iPhone for the past five years, US$99 will make that dream come true, starting in January 2014.
OtterBox Preserver case for iPhone 5: Review and giveaway
OtterBox has just introduced a new line of iPhone cases that should capture the attention of anyone who spends time around water. The Preserver Series (US$89.95) is now available for iPhone 5, and will soon be shipping for iPhone 5s and 5c. The case features the ability to be submerged in water up to 2m (6.6 feet) deep for up to 30 minutes without the water resistance being compromised. That same watertightness also insures IP68 dust and debris protection, and the entire design of the case -- like all OtterBox products -- is centered around making sure that your device survives drops and bumps. The Preserver Series uses two-piece snap construction for easy installation. The front portion of the case features all of the various buttons and sealed ports, and includes a clear screen protector as well. The back of the case has a soft, padded interior that nestles against the back of your iPhone to keep it safe from scratches. These two pieces snap together to create a watertight seal. As with other waterproof cases made by OtterBox and others, the Preserver should be tested prior to final installation on your device. The case comes with a lanyard so you can dangle it from your wrist, and it's available in four different color combinations: pistachio (bright green) and white, carbon (dark gray) and black, glacier (white) and gray, and soon primrose (pink) and white. Our review sample is the pistachio color, and it would be very easy to find if you dropped it while out in the great outdoors as it is very eye-catching. I didn't have an iPhone 5 available for testing, so I wasn't able to try the case on an actual phone. However, I did do the watertightness test and can vouch that the inside of the case stayed dry after 30 minutes in water with a coffee mug on top of it. I'll be interested to see how OtterBox manages to create a Preserver that works with the Touch ID home button of the iPhone 5s -- perhaps the company will provide a sealable "door" for unlocking the phone with a finger? Who knows... As with all of OtterBox's other case lines for iPhone, the Preserver series is solid and extremely well-built. Without the lanyard installed, the iPhone 5 model will add only two ounces to the weight of your phone. It will add some bulk to your phone in terms of size; there's just no way to get this type of protection in a slender case. Conclusion The new OtterBox Preserver Series case for iPhone 5 looks like another winner in the OtterBox lineup, providing water resistance and solid drop protection in an attractive package. Pros Water resistant for up to 30 minutes in 2m of water Provides IP68 dust and debris protection Tested to withstand drops of up to 2m without harming the iPhone 5 Comes with attachable wrist lanyard Cons Only works with the iPhone 5 at this time; models for iPhone 5s and 5c are forthcoming Who is it for? The outdoor enthusiast or swimmer who wants a phone case that can withstand drops and the occasional dunking Giveaway Have an iPhone 5? Want to keep it working well and looking brand new despite dropping it in water on occasion? We have a rugged OtterBox Preserver case for iPhone 5 with someone's name on it -- and it could be you. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before October 25, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive an OtterBox Preserver Series case for iPhone 5 valued at $89.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
OtterBox Commuter Series Wallet: To protect and to serve
OtterBox has been making protective cases since 1998, making the company the great-granddaddy of the entire huge smartphone/tablet case market. The company announced a new member of the family yesterday, introducing the Commuter Series Wallet (US$44.95) for the iPhone 5/5s. We've been seeing a lot of different wallet cases lately, many of which are more wallet (think leather) than protective case. OtterBox has taken the protection of the Commuter Series cases and merged it with a slide-out drawer-like back that can hold up to three credit or ID cards and one folded bill. Like the other members of the Commuter Series, the Wallet wraps your iPhone 5 or 5s in rubbery silicone that is then surrounded by a tough polycarbonate shell. The screen is covered with a stick-on screen protector (it leaves space for the Touch ID-enabled home button of the iPhone 5s), so your preciousss is going to be in good hands while living in the Commuter Series Wallet. There's a silicone door that covers the Lightning port, another one that covers the headphone jack, and soft buttons that cover the volume toggle and power switch. Installing the case is a piece of cake, although it takes some muscle to take it back off. Once the case is on your iPhone 5, you can rest assured that whatever you put into the wallet "drawer" is going to stay put. It makes an audible "click" when shut, and requires a bit of pressure to open. I can verify that two credit cards and a driver's license fit into the case snugly, but I had no cash with which to check out the "one folded bill" claim... If there's one negative I can find with the Commuter Series Wallet, it's that it's somewhat difficult to get cards out -- a small ramp on the bottom edge of the drawer would have made it a bit easier to slide cards out. As it is, you have to kind of pick them out with your fingers. The Commuter Series Wallet is available now from OtterBox in black and glacier (white hard shell with gray silicone), and will soon be available in primrose (pinkish hard shell with light gray silicone). The case weighs just 2.0 ounces (56.7 grams), not bad considering the level of protection it provides. Unsurprisingly, it's a little thick at .71 inches (1.8 cm), but when you consider that the case can eliminate the need to carry a separate wallet, that's not a real issue. Check out the video below for a demonstration of the Commuter Series Wallet Case, and then read on for a chance to win one of these cases. Conclusion With the Commuter Series Wallet for iPhone 5/5s, OtterBox has entered the case wallet market with a bang. The case provides the excellent drop protection that the company's line is known for, and provides a convenient and secure way to carry an ID card and some credit cards. Pros Reasonably priced for a high-quality protective product Very lightweight Positive feedback on the drawer mechanism insures that your cards remain safely stowed Excellent build quality Cons It would be nice if the cards could just slide out with pressure from a thumb; as it is, they must be picked out of the drawer one by one. Who is it for? The iPhone 5/5s owner who is looking both for the protection of one of OtterBox's Commuter Series cases and the convenience of not having to carry a separate wallet Giveaway Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before October 8, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive an OtterBox Commuter Series Wallet valued at $44.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Original Plants vs. Zombies finally gets 4-inch screen support
The original Plants vs. Zombies -- one of the most popular iOS game of the last few years-- has finally received 4-inch screen support so it runs at native resolution on the iPhone 5, 5s, 5c and newest iPod touch. As MacRumors points out, in May of this year, Apple began requiring all apps to support the 4-inch display on the iPhone 5. Any apps that did not would not be approved in their next updates. The fact that the original Plants vs. Zombies has gone without an update for so long was a source of major frustration to many users with an iPhone 5. The long delay for iPhone 5 screen support probably had something to do with Popcap working on the Plants vs. Zombies sequel. Now that it's finished, it's likely that the company had time to update the original. The original Plants vs. Zombies is available in 4-inch glory on the App Store for US$0.99.
gdgt's best deals for October 2nd: Apple iPhone 5c, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
Ready to save some cash on your tech buys? Then you've come to the right place. Our friends at sister site gdgt track price drops on thousands of products every day, and twice a week they feature some of the best deals they've found right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long. Today's top deals both earned high gdgt Scores. Apple's new iPhone 5c, which is pretty much a colorful iPhone 5, is already available at a discount, and the capable Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet has nosedived from its MSRP. Hoping to grab one or the other? Join gdgt and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list -- every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
You can now turn your iPhone into the iFruit from GTA V
Grand Theft Auto V does a great job of skewering modern tech culture, as well as Apple itself, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the "iFruit" smartphones that are seen in the game. Now, with the help of a handy skin from Mobile Fun, you can turn your iPhone 4, 4s, 5 or 5s into an iFruit too. The covering is pretty basic, with the key changes being the name "iFruit" replacing the "iPhone" moniker on your smartphone's backside, along with the fruit bowl logo. The skin is made of vinyl and retails for a reasonable US$12.99. [via Inventor Spot]
Microsoft wants you to buy their products, to start offering cash for iPhones
Earlier in the month, Microsoft -- which would love for you to pick up one of its new second-generation Surface 2 tablets -- began offering iPad owners a paltry US$200 or more for a trade-in in hopes that you'd actually fall for the ploy, grab the cash and buy one of their beleaguered tablets. Now Forbes is reporting that Microsoft will be offering you a minimum of $200 for your iPhone 4s or iPhone 5 at some of the US and Canadian Microsoft Stores. In this case, the trade-in promotion is part of the #timetoswitch campaign, and Microsoft is hoping that you'll ditch your nice and relatively new iPhone for a Windows Phone instead of an iPhone 5s or 5c. Not that Microsoft seems desperate or anything, but they also have an online campaign that started a few weeks ago where they'll take any Apple, Android or BlackBerry device in return for a Visa gift card. I wonder how much they'll give me for that third-generation iPod classic that's sitting on the shelf... Forbes' Kelly Clay said it best: "Apple's impressive sales figures of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in the past few days mean millions of consumers are not only freshly tied into new contracts but overtly prefer the iOS platform over Windows as they waited to purchase the new line of iPhones -- and avoided purchasing a Windows Phone when they had the chance." It's beginning to look like Microsoft's business strategy for the near future is to become the leading vendor of used smartphones and tablets.
Dollar Store Accessories: What ¥100 buys you
America has the dollar store. Japan has the ¥100 store. TUAW has been covering iOS accessorizing on the cheap in a series of recent posts. Today, the focus turns international. TUAW reader TokyoJoe writes, "This pic is from Daiso, one of the biggest ¥100 shop chains in Tokyo. They have a decent selection of iPhone 5 and 4S cases as well as cables and stands." Here you see just a taste of the variety on offer. The Daiso selection included many colorful options ranging from animal prints, to old fashioned book styles, to basket weaves. Have you found some great dollar store finds, whether in the US or not? Drop us a note; send in pictures; and share the low-end fun.
iOS 7: Camera changes make it better, but it still loves to crash
A very strange thing happened during the three months I tested the revamped Camera app in iOS 7. I started out relying, as usual, on Camera+. It's been a mainstay on my iPhone for several years. But as the weeks went by, I found myself using that popular app less and less until it's now sitting a bit lost on the home page of my iPhone. While the built-in Camera app isn't that far removed from its iOS 6 counterpart, there are a number of changes that make it better than what it was. Option buttons that were once on the picture itself now rest on a semi-transparent panel that overlays the image. In Square mode, these bars are black. You're presented with four camera modes that you swipe among: Video, Camera, Square and Pano for panorama. Those who get the iPhone 5s will get a fifth option: Slo-mo. iPad and iPhone 4 users do not have the Panorama option. In Photo and Square mode, you can apply a live filter to an image before you take it, a feature that Instagram fans are used to. When in landscape mode, most of the options flip to accommodate the new view -- except for the mode toggles. Those remain in portrait orientation, which is a bit odd. The iPad gains HDR mode, but it doesn't have the live filters. If you take a photo with a filter and don't like it, you can remove or change it after the picture is taken. Those who have an iPhone 5 or newer will be able to zoom in and out while shooting video. You can use burst mode on older models of the iPhone, and it works pretty well, but you don't get the speed nor the auto-selection mode that burst mode on the iPhone 5s has. As in earlier versions of the Camera app, you can do some limited editing. For the most part, unless you're planning to push your photo to social media right that second, you're better off doing post-processing through Snapseed, Camera+ or iPhoto. The main thing that keeps me from completely singing the praises of the new Camera app is that, at least for me, it's still very crash-happy. Not in burst mode, as I expected, but when toggling among filters and using Panorama. But, part of me wonders if it's because I'm using an iPhone 4S for this review and not a 5. Regardless, it shouldn't be crashing this much for a phone that's still being offered by Apple. Still, I find that I'm not relying on third-party camera options as often as I used to. There's some things that they still excel at, but I no longer feel that the built-in Camera is a poor alternative to these apps. Still, if you want decent post-processing, you're better off doing so in another app.
Portenzo Alano SLIM and HardBack wallet cases for iPhone 5c/5s
I've got to admit that I've been really happy with the current trend of combining iPhone cases and wallets. They're both items that you carry around in your pockets, so why not take the functionality of an iPhone case -- protecting your iPhone -- and combine it with carrying around credit cards, IDs, and cash? Of the many wallet cases I've reviewed over the last couple of years, two of the nicest are the Alano SLIM (US$44.95 to $64.95, plus add-ons) and HardBack ($34.95, plus add-ons) from Portenzo. Let's take a look at these stylish cases, and then readers have a chance to win one from TUAW and Portenzo. The design of the Alano SLIM starts with a slim leather "booklet" that surrounds the iPhone. The cover is held closed in transit with a Moleskine-like elastic band, perfect for making sure that it's not going to flop open and expose your iPhone screen to scratches. The leather covers come in eleven different finishes, ranging from a faux antique American passport to a rich dark chocolate leather. The HardBack uses fabric on the outside instead of leather, but is just as nice -- some of the designs sport bright colors or patterns, while others are less flashy. One add-on feature of the HardBack case is the Intellistand, a way of folding the case origami-style to stand it up in landscape mode. Your iPhone isn't surrounded by plastic or wood, meaning that you have unfettered access to all ports and buttons at all times. So how does the phone stay in the Portenzo case? Simple -- there's a nanosuction GripPad (replaceable) on one side. Just align your iPhone and slap it onto the super-sticky material, and it is held in place. Need to remove your phone? No problem -- just give it a good tug and it comes off, leaving no residue. The Alano SLIM's wallet has two main pockets into which you can slide a couple of IDs, credit cards, and maybe even some cash. On the other hand, the HardBack wallet uses a "expandable folder" type of construction that can hold much more -- although you really don't want to overload it. Now, about those add-ons that are noted with the pricing. Portenzo uses a "build your own" model for these case/wallets, so the base price of the Alano SLIM cases does not include the wallet bits (that's an additional $20). The HardBack has two possible add-ons; the $20 wallet parts and the $4.95 Intellistand. That means that a decked-out Alano SLIM can cost as much as $84.90, while a fully-loaded HardBack checks in at $54.85. How do they look? Well, we received a "US Passport" model Alano Slim with all the trimmings and a Dark Blue HardBack with the Intellistand and wallet. Take a look at the images (I just placed the iPhone 5 on top of the GripPad instead of removing it) and you can see the amount of love put into the construction of the cases. Conclusion Portenzo's Alano SLIM and HardBack cases are well-built and beautiful, although somewhat pricy -- especially for the Alano SLIM. Pros Unique designs, especially for the Alano SLIM line Quality construction Easy to remove and re-install the iPhone HardBack's Intellistand works well to hold the iPhone in a landscape orientation HardBack's wallet expands to hold a lot of cards and cash Cons Alano SLIM is quite pricy once the wallet feature is added on Who is it for? The person who wants to ditch the wallet and do it in style Now it's your turn to have a chance to win one of these two cases. Note that the review cases are compatible with the iPhone 5 and 5c; the model for the iPhone 5s might need a slightly larger camera cutout on the back to house the True Tone flash. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before September 20, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected. One will receive a Portenzo Alano SLIM wallet case valued at $84.90, while the other gets a Portenzo HardBack wallet case valued at $54.85 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
This week on gdgt: Sony's RX100 II, HP's Slatebook X2 and keeping your iPhone 5
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Belkin TrueClear InvisiGlass screen protector covers your glass... with glass
Belkin will soon be shipping a new product for your favorite Apple device that should be perfect for protecting that new iPhone 5c or 5s from scratches and breakage from day one. The new TrueClear InvisiGlass screen protectors (US$39.99 for iPhone 5) don't use plastic like competing products. Instead, they're made of a flexible glass that's only 0.2mm thick. Belkin says that the TrueClear InvisiGlass protector is nine times stronger than the plastic competition, yet is 2.5 times smoother. It won't stand in the way of protecting the rest of your investment with a case, and the company includes a cleaning wipe and dust-removal film to make sure that no lint or dust gets between your screen and the protector. The TrueClear InvisiGlass protectors are available for the iPhone 4 / 4S and the iPhone 5. Since the iPhone 5, 5c and 5s share the same 4-inch diagonal screen, your new phone can get the same level of protection. While Belkin's website still shows the TrueClear InvisiGlass Screen Protector as "coming soon," TUAW and Belkin are giving one away. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before September 16, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Belkin TrueClear InvisiGlass screen protector for iPhone 5 valued at $39.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Apple killed the iPhone 5, but the iPhone 4s lives to fight another day
Steve Jobs loved the 3.5-inch screen size of the iPhone 4, and once famously claimed that "no one's going to buy" the larger smartphones that were competing with the iPhone back in 2010. Now here we are with 2014 fast approaching and a pair of new 4-inch iPhones on the horizon. But while the iPhone 5 has proved to be a success despite -- or perhaps thanks to -- its gorgeous 4-inch display, Jobs was undoubtedly right about one thing: A 3.5-inch smartphone is the sweet spot for many, many users. Today, Apple showed the world the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, while at the same time putting an axe in the original iPhone 5. If you want a 4-inch Apple smartphone you'll soon have to choose between a polycarbonate-bodied device in a wacky color (or white, I suppose) or the new top-of-the line 5s model. And yet when Apple showed off its new smartphone lineup today, the iPhone 4s remains. The iPhone 4s is free with a new two-year contract through many mobile carriers, and that has helped give new life to the years-old device while other similarly aged smartphones have the relevance of paperweights. When was the last time you heard about continued worldwide demand for the HTC Thunderbolt or Motorola Atrix? But the iPhone 4s remains one of the world's best-selling smartphones, and even managed to outlive its successor. That's quite an accomplishment. On top of that, the iPhone 4s continues to be supported with updates from Apple, and the much-anticipated iOS 7 update will still be supported on the aging device. Now, this isn't the first time we've seen an Apple device continue on even after its immediate heir has been usurped; Apple pulled the same trick with the iPad line in late 2012. When the fourth generation of the iPad was announced, the third-gen model (which had just been released eight months prior) was sent out to pasture, but production on the 16GB iPad 2 continues even today.
Apple lists model numbers, carriers for new iPhones
Apple has posted a web page showing the various worldwide model numbers and LTE carriers for the new iPhone 5c and 5s. The list shows something fascinating for the the four major mobile carriers in the US -- now AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile will all use the same devices thanks to the new radio chips used. The model A1532 iPhone 5c and A1533 iPhone 5s will run on those carriers as well as Bell, Rogers and Telus in Canada. Sprint users will have a completely different set of model numbers: A1456 for the iPhone 5c and A1453 for the iPhone 5s. Those same SKUs will also work in Japan on the KDDI and Softbank cellular networks.
iPhone 5s vs. iPhone 5: what's changed?
The iPhone 5s has finally been unveiled. Following an intense buildup of pre-announcement hype and leaks, Apple describes its latest flagship iOS device as the "most forwarding-thinking iPhone yet." Wondering how the specs compare to the regular 'ol 5, though? We're glad you asked because we've laid it all out just past the break. Check out our liveblog of Apple's event to get the latest news as it happens! Check out all the coverage at our iPhone 2013 event hub!
Apple's iPhone 5c cases are protective and obnoxiously colorful
Apple doesn't usually produce cases for its smartphones, but the iPhone 5c isn't like any iPhone before it. At today's Apple event, the iPhone 5c was shown alongside a new line of custom protective cases that will allow you to mix and match a wide range of looks for the device. The new cases feature cutouts for the phone's camera lens and flash, as well as the lock button, while the volume buttons are integrated into the case design. Each case will be sold for US$29.
Apple's next-generation iPhone liveblog!
You've arrived! But we haven't. If you're here a little early, fret not -- we'll be back at 10AM PT to kick things off from Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California. The topic of conversation? iPhone, naturally. We're expecting an iPhone 5S and perhaps an iPhone 5C for those seeking something a little more vibrant. Of course, a gilded iPhone is also pretty vibrant. At any rate, be sure to bookmark this very page and return at the time listed below -- if the machines behind the scenes are working properly, it'll calculate based on your time zone. Huzzah! September 10, 2013 1:00:00 PM EDT
Hard Candy has a sweet tooth for iPhone 5s and 5c
Yes, you read the headline correctly. Hard Candy Cases has beaten Apple to the punch by sending out a press release for cases for products that don't officially exist at this point. The company is jumping on the hopeful rumor bandwagon by pinging the tech press with word of these cases -- which (conveniently for the manufacturer) aren't available until October 2013. The new HarvestCraft Slider for the iPhone 5s and 5c rings up the cash register at US$39.95. These colorful cases can be arrayed in three different combinations per harvest color. For the 5c -- if it even actually exists -- I'm wondering about the logic of hiding a supposedly colorful phone in another colorful case. And what about the alleged "champagne" iPhone 5s? Are you really going to want to cover that gorgeous light gold finish with a case? In all fairness, it looks like many case manufacturers are jumping the gun. Just yesterday, we were given a link by an anonymous tipster who pointed out that Booq Bags had a page up touting the Complete Protection Kit for the iPhone 5C (note the capitalized "c"). The page is now down, but it showed a line of protective cases and screen protectors for the alleged colorful plastic iPhone. If an iPhone 5c or 5C or whatever the hell it's called is actually announced on Tuesday, you can use that bookmarked link to order a case for your new phone. More "jumping the gun" accessories for other unannounced products will be coming soon!
TUAW over-analyzes the Apple event invitation
Shortly after @jdalrymple announced to the world that the invitations for the September 10, 2013 Apple event had been sent out, TUAW Editor-in-Chief Victor Agreda, Jr. noted that @HereIsTrev had tweeted the following message: "Please don't over analyse every last aspect of the apple invite ... oh, too late." Here's our take on the invitation, BuzzFeed-style: There are 25 full or partial circles on the invitation (I counted). 25 is the square of five, which means that the "S" in iPhone 5S means "Five-squared." Of course, these colors represent the spectrum of case colors for your new iPhone. Only two of the circles are green, which Greenpeace should take notice of as it means that the new iPhone is ruining the environment. The four empty circles are representative of the loss of Steve Jobs, Scott Forstall, John Browett and (most recently) Bob Mansfield from the executive ranks of Apple. Blue is the most prevalent color on the invitation, which proves that Bondi Blue will be one of the colors for the new iPhone. The phrase "brighten everyone's day" is all about the new display technology for the iPhone, which will be incredibly readable in full sunlight. Many of the overlapping circles appear to be Venn diagrams. We are doing our best to determine what that means... The fact that Apple couldn't come up with a color for its logo in the center is a sign that the company is fresh out of innovative ideas. Tracing the path of the colored dots reveals a new gesture that'll conjure up the spirit of Steve Jobs. The dots are stylized fingerprints, meaning that the new iPhone will feature a fingerprint-authentication feature. The dot-filled invite also suggests iOS 7 will be sponsored by America's favorite candy, DOTS. See Android KitKat for context. The thin font used on the invite hints at a thinner bezel for the iPhone display. The multiple colors used on the invite suggest Apple will surprise us with multi-user support in a subsequent version of iOS 7.x. Those round circles are indicative of pixels on the screen of Apple's long-awaited HDTV, which will be known as "Munstervision" in honor of the one man who believed in the product, Gene Munster.
Think before you switch carriers
With a new iPhone or two on the near horizon and plenty of people ready to buy one, there are probably a few million people who are also thinking about switching mobile carriers. Last year, when the iPhone 5 was the newest kid on the block, I decided that I was through with AT&T and I switched to Verizon. Let's just say that I'm now wishing that I had stuck it out with Big Blue instead of jumping to Big Red. Here's my tale of woe, and I hope that it keeps you from making a similar mistake in the next few weeks. My primary reason for switching last year was the incredibly slow and essentially unusable service that I received on AT&T's network when attending Colorado Rockies baseball games at Coors Field in downtown Denver. On certain occasions, it was apparent that AT&T was bringing in COWs (cells on wheels) to provide extra bandwidth for the crowds of 50,000 attending opening day or a special event. But for the most part, trying to use MLB At Bat in the ballpark was a futile effort as AT&T's network just didn't have the capacity. So, I complained. For about two full baseball seasons, one of the first things I'd do at a game was to pull out my iPhone and use AT&T's app to send a network complaint. This seemed to be a fruitless effort, as by the end of the 2012 season, I had seen no improvements in service. That's when I decided to bail on AT&T. I was out of the country when the iPhone 5 first hit, but when I got back, I checked the Early Termination Fee for saying "au revoir" to AT&T and balked at the US$120 or so I still owed on the contract. My initial iPhone 5 order was for the AT&T model... but then I went to my last baseball game of the season and got hit with incredibly slow service again. I canceled my order, and decided to take the hit and move over to Verizon. When I got my Verizon iPhone 5, the first thing I noticed was that the service at my home was as crappy as it had been with AT&T -- I just live in a shadowed area with lousy service, I guess. But I stuck with it, having heard from others that Verizon's service in the Denver area was awesome. Yeah, right. Apparently AT&T had acted on my complaints over the winter of 2012-2013, since when we went to the first Rockies game of the season, my wife -- who had stayed with AT&T -- was amazed with the speed of the service at the ballpark. I figured it was just another COW helping things out and that she'd be griping about the service at the next game. Nope, the service was speedy and reliable for the entire season. Apparently AT&T's nationwide investment in 4G LTE had finally reached downtown Denver and really made a difference. How was my VZW service at the ballpark? Horrible. Oh, on occasion when the Rox weren't pulling in a crowd and the ballpark was relatively uncrowded, I'd be able to get highlights from another game on MLB At Bat, but for the most part, the 4G service was incredibly slow. Regardless of where I seemed to be with the Verizon iPhone 5 over the past year, my wife almost always had better service on AT&T. The kicker was a trip around Colorado we took over the Labor Day weekend. I'd be looking at one bar and "1x" on my Verizon iPhone, while my spouse was happily pulling down maps and information with four to five bars of signal strength on 4G on AT&T. This happened all over the state, from the beautiful Mesa Verde National Park to the high-country town of Ouray. The moral of the story? If you're unhappy with the service and coverage you're getting from your current mobile carrier, think long and hard before switching, as you may be going from bad to worse. Of course, you might not have the same experience I did, and you might have much better Verizon coverage in your part of the world than AT&T does. I don't want to pay another Early Termination Fee to Verizon to switch back to AT&T; perhaps some kindly AT&T rep will read my story and offer to refund last year's ETF if I return to the fold. Please?
