Category Archives: Apple

Apple iPhone SE – The Pocket Rocket of Success

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I remember walking into my local Apple store and holding the Apple iPhone SE and re-imagining what it would be like to have a phone this compact again. It doesn’t matter what operating system you prefer, there is no denying the brilliant one handed use of the iPhone SE.

It is also a powerful beast with Apple’s A9 processor and fitted with the new 12mp rear camera. Apple Pay is also included. On top of everything else it is also the cheapest route to owning an iPhone of this calibre for ages.

So why is the iPhone SE the pocket rocket of success. Firstly, it is re-using one of Apple’s iconic phone designs just with more updated components. Secondly, people are buying it as it saves them hundreds of pounds or dollars over the iPhone 6S. And lastly not everyone wants a large phone.

But its success is noticeable in China. According to Digitimes, Chinese smartphone suppliers are reducing production due to the Apple iPhone SE. Brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo have all lost marketshare.

I also personally know of several people who have bought the iPhone SE and are extremely happy with their new iPhone.

Sources – Digitimes, Appleinsider.com

Big changes for Apple iPhone in 2017

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Samsung Display Co. will begin supplying Apple with OLED display panels starting in 2017, according to The Korea Herald.

The deal is worth $2.59 billion which translates into Samsung providing Apple with 100 million units of 5.5-inch OLED panels annually.

Currently, all iPhones have LCD based displays so to switch to OLED displays really is a big change. OLED panels remove the need for backlighting used in traditional LCD panels. This should mean slimmer bezels on newer iPhones. OLED displays should translate into crisper images and brighter colours. However, the downside of OLED panels is more expensive manufacturing costs with shorter life span and the dreaded screen burn. Let’s hope these issues are non existent by 2017!

Apple iPhone 6S – Hands Free Siri – Editorial with the Cookie Monster

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One of the best aspects of the iPhone is Siri. It is even better on the Apple iPhone 6S and 6S Plus and Siri became totally handsfree.

If you want to know what notifications have appeared on your iPhone, just ask Siri, “Any Notifications” or even just say “Notifications” And Siri will read off ALL your notifications across ALL your apps.

Another great use is in cooking. Apple demonstrated this neat use using the Cookie Monster.

Moving or creating appointments with Siri is a breeze. I have always found Siri more of a personal assistant and really a benefit in the car or when my hands are tied up e.g. cooking.

Anyway, below is the new advert from Apple with the Cookie Monster.

The Beauty of iOS Apps – Editorial

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Here I am about one month into my ownership of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge thinking about some of the apps on iOS that I used to use daily and trying to find alternatives on android.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is all about the camera and to get the most out of the camera you really need to use the official Samsung camera app. Camera FV-5 has just been updated to work with the newer Samsung phones from the S6 onwards. But really there aren’t any other sophisticated camera apps that work on these newer android phones. If you own an iPhone, camera apps and decent camera apps are in abundance.

And that’s the beauty of iOS. In any specific or specialised category you will find a couple of class leading apps. On the camera app front on iOS there are at least 5 decent camera apps, but my personal favourite that add some extra value are Nightcap Pro and ProCamera+ HDR which have nothing even close on android that offers the full range of functionality. Photo editing is another league on iOS.

The gaming catalogue on iOS is huge. Often android apps and games are ruined by adverts. A good example is Scrabble. On android game play is ruined totally by adverts. But not on iOS.

So apart from the photography apps, do you have any specialised favourite iOS or android apps?

Apple iPad Pro 9.7 inch or the new Amazon Flagship Kindle?

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Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos tweeted that next week Amazon is going to release an “all-new, top of the line” Kindle.

Which begs the question, should you go for an e-reader just to read books or should you buy a more versatile device like the Apple iPad Pro 9.7 inch and install the Kindle app?

Personally, if I read lots of books are didn’t want too much eye strain, I would opt for one of the cheaper Amazon Kindle readers. This way when I read, I wouldn’t get any distractions.

However, I still think nothing beats reading a real book.

Apple iPhone SE – First Impressions

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So I happened to see the new iPhone SE yesterday.

I got to see all the different colours which also come with a matching dock. The dock is an extra cost but Apple certainly know how to make accessories look appealing. 

Before you all shout out this is just an iPhone 5S, it really isn’t except in looks.  The internals are all updated but the most striking thing about holding the iPhone SE is its screen.

At first I thought I had picked up a demo fake model with a fake screen. The icons on the screen looked so crisp and clear I didn’t think for a split second that the phone was actually switched on. Then I swiped the home screen to move to another home screen and realised it was switched on.

The iPhone SE felt like a toy initially as it was so small. But then I started to play with it more and that one handed use is so so good. Here is a phone that doesn’t invade your life and that fits snuggly away in any pocket.

And then I looked at all the different finishes and decided which colour I preferred.

I nearly thought about going back to a small screen phone and how life could be again.

But I didn’t …. for now …..

Apple iPhone SE – Review

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Apple’s new iPhone SE went on sale yesterday and already the reviews are appearing across the web. Below are a highlight from across the internet with added commentary from myself.

The Wall Street Journal highlights the impressive battery life in the iPhone SE, which out performs both the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6s, but criticizes the unoriginal design. The design is difficult to radically change as this is how people identify its an iPhone.

The Independent stated that the iPhone SE will appeal most to those who currently use a 4-inch iPhone. There also commented that as it can be difficult to adjust to a smaller 4-inch screen after using Apple’s larger 4.7 or 5.5-inch iPhones. Agree on this point totally

iMore noted that while the iPhone SE received the 12-megapixel rear camera from the iPhone 6s, the front-facing camera is a measly 1.2 megapixels. I really think Apple was wrong here not to include the 5mp front camera. Selfies are all the rage at the moment.

Techradar called the exterior “svelte and sleek,” and added that it’s just like handling an iPhone 5s, the phone the SE is modeled after. Now that’s a shocker, not

The Daily Mail added in its review that the iPhone SE, with its A9 processor – the same processor in the iPhone 6s – is “blazingly fast”. Do reviews from the Daily Mail count?

The Telegraph commented that its back is made from bead-blasted aluminium, according to Apple, and the logo is now made from colour-matched stainless steel, meaning it has a slightly different appearance on each of the four metallic colours. This is a nice touch.

The Verge added that the new iPhone SE finally makes a small phone powerful. True but obvious as well.

It does seem that all of the websites that have released reviews that were being polite and respectful to Apple. At the end of the day it is really a spec bumped iPhone 5S with a build that uses the latest manufacturing techniques, hence the change in process for finishing the phone in its different colours. However, none of that matters, as its a cracker of a phone, now with an improved battery and one of the only phones across any platform that is as pocketable and powerful at the same time. With summer approaching, you can pocket the iPhone SE in to any pocket, tight jeans and more. Business orders for this phone are huge too. Apple once again have hit the jackpot!

Apple iPhone SE and the new Apple iPad Pro 9.7 inch

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Currently Apple’s online store is down in preparation for the sales of their new iPhone SE and iPad Pro 9.7 inch.

In addition you can also buy new watch straps for the Apple Watch.

The iPad Pro 9.7 inch was nearly on my wish list, but when I heard Apple had dropped the ram from 4gb to 2gb versus the larger iPad Pro, that left me a little disappointed. Will this put you off?

With the iPhone SE starting at £359, this must be a winner for Apple. What do you think?

Apple Pay coming to Mobile Websites – Details

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Apple Pay was first out of the blocks and now it is taking the next logical step.

“Apple is planning to expand Apple Pay to allow iOS users to make purchases from websites later this year, reports Re/code. With the change, Apple Pay will be available to customers who visit websites and make purchases using the Safari browser on iPads and iPhones.”

Paying via Apple Pay on mobile website will help push Apple Pay to become the normal method of payment going forward.