10 days with iPhone 5

Better battery

It's true, iPhone 5, promises a better battery life over iPhone 4/4S. Officially Apple states...

Talk time:
Up to 8 hours on 3G

Browsing time:
Up Up to 8 hours on 3G (+2 hours)
Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi (+1 hour)

Standby time:
Up to 225 hours (+25 hours)

Talk time:
Up to 8 hours on 3G
Based on Apples comparison between iPhone 5 and 4S. Interesting to note, no change in talk time battery length between 4S and 5. In fact iPhone 4 claims the best stand by time at around 300 hours. Personally I haven't been able to verify the stand by times as I can't put my 5 down, in addition it's mainly used for browsing, apps, games, ect. Rather than an actual phone.

I have found the battery does pretty much last the day now, even lingering on the low 20%'s for what seems like ages. Which I great, as presently I have only one lighting cable and on 30 pin dock connector.
Overall battery 9/10

Faster

Apple claims...Faster CPU performance.
With the new A6 chip, just about everything you do on iPhone 5 is noticeably faster — up to twice as fast compared with the A5 chip.

So apps launch, web pages load and email attachments appear almost instantly.

Faster graphics.
The A6 chip also offers graphics performance that’s up to twice as fast as the A5. So you can power through graphics-intensive apps and games. And enjoy higher frame rates for smoother, more realistic gameplay.

Several sites have performed a tare down of the A6 chip (Apples latest chip to power the iPhone) and what has been discovered is its a dual core processor additionally with three Graphic Processing Units (GPU). Meaning its quick, really quick to launch apps and load web pages (signal dependant) and for graphics intense games or maps animations butter smooth.
9/10

Passbook

Holding off giving you my thoughts on passbook as UK comparable apps is a bit scarce. Looking forward to a Starbucks and or Costa integration, so I have an excuse to spank the caffeine juice.

Current UK Passbook compatible apps

Lighting connector

Apples posts...
Making iPhone 5 thinner and lighter required a pivotal change: replacing the 30-pin connector with something newer, smaller and better. Introducing the Lightning connector. It features an all-digital, eight-signal design that’s significantly more durable than the 30-pin connector. Another brilliant feature of Lightning: it’s reversible. Which means there’s no wrong way to plug in the cable.

My experience with lightning has been fine. I really like the fact it's smaller and best of all, it's reversible, meaning there's no wrong way up. Handy when your tired and trying to connect your iPhone in a dimly light bedroom, trying not to wake your partner by turning the big light on! At first, I was a bit apprehensive it seemed like it might easily snap, but its just because I was so used to the old 30 pin style.

I would have really liked an adaptor to be included, it what is the first change to connecting and charging iPhones and iPods since they were invented. Even if adapters could have been supplied with this, the first device to use lightning and purchased separately going forward.

Overall 7/10

Siri

I upgraded from an iPhone 4 to the iPhone 5, I didn't have an iPhone 4S, like my sister does. So Siri is new to me. Sometimes Siri surprises me in a good way, I get the info I was looking for quickly and well presented. Like when I ask "when is my dad's birthday?", ask Siri the same question, but for my mum and Siri stumbles, offering a web search. I would have I thought though, because Siri knows a birthday (you may have to tell him first time around) and because Siri know today's date, a question like "How many days to my wife's birthday?" Would have been answerable. I feel Siri is very useful for quickly finding out about the weather, us Brits are obsessed. Apples says Siri spent the summer learning sports, I would say some sports translates to premier league, no F1. In my limited experience unlocking Siri's potential lies in correctly wording your questions to him. When I first asked for films showing at my local cinema, I was provided with results for a cinema across the Thames, Siri has learnt my local picture house and now prioritises these results first. Much more helpful.
Overall 6/10

Free Turn by turn

Much has been said about Apples new maps app. Actually I would be more accurate to write, all that can be said has been said. Sp lets explore turn by turn instead. I really like this feature, it's simple and easy to use. Clear motorway style signs and Siri's voice to guide you. I trialled navigation serval times as a passenger, in conjunction with a dedicated Tomtom sat nav. I have to say the iPhone faired very well, ok the detail in maps maybe a little sparse in places. It terms of going off route, the iPhone recalculated much quicker than my Tomtom unit, which has on certain trips spent the whole time just on the splash screen! Once the iPhone had recalculated it didn't spend the next few miles trying to turn us around, it seemed to accept our changes and we both moved on.
Turn by turn with Siri 8/10

Earpods

Here's what Apple has to say...Just like fingerprints, ears are unique parts of the body. Which means earbud headphones fit differently on everyone. So rather than use the speaker as the starting point for new headphones, Apple designers and engineers started with the ear. They tested over a hundred prototype designs on hundreds of people. All with the goal of creating earbuds that rest comfortably inside — and stay inside — a variety of ear types, while also producing quality sound. The result is a breakthrough for earbud headphones: Apple EarPods. They’re unlike anything you’ve ever seen or heard.

I feel they are the most comfy in ear headphones I've tried, after an hour or so with older style Apple earphones it would actually be a bit uncomfortable. With earpods, once you get used to the very different design the fit is snug and comfortable and the sound bright. I tested them extensively by listening to The Killers, Battle Born, while composing this post. Since releasing them from their neat travel case I haven't managed to successfully to re home the pods. I'm not the only one right?
Overall 9/10

The diary of a 2012 Summer Camper day 1

An event over 3 days, not whole days, around 1-1.5 hours each.

My son and I are enthusiastically greeted by Apple staff and make to feel welcome and part of the store. We wait in anticipation of what might be in store on a bar style stool around a
fetzer apple store table. This displays the current MacBook Air, at the end of the table a large cinema display. Once everyone arrives, (around 7 children and their parents who need to chaperone and encourage their offspring throughout) we quickly each sign a waver and we start.

The children are given their own Apple style custom land yard and asked to print their name on it, before introducing themselves and telling the group what their favourite film is. In lovely touch each camper is given thier own highly prized Apple T-shirt. Sadly I was told they didn't have a grown up version! And my son informs me, that the T-shirt is his and I have no chance, oh well.

My Son's Apple T

Together we are all going to storyboard, shoot, edit, create a sound track and finally present our films in a showcase film festival on the final day.
Our first task, possibly the hardest is to come up with an idea for our film and storyboard it. Essentially sketching a little picture of each of the films 6 scenes on a sheet of A4, along with naming our Hollywood project.
Today we are introduced to the new iPad and GarageBand. Our presenter, obviously passionate about his music is informative and fun in his approach. Allowing the group time to play and providing roving help where needed so no one is left to struggle. Each camper is given a fresh set of Apple headphones, I think to save the ears of other shoppers. Again this is a lovely approach and ensures no one is embarrassed to make noise while composing, and everyone can get to grips with the technology.

My son wanted a mission impossible style theme to his vision, instead of saying this is not possible our presenter used another iPad to quickly find a YouTube clip and roughly demonstrated enough that my wife could lay down the beats, I believe that's the term. Day one complete, the soundtrack is set. The rest of the day at home we spend creating scenery, shooting and finalising our shots ready for day 2.

UK defines a new mobile era, just in time.

Today, The news from OFCOM, the UK's communications regulator is that LTE or 4G is on its way, kind of. Ahead of the much anticipated 4G auction next year, they have agreed everything everywhere (the union of Orange and T-Mobile mobile networks) can reuse part of their frequency (1800 hertz) for 4G.

Customers could potentially take advantage of 4G's improved speeds from September the 11th. Holy moly, did you say September the 11th? Isn't that the day before Apples much hyped and unconfirmed date for the release of the new iPhone, yes the very same!

Now If, and it is a massive if, a massive unconfirmed, internet hyped, rumour rich if, the next iPhone supports 4G on just one frequency, 1800 hertz then Everything and everywhere had secured a massive lead in the UK market. And If Apple have been able to include a chipset that supports multiple 4G frequencies the Orange and T-Mobile duo have still played s blinder as other 4G UK Networks won't come online until at least 2013.

In a country where political correctness, equal opportunities and monopoly and mergers rule, how can it be that one mobile network provider has managed to circumvent everyday fairness.

Throw into the mix to, everywhere and everything's brand statement "Everything Everywhere confirms that we are planning to launch a new brand in the UK later this year. This new brand will sit alongside our existing brands Orange and T-Mobile. We will reveal more information on our exciting plans in due course." released today, then this brand launch could be spearheaded by this 4G advantage. This is akin to Visa using the Olympics as a platform to officially launch contact less payment in the Uk. Or P&G utilising London 2012 to launch P&G as the brand of choice for beauty s d healthcare , in a way never before seen. We all know Pampers, Olay and Pantene connecting them all through the P&G brand is massive.

Everywhere and Everything have a similar moment to capture consumers hearts and Internet speeds, not for the life if a shampoo bottle, but for 24 months of public locked in loyalty.

What about the UK's other leading mobile providers well apparently O2 (the UK's original and exclusive iPhone provider) issued a statement saying "We are hugely disappointed with today’s announcement, which will mean the majority of customers will be excluded from the first wave of digital services. This decision undermines the competitive environment for 4G in the UK."

Vodafone concurred "We are frankly shocked that Ofcom has reached this decision. The regulator has shown a careless disregard for the best interests of consumers, businesses and the wider economy through its refusal to properly regard the competitive distortion created by allowing one operator to run services before the ground has been laid for a fully competitive 4G market."

And Three, who market their network on the fact it was Specifically built for the internet conclude "Liberalisation of 2G spectrum to date has distorted the competitive landscape in the UK, which ultimately harms consumers. Further liberalisation without addressing competition issues could make that distortion worse." Three are apparently in talks with Everything and Everywhere to join their 4G party. A condition of the Orange and T-Mobile merger was that the newly formed group would need to sell some of their 4G spectrum to Three. Although at this stage it's unclear wether this from the 1800 hertz spectrum or part of the yet unreleased spectrum to be fort over in provisional Q3 of next year.

Only time, Apple statements, luck and the public will decide what happens next. Exciting times at faster speeds ahead.

Waze - FREE

Launched in 2009, Waze is a user generated navigation app using turn by turn spoken word to guide you with a social twist. When it first became available in the UK you could earn points for mapping motorways, then A roads to improve your standings. Wazers, share info about traffic conditions to help improve the journey times of others. Users can message you if you allow, to alert you to cameras, potholes or traffic. The more you use it the higher your standing and the more achievements you gain. From a safety point of view it's not great to be fiddling while driving, so most features can be locked out or select passenger mode for full fun features.

Recently it appears Wazers and their crowd sourced data is being utilised by Apple for shall we call it "traffic improvements." Waze amongst others is credited, in Apples legal small print for the new native Maps app to be released soon.

London 2012 Calling, Texting, Tweeting...

With 500,000 visitors set to be welcomed to London on an average day in the peak season (including day trippers) it is inevitable that

‘Mobile networks may be slowed down at peak times during the Games.’

London organisers say that" Additional capacity and coverage for mobile phone networks is being put in around Games venues. This will overlay the existing coverage provision and existing customers can expect a ‘normal’ service during Games-time.
However, at times of peak demand it is unavoidable that mobile networks may be slowed down by higher volumes of traffic. Voice, email and low-data traffic are unlikely to be affected, but it may be difficult to download larger content such as files or images."

So what exactly has been done behind the scenes to ensure your mobile digital life isn't disqualified by our games.

BT have installed free Wi-Fi in 500,000 hotspots around London. (that's 1 wifi hotspot for each of the expected 500,000 visitors)
Smartphones are set up to love wifi over mobile networks, which is great for users as these are increasingly free and always faster than 3G networks. In the UK 3G is currently the fastest way to transfer data over a mobile network, although the big operators are testing and investing in 4G or LTE, we don't have this availability currently Its auction looks like being put back to at least 2013 too.

Source: Apple

So the plan is that these extra hotspots will take some of the strain off our everyday mobile networks, allowing us to tweet or facebook that must share "look at me, at the Olympics" picture to our mates. The thing with wifi, though is it's range isn't usually huge and if we're on the move, we may quickly become out of range and then rely on our everyday networks.

According to clarity smartphone users upload more data than they download, this isn't so surprising when you consider the massive growth of the social networks and our insatiable appetite for sharing photos, videos and checking in to places.

In a recent article in The Guardian this is what the main contenders said about how they have prepared to keep our mobile devices connected "O2, whose network is piggy-backed by mobile service providers giffgaff and Tesco Mobile, said it had invested £50m in its network to help cope with the increased demand during the Olympics.
A spokesman said: "As an industry, we have been planning for over two years, and O2 alone has invested £50m in London 2012 – increasing capacity on the current network and building new temporary sites across the country. On top of that, Wi-Fi will also play a huge role for those people who will want to use data services at the Games, including Facebook and Twitter."
Everything Everywhere (EE), which operates the integrated Orange and T-Mobile network, said: "We've invested millions of pounds to ensure a good experience for both British and international visitors to the Olympics.
"We've also increased measures in place to maintain service and operational stability during the Games. Additional field maintenance resource in the areas of the country most affected are in place, alongside dedicated incident managers to ensure a very rapid response to any service-affecting incidents."

How's your signal holding?

A spokeswoman for Virgin Mobile, which also runs off the EE network, stated: "We're thoroughly prepared for the Olympics right across our business and we're working with our network partner to ensure the best experience for our customers during the Games."
Stuart Newstead, spokesperson for the Mobile Experience Group, which represents all UK operators in the UK, said all companies had been working together for two and a half years to get as much capacity into and around the Olympic venues as possible.
"UK operators have been adding extra capacity to their backhaul networks and adding additional carriers and sectors to antennas to meet the expected demand. But it is an unprecedented level of demand, and all we can say is that we are as prepared as we can be.""

There's only one way to answer this question, and we shall all have to wait and see.
What do you think will the mobile infrastructure hold out? Leave us a comment

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New charger, new iPhone?

If Apple chooses to change the classic and now standard 30 pin dock connector for a smaller dock connector, the obvious question is "what about my existing iPhone dock, external speaker, alarm clock, ect?"

Current dock connector

For accessory makers, this could be the golden goose, as the 30 pin dock has been around for as long as there has been iPods (2001) and iPhones (2007). This means an accessory maker investing in docks, radios, speakers and the like could have around 10-12 years lifespan with the new connectors. But for the rest of us it could be a right pain. I am sure Apple would smooth this transition, let's hypothesise what this might look like. As recent as 2009, the big tech companies agreed a new micro standard for USB, which is great, it should mean being able to use the same charger for all products who sign up for this standard. Apple has introduced a dock to miniUSB converter to comply with the EU legislation. When is a charging cable, not just a charging cable? When its an Apple charging cable, in this humble cable is a host of proprietary technology hidden inside, making it small and efficient. This is why Apple are still not ditching the dock connector per-say. (idownloadblog.com)

The next question is why, why would Apple do this?

Let's look logically at it, it's quite large, the dock that goes into the iPhone currently is around 21mm across and about 6mm deep. It's depth has been reduced from the original iPod and iPhone cables. The reason why Apple would want to reduce the size of the dock connector is to make extra space. The same reason Apple are likely to introduce a micro sim, to replace the mini sim first introduced into the mobile fray, by Apple with the iPhone 4. Extra space for a larger screen, larger battery the introduction if an NFC module or the rumour mungers suggest a reconfiguration of microphone/headphone port. The moving of the headphone port would mean the iPhones design was more in line with the iPod touch. Whatever the reason it will give the designers more freedom and scope over their design and function.

With these changes, could more improvements be made. Would Apple introduce a MagSafe style charging cable. MagSafe is an Apple patented technology where the charging cable is magnetically attached, currently used for its MacBook ranges.

Source: Wired

The connector is held in place by magnets so for example if some plum trips over the cord, it will pull out of the socket safely, without damaging the connector, power socket, or pulling your MacBook off the coffee table it's residing on. MagSafe connectors also have a small led built into the cable which glows red, amber or green depending in how charged the battery is, which is kinda cool.

The main benefit though would be convenience, simply snapping into place rather than plugging in like the current dock connector. It may also prevent the "I'm going to bed, must just plug in my iPhone first, why won't it plug in. Oh it's the wrong way around" scenario.

Anyway whatever Apple finalise on, some sort of adapter will be necessary, the final question is will this adaptor ship with new iPhone or will it be an additional extra?

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WWDC 2012 - Maps

Apple Maps it out, or will be when iOS6 come out of beta, then it will have its turn by turn. So, on this the rumours were true. Scott Forstal
proudly announced that Apple has built from the ground up a new native
map app.


To be delivered as a free upgrade to all iPhone alliterations
(excluding the original iPhone.) Love the way Apple looks after the
older models phones still. This is great as my mum has a 3GS, although
she has a great sense of direction, which I do not, and so may not need it.


Turn by turn


Turn by turn navigation is a feature which has been a while in the
making, now it's been demoed we can be sure it will be stylish and
just work.


Turn by turn directions will, it has subsequently announced (quietly, in small print on the Apple website) be available to iphone4S and the new iPad (iPad3) only. Meaning if your device hasn't got the A5 chip you'll need to upgrade to enjoy these features, although I wouldn't upgrade yet, wait for the next iPhone.


So the all new map app, looks great, no surprise there, with the
intergration of Siri it should be outstanding. Currently it's not
clear weather Siri will be available to everyone or if it will remain
a premium feature of the iPhone 4S (Apple has announced Siri will be
available with iOS6 on the new iPad.)


Flyover


3D mapping of big cities looks beautiful and will no doubt look even
more amazing on Apples unannounced new iPhone. Again flyover will only be available officially to owners of the latest generation idevices. Will this mean the end of stand alone sat navs or will all this data usage kill our data
plans, on one has mentioned offline maps have they (only Google, in an childish, unprepared attempt to take the shine off iOS6.)

Find out a little more about Maps