domingo, 16 de septiembre de 2012

iPad By Davis: “Turn iPhone photos into real prints with the Impossible Instant Lab Kickstarter project” plus 10 more

iPad By Davis: “Turn iPhone photos into real prints with the Impossible Instant Lab Kickstarter project” plus 10 more

Turn iPhone photos into real prints with the Impossible Instant Lab Kickstarter project

Posted: 16 Sep 2012 12:30 AM PDT

Turn iPhone photos into real prints with the Impossible Instant Lab Kickstarter projectIf you yearn for the days when you had a Polaroid instant camera and loved the square white bordered instant prints that it produced then this Kickstarter project is for you. The Impossible Instant Lab looks to transform your iPhone's digital photos into real instant photos that you can touch, feel and share with your friends.

Right! We are Impossible and we love instant photography. We love it so much, we were crazy enough to buy the last Polaroid factory in order to save instant film for the future. If you've ever held an SX 70 in your hand, you probably understand. It's such a beautiful piece of design and the photos it makes are so different from any other camera - unique and magical. But even we instant film aficionados take a lot of pictures with our iPhones, so we wanted to find a way to turn those digital iPhone images into true instant photos. Well … we invented it. The Impossible Instant Lab!

The Impossible Instant Lab is designed to transform any digital image via your iPhone into an instant photo that is exposed using only the light from the display, then processed and developed by chemicals. A photo that exists physically – IRL. A photo that is a one-of-a-kind original that can be shared, exhibited and preserved. A photo that no longer needs an electronic device to be seen.

The Impossible Instant Lab is very simple to use too, you just fire up the companion app, select an image you would like to print, place the iPhone face down into the cradle and open the shutter on the Instant lab. The signal will tell you when it has received the image and then it ejects it where you can watch it develop right in your hand; just like the good old days!

If you like the look of this nostalgic Kickstarter project and would like a piece of the action then you had better be quick; it has received a phenomenal amount of interest already. The first two pledge options are sold out so you are looking at a minimum pledge of $229 to secure one of the first off the production line. The Impossible Instant Lab set out to achieve a funding total of $250,000; it has already smashed through that goal and currently sits at $414,000 and still has 22 days to go. It is safe to say that there is a lot of demand for instant iPhone printing.

What do you think of the Impossible Instant Lab?

Source: Kickstarter

Apple A6 system-on-a-chip: Custom ARM CPU, PowerVR SGX 543MP3, 1GB of RAM

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 08:49 PM PDT

Apple A6 system-on-a-chip: Custom ARM CPU, PowerVR SGX 543MP3, 1GB of RAM

At the iPhone 5 event on September 12, Apple not only announced a new iPhone, but also a new system-on-a-chip (SoC) sequentially named the Apple A6. While we'd heard about this new chipset prior to the event, we hadn't heard anything specific. Rumors ranged from an updated, higher clocked version of last year's dual-core ARM Cortex A9-based Apple A5 with a PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU, to a bleeding edge ARM A15 and PowerVR 6 "Rogue". Turns out the Apple A6 is nothing as conservative or futuristic as either of those things -- it's something even more exciting. It's Apple's first custom-designed ARM chipset. Anand Lal Shimpi of Anandtech managed to sleuth out the details:

The A6 is the first Apple SoC to use its own ARMv7 based processor design. The CPU core(s) aren't based on a vanilla A9 or A15 design from ARM IP, but instead are something of Apple's own creation. [..] The deeper machine plus much wider front end and execution engines drives both power and performance up.

He also puts it at 32nm. He isn't clear on the number cores yet, but give the realities of power/performance Apple wants to hit, the same logic seems to dictate dual-core as the sweet spot. Licensing the instruction set (ARMv7) rather than the specific processor (like Cortex A9 or A15) is an interesting move for Apple. It's similar to what Qualcomm for the Krait.

As for that GPU, it's a PowerVR SGX 543MP3 clocked "marginally" higher:

The [PowerVR SGX 543MP3] is sort of the best of both worlds. You don't take a huge die area penalty and at the same time don't run at a significantly higher frequency, and you can get to that same 2x value. The third option is the most elegant and likely what Apple chose here. Remember that overall die size is dictated by the amount of IO you have around the chip.

Apple has always branded their ARM chipsets, with the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS all bearing the logo if not the name. With the iPad (and later iPhone 4), Apple introduced the Apple A4 and the line took on a public naming convention. That continued with the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S SoC, named Apple A5, and the iPad 3 SoC, named Apple A5. Through the years, Apple also bought chip companies PA Semi and Intrisity, hired and later let go IBM chip-whiz Mark Papermaster, hired and later let go Jim Keller, and others.

Making their own AMR chipset instead of licensing one is the ultimate extension of Apple's desire to make the whole widget, bit to atom. It's something that makes a lot of sense, but felt like it might have been a year or two away still. Not so. If Anand Lai Shimpi is right. it starts now.

Source: Anandtech

iPhone or something else: Which phone should you get?

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 03:03 PM PDT

Just because Apple has released the new iPhone 5 doesn't mean you have to race off and get it. Crazy, I know, particularly coming from the biggest iPhone enthusiast site on the web, but that just goes to show you how true it is. When the time comes for you to get your next phone, whether it's today or next year, and iPhone or something else, you should look at what's on the market and decide what best suits your needs.

Upgrading from an older iPhone

If you're currently using an older iPhone, especially an original iPhone or iPhone 3G your contract has likely long since expired, you device has long since fallen out of OS updates, and you can and should get a new iPhone at the discounted price. Pricing starts at zero (0) dollars for the iPhone 4 on most carriers. Do it.

If you bought an original iPhone 3GS, the same advice applies. Even though the iPhone 3GS can run iOS 6, it can't run it well. If you bought an iPhone 3GS in the last year, you may or may not qualify for full upgrade pricing, but it's worth checking just in case. The difference even between an iPhone 3GS and an iPhone 4, much less iPhone 5, are stratospheric.

For iPhone 4 owners, the same advice applies. If you can get full upgrade pricing, a $100 iPhone 4S is a nice upgrade and a $200+ iPhone 5 is a fantastic upgrade.

A new iPhone will run all the same apps and play all the same content as your old iPhone, only far, far, far better.

Upgrading from an iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, or iPhone 4 is almost a no brainer.

Upgrading from an iPhone 4S to iPhone 5

If you're using an iPhone 4S, the upgrade question is much less clear. You're probably still on contract with your carrier, and these days they're not always rushing to give you an early upgrade or full discount. (Pro tip: Call straight into the retention department, don't bother with regular customer service, and make them understand your paying the every month for the next few years depends on them helping you get a new phone today.) And that's once you decide it's even worth it. Here's what you'd get with the iPhone 5:

  • LTE/DC-HSPA radio for super fast internet. If you hate waiting for web pages to load, or if you do a lot of tethering, it's hugely worth it.
  • 16:9 wide screen. If older iPhone screens were always too small and too cramped for you, you might like the longer one on the iPhone 5.
  • It's faster and better. For some people performance and/or appearance matters. The iPHone 5 is twice as fast as the iPhone 4S, and it's got a new, two-tone design. You'll spend less time waiting for apps, and all your friends will know you have the new phone.

In other words, the iPhone 5 is not a compelling upgrade for iPhone 4S users unless it fixes a specific problem like LTE or screen size.

Upgrading from Android, BlackBerry, webOS, or Windows Phone to iPhone 4S

If your current phone of choice runs Android, Windows Phone, or is a BlackBerry, here's where it gets tricky. If you're not on contract, it's easier. If you are, you need to weigh the pros and cons and see if the features you get outweigh the penalties you'll have to pay.

  • The iPhone 5 isn't as customizable as Android, so if you like widgets and replacement keyboards and ROM flashing, you'll be disappointed.
  • The iPhone 5 doesn't have BBM (BlackBerry Messenger), so if that's what your friends use you'll be out of touch -- and out of luck. iMessage will let you talk with other iOS users in an SMS/MMS type way, and there are cross-platform apps, but none of them are BBM.
  • The iPhone 5 only comes in one style. No sliders, no flips, no hardware keyboards of any kind, and no option for a bigger than 4-inch screen.

But iPhone has a lot going for it as well.

  • The iPhone 5 has multiple layers but the first layer is so incredibly easy to use that the most non-tech savvy of people, people who are moving up from feature phones, can pick it up and get going with it immediately. At the same time it's highly appealing to expert and veteran smartphone users who want to spend their time getting things done, not getting their phones to do things.
  • The iPhone 5 has iTunes and now iCloud, which does a lot of what iTunes used to but without the cable, lets you easily sync your existing content and also gives you access not only to the App Store but iTunes music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, iTunes U (University) and overall more content in more parts of the world than any other service.
  • The iPhone 5 gets software updates whenever Apple pushes them out. There's no waiting for manufacturers or carriers to decide if they're going to bother giving them to your phone or not. They just work.
  • The iPhone 5, if you live near an Apple Retail Store and you have a problem with your phone, can often be fixed on the spot. There's no passing the buck between carrier and manufacturer, there's no sending your phone away for lengthy repairs. You make a Genius Bar appointment, you show up, they fix your phone or swap it for a new one (if you're still under warranty or Apple Care). They'll also help you set it up and teach you how to use it. If you're new to phones, this is the single best reason to go Apple.
  • The iPhone 5 ties into Apple's entire ecosystem. Apple itself creates a ton of other products to supplement the iPhone, including Mac computers, iPods, iPads, a ton of software, and much, much more.

It's also important to realize that a lot of phones can change a lot over the course of a year. New devices will just keep arriving, so make sure you check for the latest

If there's some limitation when it comes to the iPhone that you can't live with, or if you just don't like Apple, don't get an iPhone. For example, if you like to tinker and want your phone, your way, don't get an iPhone.

Otherwise, get an iPhone. For most people it remains the best first smartphone on the planet.

Upgrading from a feature phone to iPhone 5.

Pretty soon all phones will be smart phones. It's inexorable. There are only two real questions. One is when you become part of the transition -- now when you choose to, or later when you absolutely have to. Two is what phone you'll transition too. Data charges on a smartphone will mean significantly higher monthly bills, though enable you to do far more than you could on a flip or candybar phone.

Given that it's inevitable, once you decide to take the smartphone plunge, the iPhone is a great place to start. It can be as simple as a feature phone if that's what you want, or as powerful as a true pocket computer,

Either way, it's a great choice.

iPhone 5 buyers guide

Samsung's new anti-iPhone 5 ad insults geniuses, customer's intelligence.

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 01:34 PM PDT

Samsung's new anti-iPhone 5 ad insults geniuses, customer's intelligence.

Samsung reportedly sent out an early review copy of their new Galaxy S3 vs. iPhone 5 advert, probably to get some attention amid the hype of the iPhone 5 launch. If the ad is real, and really does come from Samsung (and sometimes these things aren't what they seem), it's unfortunate. Instead of trying to educate consumers as to the real advantages of Samsung's phone -- of which there are many -- they created more of a parody or farce. Steve Kovach of Business Insider has the story:

Samsung just sent me an ad that it plans to run in national newspapers tomorrow comparing the iPhone 5 to the Galaxy S III.

The ad breaks down some key specs of the two phones, but it's also a bit misleading. Samsung lists a lot of Galaxy S III-specific software features like sharing photos wirelessly between phones and tilt to zoom, but doesn't mention any iPhone 5-specific features.

Sadly, the tag line is -- "it doesn't take a genius". And Samsung is right. It doesn't take a genius at all to see this ad as totally off the mark... and maybe just a little desperate.

Both Rene Ritchie on iMore and Jerry Hildenbrand on Android Central wrote great, informative, factual comparisons.

Again, it might not be what it seems, but if it is, lucky for Samsung, their phones are better than their marketing departments.

Source: Business Insider

Turn your Mac or PC into an AirPlay device with AirServer

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 12:28 PM PDT

AirServer is a very simple Mac and PC app with a very useful purpose -- sharing your iPhone or iPad's screen to your computer with AirPlay mirroring. Once you install AirServer, your computer will appear in the list of devices available for AirPlay on your iPhone or iPad and when you select your computer, your iPhone or iPad's screen will pop up on your computer screen, just like it would on your television with Apple TV.

I am very impressed with how good AirServer works. There is virtually no lag time and I haven't run into any issues. It does what it claims to do and does it well. You can even adjust settings for audio, which display to use (if you use multiple displays) and optimize for a specific device.

There a 4 different licenses available for AirServer: a 7 day free trial, a standard license for 5 machines, a student license for 3 machines, and one for up to 15 computers. The Mac version includes audio support, but the PC version does not (yet).

If you download the free trial, AirServer will send you a referral link to share with your friends. When someone installs AirServer via your unique link, your free trial will extend by 3 days. (The download link below is my referral link.)

If you pick up AirServer, we'd love to hear what you think. AirServer can be helpful for sharing photos and videos stored on your iPhone or iPad with friends, playing AirPlay compatible games like Real Racing 2, a teacher giving a presentation to his/her class, and much more.

Free - Download Now

Source: AirServer, thanks @matthewmspace for the tip!

iControlPad 2 hits Kickstarter with full keyboard, game controls, and open source

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 10:38 AM PDT

iOS gamers will likely remember the iControlPad, an accessory that launched last year to offer physical controls to the sticklers that can't abide by on-screen controls. The iControlPad guys have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their next product, the iControlPad 2. It's making a bunch of marked improvements, including open source code, a swivel mechanism to stow the controller away when not in use, and a full keyboard for typing. There's the standard stuff there too, like twin joystick nubs, shoulder buttons, and a directional pad. The open sourciness allows the iControlPad 2 to communicate with just about anything, like a Mac, Raspberry Pi development board, or just about anything with a USB port or Bluetooth connectivity. The best part about this thing is that apps don't have to be built to use it; you can teach the iControlPad 2 to relay on-screen tap commands with keypad presses. 

The iControlPad 2 will have the same footprint as the iPhone 4, making it a fine option for those that aren't upgrading to the iPhone 5 (though the gamepad will work equally well with Android devices). It always drives me crazy to see games overlay traditional joystick and button controls on screen rather than exploring the relatively new realm of motion and gesture-based controls, but even for more touch-friendly games, I could imagine physical controls helping out a whole bunch. Besides, I'm sure that keyboard would see plenty of use outside of games as well. 

You can head over to the iControlPad 2 Kickstarter page and lock in your order for $69. 

Best Free iPad App of the Week: Hobbit Movies

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 10:24 AM PDT

Hobbit Movies iPad app

One of the best things about using an iPad is the great apps that we can run on it. There are excellent apps for just about any purpose you can think of. Better still, there are lots of great free apps for the iPad. Our Best Free iPad App of the Week posts celebrate these apps.

This week's pick is Hobbit Movies, the official companion app for the The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – the upcoming Peter Jackson directed movie that continues his series bringing Tolkien classics to the big screen. This is the first of a trilogy of films from Jackson adapting Tolkien's The Hobbit.

Here's a little background via its App Store page:

Explore Middle-Earth and experience the epic adventure of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" with the official iOS app. Learn about Bilbo Baggins' quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor and the band of thirteen dwarves that join him and Gandalf the Grey as they embark across the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain through exclusive artwork, interactive character galleries, and production videos presented by director Peter Jackson.

View a selection of animated character portraits, travel through a detailed map of Middle-earth and explore the stunning narrative imagery of "The Scroll" artwork to immerse yourself in the world of Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, Orcs, deadly Wargs, giant Spiders and a fearsome Dragon.

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Price Drops: Weather HD 2 for iPad on Sale at 50% Off This Weekend

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 08:58 AM PDT

Weather HD 2

Weather 2 HD – the gorgeous weather app for the iPad and iPhone – is on sale this weekend at 50% off. That puts it at 99 cents, rather than its standard $1.99.

This has been my favorite iPad weather app for a long time, and it has just had a huge update to version 2 a few weeks back. I did a quick review of the new version and found there is lots to like about it.

The weather images and videos in the app are stunning and it presents a decent amount of weather information in a very handsome interface. It is also steadily adding more detailed weather information.

Here's an App Store link for Weather HD 2, it is already attractively priced so this 50% sale is a heck of an offer.

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Want More iPad Insight? Follow Us

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 08:23 AM PDT

FollowUsSilverLight

Whether this is one of your first visits here or you're a regular reader, I hope you're finding our articles useful and interesting to read. And I hope you may want to follow the site more closely for more insight on all things iPad.

Here are the best ways to do just that:

Check out (and Like) our Facebook page:

facebook2– Our Facebook page is here: http://on.fb.me/jtjHbX. We post article links there as well, along with photos and screencaps of latest apps and accessories reviewed. We also run some spur-of-moment giveaway contests on the Facebook page. You can also like our Facebook page via the widget near the bottom of our right sidebar.

Subscribe to our RSS feed:

rss2– Our RSS feed is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/JustAnotherIpadBlog. You can just click on the handsome little button for it at the top of our right sidebar and add it to your favorite RSS reader app so you never miss any of our great app reviews, iPad tips, or iPad accessory reviews.

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iPhone 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S3: Which phone should you get?

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 06:56 AM PDT

iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3: Which should you get?

Android is the most popular smartphone platform on the planet, Samsung is the most popular Android manufacturer, and the Galaxy S3 is almost certainly going to be the most popular Android phone this year. And the iPhone 5 is going to be one of the most popular phones, period. So, that means anyone looking to buy a new phone for the next year will likely end up trying to decide between the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Apple's iPhone 5. The good news is, both are phenomenal devices. The bad news is, that makes the choice especially tough. Our Mobile Nations sibling site, Android Central has already given you their take. Here's mine.

iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3: Hardware

I'm not wild about Samsung hardware. I'll state that bias right up front. When it comes to Android, I far prefer the build and material quality of HTC to Samsung. Likewise the LCD to SAMOLED PenTile display. That said, Samsung has been improving year after year, generation after generation. It's still not at the level of HTC, much less Apple or Nokia, but it's better. Apple's fit and finish is still out of this world. At roughly 20% thinner and lighter than the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5's glass and aluminum monolith, from design to construction, simply outclasses Samsung's plastic river stone.

Build aside, however, Samsung continues to jam a breathtaking amount of specs into their flagship line. While the Galaxy S3 screen remains PenTile, it's also HUGE. 4.8-inches, 1280x720 huge to be precise. That absolutely dwarf's even the iPhone 5's newly expanded 4-inch, 1136 x 640 screen. The iPhone 5's IPS in-cell display looks better and at 326 ppi than the Galaxy S3's 306 ppi, and is insignificantly sharper, but overall size does matter. Unless you really want a screen you can use one handed, or you have tiny hipster jean pockets, or you really care about pixel-perfect graphics, Samsung's bigger is bigger. (You might even be able to skip a Nexus 7 if you buy a Galaxy S3 -- it's seriously, luxuriously, big.)

When it comes to performance, it's difficult to compare Apples to Samsungs. The iPhone 5 has the brand new Apple A6 processor, which they simply cite as being twice as fast as last year's Apple A5. Apple has a huge advantage in that they tailor make their own unique software for their own exactly matched hardware. Body and soul in one device. Samsung has to fit Google's generic software to their specific hardware. Hand at the wheel. Rumor has it, the A6 might just be the world's first production ARM Cortex A15-based processor, and that would be a big deal. To nerds. For everyone else, Samsung's 1.4GHz Exynos quad-core monster will likely be every bit as impressive. Tie.

Apple has a higher built-in storage option, at 64GB to Samsung's 32GB, but Samsung lets you put in up to 64GB of extra, micro SDHC storage. There are some cons to removable media, but not enough to stop me from giving Samsung the edge there.

Both the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3 have aGPS and GLONASS. Both go up to 802.11n Wi-Fi at 5GHz and Bluetooth 4.0. Both can support ultra-fast 4G LTE. Apple can't do simultaneous voice and data over LTE, so if you're on AT&T/GSM, you'll drop down to still fast DC-HSPA+. If you're on Verizon or Sprint, however, you'll be offline (unless you're on Wi-Fi), just like the pre-LTE days. If you use a lot of simultaneous voice and data on Verizon or Sprint now, like looking things up on the web while talking on the phone, Samsung has the advantage. The Galaxy S3 also has NFC, which is a checkbox in its favor to be sure, but only if you frequently have a mobile payment system, check in system, or other NFC-enabled Android devices to work with. Still, winning.

Samsung had a dud of a camera in the Galaxy Nexus, but made everything right in the Android world again with the glass in the Galaxy S3. It's 8 megapixel, f2.6 shooter looked almost, if not exactly as good as the iPhone 4S' 8 megapixel, f2.4 lens. We'll have to wait and see what, if any, pure photon enhancements the iPhone 5 camera offers over the 4S before we can decide this one, but once you factor in software and apps, it'll almost certainly be too close for any mainstream shopper to call.

So when it comes to hardware, the story is pretty much what it always is with Apple and Samsung: Apple wins on design, manufacturing, and elegance, and Samsung wins on size, power, and quantity of specs.

iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3: Software

iOS vs. Android is almost a cliche at this point. To take just one example, Apple's personal digital assistant, Siri, has a funner, better personality, and is tied into some helpful apps and services, but Google Now is being more aggressive when it comes to context awareness and predictive behavior than Apple. Siri will do what yo tell it. Google Now will try to figure out what to do before you tell it.

But here's the thing -- the Galaxy S3 didn't ship with Google Now because it was released before Android 4.1 Jelly Bean hit the market, and Samsung included their own S Voice instead. When Apple releases a new OS, every compatible iPhone gets it the same day. When Google releases a new OS, it can take weeks, months, or an eternity for you to get it, depending on the manufacturer and the carrier. Buy an iPhone 5 with iOS 6 this week, and you'll get iOS 7 day and date next year. Buy a Galaxy S3 this week and it's even odds when, if ever, you'll get next year's version of Android. That may not matter to you -- your phone will keep working the same then as it does now.

If you like the idea of consistent, dependable software updates, Apple has the edge over Samsung. (As do Android Nexus devices with "pure Google" experiences like the Galaxy Nexus.)

Apple is also leading the charge on accessibility features for users with special needs. You don't need to be able to see or hear, for example, to get considerable value from an iPhone. Aside from that, both Apple's Safari and Google Browser/Chome will get you to your web pages. Both the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S3 have email programs so you can get your messages. Both have a myriad ways to listen to music, watch videos, and do everything else you'd expect a modern mobile computing platform to do. iOS 6 on the iPhone 5, however, is one thing. The software on the Galaxy S3 is two. It's Android 4.0 Ice Creme Sandwich on its way to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at the core, but the frosting is all Samsung's own TouchWiz interface. For some people, that's an easier, friendlier blessing that enhances the Android experience. For others, it's a blight they dearly wished Samsung would spare them by simply going stock.

The thing about most Android phones, however, is that you can customize and change it far, far beyond what Apple allows with iOS. Sure you can almost always root Android and jailbreak iOS, but you can do more, and more easily, with the Galaxy S3 than you'll be able to do with the iPhone 5, and for a while still. That includes everything from widgets for easy, glanceable information, to different keyboards to adjust your typing experience.

So software is a similar story to hardware. Apple writes better code and creates more cohesive, consistent user experiences than Google. But Google makes code that does more things and is more customizable than Apple. Argue that all you want, but at the end of the day iOS in invariably smoother, more intuitive, more up-to-date, and more pixel perfect than Android, yet just as invariably misses out on a lot of features Android gets early and gets stock. If you want something that's accessible and just works, iOS has the advantage. If you want something configurable that just works the way you want it to, Android wins.

iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3: Services

When it comes to services that bring the internet fully to your phone, Apple has iCloud, which includes iTunes in the Cloud, iTunes Match, Photo Stream, Documents in the Cloud, Find my iPhone, Find my Friends, and more. As a service goes, it's... serviceable. It backs up and syncs your data and gives you access to all of the your iTunes content. But Apple is still new to the cloud and they aren't as strong at it as they are hardware and software. At least not yet.

Google was born in the cloud. They're the biggest cloud services provider in the world. Android, in many ways, is a localized front end for Google's cloud. Now the localized part traditionally wasn't as good as Apple -- they just chucked web pages inside of apps -- but Google has been getting better code as well. Now their services not only work well, but look good and perform far better than ever before.

The twist here is that you can get almost every single Google service on the iPhone 5 that you can get on the Galaxy S3. Now, Android has by far -- by far! -- the better Google integration of course, but the iPhone has a surprising amount as well. From Gmail to Google+ to YouTube to Voice Search to Drive, Google has a full, robust, and increasingly good set of offerings available in Apple's App Store. (For reasons that involve the difference in business models between Apple and Google.) Samsung does add some of their own services on the Galaxy S3, for example S Voice (their version of Apple's Siri), but they tend not to be as good as Google's.

So, going with the Galaxy S3, you get almost the best Google can offer (tainted only slightly by Samsung), but nothing from Apple. Going with the iPhone 5, you get everything Apple and almost everything Google, so I'm tempted to make this category close to a tie. But there's one more kind of service -- customer service.

The Apple Store is unmatched. From buying your iPhone 5, to being taught how to use it, to easily getting help with it when something goes wrong, Apple has hundreds of stores in dozens of countries. If you live anywhere near an Apple Store and your iPhone 5 stops working, you can go in and get it fixed, or get it swapped out for a replacement, in a matter of hours. With the Galaxy S3, all you'll have is lost time and patience as you wait for 3rd parties or the postal system.

Thanks to the Apple Store and iCloud, I've literally walked in with a damaged iPhone and walked out with a new phone with all my data and content wirelessly synced back to it in less than an hour. In that regard, no one yet comes close to Apple and the iPhone.

iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3: Content

Apple has a tremendous advantage when it comes to content. iTunes started earlier and is now in more countries and provides more content than anyone else on the planet. Moreover, like with the services above, even if you don't like iTunes books, movies, TV shows, etc., you can also get Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, and all the other content companies right on your iPhone.

Google provides a lot of its own content now with Google Play, and Samsung fills in a lot with Samsung Hub, and you have access to enough third party content that there's no real difference. If you live in the U.S., you're almost certainly good to go. If you live outside the U.S. it can literally be the difference between being able to get legitimate content onto your phone and not (if that matters to you).

When it comes to apps Apple used to win by default based on the sheer magnitude of numbers. That's still true for tablets, but not for phones. The Google Play Store has hundreds of thousands of apps, just like Apple's App Store, including just about every big name app and game you can think of.

Apple has also become slightly more open over time, and Android apps have become much better looking and better working. You can still knock Apple for being more controlling, both in terms of what apps you can get and how those apps can interact with each other (or not), but for some users the simplicity and security of that model trumps any neck-bearded annoyance.

Now, if you already have an iPhone or iPod touch or iPad, and a lot of iOS apps that work on the iPhone, or if you've already bought a lot of iTunes media, that can make it easier and cheaper to stick with Apple. Likewise, if you already have a lot of content from Google Play, you'll find it easier to stick with Android.

Otherwise, if you're in the U.S., you're good to go with either, and if you're outside the U.S. and really care about buying your media, check and see what's available, but Apple and the iPhone 5 is your safer bet.

iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3: Bottom line

Like I said at the beginning, we're well past the days of obvious and easy disparities in devices. Things are more balanced and more nuanced now. And that's a very good thing for consumers. Apple's iPhone 5 and Samsung's Galaxy S 3 are both among the very best phones ever made and you'll be well served by either one.

Samsung offers things that the iPhone 5 just doesn't provide, including a much larger screen, NFC, widgets, and other customizations, DLNA support, etc., Those are important differences, make no mistake, so weigh them carefully. The Galaxy S3 is an absolute beast. If any of those things matter to you, or you just plain prefer Google and Samsung to Apple, get the Galaxy S3.

Otherwise get the sleekest, slimmest, easiest to use, most mainstream friendly, most content rich, most well supported phone in the industry -- the iPhone 5.

Unlocked iPhone 5 will not be available at Apple Retail Canada, online only

Posted: 15 Sep 2012 06:53 AM PDT

Unlocked iPhone 5 will not be available at Apple Retail Canada, online only

There's been a lot of confusion over the last 48 hours as to whether or not Apple would be selling the iPhone 5 unlocked at Apple Retail Canada. For the last few years Apple has sold new iPhones unlocked at Apple Retail on launch day, but that time is over. As part of new, anti-scalping measure, if you want an unlocked iPhone in Canada this year, you'll have to order online.

Here's the new language on http://www.apple.com/ca/retail/iphone/ (emphasis mine):

Buy iPhone 5 with a contract at your favourite Apple Retail Store beginning at 8:00 a.m. on September 21. We can help you choose the right rate plan and get you up and running. Or visit the Apple Online Store to buy an unlocked, no-contract iPhone 5.

Compare and contrast this to what it currently says on http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/iphone/:

Buy iPhone 5 at your favourite Apple Retail Store from 8:00 am on 21 September. We can help you choose the right tariff and get you up and running.

Now it does seem odd that Apple would implement this new policy in Canada and not everywhere, including the U.K. Although only Apple knows their numbers and projections, the U.K. hasn't been any more immune to daily scalper lineups than Canada has. However, the U.K. and Europe in general is a very different market than Canada.

This biggest problem here is that this information wasn't widely known when pre-orders began. Had it been in advance, those wanting unlocked iPhones could have ordered them online for September 21. Now they're stuck having to wait an additional two weeks or more, or deal with more expensive, less certain carrier unlock policies.

So, if your only reason for lining up this Friday was to get an unlocked iPhone 5 in Canada, save yourself the trouble and order online now. If you just wanted an iPhone 5, however, the lineups should be shorter and blissfully scalper free.
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