PC Free..

(In case anyone asks, the speaker above my phone is the JBL Micro Wireless. It has Bluetooth to connect to devices. You can buy

Earlier in the week, I used both my phones instead of my laptop. She had her own laptop but it was broken because the SSD (solid-state drive) stopped working. Being the good brother that I am, I allowed her to use my laptop for her school works. During those days, all I used was my iPhone and my Android phone. I wanna share my experience being PC Free, even for just a few days.

Back in the day, it would be hard for me to do anything without my laptop. I needed it to listen to music, check Facebook and Twitter, post to my blog, and do school work. Nowadays, the smartphone replaced my laptop for most of these tasks. I am able to check my Facebook and Twitter even when I'm in the office, and I am already able to post to my blog from it. A smartphone is one of the best examples of portable gaming (sorry Nintendo and Sony, smartphones are eating up your lunch) and is the best way to pass the time when you're waiting for anything.

With that in mind, I watched a few episodes of Legends of the Hidden Temple in YouTube on my Android phone. One thing I love about Android is that Google services work very well with it. Google may have iOS apps but the integration just isn't there. Too bad Android doesn't have a lot of games going for it and that's why I always turn to the iPhone.

Tech speak aside, I think there are still some things that the smartphone cannot replace such as using productivity software like Office, but tablets may have a chance at this one. Still, I feel that I can do more work with a laptop. If I were asked what the PC will be in a Post-PC era, I would say that the future of the PC is more in the laptop.

Whether you agree with me or not, smartphones have already made a huge impact in our lives and I don't think any wearable technology can beat the innovation that happened in smartphones.

iPhone 5s and 5c Philippine Price Guesstimate for Globe

Apple announced two new iPhones: the 5s and the 5c. I've been thinking of what could be the possible pricing of these two new phones. Then I found these two brochures containing the cashout prices of the 4S and the 5 when getting a postpaid plan from Globe.

This is from the brochure of the 4S:

Plan 999 (Unli Surf):

16GB - P23,976

32GB - P30,299

64GB - P35,299

And this is from the brochure of the 5:

Plan 999 (Unli Surf):

16GB - P19,200

32GB - P23,976

64GB - P30,000

As you can see from the prices, the cashout of the 5 is actually lower than the 4S! If this trend continues to the 5s, we may see the same or even lower cashout prices than this.

Here's my guesstimate for the cashout prices of the 5s:

Plan 999 (Unli Surf):

16GB - P16,800/P19,200

32GB - P19,200/P23,976

64GB - P23,976/P30,000

With that in mind, there's still one more question to be answered: how will the 5c be priced?

If I were Globe and I would want to sell many 5c's, this would be the cashout pricing:

Plan 999 (Unli Surf):

16GB - P2400/P4800

32GB - P7200/P9600

Let me remind you guys that these are merely guesses and I could be wrong. I just wish this is correct and call it a day. Haha.

The Fall Smartphone Frenzy!

BGR.com

This fall has been a crazy one so far because of all those product announcements we're getting. It's like they're trying to drain our wallets even before we acquired the money! I wanna know what you, the readers, are planning to get for the Christmas season. Participate in the polls below and argue in the comments! Haha.

What smartphone are you planning to get?
	Moto X
	Xperia Z1
	Xperia Z Ultra
	Galaxy Note 3
	iPhone 5S
	iPhone 5C
	Lumia 1020
	LG G2
pollcode.com free polls

iPhone 5S: The Forward Thinking Way of Apple's iPhone Fork Road

Apple.com

Apple had their September 10 event, and boy all those leaks were real. There were not one, but two new iPhones announced at this event: the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c. I have a separate post for the 5c, so this is all about the 5s. This one's the typical "S" upgrade to the flagship model that they do a year after they've done a redesign, but this is touted as the biggest one yet.

From the outside, it really looks like an iPhone 5: the aluminum unibody, same thinness and lightness, and the same 4-inch Retina Display. Since this is an "S" upgrade, the usual suspects come out like the better camera, better processor, and a new feature to entice users to purchase. The three things I mentioned are the three core upgrades Apple has with the 5s.

The A7 Processor + M7 Coprocessor - This one's been a staple of the "S" upgrades, but there's this one detail that Apple really touted in the new A7 chip: 64-bit. We've seen the shift from 32-bit to 64-bit in our desktop and laptop computers. Smartphones are basically also computers but in a way smaller form factor. What 64-bit means is that the processor can process more at once, so things like opening an app will be faster. The M7 Coprocessor is a separate chip that is responsible for checking the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass. With this, the A7 chip doesn't need to be fired up when using those three sensors. This allows for a new generation of apps which take advantage of all this.

The Improved iSight Camera - Another staple of the "S" upgrades, the camera has been a big selling point of the iPhone ever since the iPhone 4. In every iteration since then, they've made the iPhone have the best camera on a smartphone and here they go again with significant improvements to it. The camera now has a wider f2.2 aperture meaning more light can go in the camera. It stays at 8 megapixels, but the sensor has 1.5 micron pixels, so more light can be accepted by the sensor. Another big change in the camera is in the flash, which the 5s now has "True Tone" flash. This basically means that there is a dual LED flash: one that's white, the other amber. This means the flash in the 5s would help in taking better pictures rather than make them worse. Other notable features include auto image stabilization and burst mode.

Touch ID - This feature has been long-rumored ever since last year because of Apple's purchase of AuthenTec. The 5s now has a fingerprint sensor that's been conveniently built into the Home button. This may sound subtle, but this means that you would be using this feature most of the time. All you need to do to unlock your phone is to touch (not necessarily press) the Home button! Your purchases from Apple's online stores are confirmed by your fingerprint.

The iPhone 5s is $199 on-contract for 16GB of storage, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB. I'm not going to go through the rest of the features of this phone since it's just in Apple's website and every other tech site that exists. What do I think of this phone, you might ask? Well, I have a lot to say about that.

My Thoughts

Apple.com

I just got the iPhone 5 and based on past experiences, when you have a non-"S" generation of the iPhone, it's going to be a tough sell to upgrade to the "S" generation because the upgrades are incremental. Don't get me wrong, this is a great smartphone to get. It's just that the jump from the 5 to the 5s for me isn't really that substantial. The camera on the 4S has already been touted as the best smartphone camera which has been improved on the 5 and now again on the 5s. I trust that Apple has done a better job with the camera. The one thing that would make me wanna upgrade or not is Touch ID. If it works as advertised (and not end up like Antennagate), then it would be an incremental but fundamental step to what could happen down the line with the iPhone. I'm sure the A7 will do a good job since the A6 is blazing fast. Until I get my hands on one and try it out, I might just skip this one.

iPhone 5C: The Colorful Way of Apple's iPhone Fork Road

Apple.com

Apple had their September 10 event, and boy all those leaks were real. There were not one, but two new iPhones announced at this event: the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c. I have a separate post for the 5s, so this is all about the 5c. I didn't expect Apple to do this since I was used to the notion that Apple only does one iPhone a year but if they needed to move forward and maintain their dominance, this is one way of testing the waters.

The iPhone 5c is a first for Apple, a test whether they can market a new breed of iPhones. The 5c is basically an iPhone 5 in a new "beautifully, unapologetically plastic" shell. It has the same specs as the iPhone 5: A6 processor, 8MP camera, 4-inch Retina Display, LTE. Its differences from the iPhone 5 are better battery life, better FaceTime HD camera, and more LTE bands than any other smartphone in the world (except the iPhone 5s, which also has the same number of LTE bands as the 5c).

Another difference that matters is that this phone is $99 on-contract for 16GB of storage, and for the first time for a mid-tier device from Apple, $199 for 32GB. The thing is that this costs $549 off-contract. The reason why I'm stating this is because this was supposedly the phone that would be friendly for emerging markets. I'll be explaining more of this in my thoughts of the 5c.

My Thoughts

Apple.com

Honestly, it's a good thing that Apple went back to color. I don't know if this is the right time or it should have been last year. The iPhone 5c takes what's good with the iPhone 5 and made it new by putting it in a new shell and with better battery life. I honestly love the blue one! If I didn't have an iPhone 5, I would seriously consider this. I honestly believe that this is the phone that they will promote heavily. Check Apple's website and tell me which iPhone appears first. The first test of this phone is through the preorders. If they are able to deliver, then this will be another huge win for Apple.

Apple and September 10: What To Expect And Do

Last year, Apple held an event in September to launch the iPhone 5 and I did a post about what to expect. Now we're at that same situation, I'm gonna do it again. Last week, Apple made it official that they will have an event on September 10, 10AM PT (that's September 11, 1AM here in the Philippines). A LOT of rumors have been swirling around as early as June and they're only getting more credible (but not to the point of being official) as the months go by. We won't have to wait much longer, but here's what you need to know and how to prepare for the coming announcement.

What To Expect

iPhone 5S - This one is a no-brainer. After doing the release pattern of releasing an "S" model after a redesign twice, I'd be shocked when they name this something else. Anyway, it is rumored that the iPhone 5S keeps the beautiful design of the 5 and brings internal improvements like a new A7 processor, 12MP camera with dual-LED flash, the fingerprint scanner and a possible 128GB storage option. It is also rumored to have two new colors, GOLD (or Champagne) and GRAPHITE (it's more or less gray). They better have one more thing up its sleeve.

iPhone 5C - I've been doubtful of this at first, but the leaks are just keeping it real. If the rumors are correct, then this phone is a plastic-cased version of the iPhone 5. As you can see above, it will come in COLORS. This is aimed more at emerging markets who cannot afford the high-end iPhone. I just hope that the plastic doesn't feel like Samsung's. Gaaaaaah. Both the 5S and 5C will run iOS 7 out of the box if the rumors are correct.

New/Refreshed iPods - Based on announcements on previous years, new iPods are typically announced alongside the iPhones. Don't know what to expect here except that there will be new ones.

What To Do

DO NOT BUY THE IPHONE 5 YET.
- This has been my warning for each year that a new iPhone is about to come out. Do not buy the one that's out right now unless you really need one. You may end up regretting the purchase if the iPhone 5 gets cheaper.

Essentially, that's it. Save up guys, it's going be another expensive holiday season!

iPhone 5 Review

It's been a long time coming. I've been wanting to write this review for so long but I just couldn't find the right time to do it, until now. I know, I know, the next iPhone's going to be announced next week, but if this phone doesn't get phased out, the iPhone 5 would be a bargain at a lower price point! For reviews from this point on, I'll focus on three things: Hardware, Software, and Ecosystem. Hardware would include Design, Specs, Battery Life, Call Quality, and etc. Software is self-explanatory. Ecosystem is where the media, apps, and cloud services are in consideration. Without further ado, here's the review:

Introduction

The iPhone's been here for a long while. Six years, in fact. A lot has changed since Apple launched their first foray into the mobile industry. I used to bash on Apple because I never believed that touch screen phones would be the next big thing in mobile. Turns out, it was more than just a touch screen phone. It had full internet browsing through Safari, the soul of an iPod, and applications that were built for touch. When the iPhone 3G came out, the App Store arrived. That's when the potential grew a hundredfold as developers could create anything they want the phone to do. Since then, it became a giant money-maker for Apple and led to the creation of another successful device which is the iPad. Like I said, times have changed. Android now dominates more than 2/3 of the smartphone market and Windows Phone is starting to gain some (some may sometimes be an exaggeration) traction. Has Apple maintained the gold standard with the iPhone 5?

Hardware

Apple has yet outdone itself at this department. The major change with the iPhone 5 is that it has a 4-inch screen as opposed to the 3.5-inch screen on the previous models. Despite the bigger screen, Apple managed to dramatically shave off weight from the phone. It weighs 112g, and is 7.6mm thin. When I first held the phone, it felt too light! I couldn't believe that it was this thin and light. I have to put on a case so that the weight would be okay. Another change they made is that the headphone jack is placed in the bottom of the phone. This could come in handy for pulling it out of my pocket and start using it in the right position.

Even though I put a case on the iPhone 5, I would be fine without one since they switched to an aluminum unibody with glass in the top and bottom portion of the back of the phone in order for cellular radios to go in easily. Speaking of that headphone jack earlier, beside it is the Lightning connector. That new connector caused a big debacle to owners of accessories with the 30-pin connector which was used for the previous generations. Good thing that accessory makers reacted as quick as they possibly can so by the time the new one comes out, this would be less of an issue. The good thing with the Lightning connector is that it's reversible so whenever it's dark, I don't need to worry about the position of the cable.

The iPhone's camera has always been praised for consistently taking great photos. This one's no exception and boosts the capability of the iPhone 4S's camera with "better" low-light. I did the quotes because I failed to see what's better because it's still quite dark but not as dark as the 4S's. The camera assembly is covered with Sapphire crystal. I dropped the phone a few times already and nothing really happened to it. Overall, the camera was really as great as they claim it to be. Call quality is really good with the iPhone 5, dropped calls are very rare. I was using a Globe Telecom iPhone 5, so results may vary if you're with another network.

Apple doesn't really compete in the specs department, but they don't fail to impress. Although it may be the "slowest" (in terms of raw performance) phone right now, it was the fastest by last year's standards. It sports a dual-core A6 processor clocked at 1GHz (although its maximum clock speed reaches 1.2-1.3GHz), has 1GB RAM, has 16, 32, and 64GB storage, finally has LTE (and DC-HSDPA for those in Europe) and has a 1442 mAh battery. This phone now requires a Nano-SIM instead of the micro-SIM which is also a hassle, but was done to manage space properly. Now with regards to battery life, it can last from about half a day (with heavy usage on LTE and/or gaming) to a day and a half (light web browsing through 3G, calls, texts, and music playback). It seems decent but I miss those days where phones can last 3-4 days before charging. I hope battery technology gets better because that's what Apple needs. That aside, the phone is blazing fast. Operations on iOS are simply faster, even against the 4S which was already fast enough. It's like the speed never faded when I tried using a Beta version of iOS 7! More about that in the next part.

Software

I'm gonna divide this part into two since I have experience using the iPhone 5 with two versions of the operating system, iOS 6 and a beta version of iOS 7. I won't do a comprehensive look at the iOS 7 part since it is still beta software and bugs are to be expected. I will get back to this review if there are any changes made between the beta and the final version.

iOS 6

Since iOS 6 is built-in to the iPhone 5, this version runs perfectly! All the operations that you do with this are very smooth and blazing fast despite it having a dual-core processor. The new stuff with iOS 6 like Facebook integration and Passbook are nice additions. Siri to me is nice for setting alarms and reminders, sending texts and opening apps when I tend to get lazy but after I got through all that, I got bored a bit. The most disappointing part of iOS 6 though is the new Maps app which Apple made. This was a very big fail in Apple's part since they launched a product that wasn't up to their standards. The software and user interface was good for first-generation software, but lacks a lot of points of interest. And with Google Maps containing a lot more data, it's really hard to surpass that. I never found the user interface to be really ugly, but sometimes I get bored of it because it looks like the OS when it just started. It's still functional, but it needs some change.

iOS 7 Beta

The change I mentioned earlier, is found in iOS 7. What shocked me when I first ran it is that it never lost the smoothness and speed. Despite beta bugs, iOS 7 on the iPhone 5 is still fast enough to operate although the next one would hopefully be faster. The UI has a much needed change and improvements like Control Center and AirDrop make this phone a bigger bargain than it was when it had iOS 6.

Ecosystem

iOS didn't really have a strong ecosystem at the beginning. Apple pushed for web apps the first time around. It did have iTunes early on, but the value proposition wasn't there yet. Then the App Store came and here comes the money for Apple. Thanks to that, it spurned a phenomenon where smartphones have apps that turn them into what they were designed for. If there's one thing that makes people stick to Apple, this is it.

I don't really have a lot to say here except that music, movies, TV shows, and apps are very well integrated that I have no complaints using it. iCloud is good but has flaws in document syncing. iCloud Backup is really a great backup solution for iOS devices and data for each app is retained once restored to a new iPhone. Transferring from one iPhone to another is seamless because of this feature. Photo Stream is another underrated but good feature. Pictures can be stored in the cloud these days but not everyone does that.

Conclusion

APPLE MADE A GREAT PIECE OF HARDWARE IN THIS PHONE. ALL IT NEEDS NOW IS BETTER SOFTWARE.

The iPhone 5 has been a pleasure to use, even for a technologically-inclined person like me. It's because of how well the hardware and software is integrated, and how the ecosystem has great support from developers and users alike. Apple keeps innovating in hardware which is amazing, but they are now lagging behind in software. Sure some parts of the hardware like the battery could use improvements, but the energy should be directed into doing great software because that's where Android is excelling at right now. I am hopeful that iOS 7 can change that, but I wish they could do more than just an overhaul of the user interface. There needs to be something that can wow us again and would really make us buy the next one.

For first-time smartphone owners, the iPhone 5 is a great choice although I would hold off a little longer since Apple's having an event next week and they're unveiling the next iPhone (possibly more than one?). After which, this phone will get cheaper if it stays in the lineup. If you're looking for a high-end smartphone but can't afford one, this would certainly catch your eye even more when the price drops.

Treasure…

It's been a while since I've done a personal post, but it would be one that I haven't done in years. Unlike my usual posts, I'm posting this one without a header picture (it's a format I used for a long while now). It's okay if you don't read through the whole post. I won't mind it for this one. If you do read, thank you for your time. So here it goes…

I've done bad things in my life. There were those that I did for the better, and those that I regret because they caused me to hurt the people I care about. Unfortunately this time, the weight of my regret is unlike anything I've ever felt before.

If there's someone I didn't wanna hurt the most besides my family, it would be my newfound inspiration. All because of my f***ing curiosity. I never realized that I could do such a thing until last week when I asked her stuff I shouldn't be asking on Facebook. On top of that, I was being a jerk to her yesterday. 

You know who you are. I am truly sorry for what I did. Sorry for being a stupid jerk who doesn't consider your space. Sorry for being an idiot who doesn't think things through before saying anything.

Going Android..

Last week, I couldn't accomplish anything with the project I'm working on with colleagues that involved an Android app. The only way I could test the project is through an Android device. I could borrow one from a friend or a relative but I would have to return it after borrowing, so I bought one.

This is the StarMobile Jump. It comes in red and gray. It has a dual-core processsor, a 4" screen, has 512MB RAM, and has Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The feel of the phone is nice despite the glossy back. The touch screen is a bit hard to use though since it requires extra force to tap a button and I can't touch it just anywhere. Overall, I'm actually enjoying this phone. Besides, it only costs PHP4990 which is around $111 unlocked. It's dual SIM for those people who care about it.

My first opinion on Android is that the customization options are insane. I can't believe I can do so much on the homescreen (unlike iOS which only has rows and folders of apps). Multitasking and notifications are the biggest strengths of the Android OS. Since it is owned by Google, Google services are great to use. I know I may sound like a newbie to Android but since I really am, that's all I have to say for now.

Now people are gonna stop calling me biased towards Apple. Make no mistake though, I still love my iPhone 5.