Taking the stage once again, will
Apple excite our taste buds?
The next big thing after World Wide
Developers' Conference (WWDC) 2012 has to be this Apple event in San Francisco.
The next generation iPhone is out and there is great news to all who just want
a portable media player too. Yes, the iPod Nano and iPod Touch are finally
getting an upgrade after a long wait. Exciting enough? Read on fellow believers
and haters alike.
Growing an inch
The iPhone 5...something is not right here.
What happened to the normal reaction where fans start screaming with joy and
give standing ovations? This is the fact boys and girls, straight and simple.
It's so obvious that even Apple fans know it too despite their attempts to
avoid reality by not admitting to admit it. For those who still prefer to stay
in the dark, I'll just drop the bomb: the iPhone 5 is boring with ZERO ‘wow'
factors!
iPhone
5
It doesn't even take a genius to know that
this reincarnation of iPhone is just a tiny step away from the iPhone 4S. Let's
take a look at it shall we? Apple has finally upgraded its display to a 4-inch
screen. This feat is achievable via an entirely different method as Apple used
the same width as the iPhone 4S but raised the height a little. Opting for 1136
x 640 resolutions, the iPhone 5 now uses a 16:9 ratio resolution format. While
it may seem ‘taller', Apple still managed to shed a few grams off the device by
using its in cell technology.
Peeking inside, the iPhone 5 has been
equipped with a new A6 processor and is LTE-ready. While I'm on the topic of
cellular connectivity, it's worth mentioning that the iPhone 5 will be
utilising the nano SIM standard. No use cutting your micro SIM card because it
will not work this way. You got to get a whole new SIM to go with this new
phone. (Ed note: Such a pain!)
Not to worry for those who want iOS 6
because it comes bundled with the iPhone 5 and will include Passbook, a new
Maps app, Siri enhancements and more. And just so no one is left out, the new
iPad and older iPhone models will get it too.
When the entire announcement event ended,
no one really knew what to celebrate about as there is really nothing to be
excited about. Sure, the new iPhone has some new hardware upgrades but all the
rumours about iPhone 5, is more or less, true. We already know what to expect
and Apple did not give us any surprises at all.
Best news so far
Here's something that is, perhaps, more
exciting than the dull keynote - the announcement of a brand- new iPod Touch.
Supposedly the footnote companion of the iPhone 5, the new iPod Touch comes
with a 4-inch Retina display with a resolution of 1136 x 640 and a dual-core A5
chip. That's the only similarities it has with the iPhone 5. A little note to
take as the iPod Touch is the lightest iPod that Apple has ever produced; at a
weight of 88 grams.
So what's new with the 4-inch iPod Touch?
For one, it has a 720p camera up front and a 5MP camera on the back. If that's
not enough to make you go ga-ga, Apple decided to make the media player
available in five colours: black, white, red, blue, and yellow. According to
Apple, the colours aren't painted on, but are "bonded right to the
aluminum." There is even an included accessory called Loop, which is
designed to hook the iPod Touch to the wrist preventing it from falling down in
case it slips.
the
new iPod Touch comes with a 4-inch Retina display with a resolution of 1136 x
640 and a dual-core A5 chip.
Not so Nano
In bringing old school back, Apple
introduced the latest iPod Nano with an elongated body and a 2.5-inch (240 x
432 pixels) touchscreen that reminds us of its predecessors. However, the
design looks suspiciously familiar... Maybe Apple decides to take some design
cues from Nokia's Lumia series? You be the judge.
Giving up on the wristwatch-esque design,
this new Nano can finally play videos aside from playing music and opening
pictures. But on such a small display, you better make sure that your eyes
don't roll backwards.
Will Thor approve?
Calling its smaller dock connector
Lightning, Apple says that it has an all-digital, 8-signal design, and "is
even more durable than the previous 30-pin connector." This smaller
connector will be implemented in the new iPhone 5 and the new iPods too. There
is no news it being made for future iPad models but don't hold your breath as
Apple prefers to keep to its ever faithful design philosophy: one for all and
all for one.
And, of course, one more thing: say hello
to the EarPods. Yes, this is Apple's new earphones, purposely designed for its
multimedia products.
According to Apple, "the vents on the
side of each EarPod allow air inside the stem, which acts as an acoustic
chamber, to flow out so you hear deeper, richer bass tones." (This is a
direct quote so don't ask me to translate!) The design is really awkward but it
is already out so just savour it...I guess?
the
EarPods
Blunt edge
Before I end this, take note that Apple
also revamped its iTunes app with support for iCloud, a mini player and new
edge-to-edge design. So with most of the important pieces covered, it only
leaves me with one thought. There is a huge battle ahead and Apple is just
equipping its armed forces with handgun equivalents. What do its enemies have?
Answer: tanks, jet planes, rocket launchers and a lot of ammunition. All the
best Apple!
