A Closer Look: Comparing Apple’s iPhone 4S and Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus

For the past couple of months, I’ve been walking around with both an iPhone 4S and a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, with the former running iOS 5 and the latter running Google’s Android 4.0, known as Ice Cream Sandwich. I posted my initial impressions a while back, after having used both devices for a week or two, but now that I’ve gotten used to both, I thought I’d reevaluate how they compare in several categories.

Size: Of course, the Galaxy Nexus, with its 4.65-inch display, is a lot larger than the iPhone 4S, which has a 3.5-inch display. The Nexus measures 5.3-by-2.7-by-0.4 inches, while the iPhone measures 4.5-by-2.31-by-.37 inches. Initially, I thought the size would make carrying the Nexus more difficult, but both fit into my pocket. The Nexus’s size makes it better for reading lots of text on a page and for viewing videos, but the iPhone’s smaller size means it’s easier to carry and to use single-handedly because you can reach all the controls. Let’s call it a wash.

Display: The Nexus display is not only physically bigger, but it also offers higher 1280-by-720-pixel resolution, compared with the iPhone’s 960-by-480. That means you can see more on a webpage, for instance. The Nexus display uses Samsung’s “Super AMOLED” organic LED display, but uses Samsung’s PenTile technology (which has two subpixels per dot, not three); the iPhone uses an IPS LCD display. The basic technology—OLED versus LCD—means that the Nexus has really dark blacks (since it doesn’t use backlighting), and thus better contrast. In practice, though, the iPhone looks quite good and is typically brighter. There are pros and cons, but overall I’d give the advantage to the Nexus, mostly because I do a fair amount of browsing and email, and the larger, higher-resolution screen matters. Advantage: Galaxy Nexus

Camera: The iPhone 4S has an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera; the Nexus has a 5-megapixel one. The iPhone has a VGA resolution front-facing camera; the Nexus has a 1.3MP one. Ice Cream Sandwich gives you a lot more control over the camera settings, with more screen modes and more control over exposure and white balance. But forget the specs; I’ve now used both, in a variety of situations, and the iPhone 4S simply takes better pictures. Advantage: iPhone

Network: This is going to vary a lot depending on which carrier you choose, and where you live and travel. The Galaxy Nexus is currently only available in the U.S. as a Verizon LTE phone, whereas iPhones are available on multiple networks. Mine uses ATT’s HSPA+ network. As someone who works in New York but travels to the West Coast pretty often, there’s just no question: Verizon’s LTE network is faster. I’ve been particularly happy using it with a hotspot feature (and have stopped using a separate mobile hotspot as a result). For voice calls, Verizon seems to be a bit more reliable than ATT, but I find that varies a lot by location. I still get no service from Verizon when I’m on the train tracks at Grand Central Terminal, for instance, but ATT works fine there. At my home, both are fine; at my office, both are horrible. (I thought midtown Manhattan was getting better for a while, but it’s gotten worse again.) Traveling, I’ve seen lots of variability. On balance, I’ll give this to LTE. Advantage: Galaxy Nexus

Battery Life: In part, it may be the LTE support, but this really isn’t a competition. I almost always can get through a day with the iPhone 4S without concern but I’m always worried about battery life with the Nexus, and often drain it. Third-party apps to better manage the battery have helped, as has an extended life battery, but it’s just not as good. Advantage: iPhone

Browser: I like the iPhone browser, which is quite fast, but the Nexus’s has more features. Sure, everyone talks about the ability to run Flash on Android, but actually, the feature I found most useful was the ability to request the desktop site instead of the mobile one. Advantage: Galaxy Nexus

Apps: There are plenty of great Android applications, and you will probably be very happy with the selection on either platform. There are a few more iPhone apps, and in some cases, they are a bit more polished, but Android is catching up. Advantage: iPhone

Voice recognition: Apple has given Siri a lot of attention. There’s no question that its ability to query multiple databases simultaneously and generate an answer is more advanced than the relatively straightforward Google Voice Search on Android. Still, other than as I demo, I don’t find myself using voice very much; most of the time, I can get what I want a lot faster through a browser. Apple has a noticeable lead here, though I really can’t say it matters much to me yet. Advantage: iPhone

Operating System/Stability: Overall, I’ve found many reasons to applaud the Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android. I really like the way it handles multitasking; a single button that shows you thumbnails of all your loaded applications, making the switch among applications faster and easier. I’ve seen crashes on both systems (not to mention on Windows and Mac OS X), but in general, the iPhone has been more reliable. As a result, I’m giving Apple the point here, but minor tweaks to Android could change things. Advantage: iPhone

Reviewing this list, the iPhone wins in more categories. For the most part, that comes down to software; Apple’s iOS 5 is just a bit more refined, and a bit easier to use. Make no mistake, though, Android 4.0 is narrowing the gap quickly. From a hardware perspective, the Android ecosystem just gives you more choices. Users can get a larger display on the Galaxy Nexus, a keyboard on the Droid 4, or  a much less expensive Android model. That diversity is a major strength of the Android platform, and Apple can’t really compete with that. If I had to pick just one, though, I’d still choose the iPhone 4S today.

By the way, in addition to the iPhone 4S and the Galaxy Nexus, I always have my BlackBerry Bold 9810, which still has the best corporate mail solution, even if it lacks the application array of the other two. Carrying three phones all the time probably makes me look like a nerd, but that’s not really new news.

Article source: http://forwardthinking.pcmag.com/apple-ios-iphone-ipad-ipod/294243-a-closer-look-comparing-apple-s-iphone-4s-and-samsung-s-galaxy-nexus

Otterbox’s iPad 3 Publicity Stunt Harkens Back To Case-Mate iPhone 5 Case Leak

 If the iPhone 5 rumor mill in 2012 is proving anything, it’s that what comes around goes around. But this time, some of the tactics employed by the tech world to slurp up iPhone 5 buzz is now being used for the iPad 3.

In a publicity stunt much like the big Case-Mate leaked iPhone 5 case story of 2011, consumer electronics case designer Otterbox has begun to leverage iPad 3 buzz by blogging ferociously about the iPad 3 release rumors and even staking a claim on an Otterbox Defender case for the iPad 3. In an e-mail blast to subscribers of their website, Otterbox had this to say: ”

Excitement is building and the rumor mills are spinning toward another highly anticipated Apple announcement. We don’t know when, but we do know that the next iOS device will receive iProtection from OtterBox. We’re expecting a new iPad and whether it’s an iPad 2S, iPad 3 or something else, we can confirm we will have a Defender Series case available…[it] will be OtterBox’s flagship option for the new device.”

To be fair, Otterbox’s approach to promoting via iPad 3 rumors is more earnest than the original Case-Mate leaked iPhone 5 case publicity stunt, which we identified immediately as bogus. Case-Mate was audacious enough to cite their own “inside sources,” which turned out to be wrong in large part. This is what their original promotional content read: ““The debate continues on whether the new iPhone will be an iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S. From our inside resources, it appears that Apple will be indeed launching both an iPhone 5 and an iPhone 4S in early October. The speculation indicates that the iPhone 4S will feature the same form factor as the iPhone 4 but will be upgraded with the latest technology, including the A5 dual-core processor and 8 mega-pixel camera.”

Well, they were right about the iPhone 4S, but totally wrong about the dual release with the iPhone 5. And all 0f those leaked photos of iPhone 5 cases were bogus, too.

It would appear that Otterbox wants to avoid any negative blowback for misreporting anything about the iPad, while still capturing some of the buzz and excitement without going too far out on a limb. In fact, Otterbox is making a safe bet that the rumors of a nearly identical form factor to the iPad 2 are true, and that they will only have to make very slight changes to the Defender iPad case series in order to be first-to-market with it.

I can tell you from my own inside sources from within the consumer electronics accessories market that all of the major case designers are planning the same approach as Otterbox — they just have yet to publicize it. As a result, I would expect the first new case designs for the iPad 3 to be relatively pedestrian, and mere refreshes of what is already out there for the iPad 2.

By Michael Nace

Article source: http://iphone5newsblog.com/2012/02/16/otterbox-ipad-3-publicity-stunt-case-mate-iphone-5-case-leak/

iPhone 5, 4S the target of Nvidia?

Date Posted: February 16th, 2012

Chip maker Nvidia is reportedly targeting Apple’s smartphones, specifically the iPhone 4S. Can the dual-core CPU and the new Tegra 3 Nvidia CPU undercut the popular dual-core iPhone, including the rumored iPhone 5?

Rumor has it that Apple will release a new smartphone in mid-2012, the iPhone 5. Multiple tech sites say the device might ship with Apple’s new, but unannounced quad-core A6 chip. Following the success of the dual-core iPhone 4S, analysts believe that Apple’s smartphone momentum will continue.

However, Apple’s biggest rival in the smartphone world, Android, is expected to compete against the iPhone 5, and Nvidia believes that its dual-core Tegra 2 CPU and its new Tegra 3 quad-core CPU will undercut the iPhone sales because Nvidia-powered phones are cheaper but powerful.

According to CNET, Nvidia’s income is growing and the chipmaker claims they will gain more revenue this year with its quad-core CPU and with the help of Android smartphones, the company’s Tegra business will post 50 percent growth per quarter of 2011.

Nvidia is also expected to compete against Qualcomm with its integrated chip that will support the Long-Term Evolution. In United States, ATT and Verizon, followed by Sprint, shift from 3G to 4G LTE to sell more Android phones with bundled data and voice plans.

Still, the iPhone 4S is the most popular single smartphone in United States according to multiple reports, while Samsung’s Galaxy S2 and other popular Android devices remain below the Apple smartphone. iPhone 5 release date rumors cite “June” as the next big month of the iPhone, and analyst say many will upgrade to the new phone if it will sport a new design and new features.

Another smartphone worth mentioning is the Samsung Galaxy S3 which is expected to use the company’s own Exynos chipset. Last year, Samsung’s Nvidia-less Samsung Galaxy S2 posted impressive sales number, and one analyst predicts that Samsung (and Apple) will enjoy the full 90 percent of the smartphone market this year. So, can Nvidia’s Tegra 3 outsell the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5 and/or the Galaxy S3?

Nvidia’s Tegra 3 is the CPU of the popular ASUS Transformer Prime and the Taiwan-based company’s upcoming MeMo tablet, and smartphone. HTC is also expected to ship a new Android smartphone running the Tegra 3 chipset inside, the HTC One X. Rumors also added that LG will launch its own smartphone with Tegra 3 this quarter, the X3.

 

Article source: http://popherald.com/-news/tech/2012/16/February/iphone-5-4s-the-target-of-nvidia-15722/

Reports Hint at NFC for iPhone 5

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A number of reports have given indications that the iPhone 5 of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) may feature near field communications or NFC capabilities. Some industry watchers have questioned the wisdom in offering these capabilities with the reports that a number of NFC readers from third party manufacturers for the iPhone were not widely-used.

However it appears that that Apple may offer NFC capabilities for the iPhone 5 as it was revealed that the company was working on a wireless payment system that will compete with the Google Wallet. The iWallet payment system was reportedly revealed following an interview with Ed McLaughlin of MasterCard (NYSE:MA). The use of the EasyPay system in a number of Apple stores in the US showed that the company was keen on using a wireless payment system.

iPhone 5

Earlier reports have also hinted at the possibility that NFC technology will be used on the iPhone 5. Prior to the release of the iPhone 4S, reports revealed that a number of NFC ideas were reportedly patented by Apple although it was not used on the recently-released iPhone 4S.

However it may possibly be used on the iPhone 5 when it will finally enter the market.

However McLaughlin did not comment on the plans of Apple with the iPhone 5 although he did not deny the involvement of the company which has only resulted to more speculations in connection to the subject. These speculations revolved on the possibility that the NFC payment system is being developed by Apple which may utilize the secure iTunes and Apple ID system.

According to McLaughlin the company has a number of smartphone manufacturers as partners although he is not revealing any of them. This disclosure gave industry watchers more reason to think about the possibility that the iPhone 5 may feature NFC capabilities.

Earlier reports have hinted at the possibility that the iPhone 5 may be release in either June or October. The iPhone 5 may feature a quad-core processor, larger display screen, and LTE connectivity.

Article source: http://www.planetinsane.com/reports-hint-at-nfc-for-iphone-5/2627615/

iPad 3 and iPhone 5 Rumors Continue Ahead of Monstrous Competition from Google …

As the iPad 3 release date draws ever closer and certainty grows in relation to iPhone 5 features and specs, other key industry players the likes of Google’s Motorola and Android in general look set to up the ante in luring buyers away from iOS devices.

This week saw the approval of the incredible $12.5 billion deal whereby Google took control of Motorola Mobility, leaving little question as to where the next big thing in the world of Android for 2012 will originate.

Google continues to lead the US market in turns of overall Smartphone OS market share with its various versions of Android, while Motorola has long been celebrated as a key industry player in the manufacturing market – pioneering new technologies and form factors across the board.

Motorola may have had a rather difficult time in keeping up with the likes of Samsung and Apple over the course of recent months, but analysts are in unanimous agreement that if any company could give the brand the facelift and boost in prowess needed to take it to the top, Google it well and truly is.

As such, it seems more than a likelihood that the fabled iPhone 5 will be given quite the run for its money by a pure Google Android Smartphone at some point in 2012, offering the very best of both brands in one killer device.

What’s more, there is every possibility that the Xoom tablet could be resurrected in one form or another, serving up yet another massive attempt at dethroning the upcoming iPad 3.

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Article source: http://newssizzle.com/ipad-3-and-iphone-5-rumors-continue-ahead-of-monstrous-competition-from-google-motorola/4097