And how, pray tell, do you review a product without looking at competing products in the space?
THERE we go! You said exactly what I hoped you would.
So there were NO reviews of the iPhone until a YEAR after its introduction, right? Because there were no competing products in that space until then. No one could possibly have gone over the physical aspects of the device and commented on the software or hardware until then, right?
The concept of a "review" has nothing to do with any product but save for that being reviewed. What you're after is called a "comparison".
I don't know if i've ever read a product review where the author was such a biased apologist for the product he was reviewing. It's not that i disagree about the phone...it's fantastic. But responding to niggling criticisms of the phone that have cropped up over the past 48 hours is not the responsibility of the reviewer and comes off as petty, which hurts the credibility of the author, the article, and the site (although, this happens on AI all the time).
Let's just call this piece what it is: an op-ed disguised as a review.
Dismissing people's very real concerns about the poor quaility mapping on iPhone 5 makes any other opinion about this phone expressed worthless. The vast majority of users will experience the inadequacy of apple maps at some time. For me in Hong Kong they are virtually useless and one wonders why the writer thinks a quality downgrade is acceptable to release. Things will no doubt be better in 10 year but now they are terrible.
Dismissing people's very real concerns about the poor quaility mapping on iPhone 5 makes any other opinion about this phone expressed worthless. The vast majority of users will experience the inadequacy of apple maps at some time. For me in Hong Kong they are virtually useless and one wonders why the writer thinks a quality downgrade is acceptable to release. Things will no doubt be better in 10 year but now they are terrible.
I know we have been discussing this map issue for a few days now and nobody actually knows what is really going on because Apple is not saying what, why,when, where etc. For all we know Google was simply asking for too much money, or Apple was more interested in getting rid of Google at any price. Perhaps Google did not want to renew the contract. All unknown. It is useless to speculate what caused the dramatic change, all we know is that the deal is done and Apple will move forward from here. It is really no big deal because the only thing actually missing from iOS is Street View and most people have a notebook or desktop so they can do a little preplanning and consult their Street View requirements ahead of leaving the house or office. Other than that it is a non-issue. For me I would have preferred that Apple surpassed Google Maps in quality of search and especially satellite imagery but again you can use other methods to access Google Maps if necessary. About all we can guess about the current situation regarding Apple Maps for iOS is that Apple was forced to change or benefits from the change or something logical because they don't just do things for no reason.
I know we have been discussing this map issue for a few days now and nobody actually knows what is really going on because Apple is not saying what, why,when, where etc. For all we know Google was simply asking for too much money, or Apple was more interested in getting rid of Google at any price. Perhaps Google did not want to renew the contract. All unknown. It is useless to speculate what caused the dramatic change, all we know is that the deal is done and Apple will move forward from here. It is really no big deal because the only thing actually missing from iOS is Street View and most people have a notebook or desktop so they can do a little preplanning and consult their Street View requirements ahead of leaving the house or office. Other than that it is a non-issue. For me I would have preferred that Apple surpassed Google Maps in quality of search and especially satellite imagery but again you can use other methods to access Google Maps if necessary. About all we can guess about the current situation regarding Apple Maps for iOS is that Apple was forced to change or benefits from the change or something logical because they don't just do things for no reason.
Irrelevant to the end user.
Apples built in software, so they wear the blame.
But good to know that the advantage of the upgrade is that people get to preplan on an alternative device.
Typically defensive fanboy responses, I'd say. I was simply wondering why an article billing itself as a "Review" would make no mention of the iPhone 5's closest competition. I still find that interesting. A review is not much of a review if it doesn't compare the subject of the review to the competition.
baloney. it may not be the review YOU want to read, that's fine - just go somewhere else. heaven knows, there will be plenty of 'death match' reviews all over the web in coming weeks. go there, not here. make a "choice."
hey, here's a good example, i'm sure you'll LOVE IT!
i like reviews that include important info and insight about the product itself. stuff i am interested in knowing more about. this DED review was pretty good for that. he screws up some, but offers a lot of good info too to go with it.
I could not find anything about how Passbook worked, or what I needed to do to set it up. Then I found this which pretty much sums up my experience with it ...
The iOS 6 maps app shows a park in place of the main railroad station in Helsinki. That is just plain weak. While Google Maps certainly has had its fair share of issues, I don't recall there being any blunders of this level.
As it is, the iOS 6 maps data is very USA centric.
I could not find anything about how Passbook worked, or what I needed to do to set it up. Then I found this which pretty much sums up my experience with it ...
6.5% of "active" android users use phones larger than 4"?
Where is the source for this statement? It is very hard to even find an Android phone less than 4" today. This number doesn't pass the sniff test.
its because the author is fudging the data. 6.5% are 'large' sized screens and above.
However, the distinction of large = >4" but its a little nit more complicated than taht. Android devices of normal size include those from 3-4.3/4.5" when combining those into the equation, thats 97% of the android population. hw many are actually over 4" is anyones guess.
Most egregiously however, Google itself has jumped in with an attempt to propagate the notion that iOS 6 Maps will get you "iLost," something that doesn't really seem appropriate given that it was just a few years ago that CNET editor James Kim from San Francisco died while stranded in winter conditions, with his apparent reliance on Google Maps a contributing factor. Nobody was foolish enough to blame Google for Kim's tragic death, and Google should be smart enough to avoid similar associations, given that no GPS system's directions should be relied upon with one's life.
If you follow that link of yours you'll see that Kim's wife confirmed that they missed their exit on I5 and used a paper road map to try and find a shortcut (with tragic consequences). The idea that they were using Google Maps is erroneous.
That said, there are plenty of examples of people imperiling themselves blindly following their sat-navs. I believe a couple of years ago a Spanish man died after he drove his car into a reservoir (it was dark and the car apparently sank very quickly).
I think even Apple would be embarrassed by this arrogant, one-sided review. You assume that because we're all Apple fans we don't give a shit about the costs of replacing accessories and having connectivity issues with cars due to the new lightning connector? That's just lazy.
You've sunk to a new low by implying that Apple's maps are above criticism since it was rumored that someone died using Google maps. And the link that you used as a reference is someone's personal blog. Are you serious? Please do journalism a favor and stop writing.
I absolutely concur with this. I never post on AppleInsider but you've made such an excellent observation, and I'm slightly disgusted by this particular instance of Apple kowtowing.
The writer of this review should be ashamed to have scraped so desperately at the bottom of the barrel in defence of his beloved iPhone. Sickening.
I've owned three generations of iPhones, but it seems that these "reviews" are written more as infomercials for Apple than anything else. This is a cheerleader piece, not a review.
It does read like an infomercial, almost. It's a very valid point. However, you also must consider the "editorial line" of the website you are reading. All news here will contain slight(!) hints that Apple is better than the rest (which I agree with most of the time, that's why I read Apple news here).
There are some good Android phones out there, but if you're looking for a comparison of those phones vs the iPhone 5, this ain't the place.
And I own an kindle touch and I'm a huge fan of Amazon, but I know that if I'm trying to decide between the new Kindle Fire HD and the iPad 3, probably this isn't the right place.
There are way too many whiners, psychopaths and clueless trolls in this thread.
If you don't like the iPhone for whatever reason, then don't buy one.
Complaining about the new connector is not a valid complaint. The old one had been around for almost a decade and guess what, things change. If Apple changed their connectors every few months, or every year, then the criticism would be valid. This new connector will obviously be around for many years, so the whiners will have to wait about ten more years until they can whine about another new connector. If you're a cheap customer who doesn't appreciate or comprehend new advances in technology, then don't buy an iPhone, it is not made for people like you.
Complaining about scratches is not a valid complaint, unless you just purchased an iPhone and it has visible defects out of the box. In that case you bring it back and get it exchanged, problem solved. Other than that, it is a known fact that aluminum will scratch, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that. So either put your iPhone in a case like certain people choose to do, or just go naked, like I do with all of my devices. If you're an idiot who keeps their iPhone in the same pocket as their keys, then don't be surprised if your iPhone ends up getting scratched like crazy.
Some people are more careless than others. If you are a careless individual, or maybe you're just a moronic, slobbering at the mouth Fandroid, then don't worry, there are options out there for you. You should purchase a plastic phone and you should also wear a bicycle helmet 24-7, so that you don't do any damage to yourself, your phone and to others around you.
There are way too many whiners, psychopaths and clueless trolls in this thread.
If you don't like the iPhone for whatever reason, then don't buy one.
Complaining about the new connector is not a valid complaint. The old one had been around for almost a decade and guess what, things change. If Apple changed their connectors every few months, or every year, then the criticism would be valid. This new connector will obviously be around for many years, so the whiners will have to wait about ten more years until they can whine about another new connector. If you're a cheap customer who doesn't appreciate or comprehend new advances in technology, then don't buy an iPhone, it is not made for people like you.
Complaining about scratches is not a valid complaint, unless you just purchased an iPhone and it has visible defects out of the box. In that case you bring it back and get it exchanged, problem solved. Other than that, it is a known fact that aluminum will scratch, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that. So either put your iPhone in a case like certain people choose to do, or just go naked, like I do with all of my devices. If you're an idiot who keeps their iPhone in the same pocket as their keys, then don't be surprised if your iPhone ends up getting scratched like crazy.
Some people are more careless than others. If you are a careless individual, or maybe you're just a moronic, slobbering at the mouth Fandroid, then don't worry, there are options out there for you. You should purchase a plastic phone and you should also wear a bicycle helmet 24-7, so that you don't do any damage to yourself, your phone and to others around you.
1) connector is a valid annoyance, but you can choose not to purchase one. Of course not a great proposition for apple.
2) scratches are a valid complaint. Bring it back and exchange may be a valid option for those with apple stores close, but typically what you mean is a) ring apple b) await return clearance c) get postage packing d) send back e) await new gadget and hope its the same way. It would be nice if apple moved on in design, by creating one that is better for longevity than the previous generation. Not just change shatters for scratches. Scratches are for android plastic monsters. But hey, carry on insulting those who want a device that can handle routine use and still look like a "jewel".
First: I had the opportunity to try the new iPhone. Nothing that got me aroused really. Still gonna buy one on Friday when it starts selling in my country. But then, I'll by anything shiny Apple makes. (Been doing that since they yet didn't make anything shiny
Second: Apple really dropped the ball with the new maps. I simply sucks. Or it is so bad it should be called alpha version. And before some Apple religious zealot opens his mouth about whining, I say that I probably was HC Apple fan while you still were plastering poop on your mothers carpet, so shut up. Opp boy... Shut it.
The one basic thing map is supposed to do is show what is where and, in cases with electrical map equipped with GPS, where you are. That's the basis where you start. If that is not working, the map is useless. Period. No amount of cool features, multimedia, 3d cinematography or anything is going to change that. Apple needs to fix this ASAP and if they had any manners, they would say "We're sorry" while doing that. They of course won't say anything to that effect, but I can live with that.
Third: Where can one get unlocked versions for 700$? I'll have two right now. Where I'm from the 64GB models are 899 euros. That's roughly 1155 americans. Ain't complaining. It stings, but I ain't complaining
Comments
Originally Posted by AZREOSpecialist
And how, pray tell, do you review a product without looking at competing products in the space?
THERE we go! You said exactly what I hoped you would.
So there were NO reviews of the iPhone until a YEAR after its introduction, right? Because there were no competing products in that space until then. No one could possibly have gone over the physical aspects of the device and commented on the software or hardware until then, right?
The concept of a "review" has nothing to do with any product but save for that being reviewed. What you're after is called a "comparison".
I don't know if i've ever read a product review where the author was such a biased apologist for the product he was reviewing. It's not that i disagree about the phone...it's fantastic. But responding to niggling criticisms of the phone that have cropped up over the past 48 hours is not the responsibility of the reviewer and comes off as petty, which hurts the credibility of the author, the article, and the site (although, this happens on AI all the time).
Let's just call this piece what it is: an op-ed disguised as a review.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lerxt
Dismissing people's very real concerns about the poor quaility mapping on iPhone 5 makes any other opinion about this phone expressed worthless. The vast majority of users will experience the inadequacy of apple maps at some time. For me in Hong Kong they are virtually useless and one wonders why the writer thinks a quality downgrade is acceptable to release. Things will no doubt be better in 10 year but now they are terrible.
I know we have been discussing this map issue for a few days now and nobody actually knows what is really going on because Apple is not saying what, why,when, where etc. For all we know Google was simply asking for too much money, or Apple was more interested in getting rid of Google at any price. Perhaps Google did not want to renew the contract. All unknown. It is useless to speculate what caused the dramatic change, all we know is that the deal is done and Apple will move forward from here. It is really no big deal because the only thing actually missing from iOS is Street View and most people have a notebook or desktop so they can do a little preplanning and consult their Street View requirements ahead of leaving the house or office. Other than that it is a non-issue. For me I would have preferred that Apple surpassed Google Maps in quality of search and especially satellite imagery but again you can use other methods to access Google Maps if necessary. About all we can guess about the current situation regarding Apple Maps for iOS is that Apple was forced to change or benefits from the change or something logical because they don't just do things for no reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
I know we have been discussing this map issue for a few days now and nobody actually knows what is really going on because Apple is not saying what, why,when, where etc. For all we know Google was simply asking for too much money, or Apple was more interested in getting rid of Google at any price. Perhaps Google did not want to renew the contract. All unknown. It is useless to speculate what caused the dramatic change, all we know is that the deal is done and Apple will move forward from here. It is really no big deal because the only thing actually missing from iOS is Street View and most people have a notebook or desktop so they can do a little preplanning and consult their Street View requirements ahead of leaving the house or office. Other than that it is a non-issue. For me I would have preferred that Apple surpassed Google Maps in quality of search and especially satellite imagery but again you can use other methods to access Google Maps if necessary. About all we can guess about the current situation regarding Apple Maps for iOS is that Apple was forced to change or benefits from the change or something logical because they don't just do things for no reason.
Irrelevant to the end user.
Apples built in software, so they wear the blame.
But good to know that the advantage of the upgrade is that people get to preplan on an alternative device.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZREOSpecialist
Typically defensive fanboy responses, I'd say. I was simply wondering why an article billing itself as a "Review" would make no mention of the iPhone 5's closest competition. I still find that interesting. A review is not much of a review if it doesn't compare the subject of the review to the competition.
baloney. it may not be the review YOU want to read, that's fine - just go somewhere else. heaven knows, there will be plenty of 'death match' reviews all over the web in coming weeks. go there, not here. make a "choice."
hey, here's a good example, i'm sure you'll LOVE IT!
http://www.displaymate.com/Smartphone_ShootOut_2.htm
hey, here's another. FEAST YOUR EYES!
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6324/the-iphone-5-performance-preview
i like reviews that include important info and insight about the product itself. stuff i am interested in knowing more about. this DED review was pretty good for that. he screws up some, but offers a lot of good info too to go with it.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/problems-with-passbook/
Yet another half-baked, poorly implemented feature of iOS 6. Truly the hardware is terrific, it's iOS that has fallen short this time ...
As it is, the iOS 6 maps data is very USA centric.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac_128
I could not find anything about how Passbook worked, or what I needed to do to set it up. Then I found this which pretty much sums up my experience with it ...
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/problems-with-passbook/
Yet another half-baked, poorly implemented feature of iOS 6. Truly the hardware is terrific, it's iOS that has fallen short this time ...
at least i can put this pointles app in a folder. unlike news stand
Quote:
Originally Posted by dm3
Some clear inaccuracies.
6.5% of "active" android users use phones larger than 4"?
Where is the source for this statement? It is very hard to even find an Android phone less than 4" today. This number doesn't pass the sniff test.
its because the author is fudging the data. 6.5% are 'large' sized screens and above.
However, the distinction of large = >4" but its a little nit more complicated than taht. Android devices of normal size include those from 3-4.3/4.5" when combining those into the equation, thats 97% of the android population. hw many are actually over 4" is anyones guess.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland
Pro: I love the new connector.
Con: Phone scratches and marks easier than all previous iPhones.
The plastic iPhone 3GS is honored that you think it is more scratch-resistant than the iPhone 5.
Quote:
Most egregiously however, Google itself has jumped in with an attempt to propagate the notion that iOS 6 Maps will get you "iLost," something that doesn't really seem appropriate given that it was just a few years ago that CNET editor James Kim from San Francisco died while stranded in winter conditions, with his apparent reliance on Google Maps a contributing factor. Nobody was foolish enough to blame Google for Kim's tragic death, and Google should be smart enough to avoid similar associations, given that no GPS system's directions should be relied upon with one's life.
If you follow that link of yours you'll see that Kim's wife confirmed that they missed their exit on I5 and used a paper road map to try and find a shortcut (with tragic consequences). The idea that they were using Google Maps is erroneous.
That said, there are plenty of examples of people imperiling themselves blindly following their sat-navs. I believe a couple of years ago a Spanish man died after he drove his car into a reservoir (it was dark and the car apparently sank very quickly).
I think even Apple would be embarrassed by this arrogant, one-sided review. You assume that because we're all Apple fans we don't give a shit about the costs of replacing accessories and having connectivity issues with cars due to the new lightning connector? That's just lazy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakefinance
You've sunk to a new low by implying that Apple's maps are above criticism since it was rumored that someone died using Google maps. And the link that you used as a reference is someone's personal blog. Are you serious? Please do journalism a favor and stop writing.
I absolutely concur with this. I never post on AppleInsider but you've made such an excellent observation, and I'm slightly disgusted by this particular instance of Apple kowtowing.
The writer of this review should be ashamed to have scraped so desperately at the bottom of the barrel in defence of his beloved iPhone. Sickening.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZREOSpecialist
I've owned three generations of iPhones, but it seems that these "reviews" are written more as infomercials for Apple than anything else. This is a cheerleader piece, not a review.
It does read like an infomercial, almost. It's a very valid point. However, you also must consider the "editorial line" of the website you are reading. All news here will contain slight(!) hints that Apple is better than the rest (which I agree with most of the time, that's why I read Apple news here).
There are some good Android phones out there, but if you're looking for a comparison of those phones vs the iPhone 5, this ain't the place.
And I own an kindle touch and I'm a huge fan of Amazon, but I know that if I'm trying to decide between the new Kindle Fire HD and the iPad 3, probably this isn't the right place.
There are way too many whiners, psychopaths and clueless trolls in this thread.
If you don't like the iPhone for whatever reason, then don't buy one.
Complaining about the new connector is not a valid complaint. The old one had been around for almost a decade and guess what, things change. If Apple changed their connectors every few months, or every year, then the criticism would be valid. This new connector will obviously be around for many years, so the whiners will have to wait about ten more years until they can whine about another new connector. If you're a cheap customer who doesn't appreciate or comprehend new advances in technology, then don't buy an iPhone, it is not made for people like you.
Complaining about scratches is not a valid complaint, unless you just purchased an iPhone and it has visible defects out of the box. In that case you bring it back and get it exchanged, problem solved. Other than that, it is a known fact that aluminum will scratch, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that. So either put your iPhone in a case like certain people choose to do, or just go naked, like I do with all of my devices. If you're an idiot who keeps their iPhone in the same pocket as their keys, then don't be surprised if your iPhone ends up getting scratched like crazy.
Some people are more careless than others. If you are a careless individual, or maybe you're just a moronic, slobbering at the mouth Fandroid, then don't worry, there are options out there for you. You should purchase a plastic phone and you should also wear a bicycle helmet 24-7, so that you don't do any damage to yourself, your phone and to others around you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
There are way too many whiners, psychopaths and clueless trolls in this thread.
If you don't like the iPhone for whatever reason, then don't buy one.
Complaining about the new connector is not a valid complaint. The old one had been around for almost a decade and guess what, things change. If Apple changed their connectors every few months, or every year, then the criticism would be valid. This new connector will obviously be around for many years, so the whiners will have to wait about ten more years until they can whine about another new connector. If you're a cheap customer who doesn't appreciate or comprehend new advances in technology, then don't buy an iPhone, it is not made for people like you.
Complaining about scratches is not a valid complaint, unless you just purchased an iPhone and it has visible defects out of the box. In that case you bring it back and get it exchanged, problem solved. Other than that, it is a known fact that aluminum will scratch, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that. So either put your iPhone in a case like certain people choose to do, or just go naked, like I do with all of my devices. If you're an idiot who keeps their iPhone in the same pocket as their keys, then don't be surprised if your iPhone ends up getting scratched like crazy.
Some people are more careless than others. If you are a careless individual, or maybe you're just a moronic, slobbering at the mouth Fandroid, then don't worry, there are options out there for you. You should purchase a plastic phone and you should also wear a bicycle helmet 24-7, so that you don't do any damage to yourself, your phone and to others around you.
1) connector is a valid annoyance, but you can choose not to purchase one. Of course not a great proposition for apple.
2) scratches are a valid complaint. Bring it back and exchange may be a valid option for those with apple stores close, but typically what you mean is a) ring apple b) await return clearance c) get postage packing d) send back e) await new gadget and hope its the same way. It would be nice if apple moved on in design, by creating one that is better for longevity than the previous generation. Not just change shatters for scratches. Scratches are for android plastic monsters. But hey, carry on insulting those who want a device that can handle routine use and still look like a "jewel".
First: I had the opportunity to try the new iPhone. Nothing that got me aroused really. Still gonna buy one on Friday when it starts selling in my country. But then, I'll by anything shiny Apple makes. (Been doing that since they yet didn't make anything shiny
Second: Apple really dropped the ball with the new maps. I simply sucks. Or it is so bad it should be called alpha version. And before some Apple religious zealot opens his mouth about whining, I say that I probably was HC Apple fan while you still were plastering poop on your mothers carpet, so shut up. Opp boy... Shut it.
The one basic thing map is supposed to do is show what is where and, in cases with electrical map equipped with GPS, where you are. That's the basis where you start. If that is not working, the map is useless. Period. No amount of cool features, multimedia, 3d cinematography or anything is going to change that. Apple needs to fix this ASAP and if they had any manners, they would say "We're sorry" while doing that. They of course won't say anything to that effect, but I can live with that.
Third: Where can one get unlocked versions for 700$? I'll have two right now. Where I'm from the 64GB models are 899 euros. That's roughly 1155 americans. Ain't complaining. It stings, but I ain't complaining
I REALLY HOPE IT'S NOT -> MB. hahaha