Buying iPhones
Everything you need to know about buying iPhones, iPads and other iOS devices
Everything you need to know about buying iPhones, iPads and other iOS devices
Aug 11th
The first has to do with the iPhone coming to Verizon in January 2011.
The other reports that Apple may release a 7 inch iPad in 2011.
DigiTimes says that Apple will refresh the iPad in the first quarter of 2011.
The new model will include a processor based on ARM’s Cortex-A9 chip, This will provide a performance upgrade from the current Apple A4 chip that is based on the Cortex-A8 design.
The report also claims that the new iPad will have the same amount of RAM as the iPhone 4 which has 512 MB of RAM, up from the 256 MB in the current iPad.
According to the report, the iPad will be available in both the existing 9.7-inch screen size and a smaller 7-inch size.
The smaller version will have the same 1024 x 768 resolution of the current iPad, resulting in an increase in pixel density to 183 pixels per inch from 132 pixels per inch. While not offering the same high resolution as the iPhone 4’s Retina display at 326 ppi, content on the smaller iPad would seem sharper and clearer than on the 9.7 inch version.
More memory and a faster processor couple with a smaller form factor and possibly a smaller batter or one the same size could mean that the new iPad mini could have less battery life.
Also the main selling point for the original iPad is the greater size of the screen that allows viewing more of the Web or what ever else you are looking at with less eye strain.
It will be interesting to see what develops in the first quarter of 2011.
Aug 10th
Telus is the first Canadian wireless carrier to reduce the 8GB iPhone 3GS to $49.00 on a 3-year voice and data plan contract.
The iPhone 4 roll out is in full motion with line ups 80 to 100 deep at the Apple Stores in the GTA every day since its release in Canada on July 30th.
So 16GB and 32GB iPhone 3GS are disappearing from sales floors, the 8GB iPhone 3GS comes in at the lowest price ever for a brand-new iPhone.
If you are looking for a deal and do not care much for the iPhone 4, then check out the iPhone 3GS from Telus:
All new iPhone 3GS units already have iOS 4.0 or 4.0.1 preloaded.
iOS 4.0 and 4.0.1 introduced multitasking and home and lock screen backgrounds which run slowly on a 3G iPhone.
The iPhone 3Gs is perfectly suited for the new iOS. 8 Gigabytes of data does not leave a lot of room to play though if you will be a heavy Apps and iPod user.
Users who purchase the 8GB iPhone 3GS outright (no contract) at $549 from an Apple Store will have the device unlocked. Users who purchase the 8GB iPhone 3GS on contract for $49 from an Apple Store will have the device locked to Telus (just as if you bought the device at Telus for $49).
Customers purchasing at an Apple Store also receive a Telus SIM card in store when buying on contract, or will get to choose any carrier SIM card if purchased outright.
Aug 9th
At the press conference on July 16th. Apple highlighted the importance of having a case to get the highest performance of your iPhone 4 in low signal strength cell zones.
Apple plans to give iPhone 4 owners a free case until September 30th in order to address any concerns their customers might have over what some consider to be a design flaw for its overplayed antenna and signal problems.
CEO Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. made the announcement during a press conference at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., Friday morning in response to a Public Relations maelstrom reported with the iPhone 4, which was unveiled in June.
iPhone 4 owners can apply for the free bumper (a case that protects just the outer rim of the phone) online at Apple’s Web site, and owners who already purchased a bumper or other style of iPhone 4 case will get a full refund, Jobs said.
Steve Jobs said, “We’re not perfect, phones aren’t perfect. But we want to make all our users happy.”
Jobs said Apple can’t make enough bumpers for of all 3 million iPhone 4 customers, so it’s negotiated with third-party manufacturers and will offer customers a choice of cases.
Apple plans to continue offering these free cases until September 30.
Jobs admitted that Apple and SmartPhones are not perfect. In a clever turn of play Steve Job’s shone the light on competitor smartphone manufacturers and had video demonstration of how products such as the BlackBerry and the Droid display similar drops in cell phone signal strength when held in a certain way. In fact ,the instructions and owners manuals of these phones also admit that signal drops can occur if the phones are held a certain way. Signal impedance and attenuation are just facts of life for microwaves and us carbon based lifeforms.
After the press conference ended, Apple posted photos, videos, and details about its $100,000,000.00 testing facility that were shown during the event. The signal issue occurs when iPhone 4 users touch the seam on the lower-left side of the iPhone 4 where there is a gap in the iPhone 4’s external casing which doubles as an antenna.
Jobs said just 0.55 percent of iPhone 4 owners called Apple to voice conerns about the signal problems and return rates are lower than they were for the iPhone 3GS.
In areas with good cellular signal strength, the clarity and quality of the iPhone 4s voice call quality is praiseworthy. Experts have weighed in and said that the external antennae doubling as a primary structure for a phone will be copied by competitor phone makers in the future.
What do you think?
Aug 7th
I love iJustine.com.
Here she is making fun of Ke$ha who I don’t like so much.
But there’s an iPad involved so it’s watchable and kind of funny.
Aug 6th
So you wanted to get an iPhone 4 on July 30th but you knew you did not want to stand in line all night and all day to get it. You’re a regular consumer and not some kind of Apple Fanatic after all.
So you took the day off work for the big occasion. Somehow you convinced your boss you were sick or took a vacation day or whatever. You gotta do what you gotta do.
You guessed right and thought there are going to be major line ups at the Major Retail Outlets like FutureShop, BestBuy and especially at the Apple Stores; just like the launch of the iPhone 4 in the States.
So your plan was to out smart the crowds and go find an out of the way Rogers or Bell or other Wireless store in a smaller town like Georgetown or Milton or Burlington. You get there at 9:00 AM only to realize a lot of other smart people thought of the same plan. And lo and behold some of the Apple Fanatics beat you to it and they were there at 6:00 AM with coffee and donuts and lawn chairs and everything.
So you guessed it, the Rogers store line is not moving because of a Rogers Customer Registration System crash. And then to top it off, the Rogers staff member sticks their head out of the door to tell the line that is 16 people deep that they only have 10 phones left and none are 32GBs. And yeah, there are no White iPhone 4s in the whole country. So, no phone for you.
Or you could just wait for another 2 or 3 weeks.
Aug 5th
Right now Jailbreaking an iPhone is as attractive as it is ever going to get. Especially if you own an iPad as well that is just Wi-Fi ready and not 3G wireless enabled.
And here are the reasons why.
Just visit http://jailbreakme.com, a Click and a Swipe and you are jailbroken in less time than it takes to make a coffee.
AT & T in the States is charging an extra $10.00 / month to iPhone/iPad users to allow them to tether the 2 devices together.
An extra fee on top of the data plan fee you are already paying them which is around $30.00 / month for 6 GB of data.
Bell in Canada is charging an extra $10.00 / month for the same convenience feature.
Rogers in Canada also wants to charge you $20.00 / month for this service.
So do the math if you are on a 3 year contract.
Carrier | Cost Over 3 years term contract |
AT & T | $120.00 x 3 = $360.00 |
Bell | $120.00 x 3 = $360.00 |
Rogers | $240.00 x 3 = $720.00 |
In the best case you could save yourself $720.00; Almost enough for an iPhone 5, 6 or 7 Carrier Unlocked model when they are released.
Add to that the money you saved by not buying the iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G, which in the case of iPad 64GB is $879.00 – $749.00 = $130.00 in savings.
Add $720.00 to $130.00 equals $850.00.
Now that you have jail broken for free, (never pay for a jailbreak!); Install a little application called MyWi available here:
http://rockyourphone.com/index.php/mywi.html
it will turn your iPhone into a Wi-Fi hotspot for $19.99 USD. It is even WEP Enabled so that no other people can borrow your internet connection.
So you still save $830.00. Let’s not complicate the math with the extra VAT taxes that apply to those contracted fees either. So it really is a tempting proposition to jail break right now.
You just need to weigh it against statements from Apple related sources that speak of Jailbreaking an iOS device as possibly voiding your Apple Care Warranty.
You might also need to stay at a certain version of the iOS (4.0.1 right now) for a while until the next Jailbreak exploit for the new version of the latest software is found.
Jailbreaking right now is just so tempting. But you’d better act fast. Apple as well as the Carriers are sure to be wanting to close this window of opportunity.
Aug 4th
So it’s particular warm tonight. A hot summer night and I’m lying in bed with my iPad signing up for a Twitter Account. I’m not running my air conditioning to save some electricity.
All of a sudden the iPad stops responding. It no longer rotates the screen as I adjust it in my hands.
I start to play with the Rotation Lock switch. Next the screen goes black. I’m alarmed. Then I press the Power button and Nothing. “What?!?”, I say to myself, “I just bought this, and I’m sure the battery had at least an 85% charge. I press the Home button and the Power Button at the top right of the unit and still nothing. I then realize what I’d done.
I’d been resting the unit with the bottom edge embedded into the sheets of the bed.
The bottom edge where the Home button is and the speakers are, must also provide some heat exchange. I over heated the unit and for safety reasons it shut down. An amazing self preservation feature really.
I turned on a fan and blew cool air into the lower portion of the unit to speed up the cool down.
Waited a few more minutes and pressed the power button. Viola, the pretty White Apple Logo appeared and the iPad went through the power up cycle.
A few minutes later I was back on the web.
So If your iPad ever shuts down on a hot night or hot day. Just let it cool down before you start it up again.
Also see, iPad Basic Troubleshooting at : http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3274
Aug 3rd
On July 30th, 2010, the iPhone 4 launched in Canada.
You could only expect to find 16 GB and 32GB Carrier locked (to Rogers, Fido, Bell and Telus) or Unlocked iPhone 4s in one color. Black.
The iPhone 4 was supposed to be available in black and white, but due to manufacturing problems, there have been delays in the release of the white iPhone 4 units in Canada and in the States.
There is news that sheds light on the White iPhone 4 delays that comes from
http://whiteiphone4now.com which has posted photos of the manufacturing issues of the White iPhone 4 smart phones.
The photos indicate what the website is calling a “rough & bent” condition where the top glass surface of the case of the White iPhone 4 does not align correctly when the device is built.
The website also says that their OEM sources have made improvements to the manufacturing process to remove the imperfections.
This may mean that Apple will be back on track for the delivery of the White iPhone 4s. A recent press release from Apple did indicate that the iPhone 4 would be delayed until later in 2010.
Aug 3rd
JailbreakMe 2.0 is available right now. All you need is mobile Safarifor iPhones and iPads.
It went live in the last 24 hours.
it works with every iOS device you may own all the way back to the iPhone 3G.
As a browser-based app, all you need to do is direct your device to the Jailbreak Me website at http://jailbreakme.com (currently very busy) and successfully load the page.
Do so at your own risk of course as Jailbreaking may void your warranty.
Aug 2nd
The iPhone really is a phenomenal device. It really has been a game changer and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.
It appeals to everyone who holds one in their hands. Just like the original Macintosh computer charmed Personal Computer users back in 1984, the iPhone was insanely great when it was introduced in 2007.