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Hi-
I just watched the keynote Apple speech regarding many things, incl. the new iPhone 4S--with 'Siri'--you have to check out the video on this phone--Siri is a pers. assistant that is an artificial intelligence feature-absolutely amazing. You can ask it questions, and it responds back to you with answers--all on your phone. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Way cool!

http://www.apple.com/iphone/?cid=CDM-US ... 6972&sr=em" target="_blank

Mark

Can you still make phone calls with it?

Honestly, I'm not all that impressed by it. Yeah, they made a few good tweaks to make it a bit better, but compared to what some people expected them to come out with (iPhone 5 was rumored), it's not much. New carrier, better camera, creepy assistant, faster processor, improved antenna. No 4G, which is disappointing to say the least.
Then again, maybe I'm disillusioned because of what I have and what was rumored.

jonesmj wrote:Hi-
I just watched the keynote Apple speech regarding many things, incl. the new iPhone 4S--with 'Siri'--you have to check out the video on this phone--Siri is a pers. assistant that is an artificial intelligence feature-absolutely amazing. You can ask it questions, and it responds back to you with answers--all on your phone. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Way cool!

http://www.apple.com/iphone/?cid=CDM-US ... 6972&sr=em" target="_blank

Mark

Well I think it amazing too - if it really works!

Nothing personal to anyone here...

But I hardly see how it's a disappointment, Apple doesn't owe anything to anybody. I think people should be happy they finally put in a respectable camera, fixed battery life, fixed(?) reception, and other things that other phones have already done for years. Besides, what is *wrong* with the iPhone that people bought last year, the year before that, or the year before that? At some point, Apple is going to reach "the end" and it'll be about as good as it's gonna get. I think they're getting close to that.

Beyond that, it's neat stuff, but absolutely non-essential (and for sure, nowhere near as essential as Apple wants you to think it is!).

I think Apple stuff is interesting but way overpriced *. I have an iPhone 4 that work provides; if I had to pay for my own I would not have chosen it. I would seriously consider owning an iPad if the price was in proportion to it actual usefulness. I bought a refurbished nook color for my wife about a month before we got married and put android 2.3 on it, and overclocked and tweaked it. For well under $200 she has a full featured lightweight 7" tablet with an outstanding screen that can surf ANY website, run most apps from the android store, and even play Netflix. She uses it regularly with no complaints; and it was very useful on our honeymoon instead of lugging a laptop around.
The only "Apple Store" around me is in the most elite mall in town. I had to go there once to address an issue with the iPhone. The place was filled with a bunch of whiney rich kids looking to buy whatever the latest and greatest was, without any regard for what they where actually going to do with it.

* The only exception being the Mac Mini, as long as you don't use Apple branded peripherals with it.

MartyNeilan wrote:The only "Apple Store" around me is in the most elite mall in town. I had to go there once to address an issue with the iPhone. The place was filled with a bunch of whiney rich kids looking to buy whatever the latest and greatest was, without any regard for what they where actually going to do with it.

I hate going to the Apple store. They are always well-made and a little fun to visit and play with the stuff... but it's like the employees are freakishly brainwashed and too happy to be there, and the customers are entirely too excited to buy things they probably don't need. I bought my first iPod at Target because I didn't want to go to the Apple store.

Is is true you still can't use cash at an Apple store?

LJV wrote:

MartyNeilan wrote:my wife

Congrats to you both.

Don't you mean congrats to me, and condolences to her?

(Keeping this on the topic of Apple, I bought her a refurbished 3rd generation iPod Nano some months back. She downloaded her Heart CD's to it but almost never uses it.)

bloke wrote:Steve Jobs is dead.

Jobs was a true genius....
mark

Cancer sucks.

They could have taken these upgrades in the 4S, put them in a redesigned body, and people wouldn't have been throwing fits. 7x faster, works on more networks, full 1080p video recording, and Siri. What's not to like? It doesn't have a new body to show everyone you bought a new iPhone.

BTW, i think Siri may be one of those apps that you don't think is important or will never use...until you start using it and cant stop.

Homerun wrote:It doesn't have a new body to show everyone you bought a new iPhone.

Bingo.
Going back to my earlier post, how many people buy Apple products (or upgrade their current 1-2 year old Apple product) because they genuinely NEED to?
Marty "going to attempt to buy a used washer and dryer after work"

Most of the apple die hards buy the latest and greatest as soon as it comes out. The only reason i have an iPhone 4 is because it was time to upgrade after my 3G (not 3GS) was used for three years. But I'll probably keep getting apple phones. No other company has made a phone that has caught up yet.

And going back to your original post, you're probably dead on with the types of people that shop at the apple store. I don't see a need to upgrade devices every time a new system is released. The iPhone 3G is just now going to start becoming obsolete (new iOS won't work on it) and it's the second generation. The 4S is the fifth.

FWIW, I've used an iPad (that I didn't pay for) extensively, and I think Apple did a great job of making things intuitive. I've never used an iPhone, but my current phone (that I did pay for) is one of those Samsung android phones that Apple is suing Samsung over.

It's way cheaper than an iPhone, and based on my experience with other Apple products (and tons of experience with Blackberry products), I give the Samsung as many thumbs up as I can. It's a great little device.

(Mine is the Fascinate - they use different model names with different phone carriers.)

I have a Samsung Focus, which is a Windows Phone 7 device. I've used iPhones and Android phones, and to me, this is SO much better than any of those.

I know people hear "Windows" and head for the hills...

But this is a clean and clear interface, and it's super easy to use. The specs of this phone are certainly right up there with the iPhone (I can't say with certainty where it beats/matches/lacks, but it's too close to really matter a whole lot). With the latest update is even more intuitive and super easy to use. The only downside is that there are significantly fewer apps available right now than iPhone or Android. But then again, there's a TON of crap out there for iPhone and Android, so blind numbers of apps doesn't really mean a lot to me.

Oh, and it's made in Korea, if that matters to anyone.

Still a dumb phone guy here- surprisingly solid internet capabilities with Opera Mini, EXCELLENT battery life compared to any smart phone anywhere, affordable, solid build,...
Want to be able to watch videos and such, write documents, manage stock,... online on the go? Get a smaller tablet or netbook and a mobile internet plan to go with your regular phone! I have one of those Woot Samsung 5.0 tablets on the way now. I've gone down the smart phone route, screamed in frustration, realized my dumb phone works just fine 90% of the time and bought a small tablet to use while on planes, traveling,...


OMG OMG OMG my phone's gots apps to do this and this and this. Hell, give me good battery life, exemplary calling abilities, usable internet (email, bank accounts, some browsing while out and about) and call it good. Even more applause for pre-paid phones. Unless you grandfathered in to a sweet plan contract plans suck. And if you couldn't afford to keep your pre-paid current you sure can't afford to keep your contract plan going!


Time to cry in the shower- my favorite instrument I've ever owned, my bass trombone, might be leaving me this evening. Ahh bubblegum.

bloke wrote:Are these iPhone things kind-of like the Rubank series?
Do I need to start out with "Elementary" and work my way up to "Advanced II" (etc.) ?

ie. What happens if I skip all the way to 4S or even 5 or 7 ?

More like the essential elements series

To each their own. There are apple snobs, and there are people who are anti-apple snobs. Im in a third group. I went from PC to Mac, and don't see myself going back. I had issues with every other phone from my teenage years until now, but have had none with my iPhone. I had TONS of issues with my PCs, and have had none with my Mac. Maybe that's more of a reflection of what I do with them, but I have had no issues with any apple product I've purchased.

Find what makes you happy, find what works, and use it.

Hi-
Downloaded the new OS and iOS5 last night, and have backed up everything in the iCloud today---really amazing stuff. As usual, Apple is amazing. I am sure tomorrow folks will be gassed with the iPhone 4S.
Mark