BullsEyeTech

iOS 6 - Revolutionary

5 years when Steve Jobs came on stage and said that iOS is at least 5 years ahead of any other mobile OS out there. It might reading into things too much but, that 5 year honeymoon period is coming to an end and now it’s time for Apple to raise the stakes in the software once more and re-set the gold standard within the mobile space. So what things are people asking for with the upcoming release of iOS at this years WWDC.

1. Maps - this seems to be a dead cert as Apple has been buying up mapping companies like C3 and Cloud 9 like nobody’s business and you have to say that it’s not surprising as Google, stupidly began to charge for the use of the API for Google Maps and Apple is now big enough and wealthy enough not to be bullied into submission. They now in charge of valuables worth over $100 billion in the bank so they thought ‘the hell with you guys, we’re going to show you how maps should have been done.’

2. Widgets - I have mixed views on this one because I’ve had previous experience with Android phones and understand the advantages to it, but I also understand why Apple would reject this notion as their philosophy is very simple, the OS is just a launch pad for the plethora of apps avaliable and then its up to the app to determine how the UI and app functions. So Apple had seem to solved it with a compromise, users are able to get widgets within the notification centre but there’s only 2 available; stocks and weather. Both are useful, but they’re not what people want, it’s Facebook or Twitter. I wouldn’t be surprised, if they do decide to open it up to the developers as Twittter is already integrated within the OS, so that would make a good deal of sense and it also provide a great opportunity for other developers too.

3. Touch Screen Buttons/Gestures - There has been some strong rumours, that Apple will take away the infamous Home button in order to extend the screen, without increasing the overall size and weight of the device. Yet, even though it all makes sense and would deemed to be a good way in implementing a bigger screen but the Home button is an integral part to the experience that I think Apple would take a lot more negative comments than positive from the press. New users, rely on this button to get accustom to the phone and technology as it’s the only hardware button on the front of the phone and only has one purpose; getting you home releasing the panic you felt when something went wrong within an app. Android has had some stick over this same issue and I think it wold be naive and crazy of Apple to take away this feature. An elongated pad with gestures? Now that’s a different topic altogether.

So there’s my top 3 issues and disclaimers in regarding to iOS 6. I hoped you liked it and please if you have any ideas of your own please leave a comment and I will reply. 

Have a nice day!

Samsung Galaxy S III

So today Samsung has announced the much awaited Galaxy S III, which is the successor to their best selling phone, S II and so as you expect it has a hefty reputation to live up to and on first-impression it has failed in my eyes.

Although, I’ve have not handled the device myself and I can see that Samsung have had a massive opportunity slipped with their choice in terms of hardware and UI designs. 

First, it’s all well that it’s fine having a beefy processor, that will chug itself along nicely no matter what you throw at it but it’s not the thing that the consumer have to see day in day out and this is really a major disappointment with the S III as The Verge just confirmed that it’s a Pentile Display. If you didn’t know what that is, then here’s the quick explanation: Pentile displays have green pixels that are interwoven with the blue and red pixels and first thought, that sounds fine especially with these incredibly high resolution displays but unfortunately, the human retina is most sensitive to green pixels meaning that it’s very easy to see that separated pixels and in return ruining a major feature of any modern phone.

Then there’s the use of crappy, glossy plastic which will no doubt scratch in no time after normal wear and tear, but again this make the phone look cheap as hell and for someone who thinks the weight might be an advantage then perhaps when you pick it up for the first time it could change. Why not take a leaf out of Apple’s and HTC’s book in terms of industrial design? Exotic materials sell and it’s an aspect of current Samsung hardware that is really lacking. Creating a good public façade will help with anything because an ugly phone no matter how able will probably fail. I’m not of course saying it’s the worse phone I’ve seen but it’s pretty dire for a so called ‘high-end’ phone.

Now, with HTC beginning to realise in one centralised brand name (One Series) Samsung will have to buckle up their ideas if they want to retain the huge margin that currently have on the Taiwan based company.