Apple 9.9.2014
Anyone else pumped? Looking forward to the new iPhone, possible iWallet announcement, etc.
iJay 
Darrin I really don't understand these fanboys. If you are pumped for a cell phone, you should probably see a psychiatrist.
LJRubi I applaud Apple's great customer service but that's about it:
- No flash memory card slot
- No replaceable battery
- No standard USB port
I can't convey enough how much that last point bothers the living crap out of me. My daughter just had a second lightning port cord go bad on her. She babies her equipment - there isn't a single scratch on her phone. A new cable costs $20. A standard USB cable would be <$5. Her Sony docking station (that she go when she only had the iPod) is no longer compatible because the arbitrary port change.
Google Android all the way!
emaxxman 
5catmom 
jerseycash5iJay - ignore the naysayers, there are plenty of people who are excited with you.
I'm waiting until they come out with their larger version (hopefully soon) to upgrade my iPhone.
Rebecka Why not be exited, it's not hurting anyone. See a Phychiatrist? A bit over dramatic LJ.
Enjoy your new phone ijay. I have 4 months to go and then I will upgrade. Let us know how you like it
hack in town "Love my Macbook Pro and ipad"
I want a Macbook Pro, but I don't want to drop $2,800+ for the specs that I prefer...
Mark Mc. Apparently current iPhone's don't even miss a beat when they are accessed by phony cell phone towers, just like all others.
http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/mysterious-phony-cell-towers-could-be-intercepting-your-calls
Interesting to say the least... ;-)
justintime Great, now I can't even trust that my take-out orders from the pizza place are secure!
@emaxxman:
for users who have thinner cables (ie: lightning cables), try putting a pen spring over your electronic tips. there are a few videos where they will show you how to successfully put a spring on a cable and never worry about your cables going bad again. makes your cables last a helluva lot longer.
Wow Ijay is excited about the iPhone ...so am I ....and people are making fun of him?? Sometimes it's the little things in life .…...gosh
Missrx I would have been, but I'm tired of the iPhone. I'm more excited to see the new Samsung Note. Been an iPhone user since the beginning and probably jumping ship.
btownguy Funny, my lightning port cord just broke and I had to shell out $17.99 for a new one just the other day. Completely agree with the scumbaggery of Apple and their proprietary connectors.
I'm with you btownguy... my contract is up in December and I'm jumping over to an Android device of some sort, although I haven't decided which one yet.
ianimal iWallet. Count me out. Leaked pictures are one thing...Not exactly putting my money in the cloud!
I still long for the days prior to 1999.
If you're looking for alternatives, have you looked at HTC? Samsung is putting out some interesting products, but I'm not big on their reliability. My HTC is the reason I went to a smartphone in the first place.
GC I still have 3 months till my contract is up, so I haven't really looked at any alternatives closely, yet. But thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely take a close look at the HTC phones before just getting the latest and greatest Samsung.
Have an iPhone 5 for personal, Samsung Galaxy for work. iPhone is so much better. The Galaxy battery doesn't last long and it just doesn't work as smoothly. I'll keep my iPhone until it busts. It's working fine, charges fast, and the battery life is excellent. No need to run out and get the 6 at this time.
emaxx, think you mean micro USB port. No phone I know has a standard USB.
MeisterNJ Yes a micro USB. When I used the word standard, it was referring to an industry standard vs a size standard.
Which galaxy version do you have Meister? I'm looking at either the S5 or the note 3. Both seem to have much better battery life than my daughter's iPhone 5.
Have you checked the Apple website to see if the iPhone 5 is eligible for a free replacement battery? Apple has acknowledged there's a problem. Worth a look. Guess I got lucky with mine. Battery is great.
Have the SIII. It's ok. Battery life isn't good at all. Nice screen. Biggest problem is that it goofs up a lot. Apps close unexpectedly or get 'stuck'. It's not as fast as my iPhone. I'm sure the later versions are better.
The new iPhone 6 Plus was announced today. It will come with a proprietary screen that requires all users to buy new proprietary viewing glasses. Your existing eyeglasses will no longer work. Sheeple everywhere rejoiced and chanted "Steve, Steve, Steve."
Is that why morons are camped out in NY City, some for more than a week?. Phone isnt even coming out until the end of the month. I just dont get it and dont think I ever will. I still have a slide phone. Lol. Works great too.
botheredbyuu2 My contract with Verizon expires middle of this month. I'll be getting a plan w/my boyfriend...either Verizon or ATT - any pros/cons for ATT?
I really dislike the iPhone and their software, I've always had an Android, I just can't fathom carrying around a Samsung Galaxy, they are huge! Any other Droid phones worth looking into?
Does the iPhone network run better on a specific carrier?
av111ks Does iphone 6 have an SD slot for photos? That's the only part about Apple phones I don't like, camera is good, but its a PITA to save photos.
hktownie av111ks, here is a pro about ATT - it's not Verizon!
Seriously though, if you want inferior customer service, weaker signals and less access to coverage... stay with Verizon. ;-). I have ATT and other family members have Verizon. Customer service is better, more coverage in more remote areas, better all-around product.
btownguy - Thanks for the tip...I've been a 10yr customer of Verizon, so I know nothing outside their realm of hell ;) lol
well.................I've had verizon for years without a single problem - and service has been excellent - especially in recent years - in the very early days I had some amount of dropped calls but that is long over - I've used the phone from here to the west coast to new mexico and more without a problem - never used another plan
Does anyone have any of the NEWER Android phones? What is your review of them?
I really don't want to get an iPhone 5 or 6 in a few weeks but those Samsungs are just too huge for me.
I have an iPhone 5, and have had iPhones going back to the 3 (about six years).
I've been suffering through battery hell for close to one year with my iPhone 5 that I got 22 months ago. It discharges rapidly with normal use. It will show 80% battery left, then I'll make one 5-minute call, and the battery indicator will read 19% left; I'll immediately plug it in and it will instantly change to 55%. It will spontaneously turn off during a call as if it was dead, and when I plug it in it will show it has plenty of battery left. I have to charge it at least three times during the course of a normal day now, as compared to when I first purchased it and charging it once a day would suffice.
For at least the past year Apple has consistently denied there are battery problems. I read the information on this post a couple of days ago, went to the Apple site, and discovered I am eligible for a free battery replacement. Now all of a sudden, apparently Apple admits there is a problem after all!
What has me mad as hell is that Apple has made zero attempt to be proactive and directly notify the affected iPhone owners who have bad batteries. The "bad" phones are identified by serial number, and since the phones are all registered with Apple, they know who owns which phones.
I wasn't sure before whether I would stay with Apple and upgrade to an iPhone 6; now since I see the way they have failed to notify affected customers I will be switching to a different manufacturer when i am eligible for an upgrade in November.
JerryG There are smaller Android phones. Just go into the store and check them out.
Before I start, let me just say, I have a flip phone. My daughter and wife have iPhones. We've been with Verizon for 7+ years now and never had an issue. Customer service has been fine on the few occasions I've needed them.
I'll be upgrading to a Samsung Galaxy S5 or Note when the Black Friday sales come out. Having a replaceable battery and more importantly, the ability to add a micro-SD card is the key for me. The fact that these phones can jump through rings of fire is not that a big of a deal to me. I'll never use all of the features. I also detest Apple's use of a proprietary connector.
Google Wallet never really took off, but the iPhone using the Passbook and iTunes to store CC info should lead to a large adoption...
av111ks...I recently got the Samsung Galaxy. It's on the larger side, but I wouldn't call it huge. I still carry it around all the time, it fits it my pocket, in my purse, and even in my wallet.
Tracy iCloud Keychain is the great. You manage it on a Mac and then use it on all devices to pre fill IDs and Passwords for most sites, and it is part of the Apple ecosystem. Google Chrome has a password saving system but it is inferior (and for good reasons), so you really have to use a 3rd party password manager on Android. Some work very well (on Android and IOS) but you have to trust the 3rd party...
I've had Verizon for years. I like it and their service is pretty good. It's so much better than AT&T coverage wise. I started with AT&T with my first cellphone and it was horrible. Coverage was very spotty. That was 17 years ago. My work phone (Galaxy SIII) is AT&T and still isn't that great. I'll try and make a work call and won't have coverage so I wind up using my iPhone anyhow.
Like I said upthread, my iPhone 5 is working great and I won't be running out to get the 6 anytime soon. Maybe once the Wallet is in wide use.
More high priced toys I'll never need, but it'll make it MUCH easier for people to surf and text while driving!
JJB4 
fujixt1 
Um, yeah. I'm not a fervent Apple supporter. I like my iPhone and iPad Air, but still use a PC for everything else. Here's another:
Some Guy (Art) I went and obtained a Samsung Galaxy S5 Active on Sunday... and I returned it today. Can't handle it. It is so inferior. Apple, you've gotten me to drink the KoolAid. I'll take another serving.
You should try learning to use it, my Samsung runs circles around apple
Too bad you lost out on waterproof, something Samsung has had for the past 2 phone releases
I get it, apple is using certain points from a technology point to promote their products that have existed in other companies. You also have to agree they must be doing something right to top other companies that have the latest and greatest in their products.
Apple is doing a pretty good job with sales for using old technology.
I tried it. Autocorrect bar reminds me of CNN with their many tickers. Can't iTunes Match. 16gb on board? Lol no. Galaxy was slower than my iphone out of the box. Not impressed. I can understand those that started with androids thinking that it's the cats meow, but it felt like seven steps back.
It is their following but it's their quality products and service that keeps people following.
One big thing that keeps people loyal to apple is that if the majority of your friends and family have apple, it makes it easier to have an iOS device. My entire family lives outside of the US so keeping in touch via text and FaceTime to another mac, iPhone, or iPad makes it VERY easy.
The reality is that 99% of the people out there don't know the difference between 3g/4g, processors, or what 1gig vs 2 gigs of RAM means. What they care about is reliability, service, and ease of use. In that regard, Apple has done a great job.
For those of us who are more technical and manage through a hiccup here and there, we'll gravitate towards offerings with better, but less obvious features.
For me, the memory card slot and the ability to use standard micro-USB connectors is a big selling point.
They force a following by having different chargers/accessories where as android uses standard connections that you can use with any phone or mostly any rechargeable device (cameras camcorders vaping batteries etc)
Reality is, if your wife has a apple, you are more likely to buy a apple because you can use her charger (that's what i have heard from many when i asked why they bought a iphone)
I like being able to charge my phone and just about every battery powered rechargeable accessory I own with the same charger.
Although i cannot fathom how it would be like to live with out removable media, that's gotta be a utter pita
Not a problem for me. I am still grandfathered in under unlimited data so data is not a concern. All of my music is on iTunes Match, which allows me to have it all on my phone as long as I have an internet or wii connection. Can play or download. No issues there for me!
I'm not a big picture taker.
I was eligible for an upgrade in May, which I did through the Verizon store in Washington. I wish I had just stuck it out for the 4 additional months. I think have to wait 2 years before I am able to upgrade again. But is there any way to upgrade now from the 5S to 6 or 6+? Technology is changing so fast it's hard to keep up anymore.
3wbdwnj "But is there any way to upgrade now from the 5S to 6 or 6+? "
Pay the early termination fee that's in the contract and you can go shopping for any phone that you wish.
You could then sell the 5S to recoup some of your losses.
Also, I thought Verizon was offering free iPhone 6 hardware if you gave them back your old iPhone.
I know AT&T is offering $300 credit for an iPhone 5s so I am sure Verizon is offering the same deal.
Apple always releases a new model in October. I held out since May for my iPhone 6 plus! I skipped the 5S because the upgrade wasn't enough for me. My wife has the 4S which we are also upgrading.
"They force a following by having different chargers/accessories where as android uses standard connections that you can use with any phone or mostly any rechargeable device (cameras camcorders vaping batteries etc) "
That's actually not completely accurate. You do not need an Apple charger to charge your iPhone, iPad, etc. Any power adapter that supplies a voltage in the correct range and sufficient power and has a usb connector will work just fine. Example: I charge my iPhone in my car by plugging the USB end of the cable into an accessory adapter with a USB plug on it - no Apple power adapter involved.
RAD The white cable that goes from usb to the apple plug, i think they call it a lightning cable now, since they changed it..... is a apple power adapter. (this is another grief of mine)
I have ipod adapters in three of my trucks that are the old style (30 pin?) plug.....well now they are outdated thanks to apples ingeniousness and I can no longer use my $200 ipod adapters with any new ipod or iphone.....yaaaa, go apple (ipod is the only apple device i ever got, and will ever get)
I can charge my phone with the same cable and plug that charges my camera, same as my video game controllers, same as my Bluetooth headset, same as all three of my rechargeable vaping batteries, same as....well you get my point
well didn't they do the same with the usb chargers for other devices?
USB to Micro USB to make it smaller? You feel the 30pin to lightning pain because it's fairly new... I remember when I was looking for a hard drive USB wire (old one) but all I could find was the micro usb wires.
You can buy adapters for both the apple 30 pin to work with the lightning cable and an adapter for the mini to micro usb.
Yes you are correct, it used to be mini and then micro, but now everything is micro, but even then, at least everything used the mini before the micro was created, same with sd cards, and both of these have nothing to do with phones, it's what cables were invented
apple on the other hand decided to change their plug so now all your silly docking stations and such won't work, thankfully I stuck with the headphone jack type station
The adapters you speak of do not work with data, only charging, so they did not work with my car audio. I got immediately tired of it so I ditched the ipod wire and put in a aux headphone jack instead. If they were going to switch from the 30 pin, why didn't they switch to something more common;y used by everyone?
Well it's because the are a different company. I don't use micro usb for anything in my house hold.
I would like to think that when apple does something, they have a reason... and not just a reason to make people upset by being different.
How come no one ever has issues with laptop chargers? I am not sure but do all PC based laptops use the same plug to the laptop? I think apples design is brilliant with the magnetic connection... again, I am not sure if PC's are doing this now or not. But I know that you can't use any laptop with the apple charger.
Good points fujixt1. There used to be all sorts of different chargers and connectors for all sorts of devices until they standarized. I still have a crap load of different connectors for bluetooth earpieces, GPS's, phones, etc. At least 6 different ones. Apple changed their cables ONCE and everyone's up in arms. Only because it's Apple. And it was a major improvement, btw. They made it multi-directional, smaller, easier to plug in, and less prone to wear out. It is better than the micro usb, IMO. You can buy an adapter for your old cables.
Sure, it is nice to have one micro usb work on many different devices like my work phone, Kindle, earpiece. But it wasn't always like that.
Yes, many laptops and computers have different plugs. Lenovo has their own.
we are comparing apples to apples here, not computers
Everyone is up in arms because many products were sold with that 30 pin connector, many expensive products. Android has always used Bluetooth streaming or headphone jack (universal means). And just because android uses a standard cable now, one that works with many devices we already had, just goes to prove my point, android is years ahead of apple, and apple is trying to play catch-up
again, the adapters you speak of do not work with all devices, that stupid $30 dollar adapter did me no good for the $600 in apple converters that are now obsolete and just sit there.
anyone get their phone? I pre ordered so I will wait for mine to be delivered. I am guessing that even in Hackettstown there were lines.
Ba ha ha ha ha!!!! Make sure you watch the video.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/first-person-buy-iphone-6-4285430
Dude got lucky. My iPhone 5 was destroyed in a fall from a height much lower than that one.
yeah I saw that already... we can all imagine how we would feel if that happened to us...
Calico696 "we can all imagine how we would feel if that happened to us..."
that depends on whether or not we paid for the insurance policy (-;
My boyfriend and I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S5 - very impressed and happy with our purchase :) We are not fan of iPhones at all, although I did borrow one for a month or two, and I just couldn't wait to upgrade back to Android.
I used promo code "PROMO30" when I checked out on the Verizon website, much better than purchasing in store, and Verizon covers free overnight shipping when you order online.
I guess it all depends on what device you like physically and internally. I love my apple products but I can see how people like their Android devices. Just glad there are two companies that can compete.
Galaxy S5 is a great looking phone! Have fun with it!
Those Cortana commercials are funny as hell, but how long until MSFT is a legitimate player in phone operating systems? I'm tempted to wait and get the HTC One with Windows when it becomes available on AT&T (rather than get it now with the Android OS), but there are next to no apps written for Windows, which is a major negative. Any idea when App developers will take Windows seriously?
As a former Windows developer, current MSFT stockholder, and diehard Windows user at home, my recommendation is to not hold your breath.
I was optimistic with my last phone, ianimal. I was annoyed with Android and went to Windows. The technology is not there yet. No apps beyond the basics. The phone was good, camera excellent, but not enough compatibility. I'm back with Android on my new Galaxy. Loving it.
I'm considering ...ahem...cough...dropping my SIII so I can get something different here at work. They have a Windows phone (motorola, I think) or the Lumia. This thing has reached the end of its usefulness.
Time to buy Apple stock (aapl):
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apples-stock-should-be-at-203-carl-icahn-2014-10-09
Spaceship headquarters:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/11068126/First-look-at-Apples-new-spaceship-HQ-drone-view.html
With the announcement that Apple CEO Tim Cook is gay, Samsung came out with their own statement that said 'We did that in 2012'.....
Hey, Verizon Droid stepped up by featuring gender questionable James Franco in "BendoverGate" ad.
mistergoogle 
Bruin Been using the Samsung Note 4 since Friday. It's pretty sweet albeit large. It's my first smartphone so I have a lot to learn. The number of apps that want your email address are crazy.
What is interesting about it is that Verizon appears to have included their own versions of similar android apps...Messages,email, etc. Samsung then adds in their own apps. I'm sure I have some cleaning up to.
Overall, there are things that IOS does better (eg management of push notifications) and there are some things I really like about the android.
Question: do you guys run any kind of virus protection software? I've read a number of articles that say while the malware does exist, most apps acquired through the Play Store are not much of a concern. Additionally, they say the ability to remotely lock and wipe out a phone is much more important. Your thoughts?
It's not just Samsung. Verizon puts their crap on LG phones too, and the apps are absolutely horrible. Thankfully on LG you can "hide" apps from the list so I don't need to be reminded of Verizon bloat all the time.
It's not that I don't like the Samsung apps. I don't even know the apps well enough to make an opinion. It's more a case of having three different apps for the same thing. Example...I have 3 email clients for my Gmail account.
The apps are basically bloatware like they put on Windows. Like mentioned before, if you go Android go with the Google edition phones to get the pure Android experience and fast updates. However, OVERALL I still prefer the iOS experience especially its INTEGRATION with other Apple products.
Stock at $116, will probably be at $117+ today, was just under $100 on September 9th.
On track to become the first 1 Trillion Dollar Company...
"On track to become the first 1 Trillion Dollar Company..."
Why? Might it have something to do with significant monetary inflation via the creation of debt? ;-)
Maybe, JIT, it's as simple as people buy their products and are expected to continue to do so. Private debt and equity should never be confused with national policy. But then again "market capitalization" should never be confused with revenue which is what is needed to judge the company size. At $670 billion it's nearly 50% away from $1 trill market cap. Not all that on target, and even further away from revenue projections in that kind of range.
Commenting is no longer available.