[wesware]

Other than a faster processor and new voice software, the 4s is basically the same as the iphone 4. Yet it is sold out across all carriers with 1 million sold already. I think Apple could sell a turd in a seashell if they called it "the most amazing iPhone yet". Thoughts?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Jake Storm]

But, but... it's got a neat-o virtual assistant. It can be my new best friend.

[GADA]

i know its crazy over a million preorders for the exact same hardware its so lame but hey to each its own

[dalton4L]

Improved Camera
Better processor
Siri voice assistant
New OS


What do other companies do that Apple didn't do this time around?

[Economist101]

Other than a faster processor and new voice software, the 4s is basically the same as the iphone 4. Yet it is sold out across all carriers with 1 million sold already. I think Apple could sell a turd in a seashell if they called it "the most amazing iPhone yet". Thoughts?

FYI, the question isn't whether the 4S is better than the 4; the question is whether the 4S is an upgrade over the 3GS for people that were still under contract when the 4 was launched. Is the 4S a huge upgrade over the iPhone 4? No. But just nearly half of all iPhone users are using something other than the iPhone 4, and to them the 4S is significant.

[kbz1960]

But it still looks the same, how lame.

J/K

[pilsbury]

Lol. Not bad for a flop.

[phonejunky]

Lmao all the haters are in full force I see. What did you all expect its a better phone spec wise. People loved the iPhone 4 form factor already and steve just passed. I mean really what did you expect for it to flop like a RIM Playbook????

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G

[Sharma15]

Lmao all the haters are in full force I see. What did you all expect its a better phone spec wise. People loved the iPhone 4 form factor already and steve just passed. I mean really what did you expect for it to flop like a RIM Playbook????

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G

He's on to something... in order to sell the Playbook and BBX devices we need to KILL OFF ONE OF THE CEO'S!!!

Hey, it might solve that "top-heavy" problem people keep talking about...

[phonejunky]

Nah wouldn't work for RIM not one of the CEO'S come close to the star power Steve jobs had in the world although they do have more devices out there. An kill off jeez that's a bit harsh

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G

[wesware]

Lol. Not bad for a flop.

Exactly. IPhone users abroad complained about the lame improvements of the 4s. Then set a new sales record buying it up. I'm not a hater, just practical. If a device isn't a substantial improvement over what I'm currently using, I'm not forkin out hundreds of $ for it. I don't buy hype.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[dalton4L]

Exactly. IPhone users abroad complained about the lame improvements of the 4s. Then set a new sales record buying it up. I'm not a hater, just practical. If a device isn't a substantial improvement over what I'm currently using, I'm not forkin out hundreds of $ for it. I don't buy hype.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Don't generalize all users like that, I am an iPhone 4 user and am upgrading to the 4S and haven't once complained about a lackluster update. In fact, if you check the forums you'll see I did quite the opposite; when everyone was so upset that the new iPhone wasn't what the rumors said it would be, I was the one pointing out how it is one of the biggest hardware updates for the iPhone yet. There's no hype that isn't warranted; this update is actually very substantial, more so than the BB6 to BB7 update.

[wesware]

Good point. To prove this, I hear they're going to start carrying the PlayBook wrapped in a seashell. Sales are sure to go through the roof.

FYI, the question isn't whether the 4S is better than the 4; the question is whether the 4S is an upgrade over the 3GS for people that were still under contract when the 4 was launched. Is the 4S a huge upgrade over the iPhone 4? No. But just nearly half of all iPhone users are using something other than the iPhone 4, and to them the 4S is significant.

I've never seen a company that has such control over their customer base as Apple. So many brainwashed into buying "cool" compared to technologically superior. The Playbook, like all other competing tablets, is trying to enter a market that Apple crated. Tablets may be cool, but they are highly impractical as productive devices, regardless of brand. The cool factor is temporary. As long as the iPhone is cool, people will buy whatever Apple releases, regardless of practicality. Other smartphone manufacturers are focusing on innovation in useful technology instead of innovation in marketing. It may sound crazy now with the record sales and brainwashed customers, but Apple will be playing catchup eventually when their users wake up.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[wesware]

"When everyone was so upset that the new iPhone wasn't what the rumors said it would be"

Yet 1 million already sold. My point exactly.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[phonejunky]

Don't generalize all users like that, I am an iPhone 4 user and am upgrading to the 4S and haven't once complained about a lackluster update. In fact, if you check the forums you'll see I did quite the opposite; when everyone was so upset that the new iPhone wasn't what the rumors said it would be, I was the one pointing out how it is one of the biggest hardware updates for the iPhone yet. There's no hype that isn't warranted; this update is actually very substantial, more so than the BB6 to BB7 update.

Why do people always get mad about being generalized he never said you in specific and it's a phone. The majority were disappointed in the device. Like you I was not one of those people but I'm sure you get his point.

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G

[YourMobileGuru]

Other than a faster processor and new voice software, the 4s is basically the same as the iphone 4. Yet it is sold out across all carriers with 1 million sold already. I think Apple could sell a turd in a seashell if they called it "the most amazing iPhone yet". Thoughts?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

This was going to happen no matter what Apple pushed out this year between the people who passed on the 4 for whatever reason and the people who upgrade to the newest iPhone just because (I see this all the time, people who upgrade just for the sake of upgrading. They barely use the phone and only half understand the features but someone told them it was the best phone so they want the newest regardless of the cost.). Then there are the VZW customers who passed on the 4 when it launched expecting something better in 6 months. They waited for 9 and their upgrades are itching in their pockets. Apple iPhone is a phenomenon like no other and defies explanation.

[YourMobileGuru]

FYI, the question isn't whether the 4S is better than the 4; the question is whether the 4S is an upgrade over the 3GS for people that were still under contract when the 4 was launched. Is the 4S a huge upgrade over the iPhone 4? No. But just nearly half of all iPhone users are using something other than the iPhone 4, and to them the 4S is significant.

On trust me a good percentage of these people are paying the extra $200 to early upgrade from the 4 too just because of the "intuitive" antenna switching feature that makes them think the physical design flaw of a year and a half ago is gone.... and yes there is Siri... have to admit been I am intrigued by that one and may be deactivating one of my lesser used Android phones in favor of this when the hype and demand die down a little bit.

[YourMobileGuru]

Don't generalize all users like that, I am an iPhone 4 user and am upgrading to the 4S and haven't once complained about a lackluster update. In fact, if you check the forums you'll see I did quite the opposite; when everyone was so upset that the new iPhone wasn't what the rumors said it would be, I was the one pointing out how it is one of the biggest hardware updates for the iPhone yet. There's no hype that isn't warranted; this update is actually very substantial, more so than the BB6 to BB7 update.

I thin he is referring to the TiPb poll where something like 60% of the users said they were absolutely NOT upgrading and the rest were divided between we shall see and yes (the minority). But again we have to remember that those of us who read these blogs and forums are NOT the majority of users. The masses just know a new iPhone is out and they should get it because Uncle Steve (err Uncle Tim) tells them to.

[YourMobileGuru]

I've never seen a company that has such control over their customer base as Apple. So many brainwashed into buying "cool" compared to technologically superior. The Playbook, like all other competing tablets, is trying to enter a market that Apple crated. Tablets may be cool, but they are highly impractical as productive devices, regardless of brand. The cool factor is temporary. As long as the iPhone is cool, people will buy whatever Apple releases, regardless of practicality. Other smartphone manufacturers are focusing on innovation in useful technology instead of innovation in marketing. It may sound crazy now with the record sales and brainwashed customers, but Apple will be playing catchup eventually when their users wake up.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

The playbook market failures would not have happened if RIM hadn't once again launched a product that wasn't ready. Yes the hardware is awesome and the software smooth but the device is basically neutered if you don't have it bridged to a BB. No matter what phone or tablet device you use the two most important features other than web browsing are email and PIM, both of which are lacking in the PB. I'm not a hater I really wanted to get a playbook and will be taking a serious look at one when they finally launch a 3G/4G version but for now it just doesn't cut it.

Have you ever actually used a tablet (iPad, Android, or PB) outside of messing with a store demo for a few minutes? Once you get used to them the typing on glass gets to be quite practical, and if you really MUST have physical keys there are numerous options out there for Bluetooth keyboards often in cases that turn the whole thing into a small laptop/net-book.

[soccernamlak]

My few thoughts:

- Expecting a complete redesign and absurdly superior specs for every single generation of a product is absurd. Apple, as many companies, has product redesigns every few years with product refreshes in between. To expect or think the iPhone will be any different is misguided.

- I think the media/blog world wanted something and didn't get it, so now they get to be all disappointed and mad at Apple. While feeling this is ok, it's being used to cloud their view on the product, which isn't smart journalism. Also, blog sites are typically not the place to get a general, unbiased view on feelings towards a product.

- The timing of this launch is perfect, capturing 1G/3G/3GS owners who haven't upgraded yet and grabbing iP4 users who are just starting to be eligible for their upgrade, not including any other switchers from other companies.

- Fun fact about phones: Everyone is different. Some people have no issue forking over hundreds every year for the newest model. Some wait until their contracts are up. And some hold onto their phones until they die. We all have different wants, needs, and priorities with our cash. 1,000,000 people decided spending $200 or more on the iP4S was a good purchase.

- In response to:

"I've never seen a company that has such control over their customer base as Apple. So many brainwashed into buying "cool" compared to technologically superior"

and

"Other smartphone manufacturers are focusing on innovation in useful technology instead of innovation in marketing"


Going back to my "everyone is different" approach, it plays into phones as well. Some people will only buy phones from a specific manufacturer or operating system, some people buy a phone that works for them at the time. There's nothing wrong with either approach. Brand loyalty, while perhaps seems biased and misguided from the other camp, has its benefits: you know the company, the customer support, how the products work, focus on some sort of ecosystem surrounding your phone, and don't have to worry about larger issues of transferring everything if you went outside of your mobile ecosystem. For people who buy phones that work for them at the time, nothing wrong with this approach: you're buying what you want/need in a phone.

What does this show up as? People clinging onto their iOS devices, their Android devices, and their BB devices like no tomorrow, and others who constantly switch camps.

In terms of Apple, you see, within each section of phone camps, we have two groups of people: those who care about specs and those who don't. I know, funny how some people just don't give a flip about how many cores or how much RAM a product has or how the screen is made...they care about how the phone perhaps operates, how easy it is to use, how pretty it is.....who knows, who cares. Again, everyone is different. Everyone has different priorities in a phone. Just because your priority doesn't line up with other people does not make them "brainwashed" or even mean that your product is "technologically superior."

That's part of the reason I hate sole spec comparisons anyway: I've seen OS7 BB devices run smoother than dual-core HTC phones running Android. Better experience over better specs sometimes counts on a day to day basis (surprising I know).

Finally, if you take off your Apple-hatred glasses for a second, you'd see what makes Apple continue to be successful in the mobile playing field is multiple avenues of attack:

- Yes, they know how to market. Guess what? Marketing is crucial in the consumer world. If you can't market your device well, it doesn't stand a good chance at selling. It's a fact of our current lifestyle in the US; for a company to ignore it would be damaging to their sales.

- They know how to simplify tasks and connections between devices and making things "easy." Guess what? Not every consumer is a coding-master firing away on a hand-built rig while designing apps in their sleep. Some people just want something that works; they don't care about specs or how it happens, they just want something they can turn on and do certain tasks. Apple found a way people liked, nothing wrong with that.

- Believe it or not, Apple actually focuses on innovation in technology. You might not always see it, but the iPhone from its launch has always pushed technology just a little bit further. Guess what? So do other companies as well. Apple wouldn't be in the spot they are in if they failed in the face of technology innovation, because as a tech company, marketing only takes you so far.

So the best approach here is to recognize that competition is good and everyone has different preferences; stop trying to downplay others' choices (however misguided you think they are) to reinforce your own.

[wesware]

Have you ever actually used a tablet (iPad, Android, or PB) outside of messing with a store demo for a few minutes? Once you get used to them the typing on glass gets to be quite practical, and if you really MUST have physical keys there are numerous options out there for Bluetooth keyboards often in cases that turn the whole thing into a small laptop/net-book.

Ok. If we're going to talk about tablets now then why pay $500 for a tablet (regardless of brand) if you can get a laptop for the same price. I agree that the slim, portable form factor is great but the limited functionality is not worth it. This is why the Amazon Fire will be a force to be reckoned with at $200. They accepted that you cannot charge a premium price for a impractical device and expect long-term success (Apple brainwashing there customers is only temporary). The hype of these devices will die down when people realize they are paying a ridiculous price for a device that can't do much more than there phone.

Hence, to answer your question, I do not use a tablet.

[wesware]

Finally, if you take off your Apple-hatred glasses for a second, you'd see what makes Apple continue to be successful in the mobile playing field is multiple avenues of attack:

- Yes, they know how to market. Guess what? Marketing is crucial in the consumer world. If you can't market your device well, it doesn't stand a good chance at selling. It's a fact of our current lifestyle in the US; for a company to ignore it would be damaging to their sales.

- Believe it or not, Apple actually focuses on innovation in technology. You might not always see it, but the iPhone from its launch has always pushed technology just a little bit further. Guess what? So do other companies as well. Apple wouldn't be in the spot they are in if they failed in the face of technology innovation, because as a tech company, marketing only takes you so far.

Believe it or not, I am not a hater. I just feel that the iPhone is incredibly over-rated. Touch screen technology was not an innovation with the iPhone, it just wasn't popular yet. Tablets have been around for years, they just weren't popular yet. Apple has truly set a new standard in marketing by making these products "gotta haves". But don't mistake that for innovation. That's why the latest release of the iPhone 4s was such a disappointment, it was boring. Nothing exciting. This is the reality of new product releases just like someone stated earlier. Apple has marketed hype for so long that they are shooting themselves in the foot. They can't possibly deliver for the long-term. Apple customers are used to be told about something new that they just gotta have. The 4s didn't deliver and the iPhone 5 will probably be the same. But I'll bet that the iPhone 5 sets a new record in sales as well. The hype will still be there to make sure it does but that hype won't carry Apple for long. Hype is temporary and so is the iPhone/iPad era.

And I don't claim that MY choice of device is technologically superior, I only claim that it's features and functionality of not shrouded in senseless hype. It just does what I need it to do based on my standards, not some slick marketing execs standards. I agree with the fact that the device we use is a matter of personal preference. I just think it's sad that many users (namely iPhone/iPad users) choose on principles of social acceptance rather than useful technology. But I guess this is true for many products. It's all just a matter of a particular person's standards in what they want. When I was a kid, I wanted the coolest car, not a practical car. Job's (RIP) said it himself: "since when to consumers know what they want". That statement does not apply to me.

Once last thing. Marketing is most certainly necessary, especially in the competitive mobile market. I just think that a company should choose wisely how they choose to market their products because this method will stick with the product throughout it's lifespan. In other words, if you market hype, eventually you will lose since people ultimately want a product that solves practical problems, not one that makes them appear cool and trendy.

[moiselles]

I, personally, am not a fan of tablets. I have an HP laptop that I love and a smartphone. For me, having a tablet doesn't make sense. For other people, sure! That's the beauty, everyone is different and has different needs and there are a multitude of different phone manufacturers to cater to those different needs.

On the subject of the iPhone, the 4s, to me, is a brand new device inside. Outside is the same, which doesn't bother me as I like the form factor of the iPhone4. I'm not quite sure what everyone was expecting out of the latest iPhone. I think the 4S is a great step up.

[YourMobileGuru]

Ok. If we're going to talk about tablets now then why pay $500 for a tablet (regardless of brand) if you can get a laptop for the same price. I agree that the slim, portable form factor is great but the limited functionality is not worth it. This is why the Amazon Fire will be a force to be reckoned with at $200. They accepted that you cannot charge a premium price for a impractical device and expect long-term success (Apple brainwashing there customers is only temporary). The hype of these devices will die down when people realize they are paying a ridiculous price for a device that can't do much more than there phone.

Hence, to answer your question, I do not use a tablet.

By your failure to directly answer my question I take it that you don't have any substantial first hand experience with tablets, so let me enlighten you.

It's called portability my friend. I take my tablet places I would NEVER take my laptop (or even a net-book), it's smaller, more lightweight, and easier to pack up and go. the screen us bigger and easier to read than a phone. Battery life in my Xoom is also better than any Android phone I have used (2 -3 days of use depending on how much I use it and what I am doing). People who want that larger screen than a cel phone offers love them. Additionally it is much easier to read, and just plain more comfortable sitting around the house or in bed than a laptop. It's easier to hold and position so I can see it and for most tasks I perform I don't even need the extra power of a laptop. If you asked someone who had a playbook I am guessing you'd get a similar answer. Have you read this? http://crackberry.com/how-blackberry...eplaced-laptop yet?

Desktop PC's are all but dead these days replaced with laptops and tablet computers are the new laptop. I was skeptical to until I actually owned one but now I am wondering ** I am going to get through this week without my Xoom (sending it in for the 4G LTE upgrade).

[YourMobileGuru]

I, personally, am not a fan of tablets. I have an HP laptop that I love and a smartphone. For me, having a tablet doesn't make sense. For other people, sure! That's the beauty, everyone is different and has different needs and there are a multitude of different phone manufacturers to cater to those different needs.

On the subject of the iPhone, the 4s, to me, is a brand new device inside. Outside is the same, which doesn't bother me as I like the form factor of the iPhone4. I'm not quite sure what everyone was expecting out of the latest iPhone. I think the 4S is a great step up.

'

They were expecting:

- a large screen (didn't get it)
- more powerful processor and more memory (got those)
- better cameras (got those)
- a different back -- i.e. not glass (didn't get it)
- a better redesigned antenna system to rectify antenna-gate (didn't get it but Apple's marketing spin makes most people think they did. It had nothing to do with switching antennas and everything to do with shorting out BOTH antennas if you touched them in the wrong places.)

and last but certainly not least

- they expected to be WOWED!

and they weren't.

The only thing truly wowing about the new phone is Siri, a feature they are only making available on the 4S but in all likelihood would work just fine on the 4, but they are holding it back to make people buy the new hardware. The rest of iOS5 (which we had already seen anyway) is just catching up to Android and Blackberry.