Who is buying iPhone 4S?

Whoa, the results from our “Will you buy iPhone 4S?” poll are in, and, damn, are they interesting. as I write, there are 3,816 respondents — that’s a helluva good sample size — and nearly 60 percent (okay, 58.48 percent) say they will buy the new Apple smartphone. But before the Apple Fanclub blows a heart value and excitedly calls this the end of Android, the majority of respondents (35.46 percent) are upgrading from another iPhone. Only 7.31 percent plan to give up Android for iPhone 4S.

Not surprisingly, the majority of iPhone upgraders (14.7 percent) are coming from 3GS. Still, 12.47 percent are iPhone 4 users. Few are coming from Windows Mobile/Phone — less than 1 percent, but the numbers may not be great to begin with. Among BlackBerry users, 4.93 percent plan to switch, while 9.93 percent are coming from “another phone”.

So what about the more than 40 percent of respondents not interested in iPhone 4S?

  • 3.35 percent “don’t qualify for discounted pricing”
  • 24.46 percent answered no, “because iPhone 4S isn’t compelling enough”
  • 14.1 percent: “No, because I’m satisfied with what I’ve got”

Nearly one-quarter of respondents don’t think iPhone 4S is worth it. That’s a big number. of course the number planning on buying iPhone 4S is larger.

Digging Deeper

Now for the caveats. this is an unqualified poll. It’s open to anyone with an Internet connection and may not fully represent the intentions of Betanews readership. what people say and what they do often differ. The survey measures desire not action. I wouldn’t be surprised if half as many people who say they will buy actually do.

Something else: Timing. I planned to conduct the poll on Wednesday night, but then Apple cofounder Steve Jobs died of cancer. I suspect the results would be different in other circumstances. There’s a heightened sense about Apple right now that likely lifts peoples’ feelings about buying. The poll could reflect actual buying, if those intentions sustain. I can’t say until we poll later on.

What’s certain: Most of the respondents plan to buy iPhone 4S, most plan to upgrade from another iPhone and only a small number want to give up their Androids.

Let me quantify the numbers differently. Responses come from people in 82 countries, with the majority (3,044) coming from the United States. US responses only differ slightly from the whole.

In the United Kingdom a much larger number (23.17 percent) are coming from iPhone 3G and fewer from iPhone 4 or Android — 7.32 percent and 4.88 percent, respectively. More than 47 percent don’t plan to upgrade, with 26.83 saying that iPhone 4S isn’t compelling enough.

The sample from Japan, while small (but measurable), is startling. More than 61 percent of respondents say they will not buy iPhone 4S. That contrasts with Australia, where 60 percent of respondents say they will buy iPhone 4S. Responses from most other countries were too small to make any meaningful measurements.

What Readers Say

Betanews readers also responded in comments. David Ramey answered the question: “Already have. Pre-ordered this morning”.

I have an iPhone 3GS, and you’ll bet I’m upgrading to the iPhone 4S. Simply put, I like the iPhone experience, and I’m bumping into a list of needs and wants: I need more than 32GB of storage, I can tell my apps are hitting the limits of performance, and I’m locked out of apps that need the front camera. I really want a sharper display, faster 3G, and a better rear camera.

I’ve used the Galaxy S II, and it’s awesome, but Android’s app ecosystem and my tastes for media playback would make me pick the iPhone.

Saman Azizkhani: “I’m waiting for Nexus Prime”.

“The 4S offers enough new features to tip the scale for me”, Herb Gardener writes. “I’ve been hanging onto my Verizon contract because I just can’t stand AT&T. The 1st model available on Verizon wasn’t enough — now the extra speed, nicer camera, voice command features, world travel capabilities, are enough to make me finally get one. I’m excited about it. Finally, one worth buying on Verizon”.

Ralph Pennino plans to “buy a Nexus Prime — or whatever there going to call it”. he will be “upgrading from a Nexus one. had a iPhone 3G — did not enjoy it; very closed ecosystems, unlike Android”.

Gary Lader: “I will be upgrading from a 4 to 4S, just for the compatibility with HSPA alone. not to mention considerable upgrades in processor, (prob ram) and the camera. Siri won’t work on anything else either. Just because it doesn’t have a new shape or a 5 on it, that means it sucks? what a joke. It’s a pretty big upgrade in my book”.

What about you? You can still answer the question, and I’ve embedded the poll to collect more responses.

iPhone 4S vs. Android Phones: What’s Better for You?

You know your smartphone is doing well when 4 million people buy it in the first weekend and it temporarily sells out on all three of your carrier partners. 

The overwhelming demand for the iPhone 4S is understandable, given the much-talked-about Siri voice-controlled assistant, as well as the device’s faster dual-core processor and fantastic 8-megapixel camera. but today’s top Android phones—such as the Samsung Galaxy S II—offer plenty of features you won’t find on Apple’s blockbuster sequel. How do you know which side to choose? 

Interface I would never call the row-of-icons interface on the iPhone 4S fresh, but its ease of use means a lot, especially to first-time smartphone owners. And iOS 5 catches up to Android with its Notifications area, which is cleanly designed and dynamic (thanks to the addition of weather and stock info).

However, some Android phones let you do more from the notification area. on the Samsung Galaxy S II, for example, you can toggle the wireless radios on and off. And on HTC Sense phones, you can switch between apps from this menu as well as tweak several settings. the other edge Android has in the interface department is widgets, which let you access all sorts of info at a glance. Indeed, Google’s OS is so customizable that the user experience can vary drastically from one phone to the next.

Winner: iPhone 4S. while Android is more flexible, it can also be more confusing. Simplicity wins this round.

Multitasking Just as with the iPhone 4, it’s easy to switch between apps on the iPhone 4S. You just double-press the home button and swipe to either side. To shut down apps, you press and hold the screen and then tap the X next to an app’s icon. because most apps are suspended when they’re not open, you don’t really need to worry about them zapping battery life.

Today on Android, you must long-press the home button, but you might only see a subset of all of your running apps—and you can’t close programs from this view. Android Ice Cream Sandwich will offer a better user experience, with a Recent Apps button that displays live thumbnails of your running apps. And you’ll be able to dismiss apps with a swipe.

Winner: iPhone 4S. but it looks like Android 4.0 will put Google’s phones ahead.

Screen Size and Quality One of the chief complaints people have about the screen in the iPhone 4S is that it’s the same size as the original iPhone’s: 3.5 inches. but what many don’t realize is that this LCD’s resolution is higher than the vast majority of Android phones. the display is not only crisper but brighter than most of the Android competition.

On the other hand, bigger screens are just easier on the eyes, and they don’t force you to zoom in as much to read text. And although they’re not as bright, the Super AMOLED displays on phones such as the Galaxy S II and the Droid RAZR offer better contrast and more vibrant colors, making them great for watching movies. the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Nexus will up the ante on with the first HD display (1280 x 720 pixels).

Winner: Draw. The iPhone 4S has the superior display right now in terms of detail and brightness, but some shoppers just prefer a larger screen.

Keyboard/Typing Amazingly, Apple’s multitouch keyboard remains second to none, despite the fact that in most cases you’re typing on a smaller display. Both in portrait mode and landscape mode, I can type quickly and accurately. I’ll certainly make more errors than when using a physical keyboard, but overall the iPhone 4S keyboard just works.

With Android phones, keyboards vary quite a bit from one phone maker to the next. Generally speaking, I’ve found HTC’s keyboards to be the best, with Android’s stock keyboard on the Samsung Galaxy S 4G being a close second. but Android has a few advantages. one is that you can download third-party keyboards, such as Swype, from the Android Market. second, only Android phones come with physical keyboards, though they seem to be a dying breed.

Winner: Draw. the iPhone 4S keyboard is great for its size, but some prefer a bigger screen and more customization options.

Web and Data Speeds The iPhone 4S may have a fancy new dual-antenna system and the ability to reach 14.4 Mbps (theoretically) on AT&T, but it gets blown away by 4G Android phones. for example, the AT&T iPhone 4S delivered speeds as high as 5.3 Mbps but averaged 2.2 Mbps. Both the T-Mobile Galaxy SII (12.6 Mbps) and the Motorola Droid Bionic (11.6 Mbps) are faster.

In terms of loading web pages, we’ve seen a huge real-world difference as well. the iPhone 4S takes about 10 seconds to load many mobile sites (regardless of the network) versus about half that for true 4G phones. Everything on an iPhone 4S that involves data will require more patience than on an 4G Android phone, whether it’s streaming YouTube videos or updating your Facebook news feed. the only caveat is that 4G radios (especially LTE) can drain your battery in a hurry.

Winner: Android. 4G speeds make a big difference in everyday use.

Social Networking Apple is making a big deal about Twitter integration with iOS 5, and it’s certainly welcome. You can share photos, websites, and more with just a couple of taps. however, Android goes deeper by including Facebook, as well as pretty much any other service that uses Android’s APIs.

For example, you don’t have to use Twitter on Android; you can use Tweetdeck instead. Android also works with Evernote, Flickr, GroupMe, LinkedIn—you name it. We just wish the Sharing option wasn’t two clicks away from the browser page.

Winner: Android. The iPhone 4S makes it easy to share stuff on Twitter, but you need to use dedicated apps for everything else.

Camera Apple has raised the bar for photo quality—both in terms of speed and low-light performance—with the iPhone 4S, thanks to new optics and an improved backside illuminated sensor. it also captures sharp and smooth 1080p video. Android phones such as the Galaxy S II are only a step behind in terms of speed, though, and they take equally good photos outdoors. 

While the iPhone 4S has an HDR feature, there’s not much else you can do when taking photos. An advanced Android phone such as the Amaze 4G has a panorama mode, HDR, burst shot mode, and more. And although the iPhone 4S has some editing features, the best Android phones go further, letting you add all sorts of effects without using a separate app.

Winner: Draw. the iPhone 4S has the best camera we’ve used yet, but Android phones give you more control of your images—before and after the shot.

Apps After trailing iOS for years, Android is finally catching up to Apple in terms of the sheer number of apps available in their respective stores. Apple has about 360,000 iPhone apps, compared to approximately 320,000 for Android (according to research firm Research2Guidance). You’ll also find that both app stores stock a lot of the same stuff, from angry Birds and Words with Friends to Kindle and Pandora.

But if you dig deeper, you’ll find that the iPhone 4S has a better selection of high-quality games with more impessive graphics, such as Infinity Blade and Shadowgun. You’ll also find that apps either come to the iPhone first (such as Netflix) or exclusively (such as Instagram) and just look more polished (Facebook).

Winner: iPhone 4S. The iPhone has always been known for its apps, and at least for now it still has a quality and slight quantity edge.

Secret Weapons Only the iPhone 4S has Siri, a fantastic voice-controlled assistant that can help you with everything from scheduling appointments to sending messages. Other advantages unique to the iPhone 4S include iTunes; Google only offers a subset of Apple’s content. And then there’s iCloud, which does a better job than Google of keeping all of your content in sync across multiple devices. last but not least is the iPhone’s vast number of available accessories. Having a single standard connector makes things a lot easier on makers of add-ons.

Android has plenty of unique strengths as well. in addition to offering 4G speeds, only Android has free GPS navigation built in. And only Android phones support NFC, which enables mobile payments and will gain even more power with Ice Cream Sandwich. With the beam feature you’ll be able to share all sorts of info with a tap.

Winner: iPhone 4S. Siri + more content + more accessories give Apple the win in this round.

Bottom Line Android phones won five points, but the iPhone 4S took home seven — making this head to head appear to be a decisive victory for the iPhone 4S. but it really comes down to what you value most in a smartphone. if it’s ease of use and better apps you’re after—as well as smooth performance and a great camera—the iPhone 4S can’t be beat. Siri takes smartphones to the next level by serving your needs with real intelligence. As long as you can live with 3G speeds, you can’t go wrong with the iPhone 4S.

On the other hand, the fact that Android phones offer 4G should not be overlooked. it speeds up practically everything you do. Android also integrates with multiple social networks—instead of just Twitter—and you have a wider range of design choices. if you like the idea of customizing your interface to your heart’s content and want the option of a bigger screen, Android is the way to go.

  *   Top iPhone Alternatives   *   12 Reasons Why Android Beats iPhone 4S   *   iPhone 4S full Review

Copyright 2011 Laptopmag.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Kyocera Brio (Sprint)

Not everyone wants an iPhone. Sprint may have finally landed Apple’s smartphone juggernaut, but that doesn’t eliminate the need for a simple cell phone that just makes calls and sends text messages, along with a few other features. Enter the Kyocera Brio (free with a two-year contract). It’s tiny, lightweight, has a comfortable QWERTY keyboard, and decent call quality—it sounds like a good deal. the only problem is, you can easily score a much better device on Sprint without having to spend an extra dime.

Design, Call Quality, and Apps the Kyocera Brio measures 4.5 by 2.4 by 0.6 inches (HWD) and weighs just 3.7 ounces. despite the light weight and entirely plastic build, it feels like a quality device. the back is matte grey while the front and sides are shiny. the 2.2-inch 240-by-320 pixel TFT LCD looks bright and sharp, though the design of the menus is dark and dreary.

A navigation pad sits directly beneath the phone’s display, along with Send and End keys, and four function buttons. Below those is a four-row, physical QWERTY keyboard. Though the keys are tiny, they are raised and angled for optimal separation. they are also super clicky, which makes typing a breeze. Users that do a lot of messaging will be happy with the Brio.

The Brio is a dual-band 1xRTT (800/1900 MHz) device. that means it is not a 3G phone, and there is no Wi-Fi, so you can expect painfully slow data rates if you plan to use the Web browser. Reception was average, and voice quality was fairly decent overall. Voices sound clear in the phone’s earpiece, though they are extremely thin. Calls made with the phone sound clear and natural, though noise cancellation is just average. the Brio paired easily with a Jawbone Era Bluetooth headset ($129, 4.5 stars) and calls sounded very good. Nuance-powered voice dialing worked well over Bluetooth without training. Battery life was average, at 5 hours and 20 minutes of talk time, but somewhat disappointing considering this phone isn’t even 3G.

Menu design is extremely minimal. the phone’s home screen has links to your messaging and contacts menus, but is otherwise empty. Pressing the center function key will bring up the rest of your options. a 12-icon grid is arranged with shortcuts to the Web browser, Photos, Settings, and Tools, among some other options you are less likely to use. App selection is minimal. the standards are there, such as an alarm clock, calculator, calendar, stopwatch, and world clock, but that’s it. You can download more from Sprint, but the selection isn’t compelling.

The Access NetFront 3.5.1 browser delivers decent WAP pages. unfortunately, slow data speeds mean those pages load at a positively glacial pace. I certainly don’t recommend this phone for users that want to surf the Web.

Thankfully, the Brio is a good phone for sending text messages and emails. as previously mentioned, the QWERTY keyboard is well-built and comfortable, making it easy to type long messages. the Brio’s free built-in email capabilities can link up with AIM, AOL, Comcast, Gmail, Windows Live, and Yahoo Mail, as well as POP/IMAP accounts, alerting you when you have new messages. Gaining access to my email was fast and easy; I was signed into my Gmail account within seconds. it was also able to gain access to my Google calendar, which showed me a list of upcoming events I had scheduled.

Multimedia and ConclusionsMultimedia options are poor. You get 10MB of free internal memory on the Brio, along with an empty microSD card slot underneath the battery cover. my 32GB SanDisk card worked fine. but the thing is, you won’t need to expand the memory on this phone—there’s nothing you can do with it. the Brio doesn’t support music or video playback of any kind. that means the nonstandard headphone jack isn’t too much of a big deal, since there’s nothing you can listen to.

There’s a 1.3-megapixel camera on the back of the Brio, but the quality is terrible. Photos taken with it have some decent color, but mostly look soft and blurry. You can transfer photos to your computer via Bluetooth, email, or microSD card, but chances are you won’t be saving them.

If you just want a phone to make calls and send messages, the Brio isn’t a bad option. but I suspect that users that want a full keyboard for texts and email will want some additional features as well. Your best bet is the LG Rumor Touch (Free, 4 stars), which features a well-designed touch-based user interface, five-row QWERTY keyboard, and a much better camera than the Brio. the Samsung Trender (Free, 3 stars) also features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a touch screen, along with much better media features.

Benchmarks Continuous talk time: 5 hours 20 minutes

More Cell Phone Reviews:•   HTC Radar 4G (T-Mobile)•   Motorola Electrify (U.S. Cellular)•   Motorola Atrix 2 (AT&T)•   Kyocera Brio (Sprint)•   LG Marquee (Sprint)•  more

iOS 5 faster than iOS 4 at browsing, study shows

(Credit:new Relic)

Surfing the mobile Web is faster with iOS 5 than with iOS 4. At least, that is the result in a recent test conducted by new Relic.

The company, which measures and manages the performance of Web-based applications, conducted two tests–one in the wild and one in a lab. the results of both tests showed that mobile Web pages loaded quicker on aniPhone with Apple’s latest OS than with iOS 4.

The first test measured the average response time for more than 3,000 Web applications, as used by a random sampling of 3,000 new Relic customers. With its end-user monitoring technology, new Relic team can track performance at the browser level as people interact with different apps. in this test, the average page took 4.1 seconds to load under iOS 5 vs. 9.6 seconds with iOS 4.

A representative from new Relic explained that the data collected on the field test was a rough average since the company couldn’t tell if people were using 3G or Wi-Fi or which carrier they were on.

The second test was a controlled one that pitted two iPhones with the same hardware against each other, one running iOS 5 and the other iOS 4. in the lab test, the average mobile Web page took 1.88 seconds to load on the phone with iOS 5 and 6.34 seconds to load on the one with iOS 4.

For the lab test, the new Relic team used twoiPhone 4 handsets in 3G mode running on AT&T’s network.

The uncontrolled tests seem less exact because the customers who were monitored may own a variety of different iPhones across different carriers using either 3G or Wi-Fi. As one example, the A5-powered iPhone 4S should be faster overall than an iPhone 4 or 3GS, regardless of the operating system. the lab test is likely a more accurate gauge since the same hardware was used in a controlled environment.

ArmorSuit MilitaryShield – Amazon Kindle Fire Tablet Screen Protector Shield with Lifetime Replacements

ArmorSuit MilitaryShield – Amazon Kindle fire Tablet Screen Protector Shield with Lifetime Replacements is one of the best that you seek. meet all your needs. It’s a solution If you are looking for a good, reliable and easy to use with an affordable price, no more.

This is ONE of Best-Selling Kindle Accessories tend to SELL OUT VERY FAST!! If this is a MUST HAVE product, be sure to ORDER NOW to AVOID disappointment

You can BUY NOW this ArmorSuit MilitaryShield – Amazon Kindle fire Tablet Screen Protector Shield with Lifetime Replacements from AmazonAt the momen they include free shipping and from what i can tell when COMPARING PRICE with other online merchants, Amazon do currently have the best deal especially with the free shipping option

Iphone Chargers: the Best Christmas Time Gifts for Digital Lovers

All individuals are purchasing X-mas presents now, not choosing or selecting, yet buying, for there are a wide number of presents have to be ready, including the presents for family members, buddies, class mates and workmates. 5 Hot chinese musical instruments Shape in 2010 Fall Sending gifts is a fantastic tradition in Xmas, even if Santa does not send us gifts any longer. How to Recover Right wholesale makeup in for this Season

When encounter this type of tough mission that’s coming quickly, you definitely need a gifts “concentration camp”. Make an Outline of the Reasons of the Popularity of electronic gadgets DX. china cell phone Boots Before Festivalscom is simply that kind of “concentration camp”, providing an variety of Christmas time presents now. What is the best For this Year? Alluring video game consoles Absolutely! this online shop sells every thing humorous, inventive, sensible, or what have you.

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2-in-1 Data Charging Cable for iPhone 3G/3GS (100CM)

To much better serve customers, this item has each data and charging capabilities, much more handy. Subsequently, your iphone 4 can be rapidly linked to computers with Universal series bus port and charged. It has been nicely reviewed by those that have had it.

1000mA European union Type AC Charger for iPhone 3G/3GS – White (110~240V AC)

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Jays announces the t-Jays Four iPhone-friendly earphones

Swedish company Jays will soon be showing iOS device owners more love by releasing a sexy new set of earphones, the t-Jays Four, which are fully compatible with Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod, and promise to deliver high sound quality in a solid package.

Jays' latest creation makes use of 10mm TCD drivers, and has a frequency response of 15 Hz – 25 000 Hz, an impedance of 16 Ohms, a vented bass port on each earbud, dividable, Kevlar reinforced cables, a 360-degree MEMS silicon microphone, a three-button remote, and a 3.5mm jack.

The t-Jays Four are bundled with 5 pairs of silicone sleeves, a carrying case, a cable clip and an extension cord, and are set to go on sale in November for $129.

Leak: iPhone 3GS Free on Contract at Best Buy Mobile on Aug. 22nd

A picture’s worth a thousand words, so I’ll keep this brief. an anonymous tipster just sent us this photo of a promotional sign being unboxed on a lovely industrial carpet deep in the depths of, um, somewhere. The sign clearly advertises a one day only Best Buy Mobile deal on AT&T’s iPhone 3GS: Free with “2-year activation,” Monday August 22 only.

While this isn’t the first time the 3GS has been given away with a new contract, iPhone sales are still relatively rare. And this in a world where most phones’ carrier prices are slashed by third-party retailers almost immediately after they go on sale. So while this may just be part of a “one Day only!” blowout sale at BBYM – one that could include deals on other phones as well – it could also be a way for the retailer to clear out remaining 3GS inventory in preparation for the impending iPhone 5 launch. Or iPhone 5 and “iPhone Lite Cheaper Version” launches, plural, if you subscribe to that theory.

Either way, looks like you can pick up an iPhone gratis if you’re willing to sign up for two years of AT&T service at Best Buy next Monday. Who’s in?

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IK Multimedia ships iRig MIDI interface for iOS

IK Multimedia has announced that it is now shipping its iRig MIDI Core MIDI interface for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. the iRig MIDI is a dock-connecting accessory that offers users three MIDI ports—in, out, and thru—as well as two LEDs to show MIDI input and output activity, a micro USB port for the connected iOS device can charge while in use, included 1.6m MIDI 5-pin DIN cables, and compatibility with nearly any MIDI hardware device—such as keyboards, synthesizers, drum machines, drum pads, and pedal boards—and any Core MIDI-compatible app—including the company’s own SampleTank and Apple’s GarageBand. IK Multimedia’s iRig MIDI interface is compatible with the third- and fourth-generation iPod touch, the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad, and iPad 2, and sells for $70.

MacBook chassis plant stanches stench, reopening soon

Apple Senior Vice President Jonathan Ive explaining the company's move to unibody enclosures at an event in 2008.

(Credit:James Martin/CNET)

A Chinese manufacturing facility that is said to have played a large part in the creation of Apple’s MacBook notebooks is expected to reopen in November after being closed earlier this month, a new report says.

Reuters reports that Catcher Technology, which shut down on October 16 after nearby residents complained of “strong odors” from the plant, is set to finish improvements by the end of the month that will aim to fix those issues. the report says that the company plans to have everything back up and running next month, pending inspections from officials.

According to a report in electronic component news site DigiTimes last week, 80 percent of Catcher’s capacity at its facility in Suzhou, China is for creating the chassis Apple uses in its MacBook Pro line. That includes milling out a solid piece of aluminum, a technique the company began employing in 2008 to increase the strength, while cutting weight in its notebook computers.

Despite any issues with that particular plant, Apple moved forward with plans to refresh its notebook computers this week, introducing new versions of its MacBook Pro computers with boosted processing speeds and improved graphics. those new versions do not differ from previous models on the outside enclosure, short of tweaking two of the keyboard keys to match up with updated software features inMac OS X Lion.

Beyond the plant closure, one other threat that still looms for Apple’s MacBook Pro production pertains to hard drives. Flooding in Thailand threatens pricing and production levels of hard drives from Hitachi, Seagate, Toshiba and Western Digital. Apple continues to use hard disk drives in its MacBook Pro notebook line, while using flash memory in its MacBook Air line. During the company’s fourth quarter earnings call last week, Cook said such issues have been accounted for in the company’s forecast for its current quarter.