Great minds think alike. When I saw this I was thinking that we should at least link to it or something. Let me know if you get permission from the author. On Sep 26, 2012, at 3:07 PM, VaShaun Jones <vashaun.jo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi I would like to post this over on fedora outlier.com. Could you contact me > off list? My info is below. > > > > VaShaun Jones > . President . > Fedora Outlier LLC > 349 Decatur St. SE > #2202 > Atlanta, GA. 30312 > Ph: 678.404.2635 > URL: fedoraoutlier.com > Twitter: @fedora_outlier > On Sep 26, 2012, at 11:31 AM, Kliphton <kliph...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> The iPhone 5 is an incredible smartphone. I’ve been using mine since it >> arrived on my doorstep at 7:48 p.m. the day after launch day (after a >> painfully long wait), and I love it. It’s spectacularly thin and light, it’s >> beautiful — like most Apple products — and that larger display is such a >> welcome improvement. >> >> I chose the white and silver model — I’ve had white iPhones for as long as >> they’ve been available — and I think it’s the prettiest gadget I’ve ever >> owned. It’s also powerful, and noticeably faster than my already snappy >> iPhone 4S. Its battery life is excellent, and so is the camera. >> >> Overall, I have a long list of positive things to say about the iPhone 5 — >> the hardware is just unbeatable. But I think there’s one thing letting it >> down, and that’s iOS 6. >> >> >> Before I jump in and tell you why iOS 6 is letting down the iPhone 5, let me >> just make one thing clear: I love iOS. It’s by far the most polished mobile >> platform there is, and it’s been my OS of choice since its debut with the >> original iPhone. >> >> iOS “just works” — in so many ways. Its ability to sync with iTunes and >> iPhoto, and all the benefits that iCloud brings, make it a perfect companion >> for Mac users like me. It’s super simple to use — even my granddad’s using >> it — and the catalog of third-party apps available on iOS is second to none. >> >> But as a technology writer, I’m often required to step outside my comfort >> zone and test other devices… devices that don’t run iOS. Since selling my >> iPhone 4S a couple weeks ago, I’ve been using a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and >> prior to that I tested a long list of Android and Windows Phone smartphones. >> >> Apple’s platform is the best of the bunch, but the gap between iOS and its >> competitors is getting ever smaller. >> >> What I’ve learned along the way is that Apple’s platform is the best of the >> bunch, and for me, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. >> But the gap between iOS and its competitors is getting ever smaller. >> >> When Apple announced the original iPhone back in 2007, iOS — then called >> “iPhone OS” — was like nothing we’d ever seen before. Sure, we’d had >> touchscreen devices, but they were designed to work with tiny styluses that >> quickly got broken or lost, and they were slow and unreliable. >> >> Apple kept making iOS better, adding things like iTunes and support for >> third-party apps through the App Store. These things took iOS way ahead of >> anything else, and that’s been the case for quite some time. >> >> For the past few years, iOS hasn’t been taking the leaps it did in the early >> days. >> >> But for the past few years, iOS hasn’t quite been taking the leaps it did in >> the early days. Apple has added new features and new services, some of which >> are really terrific, such as iCloud — as I mentioned earlier — and Siri. But >> there are some big things iOS is missing— things that other platforms gained >> a long time ago. >> >> Widgets >> >> I want widgets on iOS. >> >> These things become more apparent when you use those other platforms for a >> few weeks. For example, Android’s widgets may not seem like a big thing to >> you, but try living with them for an extended period of time and you’ll miss >> them a lot when you go back to iOS. >> >> Widgets let you add all kinds of things to your home screen, such as sports >> scores, the weather, music controls, settings toggles, your Twitter >> timeline, a breaking news feed… the list is endless. >> >> Having these things in front of you right after unlocking your smartphone, >> without having to open up an app, is just fantastic. I felt the same way >> about Windows Phone’s live tiles after using an HTC Titan for a month. >> >> I want widgets, or maybe even dynamic icons, on iOS. And I know this is a >> feature a lot of iOS users have been calling out for for some time. But >> Apple is yet to introduce it. It has added its own alternative to >> Notification Center in the form of Weather and Stocks “widgets,” but those >> have remained unchanged since iOS 5, and Apple is yet to offer us anything >> new. >> >> You can add widgets yourself if you jailbreak, and those that are available >> through Cydia are… okay. But they’d be so much better if Apple supported >> them and allowed developers to create them for their apps. The iPhone 5’s >> larger display creates room for widgets, so let’s have them, Apple. >> >> Quick Settings Toggles >> >> Another feature iOS is missing is quick settings toggles. These allow you to >> quickly change common settings without having to open up your settings app. >> Android has them in the notification drop-down, allowing you to quickly >> toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, the screen rotation lock, and the brightness of >> your display. >> >> I don’t want to have to stop what I’m doing and open up the Settings app to >> enable/disable a feature. >> >> And iOS should have them, too. I don’t want to have to stop what I’m doing >> and open up the Settings app to enable/disable a feature that could easily >> be nothing more than a switch at the top of Notification Center. >> >> Default Apps >> >> How about customizing our default apps? Mobile Safari is great, but I think >> Google Chrome is better. I love Mail, but I know others prefer Gmail or >> Sparrow. Apple should allow us to set third-party apps as our default apps, >> so that when you click on links in iMessage, you go straight into your >> favorite browser. >> >> This may not be for everyone; beginners may just want to use Apple’s own >> apps. But Apple could allow more advanced users to enable their own default >> apps if they choose to. >> >> Quick SMS Reply >> >> This is a small feature that would make a big difference, I don’t know why >> it isn’t baked into iOS. >> >> For me, one of the biggest reasons to jailbreak is for BiteSMS. There are >> many great features in BiteSMS, but the best is the ability to quickly reply >> to messages from wherever you are with quick reply. >> >> When you receive a text message, BiteSMS presents you with a popup alert — >> just like iOS does. But within that popup, you can quickly reply to the >> message. You don’t need to step out of the app you’re in to go to Messages — >> you can just reply there and then. Once you hit send, you go straight back >> to what you’re doing. >> >> This is a small feature that would make such a big difference, I don’t know >> why it isn’t baked into iOS. It’s not like our iPhones don’t have the >> processing power to handle a feature like this. The iPhone 5 is one of the >> fastest smartphones money can buy. >> Again, this may not be for everyone; some people will prefer more subtle >> notification banners that don’t distract you. But it would be nice to have >> the choice. >> >> Hiding Built-In Apps >> >> As I mentioned earlier, some of Apple’s built-in apps are terrific. But >> others aren’t. Weather never seems to be accurate here in the U.K., and the >> information it provides is so basic you might as well just look out the >> window. While I can’t remember the last time I used Stocks. >> >> I can understand why Apple doesn’t want us to remove these, however; people >> may accidentally delete essential apps. But why not let us hide the >> nonessential ones? They’re just taking up space on our home screens. >> >> Maps >> >> Finally, we come to Maps. I liked Google Maps in iOS 5; I wasted many hours >> playing around with Street View. But I do feel Apple’s new Maps app is a >> worthy replacement, in fact, I think Flyover and turn-by-turn actually make >> it a big improvement. >> >> There’s no two ways about this: Apple has provided us with a new Maps app >> that just isn’t finished. >> >> At least, that would be the case if it worked. There’s no two ways about >> this: Apple has provided us with a new Maps app that just isn’t finished. >> And this isn’t a minor feature that nobody’s bothered about. Maps is >> something a lot of us have come to reply on, but we can’t in iOS 6, because >> it doesn’t work properly. >> >> I accept that it’s still early days and that Maps will improve over time. >> But maybe it needed a little more improvement before it went public? We can >> cope with a half-baked Siri, because no one had gotten used to a perfect >> Siri. But we had gotten used to an almost perfect Maps app. >> >> Competitors Are Catching Up >> >> For me, the absence of simple features like this is holding iOS back. >> >> It’s not like these features are against Apple’s policies, either. I’m not >> asking for the ability to install apps from third-party sources, or support >> for themes and skins. I know these things will never come. >> >> But I think the features I’ve mentioned could easily be introduced to iOS >> without going against all the things that Apple is about. What’s more, they >> wouldn’t just be great for the average user, but they’d also please more >> advanced users who are crying out for a little bit more. >> >> For me, iOS is still the most complete package, but I do feel it’s missing >> several key features. >> >> If you’ve only ever used iOS, some of these features may not be a big deal >> to you. But once you’ve had a taste of them on another platform, their >> absence begins to be a big issue. What’s more, I feel it’s encouraging users >> to go and try other platforms — many of whom never come back. >> >> I have a handful of friends who were iPhone users for years. But they now >> own Android devices because of all the benefits Android brings. No, it’s not >> as polished. But its customization options and its flexibility make it a >> more exciting platform. >> >> For me, iOS is still the most complete package, and the best mobile platform >> there is. But I do feel it’s missing several key features, and not quite >> evolving as quickly as it could be. This is giving its competitors a chance >> to catch up and provide an increasingly compelling reason to switch. >> >> With that said, I absolutely love my iPhone 5 — just like everyone else >> who’s bought one. And it’s likely to be my daily driver for at least the >> next 12 months. But I feel it could be an even greater experience if iOS 6 >> wasn’t holding it back. >> >> For now, I’ll probably jailbreak and add some of the features I’ve mentioned >> above myself in hope that future iOS updates will deliver some of the things >> the vast majority of us have been waiting for. >> >> How do you feel about iOS 6? >> >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google >> Group. >> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. >> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >> >> > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. 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