From it's first release, the iPod nano has undergone many upgrades and changes. The most significant upgrade was adding a touch screen. However, the product was said to be too small for comfort and difficult to handle. The new iPod Nano is the perfect compromise between nano and control.
The iPod Nano is a mere 3.01 inches tall and 1.56 inches wide. However, the awe comes from its thickness at only 5.4 millimeters. It weighs 1.1 ounces, which for its size isn't anything too special. The iPod Nano is encased in Apple's new strong aluminum casing and comes in 7 colors.
As of right now, Apple has limited the iPod Nano to a 16 Gigabyte version. However, one upgrade Apple installed is the Multi-Touch display (2.5 inches). With this new larger display, the iPod Nano is capable of playing video. One other feature of the iPod Nano is its FM or AM radio installed.
As far as the external changes, Apple added its infamous home button to the iPod Nano, giving it the same ability as an iPod Touch or iPhone. Also, with its current generation in other products, Apple switched to the new Lightning connector instead of the old connection. The battery life on the new iPod Nano is roughly 3.5 hours of video playback, but a whole 30 hours of music playback.
Overall, the iPod Nano is a nice gadget to have. It's not bad for its price, however, I would wait until the price drops a little bit. If you're not into the complications of an iPod touch or iPhone, then the iPod Nano is perfect for you.
On October 23, 2012, Apple released one of its new products this season: the iPad Mini. The iPad mini compromises a handheld device with a tablet. It is large enough to give that immersing affect while small enough to fit in your hand.
As usual, the iPad Mini is lighter and thinner than the iPad. It only weighs .68 pounds and is merely 7.2 millimeters thick. The iPad mini offers a 7.9 inch screen (1.8 inches smaller than the original iPad). It is comparatively larger than its competitors: the Nexus 7 (7-inch screen) or the Kindle (7-inch screen). The new screen doesn't provide the stunning retina display advertised in the new MacBook Pro, however, it does have the same amount of pixels (1024 x 768) as the old iPad which means: it has better resolution, and all the old apps and programs that ran on the original iPad will work exactly the same on the new iPad Mini.
The iPad Mini comes with 16 Gigabytes of storage and Wi-Fi at a starting price of only $329. It runs on apples A5 chip with a dual-core processor. Apple will also release 32 Gigabyte and 64 Gigabyte versions. It comes equipped with two 5 MegaPixel cameras and FaceTime High Definition for the ultimate video chatting experience. It can be made to run on an LTE internet as fast as the larger iPads. Its connection however is with the newer Lightning connector - Apple's new connection that replaces its older, larger connection. Apple boasts that the iPad Mini can support up to 10 hours of usage on the battery. On top of all this, the iPad Mini looks just as spectacular as any other Apple product, with precision cut edges made of a strong aluminum case. The iPad Mini is definitely a great addition to Apple's arsenal of products, and it will definitely have competing tablet producers petrified.
Wow. Apple has always succeeded in making products that look as good as they perform, but never before has Apple made a product so thin yet powerful. After a year and a half of waiting, Apple fans were really anticipating what the new product would provide. To their joy, the new iMac has more than the old iMac had, in less space, and is quite simply beautiful.
Now, not to get too carried away, we must remember how well of a job Apple does at advertising their products as well. It is important to look beyond the delicately taken photos and intense lines of text, and see what Apple has really done to improve the old product. If you were to look at the new iMac from a front view, it would look so similar to the older model, that it would be difficult to decide which model was which. However, change your point of view to a side angle, and you find a beautifully crafted work of art that thins itself down to a few millimeters.
Now, another misconception is that the iMac is the same thickness all throughout. Unfortunately, the computer must have some components inside and therefore requires more space than a few millimeters. The back of the iMac is beveled and opens up to about 6.9 inches. While this may seem relatively large as compared to the 5 millimeter edge, it is still a whole inch thinner than its predecessor. As far as weight goes, Apple decided to knock off a whole 8 pounds. All of this leaves us with a spectacular desktop that is thinner, lighter, and better looking than the older desktop.
When it all comes down to reality however, is the iMac a better computer technologically. The new iMac is more or less the old iMac in a smaller casing. With some improvements on the screen, graphics are better. However, as far as the hard drive, CPU, or RAM goes, the new iMac can be fitted with the same components as the previous.
Why then, would Apple release this new iMac? Is it for the sole purpose of meeting a demand for thinner, lighter, and finer products, or something more? Surprisingly, Apple has a secret motive concealed within the computer. The CPU. Intel is coming out with a new processor in 2012 called the Ivy Bridge. Ivy Bridge will replace Sandy Bridge, its old counterpart. The newer Ivy Bridge processor is said to be significantly faster and energy efficient. Computer companies all around the world are waiting for the release of this revolutionary component. But how does this apply to Apple? Apple right now is stuck in a situation where they have an over stock of Sandy Bridge processors that the company desperately needs to get rid of to make way for the newer Ivy Bridge Processors. To facilitate the usage of the Sandy Bridge Processors, Apple came up with the new iMac running on the old Sandy Bridge Processor in hopes that the increase in iMac sales will use up their unwanted stock of processors.
Thus, the new iMac could be seen as "breathtaking" or classified as a scam. Whether the iMac is an intentional trick by Apple, or the next stage in Apple's development of the iMac, is a mystery. While it is not necessarily faster than the older version, and doesn't run on the newer Intel processor, it is definitely better looking than any other desktop Apple has made before.
The prestigious iPhone 5 hit the sales market with unprecedented impact. Its demand immediately was higher than its supply. Experts say that by the end of December 2012, iPhone 5 sales will crack 26 million. However, as people invest their money into the legendary smart phone Apple so proudly lauds, they begin to realize that the iPhone 5 isn't necessarily the best phone in the market.
Trailing in hind's sight of the iPhone 5 is the Samsung Galaxy S3. The Galaxy S3 offers a wider screen and curved edges for better grip. Also, the smart phone comes with a removable battery that can be replaced after a long time of usage. Additionally, the Galaxy S3 has a micro SD slot for memory access and is faster than most Androids in the market by tackling 2.0 Gigabytes of RAM. The Galaxy S3 still boasts the hardware and memory flexibility and customizability specific to Android, while getting rid of many of the glitches and fallibilities famous to all Androids.
The iPhone didn't completely lose the battle to the Galaxy S3 however as its screen offers much better resolution, and is almost twice as bright as the S3. Additionally, the Galaxy S3 is much larger than the iPhone 5. Some people consider the size of the phone to be too large for comfort and too much of a hassle. Even though it is larger, the Galaxy S3 is not faster than the iPhone, who's A6 processing chip and iOS stays above all competition.
In the end, making a decision between the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S3 is mostly dependent on the hairsplitting differences of every phone. If the Galaxy S3 is too large for you, than the iPhone 5 would be your perfect smart phone. However, if Android has always been your preference, then the Galaxy S3 go beyond your expectations. Both smart phones are simply amazing and either would be a great toy.
In mid-July, Apple released its newest edition of the MacBook Pro series. It was the first product to be released after the death of Steve Jobs, and it took some major renovations. Both its outer appearance and interior design were changed in order to keep the MacBook Pro number one as the market's most powerful notebook.
Apple never fails to make their products look better, and the new MacBook Pro is no exception. It is a fourth of an inch thinner than its predecessor and only weighs 4.46 pounds. The next major change in the MacBook Pro would be the removal of a DVD slot for burning or reading CDs and DVDs. This change was a risk, that left many people devastated, and others indifferent. However, doing so allowed Apple to reach its potential in making the MacBook Pro only .71 inches thick. While the MacBook is thinner, it is not any physically weaker than the older MacBooks thanks to the support and rigidity slots inserted on the lower left and right hand sides of the notebook. In short, the new MacBook Pro is stunning in appearance.
Perhaps the most important upgrade to the MacBook Pro is its new Retina Display screen. With a resolution of 2880 by 1800 pixels, the MacBook Pro can produce sharper images than some HD TVs. It is by far the most advanced of any other notebook on the market.
While the outside appearance and the screen were beautified, Apple's work in the interior have left some even more stunned. The new MacBook Pro can be made to have a 2.7-gigahertz quad core processor and 16-gigabytes of ram. These additions make it the fastest MacBook Pro yet. Other additions include dual microphones and dual speakers on either side of the MacBook to allow for better sound and crisper recordings.
With the extra space from the DVD slot, Apple was able to customize its own battery to make use of every inch of space and increase the battery life to a respectable 7 hours of use. Even more interesting is the argument Apple made by removing the DVD slot and ethernet connection. Apple is making a point that the next generation of technology will be run on Wi-Fi and USB connections. I have the 2011 version MacBook Pro and can attest that the ethernet connection has been of no use to me, however, I am glad to have the DVD slot. Apple did include USB 3.0 connections which allow for faster transferring speeds and an HDMI slot installed directly into the notebook, preventing any need for cables and connections.
Realistically, the new MacBook Pro is not too different from the old MacBook. For extreme users, they will find the faster CPU (central processing unit or processor), GPU (graphics processing unit) and USB 3.0 connections to be very helpful and useful. However, for the average user, such changes are undetectable. If you are one that really enjoys sharp screen resolution, longer battery life, or sleek, slim and light products however, the new MacBook pro was made for you and the performance that it offers tops any other notebook in the market.
The iPhone 5 was released on September 21, 2012, already boasting pre-orders of over 2 million. Clearly, there is a strong demand for this smartphone in society. Apple estimates that iPhone sales will reach 50 million by December. Thus, the question rises: why is everyone head over heals for this new smartphone?
Of course, Apple makes any product they release look revolutionary through their advertising and appearance, but when it comes down to the actual product, how much better is the iPhone 5 from the iPhone 4s? Perhaps the most noticeable of changes would be its dimensions. The iPhone 5 took on a longer frame while staying the same width. It's thinner than its predecessor and weighs significantly less. While many people think its resolution has become more defined, it is merely the difference in the size of the screen. The iPhone 4s had 960 by 640 screen resolution and 326 pixels per square inch (ppi). The newer iPhone has 1136 by 640 screen resolution but still only has 326 ppi. In appearance and size, the iPhone 5 is slightly different from the iPhone 4s, but not revolutionarily.
For some people, looks are only the surface, but it's whats inside that makes all the difference. According to its specifications, the iPhone 5 is much faster and efficient than the iPhone 4s. It boasts an A6 processing chip as opposed to an A5 chip and it now supports a 4G LTE internet connection. Its battery life is slightly longer than before and the iPhone 5 comes in your choice of a 16, 32 or 64 gigabyte version. The front camera moved to the center of the phone and was slightly modified to improve resolution, focus and face recognition. In short, the interior of the iPhone has undergone some remodeling.
On paper, the iPhone 5 looks exactly like Apple wants it to look: simple, better, and revolutionary. However, realistically, Apple hasn't done anything too revolutionary. In fact, the differences made are barely noticeable and easily adaptable. Before its release date, a test was done in the streets where random people were asked to try the new iPhone 5 and say how they liked it. The video on the right explains it all.
In short, the iPhone 5 is the iPhone 4s with a hand full of noticeable, but mostly unnoticeable modifications. However, it is still a great smartphone that is the top of the market of smartphones.
