Smart phones | Selection advice, New releases, Concepts

[p(-)0ENiX]

GSMArena​

03 June, 2012​

iOS6 to offer Facebook integration and a revamped AppStore?​

Apple's WWDC is one of the industry's major events because in the past few years it has been the stage for some serious software announcements by the company. The event will probably offer a lot to developers too but from our user's point of view, we are dying to hear what Apple's been cooking this past year in terms of mobile software. A iOS 6 announcement is expected and the rumor mill is hard at work to catch some of the tasty morsels that we'll be offered come June 11.

A serious rumor making the rounds recently includes the unveiling of a new Apple HDTV - a smart, connected TV running iOS much like the similarly named Apple TV. But that aside, the mobile iOS will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the event in San Francisco.

Some of the rumored new features it's supposed to bring over, are proper Facebook integration, a redesign of the AppStore, iTunes Store and iBookstore, and even a new AirDrop file sharing trickery, courtesy of Wi-Fi Direct, which should be present in the next iPhone. Other recent rumors include new Maps and Photos apps plus an improved camera interface.

Facebook integration was a noticeable absentee last year and had our share of comments in the debate about this fact. Recent reports have it that Facebook will be included in the latest release of iOS. The integration would include a system-wide sign-in that would allow iOS users to share content from any apps on Facebook without further identification.

The other rumored changes include redesigned AppStore, iTunes store and iBookstore. The extent of the redesign is not known but it's supposed to improve interactivity, and we are only to guess whether Apple has managed to implement the improved app discoverability, courtesy of the recently acquired Chomp.

The other supposed upgrades rumored earlier include an upgraded Photos app, which will include an option to share a photo directly from the iCloud. The Camera app is supposed to include features popular on third-party cam apps - such as filters and effects. And finally, the Maps application on iOS is reportedly getting a new, mega-cool 3D view mode.

The WWDC keynote address is due for Monday, 6 p.m. London time, but we guess we'll be hearing a lot more about the upcoming iOS before that.

[Source 1 & Source 2]

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[p(-)0ENiX]

Christian Zibreg​

Jun 5, 2012​

Really awesome Facebook phone mockup surfaces, our jaws drop​

You must have heard rumors of Facebook poaching former and current Apple hardware and software engineers to work on its not-so-secret phone project. So, a Facebook phone.

We’re still scratching our head over this rumored device. Why on Earth Facebook won’t Facebook focus on perfecting its subpar mobile apps rather than waste its energies cracking the hardware biz it literally knows nothing about?

Regardless of the hearsay, here’s a really interesting mockup which depicts perfectly what a Facebook phone might look like…

Designer Michal Bonikowski envisions a hypothetical device with a 4.2-inch display and an eight-megapixel camera on the back. As you can see, it looks quite stunning – someone should hire this guy.

Here’s another image.

And another one.

Surely Tim Cook would want to add Facebook to Apple’s list of companies that rip off its designs should such a concept become a reality. And why build a phone – if there’s any substance to this rumor – in the first place?

Well, how about the failed IPO and issues with monetizing users through social ads?

As for me, I’m kinda loving this concept.

It’s design should be distinct yet familiar enough to any Facebook user.

It’s also thin, sleek and – dare I say – sexy.

What do you guys think?

Make sure to hit the source link for additional renderings.

[via NowhereElse]

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[p(-)0ENiX]

Whitson Gordon​

7 June 2012​

Forget Android: the iPhone Is a Better Phone for Hacking, Tweaking, and Customization​

Most of us think of Android as the perfect phone for tweakers and customizers: it's open source, it has a ton of different hardware options, and the OS lets you do a lot more out of the box. We think of the iPhone as a closed system, a horrible place for people that like to tweak their phones—I know I did when I chose Android—but that's wrong. The iPhone is actually the best phone out there for hackers, tweakers, and customizers. Here's why.

Those of you that read Lifehacker regularly know that I've been an Android fan for a long time, and I've written countless posts about picking your hardware, rooting your phone, downloading new ROMs, and otherwise tweaking the heck out of your phone. I even wrote a piece on the best Android features that the iPhone doesn't have. But, after switching over to the iPhone, I've discovered that tweaking and customizing my iPhone is easier, more fun, and in nearly every way just as powerful as tweaking an Android phone.

Jailbreaking Is Eons Easier than Rooting​

There's no question Android can do more out of the box than the iPhone. Being able to automate your phone with something like Tasker is awesome. But, when you really want to get down to tweaking the nitty-gritty, the fact of the matter is that rooting is what opens up real possibilities. Unfortunately, rooting is about as big of a headache as breaking into a bank vault with a safety pin. You have over 100 different Android phones out there, each with its own rooting method, caveats, and risks that you have to research. It's so annoying that we had to turn our rooting guide into a guide for only the top 10 phones, in addition to tacking on an exhaustive glossary of all the crap you have to know before starting the process. Our jailbreak guide, on the other hand, is three steps long, which include "plug in your phone" and "click this button". It doesn't get much easier than that. And once you're jailbroken, you can do just about anything, including making your iPhone read your mind with Tasker-like automation.

Everyone's Working from the Same Pool, Which Means More Tweaks​

The headache doesn't stop with rooting, either. Because Android has so many devices and so many different versions of itself floating around (the sad downside of open source), a lot of the tweaks you get are sadly specific to a certain device or ROM. Tweaks that work with Sense ROMs won't work with AOSP ROMs, and Gingerbread tweaks probably won't work with Ice Cream Sandwich-based ROMs. With each phone, you only have a small subset of developers working for you and your software. On the iPhone, every developer is making an app for everybody's phone, which means you have a ton of different tweaks to pick and choose from—and no need to find out whether it's compatible with your hardware, version of Android, or ROM.

When you have an iPhone, though everyone is using essentially the same device you are. Everyone's developing for the same phone, and the same version of the OS. Not only are Android users limited by the huge number of devices out there, they're also limited by whether they've even been updated to the latest version of Android or not. Ice Cream Sandwich was announced last October, and only 50% of you guys even have it—and half of that 50% had to root and flash a new ROM to get it. And it's not as if everyone can even get a custom ICS ROM yet—many of us (including me and my sad Thunderbolt) are stuck waiting for the official kernel, radio layer, or other nonsense to be officially released by our phone manufacturer. So much for the advantages of openness.

You Can Find Every App and Tweak in One Place​

Lastly, we come to Cydia. Now, I'm the first guy to complain about how slow and annoying Cydia can be, but after coming from Android, I've realized that Cydia is the greatest thing to happen to us phone tweakers. Want to install an app, tweak, or customization to your iPhone? Chances are pretty darn good you'll find it among the thousands of apps and tweaks available in Cydia. Want to do the same on Android? Once you've narrowed down the tweaks that your device can actually use, you'll have to root through forums like XDA Developers or RootzWiki or countless others to find what you're looking for, and then sideload it onto your phone via Dropbox or USB. And don't even get me started on what happens when Megaupload or whatever hosting service they're using goes down—then it becomes even harder to find that tweak. Cydia takes two steps: search, tap to install. What kind of tweaks can you get? Some favorites of ours include:

- Get quick access to just about anything from the Notification Center
- Customize the look of your iPhone with custom icons, wallpapers, and themes
- Tether your iPhone to your computer over Wi-Fi, and even hide that data from your carrier
- Turn off passcode lock when you're at home, turn off notifications when face down, and other awesome automated functions
- Integrate Google Voice with the default Messages app, or just read your text messages on your computer without Google Voice
- Make Sparrow your default email app, make anything your default browser, or get one-tap navigation from the built-in Maps app
- Set custom alert tones for any app
- Put scrollable notifications on your lock screen for easier reading
- Lots, lots more

Where the iPhone Still Falls Short​

The iPhone isn't the "perfect" tweaker phone, of course. There are still a lot of things I miss about Android. For example, you can get widgets on the iPhone, but it isn't quite the same, and you won't have the vast library that you do on Android. I'll always miss the ability to install custom keyboards like Swype and SwiftKey, or being able to create location-based automation like you can in Tasker. Furthermore, Android users can download new kernels, radios, and other deep-system tweaks that iPhone users aren't really privy to—though I'd also argue that I no longer feel the need to, because the iPhone isn't as laggy or battery-starved as my Android phone was (speed and battery life being the primary benefit of these deep-system tweaks). You also don't have full ROMs on the iPhone, but frankly, wouldn't you rather piece together all your favorite tweaks from Cydia than have another developer do it for you? Android ROMs can be great, but again, I feel like half the time I'm downloading them to fix a problem rather than add cool stuff.

In the end, it boils down to this: Tweaking Android is stressful, and provides only a bit more freedom than you get from a jailbroken iPhone. Tweaking the iPhone, on the other hand, is loads of fun. And after all, isn't that what it's all about?

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[WAQAS119]

 

[Nishan_101]

In 3 years or less the Chinese will over take the local market completely and even the professionals will going to buy the Chinese sets.

 

[p(-)0ENiX]

I am sorry I haven't been able to update this thread or take part in other discussions in the forum for quite a while. I have been extremely busy with work & may not be able to visit this forum for the next couple of days.

Anyway, here is another concept for the iPhone 5.

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Thrystan​

June 7th, 2012​

iPhone 5 Concept Made by JoyStudios Has a 4 Inch 720p Display​

The folks of JoyStudios showed me a new iPhone 5 concept, that runs iOS 6.0 and is based on a design that follows the recent rumors about the handset. As you can see, this iPhone is more rounded and longer than the previous one and its metal frame seems to be more pronounced.

The device comes with a new MagSafe port, LTE connectivity that makes it a world phone and a 720p 4 inch Retina Display. It also has a 12 megapixel iSight camera at the back and inside there’s a dual core Apple A5X chip. The headphone jack has been moved at the bottom, just like the rumors are saying right now. Other than that I can’t seem to spot any changes in UI and there’s no trace of the rumored Apple iMaps preinstalled here. Anyway we’ll get a piece of the puzzle sorted out on Monday, June 11th, when WWDC 2012 kicks off.

Apple is rumored to be previewing iOS 6.0 on this occasion and maybe even the iPad Mini or iPhone 5. Will it look anything like this concept? What do you think?

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The above concept looks damn ugly to me!

Moving on, let me be the first to introduce you "iOS 6"!

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iOS 6 goes official with new Maps and Facebook integration​

Apple has just announced the next version of its iOS platform for the iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad. iOS 6 has an updated Siri, Facebook integration and completely new Maps application with built-in turn-by-turn navigation as its key features.

The evolved Siri got the most stage time – it now launches apps, can fetch you news and facts about sports, movies, people, read your notifications. Apple is working with BMW, GM, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler, Honda and others in an attempt to put a dedicated Siri button on the steering wheel on all cars throughout the next 12 months. This would enable completely hands-free operation of your iDevice when you are driving.

Siri also got support for new languages – Canadian English, Spanish (Spain, Mexico), Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese and Chinese.

The update Siri​

With iOS 6, Siri is finally landing on the iPad, but only if you have the latest Retina-packing version of the slate.

The iOS 6 also brings the long-awaited Facebook integration. It works throughout the whole platform, just like the already available Twitter one. You get an Android-style phonebook app, where your regular contacts are connected to their Facebook profiles and you get updates on their albums, messages and status updates right from the contact's screen.

iOS 6 Facebook integration​

The Notifications Center has two new additions – Update Twitter and Update Facebook status shortcut keys.

iOS 6 Facebook integration​

The next new feature is Reply with Message when you can’t answer a call. Okay, this one isn't really major and everyone else probably already has it, but it's still good that Apple finally enabled it. There's also another new button on the incoming call screen, which will mute the call and will remind you about it later so you can call back.

The new call options​

The iOS 6 brings a new Do Not Disturb mode, which mutes all push notification, incomming calls and prevents the screen from lighting up, so it doesn't disturb your sleep or hard work. You can schedule your iDevice to automatically enter Do Not Disturb mode at a specific time every day.

The Do Not Disturb mode can be set to still let through messages and calls from your favorite contacts and groups as well as repeating calls, so your loved ones and those that need to contact you urgently can always reach you.

FaceTime also got updated with iOS 6. The video-call app now works over cellular networks, not just Wi-Fi. About time, we would add!

The FaceTime/iMessages ID is now unified and if someone is calling/texting you, you will be able to get the call from your iPhone, iPad or Mac – whatever works for you.

The Safari browser has learned a few new tricks in iOS 6. It now has iCloud Tabs, which are synced with your desktop Safari in real time along with an offline reading list. Another cool extra is the ability to upload photos right from the browser to Facebook, Twitter, Picasa, etc.

Shared Photo Stream is another new feature with a social taste. It lets you select contacts and give them access to the photos you are uploading. Once you upload a new album said contacts will be notified and they will get the chance to check your shots and post comments on them.

The next new feature is VIP contacts. You mark a contact as VIP and all the messages you get from that contact will be highlighted, so you'd know to check them out first.

The iOS 6 introduces a new preinstalled app called Passbook. It will collect all of your boarding passes, tickets, coupons, loyalty cards etc. and keep them neatly organized. QR codes scanning is supported, so you can easily get those on board.

As the main change brought by iOS 6 is a new Maps application, called... Maps. Apple has ditched Google Maps and is introducing its own service to replace it. The new maps have cool design and offer local search options with Apple claiming to have inserted more than 100 billion business listings already. The new Maps support 3D mode and satellite view.

As long as you are touting an iPhone 4S or an iPad 3 you get turn-by-turn navigation which works even on the lockscreen and a Flyover view mode just like the one Google announced the other day. Even more impressively, there is integration with Siri (search of gas stations, parking lots, etc.).

The final noteworthy features of iOS 6 include accessibility extras, better privacy controls, improved voiceover and dictionaries, redesigned apps and stores and improved camera HDR, etc.

The iOS 6 is compatible with iPhone 3GS and later, iPad 2nd and 3rd gen, iPod Touch 4th gen. This means the first-gen iPad is out of the game. Sorry, guys.

The iOS 6 beta is available as of today, while the final release will hit the supported iGadgets this fall. We can't wait to put the beta through it paces.

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You can see more pictures at the links provided for the above 2 articles. I am only allowed 8 images per post, so that's the reason I wasn't able to include every image.​

So what do all of you think of iOS 6 so far?

 

[Esc8781]

People who compare IOS with Android, probably haven't used both of them together,as it's too obvious that Android is years behind IOS. Some how i don't get the argument that Android is ''open environment'', it's pointless when Android can't even offer you the half of apps that are there on IOS. If IOS is made available on handsets other than I-Phone, then i assure you that Android will become history.

Hey dude don't blame the operating system you should blame the developers of the apps for not transferring to Android I used an iphone and it was a piece of crap to Android cause I am a hacker, go on xda developers to search more. btw search up LG Prada. Ask yourself what would apple be without Palm, LG, blackberry IBM, Samsung who made the first iphone, now they are earning patents that they din't create like multitasking the iphone can't even multitask properly and android did it before them.

 

[jbond197]

Oh come on, Android has picked the flight.. Iphone played a protective game and now end up loser and unfortunately, Steve Jobs is gone too..

People who say there are not comparable apps in Android need to get real.. I have both the phones and I like my Samsung S II more and till date have not experienced any apps, worthy enough, missing in Android Market place.

 

[p(-)0ENiX]

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[p(-)0ENiX]

Cody Lee​

Jun 15, 2012​

Apple researching a device with swappable camera lenses​

It’s always interesting to see the different patent applications that Apple submits to the USPTO. Even though most of them rarely make it into consumer products, they give us a glimpse inside Apple’s top secret R&D labs.

The latest one to surface in the United States Patent and Trademark Office database covers a device with a removable back panel, which could bring about swappable camera lenses and other attachements…

Judging from the filing, users would be able to purchase these back panels, as they would any other accessory. They’d feature different lenses (zoom, macro, etc.), different flash sizes and other add-ons that would significantly improve the device’s picture-taking abilities.

So what is this device? Well, although it looks like an iPhone, the application doesn’t really say anything about the handset. PatentlyApple postulates that it could be a future iPod touch model, or perhaps even a standalone camera.

The iPod touch theory is particularly interesting. The line wasn’t updated last year for the first time since its inception, hinting that the company may be contemplating where to take it next. Perhaps it’s considering taking on the point-and-shoot camera industry more directly with the product, in which case these removable back plates would actually make a lot of sense.

Realistically, we don’t expect to see this invention pop up in Apple’s products anytime soon. We all know that the company is extremely interested in the field of photography. But just how far it’s willing to take that interest is still unknown.

What do you think? Would you be interested in such a device?

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Christian Zibreg​

Jun 15, 2012​

Apple’s WWDC conference keynote hits YouTube​

Apple today finally posted its WWDC keynote talk to YouTube. The presentation saw CEO Tim Cook and other executives take the wraps off of iOS 6, unveil MacBook Pro with Retina display and more.

A lot of people prefer YouTube over any other video delivery system. So, if streaming the keynote through Apple’s website isn’t exactly your cup of tea and you’re not comfortable downloading the entire presentation as a high-definition iTunes podcast, enjoy this YouTube clip on whichever device you happen to use.

Me? I like my Apple keynote on my Apple TV…

And if you don’t have the time to sit through the entire keynote, perhaps just watch a few minutes at the beginning as Siri pokes fun of Google’s Android code-names, Samsung’s phone (and refrigerator), venture capitalists and Facebook’s Instagram deal.

She also shared a quick joke, asking “how many developers does it take to change a light bulb”?

Here’s your keynote.

Apple​

The full presentation runs one hour and 54 minutes long.

Did you like how Cook & Co. handled product unveils?

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iPhone 5 Transparent Display Concept [Video]​

A YouTube channel, Adney Films, has filmed an amazing concept for the upcoming iPhone 5 with a transparent display, check it out after jump.

Clearly amazing. The quad-core A5 chip delivers even more power. The laser projection keyboard liberates your thumbs. The new iClear Retina display presents sharp graphics and stunning images. iOS 6 will take your iPhone experience in an entirely new direction. And if there’s anything else you need, just ask Siri.

iPhone 5 with Transparent display video:

iPhone 5 Commercial - YouTube

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[p(-)0ENiX]

Jesus Diaz​

June 16, 2012​

The New iPhone 2012 In White Could Look Amazing Too​

If the new iPhone 2012 looks beautiful in black—in all its 80s Sony-ish glory—the renderings of the white model are even prettier. The aluminum and chrome unibody with the white accents looks just gorgeous.

Gizmodo reader Martin Hajek sent us these images of the white model, which he rendered using allegedly leaked photos of parts as a reference. I love that he even added fingerprints to the aluminum back.

Click on the images to see in full.

The chrome accents and the speaker and microphone grill look simply pimptastic, even more retro than the black model.

I hate the current white iPhone, but the two-toned aluminum and white plastic back panel on the next generation iPhone 2012 works surprisingly well.

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[Abingdonboy]

These pics have me drooling and I am depretly holding out for the IPhone 5 having held onto the 3G well past its usable life and the question that is bugging me is................WHEN???When will we see the Iphone 5???!!

 

[p(-)0ENiX]

These pics have me drooling and I am depretly holding out for the IPhone 5 having held onto the 3G well past its usable life and the question that is bugging me is................WHEN???When will we see the Iphone 5???!!

This fall, my guess is that the iPhone 5 or the new iPhone will probably get released towards the end of September or the beginning of October.

 

[p(-)0ENiX]

Maximilian Majewski​

Jun 12, 2012​

Apple Design: is It Really Timeless?​

Apple products are known the world over for their iconic industrial design. Before we take this debate any further, let us be clear about one thing. Taste is, of course, subjective, but the mechanisms that result in great design are not. The work involved in making a product like the iPod or any Apple product are based on very personal experiences and subconscious influences from the fabric of human nature. This nature tells us that we like products that reflect our personality. In order to illustrate the dichotomy of great design, I will start off by talking about another respected brand.

Timeless Design = Personal Value​

Leica is a brand respected for precision in anything to do with imaging products. Its most prominent products are, of course, the Leica M cameras. For me, they are the essence of timeless design. In over 50 years, their looks and feel have not changed. Steve Jobs said: “Most people think it’s how they look, but it’s not really how they look, it’s how they work.” That is how the design of the Leica M happened. The story of timeless design is as follows. Once an optimum is reached, that is to say that a great balance between beauty and functionality is achieved, then the end must be written. Leica knew when that end came with the M system camera. That is the reason why it is considered the most respected tool for any photographer. It is not an advanced DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) with fast shutter speeds or breathtaking high-definition video, but a camera made of and representing precision. To this day, Leica M cameras offer up only manual focus.

The LEGO brick. We all know it. We all have played with it. As a boy, I used to build my own spaceships. Just recently I bought myself a small star destroyer from the LEGO Star Wars series. It was a revelation to put it together. It made me remember how much fun it was when I was a child, even while growing up during the digital revolution. Regardless, today I would still regard LEGO as the best toy ever invented. It all relies on the simplest of designs: a plastic brick with four studs on top, which is available in all colors of the rainbow. My fiancee gave me a storage box disguised as an oversized LEGO brick, which is simply a wonderful decorative piece as well. The square LEGO brick embodies the quintessence of functional minimalism. Yeah, people who love design are real geeks who see the meaning of life in a brick of plastic.

The general public buys products based solely on emotional impulses. The device must feel good in one’s hands. This is the foremost aspect leading to a purchase. At that point a purchase is, of course, very subjective. Yet when it comes to a more uniquely marketed device like the iPhone, design itself becomes secondary. It is known that Apple takes great pride in its design work, and one must acknowledge the sleek look and feel. However, before 2005, Apple had no idea what design to settle on. Every new iPod nano looks different to this day. Every new iMac had a different design. Any leading designer will agree that good design — timeless design — builds on consistency. Apple has had very little consistency if you compare its products from the past through today. Leica, on the other hand, has very strict guidelines in how new cameras are designed. One can always see that it is a Leica. Had it not been for the iconic Apple logo, then Apple products would not be as unique.

Personal value is the hardest to attain for any products — in this case, electronic devices. This is where the diversity of cultures comes into play. While some of you might think the iPhone has amazing design and the best functionality, I believe the opposite. An object makes a connection with the owner. It is this connection that makes something timeless. Yet on a purely visual level, personal value makes an object beautiful to the beholder.

Timeless Design = Timeless Functionality​

To Steve Jobs, good design meant honesty. His father, Paul Jobs, taught him a lesson while painting the wooden fence around their garden. It was his opinion that even the backside must receive as much care as the front — the side that most people will notice. No one ever looks behind to make sure the back is also painted with the same urge for perfection. This lesson had its lasting impact on a young Steve Jobs. The modern MacBook Pro line is a manifest to that early lesson in his life. Every part of the inside — parts that most will never see — are carefully and individually designed. Apple developed what it calls the “unibody,” which is a culmination of this vision Jobs had all his life. Even on the inside there is beauty, resulting in a quite coherent consistency across the products Apple offers. As far as functionality goes, Apple has succeeded in every way.

When one looks at the design of the Leica M cameras, on the other hand, functionality is very much the foundation of the look and feel. However, owners take pride in using these cameras because, not only do they provide several advantages in street photography, but also they have a very long and intimate history in photography. Their price tag is absurdly high, if one considers only the the bang for the buck. Since it falls short of modern DSLRs in features, a Leica camera excels in picture quality. The best and most heralded press photography of the 20th century has most certainly been taken with a Leica M. Steve Jobs would surely have been a fan of Leica, just like he was a fan of Mercedes vehicles.

For Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive, a device is well-designed when it is clear and understandable. That is what makes users fall in love with their products. Both of them disliked the arbitrariness of other computer manufacturers, which also implies a certain carelessness. Famous designer Dieter Rams puts it this way: Good design should be innovative; good design should make a product practical; good design is honest and inconspicuous. The latter is the core of Apple design, and also Leica. Good design is consistent in every detail. A good example for this is apparent in the design language of Braun in the 1960s. The last, yet deepest idea is that good design should, in fact, be as little design as possible.

Apple, Leica, and historically speaking, Braun as well, have in common this philosophy of getting design out of the way. “And I think when forms develop with that sort of reason, and they are not just arbitrary shapes, it feels almost inevitable; it feels almost undesigned. It feels almost like, well of course it is that way, why would it not be any other way?” Jonathan Ive said in a video about Apple’s design philosophy. When I touch and use a Leica M, I have exactly that impression. It feels just right and one can admire the precision of this camera. That is something missing from professional DSLRs. The new MacBook Pro has finally acquired, after five years, a unified design language that put functionality and ease-of-use in front. In that sense it succeeds completely; for my taste it is a bit too bland, though.

The design of Apple is very much inspired by the work of Dieter Rams. It is functional and simple, nothing more. It is as little as it needs to be. As far as hardware goes, this is always the case, but interface design in Apple products has not always adhered to that philosophy. Mac OS X looks too glossy and colorful to be inspired by the same source. Jonathan Ive is of course not involved with the software development, and it is known how often Steve Jobs had been frustrated by the look of key software. Hardware from Apple does indeed materialize the idea that design should never dominate people, but rather help them and guide them.

Is Apple Design Timeless?​

There is one simple way to find out if an object’s design is timeless. It does not even matter if we are just talking about Apple or Leica or Braun. Anything, even an oversized LEGO brick, can pass or fail this test. Something that is timeless means to me that it is almost unnoticeable. A well-designed product does not stand out because of colours or bizarre shapes, but it catches your attention with humility. Modern smartphones, as exemplified by the iPhone, are simple and functional in design that serves only the purpose of being practical. Again, in this sense, Apple is very successful. Most important, design has nothing to do with subjectivism. It is not a question of whether something is beautiful or not. Rather, the question should be whether something fits the rest or not. Consistency must not only prevail with a company’s line of products, but also within the user’s space at home or at work.

CC licensed Flickr photo shared by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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[fallstuff]

I just bought the Galaxy Note from AT&T today. The color is un-effin believable. My iphone 3gs pales to the galaxy note. This phone is beyond awesome. I am a pretty tall guy, so the size is a non-issue to me.