Poll: do you like iOS 7 face-lift?

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 10, 2013

With the first iOS 7 beta now available to Apple’s registered developers, Twitter is on fire with both praises and complaints from those who have downloaded and installed the software to their devices. At first blush, a lot of people seem to dislike the redesigned home screen icons – and I bet some folks will actually miss skeuomorphism in iOS 7.

Those who do love the new iOS 7 look tend to be equally passionate about the subject. We knew changes in iOS 7 would be polarizing and I’m still bipolar about it.

That being said, today we’re asking you to participate in our little non-scientific poll and vote on the subject of iOS 7 redesign. Please disregard iOS 7 features, this poll is strictly focused on finding out whether or not iOS 7 is aesthetically pleasing to your eye… Read More

 

Poll: who’s excited about black & white iOS 7 facelift?

By Christian Zibreg on May 27, 2013

If you’ve been following Apple stories lately, chances are you came across a news piece last week that calls for a black and white iOS 7 redesign.

You know, the facelift reportedly in the works under the guidance of Apple’s legendary design guru Jony Ive. It should be, in a word, awesome.

As asserted by the very reliable writer Mark Gurman, Ive not only got rid of skeumorphism, he also eliminated the shine and transparent gloss for one that’s flat and mostly black and white.

And with two weeks until Apple’s June 10 keynote at WWDC 2013, we’ll soon find out just how deep the rabbit hole of visual changes in iOS 7 go. For now, we’re asking you to join the discussion and tell us where you stand on the black & white iOS 7 revamp… Read More

 

Poll: should Apple offer Ron Johnson its still open Retail boss job?

By Christian Zibreg on Apr 8, 2013

Apple’s former SVP of Retail Ron Johnson just got booted as the CEO of JC Penney over dismal earnings and for failing to sprinkle a little bit of Apple’s magic dust to fix the retailer’s depressing mid-range brick-and-mortar department store biz.

And in a fitting twist of fate, it just so happens that Apple, where Johnson spent a decade refining the retail experience which is epitomized in the Genius Bar concept, has been struggling to find a suitable replacement to Johnson for nearly two years now.

We’re asking you to take a moment, asses the situation and make an educated guess as to whether Tim Cook should make an offer to Johnson or just ignore him in order not to send the wrong kind of message, that people can leave Apple on a whim resting assured the company would always take them back… Read More

 

Poll: who’s switching to T-Mobile come April 12?

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 27, 2013

Now that we’ve established that T-Mobile is the least expensive major U.S. iPhone carrier – thanks to its new policy of selling devices unsubsidized and separate of wireless services – the telco faces the ultimate test of reversing customer defection. If LTE is of prime importance to your mobile needs, you’re probably better off with AT&T and Verizon – both Rootmetrics and Consumer Reports rank AT&T’s LTE the fastest, with Verizon ruling the LTE coverage game.

On a flip side, while T-Mobile’s LTE is only available in seven major U.S. cities, its iPhone-friendly (and speedy) HSPA+ now covers 225 million people in 229 metropolitan areas. Whether or not LTE is a key factor in determining your preferred carrier, perhaps you’re merely thinking about switching away from your telco just to show your support for T-Mobile’s “Un-Carrier” model.

So, will you make the move come April 12? Read More

 

Poll: which would you rather wear, an Apple iWatch or Google’s Glasses

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 18, 2013

Silicon Valley giant Google rightfully trusts tech enthusiasts will be falling over themselves to adopt its Android-driven Glasses, going as far to commission a pro to take a series of fashion photographs featuring beautiful, smiling models. Apple, on the other hand (pun intended), is said to be entering the wearable computing space with a smart watch-like gizmo believed to be conceptualized as your most intimate computer yet.

Google’s bet is that advanced augmented reality features are enough to talk people into putting up with the unusual glasses dancing on their nose. And if iWatch talk is for real, then Apple must be thinking its users won’t have a problem wearing a curved-glass watch around their wrist like some Dict Tracy copycat.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle: some folks will readily adopt these wearable devices and others will wave them off as a function over form. Which brings me to today’s poll: if you were forced to choose between the two, which one would you rather wear in public – Google’s Glasses or Apple’s iWatch? Read More

 

Poll: 3G, battery and overheating issues on iOS 6.1?

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 10, 2013

Like any software release, the January 28 iOS 6.1 firmware update did fix some known bugs, but also has introduced a new set of issues. Specifically, the update is said to contain a bug that affects your iPhone’s battery life and 3G performance.

The battery inefficiencies could be related to an Exchange bug, clever people at AOL have learnt). Quick searches on the Apple Support Communities forum for iOS 6.1 battery and iOS 6.1 3G clearly prove these issues are more widespread than originally thought. While some people are seeing their iPhone 5 battery life dropping after updating to iOS 6.1, others are bitching about overheating issues.

To make matters worse, Vodafone advised its UK customers against upgrading to iOS 6.1 until Apple fixes 3G hiccups, which include the occasional difficulty in connecting to the network to make or receive calls or texts or connecting to the mobile Internet.

What are you seeing? Read More

 

Poll: is the $799 128GB iPad a tough sell?

By Christian Zibreg on Jan 29, 2013

Whenever I but a mobile device from Apple, be it a MacBook Air, iPhone or iPad, I typically opt for the most capacious model available. I know storage comes at a premium when you’re dealing with Apple, but with tons of photos, music and other media, plus a bunch of apps and games, it’s better to be on the safe side, at least in my experience.

I know you can store your stuff in Dropbox and iCloud, but nothing beats local storage and you still cannot run a 2GB big-budget game from iCloud, now can you? In that regard, this new 128GB iPad 4 could be the perfect buy: for just a hundred bucks more you get an additional 64GB of storage over the previous $699 64GB Wi-Fi-only model (better than just 16GB more for those opting for a $599 32GB model versus the entry-level $499 16GB iPad).

But what about you? Is $799 to high a price to pay for a Wi-Fi-only tablet with 128GB of speedy flash storage? And who is it for? Read More

 

Poll: my next cell phone will be…

By Christian Zibreg on Jan 21, 2013

These days, it’s all but impossible to escape Apple hate speech. You know who to blame: big media. I mean, stock manipulators played even the credulous Wall Street Journal. It’s not just WSJ – or NYT or Reuters, for that matter.

Anti-Apple Forbes hit new lows with clickbait headlines like this one or this one. And as crazypants analysts voice their concern regarding “Apple’s lack of a strategy in the lower-end phone”, they at the same time continue to hallucinate about a happiness or time travel machine from Apple.

And all of them get an assistance from traffic-hungry journalists like Dan Lyons whose write-ups sound bitter and idiotic. But in spite of all that FUD talk, Apple is demolishing Android in every metric that matters. None of this frenzy should matter when considering your next cell phone.

But real life can be a bitch and with so much negative publicity mounting ahead of Apple’s earnings report, no wonder some of the faint-hearted fans are beginning to question their faith in the California firm. I know where my heart stands, but I want to know one thing: do you know where your heart stands? So, what’s your next phone gonna be? Read More

 

Poll: will impending jailbreak renew your interest in the iPhone?

By Christian Zibreg on Jan 15, 2013

It’s open season for Apple doomsayers: the swirling supply cuts rumor has given stock manipulators ammunition to punish AAPL ahead of the earnings calls. But regardless of whether this nonsensical talk stems from a new iPhone model entering production, IGZO display technology being adopted or crazypants analysts having a field day, if you turn to consumers and ask them about their spending plans, you get a different story. None of this brouhaha matters to jailbreak fans eager to explore a bunch of innovative tweaks to personalize their iThings with whatever their heart desires.

There’s no way telling when an untethered jailbreak might arrive, but rest assured that the best iOS hackers are working on it. That’s bad news for owners of newer devices like the iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S who must be patient and endure Apple’s static experience, until the jailbreak finally arrives. But let’s pretend for a second that it’s here.

Would that reinvigorate your interest in Apple’s handset? Read More

 

Poll: is the time nigh for an Apple phablet?

By Christian Zibreg on Jan 14, 2013

Many watchers, this author included, never thought phablets would make an impact. But they are taking off, mostly due to Samsung’s Note series, an Android-driven smartphone/tablet computer hybrid (hence, a “phablet”) introduced in October 2011. It tallied a respectable ten million shipments as of August 15, 2012. Not bad for a product category that virtually didn’t exist a couple years back. Its successor, the Galaxy Note II, was released in August 2012. With its massive 5.55-inch screen sporting the native 720p (1,280-by-720) resolution, it’s the perfect epitome of the phablet trend.

There’s no denying that phablets are slowly but surely becoming the new normal as deep-pocketed smartphone users  now yearn for devices with a greater screen real estate and more computational power to handle even more tasks previously handled by the struggling notebook or the traditional PC. That being said, today we’re asking you to opine on whether or not Apple should release a phablet of its own, a 5+ inch iPhone of sorts… Read More

 

Samsung’s upcoming TV has ‘an unprecedented new shape’. Is it translucent? Frameless? Retina?

By Christian Zibreg on Jan 1, 2013

Say what you will about Samsung of South Korea, but the company is leading the Smart TV revolution at a time when the once mighty Japanese consumer electronics giants like Sony, Panasonic and Sharp are struggling to stay afloat. Last week the firm teased an upcoming TV launch with a charming video suggesting that “all the TVs are rushing to see Samsung’s new TV” at CES.

If you haven’t seen it yet, the clip closes rather dramatically with a shot of a large TV set hidden behind a white sheet. Following up, Samsung has now shared an intriguing image via its official blog that raises more questions than it answers… Read More

 

Poll: is iTunes 11 snappier?

By Christian Zibreg on Nov 29, 2012

More than anything, today’s release of iTunes 11 has put Apple’s reputation on the line. After delaying the media jukebox program for a month in order “to get it right”, and having fired iOS chief Scott Forstall while letting SVP Eddy Cue rise as “a prime architect of Apple’s software strategy”, the iPhone maker must not stumble now. While iTunes 11 does not exactly mark a fresh start for the decade-old app, it truly delivers important enhancements while de-cluttering the interface and introducing under-the-hood tweaks.

These all work in concert to make your experience enjoyable and more streamlined. And now that you’ve played with it, iDB wants to know whether iTunes 11 feels snappier on your system versus the previous version… Read More

 

Poll: your take on Here, Nokia’s new iOS map app

By Christian Zibreg on Nov 13, 2012

Nokia just announced Here, an upcoming iOS app with voice-guided walking navigation, public transportation directions and offline capability, the latter two glaringly lacking in Apple’s in-house built iOS 6 mapping solution. In comparison, Microsoft’s Bing app only supports basic maps.

Google has problems of its own, rooted in belief that Apple won’t approve a native Google Maps app so it hasn’t even submitted it yet. Regardless of the scarcity of details, we’d love to hear your initial thoughts on Here so cast your vote now… Read More

 

Poll: which iPad mini will you be pre-ordering?

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 25, 2012

Apple, as you know, starts taking pre-orders for the iPad mini tomorrow, October 26, through its online store in 26 different countries. Friday the following week, WiFi-only models are scheduled to land simultaneously on store shelves in 34 countries around the world with the WiFi + Cellular model arriving “a couple of weeks after the WiFi models”, according to Apple.

You can place your pre-order for any iPad mini model, either cellular or WiFi-only, at midnight tonight. The device will also be available in the United States on carriers AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless. The 16GB WiFi version starts at $329. The more capacious models each cost a $100 more than the previous one.

Want 4G LTE capability? That’s a $130 extra versus its WiFi-only counterpart. So, which iPad mini is you? Read More

 

Poll: do you plan on getting an iPad mini?

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 24, 2012

Pundits were flabbergasted when Apple didn’t price the iPad mini at $199 to go for the kill. At $329, the iPad mini is a $130 more than seven-inch tablets from Google and Amazon, both starting at just $199. Furthermore, Amazon’s 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD with a higher-resolution display than the iPad mini is still thirty bucks cheaper than Apple’s gizmo.

On the other hand, Apple is good at these things and it’s outrages to assume the company somehow got the price wrong. Analysts are convinced the $329 iPad mini is an absolute homerun. Certainly the device does appear to protect Apple’s price umbrella by making the iPad more enticing to budget shoppers while forcing rivals to scrape the bottom of the barrel. Taking it all in, would you buy an iPad mini at Apple’s current price points? Read More

 

Poll: is the iPad mini everything you hoped for?

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 23, 2012

So, the iPad mini is finally here. After all is said and done, the decision to buy one comes down to parting with at least $329 (or as much as $659 for a top-of-the-line model with 64 gigabytes of storage and 4G LTE cellular). You’ve probably read all there is about it, both here at iDB and on Apple’s web site. Today, we won’t ask you to reveal your purchasing decision. Instead, based on Apple’s presentation and web reporting, is the iPad mini everything you hoped for? Cast your vote right below… Read More

 

Poll: is your Apple gadget black or white?

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 19, 2012

I stumbled upon an interesting study the other day which got me thinking. Long story short, it claims nearly three out of four buyers prefer black Apple gadgets over white ones. It must be because Apple has branded the iPhone as a black device from the onset, I reckoned. The real-world supports survey findings: I bet you tend to meet far more people with black iPhones, iPads and iPods than white.

While the Italians and French seem to prefer their mobile devices in the more elegant white, the rest of the world predominantly opts for the more sinister (and just as stylish) black look. I myself am a white iPhone man. We’re eager to learn what color our readers prefer for their iOS devices, so here’s a quick poll as we head into the weekend… Read More

 

Poll: where should the iPad mini start at?

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 16, 2012

With Apple and Microsoft both teasing their upcoming tablet launches earlier this morning and Microsoft finally announcing price points for its iPad contender, we are beginning to wonder just how competitive price-wise the iPad mini is going to be against other products, seven-inchers in particular.

Apple has economies of scale playing to its favor which it readily exploited to deliver the original iPad, billing it as a “magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price” at then unheard-of $499. A lot has changed since 2010.

Nowadays, for half the price one can get a perfectly capable seven-inch Nexus 7 tablet from Google with sixteen gigabytes of storage ($199 for the eight gig version). It doesn’t run your App Store apps, lacks the iPad’s build quality and skimps on certain hardware features, but otherwise is a pretty decent tablet. And with Android Jelly Bean running on Nvidia’s quad-core Tegra 3 processor, Google’s tablet certainly is no slouch.

There’s also the new Kindle Fire tablet from Amazon (it sells at cost). With those inexpensive devices rapidly picking up steam and catching up on the iPad, no wonder Apple had to respond. Now, the third-generation 9.7-inch iPad begins at $499 and goes all the way up to $839 for the flagship 64GB model with 4G LTE networking.

The company also kept the previous-generation iPad 2 with 16 gigabytes of storage and WiFi-only networking at a reduced price of $399, a hundred bucks cheaper than before. Which brings us to today’s poll: where should a small-factor iPad start at? Read More

 

Poll: should Apple fear Google’s upcoming flagship 10-inch Nexus tablet?

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 9, 2012

As we told you earlier today, Google is thought to have teamed up with Samsung on a new flagship tablet. The device is believed to feature a ten-inch display with a greater resolution and pixel density than the iPad 3′s Retina display.

The search company reportedly feels so confident about the upcoming tablet that it’s gonna adorn it with the Nexus branding. With Amazon having recently unveiled an 8.9-inch high-end tablet and now Google eyeing the same market segment, rivals are taking the fight for tablet supremacy to Apple’s own turf, where the iPad dominates. Should Cupertino be concerned? Read More

 

Poll: would you buy a non-Retina iPad mini?

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 8, 2012

With the successful iPhone 5 launch now behind us, the rumor-mill has turned its attention to another looming Apple product: a smaller, lighter, sexier and more affordable mini iPad. The obligatory people with knowledge of the situation are dutifully churning out speculative reports on a daily basis (iDB typically brings you a smaller selection of stories we think are worth your attention).

As various plugged-in sources have increasingly been leaking alleged parts left and right, we’ve come to the point where one could pretty accurately predict the form factor (a 7.85-inch display), the design (think slick) and how much it’s gonna cost ($249-$299).

That being said, the biggest unknown of a mass market iPad remains a screen resolution and to many early adopters this is the sole determining factor in the purchase decision process… Read More

 
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