How Apple Should Freshen Up

The holidays are just around the corner, or here and gone depending on when your reading this, and everyone is going tech crazy. When talking tech there's one name topping everyone's list; Apple. Whether it's an iPhone, iPad, or iTouch doesn't matter. Customers want it or other companies are trying to duplicate it. But is it worth spending on last years crop or wait and hope Apple freshens up these red hot items.

The first item that is one everyone's list is Apple's iPad, quite possibly the most sought after tablet on the market but was stale upon it's release. For Apple to release a tablet without a camera of any kind made the iPad an automatic no buy on my list and keeps it there. Not to mention that the pricing on it being absurd. So how does Apple correct this stale upon release item?

For starters add the same duel camera system that the current iPhone has. This will double the camera function of other companies tablet's already out now. Secondly the size is still a bit clunky compared to other tablets. By shrinking it a bit it'll be that much easier to carry around while still being large than the iPhone.

And while we are mentioning the iPhone it would be amiss of me to forget how it's latest version is nothing but a glitz and glamour version of it's previous version. The iPhone 4 wasn't completely stale upon release but it was close when compared to the iPhone 3GS. Updating graphics, redesigning the case and adding a new feature that can't be used all the time is far from groundbreaking. But how should Apple improve upon this so that the iPhone 5 (due in June 2011) is a fresh piece of equipment?

The first thing is update the memory capacity. The latest version of the iTouch (basically iPhone minus phone feature) has a 64GB memory version and even larger. It's time the iPhone's memory went higher than 32GB. Two years ago when it was just apps and music that was good, but now with books and movies being added it's time to jump up drastically in it's memory. Secondly, FaceTime needs to be useable without WiFi. What good is having a feature that only good half the time, that's like having a stereo with only half your speakers working. The last thing that needs a minor tweak is the OS. While we are all happy about being able to multitask on the iPhone we should not have every app automatically tossed into the running in background multitask mode. It's annoying that if you go into an app once every few days that you got to remove it from the multitask bar so it doesn't drain your battery. Can't be that hard to do, just make it a drag and drop option like the folders.

So if you didn't already run out to buy an iPad to be one of the cool kids, don't buy it cause it's stale and the fresh crop (2nd generation) will be here soon. As for the iPhone 4, if you have a working iPhone 3GS just wait until June for the iPhone 5. If your iPhone is an older version the decision is yours. But don't wait too long as June isn't as far as you think and you don't want to buy something stale when the fresh crop isn't too far off.

iPhone 4G Can Be Skipped

Last summer I joined the technologically advanced world of smart phones when I bought the iPhone 3GS.  The total package made financial sense, finally, and I jumped at getting it.  It's a year later and Apple has announced what the iPhone 4G is going to feature and when it's going to drop.  And even though I am very eligible to upgrade, the truth is that it's not worth it and I'll explain my reasoning.

The first thing I will say before going on is none of my reasons for not upgrading are connected to AT&T.  Everyone has been quick the bash AT&T and it's service to iPhone users and make that the backbone complaint.  What people need to realize that if one of the other companies had the exclusive rights to the iPhone as long as AT&T has then that network would be suffering from the same issues that AT&T is working on correcting.  So anyone who uses AT&T as a complaint is someone with just flat out dislike for the company.

As to my reasons to why you might want to skip the iPhone 4G, starting point would be the software update.  The long awaited multi-tasking is coming with iOS4.  Now you can multi-task, make folders to organize your apps instead of searching through pages to find the one you want, and personalize your iPhone with a background image.  But this software is going to be a free download and will work on the iPhone 3GS.  Sure the newer phone has the 4G chip [made by Apple], but I doubt it's that much faster than the 3G.

Second is the introduction of the front facing camera and the video conferencing feature that Apple is calling Face Time.  This feature was leaked a few months ago and upon reading up on it the truth is that it's all hype.  Face Time can only be used over WiFi and to iPhone 4G users.  So if your not near WiFi and/or the person you want to conference with does not have the iPhone 4G, then this feature is useless.  Plus it will be months if not a full year before app developers will be able to figure out how to properly and creatively use the front facing camera.

And there is NO memory increase with the iPhone 4G.  Last year the iPhone jumped from 16-GB to 32-GB, which was the big selling point for me last summer.  As Apple went through their presentation Monday introducing a better still camera, HD video capabilities with iMovies [editing software], and the addition of the iBookstore, we all figured a increase in memory was naturally coming.  But when the announced the memory size it was still just a 32-GB maximum.  How can you add HD capabilities with editing software and the availability of downloading books and NOT increase the memory size.  By not expanding to storage size to at least 64-GB is as big a lapse in judgment as leaving multi-tasking absent for so long.

The iPhone 4G has been overhyped and had features like the gyroscope tossed in to distract people from it's minor differences from to iPhone 3GS in hopes that those obsessed with "shiny and new" will run out to buy it and realize afterwards that they jumped the gun.  If your iPhone is first or second generation look into the iPhone 4G if you need to upgrade.  But if your a current iPhone 3GS owner, like myself, wait to see if a 64-GB or bigger version is announced or wait until the 2011 iPhone is released.