Copy files between Mac and iOS device using AirDrop

Except for my iPhone 5S, I haven't upgraded the operating system of my mobile devices to iOS 8 yet. Maybe not yet until all the earlier hiccups are de-bugged.

But this would be handy once I've decided to upgrade. I'll keep this for my future reference.

AirDrop was introduced in the iOS 8

With Yosemite, Apple has tried to make it easier for you to move files between devices. This is something we've been able to do with File Sharing between Macs and PCs, but now we have the option to move files between Macs and iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches running iOS 8. 

This is how it works.

On your iOS device running iOS 8 or later, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. You'll see an AirDrop entry. Tap on it and you have three options -- Off, Contacts Only, and Everyone.

• Off means, that this device will be invisible to others using AirDrop. 
• If someone who've you added as a contact on your iOS device would like to transfer a file, they can when you select Contacts Only. 
• The Everyone option lets anyone use it. We'll choose Everyone. 

Now let's move to the Mac.

On your Mac, open a Finder window and select AirDrop. Anyone around you using the same Wi-Fi network that has AirDrop enabled for Everyone (or if you're in their contacts) will appear. To copy a file from the Mac to the device, just drag the file on top of their icon. The recipient will be asked if they want to accept or decline the transfer. When they accept, the file is copied to their device.

To go in the other direction -- from iOS device to Mac -- select AirDrop on the Mac and configure the Allow me to be discovered by option. Let's choose Everyone. For this to work we must keep this window open as that tells others that we're open to an AirDrop transfer.

On the iOS device, choose a file that you want to transfer, tap on the Share menu, and you should see the person or device you wish to transfer the file to. Tap on their image and the file will start to transfer. The person receiving the file can choose to save or open the file, decline it, or save it. The received file will appear in the Mac's Downloads folder.

That's it.

For a complete and illustrated guide on how to do this, go to Mac Basics: AirDrop lets you send files from your Mac to nearby Macs and iOS devices

Reference: Computerworld Malaysia 

Official pricing of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in Malaysia

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been in the Malaysia market for some time, made available by grey importers and enterprising retailers. But they are priced at a premium.

Official launching for Malaysia is 6 November 2014, a date that commensurate with the 6th iteration of the smartphone.

The major differences between the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the display size, the battery life and the camera's optical image stabilisation. The rest of the comparison is as follows:




iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus prices in Malaysia

The official retail price is as follows:

iPhone 6 (16GB): RM2,399
iPhone 6 (64GB): RM2,749
iPhone 6 (128GB): RM3,149

iPhone 6 Plus (16GB): RM2,749
iPhone 6 Plus (64GB): RM3,149
iPhone 6 Plus (128GB): RM3,549

Our initial expectation of the pricing was listed here.

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus price in Malaysia

UPDATED. Scroll down.


    

The online grey importers' pricing are not that bad. These were from Lazada and Groupon. 

If you haven't yet figured out how much would a no-contract iPhone 6 pr iPhone 6 Plus cost you, here are the list of prices for US market together with the prices for our closer neighbour, Singapore.

Unlocked phone prices in the US:

iPhone 6 (16GB): $649 - approx. RM2,115
iPhone 6 (64GB): $749 - approx. RM2,440
iPhone 6 (128GB): $849 - approx. RM2,767

iPhone 6 Plus (16GB): $749 - approx. RM2,440
iPhone 6 Plus (64GB): $849 - approx. RM2,767
iPhone 6 Plus (128GB): $949 - approx. RM3,092

Needless to say, these prices put the new iPhones among the most expensive smartphones on the market.


Unlocked phone prices in Singapore (inclusive of GST):

iPhone 6, 4.7-inch display, 16GB: S$988 - approx. RM2,511

iPhone 6, 4.7-inch display, 64GB: S$1,148 - approx. RM2,918

iPhone 6, 4.7-inch display, 128GB: S$1,288 - approx. RM3,274

iPhone 6 Plus, 5.5-inch display, 16GB: S$1,148 - approx. RM2,918
iPhone 6 Plus, 5.5-inch display, 64GB: S$1,288 - approx. RM3,274
iPhone 6 Plus, 5.5-inch display, 128GB: S$1,448 - approx. RM3,681


iPhone 6 prices in Malaysia

Extrapolating the US prices, taking into account previous pricing for Malaysia market,  and making approximation of the Singapore conversion, the following gives you the estimated prices for Malaysia market:

iPhone 6 (16GB): RM2,499
iPhone 6 (64GB): RM2,899
iPhone 6 (128GB): RM3,299

iPhone 6 Plus (16GB): RM2,899
iPhone 6 Plus (64GB): RM3,299
iPhone 6 Plus (128GB): RM3,699

With the iPhone going into the 5-inch display territory, we can expect the Cupertino based phone maker to regain some lost ground here. I was hoping the iPhone 5S came with at least 4.7" display; it never did.

UPDATED:

iPhone 6 (16GB): RM2,399
iPhone 6 (64GB): RM2,749
iPhone 6 (128GB): RM3,149

iPhone 6 Plus (16GB): RM2,749
iPhone 6 Plus (64GB): RM3,149
iPhone 6 Plus (128GB): RM3,549

Read more: http://www.thegreenmechanics.com/2014/11/official-pricing-of-iphone-6-and-iphone.html#ixzz3IFAdi13e

New Apple iPhone 5S price in Malaysia

How much would the new iPhone 5S cost in Malaysia?

In the US, unlocked price for the iPhone 5S was announced ten days after its official launch on September 10, 2013. T-Mobile contract-free prices for the the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB are $649, $749 and $849, respectively.

Some say the new iPhone 5S is awesome from the inside, not from the outside

Closer to home, the iPhone 5S is now available in Singapore at the following retail prices:

16GB : S$988.00
32GB : S$1,148.00
64GB : S$1,288.00

A direct conversion of Singapore prices to Malaysian Ringgit would give us a price range of between RM2,502 and RM3,262 which is quite unbelievable.


iPhone 5S Malaysia prices

It has not been announced yet but from past experience, prices for Malaysia market are most likely to be as follows (at current exchange rate):

16GB : RM2,199.00
32GB : RM2,499.00
64GB : RM2,799.00

I won't confirm this but I'm quite certain of the Malaysia pricing. Stay tuned, this space will be updated when the official pricing is announced. Bear in mind though, that retailers other than Apple Store will start selling the sets at RM200 higher.


Compare specifications of the new iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C and old iPhone 5 here.

New iPhone 5S price in Malaysia

The US unlocked price for the iPhone 5S was announced ten days after its official launch on September 10, 2013. T-Mobile contract-free prices for the the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB are $649, $749 and $849, respectively.

Some say the new iPhone 5S is awesome from the inside, not from the outside

Closer to home, the iPhone 5S is now available in Singapore at the following retail prices:

16GB : S$988.00
32GB : S$1,148.00
64GB : S$1,288.00

A direct conversion of Singapore prices to Malaysian Ringgit would give us a price range of between RM2,502 and RM3,262 which is quite unbelievable.


iPhone 5S Malaysia prices

It has not been announced yet but from past experience, prices for Malaysia market are most likely to be as follows (at current exchange rate):

16GB : RM2,199.00
32GB : RM2,499.00
64GB : RM2,799.00

I won't confirm this but I'm quite certain of the Malaysia pricing. Stay tuned, this space will be updated when the official pricing is announced. Bear in mind though, that retailers other than Apple Store will start selling the sets at RM200 higher.

Apple announced premium iPhone 5S, together with iPhone 5C for the budget conscious

As expected, and rumoured for a long time, Apple unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone 5S (premium) and iPhone 5C (lower-priced). I was looking at replacing my still-working iPhone 4S and was hoping that Apple has something special up its sleeves.

iPhone 5S looks identical to the older sibling, iPhone 5

A bit disappointing to see the just-a-refresh iPhone 5S as it is basically an iPhone 5 with some sprucing up on operating system and tweaking on the processor. Then again, people say the iPhone 5S is a stunning phone from the inside, not from the outside.

Yeah, maybe it is to some extent. The 64-bit CPU architecture and the re-written iOS 7 operating system is a consolation.

iPhone 5C for the budget conscious. But is it really affordable?

Comparing the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C and the retired iPhone 5

If you go into details, the newly announced iPhone 5S is not so much different from its predecessor. How so? Here is how:

Credit to Tobey of The Washington Post

But if you've been one to fancy colourful choices, you are in for a treat. The iPhone 5C comes in 5 different colours - white, yellow, green, blue and pink.




Verdict: I've been anticipating a radical change from Apple by introducing iPhone 6 with slightly bigger screen, like 4.3" or 4.5", not just a refreshed iPhone 5S. I like them to maintain the form factor for now.

The display seems like a deal breaker for me, for now. But we'll see when it land on our shore. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm looking at replacing my 4S, so, it's an eager wait for me.


Price of the iPhone 5S? Expect a similar pricing with the iPhone 5: RM2,299 in Malaysia for the 16GB variant and ramp up as the storage gets bigger.

iPhone 5S (iPhone 6) to be announced on Sept 10, together with cheaper iPhone 5C

Same specs, same performance. Only difference is form factor?

In about eight days from today, we'll get to see the most anticipated release of the latest iteration of the iPhone - the iPhone 5S or, if you like, iPhone 6. They a planning to do that at a special media event on Sept. 10, 2013 although no confirmation from Apple as of today.

Cheaper version with plastic cover?

Most analysts believe the concept of the iPhone 6 is to offer a cheaper iPhone for people in lower income brackets and emerging markets, including China and India, two largely untapped markets for Apple, who can't readily afford the newest high-end iPhone.


Five features of the iphone 5S (iPhone 6) you should expect to see: 

1. Plastic but less scratchy form factor. The iPhone 6 is expected to release with many of the same features of the iPhone 5, but the key difference will be the form factor. The anodized aluminum body of the iPhone 5 will be replaced by a cheaper, but sturdier and more scratch-proof, polycarbonate shell.

2. Same iPhone 5 specs, same iPhone 5 performance. If this one materialise, it will be disappointing but it is believed Apple will release the iPhone 6 with most of the same specs as the iPhone 5, including a 4-inch Retina display at 326 ppi, an A6 chip, a FaceTime HD camera and an 8-megapixel rear side camera.

3. Five candy colors. The major difference between last year's iPhone 5 release and this year's budget iPhone 6, besides the new polycarbonate enclosure, will likely be its availability in five colors.

4. Pre-loaded with iOS 7. Phone hardware tends to get more attention than its software, but the operating system running on the iPhone 6 is just as vital to the iPhone experience as the phone itself.

5. It will be cheaper by a mile. Many people predicted the iPhone 6 would release at a price between $450 and $550 without contract. That would be around RM 1,500 to RM1,900 so, for a phone with similar performance with the iPhone 5, that price would be attractive.

Fancy multiple colour choices? Not me!

TheGreenMechanics: Eagerly waiting for September 10 announcement.

The new iPhone 5S / iPhone 6 will have no home button?

Would it surprise you if Apple ditch the physical home button for the soon-to-be-announced iPhone 5S/6? Rumour suggests it might make a landmark break from traditional iPhone design.


Eagerly waiting for the next iPhone? Rival Samsung have so far launched Galaxy S4, S4 mini, Note 2 and Galaxy Grand since Apple launched its single product, the iPhone 5.


According to a report Taiwanese site Technews.tw, which was brought to wider attention by Cult of Mac, the iPhone 5S will drop a physical home button in favour of an on-screen capacitive presser.

It’s not known whether the change, which flies in the face of reports that the seventh-gen iPhone will differ little from the current model, is to allow Apple to equip the handset with a larger screen.

The site does disclose, however, that the new button will be coated in scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass to make it more resistant to the kind of wear and tear that has caused problems with iPhones’ physical buttons in the past.

Apple purportedly also favours sapphire glass because it is compatible with optic sensors.


Launching

Industry consensus suggests that the iPhone 5S will land in September 2013. The phone is set to be the first in which the iOS software that powers iPhones is helmed by hardware design hero Jonathan Ive.

Ive is expected to usher in a new iOS era marked by a 'flatter' look and feel and less in the way of cutesy skeuomorphic icons, whereby apps resemble real life objects – for example, the current Notes app that takes on the form of a notebook.


iPhone 5S/ iPhone 6 specifications? Source

Display      : 4.0 inches
Resolution : 1136 x 640 pixels
IGZO screen technology
Processor  : iOS 7
Camera     : 12.0 megapixel
Storage     : 128 GB internal memory (optional)
NFC chip
Fingerprint (for unlocking and payments)
Global 4G support
A7 chip
1.2GHz quad-core
2 GB RAM
SGX554MP4 GPU


Impressive! But I'm waiting for a screen size of at least 4.5-inch for the next generation iPhone. This is a deal breaker for me.

Apple is throttling iPhone data speed?

If you are iPhone user, there is reason for you to be concerned about - report says that Apple is collaborating with 3 major carriers in the US to "soft throttle" data speeds for iPhone in their networks.

Although the throttling is not to a point where users experience 'crawling' speed, iPhone users are said to be losing out to Samsung Galaxy users in terms of true potential of the device.

“I’m not saying the throttling is a typical throttle where you see 2G speeds. It's a soft throttle to slow users down a bit.”
- Joseph Brown, a well known iPhone hacker.

I hope this is nothing more than a mere allegation.

If that happen in Malaysia and iPhone's true potential is purposely manipulated to "even it out" with the telcos' capability, I will seriously consider switching to Android.


How about a download speed of 28.6 Mbps such as this one? I'm drooling.


iPhone Data Speed Throttling? Say It Ain’t So, Apple!

Is Apple  throttling your iPhone’s true data speed?

Joseph Brown, who is probably best-known for previously creating several iPhone carrier hacks, posted the details of his discovery on the iTweakiOS site. Via Cult of Mac, Brown states, “Apple and the carriers have implanted coding to purposely slow down or limit the data speeds the device can achieve… iPhones are very complex devices with a very complex OS.

The OS eats much more data, even when in idle mode, than most phones on the market. So by carrier request, Apple limits devices to ‘even out’ the network, even if it means Galaxy users outperform Apple devices by such large scales.”

Brown notes that the throttling code is found in both iPhones and iPads on AT&T’s network. Verizon throttles data speeds for Apple’s mobile devices on its 4G LTE network. Verizon and Sprint both slow down data speeds on their 3G networks, although their data throttling can be circumvented with a hack.

However, Sprint does not appear to throttle data speeds on its high-speed network. T-Mobile might be the best option for Apple device users, since it appears to do the least throttling of any carrier.

Brown posted screenshots of iOS code from an AT&T iPhone 5 that demonstrates how the network speed settings are switched from 21.1 Mbps to14.4 Mbps, despite the fact that AT&T’s network and the iPhone 5 support speeds as high as 21.1 Mbps.

Via his Twitter account, Brown points out, “I’m not saying the throttling is a typical throttle where you see 2G speeds. It's a soft throttle to slow users down a bit.”



Further reading at: WSCS and iphonefaq. There are interesting debates there on the allegation.

They did it! Brazilian phones sold using 'iPhone' name

Moral of the story: It is troublesome, but if you take the trouble, you can defeat a giant.

Yes, that's true. After winning the legal right to use the name (obviously iPhone), a Brazilian company, Gradiente SA begun selling its own Android 'iPhone'. The bad news is that it runs on a relatively old version 2.3 Android. It sells for $300 (RM900) which is not too bad for a 3.7-inch phone powered by dual-chip processor, equipped  with Bluetooth, 3G, WiFi and camera.

Appearance similar to that of Apple's iPhone?

Brazil company sells cell phones with iPhone brand
via Yahoo-Finance news
Sao Paulo -- It's not your Apple's iPhone.

A Brazilian company has begun selling smartphones with the iPhone brand after winning the legal right to use the name in Latin America's biggest country. Adding insult to Apple Inc.'s injury, the phone runs on the archrival Android operating system.

Gradiente SA says in a statement that in 2008 the government gave it the right to use the brand on its cellphones.

Brazilian trademark office spokeswoman Maratan Marques says Gradiente requested permission to use the brand before Apple did and can use it through 2018.

Brazil Apple spokeswoman Maria Parra Rodriguez says the company has no immediate comment.

Gradiente says on its website it started selling its Android 2.3 phone on Tuesday for 600 reals ($300). - AP


Source

New iPhone 5 is here. Should you upgrade from 4S?

The latest iPhone, the iPhone 5 was introduced yesterday that saw the still 'new' 4S being relegated to the mid-tier of iPhone devices. Announced on September 12, it will be up for pre-orders (in the USA and selected countries) on the 14th. Shipment starts on September 21st.

It will be available first in 9 countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, then in other country world wide.

First impression: It looks exactly like the 4S and 4

The slab is made entirely of aluminum and glass. At 7.6mm, many online commentary - including some well known websites - wrongly quoted the new iPhone as the "world's thinnest smartphone". Instead, that should read "thinnest iPhone ever".

Vital stats of the iPhone 5:

Display       : 4-inch
Resolution  : 1136 x 640 pixel
Thickness   : 7.6 mm
Weight       : 112 g
Camera      : 8MP, front-facing: 1.2MP

Prices of the iphone 5 are similar to the iPhone 4S when it was first launched. In the US, the iPhone 4S now available in single variant (16GB) only, sold at $99 while the iPhone 5 will be offered in 16, 32, and 64GB iterations for $199, $299, and $399 respectively. The retail price without string to telcos starts at $649 (USA).


Closer home: Singapore, one of the earliest wave

In Singapore, the iPhone 5 will be available without contract (unlocked) for a recommended retail price of:-

16GB model: S$948    (US$772)    - approx. RM2,399
32GB model: S$1,088 (US$886)    - approx. RM2,799
64GB model: S$1,238 (US$1,008) - approx. RM3,099

Second look: iPhone 5 does look tall, probably disproportionate.
A little bit of effort needed to get use to it.

The narrow but tall design reminds me of the long gone Nokia 9500, a premium Nokia product during its days. Of course iPhone 5 looks much better, but I can't help thinking about Apple's innovation in terms of look, or the lack of it.



They shrunk the 30-pin connector into a digital type called Thunderbolt (Lightning). This new connector made the old one completely obsolete! There goes my docking station, my charger and data cable. They are completely useless without adaptor (additional un-necessary purchase).



My previous iPhones have all been of black finishes. I must admit though that this White & Silver variant of the iPhone 5 is appealing.


Dimensions comparison with its rival's flagship, the S3:

Height x Width x Thick
Galaxy S3  : 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm
iPhone 5    : 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm



The new iPhone 5 compared to the latest offering from Samsung (Galaxy S3): There are a lot of websites offering information on technical & specifications of the two, but you have to feel the slab in your hand to appreciate the uniqueness of both.

Don't discount the iPhone 5 just yet until you touch and feel it. For me, I will stick to my 4S for the time being. With the gradual rather than radical changes in specifications of the latest device, I don't feel that the need to upgrade is sufficiently justified.

The new iPhone (iPhone 5) is almost here

That's September 12.

And the Cupertino electronic giant is suggesting it will finally be a "5". Many expected the 4S to be a much redefined iteration when it was announced late last year, only to be (disappointed, are you?) with the same '4' with dual-core processor, a Siri and a better camera (8MP) as additional features to the squarish slab.

Today is September 11, so, That's tomorrow!

☺ UPDATES, UPDATES: ☺ 
1) Now that the iPhone 5 is here. Should you upgrade from iPhone 4S?
2) iPhone 5 prices in Malaysia?


No doubt the new iPhone 5 would catapult Apple sales but for now let's see some statistics for crunch. In the tablet market the iPad is still the king. But in the smartphone business, Samsung mobile phones remained the most popular in the US with 25.6% of the market (as at the end of July):

Samsung    - 25.6%
LG             - 18.4%
Apple         - 16.3%

Smartphones powered by Google's Android software continued to dominate the US market and elsewhere in the world. This is a case of 'open-source' Android versus propriety iOS system:

Android     - 52.2% (US market)
iOS           - 33.4%
Others      - 14.4% (Windows, Syambian, etc)

The iPhone progression: Nothing much has changed.

In order to achieve the much-talked 4" display, the iPhone 5 is said to become longer but no change in the width. How ugly could that be? But wait. The iPhone is always full of surprises. Let's see tomorrow if it is a pleasant one.

For now I am a happy user of the 4S.

New iPhone (iPhone 5) to debut on September 12, 2012

If you have been waiting for the next iteration of the iPhone, mark your calender on September 12 and tune in to the online news.

Image grab from Bloomberg Businessweek headlines video on July 31. Businessweek believes it has some details of the next iPhone.


According to iMore, Apple is planning to debut the new iPhone (iPhone 5 or whatever they decide to call it later) on September 12, 2012, and to be followed by its release on September 21. This would mean that the current iPhone 4S would have been in the market for less than a year by the time the next generation is announced.

My source for mostly accurate information of Apple products, The Loop gave its 'yep' to the piece of news. This information comes from sources who have proven accurate in the past. The website owner, Jim Dalrymple was at the event in California when the iPhone 4S was announced last year.

Details, according to Bloomberg Businessweek include:

• Larger screen                                (current iPhone 4S screen is 3.5")
• Thinner body                                 ( iPhone 4S is 9.3mm)
• Works with the faster 4G network    (iPhone 4S is on 3G)
• First new major design since 2010

Really, this is nothing like the details that people want to hear but at least it is something that is sure to be included in the new gadget.

We have been hearing that the new iPhone is likely to spot a 4-inch display, with a 16:9 screen version, and that newer iOS devices will have smaller dock connector. Rumour has been circulating around for a while now that that SIM card would shrink further from the current 'micro' size.

It seems that Apple is planning to squeeze quite a lot of things into the new gadget. But for the iDevice fans, they'd surely hope this iteration is not just to keep up with Samsung S3, but to set the bar higher.

iPhone 4S is just about 11 months in the market and I am one of the earlier buyers of this version, so, I'm not really looking at upgrading to iPhone 5 just yet. But we'll see; hopefully Tim Cook and his team come up with some surprises up their sleeves.

iPhone 5 Announcement, finally!

.

October 4, 2011 @10.00am California

It'll actually be less than a week now for the official announcement of the new iPhone, shall I say, iPhone 5.

I was browsing through The iPhone 5 News Blog for my daily dose of news about iPhone today and was pleasantly surprised - or, should we be surprised anymore after the long wait - to read the headlines.

So, it's official. The Loop's Jim Dalrymple reported that he has been invited for the announcement as follows: "Let's Talk iPhone" October 4 at Apple’s Cupertino, Calif. campus. The event begin at 10:00 am PT.

Screen shot of The Loop's posting using my handset

Jim said he will be at the event, and will bring a live update of the announcements as they happen.

So let tune in to The Loop this Tuesday and get to hear it first hand; well almost.

The Galaxy vs iPhone

By Galaxy, I was talking about Galaxy S and Galaxy Ace.

From a couple of weeks of using the newly released Galaxy Ace, I may be able to offer a personal opinion based on my own experience.

Short conclusion: Galaxy Ace is a toned-down, sluggish version of the power packed Galaxy S, and it's a bit sluggish for a much praised android clan.

First up. Why choose Galaxy? That's simply due to the size, feel and functionality of the two galaxies in comparison to the iPhone (3GS). In fact, if you are to look at the galaxy from front - and perhaps from its side - there's little to differentiate the two makes. At least that's my first impression when window shopping the other day. Of course there are other touchscreen galaxy variants such as Fit and Mini but appearance-wise, the S and Ace fits my bills.

If you look at the hands-on demo of the Galaxy Ace in my previous posting, you'd be forgiven to believe that this mini version of the power packed S is just as sleek and fast. Predictably it's a slight disappointment as I was hoping the android phone would not be to far behind the dated 3GS, although the money I spend on the Ace is substantially less. Newer gadgets should cost less at better specs and features, isn't it?

In fairness to Samsung, the 3GS should be pitted with Galaxy S considering price and features. Well I did not as I was prepared to lower the satisfaction bar for the Ace to begin with. But not too low as I later found out.

So I read a little bit about what others say about the Ace and the 3GS. I beg to differ with their preference for the Ace. My opinion is that there's nothing that beats the feel of the iPhone. Solid, assuring and feel luxury befitting its cost.

Both offer on screen QWERTY keypad that looks similar in arrangement and button size. With the iPhone, I can tap and type with accuracy. It's amazing how Apple fit in large thumbs and fingers to tap accurately on the small keys. With the Ace and S, texting with one hand is a pain, my goodness.

The Ace's 800MHz processor is not any faster than the 600MHz installed in 3GS. On paper you might think it should but try browsing the Internet and you'll find there's no match. The 3GS is fast! In real life even the 1GHz Galaxy S struggle to match the surfing experience with the iPhone 3GS.

Bluetooth connectivity with iPhone is a little bit tricky as it has pairing issue with other devices but with WiFi being easily available everywhere nowadays it is not a big problem for me.

Other than the occasional fiddlings at Maxis centres, I have not get the chance to use the iPhone 4 for longer period but I don't intend to upgrade my 3GS just yet. The iPhone 5 is rumoured to be announced in the summer and I would seriously consider upgrading if it comes out that soon.

As for Galaxy Ace, it's good enough if you are on the budget but want something elegant, trendy and something that fits sociable young professionals. It is retailed at RM999.00 but soon you'll be able to get a street price of RM950.00 to RM980.00, now that's not too bad.

A good summary about the differences between the Galaxy Ace and Galaxy S can be found here. For the record, the S is priced much higher than the Ace (more than double). I am using the Ace as a second handset.

Why I hate The iPhone

.





** Snapshot of Windows Explorer view of the iPhone **

Note the inability to explore Folders and it is not possible to drag-and-drop files. All you see is a single folder containing images taken with the 3MP of camera.






















iPhone has been the 'in thing' for much of 2009 and it must've been such a great pride to own one. It has been the pace setter on many fronts and it still is today albeit few 'iPhone killers' appearing one after another.


Why I hate the iPhone? Well, not literlly but that was out of some frustration after using it for sometime. It was rather meant to be 'my wishlist for iPhone' functionality.


Here is why:

1) First and foremost is the iPhone's Storage Connectivity. I can't connect my iPhone to my Laptop/PC and drag-and-drop files onto. Unlike my wife's Samsung Omnia which operates on Windows Mobile.
.2) Data handling. I hope I can save text messages on my iPhone. Should be able to archive an entire thread. I dont want just a copy-and-past enabled gadget that's so expensive. MOre than that please....
.
3)Camera is nothing to shout about. The 3MP camera needs more work to improve. It is too slugish and lagging behind in today's competition.
.
I have a dedicated Compact Camera and DSLR, so i'm not too concerned about the phone cam. But what about storage connectivity? This alone left me wishing for something other than an iPhone.
.
So, dear iPhone, on your next upgrade please open up a bit to the outside world and be friendly to others.
.