A to Z : Tablet Search

The tablet is a very intuitive device that has seen such remarkable progress in such a short lifespan. Its not that it was invented/designed very recently but the amount of development and consumer interest it has been receiving, very recently, is mind boggling.

Who would have said, a few years ago, that these 10 inch behemoths would be a pride of each family in their dinning/living rooms. They have become a niche product, even after owning laptops and multimedia smartphones, people are still buying them. In this article we will discuss what choices will determine with which tablet you end up with (if you ever think of buying one !).

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

The need for a tablet?

The original Apple iPad (the first commercial success) was difficult to understand and many bought a product they knew nothing about. Only then we understood how to use tablets, which happened to be more flexible than desktops and laptops. The main advantage here is the weight and impressive battery time, which beats any laptop hands down. A tablet can be activated immediately with one press of a button without any wait time. Your tablet fits your needs and preferences, which defines the requirements to particular models.

Any tablet can handle e-mails, note taking, calendar and similar activities. Large texts can be entered only via the screen keyboard. Otherwise you have to buy an external keyboard, which can be connected through Bluetooth. It will speed up the text input, but the idea behind tablets is that of mobility, so the keyboard is extra. If you type up a lot you may opt for a small laptop instead. Also a tablet can be easily used for making calls and such(very few have this functionality) which is a tedious process for a laptop.

As far as e-mail, browser, calendar and associated tools are available in all models there is no need to base your choice on them. To my mind the key points here are the following:

• Screen size, which defines if you can put the tablet in a small bag or not
• Gaming options- availability of games and the chance to connect to a TV
• Operation time
• 3G or WiFi
• Body materials, Quality

Screen size

The original iPad boasted a 9.7" screen, which became a benchmark for others to follow. The most dangerous rival of Apple is Samsung, which offers different screen sizes – 7", 7.7", 8.9" and 10.1". Steve Jobs claimed any other screen size apart from 9.7" to be inconvenient, but according to rumours now the company may come up with a 7.8 " model (iPad mini). In Samsung, lineup the best sales are enjoyed by a 10.1" model followed by a 7". Many companies start exclusively with 7" tablets to be different from iPad. I think we can speak about two form factors: 7" and 10" with the smaller model capable of fitting any bag or almost any jacket pocket. You cannot do the same with a 10" device, but it stays extremely mobile and takes no more space than a thin paper folder.

Apple iPad 2

3G or WiFi Only

Before you buy your first tablet it is difficult to imagine how you will actually use it. Will it lie on the table at home/office or you will carry it around at all times. Online connection then comes to the fore. Is WiFi (included for all models) enough or you need 3G too? 3G versions cost more, but only such a purchase makes sense to my mind. WiFi is not present everywhere, but you still want to browse the web and check the mail. Some say they receive mail and surf the web via the phone and a tablet is needed for other purposes. Once you buy a tablet the phone will not be enough, so go for a 3G model.

The only disadvantage is the price, but you pay for the gadget only once. The monthly cost of the unlimited Internet connection does influence your choice. As far as you need another SIM card check out the tariffs. If you are ready to pay get 3G.

Storage size

Traditionally tablets come equipped with the fixed amount of Storage, just like in phones, and you may or may not get a boost with the memory card. Modern tablets have 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB.

How much is your need/do you need?
The answer depends on your style of use (personal opinion). Though 32GB seems to be the sweet spot.

New Apple iPad (3)

  
Some Android tablets allow for memory cards of up to 32 GB, but in real life not many capitalize on this option. If you do not know why do you need it ignore this feature with ease.

Operation Time

Asus Transformer is the best in this respect as it offers 16 hours of runtime. It will work for more if you use the optional keyboard attachment. Active gaming gives you 5 hours, which depends on the graphics, volume and Internet connection type. The second best is new Apple iPad (or 3) which has better backup than its previous iterations. Also noteworthy is the next tablet form Asus, conveniently called, the Transformer Prime which seems to better its predecessor.

Materials (Built)

The tablet is a mobile device so it has to be as light as possible and durable in the same time. Apple and Asus use aluminum chassis and their devices are very durable. Samsung and others like Motorola have good quality plastic back (that does not mean they are low on quality but less in weight)

Gaming

Tablets are turning into gaming consoles and already have more new game releases and better ones too (this one is arbitrary but many new titles are released only for tablets not ported from consoles). More and more games are born nowadays with touchscreen controls and even if you are not a gamer you will surely find dozens of games amusing.
 
Most games are first released for iOS and, then get to Android and lastly to other platforms. You should keep that in mind when you are looking for a new tablet. iOS has got more apps than any other platform but Android is fast catching up.

Android tablets have one big advantage that few people know of: Tegra 2 and Tegra 3 tablets can be paired with our TV so you can play any game one your tablet on a big screen. They can be real gaming consoles and you can even connect PlayStation and XBOX game pads. Young people may find Tegra 2/3 tablets a good and inexpensive substitute for gaming consoles. However, I must add that today there are only about two dozens of games that can fully take advantage of the tablet hardware in this mode but new ones are released all the time.

Other Features: Camera, Stylus etc.

You should not choose your new tablet based on the camera quality: it is a nice extra option but it will hardly impress anyone with quality. Tablet cameras are worse than mobile phone cameras or on a par with them at best.

Creative people might find styluses useful as they can really help you with drawing. Samsung are making Note 10.1, a tablet designed for drawing and HTC Flyer comes with a stylus out of box. If you are a painter or need a stylus for your work then you it might be worth considering a special drawing tablet. In other case you can simply buy a universal stylus that will not be as accurate but do the job just fine.

HTC Flyer

When it comes to accessories you should know that Apple devices have got more of them than any other and they get new accessories earlier than other products. This is a fact worth keeping in mind when you are looking for a new tablet.

Ideology: Apple iOS vs. Google Android

Apple controls most of the tablet market while Android is playing a second fiddle. To choose a tablet also means to choose the OS that will assist you. To a degree it is a choice of ideology because often people extrapolate their views and preferences on devices they use.

I often hear from some people that they will never buy anything Apple because they don’t like the company. I, for example, have a few reasons to detest Apple. Their marketing strategy is poor, price high doesn’t always relate to premium features. I can say that all Android tablets have more features than any Apple tab. I am not going to assess the values of such choices in this article as they don’t have any valid grounds just as the opposite view when people buy only Apple.
 
In my opinion, Android is still trying to catch up with Apple on the tablet market and needs to work on many things. I recommend reading the dedicated reviews to get acquainted with iOS and Android features on tablets.

The Perfect Tablet

If you have read the whole article you might feel disappointed because I did not recommend any specific products but merely voiced my opinion on some of the features. So now it is time to have a look at the contenders.

I have not considered the dual vs. quad core CPUs dilemma because I think this is solely a marketing issue. The dual core processor in new iPad (3) gets fewer points in benchmarks than the quad core Tegra 3 in Asus Transformer Prime but in actual use new iPad (3) feels a lot faster. So you should not trust benchmark figures and the choice of the CPU should not be a criterion if you are looking for a tablet.

Asus Transformer Prime

So if I want a tablet packed in a good quality chassis with 32 or 16GB of storage, a 10” screen and 3G, with the longest on battery time, with a myriad of apps and games available for it than my choice is Asus Transformer Prime.

Regards,

HellRa1SeR

Mobile World Congress 2012

New Year: More Phones!

Mobile World Congress is an annual extravaganza, a fair, for us geeks that brings in hordes of mobile OEMs, companies, manufacturers from around the world. Here we see new tech, phones, and many other wonderful things.

Here, some of the most unique and desirable handsets are launched in front of analysts and buyers for the very first time. This year's show has been an awesome event, and I've seen many devices stretch the limits of current tech. There were a few awesome concepts and stunners. I will talk about the best of them.

HTC One X

The past year, HTC released many smartphones where neither of them was ideal. They had a lot going on in their research labs. Admiting their mistake , they have clarified that this year will be all about quality and not quantity. Thus announced, was their new flagship with awesome specs and design elements. The One X is proof that the company has listened to the critiques, and oh, how times have changed. This incredibly slim handset features an understated yet elegant design, yet it packs a Tegra 3 SoC with a quad-core 1.5GHz CPU, a drool-worthy 4.7-inch 720p Super LCD display, 32GB of internal storage and and f/2.0, 8 megapixel camera that effortlessly captures beautiful images. It features Ice Cream Sandwich with Sense 4.0 customization that’s much less obtrusive and bloaty than previous versions, and the phone looks super slick in performance. Simply said, the HTC One X is a hell of a device on paper and looks good too. So long as battery life is up to the mark, it'll set the pace for this year’s droid lineup.

Nokia PureView 808

The PureView 808 from Nokia won the official Best of Show award here at Mobile World Congress, and while the device has undoubtedly moved the cameraphone to a new level. Put simply, the PureView 808 is a middling (and slightly clumsy) device with an amazing 41-megapixel camera. It features a 1.3GHz CPU, a 4-inch ClearBlack AMOLED display at 640 x 360, and packs quadband GSM and pentaband 3G connectivity -- all in a device that runs Symbian Belle. That said, yeah, we want one.

Nokia has put in all there effort in the research, and the final result has redefined the whole mobile phone photo system. This phone actually doesn’t take a 41 megapixel photos or for that matter 8000 x 5000 or a 130 MB photo; it collects 41 megapixels of data and uses all those details to create a very rich photo of a much smaller size of 3000x 2500 pixels which is roughly 8 megapixels.

So what nokia has developed is that they click a photo @ around 8000×5000 pixels and shrink it down to something significantly smaller @ around 3000 x 2500 pixels. So, now as per nokia’s equation, 41 MP of collective data = 8 MP of great quality of image (which ofcourse would of great quality and only about 5-6 MB in size.) Conclusion on their camera, GREAT.

Huawei Ascend D Quad

Could you have ever dreamed that one of the standout smartphones of Mobile World Congress would be from Huawei? Huawei as a manufacturer is known for cheap mobile phones( the dual and triple sim variety), but it wasn't until they released this beast that I realized just how serious (and capable) the company was. Paling only in comparison to the HTC One lineup, the Huawei Ascend D Quad boasts some of the finest aesthetics that we've seen at the show. It features a 1.5GHz quad-core CPU, a 4.5-inch IPS display with 720p resolution, an 8MP camera, quadband GSM, pentaband WCDMA and, wouldn't you know it, a big bite of Ice Cream Sandwich.

LG Optimus 4X HD

The sequel to the Optimus 2X is here, and it asks to be called the Optimus 4X HD. As the name implies, it now packs a Tegra 3 SoC with a quad-core 1.5GHz CPU and a large 4.7-inch IPS display with 720p resolution, along with an 8 megapixel primary camera. While there's no doubt plenty of power with this handset, LG's software is rather slow and. However the device does look sleek and durable and much better than its ancestor. Also its specs look good and sure with right key ingredients, can be a winner.

Xolo X900 (LAVA X900)

What discussion of potential game-changers from Mobile World Congress would be fully complete without Intel and its new lineup of Medfield chips for smartphones? Enter the Xolo X900, a slab that's based on the 1.6GHz Z2560. The device is currently destined for India (via LAVA), Yes we will be the first ones to get it (hurray!!), it offers some worthwhile insights to what we might expect from handsets that'll land closer to home. The performance is noteworthy and looks responsive on the stock Gingerbread phone, but  the battery life looks dodgy with a meagre 1450mAh battery. The Xolo X900 itself features a 4-inch, 1024 x 600 LCD screen, an 8 megapixel camera and is said to ship in Q2.

As can be seen, the upcoming mobiles have entered the multi core era with the launch of the Quad core SoC from Nvidia(Tegra) and Samsung(Exynos). The future of computing now in our hands.

In my opinion this years winner is Nokia 808 Pureview for such an awesome concept and tech that has been put into it. Nokia deserves laurels and applause. Take a bow. 

Adios

HellRa1SeR

PS- I have been getting some requests from few readers, so I'll be covering their requests pretty soon. Stay tuned.( If you wnat something to be posted do comment below.)

Android

The 'NEXT' level

Android - one word is enough to convey so much without speaking anything else.
For the non geeks/enthusiasts this may seem to be just another word or maybe something synonomous with a robot or something. Well it is quite that, partly.


Android was originaly just an idea that was concieved by Andy Rubin (Designer of Android), primarily for just being a mobile system that remembers and stores user preferences. The huge change to the system was brought about by Google (after EL Goog purchased Android Inc.).This change has been regular with such immaculate precision and full of new ideas and concepts that brings about a tide of changes with each iteration. At this rate it may very well end up being a Robot.!

Those close to me know how passionately I follow Google’s products and innovations in technology. So it was inevitable that I would some day eventually be awed by Android. Then it happened. One of my close friends was courageous enough to take the risk and get an Android phone, and that was it. Now most people around me have at-least one droid with them and that makes me so happy.

Since most of you by now know everything ‘Android’ I will speculate about whats to come and can be expected from Google devs.

The previous versions have been

• ·         Android Alpha(1.0)
• ·         Android Beta
• ·         Android Cupcake(1.5)
• ·         Android Donut(1.6)
• ·         Android Éclair(2.0/2.1)
• ·         Android Frozen Yoghurt(2.2)
• ·         Android Gingerbread(2.3)
• ·         Android Honeycomb(3.0-3.2)
• ·         Android IceCream Sandwich(4.0)

Android transformation is amazing with each of these versions. Each time the devs have come up with so many new features and interfaces and gesture control, multi touch, advanced gaming engine, the huge market, music, cloud, remote access, wireless display, face unlock, zero shutter lag camera and so much more.

Now the next is expected to be called something that is sweet and starts with ‘J’ (following naming tradition mimicked from Linux distros).
 

Enter the ‘JELLY BEAN’! It is expected to come with 5.0 version badging and will be supporting multi-core processors inherently, native support (Tegra3, OMAP A15). It may even feature some revolutionary technology, or maybe some new features or even a larger image sensor support. It’s all speculation.

Android 5.0 Jelly Bean (neither the number nor the nickname is official, remember) may:

• Launch in the second quarter: Nothing is known about the "launch," but, yeah. Google IO is June 27-29. They shifted the IO conference 1 month (earlier it was supposed to be held on 23 may). And it's more than likely we'll get details on the next version of Android there. But "launch"? Maybe.

• Further optimized for tablets: It can be certainly otherwise, but what's the point? Jelly Bean (or whatever it's called) probably will be further optimized for smartphones, too. Maybe even Google TV. Now will the UI undergo some major reconstruction for tablets? That's entirely possible, and it's not a bad idea at all. Since Android has already been made universal for Tabs and smartphones a singular UI is expected.( the change happened eith ICS,Ice Cream Sandwich)

• Integrating Chrome for "dual-operating system designs": Uh, OK. The idea, apparently, is to offer manufacturers the option of having an Android/Windows 8 system, without having to shut down. Hey, why not. BlackBerry's already doing that with its PlayBook tablet. But somehow I don't think adding a full second operating system and ecosystem is going to make choosing a tablet any simpler for consumers.

• Google looking to get back into the netbook/notebook market with Jelly Bean: Sure. Why not? Android netbooks aren't new -- HP Compaq Airlife 100 at Mobile World Congress in 2010. And you have the likes of ASUS' excellent Transformer line of tablet/notebook hybrids. Or maybe Chromebooks?

• Native WebTop: Since Google has already bought out Motorola they may very well incorporate some of their technological knowhow. It’s rumored that JB will natively support a WebTop architecture. For those who don’t know, A WebTop is a simple laptop like device without any motherboard or electrical components except for a battery, display and IO ports.( so by connecting a phone to it, as a dock, you will get a laptop like environment powered by the cell phone.)

A LapDock - By Motorola

And staying with the subject of usability, the keyboard input options should also have something of a makeover come the next edition of the Android OS, in order to iron out any of the current minor frustrations that people encounter, particularly when using the smaller virtual keyboards found on-board many smartphones.

Perhaps one of the other most important tweaks could also come in the shape of better power management features, because many of the current smartphones and tablets are so heavy on battery usage that they’re actually turning some customers off from Android all together.

Of course, one thing that we pretty much know for sure is the fact that the interface will get a good old makeover as well. Although many smartphone and tablet manufacturers already produce their own custom touches that overlay the core Android features, it's more than likely that Android itself will be able to benefit from a revamp that will make it even better to look at than it is now.

So, with all of this tweaking and fine-tuning going on, when will Android fans be able to get their hands on this new and improved interface? Well, if the stories are true then Google is working hard to deliver the update at some point during the next twelve months. However, in the meantime, there is still more than enough to enjoy in the latest version of the OS. One thing is for sure though—each successive version is always an improvement over its predecessor.

So, yeah. Really not a whole lot of things there. A little patience. I've got a good feeling that Google's got something up its sleeves for 2012.


Whats your opinion.? Comment.


Adios,
HellRa1SeR

Windows Phone 7

‘The Underdog’

Windows Phone 7 is the newest iteration from the Redmond Valley (Microsoft, who are trying to increase their market share). They have come up with absolutely new and fresh interface while also changing the framework from the previous versions, a la Windows Mobile 6.5. This new yet inspiring interface does have some very innovative design as well as functional features while incorporating gestures into it. 

I have not used a Windows Phone 7 on a personal mobile device yet have gathered enough experience to comment about it and state my feelings and opinions.

WP7 is relatively very new in the industry but that is its advantage (of being new). Regardless of the numbers, WP7 is one of our favorite mobile platforms, outshining Android and iOS in many aspects. Here are some of them.

Streamlined User Interface

Android’s are different depending on the SKU of the handset (mobile phone manufacturer). In other words, the UI you’ll be dealing with when using, for example, a Motorola device, will be radically different than one from HTC or Samsung. With WP7 this fragmentation is avoided and the interface experience is universal amongst all WP7 mobile devices. We’d imagine that an un-tweaked user interface would also make lives easier for developers, as well. We love some Android user interfaces or iOS interfaces, but loathe others. With WP7, at least you know what user interface to expect, regardless of the handset maker.

WP7 Has An Easier-To-Use Interface

It really does. And look, we get it. An Android is a power user’s phone, and we know that if you’re really looking for power-use, you’ve got to be willing to learn some things. But we’re the geeky minority here, and you’ve got to keep in mind that most people are looking for a phone that makes it easiest to do their day-to-day tasks. Keeping that in mind, WP7’s “tile” system or commonly, Metro-UI, is simply easier to organize and find the things you need to throughout the day. It looks cooler too.!

WP7 Has Apps That Aren’t Crap

Open-source is good, and it’s a compelling reason to support Android as a mobile platform, but there are a lot of shitty apps on the market that even don’t even deserve to be there. You’ve got to sift through some real $#@t in the Android Marketplace to find apps that are worth downloading, much less buying. Also to add to Android’s woes almost anybody can publish an app without any review system that might block under perfoming /under developed apps to be published.

Most people fail to realize that the Windows Mobile SDK has been around for quite some time now, and it shows in the Marketplace, especially on the gaming side of the spectrum. Many of the games we played featured awesome 3D graphics and a level of polish simply not (yet)-to-be-found in the Android hemisphere. Microsoft has a far stricter criteria set than Google about which apps and games can populate their respective marketplace.

Microsoft LIVE Integration Is Bad Ass

If you’re achievement junkies or participate in online games and such, then a WP7 handset is a must-have. If you have a game on Xbox or PC that you love playing, pop over to the Windows app store and  chances are there’s a mobile version of that same game, where you can continue earning points and unlocking achievements with your handset. You can also keep tabs on your buddies’ achievements, and tweak and enhance your Xbox Live avatar. Granted, this integration is still in an infancy stage, but we’d be willing to bet that we’ll be seeing deeper and more intuitive connections between gaming and phones in the near-future. Forward progress is good progress. This kind of system or UI has been mimicked from the Sony PlayStation platform where they promote such multi device gameplay. 

Microsoft Mobile Office Integration

This is where it gets even a better. For a general user Microsoft Office is synonymous with any document related work. A very few of the PC-users opt for other softwares (Open-Office etc.). So WP7 has one of the best, or maybe the best mobile document editor ever. Period. Microsoft Word Mobile Edition is actually a very intuitive little program, allowing you remote access documents using SharePoint Server 2010, you can use the “find” tool to look for particular words or phrases, and you can even email documents directly from the program.

I’ve had the pleasure of testing some Android phones that can dock with workstations to function as a laptop; imagine how crazy it would be if Windows launched a similar product with a full-fledged Office Suite. That’d be one step closer to a true fusion between phones and computers, and we’re all for that.

Microsoft Isn’t Constantly Getting Sued by Apple

Whether targeting HTC a year ago or Motorola last year or even Samsung (which is remarkable seeing how they are a flat out key supplier of Apple’s hardware components!) just a few weeks ago, Apple has been regularly suing the hell out of Android handset makers; mostly in regards to hardware and software patents. So why is Apple seemingly ignoring WP7 in the courts? Well, there could be numerous reasons:
Optimistically, it could be because the software and hardware developments on WP7 are truly original and innovative, meaning Apple can’t accuse Microsoft of lifting their ideas. A more realistic reasoning? Apple doesn’t see WP7 as that big of a threat…yet.

Apart from that Microsoft has patents that make all Android device manufacturers to pay certain sum per each device sold in market. Plus one at that.!

Stability

This is speaking from personal experience with various handsets across both platforms, but to put it simply, WP7 has just been a more stable experience. Apps simply run the way they were meant to with far less of the hiccups and crashes found on the Android platform (Because of very strict regulations and publishing procedures). This runs parallel with the overall theme behind WP7 mobile devices: Simplicity. Granted, WP7 had to forgo some of the more complex actions Androids are capable of (i.e. lack of tethering support, lack of ability to capture screenshots, no multi-tasking but not every user uses such features).

Zune is a Native Client, and it’s Not Pay-Per-Song

Zune as a service—you pay a monthly fee and can download as many songs as you want, as opposed to being pigeonholed into paying per song, like with Apple and Android. Also, the fact that Zune is a native client that comes fresh out-the-box with WP7—setting up music services on an Android involves downloading various apps (like Google Music, which then has to sync to your Google Wallet, which then has to sync to your Google Music Server … well, you get the point) that is just sort of a hassle, and glitchy to boot. Again, simplicity reigns supreme.

Snappier Keyboard

Windows Phone 7 has a snappier, and more importantly, a more consistent stock keyboard that is snappy and accurate, regardless of the device.( Though on Android you could download better paid apps for keyboard from the market but I am talking about Stock. It matters.)

No Ad-Ware!

That’s right, you will never find a pop up ad, whether you’re in the Windows Marketplace, or playing a game. There is nothing more irritating when using an Android that having to manually close pop-up ads, many of which appear mid game and also cannot be closed. There are, indeed, advantages to more stringent app restrictions, and WP7 seems to have found a perfect balance.

Conclusion

Though WP7 is new, has relatively less features, less apps on the market but its stable, simple and intuitive. Its greatest strengths are Simplicity and Integration of all services into one place. Those features work very well for a mobile platform. Theres lot to go and WP7 will see its Mango Tango and Apollo versions which have a lot in offer.

What do you think.? Voice your opinions and comment.

Adios.

HellRa1SeR

Apple iPhone 5

 iPhone 4S Vs iPhone 5 – What changes can you expect?

The next iteration of the Apple iPhone (5) is expected to have a lot of new features (read NFC, LTE). We will discuss some of the changes , new features that may be brought about in the new version of the fruit phone.

Design and build quality

One of the most alluring factors of the iPhone is its simple and yet classy design which feels like a premium phone in your hands. Many looking forward to the iPhone 5 are expecting to see a different form factor, something radical like a tear drop design. However, recent rumors, by one of Apple’s sub contractors, suggests that the iPhone 5 looks pretty much the same as the iPhone 4S, except for a bigger screen. The bigger screen may not have drastic changes when compared to the iPhone 4S. The iPhone 5 might be a recipient of an edge to edge screen.

When it comes to design and style elements, the iPhone 5 might be different from the iPhone 4S, thanks to a metal back like the one shown in the picture

Screen size 

Millions of Apple fans around the world have unanimously said, in the form of comments, blogs and twitter arguments, that they want to see a bigger screen in the iPhone 5. Though there are a few loyal iPhone purists who want the iPhone 5 to have the same 3.5 inch screen as the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS, the general opinion is that the next generation iPhone should have a bigger screen.

The iPhone is tipped to have a bigger screen, maybe a 3.8" or even 4.0". Though Jobs and co. have always insisted on a 3.5" display as they feel its the perfect form factor for their phone. Any larger and it might not be so aesthetically appealing. Also increasing the screen size may cause a lot of problems like iOS fragmentation and aspect ratio problems(apps). So it may even be possible that Apple retains the same screen size.

iOS

iOS 6 is definitely on the cards for the iPhone 5. About 5 months ago, a hacker revealed a few lines of code in iOS 5.0.1 that showed that Apple was revamping the iOS to allow the iPhone 5 or the next iPhone to take pictures in panoramic mode. In fact, it is rumored that most of the changes scheduled for the iPhone 5 and the iOS 6 have to do with the picture and video taking abilities of the iPhone 5.

iOS 6 is rumored to offer several enhancements for the iPhone 5's camera. If those rumors were to be true, iOS 6 might allow users to apply a plethora of effects that will allow the iPhone to capture great videos and pictures, even in difficult light conditions..

Camera

The iPhone 4S has an 8MP camera with some fantastic optics. It looks like the iPhone 5 might also feature the same 8MP camera, with even more advanced optics. About a month ago, rumors originating from Sony suggested that the iPhone 5 is going to be a recipient of a camera that will come with an advanced RGBW sensor that will allow for brilliant photography in both low and bright light conditions. The rumors also suggested that the iPhone 5 camera would have HDR (High Dynamic Range) video recording capabilities.

RAM

A lot of people do not know that the iPhone 4S only has 512 MB of RAM. In a smartphone or even a featurephone, RAM has a much greater impact on speed and performance than processor speed. In other words, a smartphone with just an average processor and 1GB of RAM can sometimes do better than a phone with a super fast processor but limited amount of RAM.

Though there have been no rumors about it, we would think that Apple would really be making a blunder if they introduce an iPhone 5 with 512 MB of RAM. 1GB seems to be the bare minimum that is now expected. The rival Samsung are rumored to be coming up with 2 gigs of RAM on their flagship, the Galaxy S III. So, an increment in the RAM is mandatory.

Processor

The iPhone 4S featured a brand new A5 processor that had a dual core. There is a major probability that the iPhone 5 will retain the same processor as the 4S. Although the possibility of a quad core processor cannot be neglected. These rumors are a bit iffy as quad core processors are just overkill for a smartphone and an average smartphone user. Fancy, yes. Useful, absolutely not.

 

4G

Will the iPhone 5 finally be Apple’s first 4G phone? With the 4G LTE network roll out awaiting complete installation only by the end of 2013, Apple might save 4G LTE speeds for the seventh generation iPhone, which will probably be called the iPhone 6 or iPhone LTE!

The iPhone 5 might not have 4G LTE speeds, but feature HSPA+ instead (also considered 4G)

What would be really disappointing is if the iPhone 5 remains a 3G phone. That would indirectly boost Android phone sales and hence Apple cannot take this gamble.

Siri

While Siri is great when it works, thousands of people are bitterly disappointed with some of the malfunctions in the iPhone 4S. As of now, Siri is a server based service, which means that the iPhone 4S communicates with Apple servers each time you make a request to Siri. With the iPhone 5, Siri could be a sort of a hybrid service that will run both from the iPhone 5 hard disks as well as the Apple servers, when it needs to. This will reduce the load on Apple servers, which has been the primary reasons for Siri to malfunction in the iPhone 4S.

The iPhone 5 Siri version might also support more languages, location based services in foreign countries, in addition to being much more understanding towards accents. The possibility of a training module for Siri might also be included in the iPhone 5, to allow the iPhone 5 owner to individually train Siri to understand their unique voice and pronunciations.

Conclusion

All these are mere speculations and cannot be confirmed. Though it is expected most of these, if not all, changes to occur.

What do you think? Do you think the changes mentioned above are along the lines of what you expected.

Let us know with your comments.

Adios.

HellRa1SeR