The Tech Thread

[The Unknown Poster]

I figured this would expand into other areas...but Apple announced iPhone 8 and their new flagship iPhone X today:

https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/iphone-x/

Apple’s iPhone X, like the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, comes with a brand new design, ditching bezels and opting for a glass front and back. Apple says there is a deeper strengthening layer in the glass that makes it the “most durable in a smartphone.”

Thanks to this new design, the iPhone X is sealed for water and dust resistance.

It’s made from surgical-grade, stainless steel and comes in two finishes: space grey and silver.

Following the current trend in smartphones, Apple has done away with the bezels on the iPhone X, offering an edge-to-edge 5.8-inch display. In fact, Apple is upgrading quite a bit in that department, offering an OLED display for the very first time, calling it the Super Retina Display. This brings with it all the standard benefits of OLED, including more accurate colors, better image uniformity across the screen, etc.

The iPhone X Super Retina display supports 2046×1125 resolution, with 455 PPI, and HDR in both Dolby Vision and HDR.

The company is reportedly paying around $125 per panel, which is part of the reason for the reports of a more expensive iPhone.

This is also the first iPhone that will not have a home button, with the new screen reaching across the entire front of the device. Users can wake up their device by picking it up or swiping across any part of the screen. To close an app, simply swipe up on the screen and throw it away. Users can also reach Siri by simply saying “Hey Siri” or by pressing the side button.

Given that the home button has historically been central to the iPhone’s security, the replacement comes in the form of a depth-sensing front camera which will unlock the phone by detecting the user’s face. Apple is calling it FaceID.

This means that the iPhone will know what your face looks like from all angles and can unlock the phone while it’s, say, lying on a table. It also means that the feature shouldn’t be susceptible to trickery, such as unlocking for a two-dimensional photo of you instead of the real thing. Apple says the chances that someone can trick FaceID and break into your phone are 1 in a million.

“You’re wearing glasses, or wear a hat, or do it up any way you want to do it…” FaceID still works, day or night, according to Phil Schiller.

FaceID is enabled by a True Depth camera system, equipped with an infrared camera, flood illuminator, dot projector and more all packed into the top of your iPhone.

The feature is used for Apple Pay now, as well as a new feature called Animojis for messaging. Animoji’s use FaceID to lay your facial expressions into emojis, giving them your own unique take. You can pick from a dozen different animated emojis.

As far as cameras are concerned, the iPhone X is about as locked and loaded as one can get. The rear camera features a 12-megapixel sensor, with dual-lenses at f1.8 and f2.8 apertures (which is brighter than the 7 Plus telephoto). It comes with dual-image OIS quad-LED TrueTone flash.

Because of the combination of the new A11 Bionic and the enhanced camera, Apple is introducing a new Portrait Lighting, letting users select their lighting effects. These aren’t filters, but rather a real-time analysis of the light hitting the subject’s face, and these lighting effects can be added before and after the photo is taken.

Video is vastly improved as well. Combined with that A11 processor, video can be captured at 60FPS in low-light mode, with faster frame rate support and 4K capture. Slo-mo videos shot in 1080p will have 240 FPS.

The front-facing camera is powered by that True Depth camera system that supports FaceID. But the big news here is that Portrait mode and Portrait lighting is now available on the front-camera.

The iPhone X, as well as the other new iPhones announced today, comes with wireless charging capabilities, thanks to that new glass back. Wireless charging is supported by Qi, which is considered as the standard in the wireless charging industry.

Plus, battery life is two hours longer than the iPhone 7, with most of the improvement coming by way of software enhancements. But because Apple likes to take things to the next level, the wireless charging on the new iPhones is coming with a new accessory called AirPower. It’s a larger mat that lets users charge their iPhones, Apple Watch and AirPods all at the same time.

The iPhone X is packed with the new A11 Bionic processor: 64-bit design, six cores, two high performance processors that are 25 percent faster than the A10 and 4-high efficiency cores (two more than the A10) that are 70 percent faster. The GPU is 30 percent faster.

Part of the bigger news here is improved photographs. As Panzarino noted in the live blog, “The Apple ISP is one of its secret weapons in photography. If you’ve loved an iPhone picture you’ve ever taken then thank the image processor inside the phone for that result.”

The iPhone X starts at $999 for the 64GB model, with a larger 256GB option.

Pre-orders begin on October 27 and regular sales begin November 3, just in time for the Holidays.

[Noeller]

Death to all apple products....

[nate007]

I really don't get the obsession with spending a bunch of money to have the latest phone with features that are only slightly better than the last version.

I replaced my three year old BlackBerry Z30 a few weeks ago, and battery life was the number one feature I was looking for in a new phone. My new LG X Power 2 lasts 4 to 5 days on a single charge and I love it. Who cares if the camera is a few megapixels lower in resolution than the latest iPhone or Samsung.

[The Unknown Poster]

40 minutes ago, nate007 said:

I really don't get the obsession with spending a bunch of money to have the latest phone with features that are only slightly better than the last version.

I replaced my three year old BlackBerry Z30 a few weeks ago, and battery life was the number one feature I was looking for in a new phone. My new LG X Power 2 lasts 4 to 5 days on a single charge and I love it. Who cares if the camera is a few megapixels lower in resolution than the latest iPhone or Samsung.

Yup.  I like Apple and I like cool tech.  But I dont rush out to be first.  But its a status symbol to many.  I like the idea of the iPhone X.  I upgraded a year ago to the i7 so im under contract for another year.  At that point, I'd look at the X.  I guess im the type of consumer Apple likes too.  I wont rush out and buy it today but when I have to upgrade, I DO want to latest and greatest (or at least one generation removed).

[Logan007]

4 hours ago, Noeller said:

Death to all apple products....

Agreed.  I can't stand apple products and the fact that I have to use an iPhone for work makes me vomit in my mouth.

I never liked apple, but at least when Steve Jobs was around things used to be more innovative.  Now it feels like apple is just getting dumber and dumber with their technology forcing crap onto the people who use it.

 

I wish I could go to Android instead.  bleh...

[blue_gold_84]

Apple sucks.

[The Unknown Poster]

31 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

Apple sucks.

I USED to think this.  I like them now.  iMac, Macbook, iPad, iPhone, iPod.  Have them all. lol

[17to85]

1 hour ago, Logan007 said:

but at least when Steve Jobs was around things used to be more innovative.  Now it feels like apple is just getting dumber and dumber with their technology forcing crap onto the people who use it.

Or, Steve Jobs was just a better snake oil salesman than what they have now cause I don't see any differences in the what Apple is selling now, just that they can't polish up those turds as well as they used to. 

[basslicker]

I have an ongoing boycott of all Apple products and it suits me fine. 

I'm trying to scale back my smartphone use.  Might even downgrade back to my Sony Xperia J, or even better, back my old non-smart phone.  The addiction is not healthy.

[Noeller]

I also have to use iPhones at work and it sucks. Hate apple products so very much. I used to love BB but when they started to tank out I switched to LG and it was a remarkable difference. Have had the G2 and G4 and will be upgrading in the next month so doing my research about what the best possible next option is. 

Edited September 14, 2017 by Noeller

[Logan007]

18 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said:

I USED to think this.  I like them now.  iMac, Macbook, iPad, iPhone, iPod.  Have them all. lol

That's odd, considering their products are getting crappier instead of better.

[blue_gold_84]

1 minute ago, Logan007 said:

That's odd, considering their products are getting crappier instead of better.

Not to mention more expensive for the consumer.

[SPuDS]

I despise all things Apple with the exception of the Ipad.   those tablets are pretty nice.  Phones, Macs, books, pods, etc etc.. can all go to the ole electronic recycling depot in the sky for all I care.. expensive crap that does the same thing a lesser device does and often with more complications lol.

[Brandon]

Apple doesn't suck,   it's just over priced.     If people are willing to shell out that kind of money then why not?? 

[johnzo]

Wireless charging is pretty magical but I have to laugh at a 455 dpi display.  The difference between a 455 dpi and 250 dpi on a 5.5" screen is laughable. 

It's like having headphones with frequency response beyond 20kHz .. that ain't gonna matter to anyone who isn't a dog, and this 455dpi display won't really matter to anyone who isn't a raptor ... or a guy who gets wood for big numbers.

Since this is also a referendum on Apple thread, my vote is: not an apple customer any more; used to love their laptops but they've become steadily more overpriced and under capable as time goes by. Probably get a Dell XPS13 if I had to buy one today.  On the flipside, my mom has an iPad and loves it and can do all kinds of things on it without my coaching. As tech support guy #1 I'm extremely glad to not be supporting Windows over the phone anymore.

Edited September 15, 2017 by johnzo

[johnzo]

(deleted, duplicate)

 

Edited September 15, 2017 by johnzo

[johnzo]

(deleted.  who knew ctrl-enter was a post hotkey?)

 

Edited September 15, 2017 by johnzo

[The Unknown Poster]

16 hours ago, Brandon said:

Apple doesn't suck,   it's just over priced.     If people are willing to shell out that kind of money then why not?? 

I do find them expensive.  Although I think I paid full price only once, for our iMac.  And it was after frustration over years of PC use.  In the time we've had the iMac and ZERO issues, we probably went through 4 PC's in the previous years.

iPhones...well, my current 7 I paid the most for as I bought it last year (I previously had a 5 and it was banged up)  But still you get a bit of a deal by signing a contract.   iPad, I got a deal through work.  Macbook, my parents had an extra and gave it to me.

So for the price I personally paid for most things, I enjoy it.  Although I havent really used the ipad much.  Its just a bigger iphone.

My i7 is in great shape so I wouldnt even be a potential customer for a year.  I think for many people, we dont *want* to spend top dollar.  But if you're looking at needing a new smart phone, why not get the best or close to the best and latest product...

[Brandon]

If you have Apple products it makes sense...  if you have Android and/or Microsoft products...  the transition to Apple products is not smooth and creates a lot of frustration unless you are tech savvy.      I know from experience of people calling me for help over issues that should never ever occur  (I.e plug item into computer drag and drop file) .        

I would assume most tech savvy people would skip Apple products since they would be aware of how much more flexibility, customization, compatibility, reliability of the other guys products have.  

I guess what I'm trying to say is if you're a hipster get Apple,  everyone else look elsewhere  

[Noeller]

A good point was made earlier about how Apple is good for old people. It's user friendly for them... I always tell old (or just dumb, non-tech people) to use Apple because anyone can figure it out.  

[FrostyWinnipeg]

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/09/every-nintendo-switch-appears-to-contain-a-hidden-copy-of-nes-golf/

[FrostyWinnipeg]

https://www.anandtech.com/show/11925/western-digital-stuns-storage-industry-with-mamr-breakthrough-for-nextgen-hdds

[Logan007]

4 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

https://www.anandtech.com/show/11925/western-digital-stuns-storage-industry-with-mamr-breakthrough-for-nextgen-hdds

That's cool for companies.  Or if you're building a NAS or SAN for your house, you could use those drives.

[Mark H.]

On 14/09/2017 at 9:52 AM, SPuDS said:

I despise all things Apple with the exception of the Ipad.   those tablets are pretty nice.  Phones, Macs, books, pods, etc etc.. can all go to the ole electronic recycling depot in the sky for all I care.. expensive crap that does the same thing a lesser device does and often with more complications lol.

Does not compute - the Ipad is just an oversized version of most of those...

[Mark H.]

On 15/09/2017 at 11:19 AM, Noeller said:

A good point was made earlier about how Apple is good for old people. It's user friendly for them... I always tell old (or just dumb, non-tech people) to use Apple because anyone can figure it out.  

If it does what you need it to do - what's the problem?  I had an I-phone 4 for over three years and I'm now in my third year with an I-phone 5. To me it's not about how expensive your product is, the cost lies in how often you upgrade.