Yesterday, Apple announced that it was going to be releasing an updated version of the iPhone in the United States within the coming weeks, but the update comes in the form of an iPhone 4S and not an iPhone 5. For many, it appears that the naming convention alone is a severe disappointment, yet I think people need to just sit back and relax. Look, the type of updates to the phone should be good for many users, but they really do not warrant the need to call it the iPhone 5. Strategically, and for the long-term, I think this is a good move by Apple. Think about this! Sure, Apple could have called this version of the iPhone the iPhone 5, but then public demand and expectation for the “iPhone 6” in late 2012 would begin to build. So, do the math; by 2016, would you want to have a device called the iPhone 10? Plus, as in the past, incremental feature improvements to the iPhone warrant a letter addition. In this case, Apple did not want to call its new version the iPhone 4G since many would assume that it would have 4G capabilities, something that this phone will not have.

iPhone 4S

I have other thoughts about the iPhone and Apple. First, I feel that they are waiting for 4G infrastructure, coverage, quality, and standards to improve and work themselves out before it throws such a feature on its now-multi-carrier phone. Second, many are thinking that an iPhone 5 would bring a redesign of some sort. Certainly, that has been heavily rumored by “experts,” but I am unsure if anybody outside of Apple really knows the overall game plan. I am confident that Apple does not want to rush features to its platform, and I think that is a great way to look at things. Third, Apple knows that its iOS is beginning to have a strong competitor in the form of the Android platform. I must admit that some of the newer Android phones are really quite impressive. Personally, I have the Sprint version of the Samsung Galaxy SI phone (Samsung Epic 4G) and a Nexus S 4G, but I am eying the new Samsung Galaxy SII phone (Samsung Epic Touch 4G). Speaking of Sprint, that brings me to my fourth point; Sprint will now have the iPhone. This should help Apple contend with Android devices more than ever since it will open the door to add even more iOS users who were limited to non-iOS phones over on the Sprint network. More customer exposure should add to the opportunities. Lastly, Apple is surely working on the next iPhone , so the feature wishlists can start being created because Android devices will only get better! Currently, many devices (like the Galaxy SII) are being compared to the iPhone 4S, and the spec sheets look quite similar. Also, Apple is awaiting Google’s next move; apparently, the next version of the Android operating system code-named Ice Cream Sandwich is rumored to be announced at the upcoming Samsung/Google October 11th event.

So, cut Apple some slack; just because it didn’t rush a redesigned iPhone out to the public before it might have been ready or because they elected to go with the 4S naming convention over 5, it does not mean that it is not worth a look or thought. It still appears to be a solid phone, but, like most phones, it is not perfect. In summary, here is what I think are the pros and cons of the iPhone 4S!

Pros:

-          Comes with the new version of iOS (version 5)

-          Dual-core chip (two is better than one)

-          Improved battery (14 hours??)

-          Better reception? (complete antennaGate fix?)

-          Better rear-facing camera (8MP still photos & 1080p HD video)

-          Siri (playing catch-up, voice command/activation is finally here)

-          iPhone will be available on Sprint network (expanding potential customer / iOS userbase)

Cons:

-          No 4G (WIMAX or LTE) connectivity

-          Still no external battery feature (no viable way to swap batteries)

-          Still no external memory feature for expanded memory

-          Still not named iPhone 5 (which many expected to have a larger screen and potential complete redesign)

So, there you have it? The iPhone 4S is coming, but are you going to buy it? Sure, I know many on the Sprint network have been awaiting the iPhone option, but will you be buying an iPhone 4S anytime soon or waiting until next year? For me, I am sticking with my Android platform for now, but I love having more OS and phone options; with more options comes more competition… which leads to better quality phones (hardware and software) and user experiences!

The consumer electronics world continues to evolve, and tablets are continuing to catch fire as more and more consumers and business end users are buying the next big thing. As a buyer, I have so many options within reach, and those options continue to multiply. I will admit that I am big fan of the tablet computers and have been since the first Tablet PCs were introduced. Now, however, they come in all kinds of forms, and major smartphone and technology players like Apple, Google, RIM, and, as of today, HP / Palm have jumped in the game. Admittedly, I am still a Tablet PC and Microsoft fan, but I have a Samsung Epic 4G (Android) as my primary mobile, a Palm Pre (WebOS) as my secondary mobile device, and an iPod Touch 2nd Generation device as my primary mobile mp3 player, so I have experienced and continue to push all of the platforms out there.

As we all phone, the industry leader seems to be the Apple iPad, but competition continues to build with new Android-based and WebOS tablets being introduced every time we turn around. Of course, Apple will not just set back and allow the rest to catch up; hence, rumors have spread that an updated version of their iPad may be hitting the tech market in the near future! Of course, we were introduced to a few more Tablet PCs during Steve Ballmer’s CES 2011 Keynote Address too, so the future looks really bright. However, I am still torn on trying to determine what the perfect tablet computer is. Personally, I want a device that allows me to use a stylus to write directly onto the screen. I also want it to come with some form of keyboard or at least have the option to (either physically or wireless) plug one in! I want it to be powerful and light with a solid battery life. As tablets evolve and advance, my definition will also evolve, but the Tablet Times are here, and they appear to be here to stay! So, what makes a tablet perfect in your eyes?

I am all about the advancement of technology, and, with a lack of great BlackBerry devices and the iPhone available on the Sprint network in the early summer of 2009, I anxiously awaited and purchased the Palm Pre! It is a great device, but there are some features that simply are not there – some of which come as a surprise. So, I sit back wondering when Palm will make this device complete! Here are just a few of the features that need to be on this device:

1. Unlocked Speed: the device is supposed to be faster, so I am waiting for the turbo boost of sorts.
2. Customizable usage of memory: let me decide what I fill my device up with – don’t limit my installation of applications.
3. Tethering Support: I should not have to rig the device in order to use it with a laptop.
4. Camera Zoom: If the Pre wants to be able to be a true contender, it has to pay attention to the details! It is sad that some older, non-smartphones have this option yet the Pre does not. Go figure!
5. Video Capture: We know that the hardware on the Pre is good enough to do this, so let’s step it up, Palm!
6. Voice Recording: This should be an easy add – just like text forwarding should have been, but we still are sort of waiting!
7. Visual Voicemail: Isn’t this simply expected?
8. Voice Dialing: I want to be able to dial by voice like I used to be able to on my old Sprint STARCOM PPC-6700 – it was great; my old BlackBerry had it but did not work half as well as the 6700. It is time for the Pre to get this rolling!
9. More Sound Settings: I want to have a different tone to tell me I am getting an incoming email than the tone that tells me that I have a new text message! Utopia would be wherein I could have a different tone to alert me of different email accounts! I manage more than one inbox on my Pre… I am sure others do the same!
10. Unlinking Accounts without losing contacts/Switching connection for contacts: If I have a contact that is connected through Google, what if I wanted it synced with Outlook instead?
11. Backup: Where is backup like I used to have for BlackBerry? I could connect my old BlackBerry World Edition and back it up to a computer – then, I could open that backup file using a program like ABC Amber BlackBerry Converter to view my call log, SMS content, and so much more!
12. Enhanced Battery Life: This is self-explanatory!

So, what did I miss? What will Palm fix first? What will they decide to ignore? Again, I enjoy my Pre, but the potential is there for it to be truly great, so I remain hopeful… and somehow patient.