Editorial: iOS 5 Looks Nice, But is Still Lacking

Apple's iOS seems to always be on a lag in terms of software features, and yet at the same time, it's very much ahead of the competition. It took three major software revisions to offer copy and paste, and it wasn't until the fourth version of iOS that we got fast-app-switching. All the while other platforms like BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Android, and webOS has had many of these features since their inception. Apple defends its slowness in coming to market with these features as being hyper-focused on "getting it right", which has served the company (and its customers) very well. 

With iOS 5, Apple is once again playing catch up. Their notification shade is taking a page out of Android's book; their system alerts "roll in" from the top, which reminds us of how webOS alerts appear on the bottom; their improvements to Game Center attempts to achieve parity with the game-focused features of Windows Phone 7; Twitter integration has been possible on certain HTC Android devices for years; Google offers many syncing services similar (but not as elegant as) iCloud; their enhancements to the camera application and photo manipulation have been possible with third party iOS apps for years; iMessage is a copy of RIM's successful BBM service; and PC-Free seems silly and should have been there since day one, since no other mobile device requires your to plug-in to a computer before using it. 

Which isn't to say that iOS 5 doesn't deliver, because it does. It makes a polished and mature mobile operating system even better by increasing functionality and making the experience generally better for all types of users. But Apple shouldn't have stopped where they did. After using the new operating system for a couple of days, I've found that iOS 5 is still lacking in several key areas: 

1. End the endless screens of icons. I'll be the first to admit that I can't think of any better alernative to having icons on the homescreen. Widgets, a la Android, are slow to update and harm battery life in a lot of cases, so app shortcuts make sense. But the presentation of these icons is extremely tired. Screens and screens of icons just isn't elegant. 



2. Add better tabbed browsing to safari on iPhone. The new tabbed browsing for the iPad looks terrific, but it doesn't help those of us using the iPhone or iPod Touch. Browsing through tabs on these devices is annoying...you have to jump into the tab list, swipe until you find the page you want, and tap on it. Worse, your tabs accumulate, and there is no way to quickly close all tabs if your device is getting slow. Also, performance of Safari is quickly lagging behind what can be found on newer devices like theHTC Sensation and Galaxy S 2. 


3. Let us see more info on the lock screen. It's nice that you can now see and action on notifications from your lock screen, but if you could auto-hide the notification stack, you could fit more information, like sports scores, stock quotes, weather, etc. 


4. Different folder styles. Folders are great (although they need to open more quickly), and many people use them...lots of them. But they all look the same. It'd be nice to assign a different color to different types of folders. 

5. App speed-dial. The iPhone used to have a great feature that allowed you to double tap on the home button to bring up your favorites in the dialer. That feature is no more. It'd be nice if the iPhone allowed you to "speed-dial" an app and bring it up quickly through certain key combinations. For example, double, triple, and tap-and-hold of the home button and camera buttons could provide some great versatility for users to get to frequently used apps quickly. 

Where else do you think iOS 5 is lacking?

Nokia is Not For Sale, Says Elop in Q&A

Recent rumors have Microsoft, Samsung, and possibly a few other companies as potential acquirers of Nokia. Buying Nokia would be an expensive proposition, costing a buyer many billions of dollars. Buying Nokia, which still sells more handsets than any other OEM, would also be subject to regulatory scrutiny. CEO of Nokia, Stephen Elop, is currently at the Open Mobile Summit. In one particular Q&A session, he debunks all rumors that Nokia is for sale. As on attendee reports: 

Nokia Q&A at #OpenMobile: @selop says Nokia is not for sale to @BenWood 

However, take this comment with a grain of salt. CEOs tend to be quiet about potential acquisitions as to not affect stock prices and staff and customer moral. 

Apple's iOS 5 To Support Full HD Video Playback, Panorama Shots?

Apple's latest and greatest, the upcoming iOS 5 hitting the iPhone 4 and 3GS this fall, will reportedly support Full HD, 1080p video playback on iOS-powered devices as well as native panorama capability in the Camera app. 

9to5mac reports that Full HD videos are now syncing to the iPad 2 running iOS 5 and will most probably, given the close resolution of the displays, add that feature to the iPhone 4 too. Playback is "very smooth and looks great" say reports and while the iPad has a resolution of 1024 x 768, the iPhone comes really close with its 960 x 640 Retina display. The internals are definitely capable for 1080p playback so we might see this feature enabled on Apple smartphones too. 

On the other hand, a code has been discovered which, if part of the final iOS 5 release to hit devices, will allow for native panoramic picture capturing in the Camera application. Apple showed off some basic image editing coming to iOS 5, like red-eye reduction so maybe stitching together multiple subsequential pictures into a panorama will also be possible. Here's the code for those techy among you: 

/*** Camera ***/

PANO_OPTION = "Take Panorama";
SAVING_PANORAMA = "Saving Panorama";
CANCEL_PANO_BUTTON_TITLE = "Cancel"; 

iOS 5 Demonstation (Video)

In this "covert" video we demonstrate the new features of iOS 5 which Apple states will be coming to the iPhone 4 (GSM/CDMA), iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch, iPad and iPad 2, and of course what everyone is waiting for the iPhone 5/4S. 




Since this is the beta version some features will probably change with the final release due out in late summer or early autumn. Some new apps included are Newsstand, Videos, Music, Reminders, and a few more. The biggest changes are seen in the settings, widgets, notifications, and iCloud integration. Stay tuned for more information and videos of future builds.

Verizon LG Revolution Hardware Tour (Video)

Weighing in at 6.06 ounces, the Verizon LG Revolution is not only hefty, but awkward as well. While the 1Ghz Snapdragon processor has no problems keeping up, there are some notable issues which the review covers. 

For example, the 4.3 inch TFT display (800x480) colors are washed out and the contrast is sub-par. Rotating the device causes the color cast to fluctuate as well. Blacks are more of a dirty gray, especially compared to the AMOLED devices on the market. 

Thus far, the LG Revolution isn't anywhere near the "wow-device" Verizon's PR would like us to believe. If this is the way we'll see mobile technology in the future, then truly a revolution will be needed. 



The LG Revolution is available from Verizon for $250 with a two year contract.