iPhone 5 vs. Nexus 4: Spec shoot out

Google and LG have just announced their all-new Android 4.2 flagship phone, the Nexus 4 and it's a doozy. We all know Apple and the iPhone 5 are more about experience and ecosystem than speeds and feeds, but that doesn't mean we're not still curious how exactly those specs stack up. After all, specs are the engine that drive the experience, and while Apple's end-to-end integration lets them get better results with less horsepower, it's still fun to see what Android manufacturers are able to cram into their devices.
We also tossed in a couple other Android flagship devices, including the ubiquitous Samsung Galaxy S3 and stellar HTC One X as well as the also upcoming Windows 8 Phone, the Nokia Lumia 920.

The Nexus 4 doesn't have LTE because, unlike the iPhone 5, it's not a flagship phone, and was never intended to be

 

There's quite a bit of schadenfreude ricochetting through the Apple community (and grumbling in the Android camp) today after Google's latest phone, the Nexus 4, was announced without support for fast LTE 4G networking. That's because the iPhone 5 has support not only for LTE, but for international LTE, all wrapped up in an incredible thin, decently long-lifed package. And Android certainly is no stranger to LTE. If Apple can add it for its flagship phone, and many an Android manufacturer has LTE (like, all of them), why can't Google? It's actually more a matter of "won't," not "can't." Simply put, the Nexus 4 isn't, was never intended to be, and could never be a flagship phone.

Arguably no Nexus phone has been a "flagship" since the first one, the HTC Nexus One. The Nexus One was an Android phone from the future, with features we wouldn't see in the rest of the line, much less other platforms, for months to come. It was aspirational, as compelling in hardware as software. And Google couldn't sell it. Not to customers via its web store, and not to carriers, which already had to deal with an uncontrollable Apple and weren't about to let Google secure that kind of power.

So, instead of a Nexus Two, Google teamed with Samsung to ship the Nexus S. It wasn't an Android phone from the future by any stretch of the imagination, it was a summation of what had gone on with Android the year before. It still satisfied the demands of geeks and developers for an unlocked phone with the latest, greatest version of the Android software, but it did so safely, leaving plenty of room at the top of the hardware food chain for the next generation of carrier and manufacturer phones.

The also-by-Samsung Galaxy Nexus did likewise. It had the very best and most up-to-date version of Android software, but Its camera sucked, a GSM/LTE version never shipped, and it compromised the very nature of Nexus to get on Verizon.

The point of Nexus, at least to me, at least originally, was Android as Google intended, not only free from carrier and manufacturer shenanigans, but showing those ne'er-do-wells a better, brighter path forward. And the carriers and manufacturers killed it for that very reason.

I don't think there's an Android geek on the planet who wouldn't have rather had a fantastic camera in the Galaxy Nexus, along with every other cutting-edge bell and whistle imaginable, even if it drove up the price to something comparable with flagship phones. I don't think there's anyone reading a Mobile Nations site who wouldn't prefer a Nexus 4 with LTE. Conversely, any developer in charge of a test bed with 37 existing Android phones on it probably prays every night the next one is as cheap and dirty as possible, just to keep costs down and their business in business.

If you're walking into an Apple Store, carrier store, or electronics retailer with your eyes set on an iPhone 5, the Nexus 4 isn't meant to be on your radar. The Nexus 4 isn't aimed at the masses and isn't intended to sell in the tens of millions. It isn't allowed to be, not in scope or in strategy, much as Google might wish it. The Nexus 4, in the current incarnation of the Google Play Store, is aimed at geeks and developers as a non-flagship phone that does its best to meet both their diverging needs, while leaving plenty of room at the top for their carrier and manufacturing partners that do intend to compete with the iPhone 5.

If anyone is looking for an alternative to Apple, for an Android flagship phone with LTE and all sorts of other amenities, Samsung, HTC, LG, and their ilk will more than happily sell them, and everyone else one, by the millions, or tens of millions.

That's what the Samsung Galaxy S 3 and HTC One X and other, carrier flagships are for.

It's not, nor was it ever intended to be, what the Nexus 4 is for.

Win a FREE color modified AnoStyle™ iPhone 5 from The Pod Drop!

The Pod Drop, which now includes our very own Ally Kazmucha, have been keeping themselves busy with the iPhone 5 -- namely with their brand new AnoStyle™ service. If you're wondering what that is exactly, look up at the picture above, and then keep reading to find out more, see more pictures, and to find out how you can win a decked out, AnoStyle™ iPhone 5 of your very own!

AnoStyle™ is exclusively available through The Pod Drop, and is a brand new process that's anything but your typical color modification service. It not only adds color to your mobile device but also provides an anodized finish with enhanced durability that actually meets military grade requirements. In the case of the iPhone 5, it will greatly minimize the scratching and scuffing issues in addition to providing fantastic new color options.

Since Anostyle™ is a modification to your original iPhone 5 parts, failure rates often associated with third party color kits do not apply. And since the repair experts over at The Pod Drop will be the ones handling the process, you can rest assured your device is in good hands.

AnoStyle™ will be available for everyone well before the holidays, and you'll have the option to either mail in your iPhone 5 or drop it off in person at any Pod Drop location. Turn around time will be about 1 week. (And yes, The Pod Drop has plans to rapidly expand the color palette and extend the AnoStyle™ service to other mobile devices as well!)

The giveaway

The Pod Drop wants to give one lucky iMore reader the chance to be among the very first with an AnoStyle™ iPhone, so they're giving you a chance to win a FREE 16GB colored iPhone 5! To enter, just leave a comment telling them if you're with AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon, and what AnoStyle™ color iPhone 5 you want: red, orange, yellow, blue, green, purple, and gold with turquoise, pink, and copper options coming soon. That's it, you'll be entered! We'll announce the winner on November 1st.

As for the rules: One comment per person. If we find you trying to cheat and enter multiple times, you will be disqualified. The contest is open to U.S. residents of the continental United States only. And the prize is just the iPhone, as is, any additions or accessories are the responsibility of the winners. As always, our regular contest rules apply.

Upset it's U.S. only? Enter our international iPod touch and iPad nano giveaway! Lots more to win!

Now, while we really do appreciate you reading through to the end, GO ENTER! Good luck!

Want an iPhone 5 exploded across your t-shirt?

If you've been waiting for the iPhone 5 to hit the exploded t-shirt series, your wait is over. Tee Trilogy has now brought their trademark style to Apple's newest device, and the Exploded iPhone 5 t-shirt is available in both asphalt (dark gray) and silver (light gray) for your geeky pleasure.

Shirts are 100 percent cotton American Apparel style 2001 with a soft-hand screenprint.

SHIRTS WILL SHIP on MONDAY OCTOBER 29

Note the shipping date above and if the iPhone 5, or any of the their other exploded shirts appeal to you, get your orders in accordingly.

Everything Everywhere finally reveals its LTE pricing, offers just 8GB maximum data allowance

UK network Everything Everywhere has finally revealed its pricing structure for its LTE data service which starts on October 30th. Everything Everywhere has a UK exclusive on LTE for the foreseeable future and to be fair that is reflected in the costs of the plans. EE will launch with three plans to choose from and each will include unlimited telephone calls and text messages, the only difference will be the amount of data allowed in each package.

EE has a total of five different data allowance packages starting from 500MB right up to 8GB. With prices starting at £36 per month right up to £56 per month for the 8GB allowance. They are all subject to a 24 month agreement. 500MB £36, 1GB £41, 3GB £46, 5GB £48, 8GB £56. Each plan includes the use of VoIP and tethering at no extra cost.

According to Pocket-lint, EE will also offer subsidized iPhone 5 pricing when it launches next week; so you could pick up a 16GB model on the cheapest tariff for £179.99. If you decide to go for the 64GB model that figure would rise to a whopping £379.99. There are of course many different offers in between depending on which handset and plan that you choose; all of the details have not been revealed as of yet. If you are in the UK, what do you think of the LTE pricing from Everything Everywhere? Personally I will be sticking with my “All You Can Eat” data from Three UK as it offers true unlimited data at much better prices than Everything Everywhere are offering; I can live without the high speeds for now.

Source: Press Release, Pocket-lint

EE TO LAUNCH SUPERFAST SPEEDS, EXCITING NEW SERVICES, SIMPLE PRICING & EXPERT SUPPORT FOR CONSUMERS & BUSINESSES ON 30th OCTOBER

· Superfast speeds: EE delivers superfast speeds, five times faster than 3G, and typically ten times faster in homes and offices with fibre broadband

· Exciting new services: EE Film provides customers a one-stop shop for film, combining 2-for-1 cinema ticketing, listings, trailers and film downloads or streaming into one place. EE Film also offers ‘pause & play’ functionality between mobile and PC with the largest catalogue of new releases compared to similar providers. The new Clone Phone insurance service replaces your device and digital content in under 24 hours

· Simple pricing for the digital age: Unlimited calls and texts as standard on your mobile; customers simply select their data allowance, starting from just £36 per month for consumers and £35 (excl VAT) for businesses, with built-in cost control tools

· Expert Support: Fast track service for all customers, plus access to approximately 10,000 experts on the high street, on the phone and online

23rd October 2012. London. EE, the UK’s most advanced digital communications company, today unveiled the pricing and plans for its new superfast Fibre Broadband and 4G services, designed for 21st century consumers and businesses alike.

The UK’s first 4G mobile service will launch on Tuesday October 30th, offering consumers and businesses a new way to access the people, places and things they want on the move, with speeds typically five times faster than 3G.[1]

EE will also launch its new fixed-line fibre service for the home and offices, with speeds typically ten times faster than today’s standard broadband plans.[2]

The delivery of increased speeds and connectivity has inspired the development of EE’s first next-generation digital services, such as EE Film and EE’s new device and digital content replacement services.

Olaf Swantee, CEO of EE, said: “We’re proud to be leading the way and pioneering the roll out of 4G in the UK. With our new brand and unique 4G and fibre services, we will deliver consumers and businesses across the country next-generation services and a superior level of support.

“Our new plans have been developed to offer our customers everything they have been asking for – superfast performance, choice and value – as well as a fresh approach to pricing and customer service that offers accessibility, flexibility and guidance every step of the way.”

The launch of the EE brand will be backed by a multi-million pound marketing campaign across TV, print and digital media channels.

Superfast speeds EE will be the first company in the UK to launch a mobile 4G service, along with its new fixed-line fibre broadband service. It will be called 4GEE and will offer speeds five times faster than 3G, and speeds typically ten times faster than currently available in homes and offices.

EE will be available to buy nationwide, with the 4GEE service going live initially across ten cities on 30th October[3]. The company has an aggressive 4G rollout plan in place with six further cities coming online in the run up to Christmas, with further cities and rural locations planned for 2013, and 98% of the population due to be covered by the end of 2014.

Once achieved, this will be the fastest rollout of any UK network in history.

EE’s Fibre Broadband service, available to both consumers and businesses, will be available in 11 million premises nationally with plans starting at just £15 per month.

Smart new services The launch of superfast mobile and fixed speeds by EE will inspire the birth of revolutionary and exciting new services for business and consumers.

The first such service is EE Film, the only service in the UK which combines 2-for-1 cinema ticketing, listings, trailers and film downloads or streaming in one place. The Film Store presents the largest catalogue of new releases available in the UK, with more than five times the number of new releases than other similar providers, and more than 700 films available in total.

EE customers will be able to watch a film of their choice on their mobile, on their PC or even on their TV (via their laptop). Pause & Play also allows customers to view the film on one device, such as their smartphone, pause it, then pick it up on another device, such as their laptop.

4GEE customers will able to download or stream a film, each week, on EE, without impacting their data allowance. Further films can be downloaded or streamed with prices starting at 79p, and the cost can be charged to customers’ mobile bill, or credit and debit cards.

Simple pricing for the digital consumer 4GEE phone plans will offer customers a wide selection of simple smartphone and mobile broadband plans, putting the customer in control by combining a range of data options with unlimited UK calls and texts. Data allowances start with the light data usage entry plan, offering 500MB (£36/pm) and extending up to 8GB (£56/pm) for the heavier data user.

Data controls will alert customers when they are approaching the data allowance limit, and then when their limit is reached. They can then choose to buy a data add-on, or wait until the next bill period starts.

All customers will be able to tether or use VoIP services as part of their plan – with no need to buy specific data add-ons. BT Wi-fi is also included in all plans at no extra cost, providing on-demand access to millions of wireless hotspots across the UK.

For just £5 more a month, customers will be able to take their unlimited voice and text allowance abroad with them, in Europe and selected countries in the rest of the world[4], as well as access to special data add-ons offering significant value on data use while abroad.

New Fibre Broadband and 4GEE plans for Business Small business customers will have a range of 4GEE phone plans, with data allowances of 1GB including unlimited UK calls and texts starting from £35/pm (excl. VAT). Companies can also reduce costs by choosing the new 4GEE Sharer Plan, which allows sharing of data allowances across all users and devices within their business, plus inclusive calls to colleagues and landlines.

EE also provides medium sized, public sector and corporate customers with a range of dedicated 4GEE plans from an additional £3 a month on top of their existing or new package, as well as added services including security and mobile application development. Data share plans are also available for these companies, with the added benefit of increased spend control through reduced out-of-bundle rates for data, and spending caps ranging from £50-£200.

Olaf Swantee commented: “UK Businesses have shown considerable interest since our 4G launch intentions were announced. We hope that our new 4G plans and services will make us the most exciting digital communications business partner to work with in the UK.”

EE Consumer Fibre Broadband plans EE’s Fibre Broadband will offer speeds typically up to ten times faster than the UK average. Ideal for households or small businesses with multiple devices, EE Fibre broadband offers maximum download speeds of 76Mbps – allowing customers to stream HDTV, play online games, watch films on demand or quickly upload or download large files. Plans start from £15 per month[5], with off-peak calls and a free BrightBox router included as standard.

4GEE customers save £5 per month when taking EE’s Fibre Broadband product for the entire length of their phone plan – offering savings of up to £120[6]. Orange and T-Mobile customers can also benefit, allowing them to enjoy EE Fibre Broadband in the home or office at reduced rates.

Expert service EE customers can expect a superior level of service on the high street, on the phone and online, with a significant new service approach and services designed to give customers peace of mind.

10,000 EE experts have been trained to serve and sell to customers in a new way, designed around specific handset types. If an EE customer wants to speak to an expert at one our customer centres, they can fast-track the automated call system by first connecting, then dialling 33, to get connected directly to an expert.

EE also operates customer services on social networks Twitter and Facebook.

A number of new services, fit for the digital world, have also been developed to provide peace of mind for new EE customers.

Clone Phone: Clone Phone from EE securely backs up data such as contacts, calendar and content (customers’ own photos and videos) via an App, which provides an easy way to restore your content if a phone is lost, stolen or broken. It means you don’t just get your handset back, but you get your digital life back too.[7]

Repair & Loan Phone: Repair and Loan Phone provide a convenient way to arrange a repair in store[8] and stay in touch in the meantime. All customers will be provided with a replacement phone, and phones will be repaired and returned within 14 days. Small business customers benefit from next day replacement for any faulty phone.[9]

Transforming the high-street From the 30th October, all existing Everything Everywhere, Orange and T-Mobile stores will become newly branded EE stores.

4G Ready EE will be offering a simple process for Orange and T-Mobile customers who’ve already purchased a 4G ready handset, to swap to 4G, at no additional cost.[10]

iOS 6 gripes: App Store search usability

With iOS 6, Apple has totally changed the way search results appear in the on-device App Store app. With the old App Store search, five results were immediately visible in a list view, and you could vertically scroll or flick quickly through large amounts more. With the new iOS 6 App Store search, only one result is visible at a time, and you whether you scroll or flick, you only ever get one result more at a time. And that's not good.

If you're searching for something specific, like "Tweetbot", it won't mean much because the first result will likely be the right one, so you only need that first result. If you're searching for something more general, like a game made by Electronic Arts, but you can't remember the name, the degradation is severe. You're presented with 1 possibility instead of 5. That's an 80% loss in information density. Ironically, the new 16:9 aspect ration of the iPhone 5 would have allowed for even more search results in the list view, 6 in total. Instead, with the new iOS 6 App Store search, we still get 1. Only longer. That's an 83.33% loss in information density.

Worse, both cards and the way they're implemented deliberately make the search interface slower. With the old App Store list view interface, you could touch and slowly scroll through results, or flick and rapidly scroll through them. So, if you didn't remember an app's name but did vaguely remember its icon, you could quickly skim for it. Or you could quickly skim until the icon, title, or anything caught your eye. With the iOS 6 App Store's card-based search, Apple has made the physics such that no matter how slowly or quickly you scroll or flick, you can only ever get to the next result. No more fast skimming. So now, even if you know the icon or some element of the title or data you're looking for, you're forced to go through one app at a time, every time, to get there. The interface has essentially gone from walk/run to forced walk.

The new card view interface does show an app screenshot in the results, but it's arguable whether or not that additional information increases identification and discoverability or just creates extra noise to visually parse. (That likely depends on the content and context of the screenshots, but until Apple allows them to be video, they'll always be of limited value.)

To get an idea of how badly the metaphor works for search in the App Store, all we have to do is extrapolate it to Google search. Imagine typing a search term into Google and instead of a page full of web results, you got a card showing one page. Currently, if the result you needed was #17, it's on the second page. With the card interface, it would be on the 17th page.

Apple could explore metaphors like this for the fast app switcher, where webOS has shown that the visualization of content makes sense. In App Store search, it just borders on the absurd.

So how could Apple fix it? An option to toggle between new-style card view and old-style list view could be a good compromise. To avoid an extra setting or button, Apple could also simply present the list view in portrait mode and the card view in landscape mode, where at least more than one app could be seen at a time. That would also match the behavior seen in the Music app with CoverFlow.

Taking it one step further, Apple could implement the portrait interface they use for app categories and present a few horizontal list views. The first could present search results filtered by keyword relevance, the second by rating, the third by how many "friends" have the app, the fourth by recency of release, etc. So, for example, a search for "Twitter" could result in the official Twitter for iPhone app showing up first for relevancy, Tweetbot first for friends who have the app, and Flurry for most recent.

While that could add complexity, it would at least be balanced by the options presented -- "I just want a Twitter app" vs. "What Twitter app are my friends using?" vs. "I want to try a different Twitter app, which are the newest?"

If Apple's going to use the mixed vertical and horizontally scrolling pages anyway, they might as well use it to enhance sorting.

The iOS 6 App Store did not come gently into this world. The betas were fraught with strange behavior, some of which did not get fixed prior to release. The combination of vertical and horizontal scrolling elements in the app can be quirky and off-putting to navigate. Purchased lists sometimes don't display and when they do, the scrolling and touch events are janky. Search algorithms, reportedly now using technology from Apple's Chomp acquisition, have changed repeatedly.

For an app so important to Apple, developers, and users, it's a pain, and it's something that needs some considered, usability-focused attention from Apple. And soon.

SGP Ultra Crystal and Ultra Oleophobic screen protectors for the iPhone 5

For some, the big, beautiful iPhone 5 screen just begs to be stared at. For others, it's a scratch-field waiting to happen. If you experience scratch paranoia, one of the first things you'll want for is an iPhone 5 screen protector.

The Ultra Crytal and Ultra Oleophobic are the latest from SPIGEN SGP's new iPhone 5 Screen Protector Steinheil Series. Steinheil is billed as an enhanced, ultra-hard optical coating and SPG claims these screen protectors are 25% thicker than previous models, with no rainbow effect, and no interference with either the capacitive multitouch sensors or the clarity of the new, spectacular in-cell display.

The Ultra Crystal hits especially hard on the clarity claim, and uses a high-grade, clear coated film. The Ultra Oleophobic offers the same kind of oil-resistent coating as the iPhone screen itself, better repelling fingerprints and smudges.

Both come with a hard squeegee to aid in application, and a micro-fiber fabric to clean your iPhone surface. SPG even goes so far as to provide dust-removing stickers to help make sure not a single particle gets coat between the Ultra Crystal or Ultra Oleophobic and your iPhone 5.

Applying the Ultra Crystal or Ultra Oleophobic is easy but takes patience and a steady hand if you want to get everything lined up perfectly, and make sure no dust or debris gets stuck under the film. It's a dry application, meaning you don't need any water or liquid, but you do need to work your way from one end to the other, squeegeeing firmly. Line up twice, apply once remains my advice.

Even though these are hard-style films, once applied the difference is minimal, and it's hard to see any loss of screen brightness or feel any loss of sensitivity, though styluses may have slightly more trouble than fingers.

If neither the Ultra Crystal or Ultra Oleophobic do it for you, SPG's iPhone 5 Screen Protector Steinheil Series also includes the Ultra Fine which is slightly textured for 30% more light transmittance, and the Ultra Optics which offers a microlens array surface layer to give you the best of all possible worlds.

If you're looking for an iPhone 5 screen protector, and you want something different, give SGP's Steinheil Series a glance.