Apple's iPhone 5 : Official thread

[Crash]

A cautionary note to purchasers of the iPhone 5. It comes in at least four different versions (three official and one rumoured Chinese version) depending on which LTE bands you need covered. Thailand is a long way from LTE so this may not be a concern yet. There isn't an LTE chipset yet which covers all the possible bands in use.

[Scumbag]

Samsung adds iPhone 5 to patent battle with Apple

[Cph]

I have to admit I'm an Apple fanboy who has been a happy user of Iphones since the 'silverback' (which many people found quite impressive in 2008 btw).

 

Any ways I guess you could say that the smartphones has matured and we don't get revolutions in the products now.

 

Those people who say that they have the 4s and will not upgrade, well it's probably because the 4s is good product. I have the Iphone4 and I'm tempted to upgrade.

 

For those people who have trouble with the maps, you can still use the google maps.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Cph

[Spear of Destiny]

For those people who have trouble with the maps, you can still use the google maps.

No you can not. Apple has dumped Google maps from iOS 6 and a downloadable version from the app market is not available yet Edited October 3, 2012 by Spear of Destiny

[Spear of Destiny]

I dont see any good reasons to upgrade from iPhone 4s to iPhone 5 and i wont upgrade from iOS 5 to iOS 6 either before the maps issue gets fixed and a jailbreak is available.

[Cph]

No you can not. Apple has dumped Google maps from iOS 6 and a downloadable version from the app market is not available yet

 

check this

 

[Hellbender]

Workers at Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory strike in reaction to new iPhone 5 quality standards

 

 

 

 

Unbox that shiny new iPhone 5 only to find it marred with scratches and blemishes? Good news: Apple is asking Foxconn to adhere to stricter quality demands for its flagship handset. Not so great news: workers at the firm's Zhengzhou factory are striking over the demands. According to China Labor Watch, three to four thousand workers stepped off the production line to protest the new standards, which only allow for a 0.02mm appearance defect. "It's tough under such stringent quality requirements," writes Sina Weibo user and Foxconn employee Yefudao. "A 0.02mm appearance defect is already beyond that of our vision. With such a demanding task, workers' mental pressure becomes so immense that they have to vent it out."

China Labor Watch reports that the issue stems not only from the higher quality demands, but the fact that workers are being asked to meet them without receiving the training necessary to do so. The situation hasn't broken out into a riot, but a dispute between line workers and quality control inspectors reportedly sparked a fight that led to property damage, injury and some hospitalization. Production lines have temporarily been frozen by management while Foxconn deals with the situation.

 

 

 

 

Sina Weibo (login required), China Labor Watc

[DaffyDuck]

Hyperbole would be a better description! I am sure all the sheep will be queuing for days just to buy the over-priced gadget....yawn!!

 

Cue the predictable Apple Haters who feel they *have* to intrude on any thread where people attempt to talk positively about Apple products.

 

Seriously, are you folks that insecure about your choice in gadgets or computing devices?

 

I don't see any iPhone users waste their time jumping into fandroid threads to do the same...

 

Apple have really lost it. The 5 is just like the 4, just a bit bigger. And they expect millions to spend $600 to "upgrade"

 

.... and so far, they have been right.

 

The 5 is *not* like the 4 - for starters it's about 4x faster than the 4, with a faster CPU, GPU, and double the internal RAM. The new LTE capabilities are irrelevant in Thailand (as they are for any LTE) device, but supporting HSPA+ it is able to connect to TRUE's True H network, achieving faster speeds than the 4 (theoretical download speeds of 42MBps, but only in very few places - nominal speeds of 8-12MBps are more normal in Bangkok or Pattaya).

 

It's not about just the hardware with Apple devices - the iPhone 5 also arrived with iOS 6, which is also available as an upgrade to iPhone 4S (a one year old phone), the iPhone 4 (a two year old phone), and the iPhone 3GS (a 3 year old phone) - the long term upgrades of iPhones provided by the manufacturer is certainly one of the major advantages over *any* Android device, bar none.

[DaffyDuck]

For those people who have trouble with the maps, you can still use the google maps.

 

Yes, you can - Google's hastily provided webapp works adequately.

 

I have been using Apple Maps for the past 2 weeks in Thailand, and it works just fine, even including English turn-by-turn directions (which locals told me "no work, no talk") - I guess nobody actually uses a product before shooting their mouth off about it. Now, that said, there are some issues - notably that Maps displays all street names in Thai, despite them having been in English during the earlier beta. Yes, that's annoying and I reported it already repeatedly.

[999Baht]

I am a iPhone fan...I have used them for over 4 years and most likely my next phone will be an iPhone also.

 

I finally had a chance to play around with an iPhone 5 yesterday and I have to say that it did not seem to be that different to the iPhone 4s...sure it is a little bigger and lighter but for now I am still happy with the 4s and will not be upgrading any time soon.

 

Perhaps when the 5s,5g or whatever they call the next one comes out.

[DaffyDuck]

I finally had a chance to play around with an iPhone 5 yesterday and I have to say that it did not seem to be that different to the iPhone 4s...sure it is a little bigger and lighter but for now I am still happy with the 4s and will not be upgrading any time soon.

 

That's because the iPhone 4S is a fine phone - and apple gears their upgrades towards a 2 year cycle, hence why iOS 6 on the 4S provides all the same features as on the 5. (Not so on the 4 or 3GS)

 

By the time the 5S rolls around, you'll probably be ready.

[999Baht]

That's because the iPhone 4S is a fine phone - and apple gears their upgrades towards a 2 year cycle, hence why iOS 6 on the 4S provides all the same features as on the 5. (Not so on the 4 or 3GS)

 

By the time the 5S rolls around, you'll probably be ready.

Agreed....the only thing I would love to see improved in the iPhone is the camera/flash.

I have seen indoor photos taken with other phones and they look amazing.

The flash on the iphone tends to wash out the photo too much.

Since there is no change between the 4s and the 5 I dont need to upgrade.

2 years sounds perfect for me.

[Scumbag]

The flash on the iphone tends to wash out the photo too much.

Check to see if it is possible to do flash compensation or if there is an app to do it. You can then reduce the brightness of the flash.

[999Baht]

Check to see if it is possible to do flash compensation or if there is an app to do it. You can then reduce the brightness of the flash.

Thanks for the tip...googling it now.

You know I have had this problem for over a year and never even thought to see if there was a solution by simply using google. Stupid really!

[Spear of Destiny]

I understood Google maps is dumped from iOS 6 so is it downloadable from the App market now?

(i'm on a offshore drilling rig without access to iTunes/App Market)

Yes, you can - Google's hastily provided webapp works adequately.

 

I have been using Apple Maps for the past 2 weeks in Thailand, and it works just fine, even including English turn-by-turn directions (which locals told me "no work, no talk") - I guess nobody actually uses a product before shooting their mouth off about it. Now, that said, there are some issues - notably that Maps displays all street names in Thai, despite them having been in English during the earlier beta. Yes, that's annoying and I reported it already repeatedly.

[DaffyDuck]

I understood Google maps is dumped from iOS 6 so is it downloadable from the App market now?

(i'm on a offshore drilling rig without access to iTunes/App Market)

 

Google is, predictably, dragging their feet in providing their own maps app through the App Store (it's called "App Store" not "App Market", by the way).

 

Oil rigs don't have Internet access?

[DaffyDuck]

The flash on the iphone tends to wash out the photo too much.

Since there is no change between the 4s and the 5 I dont need to upgrade.

2 years sounds perfect for me.

 

As long as there is enough light to see the subject, the iphone will adjust the Flash to compensate for proximity and brightness. Overcompensation happens in absolute darkness, I found, albeit there still s plenty of room to improve flash quality - I agree.

 

Mind you, the significant changes between 4S and 5 are:

 

- twice as fast CPU

- double the operating RAM

- better camera (8mpx)

- lower light sensitivity

 

None of which are "must have", if you have a 4S - though are compelling upgrades if you come from a 4 or 3GS.

[Sully]

You guys are Cheap Charlies. Spend the money and buy new Nokia 1661!

[DaffyDuck]

You guys are Cheap Charlies. Spend the money and buy new Nokia 1661!

 

:-)

[Hellbender]

Apple's iPad mini event happens tomorrow, get your liveblog here!

 

 

It seems like just yesterday we were reporting on the launch of the iPhone 5, but already Apple has something else exciting to show us. What could it be? An iPad mini? A 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display? A new iMac? All of the above? We'd love to have you along as we find out, and the quickest way to take it all in is to watch the event brought to you live through our dynamic liveblog experience. You can find that if you set your browser at this URL at the time listed below:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/23/apple-ipad-mini-liveblog/

[bfdman]

Quick question. I have an iPhone 5 through Verizon here in the states. Will it work in Patts? And knowing that Verizon's version is "unlocked" (as it will purportedly work with any micro sim from any network without being jail broken), can I get a micro sim from a provider in Patts while I'm there? Or at least a cut sim, which I hear actually works.

[Hellbender]

Verizon works on CDMA network so unluckily it won't work in Thailand. Any GSM iPhone 5 will work and most of the Thai mobile operators are gearing up for nano sim.

 

Sorry but it won't work.

 

Edit: iPhone 5 has nano sim and you just can't cut like like previous way to make it micro sim. Nano sim is quite smaller than current micro sim.

 

Micro vs Nano sim

Edited October 22, 2012 by Hellbender

[bfdman]

Verizon works on CDMA network so unluckily it won't work in Thailand. Any GSM iPhone 5 will work and most of the Thai mobile operators are gearing up for micro sim.

 

Sorry but it won't work.

 

Good. Thanks for the info! By the time I get there sometime next year, it shouldn't be a problem. iPhone can work on either network. As you are right about Verizon working on CDMA, I can switch between GSM and CDMA.

[Crash]

Verizon works on CDMA network so unluckily it won't work in Thailand. Any GSM iPhone 5 will work and most of the Thai mobile operators are gearing up for nano sim.

 

Actually this is not correct. The Verizon iPhone 5 has HSPA built in and that's the part that is unlocked. It works on CDMA and the Verizon LTE bands in the US, and works on HSPA (GSM) in the rest of the world. You may have to cut down the microSIM to nano size but I imagine the Thai operators will be offering this size shortly. Anybody on the ground know? The only problem with the Verizon model is that the LTE bands will probably not work elsewhere. This is not an issue in Thailand as they are very far from getting LTE.

[Scumbag]

Edit: iPhone 5 has nano sim and you just can't cut like like previous way to make it micro sim. Nano sim is quite smaller than current micro sim.

 

Micro vs Nano sim

 

Apparently it can be done: How To Convert Micro SIM To Nano SIM For iPhone 5