Apple Beat: Choices and Decisions

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

I recently posted my reviews for both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. I marvelled at the fact that in 2010, we had one iPad and one iPhone (albeit in different capacities and price points). Fast forward to 2014 and Apple has expanded their iOS device line considerably and there seems to be something for everyone.

Starting with the iPhone 5c, the iPhone 5s and of course, the Twin Towers. The iPhone 6 Plus is this year’s ‘Gold iPhone 5s’, many people are going to want one. I believe that the iPhone 6 Plus has already been sold out for preorders which means they are going to be in demand the next few weeks. I see that some opportunists are already posting their pre-ordered units on eBay for profit.

What to Choose

The real dilemma is for anyone waiting to upgrade their iPhone is which iPhone 6 to choose. This is a hard decision to make without seeing the phones side by side. I’ve had the two devices with me, and I keep going back and forth.

The iPhone 6 feels like a better fit for my needs. It fits my front jeans pocket, I can manage some one-handed use out of it and it still looks and feels like my definition of a smartphone.

The iPhone 6 Plus is a very interesting device. The battery life is astounding, it is the best ever for an iPhone. The larger screen size is amazing for watching videos, playing games and even reading from apps like Kindle and Kobo. I haven’t picked up my iPad mini since the 6 Plus arrived and I sometimes feel it is just enough to cover my tablet needs. 

Now, I really understand why larger smartphones have become so popular with users who rely on only one device (and really, one should be enough, right?) and once I get over my mental hurdles with the iPhone 6 Plus’ large size, it could be the perfect mobile device, specially for a combination of work and personal use. 

iOS 8 on the iPhone 5s 

iOS 8 was made available as a free download starting yesterday and I installed it on my now tiny iPhone 5s as well as my trusty iPad Air. The installation on the iPhone took almost two hours from start to finish. This was an over-the-air update and I am sure I was competing for bandwidth with millions of users.  

The iPad Air was tethered to my MacBook Pro and it took less time, maybe 50 minutes max for the whole update. 

At first glance, iOS 8 didn’t seem visually any different from iOS 7 but once I started digging into menus and functions, it became apparent that this was a new beast.

First thing i did was install SwiftKey keyboard. Not that the new Apple QuickType keyboard isn’t any good, because it is. It’s just that I’ve invested so much time and mastered SwiftKey on Android that I wanted to see how it worked on iOS.  

I’m happy to report that SwiftKey works quite well on iOS 8 once applied. There are still some issues (like apps defaulting to the stock keyboard), while this is annoying, the swipe to type feature works like a charm 

Game changing features 

I’m also beta testing OS X Yosemite and have found that using the Continuity features really enhances the way I work.  Being able  to AirDrop files from my phone to my Mac is amazing, beats having to email them to myself just to get them on another machine.

Being able to route and take iPhone calls on my Mac is also convenient, as is being able to call any number that appears on any website in the Mac using the iPhone. Continuity really supercharges the functionality of iOS and Yosemite and makes them efficient work companions.

It’s only been one day and I’m eager to continue finding new features in iOS 8 

Macworld ends its print run

Macworld announced it was closing its print version and letting go of many of its longtime editors and writers last week. This news resonated heavily with me as my background is print and I worked on various newspapers and magazines before inevitably publishing on the Internet. I know what it is like to work in a dying medium. 

Macworld was also big influence to me as a young Mac enthusiast. While I couldn’t afford the Macs themselves, I could afford a copy of Macworld, and I lived my electric dreams vicariously while I devoured their articles, photo spreads and how-tos. Macworld offered true knowledge and their lab tests are unparalleled in the industry.

I was fortunate enough to work as a writer and editor for Macworld Canada, which was similarly discontinued after a few years. It was a great experience, and one that helped me make use of my passion and knowledge of all things Macintosh and iOS.

Macworld print has been around as long as the Macintosh itself and is a key ingredient of Apple culture. Although my all-time favourite computer magazine was MacAddict, Macworld holds a very vital and special place for many Mac users who stuck it out during the dog days of the Apple ecosystem. So, pour one out for Macworld, it will be missed.