Research on getting an Apple iPhone
I am a late adopter of Apple products. A couple of years back, when I was shopping for a cell phone, I asked my co-workers, who all owned smartphones, what did they think of it? The five people I spoke to said; they “loved their iPhones.” I asked them, “Why?” A few of the responses went like this, “well, I don’t know. I know that this phone is way better than my last phone.” Another person said, “It is the best phone for taking pictures.” They were not giving me a reason enough to put away my current phone. I thought I would ask the question a little differently by asking them, “ well have you owned an android phone?” Two people I spoke to said, “yes but I am happier with the iPhone because of the Apps available to me in comparison to the android phone.” One person also said they “liked Siri feature especially with navigation.”
A few of my close friends
also owned an iPhone. I also approached them, asking what do they like about their iPhone? Again, they couldn’t give me a reason. They said, “it will change your life,” but they didn’t elaborate on how.” I wasn’t convinced why I should almost spend $1000 for the device plus pay a monthly fee to the telephone company. I decided to wait a little longer and miss out on the entire latest technology craze. I did for some time and then guess what? My average phone of 6 years was falling apart; almost to the point where the flap would get stuck when opened; which means I had to be very, very careful when I spoke. Any minute the flap was moved; it could get looser and could break away from the dialing end. Circumstances made me ready, to shop, to research. Away I went to the Apple store, Microsoft store, and a few phone retailers to learn about what phone was worthy of my hard earned money. Two days later, I walked away with an iPhone.
What do I like about the Apple iPhone? Here are my reasons from my point of view:
- It is a pocket size computer. Having access to current news, email, and instant messages are just unbelievable to me, still.
- I don’t have to have to lug a camera around. The iPhone takes good pictures, but I am still not impressed, or maybe I am just a bad photographer. While my family and I were having dinner, we ran into this photographer, Michale Dusette. He then struck a conversation about the weather, then living in the city, and then he wanted to show us a picture he took of the city at night and during the day. After about five pictures, I asked him, what camera he used to take those pictures? As he was scrolling to show more of his finest shots, he said, “I have a Nikon and a Cannon. “All of these were shot with my iPhone.” He had amazing shots of a Bali dancer posing, a bird soaring under a bright blue sky, different angle shots of downtown lights, and a fully blossomed sunflower. I get it, he is a professional. But he was one of the persons to convince me to get the iPhone.
- All my iTunes music could be found in My music. Before I could only listen what was in iTunes on my laptop or on my iPod shuffle. The earplugs did not fit my ear cozily, so I didn’t carry the iPod everywhere I went.
- iBooks- You can read while you listen to music. How is that for multitasking? I love it because those are only two things I can do once without making any mistakes. Now, I need to find a good cup of latte.
- Sync- if you have another Apple product, you can synchronize your videos, your photos, and music. This means you don’t have to carry three devices around all the time. If you are going to spend the night with a friend, you can grab your phone, and if all items are synced, you are able to access your valuables immediately. I have a windows laptop. The pictures that I took on my iPhone do not get synced on the laptop. My friend has a MacBook and an iPhone. His pictures get synced on the MacBook.
- Siri- Well, that is another topic, see below.
Overall, I lived fine without the iPhone. Now, that it is in my life, well, don’t know how I lived without out it so long and I am glad I have it.
As a new iPhone user, here is my fresh perspective on Siri.
All the things I don’t like about Siri:
- She has an attitude. Sometimes she has witty answers, and sometimes her witty answers are not amusing, especially when you are driving at 65 miles per hour on a road you are not familiar with anything, and all you want is just an answer, a simple answer, not a smart alec answer.
- When you ask her a question, and she answers back with a question, “Who me?” while funny at times, it can get annoying when you need information fast.
I feel she doesn’t understand me half of the time. I have to repeat myself. Of course, if you tell her she doesn’t understand you, she comes back with a statement, “if you insist.” I understand we are in the very beginnings of robotic technology, but she hasn’t developed an ear for my way of speaking, even though we have been on talking terms daily for almost four months. - She cannot navigate on a road less traveled brilliantly. If you are in a remote area, well you better have a backup map handy or a friend to call on.
I wish she were able to tell me what is the designated miles per hour especially when I am traveling on a road I never been on. Recently I was driving outside the surrounding area of a major city, on a high traffic route, the cars behind me were catching up with me and passing me. I couldn’t tell if the designated speed was 40 or 50 miles per hour. “Hey Siri,” I yelled. “ Can you tell me the designated miles per hour on this road?” She was thinking. I reworded the question, “what is the speed limit on this road?” She didn’t respond. Later I learned on the first half of the road it was 40 miles per hour, then the speed increased to 50 miles per hours, then after 5 miles, the speed decreased to 40 miles per hour. - She is slow to wake up. I have to call her, “Hey Siri,” twice on many occasions for her to answer my call.
- You have to learn her, which means feed her the right keywords. If you say, nearby coffee houses vs. coffee houses near me you may get two different results on the first attempt. Coffee houses near me may widen the search. Also, coffee houses vs. coffee shops may get you different results. It also probably depends on which town you are in.
All that I like about Siri:
1. She has a sense of humor. She makes me laugh mostly with her answers. I asked her, “Can you tell me a joke?” Her response, if I told you a joke in my language, I’d have to explain it.” Ask her again; she starts off, “Two iPhones walk into a bar…I forget the rest.”
I also asked her, “do you watch TV?” Her response, “I’m watching the S-Files. The truth is in here.” She had a few good responses. Ask her yourself and see what answers you get.
2. She is very knowledgeable. It seems she can retain a million pieces of information and can spit the information in few seconds if you ask her in a way she understands you. I am not going hold it against her that she couldn’t find a few places.
3. For the most part, she can get you through major freeways and most places.
4. She cannot multitask, but does a good job of taking you to the website to do more search for instance, if you ask her, “how do I save money?” You don’t have to type in the search, you can say it.
5. If she is right next to you, she will answer your call immediately. I think she has to be within certain feet next to you and the environment cannot be noisy.
6. The verdict, using Siri, made me appreciate having her around even with her flaws. The key for her to understand me is that I need to talk slow. I already talk 50 miles per hour. It would help her detect my words better if my talk speed went down to 15 miles per hour. The take away: She needs words pronounced slowly and clearly for her to hear and understand me. Otherwise, she will make up words you didn’t say. You cannot let her know that you are in a hurry because you will do twice the work.