Broke my 4S, got replaced by a 5C

This is the iPhone 4S. I have this one since early January 2013 when me and my family decided to switch networks from T-Mobile to AT&T. Don't know why but hey, it's all for a good cause right. I spent a year and six months enjoying my iPhone 4S until...that fateful moment came...



It was the 18th of June, 2014, when our cousin, Grace, wants us to spend some time shopping at a familiar place known as The Outlet Collection, Reason why it was familiar to me because I've been there last summer with one of our cousins, named Christian. With my sister Elise spending time in the Philippines with her baby Irvine, me, my sisters Bea and Cecille, mom, dad, and Grace spend some time shopping in a small and quiet shopping mall that has less people than any mall I can remember...



The photo in question is my last ever selfie I have ever done using my iPhone 4S. Wanna guess what happened to my 4S? Yep, I accidentally dropped it and when I picked it up...the screen has gone all stripey and unreadable. The software's fine but the screen is officially broken and I've panicked. I told the truth to my parents and they knew it. They said I should bring it to the Apple store at Westfield South Center and that made me skeptical because...it will cost around $199 to fix an iPhone but I'll talk about that later.

Anyway, back at The Outlet Collection, I'm in panic mode right now, knowing what should I do with my broken 4S while my family's taking a break in a boring manner. Yes, I know. That place is so boring, there's nothing else to shop...unless there's a Hot Topic branch in case you need to know.

After spending hours at The Outlet Collection, we went to Westfield South Center and then, rushed to the Apple store to fix my iPhone 4S but suddenly, one of the clerks told that the appointments are full and I'm totally desperate to have my phone fixed in time so I saw some mechanic and when I'm going to spend less than a hundred dollars to have my iPhone fixed to some techie in question, my dad came and he got very angry. So angry, I got his iPhone back and my hundred grand while I'm persuading my dad to calm down but believe me, my dad's so angry, he can't be contained.

Gosh, I hate my dad when he's angry and while meeting my mom and my sister Cecille at the Daiso branch in South Center, I explain about the situation to my mom and she told me that we can set an appointment on the Apple store on the next day and I agreed.

Having agreed on that decision, me and my mom went back to the Apple store and we asked one of the store clerks to set next day's appointment to have my iPhone fixed. Of course, I had finals for my math class in Seattle Central College, I decided that I should have mom and dad to go to the Apple store at the appointed time to have it fixed.

The next day, I went to the Seattle Central College to take the final exam for my math class while Mom and Dad went to South Center at the appointed time. While I was busy finishing the exam (which is kinda more of a recap to the last three quizzes as well as that final homework I took), my parents arrived an hour before the appointed time at South Center. Moments later, they went to the Apple store and it seems that with a broken screen, the Apple technicians can't fix it and instead they provided a replacement to my broken phone.




So what they did is they replaced my broken 4S with an iPhone 5C, a similar scenario that what happened to my iPod Touch when its screen was broken. Looks like the Apple idea was when a screen is broken, they can't fix it but instead a replacement is provided. Good thing I backed up most of the stuff from my broken 4S and I carried over to my new phone. All the stuff were here...well sort of because my hard work from playing that School Idol Festival app is gone for good! NO!

Oh well, I'm not kinda interested on that game anyway, but still, with my stuff from 4S now carried over to my new 5C, I'm glad things are back to the way things are but the only downside is that when I connect it to the computer, the iTunes keeps showing up that "unknown error" (-54) stuff. Don't know why and that's why it's called an "unknown error".

So, is Apple's idea of providing you a replacement when a screen is broken is worth it or is it just a waste of cash? Gosh, those technicians should learn how to fix a broken screen next time if they want to save their iPhones. A broken screen from your iPhone is like a total wreck on the car. When totalled, that's it. It's over.

Apple iPhone 5

The Apple iPhone, this gadget was been around for five years since the first one debuted in January 2007 and undergo several changes through the years has been languishing through the smartphone wars. Sure, it maybe the king of the smartphones but because of the arrival of emerging Android phones, I still find that Android phones are rubbish and complicated but for the iPhone, doesn't. Apple tries to think of new and exciting ways to keep the iPhone fresh and better in today's ever changing trends.

iPhone 5

But now, they've launched the new version called the iPhone 5 and Apple claims that they made it even better. Firstly, it's been lightened to about 112g of weight, 20% lighter than last year's iPhone 4S and Apple claims that this is the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever made. Much fun like what Land Rover did to their new generation Range Rover, dropping too much weight. Weight loss is cool but not in a Doctor Who Adipose kind of way. It's in a technological matter for Apple to make it lighter so it would be easy to carry around and yes, thanks to its thinnest look, I was thinking that it really fits to your skinny jeans but I recommend not to put it in your skinny jeans because it would be notoriously difficult to pull it out when your new iPhone's ringing. Best to put it in your bag.

There's more into this Superleggera smartphone, what Apple did is they make it even more clearer and even more longer thanks to its 4-inch retina display. Even though it maintains the same width, the iPhone 5 is nearly 9 millimeters taller than iPhone 4S so that takes about time to see the full body view of a woman wearing a one-piece competition swimsuit. He he he....

There's more good news too because internet connection is faster thanks to its LTE however, let me explain. Ideally, 4G LTE is common in Android phones this days. The reason why past iPhone models especially the 4S doesn't have the LTE while sticking to conventional HSPDA is simple, LTE may cause iPhones waste space quickly and drains the batteries quickly. We know it's bad but to get round the problem, the iPhone 5's LTE has been optimized for better battery life and designed for ultrafast connectivity in a thin profile. This is amazing and very clever indeed.

Couple that with the A6 chip and you get an Apple-estimated 8 hours of LTE browsing time, 8 hours of talk time, and 10 hours of video playback, all because of its extended battery life courtesy of that chip that provides quicker CPU performance, faster graphics, and that's about it.

This is the best iPhone most techies want because of its superleggera-ish weight, slim profile, 4G LTE, and tons of enhancements. As for the pricing, well this is a very complicated story. In America, Apple's home market, the new iPhone 5 is available only at AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon with prices start from $199 for the entry-level 16GB, $299 for the mid-range 32GB, and $399 for the flagship 64GB model, plus tax.

With all that upsides do come with the cost of ownership. Because it's a new iPhone, they also been fitted with the updated version of Apple's iOS, which is called iOS6. So, what to expect on this...um, on this iOS6, there's a problem, the YouTube app's gone, the maps are now Apple-powered instead of Google maps and now, there's a very inutile they called it...Passbook. Passbook? What's that? Very inutle about that, forget about it. Anyway, why does iOS6 dropped the YouTube app and the maps are now Apple-run instead of Google maps? Very simple explanation because I once had a talk with a mate and he says that Apple's been on a fight against Google. Well, because Google is all about Androids, Apple decided for an annulment against Google and Apple says "Hey Google, because you want Androids to rule over the smartphone market, I think that I really don't need you anymore." and then, the annulment against Google occurred and with this iOS6, the YouTube app is gone and the Google maps has been ditched and replaced by a Apple-made navigation which doesn't make any sense.

If you have last year's models and if you're opted to update it to iOS6, my best recommendation is not to update it and stick to the iOS5 but that's not a good recommendation because it will render it useless, unsecured, and my best bet was...update at your own risk.

Sure, the iOS6 is the most of our problems, there's more to this iPhone 5 conundrum. Traditional models do have a 30-pin connector but now, for this new model, Apple created a new type of connector called the Lightning connector.Apple once said that this all new Lightning connector is smaller, smarter, durable, and best of all, reversible so it doesn't matter which side you'll be connecting to. In the future, all accessories will be compatible to this Lightning connector and for me, that's a bad thing because there are so many gadgets in the world still depend on the 30-pin connection, much like the BOSE connectors but some say, Apple made an accessory that transforms all 30-pin gadgets into Lightning courtesy of this 30-to-Lightning connector. This is much like turning 110 to 220 and back but this is somewhat very complicating.

In summary, the iPhone 5 is an ambitious but rubbish version of the venerable Apple iPhone. Sure, it maybe available in countries like USA, Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, but for some, I'm afraid that you have to wait even further to have one. An iPhone without a YouTube app is just the least of the problems but because of those very complicated technology, I'm afraid that you have to consult on the onboard instructional manual to figure that out. This gadget maybe a waste of money and a waste of time but this is somewhat a technological achievement.

Should I buy one? LEt me figure that out soon when the time's right for me but in the meantime, NO.

Filipinos poke fun at Siri with Vangie!

Vangie: The Pinoy Virtual Assistant

When the iPhone 4S came in the Philippines in mid-December 2011, most Filipinos just can't get enough with the Siri feature. Unfortunately, most of the Siri features are not available in the Philippines and worse, it can't understand Pinoy English, like for instance, you are asking Siri where is the nearby C.R. (Comfort Room) but Siri said it can't find maps in Costa Rica (?).

A video pokes fun at Siri's inaccessibility in the Philippines by showing the so-called Macapuno Systems their Pinoy version of Siri called Vangie. Whoa, Vangie sounds more like the name of your middle-aged neighbor but indeed it understands you more than Siri. What's so funny is that it can detect a snatcher by saying that "bakit iba ang boses mo?" when the snatcher asks Vangie.

If that come true, most Pinoy iPhone 4S users will take advantage of Vangie for sure and..this would be fun. Watch the video!

Apple's iPhone 4S coming to Smart this December 16

iPhone 4S

Smart Communications, one of the finest telecommunications brands in the Philippines, will be the exclusive telecom to bring out Apple's new iPhone 4S this December 16! The announcement came at the official site of Smart.

Love the iPhone 4S but you're still on SMART? That's your one!

Be the first: http://www1.smart.com.ph/postpaid/iphone4s

iPhone 4S

Apple iPhone 4S

The pride of Apple, the iPhone 4 just underwent its first mid-life update as the new iPhone 4S. It's better but does it matter? Let's see...

Picking up where the previous iPhone 4 left off, this new 4S has some of its good features that some people would adore this updated version. First off, there's Siri. So who is Siri? Think of Siri as your personal assistant on the go. You can use Siri when you want to ask something such as knowing what time it is, set a reminder on your calendar, ask for directions, almost anything. Siri knows almost everything as if you're being helped by someone. It would be generous to ask Siri for help but it would be best to know how to use the iPhone 4S by yourself. If you're stuck, Siri is there to help.

The iPhone 4S is the first to equipped with the all new iOS5 operating system and this new system has loads of new features such as Notification Center, iMessage, Twitter integration, Reminders, Newstand, and now you can take full advantage of the all new iCloud feature. The new iCloud feature allows you to store songs, movies, photos, and more, providing all-access on all devices.

What's more, this one has a dual-core A5 chip that provides two times the power, seven times the graphics, making the most out of its powerful chip that provides the best battery life, faster response, and impressive graphics that makes playing games more vivid.

This phone has advanced optics with custom lens, larger aptitude, and a sensor to provide more lively yet powerful photo shooting and you can record videos in amazing 1080p HD so when you upload them on Youtube, you might shock the world with fame with perfect sound, perfect picture, perfect quality. Well, almost perfect...

My Comment:
The iPhone 4S may be the minor update to the iPhone 4 but I think this new phone looks cool if you're a first-timer who has no knowledge to iPhone models yet. Some seasoned iPhone users may have to think twice about buying the new iPhone 4S or wait for something special. It maybe somewhat a lacking force but this iPhone 4S has a 60% chance to succeed against the Androids. The odds are somewhat made me sad...

Himekoi Drama CD

Himekoi Drama CD

Once upon a time, back in August 2010, one of Japan's biggest social media network, Gree, launched Himekoi (日本名：ヒメこい), a dating sim perfect for those Japanese cellphone customers who had it with their DS days of playing Loveplus. In that cellphone game, players can choose to hang out with Nadeshiko, Ayane, or Maki.

Because of the character design too similar from Loveplus, Mino☆Taro, the person behind the Loveplus character design tweeted that “The art from Gree’s new gal game isn’t Mino☆Taro’s~!”. It even caused an outrage among fans because they look similar to Nene Anegasaki, Takane Manaka, and Rinko Kobayakawa. As a matter of fact, Himekoi was nothing but a complete knock-off of Loveplus. Didn't see that thing coming right?

Because of copyright issues, Gree decided to end the Himekoi service on February 2011 and yes, it was for their own cause. To compensate this, the people behind Himekoi seek help to Geneon Universal Entertainment for the Himekoi Drama CD, a drama CD which brings Emiri Kato, Mamiko Noto, and Kanae Ito reprising their roles as Nadeshiko, Ayane, and Maki. Also, an original character appeared exclusively on this drama CD under the name of Reina, played by Kana Hanazawa.

The theme song of the drama CD is Mimosa, which was sung by Kotoko. This was a good song to listen and in fact, the storyline is a little bit more decent. We are not sure if this drama CD is good enough for those to compensate for their damages and reputation of being a cheap knock-off to Loveplus. It's a forgive and forget for us if we listen to this drama CD.

TRACK LISTINGS:
1. オープニングテーマ[ＫＯＴＯＫＯ／Mimosa(short ver.)]
2. イフストーリー：湯煙旅情なガールズトーク前編
3. イフストーリー：湯煙旅情なガールズトーク後編
4. シークレットストーリー：想いを告げた、その夜に… 撫子の場合
5. シークレットストーリー：想いを告げた、その夜に… あやねの場合
6. シークレットストーリー：想いを告げた、その夜に… マキの場合
7. シークレットストーリー：想いを告げた、その夜に… 怜奈の場合
8. イフストーリー：今日はきっと晴れ！
9. ボーナストラック：誕生日イベント『おめでとうの言葉をあなたに』
10. キャストトーク「ヒメこい座談会」
11. ＫＯＴＯＫＯ／Mimosa(full ver.)作詞：KOTOKO 作曲・アレンジ／C.G mix
12. ＫＯＴＯＫＯ／Mimosa(instrumental)

Sprint joins fight against AT&T x T-Mobile merger

So, authorities are fighting against the incoming merger between AT&T and T-Mobile...

I've never hear this thing coming when that kind of merger comes with controversies....

And now, another one joins the fight against the AT&T x T-Mobile merger....

It's probably Sprint Nextel...

According to Sprint, if that merger of these two companies is accomplished, there will be less competition, high costs, restrict access to handsets, and it will ruin the future of these companies.

Last week, the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit seeking to stop this controversial merger. That suit claims that this merger would violate antitrust laws that were made to prevent such monopolies and duopolies.

So what now? Is there any way to stop these two companies to collide each other?

Scoop: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/09/sprint-att-merger-t-mobile-lawsuit-jobs.html

AT&T and US T-Mobile come collide, and still no iPhone for T-Mobile yet...

Well, it had to happen. The two rival cellphone providers, AT&T (famed for selling the Apple iPhone), and T-Mobile USA (the US subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, also famous for the myTouch android phone) are now collide, after AT&T bought the US T-Mobile from Deutsche Telekom at the cost of 39 billion US Dollars. Talk about joint custody.

Scoop: http://newsroom.t-mobile.com/articles/att-acquires-tmobile-USA

Also, check out the Q&A about what would happen since AT&T bought the North American T-Mobile at http://newsroom.t-mobile.com/articles/more-information-att-acquires-tmobile

What disappoints me, even with the new partnership, T-Mobile still doesn't offer Apple's iPhone like what AT&T (and now Verizon) do. The T-Mobile's myTouch 4G is their flagship offering and also the Samsung Galaxy S.

MY COMMENT: Looks like AT&T and US T-Mobile are now Stick Together to Rethink Possible! Good luck on that new partnership!

X3 Touch and Type

Nokia X3 Touch and Type

The sister model of the trendy Nokia X3 slide-up phone, the new X3 Touch and Type (codenamed X3-02), makes the rounds to appeal tech-savvy customers with numerous features. Sadly, the new Nokia X3 Touch and Type does not share the same protocol as the X3, it only shares by its name. Rather than having a side-up from its big brother, the Nokia X3 Touch and Type is more likely a normal shaped cellphone packed with the numeric keypad. On the lighter side, the X3 Touch and Type appears to be slim, perfect to have women fit that kind of cellphone straight through their pockets. Believe me, this phone is targeted for everyone who want a super-slim phone.

On the outside, the new Nokia X3 comes in four colors; white, smoke, pink, and magenta. Men like it smoke, girls like it pink, few like it magenta, and many like it white, whatever floats your boat.

Aside from the numeric keypad offered for the Touch and Type, this screen is touchable, fun enough to choose whatever cool apps you want straight from your fingertips.

If I want to go photo or video shooting that I can put it on Facebook, YouTube, or others, a 5.0 megapixel camera adds a nice touch for the X3 Touch and Type. For music lovers, there are a wide variety of entertaining options that can keep them informed and entertained such as the FM Radio and Music Player to play their MP3 tunes or use them as ringtones to brighten up your day.

In my opinion, I would still prefer the regular X3 because its a fun-to-use cellphone and the new X3 Touch and Type ruins my pogi points. If I can't afford that, the X3 Touch and Type can be my perfect suitor of choice, providing its slim package straight to your pocket for easy convenience.

Photo: Nokia

X5

Nokia X5

When the new Nokia phone, the X5, hasn't showed up its qwerty keyboard, the shape of this cellphone looks more like a foundation, making this a perfect cellphone targeted for girls. If you slide it, the X5 truly shows up not just a cute cellphone, it's a cute and functional cellphone good enough for you to try.

From the sizing borrowed from the sixth-generation iPod Nano, the new Nokia X5, part of the innovative Nokia X Series, shows that sizes like these does not matter when it comes to functional features such as the QWERTY keyboard, 2GB microSD memory card included for more photos, videos, and everything, Surprise Me! app that picks a random song from your phone, internet connectivity via 3.5G or Wi-Fi, and a 5-megapixel camera for shooting pics and flicks.

This phone comes in three colors; pink, black, and blue. As you may know, the Nokia X5 is pretty in pink, providing a good feminine touch for the girls who want a very very cute phone that has a host of major major features.

My dent on the Nokia X5 is the small screen because how can I use this phone if the screen is too small for the big jobs? Leave it to the girls because the new Nokia X5 is a girls-only phone designed for its cute size.

Photo: Nokia

Eh? Blackberry takes on the iPad?

Recently, I picked up some news that Blackberry, famous for their cellphone range, launched their take on the fastest-selling Apple iPad with the new Blackberry PlayBook.

Scoop: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100927/ttc-us-canada-it-company-telecom-compute-0de2eff.html

Slated for sale next year, will this new gadget be a hit against the iPad? I think not because my first dent will be the sizing. The Apple iPad's screen is way bigger than the Blackberry PlayBook.

Guess I won't be expecting to see it when it arrives next year. I'll go stick with the iPad because this is way better.

C1-00

Nokia C1-00

Nokia's first dual-sim phone, the C1-00, might seem to have a familiar feature found in most myphone cellphones, but this is Nokia's first of its kind to give cellphone users the free will to use two sims in one phone.

Perfect for those who want to use two sims, even when you're in side on two rival telecommunication companies, Smart and Globe, or even its subsidiaries such as Touch Mobile or Red Mobile. Imagine yourself keeping a secret to someone, the first sim you'll have is for your common pals, and the second one is for your secret buddies. Would that be nice to have this phone carrying two sims for your privacy? This dual-sim phone brings personal privacy to its personal taste.

Aside from its dual-sim functionality, the Nokia C1-00 features some entry-level features such as texting, calling, and normal ringtones. Also, the FM Radio (headset required) makes it a good addition to the C1-00. Good for those who want to listen to their favorite FM stations on the go.

The Nokia C1-00 comes in two exterior colors, red and blue, respectively, and I hope there will be changeable covers for Nokia's first dual-sim phone. But still, I would go for the myphone range because not only has dual-sim features, it has host of colorful features.

Photo: Nokia

C3

Nokia C3

From my point of view, the Nokia C3, one of the Nokia C-Series, is surprisingly the main opponent of some BlackBerry QWERTY-keyboard phones, because this Nokia looks similar to the BlackBerry phones I know.

The Nokia C3 comes in three distinctive colors; in beige, smoke, and magenta, and it has some distinctive features as seen on those QWERTY-keyboard type cellphones, especially the BlackBerry phones with these cool keypads.

First off, the C3 comes with a customizable home screen that allows the user to change backgrounds with their downloaded wallpapers and icons. This home screen allows you to check on FaceBook statues and Twitter tweets and allows you to get connected with your friends and family by selecting the person's picture to talk or text.

For connectivity, the C3 comes with either a 2G or W-Fi connectivity. If Nokia makes a 3G version of the C3, I would gladly go everywhere and surf the net everywhere I go, especially wild parties, appointments, and others. Also, the C3 has Web Search feature, you searched it, you keep it. This feature is just like the Web Search feature from the Sony PSP, but whatever, this is how this thing works.

Since this cellphone has a QWERTY keypad, texting made simple. Imagine myself texting messages with my friends and family with that kind of keyboard designed for easy access and convenience, if you know what I mean.

For photos and video, a 2.0-megapixel camera is added to give users a fun factor to take pictures and videos for their uploading pleasure to the internet. Keep that in mind that the internal memory for this phone is up to 55MB and the optional MicroSD memory card up to 8GB will take you further for more photos, videos, and music. Speaking of music, this phone can match your favorite music based on your feelings. It even has an FM radio to listen your favorite FM stations such as Tambayan 101.9, Home Radio 97.9, Yes FM 101.1, and other FM radio stations I know.

What can I say? This Nokia is the target of BlackBerry phones wearing the QWERTY keypad, because this Nokia looks more like a BlackBerry phone! Weird, but cool to keep it as a collector's item.

Photo: Nokia

X2

Nokia X2

A certain stylish part of the Nokia X-Series, the X2, blends the trend and tech into one fashionable cellphone suited for its budget. Although this is a fair phone for the kids in their fourth to sixth grade and teens in their high school years, the Nokia X2 features a moderate host of features such as FM player, dual stereo speakers, one-touch keys, 5-megapixel camera, and a host of Ovi apps to take part of it.

It seems that this cell-phone wasn't great for the professional techies, but only the rookies and amateurs will be appreciated to the Nokia X2 because of its entry-level size, entry-level features, and a host of optional accessories, including a MicroSD memory car for additional space for your photos, videos, and music.

On my side note, this Nokia is quite OK for me if I want to swap out my old 3230 for that phone because both the 3230 and the X2 have the same features, but different in terms in style, quality, and packaging. If you are a spoiled brat, this cellphone might just change your course because it has a certain sense of style. You'll be glad this is from the stylish Nokia X Series, designed for the generation X.

Photo: Nokia

1280

Nokia 1280

Not necessarily a good Nokia to try for a seasoned techie, but for the budget-conscious, this Nokia phone can be a a good entry-level phone for those who want something simple, and economical in terms of pricing.

The Nokia 1280 looks more of an outdated 3310 but it has an FM radio feature on it. All you have to do is to plug in your cellphone's headset and you're ready to listen to your favorite FM stations such as Yes FM, Tambayan 101.9, Home Radio 97.9, Monster Radio RX93.1, 99.5RT, and other FM radio stations that I know.

The 1280's design can be somewhat plain, thinking that this is some kind of a cellphone built from China with odd design and less features, but on the exterior note, the dust-proof keypad and the scratch-resistant cover lets brings durability on the next level, so you can use it anytime, anywhere. Once more, you can change the phone's exterior with a wide array of cellphone covers for added style.

I guess this is perfect only for those who have a decent budget to buy a phone, but for me, I think this is not the phone I really want. Leave to the first timers.

Photo: Nokia