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Topic: Mobility

10 features and functions to enjoy on the Apple iPhone 5

Summary: The Apple iPhone 5 is an amazing smartphone with LOTS of cool functions and features and these are 10 of my favorites.

Matthew Miller

By for Smartphones and Cell Phones |

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FaceTime over cellular: I paid full price for the iPhone 5 so that I could keep my grandfathered unlimited data plan and with my oldest now at college I like that we can hold video calls on the go. At times like this, it sure is nice to see a face and not just hear a voice.

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Topics: Mobility, Apple, iPhone, Verizon

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42 comments
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  • My 10 favorite features of the iPhone 5

    1. No longer a boring grid of static icons, you can now see at a glance what's up.
    2. Maps that work.
    3. Wireless charging.
    4. Fastest LCD refresh rate on the market.
    5. Camera image stabilization that works.
    6. NFC.
    7. Dedicated camera button.
    8. Solid construction that resists chipping and scratching.
    9. A screen that is larger than 4".
    10. A touchscreen that actually works with touch.

    Oh wait, those aren't features of the iPhone 5 at all.

    Oops.
    toddbottom3
    Reply 1 Vote

    • Hum ho

      You know, if you could let even one thread go by, on any subject, without stopping by to throw a turd at Apple, you would be much less sickening a human being. The Hubble Space Telescope story.. really... you even had to poop in that one.

      Just go buy your Lumia, willya? You can hug it, and kiss the screen with the Windows interface. You can just love it soooooo much. And you won't have to drop your pants and leave little droppings everywhere for others to smell.
      Robert Hahn
      Reply 1 Vote

      • Don't read my posts if they bother you so much

        Your spam makes you a sickening human being. If that doesn't upset you, congratulations, you know exactly how I feel.
        toddbottom3
        Reply 1 Vote

      • But thats all he has

        Don't let him bother you. I will post responses to his FUD but I actually feel sorry for him. It's pretty obvious that he has nothing better in his life that to troll Apple related threads to try to get a response out of Apple fans. It truly must be a sad existence.
        non-biased
        Reply Vote

        • I feel

          sorry for you troll!
          PogoBlue
          Reply 1 Vote

      • Robert Hahn

        You speak the truth!
        PogoBlue
        Reply Vote

        • unlockiphones.info

          Unlock your iphone at extremely cheap prices from unlockiphones.info . Such a great service they offer along with refund! 100% satisfied!
          john11223312
          Reply Vote

    • Ummm.. okay

      1. Fair call, on the other hand, my main home screen shows me badges for any apps that require urgent attention - that's where I put the important ones. Anything else pings up in my notification centre so I can check quickly. Next.
      2. They do, they're improving, the software is actually pretty fast and very slick, it's just the server side data that is coming up to speed. Next.
      3. What's the point? It's a bragging point on bullet point list. One that I don't think even Samsung can be bothered with in their current generation of phones, and they're the kings of pointless bullet points at the moment. Practically it means you can't pick up the phone and use it while charging, it needs to remain flat on the pad.
      4. I haven't noticed that the LCD refresh rate seems especially low on any iPhone. Bragging point only, the human struggles to discern refresh rates above 60Hz anyway.
      5. Okay, that would be a nice one. I'll give you that.
      6. Once it actually hits the mainstream it'll be nice to have, until then I have my cards in my wallet.
      7. In camera mode, the volume up button becomes a camera button. Having owned phones with dedicated camera buttons in the past (Samsungs, Sony Ericssons, Nokias) I can tell you I have a wonderful collection of photos of the inside of my pocket.
      8. No chips yet. It feels pretty solid.
      9. Don't need it. And anyway, screen size is a personal preference. Having used an S II I can safely say I found the screen too big. Each to their own, but I do think this is another Top Trumps bullet point that is more important to the tech crowd than the mainstream.
      10. This is an odd one for you to bring up - it's my understanding that Apple produces some of the most accurate touch screens in the business. On what basis are you saying that the iPhone 5 doesn't work with touch? I'm typing this on an iPhone 5 using the touch interface by the way.

      There are much softer points if you really want to go on an anti-Apple trolling spree - the Lightning Connector has proved somewhat controversial, despite it being a case of Apple doing what people wanted and updating their connector, just not to mUSB. Battery life is not great if you upgrade and restore from a backup of an older iPhone - something gets carried across in the settings and it is advisable to set up as a new phone. Cases haven't yet appeared in any meaningful number (although I don't really use them - at the end of my contract what is the point of having a well-preserved out of date handset?). Movement of the headphone jack to the bottom of the phone (why? because screw muscle memory, that's why). Siri is still thick as two short planks and unable to understand about 50% of what is said to her/him. No distinction is made between running apps and recently opened apps in the double-click toolbar. Do Not Disturb doesn't allow you to specify weekdays and weekends separately.

      But no, go with your point 10 if you must. It's one of the few places this remarkable handset has not been attacked on. BUt you go for it. Make your mark.
      Ben_E
      Reply 1 Vote

      • You haven't been keeping up

        Not surprising, most Apple consumers only know Apple, never having been exposed to anything else.

        Apple's touch screen does not actually respond to touch, it senses certain types of materials as they get very close to the screen. Your skin is one of those materials. Nails are not. Gloves are not.

        Nokia Lumia 920 actually works with touch. You can use your nails. It's okay if you have gloves on. That was my #10. Apple's touch screen is yesterday's technology. It's okay, you'll get it in a few years when Apple tells you they invented it.
        toddbottom3
        Reply Vote

        • Capacitive screens

          Capacitive touch technology is generally more responsive than resistive touch technology. Apple wanted the iPhone to be snappy and responsive, not sluggish.
          CobraA1
          Reply Vote

          • LMAO!

            I read this comment and laughed myself close to death. The Lumia 920 does not have a Resistive touch display, it's a capacitive touch display that is so advanced you can use it with any object. Something the iPhone just can't do.
            Wake up my dear.
            DreyerSmit
            Reply Vote

          • Wow, so advanced maybe

            they can actually sell a few to people that care this time around.
            non-biased
            Reply Vote

          • Not true my friend

            Hate to point it out especially since you were so proud of your Lumia...but you are the one that's got it backwards. The iPhone uses multitouch capacitive technology that far out-performs the resistive touch of your device that is using the same tech for touch screens since the first Palm Pilots.
            MichaelBorel
            Reply Vote

    • My 10 favorite features of the iPhone 5

      Ha ha killer?? Does all that belong to a Dynamic phone called Samsung galaxy S3???
      Atharton_CB
      Reply Vote

    • Line by line

      1. No longer a boring grid of static icons, you can now see at a glance what's up.
      I have no issue with the grid of static icons. If you don't like it don't buy but I suspect it's less about disliking and more about taking points.

      2. Maps that work.
      Yep, iOS 6 maps work great for me and have so far been superior to what Google provided in all previous iOS versions.

      3. Wireless charging.
      Oh yes, one of those features added to fill out the spec sheet but of no real benefit. Funny how those that tend to bring this up are also those that bash Apple for changing to the lightening connector. How is this a benefit unless I buy multiple wireless charging pads?

      4. Fastest LCD refresh rate on the market.
      Have zero issues with the refresh rate but pat yourself on the back if it makes you feel better.

      5. Camera image stabilization that works.
      Sure there are better out there but have had no issues.

      6. NFC.
      Another spec to fill the spec sheet. Of the places I go can only think of one that it might be of benefit yet numerous places that Passbook will work for me.

      7. Dedicated camera button.
      Just what I want, another physical button that could have issues.

      8. Solid construction that resists chipping and scratching.
      Your right, the iPhone 5 is as good as pretty much anything out there in this regard.

      9. A screen that is larger than 4".
      Why, I have a tablet for when I want a larger screen and don’t have to carry around some oversized phone.

      10. A touchscreen that actually works with touch.
      And from my experience each iOS device I have owned has worked better and been more responsive than other devices I have tried.
      non-biased
      Reply Vote

    • unlockiphones.info

      Unlock your iphone at extremely cheap prices from unlockiphones.info . Such a great service they offer along with refund! 100% satisfied!
      john11223312
      Reply Vote

  • I like this comment of you

    "Apple is good at taking what others have done before and refining it and we see the cool Windows Phone 7 swipe to reveal photo feature. Within the photo app you simply swipe to access your recently captured photos."
    Ram U
    Reply Vote

  • Lol another goody from you. :D

    "You don't need to waste money on hand warmers this winter since all you have to do is play music or turn on a video and place your iPhone 5 into your pocket to heat your hands (when in your pocket) and those areas of your body next to the iPhone in your pocket."

    Larry, we need the edit feature in the talkbacks please.
    Ram U
    Reply Vote

  • Custom Vibrations...

    Custom Vibrations was added in iOS5... been using that a long time even on the iPhone 4, but you act like the Galaxy S3 invented it... iPhones had it before that existed, but even they didn't have it first... custom vibrations is not new.
    doh123
    Reply Vote

    • Didn't NEWTON have custom vibrations?

      I'm pretty sure Apple invented this feature with the NEWTON.
      toddbottom3
      Reply Vote
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