My ongoing wishlist with Apple
I'm beginning to like Apple products more, but here is mu ongoing wishlist of features I would like to see in future updates to Apple products.
I only own one Apple product: the iPhone 3GS. And I plan to buy the new iPhone in the next product cycle in 2013. Yes, there is a new iPhone every Fall. Knowing that makes me less pressured in buying the latest model and hopefully get the features I am wishing for.
Apple iPhone
Increase the screen size without increasing the phone size
Remove "Newstand" from the home screen
USB 3.0 integration
Longer battery life
Faster processor
Make it lighter
Touchpad in the back
Apple iPad
Make it lighter
Make it thinner
Higher resolution front/back cameras
In-Stereo speakers
Face recognition log-in
USB 3.0 integration
Apple Macbook/Macbook Pro
Converge iOS and OSX into one operating system
More USB ports
3.0 USB integration
Make it lighter
Smaller AC adapter
Longer battery life
Apple Airbook
Converge iOS and OSX into one operating system
Faster processors
More DIMM slots
More USB ports
15" & 17" versions
Smaller AC adapter
Longer battery life
Larger hard drive capacity
Apple App: Wikinvest
I just started using this app and it's amazing.
You can import your investment account (or manually enter your portfolios). It's not Questrade friendly because it's a US app, but tracking my portfolios has made it easier.
It's well-desiged and has some been designed to work well on an iPhone.
The things I would like to see in future updates are:
- Separate your daily performance by portfolio. At this time, it gives you a performance total.
- Add more Canadian stock information. It's a US service so not much on Canadian stocks.
- Options to compare your portfolio to all international markets, especially with the TSX. Right now, it can only compare to the DJIA and S&P 500.
You can work with the app and the website version to make it easier to add your portfolio. Joining the website is free.
Overall, it's great app. Worth using and joining to follow your investments. It's a free app on iTunes.
Apple App: Data Master
One of my pet peeves is constantly keeping track of my cellular data usage. I was not "blessed" with a high data package when I got my iPhone so keeping track is a necessity for me.
Luckily, I take advantage of wifi hotspots the majority of the time. But when I travel I'm away from a known wifi hotspot for long periods of time.
This is where Data Master by Nutec Apps comes in handy.
This app is being offered for free for a limited time and it can help iPhone users keep track of their data usage (in real time).
It does need a little initial set-up, ie: your billing cycle and data usage limit. After that it will track your usage on your cellular and wifi connections.
Seeing your usage habits can also help you decide if adjusting your data package is necessary to avoid more overages in the future, or if you can downgrade to a lower data package.
I only installed this recently, but so far I'm seeing some useful information about my usage habits. Give it a try while it's FREE for a limited time.
Apple App: Skydrive
Another useful iOS app offered from Microsoft. Remote storage is now available to anyone that has a Hotmail account (or MSN Messenger or XBOX Live account) and iOS device.
Just log into your account and transfer files, manage folders, and share files.
Go to the Apple App Store to get more information about Microsoft Skydrive.
This app is free to download. Hotmail, MSN Messenger, or XBOX Live account is required.
Apple App: My XBOX Live
Microsoft just released a cool app for all XBOX gamers in the Apple App Store. Once installed, just log into your XBOX Live account and you can view your game info and avatar profile.
To get the most out of the app, you'll need a Gold membership (as usual). The app is free so check it out!
Read more about the features included in this app at Major Nelson's blog.
Pay-As-You-Go vs Cellphone Contract for an Apple iPhone 4S
With the launch of the new iPhone 4S, the excitement of having a cellphone contract ending is like Christmas in October. Unfortunately, only the lucky few can feel this excitement. But what if we could buy our iPhone 4S from Apple directly and avoid the torture of waiting for our contracts to end, or even worse, terminate our contract early and pay hundreds of dollars.
Since 2010 Apple Canada allowed Canadian consumers to buy their iPhones directly from the Apple Store or Apple Online. The big disadvantage was the price, without the subsidized cost offered by a carrier you were paying 3-4 times as much for the latest iPhone. But, one of the of the advantages of purchasing your iPhone from Apple was the iPhone was unlocked, meaning you can use your iPhone on any carrier at any time, and contract free. To some people this was an ideal feature to have. Having the ability to use any SIM card from any carrier at any time allowed the consumer to use their iPhone in any country. And, buy plans that were contract free, also as known as Pay-As-You-Go plans.
Pay-As-You-Go plans use a banked number of minutes and/or text messaging and/or data expiring over a period of time. In some cases, you can have banked minutes that can last up to one year. And, if you run out of minutes, you buy more minutes through your phone or online.
So let's compare costs between a Carrier Contract Plan vs Pay-As-You-Go:
Carrier Contract Plan (in this example I will use Telus Moblility)
iPhone 4S 16GB from Telus Mobility = $169.00
Activation Fee = $35.00 one time fee
Minimum Monthly Plan for iPhone 4S = $50.00/month + taxes = $56.50/month in Ontario
A Telus agreement for an iPhone 4S is 3 years
TOTAL = $169.00 + $35.00 + ($56.50 * 36 months) = $2238 for the length of the 3-year contract
Pay-As-You-Go Plan (in this example I will use Petro Canada Mobility - yes, they are in the wireless business too!)
iPhone 4S 16GB from Apple Canada = $649+taxes = $739.86
SIM Card purchase = $15.00+taxes = $16.95
The Anytime Plan with 400 minutes + 40 bonus minutes (with up to 356 days of service) = $100+taxes = $113
TOTAL = $739.86 + $16.95 + ($113 * 3 years) = $1095.81
But what about data you ask? For an extra $10/month you can have unlimited data!
So the new Pay-As-You-Go Total = $1095.81 + ($120 * 3 years) = $1455.81
You can save about $782.19 over the length of a contractual contract with a cellphone carrier! That's a savings of 35%! If your contractual plans were priced without including the mandatory 911 service fees, adding extra features, coverage charges, etc. the total of $2238 can raise considerably. Not to say that Pay-As-You-Go plans don't have hidden fees as well, but atleast you can say, "my budget was to spend $100 [plus applicable taxes] this year and I used up my minutes, and now I'll reload my minutes, but only in the new year to stay in budget", or "my minutes are used up, I'll only pay for 60 minutes for $15 this time and not add a data plan this month". In other words, flexibility.
Using the Pay-As-You-Go as a budgetary option is very realistic to me. Why should I spend hundreds of dollars more if I correspond with your friends with Facebook, or other social apps. I don't need 200 minutes a month. I want unlimited data on the go, but I don't want to spend more than $10 a month to get it! I want the option to use my phone on other carriers whenever I want, especially when I travel abroad. And, if I can sell my iPhone to get the newest one, I'll get a really good price for it.
I have onep more year until my iPhone 3GS contract expires. Calculating the cost during my 3-year plan, I will be spending over $2800 for this contract.
Once my contract has expired I will highly consider a Pay-As-You-Go plan with, a brand new, unlocked iPhone 5 or iPhone 5S(?).
What is the most you have spent on a contract?
Things to consider if you plan to go the "Pay-As-You-Go" route:
iPhones are unlocked from Apple so you can use your iPhone on any carrier that uses SIM cards (all over the world!)
Initial cost of an unlocked iPhone from Apple is EXPENSIVE!
Resell value of an unlocked iPhone is high
Depending on your talking habits, it may cost you more
No contracts, no credit checks
The carrier's network might not be as reliable
Use the money you saved to pay down your mortgage/student loan, go on a vacation, buy an XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3, buy an iPad 2, invest in 2 Apple stocks, invest into high interest 3-year GICs...LOL!
Onavo – save data, stretch your data plan when roaming and at home
iPhoneCanada.ca mentioned a cool app that can help anyone using a data plan. It's called Onavo.
MacRumors.com Buyer’s Guide
When I want to keep track of Apple's product releases I use Mac Buyer's Guide. The guide tracks the release dates to all the Apple products and measures the amount of days since the release date. It also gives the average amount of days until the next product update. It's handy if you plan to make your next Apple purchase.
Some people don't need the latest version of an Apple product so knowing when the new release comes out can help you save some money. Once the new product update comes out, the previous version usually goes down in price.
Check it out!
iPad 2 on sale today
At 5PM EST, the long awaited iPad 2 will be on sale at retailers in the US. Prices for the iPad 2 will start at $499.
With later launching dates for the other Apple markets, especially for Canada. Is there any benefit for Canadians to head to the border and pick on up now instead of waiting until March 25?
Aside from getting it early, I don't see the point. The gas used to drive to the closest US town, the taxes and duties you will pay on the product, and precious time it would take to get one doesn't justify it for me. Even with the Canadian dollar above parity with the US dollar, waiting another 2 weeks might not be that bad. By then, more consumer reviews will be out to really see if the iPad 2 is really the best tablet in the market.
I was really anxious to get one this Friday, but reality set in and waiting until March 25th will be the date I will be getting my iPad 2.
iOS 4.3 released today
Apple releases iOS 4.3 http://engt.co/eclS6O
Sync your iPhone to iTunes on your computer and it will initiate the update.
What I discovered is that the WiFi Hotspot does not work with my 3GS. I contacted Telus via Twitter and they told me that it is only available for the iPhone 4.
The only options you get on the 3GS is basically the same function as the current tethering feature: Bluetooth or USB.
So this update for iPhone users without 4th gen phones will not have the actual "hotspot" feature. The non-4 iPhones will only have the tethering function similar to the previous firmware versions.
This will definitely effect my decision to get the new iPad 2 on March 25 (Canadian release date).