iPhone SE

iPhone SE is the little iPhone that still can.  It just refuses to go obsolete.  I just got it upgraded to the latest iOS 13.  Meanwhile the iPhone 6 is forever left behind in iOS 12.4.1.  When shooting the iPhone SE, I am able to shoot 4K while the iPhone 6 is stuck at 1080p, both running Filmic Pro.  I myself got the impression that the 6 is a newer and better phone I guess I am mistaken; I am mistaken as I don't go to double check with Google and Apple for their specifications.

My everyday phone is the iPhone8 Plus, I love its size but loathed its weight.  With failing eyesight a bigger screen definitely helps, but the weight hurts my wrist and neck.  the 8 Plus is like 10 times and 100 times heavier than the 6 and SE respectively.

The iPhone development has slowed down.  The latest iPhone 11 is a fine machine I am sure.  A souped up version of it is $1,449.

Kapkur Anamorphic

I have only knew three anamorphic phone adapters until yesterday.  They are from Moondog labs, Beastgrip Pro and Moment.  Moondog labs should be the first one who made those and consistently stocked them,  with accessories like filter adapters no less.  Moment and Kapkur use a dedicated case for attaching the lens.  Moondog provides different models for different phones and a version with 37mm thread, and another with 12.5mm thread to attach to a phone case for newer phones.  Beastgrip provides a version with 37mm that attaches to the Beastgrip pro.  The question is which method provides the best alignment consistently, or does it matter.  I tend to think the custom case provides the best attachment and alignment consistently.  Once the phone is dressed in the case you just need to screw on the anamorphic adapter, i.e. the lens.  There is no guesswork to any vertical or horizontal alignment to play with.

I was at the PhotoPlus Expo yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised to see Kapkur offers anamorphic adapter.  I tried it on for 8 seconds.  I guess it's not bad.

I have no reference of course and I am surprised there isn't any comparison out there among these four adapters.

With phones coming out with twin cameras and whatnot, it seems there is a trend to make a dedicated phone case to attach the lens.  And then in turn, one could just shoot like so or mount the whole setup onto another rig like a Beastgrip to further add shooting features to the setup.

iPhone 6 DIY fixed

The iPhone 6 has been broken for more than a year.  I didn't get the chance to fix it or I didn't feel compelled to fix it until just a few days ago.

There are no shortage of information out there teaching you how to fix the screen or whatever that ails your phone.

I think the number one most often fix is the screen.  By screen it means the front facing glass or the top shell.  As the top shell is more than just a piece of glass.  Although as a consumer and when you talk to the repair shop, you'd like to say it's just a shattered screen of glass as if . . . .  No, it's not just a piece of glass.

I was going to spend from $15 to $70 just for the top shell.  The takeaway is you got what you paid for and fortunately there are some good parts out there just as there are some that deviate quite substantially from Apple's specifications.  You just have to manage your expectation accordingly hoping that the vendor gives the right information.  If the vendor is selling an aftermarket part at $15, an aftermarket premium at $20 and an OEM part for $50 for example, you better believe the aftermarket $15 is just passable, the color maybe off, the touch response is not so great and the shell can barely put back in.

In the end, I got something like $31 for the shell glass and digitizer included it's rated S+, the vendor's way of saying very very good; I have to transfer the small little parts from the broken shell to the new one, mainly the fingerprint biometric home button at the bottom, the little front camera, proximity sensor ...  Buying just the glass is cheaper but then you have to really clean up the shattered shards of glass from the old one before you have to glue the new one back on.  Most of the video I watched didn't take that route.  So to recap, you have about three options, just change the glass; change with a new assembly but transfer old small parts from old shell; or buy a full assembly including small parts.  Note that the old original biometric home button works only with that phone any new home button won't do the fingerprint authentication--that's why you need to transfer the home button from the old to the new if you want fingerprint authentication to work.  Any new non original home button you bought would only act as home button but can't do the fingerprint biometrics authentication.

Having the right tools is crucial.  I can't tell you how many times I stripped the screws before I bit the bullet and bought something just a bit better.

With presbyopia it's very hard for me to see and handle those 00 Philips screws and ribbon connectors.

It took me two goes of take apart and put back together to get everything work.  The first time the headphone jack was not working.  Then later I found out neither was the earpiece at the top of the shell, that's no sound coming out.  I you Google that, you will find all the usual so called fix, clean the lint and dirt out of that headphone jack which didn't help in my case, or use an original Apple headphone.  Or worse case scenario, buy the headphone jack replacement which would have set me back at least another week or so.  I decided it's probably some bad connection, it's just a blind faith on the parts and no faith on my eyesight and assembly skill.  I tend to blame myself if something doesn't work.

My hunch was right.  The second time around the headphone jack works and so is the earpiece at the top.

The battery removal was a pain.  The glue was super strong.

All said and done, I waited for three days and spent close to $60 for parts: top assembly, new battery, and two sticky strips.  If a repair shop asked for $100 or less for the same repair, just give the money to them.

Apple on Apple

For people who prefer to get their news in the form of cartoon, Apple Daily Taiwan of Nextmedia gives you the no nonsense bit on the latest Apple iPhone 4 blunder.  Ridiculously entertaining.



via 9to5mac.com

iPhone 4 News Latest

Latest:  Jobs is dishing out goodies to solve what the company thinks a non issue or what most others think an antenna issue.  Buyers can get a bumper case, roast pork fried rice, beef chow fun, or General Tso's chicken (only one of them not all, personally I like roast pork and duck over rice but it's not part of the options) if they bought an iPhone 4.  So I think that's fair.  But Apple goes further if the non issue bothers you and you don't like greasy Chinese (who wouldn't?  Really?), you can simply return the damned phone.  After all it's just a damned phone there is no need to get all worked up.  Let's move on to iPhone 5 already.

Gizmodo Did Get the Next Gen iPhone

Gizmodo is on fire.  Tech gossip, rumor and fun site Gizmodo scored big when it got its hand on the next iPhone prototype.  See it for yourself at their site.  The latest being Apple actually sent a letter to Gizmodo to claim back the lost iPhone prototype, confirming that it is indeed an Apple property not any knock-off iPhony from China or the like.  Above anything else, Gizmodo seems to be pleading with Apple not to fire the engineer, Gray Powell who supposedly lost the super secret phone on his birthday after much partying and German beers.  I think that was very thoughtful and kind of Gizmodo.

Test Post

Haw haw haw

So Google email account actually works.  I guess it's Yahoo that sucks? Well they all suck when things don't work the way I want it and I need to figure out some work around to circumvent the stupidity of one or more vendors. But I guess that's life. Somebody, somewhere, sometimes, or worse, all the time, is stupid.

Nexus One Don't Care About Chinese

It's official. Straight from the horse's mouth.

There is no language keyboard support for Chinese input.  Booo!  Booo!  Meanwhile iPhone has keyboard support for both traditional and simplified Chinese.

Finally Some Better iPhone Reviews

Finally it takes a sassy Singaporean girl who is secured enough to give us the ultimate iPhone review on video.



Now for the readers who aren't so crazy about YouTube video but prefer cartoon, animation and white text on black background 1990's style pre-blog web page, I have good news for you. This is by far the most objective review, bar none.

iPhone Dev Center

Apple is going to lead the way. But that's not going to stop the industrious hackers out there who are hell-bent to do it their way.

A tribute to iPhone hackers ....

Random Thoughts

Let the revolution continue ...

Charles Platiau/Reuters via The New York Times online.

You have to love the French people, the folks who bring us French Revolution, French kiss, French fries, the guillotine, and a strong sense of self entitlement. The French workers probably spend 60 percent of their time protesting work related exploitation (real or imagined), 39 percent of their time on paid vacation and the remaining 1% actually working, only if you include the 2-hour lunch.

Also, you can't fuck with the French. Apple has had great success selling locked iPhones in the US and elsewhere in Europe. But no, the French won't take any crap, not from President Sarkozy, and certainly not from Jobs. The French essentially tells Jobs to shove his locked iPhones up his arse .... So there are unlocked iPhones in addition to locked ones selling in France.

In another Apple iPhone related news, just when Apple board member Al Gore won Nobel Peace prize on his contribution to environmental issues, Greenpeace came up to spoil the party by alleging Apple selling poisonous iPhones. Personally I think facts are facts, if the iPhone does carry toxic substances I don't see why the fanboys have to defend Apple, maybe that's why they are called fanboys in the first place. It's good that we have Greenpeace, the perennial environmental complainer, to every now and then spoil the party. At least you are made more aware of the facts to make an informed decision. Say if you think your kids are dumb already and so it doesn't matter whether the toys are coated with lead paints, you are still going to buy them anyway.

"Has Steve really reinvented the phone?" from GreenpeaceVideo

A Tribute to iPhone Developers

Or Hackers.



This should make the other Steve proud.

iPhone Unlimited Data Plan

Notice posted outside an at&t store at 5th Avenue and 41st Street.

Unlimited, all you can eat plan. I am pleasantly surprised. To me, the unlimited data plan is crucial and I think at&t is really doing the right thing to the iPhone users. As I don't have any friends to text or to call, all that matters is the data plan, the web browsing feature.

On June 29, at&t stores close at 4.30 and reopen at 6PM till 10PM to sell iPhones.

Official Propaganda:-
http://www.apple.com/iphone
From the priviledged (tomorrow's news today):-
The iPhone Matches Most of Its Hype, David Pogue for The New York Times
Testing Out The iPhone, Walter S. Mossberg and Katherine Boehret for the Wall Street Journal

iPhone Coming June 29

See the ads yourself from Apple.

It needs a 2-year contract with at&t wireless. So I am not sure if you can just buy the phone ....

Buy T?

Rumors have it that that some AT&T or formerly Cingular stores, working against company policy, are taking pre-orders for the iPhones and some store in New York City has a waiting list with some thousand names. If this is true, the pent-up demand for iPhones may even exceed Apple's expectation. The iPhone is scheduled to launch in June, most likely end of June.

Maybe it's time to buy AT&T and Apple? My opinion is free, your money is not, so invest at your own risk. APPL and T close at 110.69 down 2.2, and 40.42 up 1 cent respectively.

UPDATES:
According to rumor site, macrumors.com, the iPhone is available in store on June 20th. And iPhone support training runs between May 30 to June 20th. Get your credit card ready.

Apple Updates MacBook Line

It's a moderate upgrade, there is no LED screen, nor there is an upgrade to the new intel chipset called Santa Rosa.

The MacBook can be configured to max out at 2GB of RAM and 200GB harddrive.

In another Apple news, iPhone is just around the corner, selling $499 for the 4GB model and $599 for the 8GB model. There is no exact ship date yet other than a June shipment. It could be a phenomenal success like the iPod mp3 music player or it could be a tremendous blunder. When iPhone was introduced, the stock price was around $87, now it's more than $100.

http://www.apple.com

New iPhone Spot on Oscar

Apple just released its iPhone TV spot during the first Oscar commercial break. It does say "Coming in June," so I think there won't be an April release as some rumor has it.

The commercial probably can be called "Hello." It's a collection of movie and TV scenes where famous characters say Hello to the phone.

UPDATE:
By my count, the TV spot got played twice, the first and the last commercial break. The message is like the iPhone is going to change the way people talk over the phone. Apple is perhaps emphasizing the phone aspect of the device, the angle, or at least in this stage or in this ad, is really just the phone. No pda, camera, text, audio or video iPod. It's a phone that's going to change Hello for good. It's a bit nostalgic and I don't think it's catered to the gadget freak type.

UPDATE:
Straight from the horse mouth. Actually I was a bit surprised I didn't see the ad on Apple's site right after the spot got played on TV. The iPhone belongs to John Appleseed.

Plus the name iPhone wasn't mentioned at all, I guess it's either aesthetic or simply the 30-second spot was developed and finalized before Apple settled with Cisco on the use of the name iPhone.

The Devil Talks Prada

LG just up the ante by introducing its own touch screen cellphone a week after Apple made the iPhone announcement. The PRADA phone is a collaboration between The South Korean technology company LG and the Italian fashion powerhouse PRADA. Unlike the iPhone, the LG model is almost readily available in Europe and in Asia. There is no date for an America launch yet.

Now the devil not only can wear Prada, she can talk Prada as well.

(MORE) BORING SHIT follows:-

Apple usually makes its new products readily available right after their announcements, iPhone was a glaring exception. Perhaps the Apple tv wasn't big enough to carry the whole MacWorld show, or perhaps Apple wanted the launch before LG so the iPhone doesn't look like a copycat. Or perhaps Apple wanted iPhone's announcement to somehow deflect some of the bad press involving the options backdating scandal. The official explanation was because of the FCC filing will give it out anyway. In any event, the six-month gap between the launch and announcement cannot be such a good thing. Six months is long enough to cool off some impulsive hysterical buying. I am not sure if iPhone is 5 years ahead of the competition but I am quite sure America is pretty backward in terms of integrating cell use with daily life when compared against Japan or other European countries.

This Week in Review

The big news of course was iPhone. Steve Jobs, the purveyor of cool finally answered the perennial prayers of its fanboys and gave them and the world iPhone. Cisco, without missing a beat, say iSue, claiming trademark infringement of the name iPhone.

For $250 million for 5 years or $1 million a week, David Beckham is moving to LA. Does America care about soccer? It never did and probably never will.

More iPhone

If you are not yet sick and tired of the iPhone already, you may want to get yours right here right now. You don't need to wait till June or sign any 2-year contract with Cingular. Sid, don't say I don't do anything for you.

permalink from Boing Boing.