R.I.P Steve Jobs. He was THE MAN!

When I first heard about an iPod, i was like ummmm okay so what's really new in this? I remember I had seen some random juveniles using iPods on Indian Idol. It was a box, then, for me. BUT! when I saw the scroll wheel and the tiny thing and the amount of music it could carry, I was literally BLOWN AWAY! What a piece of brilliant technology.
10 years from then, iPods have completely revolutionized the way people listen to music. Even a kid in kindergarten now wants an iPod and nothing else. Such a drastic change to our lives and to the field of technology could have only been possible thanks to Apple. Apple, the single most gadget company that literally excites me. The only company to have outshone the sun. The only company to have such an amazing man, Steve Jobs. Whatever Steve Jobs did in his personal life, am least bothered about. What he did in the vast field of technology, gives me goosebumps.

I got my iPod touch in December 2009, probably the first among anyone I knew. And now, almost every 7th kid I know has an iPod touch. I took a huge risk considering it was the 2nd generation only, however it has proved to be more than just a music device. Brilliant piece of technology, so thin and small and light, yet so much packed into it. I remember, my friends really envied me for having a gadget with had a 'touchscreen' which wasn't really common then, let alone a capacitive touchscreen.
Steve Jobs was a man of honour, dedication and imagination run wild. Not even in one's dream could've one thought of having a web browser, an iPod and phone calling in a single device. The moment he made it come true, an applause louder than Niagra Falls could be heard. No kidding. In my friend's words, " He can sell anything. He has that something in himself, that aura, that knowledge and respect, that something that sets him apart from others. He can sell just ANYTHING, even a horrible nokia symbian for that matter. All he needs to do is, show up.". These words still echo on my mind, they have left an imprint so deep that whenever I think of an Apple conference coming up, these words come out of nowhere suddenly.

On 5th october, what we lost was someone far precious than a diamond, someone far knowledgable than geniuses, someone so passionate about apple, someone who could "sell anything". What we lost was THE MAN. The man who was capable of turning things upside down. He was the genius behind Pixar animations, MAC(along with Wazniak), iDevices.

Certainly it was a gloomy day for me as I read a message from my friend saying, " Steve Jobs no more :O OMG". That exact moment, I knew a small part of life had been tore apart. What we always wished for was his health after his cancer and other treatments. This news really came as a shocker and I know all of you out there without an iDevice saying he had to die at some point of time or the other... but what you won't realise is that we won't ever have those amazing conferences and launches, no more amazing talks and no more such awesome iDevices surprising without him.

Everyone after his death was quoting him and that kinda proves what impact he had on the World.
To the greatest man from 1955-2011, iRespect and iSalute!
You will surely be missed, coz without you apple is only a fruit.

Fight of the flagship models(errr just phones)

Many of us know that these phones are probably the most talked about phones when someone's buying a BIIIIIIIIIIG or an EXPENSIIIIIVE phone. Though I should say, Samsung has done pretty well in last 5-6 years. I remember in 2005 when my dad was planning to buy a mobile phone, all he could think of was Nokia and samsung was not even considered( it was below motorola too on the priority list ). Now Nokia in India=shit! It's probably the last phone people consider ( i mean smart people ).

Okay so let's get down to the business. This post mainly caters to the advantages of the two phones and am sure you must've read such comparisons everywhere, but the main reason why this post is different is because it's not just comparing features but also the 'using a phone for a year' comparison. Here goes:

Advantages of Samsung Galaxy S2 over Apple iPhone 4:

1) The most noticeable features ofcourse the screen size. S2 has a massive 4.3" touch screen whereas iPhone has a 3.5" touch display which although is a decent size, however for a price point of upwards or Rs. 10,000, it is not justified.

2) Another advantage is not the OS(android) but the utilization of OS. Android is a lot customizable than iOS which is a good thing indeed coz you don't want yourself to restrict to just what the company wants. Android can install third party apps which is not possible on iOS. Plus iOS can't connect to other devices via bluetooth save an Apple product.

3) Camera: Galaxy S2 has an 8 megapixel a/f camera with flash and full HD video recording. iPhone has a 5MP a/f camera with flash and 720p video recording which is decent however S2 overtakes it completely.

4) Processor speed: No doubt iPhone runs on it's own single core processor(around 900Mhz, mistaken for 1Ghz by many!) and iOS is very smooth, however I have used S2 and it is VERY smooth! In fact it has a dual core processor which makes it very smooth.

5) Apps: Most of the apps on android are free, or you can get the paid version online for free as well! However those apps on iOS cost more than $1 and hence this is where S2 scores. I wouldn't pay for an app if it suits others and not me, even with a rating of 4.5 stars.

6) Unlike Apple devices where you need itunes, samsung galaxy S2 needs nothing but a bluetooth or just transfer stuff through a usb cable provided making it VERY convinient for users. Plus the updates are over the air updates on samsung whereas it's the itunes saga again on the iPhone.

7) Notifications are a big positive on a the S2 since notifications can be seen in a dropdown bar, again making it more convinient than iPhone's notifications which were just about okay.


Advantages of iPhone 4 over Samsung Galaxy S2:
1) The UI: I feel the user interface on iPhone is verrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyy simple and easy to use. I mean even a kid(abov 2 yrs) can use iOS with ease. It's brilliant!

2) Multitasking on iPhone is AMAAAAAAAAZING! It can never get slow with so many applications running. The S2 comes very very close however the thing with Apple's devices is that they never have a problem unless it's a manufacturing defect coz they never stop running! Even if they do, press the home and lock screen button and voila you're good to use it again.

3) ITS APPLE FOR GOD"S SAKES! Yeah it's Apple, the brand value in India is very very high! One has an Apple product and that person's the centre of attraction. Plus we all know that Steve Jobs(respect!) can sell anything and everything! Samsung failed to market it's flagship model well. Very sad.

4) The display is the best! It's got retina display. Enough said.

5) The battery life is better than galaxy S2's. It lasts a few hours more and since iOS isn't as battery hungry as android, it good for users.

6) The appstore has apps almost 10 times that of android market. Android is catching up slowly, but the amount of apps for iPhone are WAAAY TOOOO MANY!!!!!! *thumbs up*

My verdict: Samsung galaxy S2 is what I'll prefer! It's got a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig screen with a good android version(2.3) and an amazing camera. Plus it's android :D

Encounter with the King- Ipad 2

Before I say anything, I'd only love to applaud for Steve Jobs for even thinking of such a product, which was kind of redundant few years ago and infact before the release of first ipad, no one really cared if it existed or not.

NOW! YES! It's the ohmygodsofreakingamazing iPAD-2! The godly thing according to me. It's got nearly everything my laptop does, only a better OS( I love iOS). After using an ipod touch for nearly a year, I was immensely satisfied and happy with it. However, it didn't fill my thirst of trying out new stuff. Heard Ipad 2 is coming to India. WOOHOO! It was a shocker because Iphone 4 still hasn't been released in India which was released worldwise last year, where as Ipad2 is coming to India within two months prior to it's worldwide launch. The only, literally, good news this year for me. :)

Finally, the day comes(saturday and a holiday) and I'm all set to test the new kid on the block. Well, not really the new kid but somewhat a newer version. This thing is so thin! It just goes on to show how Apple is trying to constantly bring something new with every product of their's. It's amazingly thin! Thinner that my phone(BAH!) and definitely gives me a complex(sigh!).

I unlock the screen and get lost in the world of iOS. The newest iOS 4.3, with some improvements over iOS 4.2 adorned the new tablet, with exciting new features. Compared to older Ipad, this one has dual cameras( front VGA and rear 2MP with HD video recording!! ) and a new A5 processor that does justice to the price. It is also available in white colour. It does facetime very well, the clarity could've been better i think. The tablets not coming in the market from other companies have rear camera even 5MP and front 2MP. The big 9.7" screen is perfect for a tablet. It just feels SO NICE in your hands, seems like it was made specifically for it :P.

Running apps on it was a joyride, no hassles at all! Obviously the newer processor is a tad faster, but overall doesn't give you a 'NEW' feel. Even the older Ipad did the job well without any complaints. But then, who doesn't like speed in this world? Though my encounter was for a brief period of time, it didn't let me stay away from it for long. Next week, I was again at the same place doing the same stuff another time to just enjoy the Ipad2.

All said, I really loved the Ipad2, and one thing which attracted me was the flap on cover which locks your Ipad2 automatically when put over the screen and unlocks it automatically when pulled back. It can even form a small stand and it's very stylish. Apple, known for it's innovations, never lets anyone down.

If you have 30,000 bucks and want to buy a tablet, look no further matey! This is the one for you, does the job without complaining, infact is even a good portable thing. Wish i had enough money to buy one, so I shall buy one in dreams and enjoy! :D