Santa and Siri

Apple's Christmas commercial this year features Santa using his new iPhone 4S. One has to wonder, how did Santa get along without Siri?
via CultOfMac

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Siri Can Help you Shop at Best Buy

WolframAlpha just got an update that allows it to search through Best Buy's catalog for prices and items. How does this relate to Siri? WolframAlpha is one of the search engines Siri uses to produce results. If WolframAlpha gets an extension, Siri also gets that that extension immediately.

You're so lucky, iPhone 4S users. Siri is awesome, and it's getting better.
via CultOfMac

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Sprint's Data Speeds Fail to Impress

Sprint offers an "Unlimited Everything" plan for $99. Similar plans on AT&T or Verizon cost more, or don't come with unlimited data. But, do you get what you pay for on Sprint?

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Why Older iOS Devices Won't Get Siri

Apple previously confirmed that they had no plans for releasing Siri for older iOS devices, but they didn't state a reason. It was thought that their reasoning revolved around increasing interest in the iPhone 4S, but it turns out, there's another reason.

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iPhone 4S is the Best Selling Smartphone on all Carriers

The iPhone 4S is the best selling smartphone on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. It's not surprising that the latest version of the most popular smartphone with the highest customer satisfaction is also the best selling smartphone on all carriers.

It's still an incredible feat, as the iPhone 4S has only been available for less than a month. The iPhone 4 is still incredibly popular as well, sitting in the top 3 for each carrier. So, have you gotten your iPhone yet?
via CultOfMac

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Apple: iPhone 4S Battery Fix on the Way

Apple has officially acknowledged that some users are experiencing issues with the iPhone 4S battery life. Fortunately, they've stated that it's an issue with software, and they're working on a fix. Expect an update within a few weeks.

Meanwhile, Apple has released an iOS 5.0.1 beta to developers, which tests their fix for battery life, as well as adding multitasking gestures to the original iPad, improving security, resolves iCloud bugs involving documents, and improves speech recognition for Australian users.

These fixes should be applied to iOS relatively soon, as long as developers don't experience any issues with the update.
via MacRumors 1 & 2

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iPhone 4S Battery Woes?

Most people are in love with their new iPhone 4S. In its review of the new iPhone, Gizmodo even went as far as saying that "The iPhone 4S is the best phone you can buy right now". But, while some are claiming fantastic battery life, other users have reported issues with the battery.

Apple's investigating these claims, but if you're experiencing problems, here's a few things to remember:

1. Li-Ion batteries often need to be calibrated. It's an easy process. To do it, let your iPhone completely drain until it shuts off. Then, plug it in, and let it fully charge before unplugging it. Using the power outlet USB adapter is probably your best bet, as it can charge faster than your computer. 
2. Remember that things like location services and bluetooth drain the battery. If you're not using  these features, keep them disabled. 

Apple's looking into the issue, and will probably have an update fixing any problem shortly. Many users have reported that recalibrating the battery was enough to solve the problem, so start with that. 

The iPhone 4S has seen the most successful launch of any iPhone. Apple will be quick to fix up any issues it faces. It's doubtful that this is a hardware problem, most likely just an issue with the firmware, or the batteries simply need recalibration. Either way, there will be a fix for it soon enough. I'd still consider the iPhone 4S a good buy, as not everyone is experiencing these issues, and many have been able to solve it by recalibrating the battery. 

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How Much has the iPhone Camera Improved?

When the iPhone was first release, the camera was nothing to write home about. However, the iPhone 4S has changed that. With 8MP, an amazing lens, and full 1080p 30FPS video, it's clearly a contender against even point and shoot cameras, let alone other cellphone cameras.
So, just how much has the camera improved over previous generations? I believe the photo above and the one below really speak for themselves.

Incredible. By the iPhone 4S, you have a camera that's not only perfect for daily use, but also for also for more professionally orientated tasks. You can see the full resolution photos at the source, here.
via Gizmodo

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4 Million iPhone 4S Sales Last Weekend

Apple managed to top 4 million iPhone 4S sales this past weekend. So far, it's the largest iPhone launch to date. In comparison, the last iPhone sold only 1.7 million units during the first weekend, and the 3GS and 3G topped out at 1 million each. The release weekend for the new iPhone is always big for Apple, but this is astounding.

The iPhone 4S is well on it's way to become the most popular iPhone of all time.
via AppleInsider and tuaw

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Which is the better camera, an iPhone 4S or Canon 5D MK II?

What? Who in their right mind would compare a $3000+ DSLR to a phone? Well, it's not quite as crazy as you might think. The Canon 5D MKII has a 21.1 MP camera, and does HD video. In comparison, the new iPhone 4S has a 1080p HD camera, with just an 8MP sensor. See? It's not crazy at all....

Okay, there are some valid comparisons. The iPhone 4S costs a lot less. It's also a phone, has apps, music, movies, books, and it can edit movies on the fly, and post them up online instantly. It's also incredibly slim. But, if that wasn't enough, there's also the video below.



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iPhone 4S Benchmarked

Everyone knows the iPhone 4S got a speed bump over the iPhone 4, courtesy of it's new A5 processor. But just how much faster is it?

A whole lot. In fact, it's only bested by the iPad 2. It's the fastest smartphone on the market, beating out even the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Motorola Droid Bionic. And it does it all with just a clock speed of 800mhz on it's dual core processor. Even last year's iPhone 4 was faster in a number of test over brand new Android handsets.

How does it accomplish faster speeds with a slower processor clock speed than the competition? Simple, Apple controls the hardware and the software. In doing so, they've put a huge focus on speed, especially with graphics. So even though the processor seems like it should be slower than the competitors on paper, it's actually a lot faster.

The iPhone 4S promises to be the most popular iPhone yet, already besting previous preorder records. Preorders are backordered, but you still have a chance to get one on launch day this Friday. But, you might want to grab a tent and get in line now.
via Gizmodo

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"Let's Talk iPhone" Event Recap

I've compiled the most important information I could find on Apple's announcements. New iPhone, iOS 5 announcements, and iPod updates. This was a long post for me to write, so I hope it proves to be a good resource! So, below is the full post.

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