MK802 Android 4.0 Mini PC hands-on impressions

There must be something in the water in in hardware-designer land. Small is en vogue, it seems, and to say we've been intrigued about this latest twist on diminutive form factors would be an understatement. So far, Android has largely (though not exclusively) kept itself firmly in the palms of our hands. But, increasingly it is popping up in places we never even thought about. For the uninitiated, that thing above -- the Chinese-made MK802 -- is a complete "mini PC" that's about the size of a USB flash drive or card reader. It has a 1.5GHz Allwinner processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of onboard flash storage. You can get at these internals via two USB ports (which can also power the device,) and pump the result out to a display via HDMI. If that 4GB of memory isn't enough, you can expand it via a microSD slot. All good and well, but what would you do with such a thing? Plenty is the answer. This not only makes any HDMI display a PC, it also ushers in a new type of portability. Bring your Netflix over to a friend's house without needing your phone, or never worry about using public PCs again. All of these niche uses give the MK802, and its kind, lots of potential. But what is it like in real life? Shimmy past the break to find out.

Hardware-wise, there isn't all that much to talk about that we haven't already covered. Unsurprisingly, it is light and plasticky feeling. However, you can imagine that this would be quite safe, being thrown around in the bottom of a bag, or in a key- and coin-filled pocket. It seems a little unfair to say it feels cheap, but then, it is cheap ($74). In the best possible way of course. Set up was easy enough, just plug this little fella into an HDMI port (cable provided) and a USB slot for juice (we used one on the TV, there's the option for a power pack too,) and you're away. It takes a few moments to boot up, but once it does, you're into good old Android (4.0.3). We used a wired mouse in the second USB port which worked straight away with no problems. Another option could be to explore some VNC or remote control applications, but this seemed more complicated than it was worth. A dongle-based wireless mouse might be better. What could also be nice, for later versions, would be Bluetooth support for additional HID options.

In use, the only difference to a tablet flavor of Android is the mouse part. In the main it's no problem, and you soon get used to it, but apps where touch -- especially of the "multi" variety -- might not translate so well. All media tasks (HD video, Spotify, YouTube etc,) were handled pretty well. Sometimes there is a bit of a lag on the UI -- especially with things like Google Maps, or busy webpages -- but in general it keeps up nicely. We did have a few frustrating moments when taking power from some USB ports which caused the MK802 to keep restarting, but plug it in to one meant for power, and performance is solid.

Out of curiosity, and being the number fetishists that we are, we ran a few quick benchmarks on the wee chap. Now, we didn't go quite as in-depth as we would, say, for a phone, but over all it gave modest, to lower-end results. Quadrant clocked in at around 1238, GL Bench 20fps, and Sun Spider 5075.8, which -- if pushed to measure it against something -- puts it in Panasonic Eluga territory.

Back in the real world, it's fair to say that it didn't take long before we got right into the whole Android-on-a-TV thing, and started to wonder about all the apps that might be well suited to this configuration. YouTube is an obvious example, and it worked much better on the MK802 than some native Smart TVapps we've seen. The same is true for things like BBC iPlayer, where the Android interface is sometimes snappier than the TV app. Of course, it's even better when it brings apps to your TV that otherwise might not be available, like Netflix (which does have TV apps, but only certain models). The more time you spend with this, discovering suitable apps, the better it gets, and we could see some really unique uses for it going forward.

Right here and now, though, this is neat little solution that will really appeal tinkerers and Android fans. Of course, anything with a processor and some memory instantly has the Linux wolves circling, and this too would be ideal for your favorite install. As mentioned above, media playing works a charm, which is makes it a good light solution for dumb TVs, or those with poor app options. The general population might not have sufficient use for it just yet, but with a few tweaks like a small battery (so it doesn't switch off with the TV,) Bluetooth, or an audio out, this could really gain a lot of fans. But hey, who wants to be part of the gen pop anyway? We're quite taken with it as it is, and are curious to see how the Cotton Candy stacks up against it. In the meantime, you can check the video below to see how it handles various tasks.

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How-to: Build a multi-talented HTPC for (roughly) $1,000

This is an auspicious year for building an HTPC or indeed any type of sub-$1,000 rig. Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors are about to exert a nice downward pressure on last year's finest, despite the fact that Sandy Bridge still holds up well for many people's needs -- and much the same can be said of AMD's Llano APUs following the arrival of Trinity. In fact, thanks to the market's regular churn, the HTPC parts we look at after the break could easily fall below their $1,019 total bill before you even pick up your screwdriver. (Okay, so we went slightly over $1,000. It's a free country.)

On the other hand, you'd have to be mildly loopy to drop serious cash on a PC that's solely for media consumption. Times have changed since our last build in 2009, and they're unrecognizable compared to the time before that. These days, even ARM-powered smartphones can handle 1080p in and out, nettops with Blu-ray drives can be had for $500and even totally silent fanless HTPCs are available for around $1,000 (albeit with very modest specs). From that perspective, this might actually be a terrible time to persuade people that spending a grand on a plain old home-built HTPC makes sense -- and that's why, after the break, we're not even going to try.

Components

So, our $1,019 HTPC suddenly seems obscenely expensive in the year 2012, which means it'll have to work twice as hard to prove its mettle. Just how will it do that? By returning to the fundamental idea of a what a do-it-yourself rig is all about: spending money only on the stuff you want, ignoring the bits you can live without and -- most importantly -- future-proofing the whole thing so that it can keep pace with your most unexpected whims.

What if we later decide to add an ever-cheaper SSD to speed things up? Or shove 5TB of storage into the chassis and use it as a NAS? Or buy a graphics card and a Logitech wheel for some racing action in the living room? By rights, a DIY rig ought to cut off none of these options. So, with that mind, let's pick some components. (Big thanks to QuietPC.com for loaning us the products.)

Chassis -- This PC will need to be powered all day long to record TV shows, let us remote in from the beach, backup files, stream music and take care of a billion other chores. Fractal's Define R3 has been around for a while, but it has a solid reputation and comes with dampening foam and a fan controller. If you can't get hold of the R3, then H2 from NZXT takes a very similar approach.

Power supply -- Our budget won't stretch to a totally fanless build that delivers everything we want, but we can still minimize noise with a fanless PSU. Seasonic's SS-400FL is expensive compared to regular power supplies, but it'll deliver stable wattage while contributing precisely zero extra decibels to your living room.

Processor -- Fair enough, AMD's Llano A8 chips are a great choice for an HTPC that will only ever be used as an HTPC, and indeed we list them as a good budget option further down this page. But for now we're aiming high: we want an Intel Core i5-2500K that delivers superior CPU power, overclockability and its own HD 3000 integrated graphics. We'll be bound to its stock cooler for now, but we're familiar with it and we know it's not too whiny. In future, a $40 third-party cooler could allow us to push those overclocks further.

Motherboard -- Overclock an HTPC? Hell, yeah. Why pay the full price for a processor and then not push it to the max? The Z68 chipset allows for this, but unlike the P67 it also lets us use the Core i5's integrated graphics, which is essential since we're not yet investing in a graphics card. The Gigabyte GA-Z68-UD3H-BA is nice and tough (albeit not "military-grade"), which means it stands a greater chance of surviving drops, elbows, and elbow-drops during installation.

HDD -- We actually have a Seagate Momentus XT hybrid drive that we'd love to use in this rig, but the $180 price tag is just too toppy. Instead we put in a regular Samsung 1TB HDD for $110. And we still feel ripped off, but we'll get to that later.

RAM -- Back in 2009, we spent $26 on 4GB of DDR2. This time we're getting 8GB of Crucial's XMS DDR3 for $49, but if you check back at Newegg occasionally you may well spot a $20 rebate offer.

Tuner -- This depends on your geography. We built our rig in the UK where the tuner market is less healthy and uses different broadcast standards, but Engadget's US-based HD team will happily recommend the Hauppauge CableCARD USB tuner pay TV, or the slightly pricier HDHomeRun for ATSC/ClearQAM. If you absolutely insist on keeping the price down, then a regular PCI Express tuner can be had for around $65.

Controllers -- We snatched the keyboard and mouse from an older PC to save costs. Once the PC was set up, we switched to mainly using Windows Live Mesh (free) for controlling the desktop from our main laptop, plus the Remote Kitten app (also free) for controlling Media Center using an iPhone. SplashtopHD is also very useful, but that costs.

Product	Shopping	Lowest Price
Fractal Define R3	Shop!	$109.99
Intel Core i5-2500K	Shop!	$219.99
Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3	Shop!	$129.99 (after rebate)
Corsair XMS3 8GB	Shop!	$48.99
Samsung F3 1TB	Shop!	$109.99
Samsung SH-B123L Combo	Shop!	$71.41
Hauppauge CableCARD tuner	Shop!	$98.99
Seasonic SS-400FL PSU	Shop!	$129.99
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium	Shop!	$99.99

Installation

If you've built a PC before, then there's nothing unusual here -- these are all regular parts that fit together in the normal way. If not, then it's probably best to get a friend to help out, but in the meantime here's a quick summary of the build:

1. The PSU went into the case with a couple of screws.
2. We put the motherboard on a desk and loaded it up with the CPU, a good dollop of thermal paste and the stock cooler. We also put in the RAM.
3. The Fractal case comes with everything you need. We put in the motherboard holders, then then the mo'bo itself and then the secondary screws to hold it in place.
4. We connected up the intake and exhaust fans to the fan controller, which sits in one of the PCI slots. Fractal's bundled controller lets you dial the fan speed right down if CPU temperature is low, and lower RPM means less noise.
5. The optical drive and HDD all went in next, with the latter two getting their power connections from the PSU and their SATA connections (3Gb/s for the Blu-ray, 6Gb/s for the HDD) from the motherboard.
6. The fiddliest connections are always the case controls -- connecting the power button, reset button etc., to the motherboard. We deliberately left out the LED case light connection, because we want it to be as discreet as possible.
7. No point putting the case sides on until you know everything's working okay. We plugged Ethernet, HDMI, optical audio, tuner, mouse and keyboard into the back of the case and then switched on to make sure we saw the boot-up screen on the TV. We also checked that the fans were running properly. Then the sides went on, significantly reducing the noise. If you're going to get electrocuted, make sure it happens now rather than after you've wasted time installing software, etc.
8. The Windows 7 boot CD went in and once that was installed we moved onto the motherboard and tuner card drivers. We then ran Windows Media Center and scanned for TV channels.

Daily operation

The HTPC ran nice and quiet, which was a relief seeing as how the case and fanless PSU forced us to make major sacrifices in other areas. Idle noise was 35.1dBa, which was only a couple of dBs above background noise in the living room. This noise consisted mainly of the high-pitched whirr of the CPU fan, but it was barely noticeable -- to the point where if you got distracted, you'd have to re-focus your concentration just to make out the sound.

A battered MiniDisc player functioned as our DAC

For comparison, an old Dell business desktop gave us 41dBa at idle, a PlayStation 3 gave us 42dBa and an original Xbox 360 (not Elite) gave us 47.8dbA. It's said that a 10dB gain is perceived by human ears as a doubling of volume, which seems about right -- the Xbox sounded far louder than our HTPC. When listening to music, the sound of the PC was obliterated by a battered old Sony amp and speakers plugged into the motherboard's optical port via an equally battered MiniDiscplayer with optical-in that functioned as our DAC.

So far so good, but what about when the drives are utilized? Heavy HDD use gave us 40dB, while accessing HDD and spinning up a Blu-ray took this to a deafening 50dBA. Luckily, once a disc was loaded and running, sounds from the drive ceased almost completely and overall system noise remained close to the idle level while actually playing a movie -- the Samsung SH-123L was impressive in that respect. Nevertheless, the Samsung HDD was a disappointment considering how much it cost us: it was too clacky and louder than a 5400RPM drive ought to be.

A couple more stats before we move on: idle system power hovered around 44 watts, rose to 55 watts for live TV and 80 watts for Supreme Commander. CPU temperature stayed around 30 degrees and only rose to 40 degrees after an hour-long bout of Medieval II: Total War(played with a mouse on a cushion -- not ideal but still fun.) That leaves plenty of headroom for overclocking later via the BIOS, or using Gigabyte's EasyTune6 utility if you can get it to load up (we couldn't). The Windows Experience Index came out at 5.9 -- hampered by the HDD.

In terms of real-world tasks, we weren't left wanting

In terms of real-world tasks, we weren't left wanting. Windows Media Center handled recording and watching 1080i TV channels (using the terrestrial Freeview HD service in the UK) with no issues. Dropbox, Windows Live Mesh, Splashtop HD, Spotify, Logitech Media Server and other apps ran simultaneously behind Media Center and other apps without stressing the system. We didn't really test PC gaming (beyond Medieval II and a bit of Supreme Commander 2) because this set-up has no couch-friendly controller to make that a sensible option. Nevertheless, we did run a few Wii and N64 games quite happily using the Dolphin emulatorrunning with a WiiMote, a third-party IR bar and a Bluetooth adapter for the PC.

Remote Kitten was a mixed blessing as a Windows Media Center controller. The app worked 90 percent of the time but had to be restarted occasionally when it failed to connect -- no fun when you're missing your favorite show. We tried a couple of Android alternatives but found that they were deeply unfriendly in comparison and not worth the hassle -- ready money awaits anyone who can improve the current dearth of easy-to-use WMC controllers in Google Play. In contrast, Windows Mesh and SplashTop HD ran like a dream and made it easy to access and control the computer from a Windows laptop, Macbook Pro, HTC Flyer and various Android smartphones. The only downside was the fact that SplashTop still isn't compatible with full-screen apps, which made it useless for controlling Media Center. Surely they can fix that?

Budget options

We can't skimp on the case, PSU, tuner, storage or optical drive without dooming the project, but other areas are open to cost-cutting.

The biggest savings can be made by switching to AMD and its successful Llano APU -- seeing as Trinity components won't be available for a while yet. An A8-3870K costs just $130, and an Asus F1A75-V Pro FM1-socket motherboard adds another $110. That's a $170 saving compared to our Intel options, with significant CPU sacrifice but little graphical sacrifice, and still plenty of guts to handle many simple HTPC tasks.

The biggest savings can be made by switching to AMD

Likewise, if PVR functionality is your main concern, you may as well save another $99 by giving up on Windows and switching to Linux and XBMC -- there's a full how-toright here, and also check out the More Coverage link below.

Bling

The smart choice is to add a 120GB SanDisk Extreme SSD to complement your HDD, reduce platter clatter and speed up overall performance. Alternatively, skip the main HDD and go for a 750GB Momentus XT hybrid as your primary drive -- although you will run out of space and need to buy more at some stage.

Next, we'd pawn the kid's stroller to pick up a decent low-power graphics card -- at least a Radeon HD 7770 at $170 in order to play F1 2011 with a wheel off eBay (if anyone is actually selling a Fanatec).

We'd also be in the market for a better HTPC controller, but other than the ancient Logitech DiNovo Edge or Veho's interesting take on the subject, this segment of the market looks pretty sparse.

Wrap-up

After a couple of months using this setup as a primary PC, PVR, Blu-ray player, music hub and network storage, it's been hard not to become totally enamored with it. By virtue of its flexibility and central position in the house, it had emergent benefits that we never expected but quickly became reliant on: like the ability to store TV programs as regular video files that can be immediately copied across to a mobile deivce, or load up the odd game of Legend of Zelda: Windwaker when no one is looking, or editing a document on the big screen so that others in the room could agree or disagree with each change.

No doubt there's room for improvement. The HDD choice wasn't great, the case may be too large for some, and there will definitely be folks out there who'd prefer to sacrifice power and expandability for the sake of a fanless system. If you'd like to recommend different choices, or ask us to try out a different component (a fanless cooler perhaps?), or even if you think our whole philosophy on this build is out of whack, feel free to let us know.

via Engadget

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Sprint says thank you, gives patient subs free EVO 4G LTE cases

Waiting for the EVO 4G LTE to ship turned out to be much less of an exercise in Godot-like interminability than many subscribers once thought. That handset's now firmly in the hands of pre-order customers and to thank them for their (presumed) patience, Sprint's bundling a thank you gift with every parcel. As shown above, that make-good comes in the form of a smartphone case -- a Superman-colored one at that -- although we would've much preferred an extended battery. See, folks? You stand by your carrier and you get rewarded. That two-year contract had to be good for something.

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Playsurface touchscreen computing table hands-on (video)

Let's be honest -- the first time we saw the Microsoft Surface in action, we all dreamt of getting our grubby fingers on our very own unit. Five years later, we're no closer to the dream of a touchscreen coffee tablet in every living room. Templeman Automation, thankfully, shares that dream. Earlier this month, we caught word of the company's Playsurface, a Kickstarter project aimed at bringing low cost touchscreen computing to the tabletops of eager early adopters who just can't quite justify the $8,000 price tag on Microsoft's similarly named product.

We were excited at the prospect of finally getting to play with the product when TechCrunch opened up the gates to the hardware portion of its Disrupt conference. Unfortunately, as we quickly found out, things wouldn't be quite so easy -- the show was held at Pier 94, a space with overabundant natural light courtesy of rows and rows of skylights. As it turns out, the sun doesn't play too well with the infrared light that helps power Playsurface's touchscreen functionality. The table's creators were nice enough to pop by our offices to let us take the living room gadget for a test drive.Of course, getting a device of this size up the elevator of an office building isn't quite so straightforward a proposition. Thankfully, however, the table is collapsible -- a necessity, seeing as how the company is ultimately looking to ship the product to customers, and mailing out a full sized coffee table just doesn't make sense with Templeman's overhead. The setup process was a bit lengthy -- around 30 minutes or so. But unless you plan on moving it around a lot, it will likely be a one-time-only deal. Breaking it down, on the other hand, was a fair bit speedier -- around ten minutes or so.

For $1,250, you get the box and its innards -- you'll have to provide your own PC, unless you want to shell out a bit more to the company. The Playsurface's manufacturer referred to the device as a "peripheral" at one point, which actually seems pretty accurate. The table hooks up to your PC via VGA and USB. The guys from Templeman brought along a fairly low-end eMachines tower running Windows 7 to do the work. Apparently, they're looking to make the thing OS agnostic, but Windows makes the most sense with its touch-enabled functionality -- something that will likely only improved with the roll out of Win 8.

The table itself isn't much to look at, constructed of unpainted wood (at least in its current, early incarnation). You'd probably want to take a belt sander and wood stain to the thing before making it a permanent part of your living room. That said, it seems fairly rugged -- and really, it's going to have to be, given the fact that its creators are discussing the possibility of bringing the technology to classrooms. Inside, you'll find a fairly standard consumer projector, mirror and camera, amongst other pieces. Interestingly, one of the primary reasons for the Kickstarter is getting the money to develop an ARM-based solution to move touch processing duties to the camera, so less of that functionality is outsourced to the PC, hopefully improving interactivity along the way.

And it should be said that that functionality is certainly imperfect. It took a while to get used to, and even after playing with it for a bit, we found that we were running into hiccups. The Playsurface isn't ready for primetime at the moment, and watching its creators demonstrate it for a bit, it's clear that they're still figuring out some of the intricacies of the device as they go along. But heck, once we had games like Angry Birds and an off-brand Whack-a-Mole up and running, the thing was a blast -- and thanks to its ability to detect up to 100 touches at once, you can play as a group. The demo of Microsoft's Virtual Earth was also pretty impressive. Video, meanwhile, looked okay, but not great on the thing -- we're still dealing with some hardware limitations here, like 1280 x 800 resolution and 30FPS.

Fortunately, the table's creators seem to have a genuine passion for improving the product, so hopefully it'll be smooth sailing when it starts shipping around December.

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Apple iPhone 4S (16GB, black, Verizon Wireless)

The good: Apple's iPhone 4S has a faster processor and an upgraded camera, all the benefits of iOS 5, and a useful and immensely fun voice assistant. Call quality on the Sprint model is admirable, and the data speeds, while certainly not 4G, get the job done.

The bad: It's about time we get a larger screen.

The bottom line: The iPhone 4S isn't the king of cell phones, but it's part of the royal family nonetheless. Even without 4G and a giant screen, this phone's smart(ass) voice assistant, Siri, the benefits of iOS 5, and its spectacular camera make it a top choice for anyone ready to upgrade.

Editors' note: On October 21, 2011, we updated this review after performance testing on a Verizon Wireless iPhone 4S. On November 10, 2011, Apple deliverediOS 5.0.1, which promised to fix the battery life issues affecting some users. The update also fixed a security flaw that allowed third-party applications to add unapproved features.

For the first time since the iPhone was born four years ago, a new model didn't arrive in June this year. The wait set the iPhone 5 rumor mill frothing to overflow, so when the iPhone 4S arrived as an incremental upgrade, fanboys commenced an Internet-wide rending of garments. Some critics grumbled that they didn't get more, and I sympathize...kind of. Yes, the lack of 4G is disappointing. And yes, a totally new design would have been fun. But this is hardly the first time that Apple has chosen to make a subtle upgrade. Remember the iPhone 3GS?

The truth is that the 4S brings healthy improvements to an already excellent device. iPhone owners finally get a 64GB model and a better camera, the dual-core processor delivers more speed, and Siri, the iPhone 4S' personal assistant/robot friend/gofer, adds a new and sassy experience. iOS 5 also trots out changes big and small, and we're glad to see Sprint join the Apple family with a true world phone. So while the iPhone 4S isn't the Jesus phone, it's quite enough for plenty of other people-- more than a million, actually.

Not everything impressed me. I'd prefer a slightly larger screen and my list of iPhones misses remains hefty. Verizon's network delivers satisfying call quality and data speeds, which were comparable to its iPhone 4. Big Red's 3G network is faster than on Sprint's in our tests, but Sprint has a slight edge in overall call quality. Remember that there will be a discernible difference between the 4S versions (just like we found with the AT&T and Verizon iPhone 4S) so it's important to choose your carrier wisely.

In the end, the decision to buy an iPhone 4S will depend on your current carrier contract. If you aren't eligible for an upgrade with a rebate, I don't think the new features are worth paying full price (at least $500). But if you can upgrade with a discount, or if you're a Sprint customer waiting to get your hands on the iPhone for the very first time, there is enough here to warrant a switch. Sure, there's the chance that a better "iPhone 5" will come next June, but that's a long time to wait. Besides, in the cell phone world, something better is always around the corner.

Design
As I said, the iPhone 4S is indistinguishable from its predecessor. For the most part, that's fine with me. Having lived through the thin phone craze started by the Motorola Razr, I'm not aching for a slimmer device. Granted, the 4S can feel bulky at times, but I continue to enjoy its solid feel in the hand (something that's not always there with skinny phones). I don't have any problems with the handset's general aesthetics, either. A thinner phone may be prettier, but it's what's inside that really counts.

The iPhone 4S' design is unchanged from the iPhone 4. That's fine with us, except that we'd like a larger display. 

I also can live without some of the rumored "iPhone 5" features, like a wider Home button and a curved profile. The Home button has never plagued me, after all, and I'd prefer to rest the phone flat on a table and tap away. The glass back continues to concern me a bit, particularly after seeing a handful of iPhone 4s fall to their doom. That shouldn't be an issue if you have a case, of course. But speaking of which, some iPhone 4 cases will not fit on the iPhone 4S because Apple moved the ambient light sensor. So if you're looking to dress your 4S, make sure the case fits perfectly before buying. And if you need suggestions, Executive Editor David Carnoy has a few.

My real design gripe is that the iPhone's display is beginning to look rather small when compared with some of the Android competition. Keep in mind that the iPhone's screen has remained at 3.5 inches since the first edition appeared in 2007. At that time, it was plenty big, but as smartphone screens have crept above the 4-inch mark, I now consider 3.5 inches the bare minimum size for a high-end device.

Absolutely, the Retina Display remains stunningly beautiful (as do many Super AMOLED screens), but its size isn't always practical for in-car and hands-free use. Even worse, it can get rather tiring watching a full-length film with the iPhone perched on your airline seat tray table. How much bigger would I want? Nothing too big--the 4.5-inch displays on some Android models are a bit ridiculous--but something in the range of 3.75 inches or 4 inches would be a Goldilocks just right. I'll leave that up to the next iteration of the phone.

At the iPhone 4S' unveiling, one of the biggest elephants in the room was whether the company would mention any differences to the antenna following the iPhone 4's "antennagate." Yet, when Apple VP of Marketing Philip Schiller took the stage, he revealed that the iPhone 4S has two antennas that it can choose between to find the best signal (more on that later). Even if you can't see any changes on the outside, it appears to fix what I found to be a very real problem.

You'll also see the same virtual keyboard. 

Basic features
The 4S inherits all the standard iPhone features from the preceding models, including the calendar, voice memos, weather and stock apps, the various clock features, Google Maps, the compass, text messaging and e-mail, and the Notes app. The iPod player is there as well; the 4S splits your music and video libraries into two separate icons. In another change, the 4S also offers an upgrade to Bluetooth 4.0. Though still a growing technology, Bluetooth 4.0 uses less power and will enable the iPhone to talk to small battery-operated devices like Nike+ sensors and fitness machines at the gym. For more on Bluetooth 4.0, check out this deeper dive from Nicole Lee.

Siri 
The feature that Apple is touting most is the new voice assistant called Siri. It doesn't completely replace the current Voice Control feature--that's still there if you want it--but it certainly does a whole lot more. Basically, Siri both follows commands and answers your requests for information. For example, you can check the weather, ask for a contact's address, set up a reminder, get directions, and ask for obscure trivia. You speak to a robotic female voice (you can't change her identity) and access the feature by holding down the Home button (just as you do to access Voice Control). It uses both your location and a Google search to find a response, so you will need to have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection. The feature is in beta mode and supports English, French, and German. More languages will come later.

On my very first pass the day the 4S was announced, I asked for the next day's weather, the mileage between Cupertino, Calif., and Seattle, a reminder to book air tickets to Chicago, and the capital of Canada. It responded to most of my questions and commands quickly, but it flaked on finding that Ottawa is the capital of our neighbors to the north (according to Siri, she "didn't have enough information"). I'm not sure why that was a problem for her; Siri uses Wolfram Alpha to check facts, which has information on the Canadian city.

On my next pass I tried asking the time in Hong Kong, the current date, where I could get the best burrito by the CNET office, and if Brian Tong is the coolest person ever. It answered the first two questions without any problems, but poor Siri didn't understand our question about Brian. And this time, she did identify Ottawa correctly.

I meant the question about Brian as a joke, of course, but Siri is quite adept at answering a range of queries. When I asked about the best local burrito, she used GPS to give me a list of nearby taquerias with rankings. Yet, not all questions for a preference turned up a good answer. Asking for the best camera, for example, just gave me a list of camera stores. I'm not being critical, since the information Siri delivered was useful--except for listing a Japanese restaurant as a burrito joint--but it is worth noting. On the other hand, Siri didn't hesitate to tell me the best cell phone on the market. "The one you are holding," she replied. Yeah, she can be a bit sassy. I've explored Siri further in this post.

By all means, Siri is a fun and useful feature. Like with FaceTime on the 4S, I got a big kick out of it around the office and I imagine that lots of other people will, too. Over time, I wonder just how much I'd use it, but features like this can surprise you. I asked the same question about FaceTime and I ended up using that pretty frequently while traveling. The challenge for Apple will be to fully integrate hands-free technology. You will be able to activate Siri with a Bluetooth headset (no word on if you can do it with a wired headset), but I understand that car integration is "coming." Given the abundance of hands-free driving laws, it's important that Siri is fully accessible to drivers while they keep both hands on the wheel. Also, it's important to note that even when your phone is locked with a passcode, Siri is usable without entering the code. That means that anyone could use your phone to send a text message, access your calendar, or make a call. You can disable this security flaw in the Settings menu, but bypassing the code is the default option.

Camera 
The iPhone 4's 5-megapixel camera was already great--especially when you add a third party app--but the iPhone 4S' is significantly better. The 8-megapixel camera offers autofocus, flash, f/2.4 aperture lens, and a backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that allows 73 percent more light than the previous sensor and should deliver better low-light performance. A hybrid IR filter is also onboard for better color accuracy. Apple also claims the new camera performs 33 percent faster than the iPhone 4's camera, and the A5 processor has a built-in image processor that adds face detection and 26 percent better auto white balance.

From the start I noticed a difference in image quality over the iPhone 4's camera. Colors were brighter, and the focus was a little sharper with a bit less pixelation. Not surprisingly, the camera also does better in low light, though flash continues to be a little overpowering at times. Here's an in depth look at how the iPhone 4S' camera compares with the iPhone 4. And for more photo fun, Senior Editor Lori Grunin compared the iPhone 4S to the Canon PowerShot 100 HS.

The camera viewfinder now adds gridlines.

The user experience is almost the same, from the tap-to-focus feature to the video toggle and the shutter control. You will, however, notice a new "Options" icon between the flash control and the button for switching between the cameras. Press it, and you'll find both the HDR feature and an option for adding gridlines to the viewfinder.

Thanks to iOS 5 (more on that later), you also get new choices for cropping and rotating your shots, red-eye reduction, and a single-tap color correction option. The red-eye reduction is a simple process that offered instantaneous and impressive results. Similarly, the single-tap color correction tool balances your colors and, in my tests, did indeed make the image look better. Though I welcome these additions, Apple is way too late to the photo-editing party, as this functionality has existed on basic phones for years. I'll take what I can get, but I'd love even more user control.

The iPhone 4S' photo quality is very sharp.

The iPhone 4 takes good photos, too, but you can see a difference.

iOS 5 also adds several requested features to the camera app, making it much more like a point-and-shoot camera. You get a shortcut on the lock screen that will launch the camera immediately, even bypassing the lock code. A simple double-tap of the Home button brings up both the basic music controls (as before) and the camera icon in the lower right. You then can use the volume control to snap a photo. The picture is saved to your Camera Roll, but for security (having not used your access code) you'll only be able to delete the shot (keeping unwanted users from browsing your iPhone photos).

Videos also get a boost with the ability to shoot 1080p HD video clips at 30 frames per second and with video stabilization. Videos continue to be sharp with fluid movements and sound that matches the action on the screen.

Connectivity 

For making calls, I'm glad to see that the Verizon and Sprint handsets are dual-band world phones. That means you'll make CDMA calls at home, but then switch to GSM when roaming abroad Sprint and Verizon say that they will unlock the iPhone 4S' preloaded SIM card on request for customers in good standing. Just remember that the handset uses a Micro-SIM, which may not be easy to find for prepaid international service. On the other hand, AT&T will limit international GSM roaming to its specific partners. Oddly enough, the AT&T phone also has the dual-mode chip inside, but the CDMA functionality has been deactivated. It will continue to support all four GSM bands (850/900/8100/1900) for international travel, though.

Verizon's iPhone runs on the carrier's 3G EV-DO Rev. A network, which promises speeds of 600Kbps to 1,400Kbps and average upload speeds of 500Kbps to 800Kbps. That's comparable with Sprint's 3G network, but actual performance will depend on your location and the carrier's network capacity at a given time. AT&T, however, is doing everything it can to boast that it has a faster HSDPA 14.4 network that's capable of reaching theoretical speeds of 14.4Mbps down, 5.8Mbps up (twice the speed of the iPhone 4, if anyone is counting). Note, however, that AT&T has taken some liberties with its marketing by also saying its iPhone 4S is compatible with even faster HSPA+ speeds. To really be classified as HSPA+, its iPhone 4S would technically need to be capable of reaching theoretical download speeds of 21Mbps, such as the Samsung Galaxy S II for AT&T. At present, Apple's device isn't there yet.

Unfortunately, the CDMA models still won't permit simultaneous voice and data transmission. That's a current limitation of the CDMA technology (see our Verizon iPhone 4 review for a more detailed explanation) and though new chips are coming, I'm thinking they'll arrive in the next model. So if you really need to be on the phone and surf the Web at the same time, then you should stick with AT&T.

Admittedly, one of the biggest letdowns from the 4S' unveiling was the lack of 4G for Verizon and Sprint. Though AT&T's LTE network is inching along with just six cities at the time of this writing, Sprint and Verizon's 4G coverage (WiMax and LTE, respectively) is quite widespread. What's more, the networks perform well and both carriers offer a wide range of compatible handsets.

Apple has its reasons, no doubt. Battery life remains an issue for 4G phones and Apple must have decided that, at this point, it couldn't offer its optimal customer experience on a 4G handset. Customer experience, after all, is really what Apple loves most. Secondly, the company never jumps on a technology that is still growing, and it must think that 4G doesn't cover enough people quite yet. Remember that 3G networks were pretty developed when Apple rolled out the first iPhone, but it chose to wait a year later until unveiling the iPhone 3G.

iOS 5

Editors' note: Senior Associate Editor Jason Parker contributed to this section.

Though iOS 5 is not as drastic of an upgrade as we saw with iOS 4 in June 2010, it does offer some long-overdue and exciting enhancements. A few are quiet and just improve the user experience while others will seriously change how you use your Apple handset. For a full analysis on the update, check out our iOS 5 review and how-to guide.

Photo gallery:

iOS 5 features

Notifications: Instead of pop-up menus that interrupt your work, a new Notification Center will combine messages, missed calls, app updates, a stock ticker, and the current weather in a single place. You can access it by swiping your finger downward from the top of the screen, and notifications will appear on the lock screen as well. You then can jump directly to the related feature for each notification and delete items by tapping the small X next to each line. Though not exactly original--the pull-down menu has long been a hallmark feature of Android--the ability to see all notifications in one place in iOS 5 is certainly welcome.

Newsstand: This app will bring together magazine subscriptions in a central place. The concept is similar to iBooks, even down to an icon that looks like the periodicals shelf at your local library. As you subscribe to a publication through a new channel in the App Store, new issues are delivered in the background, eliminating the need to manually grab them when they publish.

Twitter: Thankfully, users now will be able to post photos to the social networking service without leaving the image gallery or camera application. It's a nice change, given that it will end the need to take a photo, switch to the iPhone Twitter app, and then post the photo. You'll be able to add a location, sync Twitter with your contacts list, and tweet directly from YouTube, Safari, and Maps.

Safari: The mobile version of Apple's Web browser now has the Reader option that was announced at the 2010 WWDC. Rather than having to deal with complicated layouts of various Web sites, the reader streamlines multipage articles in an RSS-like view while stripping out ads, but leaving photos. You can change the text size and you can e-mail the entire text of a Safari page to a contact (under iOS 4, you could send only a link).

The Reader is a great option for scanning strangely formatted Web pages and when there's no mobile site available. My only problem with the Reader is that it may strip out too much--I often want to see comments on an article, but the Reader deems them unnecessary. In other Safari news, you can add a Web page to a Reading List for future perusal on any iOS device.

Reminders: This handy addition lets you store multiple to-do lists with dates for each event; you can categorize reminders for when you leave or arrive at a GPS location. So, for example, if you have a reminder of "Call home when I leave work," the app will use GPS to note when you're on the move and send the reminder via push notification. Reminders can be shared between devices and sync with iCal on the Mac with CalDAV, and on Windows with MS Exchange. The app has its own sleek-looking scrollable calendar as well, so you can browse or add new tasks and reminders for future dates.

I tested the reminder by location by having it tell me "Don't forget your iPad" once I left the building here at CNET. Sure enough, the iPhone reminded me once I got about a half block away from the building. Browsing through your reminders is easy with a starting page where you can quickly track and search for reminders using a search field. You also have the option to create tasks for more-open-ended reminders that don't need to be done by a specific time.

Mail: The iOS Mail app now has rich text formatting, better indent control, flagging of messages, and the ability to drag addresses between To, CC, and BCC lines. Also, you now can search within the body of a message instead of just in the From, To, and subject lines.

PC Free and iCloud: Arguably the most notable iOS 5 change, PC Free will bring over-the-air software updates and device activations. So as on Android, Windows Phone 7, and BlackBerry OS 5 devices, you'll no longer have to plug your device into a computer or even own a computer at all. Activation for the iPhone takes quite a few steps, but it's easy and very quick. I was up and running in a just a few minutes, though it took a few tries for the phone to recognize my Apple ID. You don't have to use a Wi-Fi network to set up your 4S, but it helps.

The wireless updates to apps will serve only the changes, so they'll be shorter, and you'll be able to sync, back up, and restore your device using the new iCloud features. You'll also find new features within apps, like wirelessly editing photos, managing e-mail folders, and creating and deleting calendars. I'll add more details about iCloud as I explore it further.

To sync your iOS device to iTunes on your computer, you need only be on the same Wi-Fi network and your device needs to be charging (plugged into a charger). You can then go to Settings > General on your iPhone to select iTunes Wi-Fi Sync. From there you can select Sync Now on your iPhone and your photos, music, and calendars will be backed up in iTunes.

Game Center: Additions for gamers in iOS 5 include the addition of profile photos, the ability to compare achievement points, friends of friends lists, recommended friends and games (based on your current library), and support for turn-based games. The ability to buy games from within Game Center makes it a bit more of a destination, but it still seems like the service will still be a behind-the-scenes social connector as it was before.

iMessage: Apple takes a shot at BlackBerry with this instant messaging app that will work across all iOS 5 devices. As with BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), you'll be able to exchange unlimited text messages, photos, and videos with your friends, family, and colleagues. Even better, your messages won't cost you anything and they won't count against the monthly allotment of messages from your wireless carrier.

You'll also get group messaging, an indicator to see if someone is typing to you, delivery and read receipts, secure encryption, and conversation syncing that is pushed to multiple devices. I'm a little disappointed that the location and contact sharing features don't come straight from iMessage (you need to initiate the process from the related app instead). For example, to send a contact, you'll need to go to your home screen, open your contacts, select a person, choose the Share Contact button, and choose iMessage. It's a bit tedious, but the ability to send that data to a friend is an improvement.

Find My Friends: Announced at the unveiling of the iPhone 4S, Find My Friends is an iOS 5-exclusive app that lets you view your friends' and family's locations in real time on a map when they agree to share location info with you. For added security, you can set a time limit for how long you share your location, a major concern of people who don't want to continually broadcast their location.

After signing in with your iTunes account ID, you can send an invite to friends using their iTunes account ID (they'll need to send you one as well). Once you're hooked up, you'll be able to get a pretty close approximation of where your friends are on a map. The app also has options to give you directions to your friends (via Maps) or speak to them on FaceTime (iPhone 4 or newer) if you can't get an exact location.

In my testing in San Francisco, performance was variable. My location would be very accurate on one street, but in another location it would be a block away from where I was standing. I have the same issue with the GPS fix in general, so it's not surprising. While these types of location features might be useful in specific situations, Android has similar services that have received mixed reviews--specifically by those who were worried about security concerns.

Cards: A new greeting card delivery app also became available in the iTunes App Store alongside the iOS 5 release. Cards lets you design a card on your iOS device and have Apple print it up on high-quality paper (yes, it will be real paper) and send it to your chosen recipient. The service comes with a price, though; you'll pay $2.99 to send a card within the U.S. and $4.99 to send a card anywhere in the world. It's an easy process and you get a lot of design options.

Personal dictionary: A new keyboard shortcut feature lets you create your own personal dictionary. While nothing new, you'll now be able to set up keyboard shortcuts for phrases. Head to Settings > General > Keyboard, then scroll down to Add New Shortcut. Here you can add a phrase like "Talk to you later" then make the shortcut "ttyl." Now, every time you type those letters in an e-mail or text, it will be spelled out automatically.

Alternate Routes: Another new feature that travelers will appreciate is Alternate Routes. When in the Map app, you can get directions as usual, but instead of giving you just one route to your destination, the Map app will now give you two alternate routes (in case of problems like traffic or if you know of nearby construction sites). Simply touch a route to find out how long it will take to get to your destination, then choose the best for your situation. In our tests here in San Francisco, the routes were solid options, and I think this will come in handy wherever you are. The noticeable downside here is that once you've picked your route, the other ones remain on screen, which can be distracting.

What's missing?

Yeah, I have to include this section. With each version of the iPhone, Apple knocks more things off of my wish list, but the list still has plenty on it. Primarily, I'd like to see more choices in autocomplete, shortcuts to individual contacts on the home screen, a way to color code e-mails in the unified inbox, and easier access to common features like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Smaller needs include an HDMI-out port and support for NFC services. I'd also like for Mail to get Safari's Reader feature. With iOS 5, I still stumbled upon the occasional e-mail with its own special formatting that the app didn't adjust to make eyeball-friendly on the smaller screen. Considering how much e-mail reading people do on their iOS devices, this would be a welcome addition.

Call quality and reception

I tested the dual-mode (CDMA 800/1900) iPhone 4S in San Francisco using Verizon's network. Call quality was very satisfying during the testing period. Signal strength was marginally better than Sprint's, noticeably underground and deep inside buildings, and it didn't hear any significant static or interference. According to FCC radiation tests, the iPhone 4S for Sprint has a digital SAR of 1.11 watts per kilogram.

Verizon Wireless iPhone 4S call quality sample Listen now: 

Call volume on my end was plenty loud. Unlike on the Sprint 4S, I didn't hear the slight background hiss and I didn't detect any audio feedback. Here again, I did have some trouble hearing in noisy places, but that's not unusual with a cell phone. Verizon's voice quality isn't as muffled as I heard on the Sprint phone, but Sprint's audio was smoother with more accurate voice pitch. See my separate call quality post to see how the voice samples from the three carriers compare with each other.

I had few complaints about speakerphone as well. As with most cell phones, there is distortion at the highest volume levels, but I was glad to see that the phone gets pretty loud. I didn't have to sit close to the phone to be heard, My friends could understand me, and I could use automated calling systems even while walking down the street.

As I mentioned, the iPhone 4S has two antennas wrapping around the phone. Though Apple never said so directly, we can't help but think that the fix was in response to the attenuation problems on the AT&T iPhone 4. As such, the phone is designed to scan for the best signal and switch to that antenna. I haven't gauged exactly how the two antennas have improved call clarity, but I'm happy to report that the iPhone 4S doesn't suffer from the dreaded death grip.

Data speeds

The iPhone 4S runs on Verizon's 3G EV-DO Rev. A network. What that means to you will vary by location, your connection to a tower, and the capacity of the network at a given time. In early testing, Verizon delivered respectable speeds that were comparable with its other 3G devices. The time it took to open graphics-heavy sites varied by site; from 15 for the full New York Times site, to 20 seconds for Airliners.net, and 30 seconds Giantbomb.com. Mobile sites took a bit less time; CNET's site opened in 20 seconds.

In initial testing, Verizon's 3G was faster than Sprint's network, particularly for download speeds. After running four tests in CNET's neighborhood, Verizon's network delivered an average download speed of 0.88Mbps and an average upload speed of 0.76Mbps. Compare that with Sprint's 3G network, which had an average download speed of 0.45 Mbps and an average upload speed of 0.47 Mbps. I know that San Francisco is not representative of the entire country. As such, your experience may be completely different. But either way, Verizon's speeds are pretty respectable and the network delivered the experience I needed for a 3G device. Absolutely, 4G users won't be happy, but true Apple fans shouldn't be shocked. Dong Ngo from CNET Labs also conducted data tests but found different results.

Processor, graphics, and internal performance

The new chipset is the iPhone 4S' biggest star (like on the iPhone 3GS, the "S" in iPhone 4S stands for "speed"). The handset features Apple's A5 dual-core 1GHz processor along with a dual-core GPU. Apple says the new chipset will make the iPhone 4S twice as fast and will offer graphics performance that is seven times faster than the iPhone 4's.

Indeed, there is a noticeable change for the better. Applications across the phone opened quicker--sometimes by up to 3 seconds--and switching between apps using the multitasking feature was smoother. In additional testing, Senior Editor Eric Franklin found just how much faster the iPhone 4S is over its predecessor. On a similar note, Senior Associate Editor Jason Parker found that for some games the iPhone 4S' graphics are far richer. For more on the iPhone 4S gaming experience, check out this post from Senior Editor Scott Stein.

The performance upgrades are indeed welcome, though it's almost a feature that I didn't know we wanted. Previous iPhones never struck me as particularly slow, but if Apple wants to make the experience faster, I'm not going to refuse. And if it can do it without hampering battery life, then even better.

Battery life

Despite the more powerful processor, the company claims that the smartphone will be able to provide 8 hours of talk time over 3G, 14 hours over 2G, 6 hours of browsing over 3G, 9 hours via Wi-Fi, 10 hours of video playback, and 40 hours of music playback.

The promised battery times are impressive, but manufacturer promises can be just that: promises. Though the Samsung Epic Touch 4G and Motorola Droid Bionic had rated talk times of 8.7 hours and 10.8 hours, respectively, the Samsung lasted a less stellar 7 hours in CNET Labs tests and the Droid Bionic went for just 7.55 hours. In talk time battery life tests, Sprint's phone beat Apple's ratings by lasting 9 hours and 13 minutes on a single charge. The Verizon iPhone 4S may fare differently so I'll let you know if it does. For media features, the 4S delivered 8.2 hours of video playback and 64 hours of audio playback.

Since our review posted, some iPhone 4s owners have come forward to complain of poor battery life. According to those owners, their phones will last just a few hours, even when the phone is in standby mode. I tried leaving the 4S unattended for 24 hours with GPS, Wi-Fi, notifications, and Bluetooth on. As I long as the display was off, it didn't drain faster (83 percent full to 71 percent) than an iPhone 4 with similar settings. On the other hand, the battery would deplete quickly over the course of half a day with the display on. I also found that during "real-world" testing, where I was multitasking with several features running in the background and the display on, the battery didn't drain abnormally fast. On November 2, 2011, Apple admitted that "a small number of customers have reported lower-than-expected battery life on iOS 5 devices." The company also said that it was issuing a fix in the form of a software update.

Conclusion

Android fans are right: the iPhone 4S adds features that competing smartphones introduced months ago. But that misses the point. It doesn't have everything, but Apple's attention to the user experience remains unmatched. Some consider that focus a worthy trade-off for a regulated and locked-down device, while others prefer more control. Apple's philosophy isn't necessarily right, but it may be right for you. And if so, the iPhone 4S won't disappoint.

VIA CNET

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