Quote Hugh Robjohns:

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Quote ken long:

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smart phones (and iPhone in particular) have rendered many devices obsolete:

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Not they haven't... not yet anyway.

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snappy cameras are out man. why bother when you've got the same thing on your phone? d es beat me to it.... don't believe me? look at some stats http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20073271-264/iphone-4-tops-flickr-camera -stats-a-closer-look/

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I'm All Ears.

Quote ken long:

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Ah yes, but i hope for you and your passenger(s) sake that you aren't using both devices at once! So, two devices but one can only be used at a time renders the need for 2 separate devices redundant.

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Huh? Aside from the potential for distraction, there's no inherent technical or practical problem with having a dedicated sat nav and a hands-free phone operating at the same time. And the advantage is that you don't lose the sat nav screen when answering a call on the phone -- so you can still see which exit to take at the roundabout!

I tried using my smart phone sat nav when I first had it, but quickly realised that a dedicated sat nav was better for me. I do use the phone nav system occasionally, but usually only when walking and trying to find somewhere in an unfamiliar town.

H

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Technical Editor, Sound On Sound

Quote The Elf:

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I've seen nothing in a phone yet that replaces my HD video camera, or adequately replaces a dedicated stills camera. Just hunting for the shutter button on a phone can be a pain.

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unless your HD cam and your "stills" cam are of pro range (ie, not point and shoot, and not of the flip type) then my point still stands. Your devices are redundant. Not obsolete, not yet. Redundant is the word I should have used.

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I'm All Ears.

Quote Hugh Robjohns:

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Quote ken long:

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Ah yes, but i hope for you and your passenger(s) sake that you aren't using both devices at once! So, two devices but one can only be used at a time renders the need for 2 separate devices redundant.

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Huh? Aside from the potential for distraction, there's no inherent technical or practical problem with having a dedicated sat nav and a hands-free phone operating at the same time. And the advantage is that you don't lose the sat nav screen when answering a call on the phone -- so you can still see which exit to take at the roundabout!

I tried using my smart phone sat nav when I first had it, but quickly realised that a dedicated sat nav was better for me. I do use the phone nav system occasionally, but usually only when walking and trying to find somewhere in an unfamiliar town.

H

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i don't use hands free so our driving differs there. point taken.

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I'm All Ears.

Quote ken long:

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Quote Hugh Robjohns:

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Quote ken long:

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smart phones (and iPhone in particular) have rendered many devices obsolete:

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Not they haven't... not yet anyway.

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snappy cameras are out man. why bother when you've got the same thing on your phone?

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yes... I think we've already established now that your sweeping claim that the iPhone was making whole classes of equipment obsolete was actually meant to be confined to low-end 'snappy cameras'.... and I agree you are correct at that level for the yoof and technically savvy market. Meanwhile, like the Elf, my dear old Mom and even my wife struggle with that level of technology and still much prefer old-school 'snappy cameras'.... so not quite obsolete just yet!

It is possible one day that the quality of phone camera / video / audio might rise to the kind of 'semi-pro' level that might render half-decent dedicated equipment redundant for many (if not obsolete). The quality has certainly risen a lot of the last decade... but it still has a very long way to go to my mind, and they will probably never be able to offer the flexibility and versatility of dedicated devices.

H

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Technical Editor, Sound On Sound

Quote Hugh Robjohns:

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Meanwhile, like the Elf, my dear old Mom and even my wife struggle with that level of technology and still much prefer old-school 'snappy cameras'.... so not quite obsolete just yet!

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But Hugh, though point and shoot appear to be simpler in theory, what about the actual transferring of data off the memory? Driver headaches, interfacing issues, Finding that bl**dy proprietary USB cable at the bottom of a drawer... etc.

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It is possible one day that the quality of phone camera / video / audio might rise to the kind of 'semi-pro' level that might render half-decent dedicated equipment redundant for many (if not obsolete). The quality has certainly risen a lot of the last decade... but it still has a very long way to go to my mind, and they will probably never be able to offer the flexibility and versatility of dedicated devices.

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Ah non! I won't allow the argument to stretch to pro audio.

Just like pro cameras with their large lenses, one of the most important part of a recording path will include the size and quality of the mic diaphragm. I can't see iPhones with either. Accessorising these would be counterproductive.

P.S. I'm not one to make sweeping statements.

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I'm All Ears.

hmmm

I'm wondering if we are actually seeing the death of high end devices - or at least a vast reduction in the sales of high end devices because of this sea of change in iPhone and others (although Apple do seem to have the lead in the smartphone and tablet market)....

if there are too many companies not making enough money from the high end devices, because 'the prosumer' is not buying them - then maybe they will end

how are canon doing? - or HP - or other such mid-high end market firms in the face of the competition...what about nokia? motorola? - arn't they now all owned by software companies.....an unthinkable idea 5 years ago!

could we see the same pattern as happened in music - where studio's closed cause people could do it at home and there wasn't enough money/clients to keep them going?

or do we see a change in the high end companies products - like API with the lunchbox - UAD with the all in one apollo? - will the high end camera manufacturers ride on the success of the iPhone/iPad and create 'pro additions' (like camera attachments) for the bog-standard iPhone? - I've got a feeling that is the only way specialist technology is going to survive.

- as for the 'luddite' argument (my mother can't work an iPhone camera etc) I don't think it washes.....you need to look at the kids (man) - and what they are using - cause they are the consumers of the future....and everything is portable and socially networked.....

As for schools - 1-1 iPad is becoming more fashionable - and even BYO devices - there are lots of schools now buying iPod touch/iPad etc for individual students use over the lifespan of their school career - because you can set/receive homework and lessons etc etc - all in 1 device ....that lasts 5 years....the savings on paper alone are astonomical! - i have lists of examples if you really want them! (btw primary schools are way ahead in this area!)

So - the iPhone 5 is important - it's followed quite major legal wranglings between the only real players in this market and Apple seem to be winning - they are certainly doing alright for cash....what are the competitors actually producing that's going to equal or match what Apple have? (and therefore the money)

is it groundbreaking? i don't know - i think 4g is going to be interesting (why bother with fixed line broadband?) and iPhone 5 is one of the only devices set-up for it...the app store has certainly been very successful and the features on iPhone are certainly worth copying by other companies - and this phone does get the 'it looks sexy!' tagline

is there a premium for a new product - of course.....will i buy it? - not yet....but maybe one day! - will others buy it - i don't doubt - and they'll have a great phone!

i wish i had one.....and thats the big selling point - for any company.

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http://soundcloud.com/seaapes

Quote ken long:

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But Hugh, though point and shoot appear to be simpler in theory, what about the actual transferring of data off the memory?

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They take the camera to Boots or Jessops and walk away half an hour later with a bunch of prints and a CD-Rom... Simples!

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Ah non! I won't allow the argument to stretch to pro audio.

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You're a contrary old bugger at times aren't you

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Just like pro cameras with their large lenses, one of the most important part of a recording path will include the size and quality of the mic diaphragm. I can't see iPhones with either. Accessorising these would be counterproductive.

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...and yet there are broadcast journalists all around the world already using iPhones to record interviews and vox-pops on location... sometimes with decent mics wired in via an adapter on the multiport, and sometimes using rather naffer mics via the earphone socket. And there are muso's doing the same up and down the land. The rot has already set in... lowest common denominator...

It really won't be long before someone has a hit recorded entirely on an iPhone. I'm surprised no one has done it yet!

H

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Technical Editor, Sound On Sound

It is not about mobile recordings with 2 U87, photos with few thousand $ worth SLRs or video cameras. It is about having something usable when you do not have 5-20 kg heavy equipment bag with you. Photographers always had their tiny Leicas or Olympuses for such situations and also where you simply cant use attention calling equipment. Now they have their iPhones and iPads. I saw Karl Lagerfeld taking stunning photos live on telly that none of millions of amateurs, semi pros and pros wont be able to do with whatever pro gear. Knowing that new connector is inevitable I waited with buying Tascam or Bluemic, but will, as soon as they are available, simply because the most interesting things to record happen when you left your stand alone field recorder at home. Same with the cameras. Most of people have their phones always with them. I can record any time, take video or pic, issue bills, print out contracts ( because all the stuff is always there backed up over iCloud). So it is exactly about situations when I dont have my MBP, iPad, SLR, field recorder or video camera have something that can bring decent results. I dont expect audio quality compared to recording open air concert of symphonic orchestra with 70 mics, 40 people crew etc, or taking nightshots like with Nikon D4. Yet I can capture some unusual samples or with good light decent photos and videos

Edited by electrotimba (14/09/12 02:39 PM)

Quote electrotimba:

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Photographers always had their tiny Leicas or Olympuses for such situations and also where you simply cant use attention calling equipment. Now they have their iPhones and iPads.

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Watching someone taking photos with their i*Pad* is really rather amusing...

Quote Hugh Robjohns:

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You're a contrary old bugger at times aren't you

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I try my best...

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I'm All Ears.

Quote chris...:

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Quote electrotimba:

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Photographers always had their tiny Leicas or Olympuses for such situations and also where you simply cant use attention calling equipment. Now they have their iPhones and iPads.

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Watching someone taking photos with their i*Pad* is really rather amusing...

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Yes, more and more schools are using them.

Occasionally during my school performances I notice some very short sighted person reading their iPad, holding it up so I can't see their face, 'how bloody rude' I think, until I realize they're videoing the show.....

As to the thread .... Meh ..... As if Apple (or any other company) are going to release a new product with the marketing slogan "this is our new product, but it's really rather boring and we're only realeasing it to make more dollars out of poor unsuspecting souls like yourself".

I like Apples philiosophy of pushing the design boundaries and taking risks in introducing new technologies ahead of the pack, someone has to do it, and it drives progress ( most of the time).

Bob

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www.bickerton.co.nz

I don't care of the iPhone 5 but I **** DO ***** care about the new iPod Touch 5. Really a good step above it's predecessor. I ordered one.

The real point is can you record a hit tune on it whilst using it as a sat-nav to drive to the record company head office, with the video camera running so you can use the footage for the video, and then send all over the internet to the afore-mentioned office (hands free) so they can release the tune on iTunes in time for tea ?

If it cannot do that, whats the point ????

I have had many phones that can do many things but for me one thing stands out as their major weakness and that is making and receiving phone calls, other than that mobile phones are great..

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Strictly an amateur with some nice toys,

Now that I've used apps like TouchOsc and others on the iPad my beefy fingers can't imagine doing the same on an iPhone, bigger screen or not. But the thing that bothers me the most is how we overpay for absolute [ ****** ] service, dropped calls, cool echos that destroy any intelligibility etc even in the big bloody cities there are dead spots acknowledged by the telcos. I'd be happy with clear, clean understandable connections with my cell fone aka good sound quality! But then I'm old!

Quote Hugh Robjohns:

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... but I'm not very interested in products only designed to satisfy the lowest common denominator!

H

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same here - but as any entrepreneur will tell you "that's where the money is"...

Quote Paul Farrer:

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Honesty, how often have you looked at your iPhone and said 'This screen JUST ISN"T TALL ENOUGH?'

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Sounds like you need to wait for the iPhone 10.

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Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

Quote narcoman:

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Quote Hugh Robjohns:

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... but I'm not very interested in products only designed to satisfy the lowest common denominator!

H

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same here - but as any entrepreneur will tell you "that's where the money is"...

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The iPhone 5 is targeted at China and is linked to a strategic alliance with China Unicom and China Telecom as retail outlets for the iPhone.