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| iPhone 5 Review – October 2012 The iPhone 5 is really noticeably lighter and thinner, but the replacement of stainless steel and some of the glass with anodised aluminium makes a massive difference to how it feels. The iPhone 5 is 9mm longer than the iPhone 4S, making room for more (176 pixels actually) on the screen. The actual impact of a longer screen is really negligible unless you are watching a video which then it can make a difference. You also get room for an extra row of apps. Having a slightly wider screen does however make recording video more enjoyable. Key difference between the 5 and the 4S is that now you see exactly what you get when you have completed recording. The rear-facing camera on the iPhone 5 is slightly better than that of the 4S but not dramatically so. Some of this difference is really subjective. The sapphire coating on the camera lens makes it more resistant to scratches which is an improvement I guess. On the flip side however the front-facing camera is now capable of 720p video and can take a decent still, without the noise that marred earlier iPhones. The main winners here are FaceTime users. Apple has upgraded the processor in the iPhone 5 to what it calls the A6 processor (ARM calls A15). What you get is a 1.3GHz dual-core processor with a 266MHz tri-core graphics processor built in. This is serious speed. The benefits include that apps launch more quickly, you can switch between apps more quickly, and operations like searching your mail or adding a filter to a photo happen more quickly. If you are into game playing, you might also find new games will be able to benefit from this speed. Beyond the processor we have network speed improvements. The iPhone 5 is the first iOS device that can use the 4G/LTE networks available in Australia. It has been tested on Telstra’s LTE network in various places around the Sydney CBD and the Inner West, and the results where good (41.63 megabits p/sec downstream and 22.12 megabits p/sec upstream). These speeds which should be the norm are actually after than home wifi (using a Telstra cable connection). Ironically, this won’t last as the 4G/LTE network gets more crowded with more users and devices launching 4G speed options. With 4G and the speed you receive you are likely to actually enjoy the internet for the first time. Enjoying it will mean you will use more of it and so be careful about your data allowance. This behaviour will also impact battery life. “In the week or so I’ve been using this phone, I’ve had days when I’ve used it in exactly the same manner as my 4S before it, so I know: battery life is about the same. Apple probably could have extended the battery life; the processor is physically smaller and draws less power than the battery in the 4S, so the opportunity for longer battery life was there.” The iPhone 5 is not a revolution in the way the original iPhone was back in 2007. If you got an iPhone 4S last year, the iPhone 5 offers little reason to abandon it yet. It’s better, but not dramatically so. If you’re still using an iPhone 3GS or even an iPhone 4, though, the iPhone 5 offers enough improvements in enough places that it warrants serious consideration. |
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| iPhone Madness For those still interested in purchasing a iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S and are yet to find the most suitable plan here is quick guide on what is on offer. The 4 providers in the market that offer any decent prepaid iPhone deal that has a reasonable data offer to cater for what the iPhone 5 or 4S has to offer, include Vodafone, Optus, Virgin and of course Telstra. It pays to do your research and we have done it all for you at PrepaidiPhone.com.au. To get the most out of your iPhone you need a decent Data plan. Data on a prepaid mobile plan has come a long way over the past few years. The choice is now much broader than your top 4 providers in 3 Mobile/Vodafone, Optus and Telstra. The likes of Amaysim, Savvytel, TPG, Live Connected, Exetel, Club Telco, Woolworths Mobile, Crazy Johns and even Red Bull Mobile all offer great data plans that mean you can make the most of what your iPhone has to offer. Prepaid is however not your only choice. Sim Only or month to month cap plans are also very popular for iPhone users today. Lots of calls and more data than you need mean you have everything without the headache associated with a 12 or 24 month contract. With sim only you can leave whenever you like. |
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| March 2012 Prepaid Mobile Internet & Prepaid Mobile Data Plans What a difference a few months can make. This week the media was full of articles showing the growth of smart phones around the world and the penetration of mobile operating systems such as Android and Apple’s ios4. Mobile internet options for contract plans have been gradually growing over the years, particularly with the birth of the first iPhone a few years ago. But that is contract. Prepaid mobile phone plans have been largely neglected by most carriers except for some of the more smaller sim only operators such as Exetel, TPG and even Live Connected. So what has changed? Some time ago Optus launched their prepaid mobile offer – Dollar Days. For $2 a day you have access to unlimited calls to fixed lines, mobiles and mobile internet. This was the first time unlimited mobile internet was being offered to prepaid mobile customers. It was bold move. What Optus also did was introduce free and un-metered access to social media services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare. So now finally a carrier has recognised the need for a mobile internet offer to cater for the growing demand for internet by prepaid mobile users. Add to this the fact that the cost per megabyte has also fallen from $20 per mb to just $2. It makes you wonder just how much money they have been making for so long. Not to be outdone, Vodafone has released All-time which for $50 recharge offers unlimited calls and text, 1GB data and unlimited social media. However you also have the Boost $40 recharge offer which gives you unlimited calls and text, social media and 3GB of data.The number of “Unlimited” prepaid mobile offers in the market has expanded considerably in the past 6 months. In addition to the providers mentioned above, you can also find unlimited prepaid mobile plans from the likes of Red Bull Mobile, Lebara Mobile, Savvytel and Crazy Johns. Unlimited refers to calls not data. Data allowances associated with these plans start at 1GB and can go up to 5GB per month. |
| January 2013 TPG Mobile – Smart Phone Plans TPG has been a star performer in the no contract mobile plan race for a while now. Earlier this year they won the People’s CHOICE: Best Value Mobile Phone Service award. I can’t speak for their service levels but I can speak for the plans and the rates and the data that is on offer. They are certainly very competitive and very attractive at the same time.At the bottom end we have the $1 Pay As You Go plan which gives you very affordable calls at just 9.9c per min with calls actually billed per second, meaning that you will only pay for what you use (not the full minute). There are no credit with this plan you only pay for what you use and at $1 per month it could be a great alternative to a prepaid plan if you hardly use your phone. TPG then offers you their Super Value Mobile Plans. If you aren’t already using TPG for your internet or other services then the plans on offer begin with the Starter at $9.99 per month, which offers a total of $180 in calls to anyone plus $2000 of calls to other TPG mobiles, plus 250MB of data (excess comes in at 25c/MB in 10KB increments). In terms of data, these plans offer you unlimited Social Media access including Twitter and Facebook. Call rates for all of these plans is 90c/min with a 35c flagfall and Txt are 25.3c. Out of your $180 in credit you will get approx 72, 2 min calls. The next plan up from the Starter in this range is the Medium at $17.99 per month offering $550 in calls to anyone, 1.5GB of data and unlimited calls to TPG. The Heavy plan gives you $1000 calls to anyone, 3GB of data, unlimited Txt to anyone and unlimited calls to TPG numbers. With that much credit you can make over 450, 2 min calls.At $35 per month you have the Heavy plan, featuring $1000 of credit for local mobile/fixed line calls, unlimited calls to TPG mobile/home phones, unlimited Txt/MMS, and 3GB of data. The final plan in this range is TPG’s answer to Unlimited plans and for $45 per month offers $3000 worth of calls to anyone, $100 in international calls, unlimited SMS/MMS and the standard social media offer.These are truly great value plans. The best way to compare these plans is with a service provider like Amaysim’s Unlimited offer. The Amaysim Unlimited offer, gives you unlimited local calls and 4GB of data. International and 1300/1800 are extra. Note that these plans have some setup costs. $20 for the sim and $20 as a guarantee/deposit. This is only payable once and the deposit is returned. TPG uses the Optus network and the plans are month to month, ie no contract involved. |
| March 2012 Sim Only Mobile Review – Amaysim Unlimited It also started in mid 2011 when Boost Mobile launched their Recharge $40 offer across many of their prepaid mobile plans. Recharge $40 currently offers unlimited calls and text to anyone, unlimited social networking about 3GB of data. I covered it within the PrepaidPlans newsletter as ‘Could this be the best prepaid mobile plan ever?” At the time it must have been coming close. This was followed by Vodafone launching their All-time prepaid mobile plans. Giving you unlimited calls, unlimited social networking + 1GB data when you recharge $50. Amaysim then decided to join the race (and since then have become the leader) announcing the launch of their sim only no contract month to month arrangement called Amaysim Unlimited. This the latest offering from Amaysim gives you unlimited calls to anyone in Australia, unlimited SMS, unlimited MMS plus unlimited social networking and a bonus 4GB of data for just $39.90 per month. This is a month to month arrangement which means there is no contract so you can leave whenever you like however until you do so, you have a recurring $39.90 charge to your credit card which gives you access to all of these great services. If you would like to know more then visit Amaysim Unlimited now. |
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| April 2012 Prepaid Mobile Review – Telstra Prepaid Cap Encore Relaunched in late 2011, Telstra’s Prepaid Cap Encore is Telstra’s best offer when it comes to combined prepaid calls and data for your iPhone. There have actually been a few revamps of these plans over the past 12 months and each iteration has resulted in much more competitive prepaid offer. If your own your own iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S, then consider this range of prepaid mobile plans from Telstra. At $30 you get $250 in calls and 400MB. This is great starter pack and will meet most people’s needs. You then upgrade to the $40 recharge plan which offers $550 in calls and 1GB. So doing a little internet and social media? 1GB should be more than enough for you. The next move up is $50 recharge which offer $1000 in calls and 2GB in data. The last move up is the $100 recharge which offers $2000 in calls and 4GB. Lets compare this with Optus’ New Turbo Cap Plus. At the $40 mark, Optus gives you $600 in calls, unlimited TXT, 1GB of data plus unlimited Facebook, Twitter access. At the top recharge level of $100, Optus’ New Turbo Cap Plus offers unlimited calls, $1200 of credit for international or other services, unlimited local fixed line and mobile calls, 7GB data and unlimited Facebook/Twitter access. There is a difference in value certainly. Having used the Optus network personally for a few years and the mobile data, it is reasonably good. If you are really after speed though then maybe Telstra is the way to go. |
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| January 2013 Prepaid Mobile Review – Vaya Mobile These plans look very similar to what Live Connected had to offer in early 2012. The value is pretty good as was Live Connected before they took a different direction. Powered by Optus they have a strong network behind them and also offer call centre phone support which is a plus (Call Centre in Brisbane). You can see for yourself that the value is great. S plan gives you 69, 2 min calls, M offers 232, 2 min calls, L offers 325, 2 min calls and XL has 395, 2 min calls. Another important feature is that call rates are charged per 30 sec, not per minute and excess data charges are just 25c/MB (data increments are per KB, just like Live Connected). The unlimited plan gives you unlimited local calls and TXT/MMS plus international TXT. Data is a huge 5GB. Couple of things to look out for. If you disconnect from the service a $30 disconnect fee applies. Most month to month plans will only charge you your outstanding balance, Vaya makes it a little painful to leave. Also note if you are late paying or your payment method is not accepted, $10 Late Payment fee applies and a $10 Dishonour fee applies.I recently signed up two friends to these plans and the activation process was OK. You can activate online (request anyway) which works OK, but there is no confirmation email to advise you that it has been receipted, there is just a pop up message stating that you accept that it will take atleast 48 hours to be completed. Also access to internet might require some configuration on behalf of Vaya for you. These are really trivial matters but they can make the start up process a little frustrating, so be prepared. |
| iPhone/iPad Accessories Listed below are the most popular Apple iPhone and iPad accessories. There are plenty of reasons to check out Apple’s great accessories pages.
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