Random thoughts.... [Tech Edition]

Not sure if I’ll go Pro or Pro Max. I want the camera and battery life but i’m not sure I want the size.

Pro is a given. Between the allowance I get from work towards a new company phone and what I get for my old 12 Pro (which is so old my employer considers it mine), both are financially viable. And like @eizbaer I’m in the camp that’s willing to pay a lot for a phone. It’s my most used computer by a huge margin.
 
OK so I watched it and three additional things to what I said before.

One, I forgot how much I like the Dynamic Island idea and it would be better for how I use my phone.
Two, I get a hard on for titanium. Always have done, I've had a titanium watch since I started work.
Three, the shits had to go and tempt me to Pro Max with that 5x lens. I thought they would be matched like in the 14 Pro, meaning I could go with the smaller phone and not lose out. Apparently not.

As it's smaller and lighter, maybe the 512GB Pro Max. I'm also willing to pay a lot for a phone after being patient for a few years, same for a PC.
 
Matt2000 said:
Two, I get a hard on for titanium.
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See, now that one, that makes the Watch Ultra 2 nearly sensible… it’s only 50€ more than the stainless watch 9 45mm. Damn, I’ve already started trying to rationalize a stupidly expensive smartwatch that I don’t need, a mere hour after proclaiming to stick with my old watch 4 for another year… 😐

Edit: well. Oops.
 
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kalf said:
I admit I'm not an Apple person, but I really don't get why so many people get hyped up for the next new Apple products. To me it looks like the difference between the old and new iPhone seems to get smaller and smaller with every new one coming out, but still people line up to be the first ones to own the new iPhone.
But then again, iPhone or not I don't understand most people who buy 750euro+ phones (and then only use it for calling, taking pictures, browsing the internet and social media).
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You're correct, we've long past the point where commoditization of phones means that there's no huge difference from one year to the next. I guess with Apple they have their core brand evangelists who always want the latest and greatest. Then other people who just get on the hype thanks to the coverage may get excited but not enough to purchase it.

I guess the hype makes a lot more sense if you're actually on a multi-year cadence. Like, you still have an X or XS and want to see what's happened since you got your phone. The differences get more meaningful that way.
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but I also feel like iPhone have something of a "car lease" mentality, where you can get your old phone bought back for a chunk of the cost of the new one, so you just keep updating the financing plan and keep updating the device every 1 or 2 years, while keeping the monthly payments to the carrier.
 
Redliner said:
Correct me if I am wrong, but I also feel like iPhone have something of a "car lease" mentality, where you can get your old phone bought back for a chunk of the cost of the new one, so you just keep updating the financing plan and keep updating the device every 1 or 2 years, while keeping the monthly payments to the carrier.
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Yeah... this seems to go so far that Apple has now, for a few years, offered an actual leasing scheme scratch that - they offer financing, as pointed out by dan, right next to the regular buying option:
1694592950376.png
 
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DanRoM said:
That's leasing? €50 per month for two years is exactly €1200, so it looks more like paying in installments to me.
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... yeah you may be right, actually. I honestly didn't bother to check the triple-star-fine-print :D
edit: yeah you're right, it's run-of-the-mill financing through a bank.

should i be worried this quick maths didn't jump out at me straight away? maybe I'm tired :|
 
Phone contracts have always basically been leasing, in this country anyway. You pay the monthly fee for the plan and and the device, after two years you've paid off the phone and can get a replacement. They gradually became more of a rip-off with high up-front payments and silly monthly amounts. Sometimes there would be a benefit for trading in an old phone but rarely.

I played around with the zoom on my phone yesterday to simulate the 3x and 5x of the 15 Pro and Pro Max, honestly I think 5x is too much. it would be great as a fourth lens but as a third I feel like it will be restrictive. There, I'm putting a pound on four cameras for the iPhone 16. :p
 
Well, I was lured into being an iPhone user because my company said "this is what you'll be using from now on" and while I was hesitant at first, I kinda get the reason why people stick with these.
Most of the things you use everyday are done differently / easier than Android does it,and 99% of the time everything just works without issue.
Also, transferring devices is completely painless : it just copies everything to the new device and I do mean EVERYTHING, not just apps, but settings, custom pictures, etc etc.

While I'm not interested in the newest and the best thing out there (I recently got a 13, which is apparently the "old" one since they launched a 14 and I didn't see the difference), I do get excited about it having USB C. Mostly because everyone in our household can charge everything with the same cable

the "buying a new phone as soon as it comes out just because" thing baffles me though. Aside from the money, I don't see the point, as a phone will not be obsolete after 1 year. Also leasing/payment plans aren't a thing here, while they try to sell these, most people just have a subscription and buy their phones outright, which is probably why most people do 2-3 years with their phone
 
If this thing wasn't full to bursting I'd most likely be waiting another year, it's the longest I've owned a phone and aside from the size issues it has been the best.
 
Matt2000 said:
If this thing wasn't full to bursting I'd most likely be waiting another year, it's the longest I've owned a phone and aside from the size issues it has been the best.
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You could always transfer, or delete something.
 
GRtak said:
You could always transfer, or delete something.
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Never. :p

I explained on the last page:
I keep all of the photos I've ever taken with a smartphone on iCloud, along with some videos and a fair few galleries of photos taken with the DSLR. I want them with me. I pay for the 2TB, but the phone is only 256GB and right now it's at it's bursting point. I keep everything in full resolution because I'm not prepared to wait for it to download them, plus since moving to the 12 Pro Max the sync with Windows has been shit and I have to use PhotoSync.
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While I'm here, my iFi iDefender+ arrived and I've connected it up to the JDS Labs Element II.

Good news is that it works and I don't need to provide external power. Apparently some devices still need external power on the USB despite having their own power supplies. Bad news is it didn't make much difference. It made a small difference to noise in Just Cause 4 and when running renders in Topaz, but the noise isn't gone.
 
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I guess I really should move my rechargeable stuff to USB-C. The list so far:

- Powerbank. I currently have an old 20K Anker with Micro charging. It's been surprisingly difficult to find a replacement I like that doesn't cost three figures. I'd want maybe 10-15K mAh this time and a pair of C ports, and one Type-A for backwards compatibility. It's the emergency power source after all. Most seem to have a couple of A ports and a C. Wtf? I've found a 10K Samsung with a pair of C jacks and nothing else. 25W charging, €39, I'll probably go pick one up today.

- Flashlights. I've got an awesome little Olight 100 lumen keychain light with Micro that they've apparently made a C version of now so that's a no-brainer. But the bigger flashlights all seem to have some kind of special cable with a stupid magnetic attachment. I've got a Led Lenser with Micro now that I don't particularly like because the button is too easy to press, it turns on if you aren't careful when you stuff it in a bag, even when in its case. And it was one of very few quality flashlights with a USB port when I bought it back in the day.

- Keyboard. I've got the Apple one with Lightning. I think Logitech MX Keys for Mac is in my future at some point.

- Headphones. My wireless ANC cans are already C but I have Airpods Pro that I never use because my ears are a bit oddly shaped inside and they never sit right. I think I'll trash my disgusting third party memory foam tips, put the factory silicone ones back on and sell them.
 
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