The Apple iPhone 4S
Much has been written about the recent loss of Steve Jobs. One of my favorite eulogies referred to him as “Moses in a turtleneck.” Whatever you might think of him and his legacy, he has certainly had a profound impact on the smart phone. The latest version of the iPhone is modeled the 4S and despite some tech press disappointment that they didn’t get an iPhone 5, it is really a remarkable device. If you already own an iPhone, then you understand the relentless approach to ease of use. Android smartphones are for people who like to drive a stick shift, and iPhones are for people who prefer an automatic transmission. The new iPhone 4S partially includes an auto pilot in the form of the Siri voice powered assistant. With Siri, you can tell your phone, in your own voice, that you want to be reminded of an engagement in the morning and your phone creates a reminder. Ask her to send an email to a friend and she starts the email and asks you what you want to say. Need to be reminded to take out the trash when you get home? Ask Siri for a reminder and the phone monitors the gps in your phone and will display the reminder when you actually get home, to the office, or any other place for which you know the address. The Siri assistant will also look for places, search the web, or send text messages on your behalf, and the voice recognition is stunningly accurate. It may be reason enough to buy the iPhone 4S. Making calls, playing music, having plenty of memory for applications, a robust app store, and a great camera are easily checked off items for the iPhone 4S. The camera is actually a standout when compared to other smart phones in that it is very fast and easily shoots HD video. What is really new and notable is the addition of iCloud which allows photos to automatically stream from your iPhone to your iPad or other Apple device. If you are looking for a smart phone that’s easy to use, elegant to look at and has a great 8mp camera that quite possibly will replace your point and shoot camera, the iPhone 4S probably fits the bill.