AEfx
Well-Known Member
What $50 chargers? All they changed was the cable...old chargers should work fine and don't cost anywhere near $50.
Apple has changed their connector once in the past 10 years and it was because it became obsolete, not because they wanted to kill off accessory manufacturers.
I believe you will find that the Lightning Cable requires one of the newer 5W power adapters (Apple is even snotty about power). If that's not the case, then my apologies and we can just delete my posts, because of course if I was incorrect about that of course I must be totally off-base about everything. Regardless, yes, each full charging set does cost the amount specified - because, well, Apple.
They sell you the cable for $19 (1m)or $29(2m), and the power adapter is $19. So each set costs you $40-50. As someone who doesn't fancy carrying and unplugging chargers all the time, once I committed to Apple's products, I have them at home, work, and in between, packed in travel bags, etc. - an entire eco-system of cables and chargers - that cannot be used with a new iPhone. I did it all once with their proprietary cable, I'm not about to repeat that just because they want me to for no reason which I benefit from aside from the privilege of continuing to purchase their products.
Oh, but wait! I can pay $29 each for an adapter to continue to use them (which has spotty availability since they finally came out well after they changed over, it appears available at the moment, who knows tomorrow) - but the cord is obsolete, so how can that be? If all I need is their proprietary adapter to hook up to the old nasty connector that is obsolete and needs to be killed off and is somehow substandard for my phone experience - I can pay them $29/cable to adapt the same cable they are telling be is obsolete back? Man, how does that work? If that cable is so necessary to get rid of, how come they let me keep it if I pay?
Seriously, though, just look at the reviews on Apple's own site linked above on all this lightning connector fun - I'm shocked they even allow the public the privilege of rating them, as stars visually may take away from that antiseptic hospital aesthetic they go for.
If you don't think the entire thing was simply about changing to a new, proprietary connector simply to make obsolete millions and millions of non-Apple devices out there (not just interfaces, but simply CHARGERS for crying out loud) - I'm out of bridges to sell, but I'll sell you this magic bracelet - a magical bracelet called MM+ which is entirely about benefiting guests at WDW by making their visit more enjoyable and has nothing to do with extracting more $ from guests and a formal regulation of theme park flow to eek every inch of capacity so as not to have to actually add anything new....
In the period of time, I've had non-Apple cellphones that have used two different proprietary cables, mini USB and micro USB. After using the lightning connector it is a much better connector than micro USB as it can plug in in either orientation and snaps firmly into place.
Oh, yes, their proprietary connector is better than anything USB - because the U in USB means UNIVERSAL. As in, Apple's wallet doesn't go "cha-ching" for each and every one sold.
I have to say, I do laugh at the only justification folks have for it - because folks after all these years can't tell one side of a USB cable from another. It's total humor - I mean, first of all, ONE END of a "Lightning Cable" (insert Superhero entrance musical cue) it is still USB, so you still have to go through this arduous task of picking Side A or Side B, since you have to plug it in to something. Second, mini- and micro-USB have distinctive shapes unlike a full sized USB male end, so this is not an issue at all - as well they are designed to fit just as tightly/securely to the device.
There already was a solution to the "problem" - use the same frakking connector as virtually every other electronics product we own. I have full sets of USB connectors in several areas of my home so I can just walk up and charge whatever device I happen to need to at the moment - except anything Apple. Because Apple is a special snowflake and it's products are just so dang magical they need to have a unique power connector - no crummy standard USB for my baby...
In all seriousness, if it's really so difficult to remember which uniquely visual side is which (one side is smooth, one is not...), there is a really good solution to that: flip it around. Once. It's not like it's a 20-sided cable, ROFL. Now I'm sure someone will say "Yeah, but some guy had a fit once and destroyed his USB port trying to shove one in the wrong way!" and I'll say, "I'm sure. Stupid, impatient folks do all kinds of dumb things."
I think the future USB standard including it as a feature that you can plug it in any way is great, makes sense - but it's not the reason for it's existence - nor is it here. It's simply a minor annoyance at best in only the very most first world ways.
I have an iPhone, and Android tablet and a Windows PC. I use what's best and for the past few years, for a cellphone, that has been the iPhone. Exactly what stats on the iPhone fall short of what you can get on an Android device and how do those shortcomings actually effect the user?
Well, if you read the post I wrote before you replied, I pointed out two particularly: camera and display quality.
The foamers over at iMore even put together a handy chart! I have to give them props, though - for a site that so unabashedly elevates every sneeze Apple makes that it makes the Disney Blog look like a vicious Disney hater site, they were real honest about showing it's shortcomings.
But, since I know they send those secret iMessages with Apple Superiority Syntax talking points, I'll save you the trouble: "It doesn't matter that the new iPhones rank in the low end of their competition when it comes to screen DPI - Retina is enough, I mean, it says it right there - Retina! It's as good as your eyes - Jobs said!" and "It doesn't matter that the 8MP camera has half the resolution of most competitors - it's not about the MP, the main measurement of camera quality, with Apple's amazing proprietary software you don't need a high MP sensor"...