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Physically speaking it appears to be an eight-pin connector as the top and bottom are cross-connected. However as the pins are 'Dynamically Assignable", the number of virtual pins is only limited by the chip inside the connectors.

Well unless only only version 1 is cross connected so the future dual sided socket knows it's a version 1 cable.
 
Nearly every software/hardware engineer can do this. This is standard. Students do that in their free time. Oh yeah, it comes from Apple so it must be complicated, and the average customer thinks complicated = good.

And it hasn't been done before.... remind me exactly why?

Oh yes... i hear you. It's usless ;)
 
I think the problem with the iPhone 5 is that it doesn't feel like a stellar leap. The biggest changes are on the inside and this isn't really that tangible to your average consumer.

I guess we people are kinda superficial in that aspect. Everyone goes crazy over a larger screen, but doesn't care two hoots about advancements in specs which impact just about every function of your phone.

I think that is the one thing Samsung did right - they sure know how to read their customers correctly. :p
 
I guess we people are kinda superficial in that aspect. Everyone goes crazy over a larger screen, but doesn't care two hoots about advancements in specs which impact just about every function of your phone.

I think that is the one thing Samsung did right - they sure know how to read their customers correctly. :p

It's weird though...

The iPhone 4S looked EXACTLY like the iPhone 4... yet it sold more than the iPhone 4

Now here we are... with a bigger screen and things like LTE and incredible performance... and people think the iPhone 5 is a "meh" upgrade.

I'll never understand some people :D
 
It is just me or does music sound better in the car with this new cable and the iPhone 5.
 
It's weird though...

The iPhone 4S looked EXACTLY like the iPhone 4... yet it sold more than the iPhone 4

Now here we are... with a bigger screen and things like LTE and incredible performance... and people think the iPhone 5 is a "meh" upgrade.

I'll never understand some people :D

You're looking at the iPhone 4S through the haze of time. People were complaining about it then, but you've had a year to form your impressions.

The iPhone 5 will sell more than the iPhone 4S did.
 
This connector is a solution looking for a problem.

Problem 1 - old connector is too large
Problem 2 - retain as much functionality as possible from a 30-pin connector into as few pins as possible
Problem 3 - existing connector designs suck


There, found your problems.
 
You're looking at the iPhone 4S through the haze of time. People were complaining about it then, but you've had a year to form your impressions.

The iPhone 5 will sell more than the iPhone 4S did.

Yeah I understand that.

Back then both phones looked the same... so I could understand the issue.

But the iPhone 5 is finally the phone they've been waiting for... so that's why I get confused when people say it's not much an upgrade.
 
Macsheeps upgrade irregardless what Apple churns out every year so what's your point?

Your comment reminds me of Romney's comments about the 47% of people that pay no income tax. So the 5 million people that bought and iPhone at launch are all Macsheep? Stop labeling everyone who buys an iPhone a mindless idiot, because it makes you look like one. The only thing most of those 5 million have in common is they bought an iPhone. It doesn't make them iSheep or MacSheep or whatever ridiculous label you want to use. If you don't want to admit that the 5 has numerous legitimate reasons for someone to upgrade, then you are more like those you are ridiculing. Blind fanboy-ism is retarded from both sides.
 
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Because they wanted the patent? They have a patent for round corners (iPad; Apple-Samsung lawsuit), why not for this nonsense?


Because it is superfluous, incompatible, non-EU, non-World-standard nonsense. They want a closed systems like iTunes, App Store and the Retina MBP.


A personal attack on some person is not an argument. You should know that.


So you're saying that you have justification that they designed all the circuitry, and programmed it within an afternoon. Some people just don't want to admit that this is a first and is clever technology. I don't know what reason, maybe jealousy, envy, hatred, or whatever. And just because micro USB is a standard, doesn't mean it's necessarily better. Only two data pins, and its only works with one orientation, and it doesn't always fit as best as it can.
And if you really want an open system, then no-one is forcing you. Buy an android. I don't really know how possible it is to make a device
that can suit the taste for every single person.
 
I had to make a trip to the Apple Store last night and have my Lightning Connector replaced. It never worked. Error message said it was draining too much power and shut down the USB port on my iMac. Wouldn't charge the device either.

Looks like they're having problems with these cables: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4326244?start=0&tstart=0

I asked the "Genius" if they'd seen many back and she said she hadn't heard of any problems with them.

Let Cablegate begin...
 
Notably, the Soviet space program had significant problems with the loose graphite shorting out switches and other circuits while in orbit.

According to Snopes, pencils were used by both Soviet and American space programmes up until the invention of the Fisher Space Pen.

http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp

The pen was used from then on by both the Soviets and Americans as it was actually a lot safer and more effective.

It seems, therefore, that the poster was right (by accident) - this new connector IS like the Fisher Space Pen. A more expensive, more advanced solution that brings with it valuable added benefits.

Progress, my friends! Progress.
 
Because they wanted the patent? They have a patent for round corners (iPad; Apple-Samsung lawsuit), why not for this nonsense?
Where did you get the idea that Apple has a patent for "round corners"? Apple has patents, but none that would prevent you from putting round corners on a refrigerator.
 
Yes - let's please bring in something completely off-topic into the conversation just to get some "likes."

FYI - the story you linked to isn't the latest on the vulnerability. A quick google search turned this up. http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/0...ng-exploit-it-was-already-fixed-in-an-update/

While I agree his post was off topic, your link doesn't help fandroids much in the Android vs. iOS debate. I love some of the narrative in your linked article:

  • "We know for a certainty that an update to the unlocked international version of the Galaxy S III (an Ice Cream Sandwich incremental patch) was issued some time ago that addressed this exploit as well."
  • "We cannot speak with absolute authority as to whether all Samsung Galaxy S III's have had this fixed, as the carrier update rollout process can result in significant delays in this regard."
  • "What we do know is that every variant of the Galaxy S III in the United States received very similar OTA updates in the last few weeks (see: Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T). And if the exploit isn't working in the most recent AT&T OTA, it's probably fair to assume the same fixes were contained in all three other carriers' updates. So, if your GS3 is up to date, you're probably not vulnerable."
  • "And, as we said in our initial post - this isn't even a Samsung issue, strictly speaking. It's an Android one that has been known for ages, and manufacturers have been extremely slow to patch it."

Those quotes illustrate one of the HUGE issues with Android phones: Fragmentation. No curation. Call it a walled garden if you will, but at least Apple doesn't let a hundred handset manufacturer and carrier combinations rule the day when it comes to providing a consistent, quality experience.

<finished ranting>
 
That adapter is great if you want to hook your smartphone to your TV.

But where are all the MHL speaker docks? Or other accessories?

With a million Android phones being sold every day... you'd think the speaker manufacturers would be all over that!

I can barely find any Android-compatible speaker docks with a MicroUSB connection... and the ones that do exist rely on Bluetooth or a plain ol' AUX cable for audio.

An AUX cable!

Image

.

Good point, but I don't remember the last time I hooked up a phone to a TV. Actually I do....never. Is it common place?
 
Good point, but I don't remember the last time I hooked up a phone to a TV. Actually I do....never. Is it common place?

If it were simpler it'd be more commonplace. When I returned from a long trip overseas and some friends and family wanted to see my pics, I loaded them on my iPad and connected that to a TV for the slideshow. If I didn't have my iPad I could have easily used my iPhone.

Now that I have an Apple TV, it's even easier.
 
This seems horribly overcomplicated. No wonder the cables are $19 now, and it looks like there won't be any cheap alternatives for quite a while. Surely Apple could have enabled 4 pins to default to USB + power so a chip wouldn't be needed for a simple syncing cable...? Crazy.

Next We'll have an all-new, incompatible digital minijack connector to enable a headset with stereo microphones. Adapter just $19. (sold separately) :rolleyes:
 
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