Things about IOS6

Date:  Sep 20, 2012

Today, they released the IOS6.  I have upgraded all the IOS devices at home.  Here are some of the initial usage experience, things and features I like... Don't forget to upgrade the MacOSX to 10.8.2 too.

1.  Fast Photo Sharing

When you take a photo on your IOS, the photo instantly appears in your iMac's Photo Stream.  Cool.  It is much faster.  I LIKE!

2.  Facebook Photo Sharing

When you take photo, you can share the photo out.  To Facebook, Twitter… This is cool!  I LIKE!

Wow, they even got WeiBo.

3.  Shared Photo Stream

I am exploring the Shared Photo Stream.  I LIKE!  

This one is just like Instagram.  But it is a private version of the Instagram.  Where you can share photos to a group of close friends, like it, and make comments with it.

It's pretty neat.  I think it will be a big hit.  Last time, I always use What'sapp to send photo to friends.  Now, there is a "Photo Stream" which will keep all the photos and the comment in that group.  So, unlike What'sapp, you need to scroll back the message and see the photo.

4.  Panorama

It is a cool feature too.  At the moment, I don't like it.  Because how are you going to share the photos?  The photo is big, huge and hard to share, unless you post it in the shared photo stream.  so, I predict, in very near future, there will be a Panorama posting website from existing photo website players coming up soon.  Stay tune. 

Here is a photo of my dinner area, living room, and children play room and their bed room.

5.  Map

It includes the flyover.  Although it is not available for Singapore map yet, but by watching it on other city, it is so cool.  This gives you another perspective when you want to travel to those places, you can have a pre-view of the area you going to visit, etc.  I LIKE!

The turn-by-turn Map is pretty decent.  I LIKE!

But, some how, my iPhone becomes very HOT after using the turn-by-turn map.  So, I am sure people will talk about this.

Also, if you click the home button, the Map still works at the background.  This is cool. 

The detail of the map is not as detailed as the one I am using at the moment.  For example, on a 5 lane highway, and you need to turn left.  If you are on the lane #1, my existing one will tell me to go to lane #4 or #5 and prepare to turn left.  This "Tom Tom" version of the new map, simply says, "turn left in 100 meter".  But it is not bad for a new Map app.  It will take some time to improve it.

But the coolest of all, I LIKE! is this...

There is a small Blueetooth button on the right bottom of screen, where you can tap and instantly you can choose to pair or not pair to the Car Speaker systems.  My previous one cannot do so.  But IOS6 Map simply pair seamlessly to my car speaker.  But sometimes, I want to unpair it, it gives you this button… how thoughtful...

6.  SIRI

Got to love the Chinese SIRI.  Yes, you can now change to Chinese one for fun!

So far, it recognise my voice.  And return me all the need to know.

And you can do much more things to it.

You can do the following.

More here

More here...

7.  FaceTime over 3G

Perhaps most exciting features is the enabling of FaceTime over 3G.  I LIKE!

I made a decent call with my wife where she is using Wifi at home, I am using 3G at Bukit Merah.

I also test on the road.  While driving, the call sometimes came to Poor Connection.  So, video is shutoff.  But you still can talk on the data plan, instead of the real voice call.  What does that mean?  That means, using FaceTime to call Long Distant friends becomes cheaper.  If they do not have Wifi, you still can reach them via 3G, and if the 3G plan is good, comes with lots of free data, i.e. even 4GB, or 12GB, then, calling your friend in overseas becomes cheap.  And when you cannot call, then, it will switch to Voice only call.  Telcos, watch out!  OUCH!

That's all.  Going to get iPhone at 8AM @ MBS.  Let's see what are the difference compare to running IOS6 on the iPhone 4S.  Stay tune.