TechSmart 121, October 2013 Oct. 2013 | Page 8

NEW GEAR NEW RELEASES The new iPhone 5s and a cheaper 5c have been unveiled. Are they hot stuff or simply more of the same? THE IPHONE 5S Apple’s new iSight camera may not offer more megapixels but does take better photos in low light and records slow-motion video at 120 fps. Beneath the gracefully ageing exterior housing of the iPhone 5s resides Apple’s 64-bit A7 CPU, offering double the performance of the iPhone 5’s A6 chip. Passwords are so passe thanks to the iPhone 5s’ new home button that integrates a fingerprint scanner, allowing users to unlock their device and purchase content with the touch of a finger. THE IPHONE 5C Contrasting the hard glossy plastic body of the iPhone 5c is the soft matte cases available for the smartphone, which sport holes in them to let the body colour of your phone shine through. iPhone 5c buyers can colour their friends impressed by opting for any one of five colours for the polycarbonate body of their iPhone 5c, namely blue, green, pink, yellow or white. 06 Thanks to the new 1.2 MP FaceTime HD front-facing snapper the iPhone 5c enables users to capture selfies like a boss. IOS7: THE LOWDOWN • You do not need an iPhone 5s or 5c to experience iOS 7 since it is a free software update, already available for the iPhone 4 and up, iPad 2 and later, iPad mini as well as iPod touch (fifth generation). • iOS 7 packs a radically overhauled user interface to bring the platform more in line with modern spiffier looking operating systems. • Our pick: iTunes Radio, a free internet radio service that features more than 200 stations, along with a large catalogue of music from Apple’s iTunes Store. Just like Nokia’s Mix Radio service, iTunes Radio has the potential to become a personalised service. October 2013 | TechSmart