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posted this in: Hardware, Ramblings, Technology
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So recently, I replaced my mum’s iPhone 5S with the iPhone 6 Plus I owned prior to my Samsung Galaxy Note 8. She was thrilled to have a larger screen, and a faster phone. Now, all I need is a way to port her mobile number across to an Optus SIM so I can data pool with her just in case she needs to head to out.

I out of curiosity, decided to try using the iPhone 5S as my main every day driver phone.

What I’ve always hated about the recent smartphone craze, is the need for larger screens, and bigger footprints for more power. I don’t suffer a long commute (I’m blessed with a carpark space in the middle of Sydney CBD, and I drive for my commute into the city), and it’s rare for me to be far enough away from a PC, tablet, or laptop that would require me to use my phone as the primary device.

I noted quietly the uses I have for my phone:

  • Calls
  • Messages (including SMS, and digital web-based messaging)
  • Maps
  • Occasionally reading
  • Music listening
  • Making a wifi hotspot

And that’s about it. I don’t exactly use my phone for media consumption, gaming or any kind of productivity really. So, my phone needs are quite a lot lower than your average smartphone enthusiast.

The downsides so far:

  • The phone carked it this morning and I had to reboot it to get it working properly, it’s only my second day using this phone so I wonder if it’s the phone with a hardware issue?
  • The phone’s antenna isn’t as powerful as the Note 8’s – I still get amazing coverage, but there is a noticeable reception bar difference sometimes.

The pros so far:

  • Siri works really well for me. It lets me make calls while I’m driving, and that’s about it. The simplicity just works well for me.
  • I can operate the phone very comfortably with one hand
  • It’s one of the last iPhone SKUs with a headphone jack

At the moment, the iPhone 5S is meeting all my needs. In fact, I may end up selling the Note 8 if I reach the end of a few weeks and don’t find myself wanting the Note 8 anymore as a phone. 😮