And back to the iPhone

After a few years with several android devices, I gave returned to the Apple world. No, I didn't go with the big screen iPhone 6 or 6+. Instead, I went for a 5s. 

That may seem like an odd choice given the wealth of new machines available from both Apple and Google's hardware partners but after doing the big screen thing for the last few years, I realized that a somewhat smaller screen device was a better move now. 

For starters, when you put a big screen phone in a reasonably protective case, or for that matter a Mophie Juice Pack, the result is really very big. Too big to comfortably pocket in my opinion. Yes, you can cram such a phone into your jeans (or khakis at work) but it isn't a comfortable arrangement for any length of time. And frankly, I'm getting a little tired of the whole belt clip thing as an alternative. It works but it looks ridiculous after a while. 

As for heading back to the iPhone, that decision was a result of the bad taste that my Galaxy S4 left in my mouth. After the upgrade to Android Kit Kat, it just never ran right. It would overheat regularly and the battery life was abysmal. I spent more time and effort managing the device than the phone did managing my data. 

The ios operating system still is not as flexible as Android in most respects. The lack of native file system access is still a serious limitation. That being said though, ios 8 now allows for some widget-like functionality, which does help out quite a bit. That and the new ability to change keyboards ( I'm using SwiftKey to write this post) has resulted in a much more satisfying user experience. 

As for file management, Apple users are still largely stuck with ITunes. Mophie, however, does provide some relief to this problem though. The Juice Pack Space, in addition to doubling the iPhone's battery life, also includes extra storage. (I went for the 16gb model). Now, I can plug into my computer, drag and drop music over to the Mophie and play them with Mophie 's free app. Other files including pictures and videos can be easily moved over to the Mophie Space too, freeing up loads of storage on the phone itself. It's not a perfect solution but it does help a great deal. 

So far, I'm pretty happy with the 5s Mophie combo. It is easy to carry, feels great in the hand, and performs beautifully. I'm hoping to get some very good use out it.