After our initial use, we had a sneaking suspicion that Apple pumped up the volume on the iPhone 4S, so we figured that it would only be right to perform a test.
I happily headed over to iDB labs (my office) and put together a test that was as accurate as I could possibly pull off.
The results? Well, they speak for themselves. The iPhone 4S's speaker is much louder than the iPhone 4's, and this video proves that without a doubt...
Have you ever wanted something, but you're not entirely sure what you'd use it for, or even why you want it in the first place? Well, that's exactly the predicament we find ourselves in when looking at these Angry Birds speaker docks.
Manufactured by well-known accessory company Gear4, the speakers come in two flavors – the pigs are actually iPod speaker docks, and the bird version serves as plug-and-play speakers. You've gotta love it...
What's 11 feet tall and costs $565,000? The world's tallest and most expensive iPod dock, of course.
The AeroDream One isn't your typical iPod dock. Created by musician and entrepreneur Jean Michel Jarre, the AeroDream One packs a 10,000 watt stereo system that's sure to agitate the neighbors.
iPhone and iPod docking station/speaker combos are nothing new – they've been around forever and come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, with models to fit every budget. iHome has taken the tried and tested formula that we've all been using for so long, and added AirPlay to the mix to create the iHome iW1: an AirPlay-equipped wireless audio system.
Set to go on sale on September 26th, the iHome iW1 will retail for $300, according to Engadget...
MyGreatFest is going to be the world's first jailbreak and iCommunity convention. The event will take place on September 17, 2011 in London, UK.
The conference is still being organized, but the MyGreatFest team promises that their convention will be an educational and fun experience for any iDevice user. They already have the one and only Jay "saurik" Freeman confirmed as a keynote speaker for the convention (he invented jailbreaking). So, we know they mean business.
In this latest video from our ongoing iPhone Basics series, we investigate the question that seems to forever permeate the iPhone community. Just what is the deal with the iPhone speakers? Why is sound only coming from one speaker?
Likely, you already know the answer to this question, but for new iPhone owners, it's a legitimate inquiry. Check inside as we spill the beans on the iPhone's speaker issues, along with a brief history lesson as well...
Here is one original accessory for your iPhone. It's a speaker amplifier in the shape of a horn.
Best part of it is that it doesn't need any batteries as it takes advantage of the horn to naturally amplify the sound coming out of your speaker by adding up to 12 decibels. That's what the product description says anyway.
You can get this amplifier for $25 from here. More iPhone accessories in our very own store (support the site!).
After sifting through article after article of early iPhone 4 reviews, I still have one large question unanswered. We all know about the new high res display that Apple has touted around, and 3rd party reports have verified its beauty.
But what I'm desperately wondering is if the audio quality has been improved. Speaker phone quality as well as general media volume is very inadequate for such a premier device.
I wondered if maybe I had just been spoiled by my work phone, a Motorola Droid, but in my quest for an answer I actually came across several different forum threads on various Mac and gadget blogs where users have had the same complaints. As a device used to watch and listen to your media and share funny YouTube videos with your friends on the go, headphones are not always readily available.
I noticed how bad the speaker quality was when I tried to watch a funny YouTube video with a few co-workers out to lunch one day, and you couldn't hear a word on full volume, and there was very little background noise.
The exact same video on my Motorola Droid however was easy to hear at 2/3 volume. I also enjoy listening to music sometimes without headphones, when I'm playing Madden on my Xbox or watching Sport Center late at night. With my current 3G iPhone, it's just not possible.
So although it certainly wasn't mentioned in Steve Job's keynote, and has yet to be commented on in early iPhone 4 reviews, I still have my fingers crossed that there will be an improvement to the external speaker quality. But judging by the picture of the tiny speaker port above, I shouldn't hold my breath.
Currently, speakerphone is also a joke, whether in the car, or sitting at my desk, it's almost impossible to hear the other caller with any type of background noise. It would be nice to have speaker quality reflecting the technical advances in the rest of the device.
But when attempting to make a lot of advanced technology fit inside such a small, thin casing, something's gotta give right? Chances are the speaker port is kept so small to not intrude on the aesthetics of the phone.
Either way looks like the jury's out on this one until June 24, when the first real hands on reviews will start pouring in. Seems though if you were dreaming of higher quality audio in your new iPhone 4, chances are your going to be disappointed.