Apple iPhone 7 Benchmarks vs Android

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This iPhone 7 Single Core Geekbench testings shows an amazing lead compared to rest. Even dating back to the previous model at one year old, the Apple's Single Core optimization beats the rest. But when it comes to Multi-Core, Samsung does indeed come very close. 

Device                    Single Core           Multi-Core
iPhone 7 / 7 Plus         3285 / 3211           5285 / 5191
iPhone SE                    2409                 4051
iPhone 6s / 6s Plus       2375 / 2400           3991 / 4027
Samsung Galaxy S7            1806                 5228
Samsung Galaxy Note 7        1786                 5213
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge       1744                 5203
Huawei P9                    1729                 4735
OnePlus 3                    1698                 4015
LG G5                        1658                 3745
iPhone 6 / 6 Plus            1463 / 1471        2457 / 2470

One VERY interesting feat is the fact that today's iPhone 7 / 7 Plus beats out the MacBook Pro 15" (Late 2011) and even the Mac Pro (Late 2013) in single core benchmarks. Intel better be watching. As The Verge clearly put it,

Now, before you accuse me of being high on my own metaphorical supply, I’m not saying that Intel will be crippled or surpassed anytime soon. But I am arguing that the chip giant is under a substantial threat, the likes of which it hasn’t faced for a long time, maybe ever. A quick look at the Geekbench scores attained by the iPhone 7 quantifies a staggering achievement: the single-core performance of Apple’s latest generation of smartphone processors has basically caught up with Intel’s laptops CPUs. The A10 chip inside the iPhone 7 comfortably outpaces its predecessors and Android rivals, and even outdoes a wide catalog of relatively recent Mac computers (including the not-so-recent Mac Pro). The iPhone’s notoriously hard to benchmark against anything else and this is just one metric, but it’s illustrative of Apple’s accelerating momentum and mobile focus.Now, before you accuse me of being high on my own metaphorical supply, I’m not saying that Intel will be crippled or surpassed anytime soon. But I am arguing that the chip giant is under a substantial threat, the likes of which it hasn’t faced for a long time, maybe ever. A quick look at the Geekbench scores attained by the iPhone 7 quantifies a staggering achievement: the single-core performance of Apple’s latest generation of smartphone processors has basically caught up with Intel’s laptops CPUs. The A10 chip inside the iPhone 7 comfortably outpaces its predecessors and Android rivals, and even outdoes a wide catalog of relatively recent Mac computers (including the not-so-recent Mac Pro). The iPhone’s notoriously hard to benchmark against anything else and this is just one metric, but it’s illustrative of Apple’s accelerating momentum and mobile focus.

This is one POWERFUL A10 Fusion chip and Apple I'm sure is proud. Congrats on the optimizations!

Failure to Recognize →

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Apple has squandered its once-commanding lead in hardware and software design. Though the new iPhones include several new features, including water resistance and upgraded cameras, they look pretty much the same as the old ones. The new Apple Watch does too. And as competitors have borrowed and even begun to surpass Apple’s best designs, what was iconic about the company’s phones, computers, tablets and other products has come to seem generic.

It's a generic now standard that Apple has created! No matter what Apple puts out, they are going to be haters because they haven't 1) advanced as much in hardware or software or 2) changed a standard currently widely adopted alienating a large chunk of their user base.

What Mr. Manjoo fails to accept is that no other company goes into their manufacturing details and design process as much as Apple does. It goes without saying, it's all deliberate. In describing the the creation of the new Jet Black iPhone 7, we are shown the process was indeed different from the previous iPhone 6/6s production and that the new Apple Watch series 2 development was put through the ringer in creating a truly water resistant and swimming pool compatible design able to withstand 50m.

Did you even check out the speaker ejecting water? That's pretty ridiculous if you ask me. I don't think Samsung, LG or even HTC put that much care and love for design into ANY of their products. Slow and steady.

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Bottom Line: It's Still Slower

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For example, XDA shows that the Note 7 launches Chrome in 0.493 seconds versus the HTC 10’s nippy 0.298 seconds. I’ve sat here and dutifully done that test myself a dozen times, throwing in the OnePlus 3 as well. How noticeable is the difference? It isn’t. On some occasions I see the Note 7 launching faster, anyway. Same goes for the Google Play Store, Gmail, Hangouts, and every other shared app that I have across my Android devices. Everything launches and operates at roughly equivalent speed across the HTC 10, Note 7, and OnePlus 3.

I don't know why The Verge really cares that their initial praise piece is getting hit on that much since, it [Samsung Note 7] is slower. Any could argue, don't pay attention to the benchmarks and you'll be fine, but I bet if it had been faster, they would have been singing a different tune.

Does Your iPhone 6/6 Plus Exhibit 'Touch Disease' →

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Turns out, Jessa’s not alone. Lots of repair pros are experiencing the same influx of faulty iPhones—most with flickering gray bars and all with glitchy touch functionality. Rami Odeh, a repair tech from New Orleans, sees up to 100 iPhone 6 and 6 Pluses a month that don’t respond well to touch. About half of the repairs sent to Michael Huie—the specialist behind Microsoldering.com—show symptoms of the same problem.

Of course, there’s no way to tell exactly how many phones are afflicted with what we’re calling Touch Disease, but every repair tech we spoke to told us that the problem is incredibly common.

“This issue is widespread enough that I feel like almost every iPhone 6/6+ has a touch of it (no pun intended) and are like ticking bombs just waiting to act up,” says Jason Villmer, owner of STS Telecom—a board repair shop in Missouri. He sees phones like this several times a week.

It's just a matter of time, that Apple will address it as a full recall. This news comes just in time as my wife's iPhone 6 Plus is nearing the end of her Apple Care. Time to bring it in.

Keeping the Faith →

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What Apple has accomplished with Maps is an example of the kind of grind-it-out innovation that’s happening all the time at the company. You don’t hear a lot about it, perhaps because it doesn’t support the enthralling myth that innovation comes in blinding flashes that lead to hitherto unimaginable products. When critics ding Apple for its failure to introduce "breakthrough" devices and services, they are missing three key facts about technology: First, that breakthrough moments are unpredictable outcomes of ongoing, incremental innovation; second, that ongoing, behind-the-scenes innovation brings significant benefits, even if it fails to create singular disruptions; and, third, that new technologies only connect broadly when a mainstream audience is ready and has a compelling need. "The world thinks we delivered [a breakthrough] every year while Steve was here," says Cue. "Those products were developed over a long period of time."

Keep the faith. I know it's hard, but when it's ready, you'll know and once again, be in awe.

Android’s Full-Disk Encryption Has Holes →

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Beniamini's research highlights several other previously overlooked disk-encryption weaknesses in Qualcomm-based Android devices. Since the key resides in software, it likely can be extracted using other vulnerabilities that have yet to be made public. Beyond hacks, Beniamini said the design makes it possible for phone manufacturers to assist law enforcement agencies in unlocking an encrypted device. Since the key is available to TrustZone, the hardware makers can simply create and sign a TrustZone image that extracts what are known as the keymaster keys. Those keys can then be flashed to the target device. (Beniamini's post originally speculated QualComm also had the ability to create and sign such an image, but the Qualcomm spokeswoman disputed this claim and said only manufacturers have this capability.)

"That's significantly different than how iOS works," Dan Guido, an expert in mobile device encryption and the founder and CEO of security consultancy Trail of Bits, told Ars. "What it means is that now you trust a second party, you trust somebody who built the software that holds the key. Maybe people didn't realize that before, that it's not just Google that can mess around with the software on your phone, but it's also [Google partners], and it's in a very significant way."

So, essentially if you are wondering why some users have turned to Apple as of recently, it's because of the broken promises that Google once offered and has failed on thus far. Of course, if you have nothing to hide anyways, use Android or Apple doesn't matter, but don't go saying that you use Android and stay away from Apple because it's more secure. 

Are You Excited for a $400 Hair Dryer?

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The heat that comes out of a hair dryer, as anyone who uses one knows, is both what dries your hair and damages it. Your typical drugstore hair dryer likely has settings for hot, warm, and cold air; when on hot, heat can climb past what’s thought to be ideal for drying hair, and into temperatures that fry and damage hair cuticles. During testing, the engineers used thermal cameras to watch how prototype hair dryers dispensed heat over strands, and over time. In practice, the final Supersonic has heat sensors built in next to the airflow jets that will take the air’s temperature 20 times per second, and send that data to a built-in microprocessor. If temperatures rise too much, the Supersonic can level itself out. All of this is powered by a V9—a newer, smaller version of Dyson’s prized digital motors.

Sounds awesome but is it worth the price of 20 $20 Conair Salon hairdryers?

Apple's Funky Laptop Update Cycle

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I don’t really blame Apple for the seemingly slow pace of its upgrades. The truth is that the current MacBook Pro already has enough advantages — primarily that Retina display, but performance matters too — to make my contemplated upgrade of a 2013 Air a very reasonable proposition. But I want more. I don’t just want to buy a better laptop than my old one, I want one that’s better for tomorrow as well as today. And that’s where I’m at my most foolish.

Vlad Savov hit the nail on the head. I sold my 2008 MacBook Pro in anticipation of a new Retina MacBook Pro two years ago and have been in limbo using a 2010 MacBook Air. As I've said before, it's showing its age with every tap on the keyboard and trackpad and I'm left contemplating biting the bullet at every "update." Here's to WWDC on June 13th.

And if you're interested in the latest MacBook refresh, you can now get it in Rose Gold and also standard with 8GB RAM!!!

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Not Worth the $200 Premium →

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Still, those upgrades don't feel worth $290 for a device that doesn't perform its sole function any better than one more than half the price. In that context, the Oasis is meant to be the first desirable e-reader, marketed with its visual and tactile appeal instead of with its functional role in our lives. It’s appealing to customers who want a digital reading experience to feel more like a holding a well-crafted book and are willing to pay a premium for it.

My thoughts exactly. Looking at the reviews, the Kindle Voyage has half the amount of reviews of the Paperwhite and a quarter of the Paperwhite and Basic combined. Maybe I'll just add my own little "spine" invoking plate to my current Kindle for that "Oasis" feel.

PCWorld Goes Hands-on with Intel's Skull Canyon NUC →

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How much performance does that add up to? On one Skull Canyon NUC we played the new game Just Cause 3 at 1920x1080 resolution, with frame rates in the low- to mid-30s. For PC gamers that’s, well, not great, but for integrated graphics, that’s actually pretty impressive.

If you really want more power, you can hook up external graphics cabinets such as this Razer Core with a Radeon GPU inside of it using the Thunderbolt 3.0 port.

This might just be the PC that I've been waiting for. FYI: I haven't owned a Windows based PC since 2005 and at that time, I was already running concurrently with my Powerbook Titanium followed by a MacBook Pro in 2008 virtually dropping all PC/Windows related computing.  The biggest problem I have is that I am well divested into the Mac / OS X ecosystem but then again, the PC would be primarily for gaming. 

Paired with Razer's new Core Graphics external add-on for $500 (graphics card NOT included), this could shape up to be a lean, mean, portable gaming machine which is also less expensive than the Razer Blade Core combo. 

Sidenote: When the heck is the new Apple MacBook Pro going to be released? I've been stuck on a 2010 MacBook Air Core 2 Duo and it's becoming a drag! (this post written on that 2010 MBA) 

Nest Cam Now and 10% off Nest Aware + Video History

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Now's your chance to grab a Nest Cam and take advantage of their 10% off Nest Aware + Video History offer that expires March 1st. It's a beautiful product and simplistic in setting up and monitoring. Use it for home security, nanny cam or even hook it up to an exterior compartment for some outside monitoring.

I'm still surprised that Nest / Dropcam have not come up with an outdoor solution. Hopefully soon.