Not an iPhone 5 Review

The web is full of long, detailed, professionally written reviews of the iPhone 5. You don't need me to write another so here instead I present my reasons for favouring Apple's ecosystem over those of their rivals. You may disagree, preferring the "open" Android or the "business oriented" Blackberry, but hear my arguments first.

I have several Apple products: a 32Gb iPhone for everyday telephony and computing; a 64Gb iPad for mobile content creation and consumption; a 13" MacBook Air for use as a "proper" computer; an AirPort Extreme for wifi; an Apple TV for media viewing and an iPod Touch and iPad for the wife. This hardware is supported by an iTunes collection (all our music, most of our TV shows, quite a few films, a growing number of books), iTunes Match and iCloud. In short, we use Apple for most of our computing needs.

There are several advantages to this arrangement that might not be readily apparent to customers of more ad-hoc solutions:

1. It keeps improving. Whatever you might think of Apple, it is undeniable that their products (both software and hardware) improve each year. New features and enhancements to existing features are rolled out in regular upgrade cycles and older hardware isn't abandoned as soon as it has left the shop. This is a big deal; it gives you a degree of security when buying your hardware because you can expect all but the most cutting-edge new features to be added to your kit as they are released.
2. It works well together as a team. Even before iCloud it was possible to share data (media, contacts, email etc.) between devices and these functions have grown much easier to use over the last year as iCloud has developed. Moving data from one device to another to allow it to be shared with friends or family is easy, quick and reliable.
3. The hardware is supported by a large (and rapidly growing) collection of media and apps. The app stores for iOS and OS X carry huge numbers of applications and although the system might not be perfect, it's pretty good for all but the most advanced users (who will, by definition, be able to work around any restrictions to achieve their desired affects). 
4. It is reliable and well supported. Apple's manufacturing quality and after-sales support are renowned. Product support is easily obtained by simply walking into the nearest Apple store and asking for help. 

This network of products and services is something that any of Apple's larger competitors could replicate and some, notably Amazon and Google, are trying hard. They might succeed, eventually, but Apple has a good lead and shows no signs of slowing. You might be able to obtain the same advantages with a group of devices and services from several different companies but, for now, Apple is the only company with this mix of philosophies and services. When reliability, ease of operation and security are important, this makes choosing Apple a no-brainer.

iOS 6 Maps - Apple's Mistake?

A truly astonishing amount of text has been produced over the last few days covering one (fairly major) feature in iOS 6 - the new Apple Maps app. Articles like this one in The Verge make it sound like the app is totally useless and has no merit whatsoever. This isn't entirely true and my observations are that, while it undoubtedly has data problems and is lacking features offered by its Google-powered predecessor, it is actually a damn good app.

Here's what I've found.

The big new feature is Flyover, powered by technology Apple acquired by buying Swedish firm C3in October 2011. The 3D models of central London and New York (the only ones I've looked at so far) are seriously impressive. It's true that there are a few issues with the images but overall it worksvery well indeed. In fact the biggest issue is not the areas that have been mapped but those that haven't, which (at least in London) represent by far the majority of the city.

How long will it take Apple to fix this problem? The C3 promotional video (which you can find on this page) predates Apple's acquisition of the company and states that they can photograph 100km2 of terrain in an hour and generate the 3D models in five. At that rate it should be able to map all of greater London (about 1,500km2) in a week. The rest of the country would take longer - 2,500 hours for photography and 7,500 for processing; Let's call it three months of parallel processing.

That's a lot of effort but it is not, in the grand scheme of things, a lot of time. Whether Apple choose to take this route (or whether they are already part-way through the effort) remains to be seen.

What about the rest of the app? The standard, non-photographic view of the world (which until recently was the only way to view a map) is brilliantly executed. The map adds and removes detail elegantly and smoothly as you zoom in and out. You can tap into points of interest (which you couldn't do on the previous version of Maps) and view contact information, reviews and photographs. You can report data errors or other problems straight through the app.

Compared with the previous app, the crowd-sourced nature of the new Maps and its incorporation of Yelp data and reviews makes this a highly promising solution for smartphone users in urban areas. It will be interesting to see how this develops over the coming months but my prediction is that we will see rapid improvement, if only because Apple won't want to give Google any help in selling Android phones.

Despite the problems, Maps looks to me like a winner. The data and imagery issues can be corrected by Apple in the cloud (no user intervention required) and the current feature set is, if not comprehensive, very impressive. If they can lever in public transit directions, it'll be perfect.

Sandwiches of the Gods, Part II

Last week we discussed three of the greatest sandwiches ever devised; cheese and pickle, cheese and tomato and roast beef and brie. Simple, elegant and full of flavour, they represent the very best achievements of the sandwich-maker's art but if you are not a fan of rotted bovine lactation (or cheese, as it is otherwise known - definition courtesy of Sir T. Pratchett in his excellent book Thief of Time) then they probably don't excite you to any great extent.

So if cheese isn't your thing (and, believe it or not, there are people in this milk-product infested world who don't enjoy the tast of a fine wheel of mature Cheddar), where should you turn for sandwich-based culinary delights? Read on, dear friend, read on.

Let us start gently with the flavours and fillings of our childhood; sweet spread-filled sandwiches, normally on cheap white sliced bread. Jam, preserves, honey, lemon curd and other spreads undoubtedly make fine distractions for the under-twelves and students coping with a late night drinking binges but they aren't really suitable for consumption in sandwiches by anyone who cares about these things (although they do make fine ingredients in a host of other dishes, of course). We can set them aside and ignore them.

With that out of the way, our next inductee into the sandwich hall of fame is Tuna, Mayo and Cucumber. Made well, this filling delivers solid flavour with a good crunchy texture. I favour line-caught rather than netted fish - it just seems right in these times of human-induced species extinction to minimise the impact our sandwiches have on other marine life - but I normally settle for traditionally farmed rather than hooked cucumbers. Ho ho.

In this great year of Jubilee and Olympic celebration, no list would be complete without Coronation Chicken. Originally conceived as a cold dish in its own right, coronation chicken makes an excellent sandwich spread and needs no ornamentation except what might be afforded by a fine roll or loaf of bread.

Veering away from the mainstream, how do you like the sound of Roast Chicken and Bread Sauce? Sprinkle a little salt on the chicken (thick sliced breast is best), smear a good dollop of bread sauce on the bread (bread as a filling? Yes, it really works) and you have a great post-roast snack or lunch. Tasty, with just a hint of cloves to compliment the chicken.

Finally, I'd like to suggest a sandwich that lurks on the fringes of civilisation, one that I enjoy but that many, probably, will not: Corned Beef and Tomato Sauce. I know, it sounds strange and unearthly, possibly even downright distasteful, but thinly sliced corned beef (the secret is to chill the can before slicing and to clean the knife after every cut) with a tangy tomato sauce actually works surprisingly well.

In all this I've said hardly a word about bread. It's important, of course, but it's a subject for another day. Cheers.

Sandwiches of the Gods, Part I

They're a wonder of the modern world, an ode to all that is great about British cuisine and a vital component in the nation's arsenal of sustenance. I speak, of course, of the humble sandwich, a foodstuff long considered the ultimate resting place for the even more humble slice of bread.

But surely, I hear you cry, not all sandwiches are created equal? Do not some, you might reasonably ask, pass beyond the reach of normal lunchtime fodder to stretch out their flavours towards the distant stars and entice with tastes and combinations more subtle than and devious than even the most subtle deviant can imagine? Might it not be said, you may ask in a breathless voice, that only a few of the many thousands of possible sandwich fillings could ever hope to mingle unremarked with the stylistic greats of British industry and fashion?

Yes, yes and again yes, I say, and I shall show you how.

Some sandwiches are big, bold, boisterous monstrosities, overwhelming the eater with their exuberant fillings and flamboyant structure. The American Hamburger, for example, is often stuffed full of superfluous, unpleasant or downright weird ingredients, designed for no other purpose than to convince the consumer that he's getting a serious grown-up meal instead of an overblown snack. A sandwich in the strictest sense of the word (being a pile of filling between two pieces of bread) the Hamburger is an outlier, an edge-case, an abnormal member of the category that no true fan would seriously entertain. I mean, what sort of person puts pickled gherkin in a sandwich? Who even regards pickled gherkin as a foodstuff?

So let's have a look at three of the other sandwiches, the ones that could reasonably be called Foods of the Gods.

First on this illustrious list is the somewhat agricultural Cheese and Pickle. Whether it's home-made chutney or mass-produced pickle (which, of course, means Branston's) the art of this beast of a sandwich is to partner thick chunky slabs of strong Cheddar with a fairly healthy dollop of pickle (which should not be regarded as mere "garnish:). Works best with thick-cut white bloomer.

Next up with have we have the noble Cheese and Tomato. A simple concept; thin slices of mature Cheddar cheese with a similarly svelte layer of that greatest of red fruits, the tomato. Prepared with care, the sweetness of the tomato will balance the strong taste of the cheese.

Stepping up a gear, we find the most exquisite of the meat-filled sandwiches; Roast Beef and Brie. It is tempting to use big, chunky lumps of meat but this will simply make your sandwich difficult to eat and there is little to be gained from exercising the jaw muscles. Instead, use several pieces of thinly sliced beef layered with a rich Somerset Brie.

Is that all, you ask? Absolutely not, but I'm out of words; tune in again next time for more advice on the art of the sandwich.

Surviving International Business Hotels

What do you need to know to survive a business trip and a stay in an international business hotel? Literal survival is actually very simple - hotels, after all, exist to provide shelter, warmth and food - but if you are travelling alone (often the case if you travel for business) it is easy to become trapped in an anti-social and destructive work-eat-sleep-work cycle that you wouldn't dream of following at home. Here are a few tips for breaking the cycle and maintaining your work/life balance.

Get out of the hotel - your hotel, however luxurious, should be your starting point rather than a destination. Even the best hotels struggle to compete with the attractions of their host cities so spend time in the city itself exploring the tourist attractions, visiting the local parks or simply enjoying coffee and cakes in a local cafe.

Hit the fitness centre or swimming pool - hotel fitness centres are often small and poorly equipped but you should still be able to get away from work and reduce your stress levels by spending half-an-hour on their treadmills or cross trainers. Swimming pools are often not suitable for lane swimming or Olympic training but floating around in a rooftop pool is a great way to unwind, especially in tropical climates.

Turn off your laptop - outside normal work hours, do not let work occupy your time. You may be tempted to use your evenings to complete tasks that require time and concentration and thus lend themselves to a peaceful, interruption-free environment such as can be found in a remote hotel bedroom. This temptation should be resisted or, at the very least, the work should be tightly time-boxed so you don't find yourself working through the entire evening.

Location is important - company policy may be to book a hotel as close to your place of work as possible but if that leaves you stuck on an industrial estate miles from anywhere you should resist. Choose a hotel in a location that allows you to get away from work - being within walking distance of the office can be very bad, especially if your colleagues back home are intent on keeping you "in the loop", despite time zone differences.

Avoid the hotel restaurants and never use room service - the hotel restaurant is the easy option for my first night in a new city, especially if I've travelled a long way. After the first day I try try to eat in local restaurants so that I experience a little of the culture and enjoy a modicum of social contact. Room-service should be avoided.

I enjoy visiting new cities and sampling their wares but I don't really enjoy staying in the bland hotels of the international chains (and smaller, local hotels often don't have the facilities I need). These tips help to keep me sane (or, at least, prevent me from slipping further into insanity) when I travel and combat the inevitable loneliness; good luck.