More iPhone 5 impressions, and a case recommendation - Houston Chronicle (blog)

My iPhone 5 first-looks review was written after just a few hours with the smartphone, and while that’s enough to get a pretty good feel for a device’s quality, the real test comes over time. Now that I’ve been working with it for more than a full day, here are some additional observations.

• Battery life â€" I’ve been using the iPhone fairly heavily in the past 24 hours. I watched an episode of Firefly (specifically, “Our Mrs. Reynolds”) while on the treadmill at the gym; killed about an hour in Bush Intercontinental Airport (specifically, Terminal B) with the Web and Twitter; ran innumerable speed tests on LTE, HSPA+ and Wi-Fi connections; approved blog comments and worked email; and played a dozen or so games of solitaire.

From the look of things, the iPhone 5 has the staying power of at least my iPhone 4, and maybe a little better. That’s pretty good, considering it’s got a faster processor and connects to LTE, which has a reputation of being a real battery hog. At nearly 6 p.m., after unplugging from its overnight charging at about 8 a.m., it’s got 26 percent of its battery reserves left. I’m probably going to have to connect it to power before the night’s out, but given the workout it has gotten, that’s understandable.

• LTE â€" I continue to be impressed with AT&T’s LTE on this phone. A lot of people have asked whether LTE is really “all that”, and I have to say it really is. Yes, it’s dramatically faster than 3G, and that makes a big difference with data-intensive Web pages and apps. But perhaps more importantly, it’s more robust when the signal strength is weak. For example, while I was waiting at IAH earlier today, I did some speed tests in the terminal. I was only seeing 2 bars on the signal meter, but check out the speed I was getting:

If you’ve got a 3G smartphone, think about what kind of throughput you see when you have only 2 bars. And then think about how often you don’t have a full allotment of bars.

Here’s an LTE speed test on the iPhone 5 from my swankienda in the Montrose:

• HSPA+ â€" On past smartphones that use AT&T’s HSPA+ data connection, I’ve often seen speeds that were worse than traditional 3G. But on the iPhone 5, I’ve been pleasantly surprised when I’ve tested this connection type, which AT&T insists on calling 4G. Generally, it runs between 5-11 Mbps down, and about 1-2 Mbps up.

• Maps â€" I briefly mentioned the much-maligned iOS 6 Maps app in my original review, but here’s some more detail. I used it on Saturday to go from the Best Buy at Richmond and Loop 610 to the University of St. Thomas near Alabama and Yoakum. I used its turn by turn directions and found they worked quite well. I was driving and the only person in the car, so I used the spoken-voice feature. The screen was blacked out, but at stop lights I’d check the maps for accuracy. The integration of the Maps app into iOS 6 pays off here â€" the lock screen became the active map, so I didn’t have to unlock the phone and open the app to see my current position.

I’ve since used the Maps app to look up various locations around town and have not seen any errors. (If you’ve seen any issues locally â€" other than gasoline station icons atop skyscrapers â€" leave a note in the comments.)

By the way, the 3D map images yield some pretty cool scenes for Houston. For example, here’s sculptor David Adickes’s studio, complete with his oversized presidential busts and giant statues of the Beatles, near the Heights.

• Need a case for your iPhone 5? â€" Every iPhone I’ve had has been safely swaddled in a case, and I wanted to continue that tradition with the new one. Best Buy usually has a good selection of cases for new iPhones on Day One, so I went over there Friday after my white model arrived. I was planning to pick up a cheap case to tide me over until I could find one I really wanted, but I may have lucked out. I spotted a clear, silicone-gel case from Rocketfish for $23, and I love it. It’s adds very little bulk to the iPhone, and the fact that it’s clear shows off the design. It’s also very protective. Unless the clear silicone yellows quickly, I’ll probably hold onto this case.

I’ve also got my eye on the iPhone 5 version of the Griffin Reveal. I had this case on my iPhone 4, and loved it.

If you’ve found a case you like for the iPhone 5, leave a note (and hopefully a link) in the comments.