![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Apple unveiled its new iteration of iPhones, the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, on Tuesday at its Cupertino campus.
The iPhone 5S is an incremental update to the company’s popular iPhone 5 which was released only a year ago. With many minor improvements to speed and battery life, the iPhone 5S is not too different from the previous iPhone in terms of design but does have three distinct new features.
The new device has a touch sensor on the “home” button that allows users to unlock their phones by scanning their thumbprint instead of sliding their finger across the screen. This new feature can also be used to authenticate purchases from the iTunes
or App Store.
The camera on iPhone 5S is significantly faster and sharper than it was previously. It can now shoot clearer photos although the camera resolution has remained the same.
The major distinction is that the phone also comes in a new gold color, in addition to the standard black and white options.
In addition to their updating its flagship phone, the Cupertino company also announced a new, low-cost iPhone 5C. This new iPhone uses internal parts that are less expensive than those used in the iPhone 5S and is made of plastic instead of glass. Apple has touted this new iPhone 5C as “For the colorful,” as it comes in a variety of different colors.
Although it is not known for sure why Apple created the iPhone 5C, rumor, according to many Apple analysts, has it that Apple needed a low-cost option for popular emerging markets such as China and India. There, previous versions of the iPhone were selling, but not as well as they were in the United States. Thus, it is likely that Apple introduced this new, cheaper iPhone to help widen its market share in Asia.
Students had mixed feelings about the iPhone 5S and 5C release. Many see it as a smart option for Apple that will help widen its audience and attract new first-time users.
“I think that it’s cool that Apple came out with two new iPhones at the same time. It’s nice that they are broadening their focus,” Avinash Nayak (12) said.
Many other students believe that there was nothing new and revolutionary about the iPhones that launched yesterday. Some especially do not like the concept of the iPhone 5C.
“The iPhone 5C, I think, was completely unnecessary in Apple’s strategy to get more users. And personally speaking, I just hate the gold color of the new iPhone. It makes it look cheap,” Ashwini Iyer (11) said.
Some other students share Iyer’s opinion about the new gold color of the iPhone 5S; they think it looks unprofessional and visually disappointing. However, there are a few who think the new color brings a “classy” look to the new iPhone, according to Engadget.com.
Whether Apple will still be able to maintain its dominance in the smartphone market in the coming years is highly debatable. Although the company’s latest devices do not seem to be “wowing” the world as they once did, there are still millions of loyal Apple fans who will keep on buying everything new the company has to offer.
