“By now, many are aware of that new record: 5 million iPhone 5s during its first week[end],” JP Mangalindan reports for CNN. “For its part, Apple has done a good job marketing features like its meticulously machined thinner body and an even trimmer ‘Lightning’ charging cord. But does it warrant all that early praise? We spent five days with it to parse through the hoopla and find out for ourselves.”

“Because Verizon launched its 4G network earliest, its nationwide coverage remains the most thorough, with 371 markets, compared to AT&T’s 65 and Sprint’s 18 or so,” Mangalindan reports. “Call quality was very good on our unit — voices were sharper and sounded fuller-sounding than previous iPhones — and we didn’t experience dropped calls.”

Mangalindan reports, “This speed, in my opinion, is the iPhone 5′s killer feature… Apple has made its iconic gadget radically faster in one single move.”

Read more in the full article here.

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TechCrunch reviews Apple’s iPhone 5: So fantastic, it just doesn’t seem real – September 20, 2012
Bloomberg’s Jaroslovsky reviews Apple’s iPhone 5: The only great smartphone on the market – September 19, 2012
CNET reviews Apple’s iPhone 5: Editors’ Choice; a great, beautifully-engineered smartphone – September 19, 2012
NYT’s Pogue reviews Apple’s iPhone 5: If you’re getting one, wow, are you in for a treat – September 18, 2012
USA Today’s Baig reviews Apple’s iPhone 5: Keeps Apple at the front of the smartphone pack – September 18, 2012
Mossberg reviews Apple’s iPhone 5: ‘The best smartphone on the market’ – September 18, 2012
Pocket-lint reviews Apple’s iPhone 5: ‘This really is product design at its finest’ – September 18, 2012