Thứ Năm, 9 tháng 6, 2011

iPhone 5 Specs: Thinner, Larger 3.7-Inch Screen, Home Button With Gesture Area & More

Joshua Topolsky, former Engadget Editor has just revealed some interesting information about Apple's next generation iPhone – iPhone5, which is rumored to be released in September.

According to Topolsky who writes at This is my next, the 5th generation iPhone will be completely redesigned and it will look like iPod Touch 4G rather than iPhone 4.

Topolopsy reports that according to their sources, iPhone 5 will be thinner than the iPhone 4, and have a "teardrop" shape, which goes from thick to thin like MacBook Air.

He has revealed that the home button will be enlarged and will double up as the home button and also a gesture area:

this falls in line with testing we've seen for gestures on the iPad, and our sources say that gestures are definitely coming in a future version of iOS. The home button will likely be enlarged, but not scrapped altogether.

He also confirms that iPhone 5 will come with a larger 3.7 inch screen (compared to the 3.5 inch screen), which will occupy nearly the entire front of the phone while keeping the same resolution.

The sketch supplied to them by a source indicates some form of inductive or touch charging but their sources have not been able to confirm it.

You can also checkout the mockup of what the next generation iPhone will look like based on information they've received.

We really like the idea of the home button doubling up as a gesture area and though we like the design of iPhone 4, will love to see a completely redesigned iPhone, which is thinner and comes with a larger Retina display.

What about you? Please share your views in the comments section below.

Dueling iPhone 5 Release Rumors; It’s Like Daisy Petal Picking

Dueling iPhone 5 Release Rumors; It's Like Daisy Petal Picking

It's coming in June; it's coming in June – not; it's coming in…..

Appleinsider's Neil Hughes says that rumors of a later-than-usual iPhone model revision for 2011 are being fueled by notoriously secretive Apple being even more secretive than usual in its dealings with overseas suppliers subcontracting to build the devices and their various components as regards the iPhone 5.

Hughes cites a note to investors by Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White, who is on a tech company visit sweep through Taiwan and China, commenting last Friday that "Apple is keeping its iPhone 5 cards extra close to the vest on this launch to avoid a falloff in iPhone 4 demand ahead of a refresh, especially given the February launch of the CDMA iPhone 4 with Verizon." However, White guesses there's still room for the iPhone 5 to still launch in June or July, consistent with Apple's usual calendar envelope for major iPhone announcements and revisions, and noting that there's really no solid evidence supporting either that postulate or a later iPhone 5 release in the fall.

TheStreet's James Rogers agrees with White, suggesting that with iPhone 5 rumors "ping-ponging" back and forth, the chatter, and in some instance angst, over a significant iPhone 5 release delay may be getting overblown.

On the other hand, Rogers notes — as I too have here previously — that Apple's press release for the June Worldwide Developers' Conference (WWDC), which in recent years has been a venue for iPhone revision announcements, made no reference to new hardware, a seemingly pointed omission, and affirmed instead that this year's WWDC will be focused on unveiling the future of iOS and Mac OS. Of course, we can't discount the possibility of a Steve Jobsian "one more thing" surprise announcement of the iPhone 5 at the keynote climax, whether or not the ailing (and we hope mending) Mr. Jobs is there to deliver it.

My takeaway is that while Apple's new and revised product releases are at least roughly predictable more often than not, attempting to pin them down to a precise time frame is a mug's game and an exercise in frustration and futility, compounded by the fact that from the moment the iPhone5 (launch of which is inevitable at some point in the not too distant future) is announced, new speculation will ramp up focusing on iPhone 6. Indeed, the iPad 2 announcement was still weeks in the future when prognostications about an iPhone 3 began circulating.

Waiting out anticipated product announcements can be frustrating, or part of the fun, depending on how you choose to look at it, but the upside is that current iPhone 4 is an excellent device that will do a fine job for you if you really need to make a purchase in the short term.

News Of Dual-Network iPhone 5 Benefits Verizon More Than AT&T

Verizon's recent gaffe confirms that the iPhone5 will indeed be a dual-network device that will work with both CDMA and GSM. While the notion of a dual-network iPhone 5 isn't much of a revelation, the news helps Verizon more than AT&T. Here's why:

Another slip of the tongue has confirmed yet another detail about the upcoming iPhone 5.

Less than three weeks after Sony CEO Howard Stringer tacitly admitted that the next iPhone 5 camera would be of the 8 megapixel variety, Verizon's Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo seems to have now confirmed that the iPhone 5 will indeed be a dual-network device, supporting both AT&T's GSM and Verizon's CDMA technologies. Venturebeat reports that "in an attempt to deflect an analyst probing for details on Apple's next phone, Verizon inadvertently mentioned that [the iPhone 5] will be a 'global device'."

While the iPhone community is always happy to have virtually any detail about the iPhone 5 confirmed or corroborated (except, perhaps, for the recent report of a late September release), news of a dual-network iPhone 5 should not come as an earth-shattering revelation to those who have followed the it over the past six month of so. It is true that Apple had to fashion an alternate CDMA-equipped iPhone 4 to work on the Verizon network, creating two network variants with very slight design differences between the two.

But the production of the CDMA model was a work-around for Apple; obviously, a deal with Verizon had not been solidified by the time the iPhone 4 was launched in the summer of 2010, meaning that the initial AT&T model had no CDMA capabilities. And as we all know, there was no way that Apple could have clandestinely outfitted the original AT&T iPhone to run on CDMA — too many iPhone geeks out there pop open their new iPhones to look under the hood. Any stealth move to equip the iPhone 4 for both networks would have been discovered. This time around, however, it makes good business sense to make sure that the iPhone 5 works on both networks; it will keep production costs down and make shipping and inventory far easier.

An interesting question to consider, however, is whether or not a dual-network iPhone 5 benefits either carrier, or is it just a wash?

I would argue that, while the dual-channel iPhone 5 revelation isn't going to be any kind of groundbreaking game-changer for either mobile carrier, it is Verizon that may have the most to gain from the notion that both companies will share the same iPhone design.

More than any other iPhone 5 topic on this blog, the subject of AT&T versus Verizon has inspired more angst, vitriol, and hurt feelings. We wrote an article about it a while back, and people weighed in on the issue with gusto, defending their mobile network providers with bravado. It's a fact: iPhone users are passionate about their carriers. AT&T and Verizon are like political parties around here. (I guess Sprint customers are the Independents.)

Thus, I know that I am stepping into a minefield with Verizon customers when I reluctantly state that CDMA is generally considered to be the slower of the two mobile technologies, disallowing the kind of multi-tasking that AT&T iPhone users typically enjoy. Whether or not this is true, however, is not the issue: the fact remains that this is the prevailing belief about Verizon.

With this is mind, one can imagine that it can only benefit Verizon for prospective iPhone 5 customers to see that the device works on both networks. Unlike the iPhone 4, which has two variants for GSM and CDMA, the iPhone is the same phone, same specs, same technology. AT&T will no longer be able to infer that they have the "better iPhone" model.

Sameness is the name of the game for Verizon this time around, as they will finally have a chance to compete with AT&T right out of the gate with the iPhone 5. The game plan will be the same for both carriers: AT&T will tout speed and versatility, and Verizon will roll out their maps. It should be a real hoot.

News Of Dual-Network iPhone 5 Benefits Verizon More Than AT&T

Another slip of the tongue has confirmed yet another detail about the upcoming iPhone 5.

An interesting question to consider, however, is whether or not a dual-network iPhone 5 benefits either carrier, or is it just a wash?

A5 iPhone 5 prototype released in earnest, but you can’t have one (yet)

A5 iPhone 5 prototype released in earnest, but you can't have one (yet)

Here's a bizarre move which will only up the ante when it comes to the up-in-the-air release date of the iPhone 5: Apple is already circulating an A5-equipped iPhone 5 prototype in an iPhone 4 body to trusted app developers for the sake of ensuring said apps are able to take full advantage of the more powerful A5 architecture by the time the iPhone 5 launches. It all makes one wonder just how near or far away the iPhone 5 really is, and whether the developer model being circulated is merely retaining the iPhone 4 body type in order to keep the appearance of the iPhone 5 a secret, or whether the iPhone 5 will in fact look just like the iPhone 4 from the outside after all. Either way, one thing's for sure: you can't have one. Yet.

The kicker, of course, is that Apple is being awfully trusting of third parties, considering that last year an iPhone 4 prototype ended up being sold to the highest bidder and paraded around on the internet as a trophy. Apple's hopes of keeping the original iPhone 4 design a secret were dashed, houses were raided, and the expectation was that the already secretive and paranoid Apple would become even more so after the incident, heading into the iPhone 5 release. And yet here's Apple distributing a quasi-next generation iPhone before its unveiling. It's assumable that at least one of the prototypes will be lost, stolen, photographed, or otherwise before it's all said and done. And while it may look just like an iPhone 4 from the outside, there have to be details inside which, if torn apart, would reveal more information than Apple wants – or maybe not.

In fact the term "iPhone 5″ is something that we outsiders have made up to describe what we suspect Apple's fifth generation iPhone will be, without any knowledge of what the product will be or even whether it will carry that name. The fifth generation iPhone could be a complete external overhaul from the iPhone 4, or it could in fact be the developer prototype being circulated. Either way the move raises more questions than it answers. All it tells us for sure is that the next iPhone will have an A5 processor in it. But then again, on the heels of the A5 iPad 2, that was one of the few iPhone 5 details which was already assumable. Here's more on the iPhone 5.

News Of Dual-Network iPhone 5 Benefits Verizon More Than AT&T

Another slip of the tongue has confirmed yet another detail about the upcoming iPhone 5.

An interesting question to consider, however, is whether or not a dual-network iPhone 5 benefits either carrier, or is it just a wash?

iPhone location tracking: geeks hiding that Android is bigger violator

When the headlines arose across the geek techosphere this week about the iPhone's nasty habit of collecting and reporting location data, headlines which were then mindlessly parroted by the mainstream press, I couldn't but think the obvious: I'll bet the Android platform does the exact same thing, and the geeks pushing this story know it, and yet they've conveniently left that part out. Turns out I was wrong: Android is actually a much bigger offender. According to industry expert Christopher Soghoian, the iPhone reports your location data to Apple twice a day, but Android reports your location data back to Google several times per hour. But naturally, when the geeks who control the tech headlines went to write those headlines, they became "iPhone records your location, secretly reports it back to Apple" with no mention of their pet Android platform anywhere to be seen. And I'm not surprised in the least.Don't get me wrong: Apple and Google are both in the wrong here, clearly wrong on a moral level, and if they're not wrong legally, then the laws need to be changed immediately. Regardless of the reason for this data collection, even if it's as naively innocent as the companies' desire to figure where to tell the cellular carriers to build more towers or some such, it's not right – particularly without having warned users or given them the opportunity to turn it off. And the fact that the iPhone only uploads this data a couple times per day as opposed to the Android doing so repeatedly all day long doesn't mean Apple is less guilty. But it does make the headline writers even more guilty.

Any random headcount of smartphone users, if carried out among the true mainstream population and nowhere near the self-imposed bubble most geeks live inside of, will reveal that most consumers overwhelmingly identify more with the iPhone platform than the Android platform, regardless of which they're currently using. Ask the typical non-geek Android user why they're using Android, and the answers are most often "Because my preferred carrier offers it" or "Because the Best Buy geek insisted I buy it" or even "What's an Android?" But back inside that geek bubble, Android is a phone descended directly from the gods. It's programmable. It's hackable. It wastes no time on concepts like ease of use, which geeks find too restricting, and instead focuses on delivering infinite theoretical features whether any of them are in any way practical or not. It's why non-geek consumers buy one Android phone but, upon realizing the kind of geek-leaning nonsense they've been duped into using, rarely buy a second one (multiple studies have Android platform retention rate in the twentieth percentile). And it's why geeks will stop at almost nothing to protect their pet Android platform.

At a time when products like the iPhone, iPad, and even the Kindle are bringing an end to the era in which technology products had long been designed specifically with geeks in mind and to the detriment of the mainstream, geeks now feel that their way of life is being threatened. Thus they cling to the Android platform as if it's their last best hope for retaining their dominance over the consumer technology landscape. Conveniently for them, nearly all technology coverage, from traditional tech publications and tech blogs to even the tech reporting being done at major mainstream media outlets, is controlled by the geeks. After all, just try to imagine a non-geek growing up to become a technology reporter, and it's easy to understand why nearly all those covering tech are in fact tech geeks.

And at a time when their way of life is on the line, the geeks have gone increasingly over the top in both attacking the anti-geek iPhone and iOS platforms at every turn as well as shielding their favored Android platform. These are the individuals who concocted the "iPhone 4 antenna issue" while conveniently failing to mention that every smartphone, including all Android based phones, can also be made to lose a piece of their reception by being grabbed in a certain way. And now they've turned this disturbingly important privacy and spying issue into yet another self serving propaganda vehicle. Instead of accurately reporting that multiple major smartphone OS vendors are secretly tracking their customers, the geeks instead misreported this as being an Apple-specific issue. Their hope, apparently, is that it'll cause mainstream consumers to fear buying an iPhone and settle for an Android phone instead. After all, any time a geek can trick a consumer into buying a geek-leaning product, it's a good day. Safety in numbers. And just maybe, said consumer will magically become a fellow geek through the mere exposure of using a smartphone with a hacker operating system.

It's not that these geeks think Android can take over in a way Linux failed to. No, these geeks are insulated so deeply inside their bubble that they think Linux did take over. And now they think that if they can just keep misreporting the facts, if they can just keep making the iPhone and iOS look bad enough in the eyes of consumers, their pet Android platform will continue to rise by default. Sadly, to a large extent, it's been working. The question is whether Apple will find a way to fight back against the propaganda, or whether consumers will continue to figure out that the geeks are not on their side, or perhaps both. But in the mean time Apple isn't helping itself by being as immoral as Google when it comes to tracking customer location; such immoral actions on Apple's part merely serve to give the geeks more fuel for their immoral self-serving misreporting of the tech landscape.

iPhone 5 on September 13th: five reasons release isn’t worth waiting for

iPhone 5 on September 13th: five reasons release isn't worth waiting for

If the iPhone 5 really is to be a September baby, it'll be unveiled in September 13th. And that being the case, our official advice has changed: if you're sitting around waiting for more information on the iPhone5 in order to make a decision on whether to buy an iPhone 4 now or keep waiting, and it turns out the iPhone 5 really is coming in the fall instead of the summer, go ahead and take the plunge on the iPhone 4 now. Bear in mind that this advice is conditional upon the iPhone 5 being held back until the fall; if it does indeed arrive this June then you're best off simply waiting another six weeks. But Apple traditionally holds its fall press event on the second Tuesday of September, namely the 13th in 2011, and if that event is to be the first sign of the iPhone 5 along with the iPod models which will debut that day, don't bother waiting. Here's why.iPhone 4 rocks: Several members of the Beatweek staff have been using the iPhone 4 since last year, and while we'll likely all upgrade to the iPhone 5 as soon as it arrives, here's what we've learned about the iPhone 4 in the mean time. It's by far the most ideal smartphone on the market. It's faster, more versatile, thinner, and lighter than any previous iPhone model, and offers significantly more battery life with a much better screen. The supposed "iPhone 4 antenna issue" simply does not exist except in the minds of the deviants who concocted it. On its own merits, it's nearly the perfect smartphone; we'd be hard pressed to come with things we don't like about it.

4G pipedream: Even if the iPhone 5 does end up offering 4G networking, that'll only work in the scant areas in which Verizon and AT&T have actually built 4G networks. For the vast majority of iPhone 5 customers, it'll be the same 3G or even EDGE experience that they'd have gotten on the iPhone 4. Unless you live in one of a handful of big cities where 4G LTE will arrive early, this is not a reason to wait for the iPhone 5.

Verizon already has the iPhone: For those Verizon customers who wanted an iPhone but skipped the iPhone 4 because they thought the iPhone 5 was just around the corner, we'll ask you this: what exactly have you gained by waiting? A few more months of being stuck with your existing phone, which you clearly don't want? And now you're looking at another few more months of doing the same? You're not winning this battle.

Question marks: In other words, it's all we know about the iPhone 5. Will it offer better specs and features than the iPhone 4? Certainly. What will those specs and features be, and will any of them be relevant to you? No way of knowing. Waiting means you're gambling that the iPhone 5 will offer something over the iPhone 4 which will have justified your wait. Waiting does not equal playing it safe; it's just a different kind of gamble.

Have it both ways: The real clincher is that even if you buy an iPhone 4 now, you can still buy an iPhone 5 later. Sure, you'll end up paying $200 above sticker for the iPhone 5 because you'll have used up your upgrade cycle on the iPhone 4 purchase. But nothing says you can't turn around and sell your iPhone 4 in September (for more than you paid for it, thanks to the magic of unsubsidized pricing), and put that money toward paying your iPhone 5 ransom. You'll still end up having paid at least little bit for the privilege using an iPhone 4 between now and iPhone 5 launch day, but it won't preclude you from getting to experience both iPhone generations. Here's more on the iPhone 5.

iPhone 5, white iPhone 4 theories get release this week

Two competing theories regarding the nature of the iPhone5 having been running parallel amidst the vacuum of any official word about a release date, but there can only be one that's right – and that answer should arrive by default one way or the other this upcoming week. On the one hand there's the "white iPhone 4 is arriving this week" theory based on Apple exec Phil Schiller's public proclamation that there will be a white iPhone coming "this spring." The other theory says that the "white iPhone" in question is actually a white iPhone 5, and since Apple's WWDC keynote is in early June, which is technically still spring, we can still expect the iPhone 5 along the lines of Apple's traditional annual updates. Both theories are equally plausible, and both are justifiable interpretations of Schiller's words. But they can't both be right, and one of them is about to get struck down.

There's the popular scenario in which Apple pops out the long fabled white iPhone 4 this week. In that case you can firmly wave goodbye to the idea of seeing an iPhone 5 (or for that matter iOS 5) in June, as Apple isn't about to add a white model to the iPhone 4 lineup a mere month or so before it turns around and bargain-bins the entire iPhone 4 era in favor of an iPhone 5.

But then there's the other scenario in which the white iPhone 4 doesn't get launched. That would tell us two things. First, it would mean that the iPhone 5 must be just around the corner. And second, it would mean that the iPhone5 is sticking with a design which allows for a white model; in other words, so much for the notion of an all-brushed-metal iPhone 5 era.

Either interpretation holds water, but they can't both be right. The only thing Apple has has to say about the iPhone lately is that the iPhone sold 113% better in the first quarter of 2011 than it did in the first quarter of 2010, which says that the iPhone 4 era has been a successful one. The question now is whether it's nearly over in favor of the iPhone 5 era, or whether Apple has plans to extend it longer than usual by adding a white iPhone 4 to the mix. We'll get some answers this week about the iPhone 5, based on Apple's actions (or lack thereof) regarding the iPhone 4. Here's more on the iPhone 5.

Thứ Tư, 8 tháng 6, 2011

iPhone 5 on September 13th: five reasons release isn’t worth waiting for

iPhone 5 on September 13th: five reasons release isn't worth waiting for

iPhone 5: iPod touch back, 3.7 inch display, gesture-based home button? (updated)

Update: MacRumors and people in the know who we have spoken to are having their doubts about this one.

This is my next drops a bombshell, claiming that the next-generation iPhone will not be a minimal departure from the iPhone 4, like others are saying, but will be a completely re-designed phone, as Engadget reported earlier this year. The iPhone 5 that the report describes is said to be a prototype in testing – we know that Apple tests many products before going to market – that features a body akin to that of the one found on the fourth-generation iPod touch. This design is said to also be "teardrop" like the late 2010 MacBook Air's design – thicker to thinner fr om top to bottom.

Even more interesting is that the next-generation iPhone is said to gain a larger home button on the bottom portion of the device and… it's gesture sensitive. This is my next points out that this could easily work hand-in-hand with some of those funky new gestures Apple is testing in iOS 4.3 with iOS App Store developers. The report also backs up a report from the Wall Street Journal, and says the screen will cover most of the device's front and the new phone will likely lack a true bezel. Even cooler is that This is my next says Apple is exploring ways to hide the earpiece and the iPhone 4′s famous sensors behind the screen.

Speaking of screens… the report says that it's not your everyday iPhone 3.5 inch display, but it's 3.7 inches and the pixels are staying the same. This will cause a drop in pixel density of 13 pixels-per-inch – but this will still be above the magic Retina mark of 300 pixels per inch. The screen will likely look the same to the human eye, and developers will not need to adjust their graphics. Perhaps they will have the option in the iPhone SDK to to take full advantage of the extra screen real estate. This is my next is also saying that this all-new-phone could possibly sport some sort of wireless/inductive charging and/or NFC, but that is less confirmed – on their part – compared to the rest of the story.

Finally, This is my next closes by making it clear that the described iPhone5 may never hit the streets, but it's certainly being toyed with at Apple HQ:

Now, keep in mind that this info isn't fact — we're getting lots of threads from lots of places and trying to make sense of the noise. The versions of devices our sources are seeing could be design prototypes and not production-ready phones. Still, there are strong indications that Apple will surprise a public that's expecting a bump more along the lines of the 3G to 3GS — and this is some insight into where those designs might be headed. We're working on a couple of other intriguing pieces of information concerning future Apple products… so stay tuned for much, much more.

Smart Bezel Could Be The Big, New “Mystery Feature” For the iPhone 5

Smart Bezel Could Be The Big, New "Mystery Feature" For the iPhone 5

As the tech community endlessly prognosticates on the next big features for the iPhone5, there's no doubt that Apple has kept some of the best bits hidden from the public. But could the recent exposé on Apple's Smart Bezel patent be the mind-blowing feature that makes the iPhone 5 the smartphone of the year?

Bigger screen. 8 megapixel camera. iOS 5. NFC technology, The A5 chip. Most if not all of these predicted new features for the iPhone 5 are improvements rather than innovations — even NFC technology has already been tried on the Droid platform.

Where's the magic? Where's the defining feature for the iPhone 5 that will launch it into greatness? With the iPhone 4, we saw the advent of the front-facing camera, which gave smartphone users a next-generation way of communicating on the go. How will the iPhone 5 deliver a similarly siezmic breakthrough?

Enter Apple's Smart Bezel.

All this week, tech websites have been parsing a curious Apple patent that reveals plans to develop and deploy a dynamic, gesture-controlled bezel around the iPhone 5's screen, giving users a secondary means of navigating games and applications. Fast Company I think has summed up the technological aspect of the Smart Bezel patent the best, explaining that:

"The display relies on printed, segmented electroluminescent units (or similar tech) that would be hidden when not activated. These units would display additional info when needed–we're thinking games controls, an improvement to the awful messaging/alert system iOS uses, and display-wasting info like battery life bars or a clock."

Just as the old Atari joystick gave way to the advanced game controls of today, so too will smartphones like the iPhone 5 feature more gesture control.

To be sure, the Smart Bezel would be a bona fide breakthrough in technology, should it deliver on its promise of significantly expanding the gesture control and display layout of the iPhone 5. It's true that other extended touch surface concepts exist on current smartphones, such as the Palm Pre, but if Apple can push the exvelope with this new innovation, it could revolutionize the way that iPhone users interact with their iPhone; not just an improvement on what already exists, but a true innovation that would send the other smartphone designers into catch-up mode..

And from a more practical standpoint, the Smart Bezel would also give the iPhone 5 an effective alternative to the cumbersome home button, which many believe will be moved or replaced in one way or another.

The idea of the Smart Bezel has been kicking around for some time now. For the most part, the idea of adding more gesture control was initially being ascribed to the iPad 2. Many analysts foresee that tablets and smartphones will continue to feature more and more gesture control features apart from the touch screen itself. Much in the way that the simple Atari joystick of yesteryear has advanced to the complex array of buttons, joysticks, sliders, and gesture control, so too will the chassis of the next generation of smartphones and tablets include bezels, backs, and other interesting nooks and crannies that will give users new vistas of control over their mobile computing experience.

Top 10 iPhone News You Might Have Missed This Week

This is a summary of the most popular articles published on iDB and our sister,ziPadBlog, this past week.

Please make sure to spread our iPhone wisdom by sharing our posts on Twitter and Facebook.

iPhone 5 to Sport A5 Processor and 8 MP Camera?
Jailbreak iOS 4.3.2 with RedSn0w
White iPhone 4 Spotted Running Mysterious Version of iOS
TinyUmbrella Updated to Support iOS 4.3.2 and iOS 4.2.7
iPhone5 Coming in September, Will be Similar to iPhone 4
Your iPhone Secretly Records Your Location Data
Untrackerd Stops Your iPhone From Secretly Tracking Your Location
Verizon CFO Says that iPhone 5 Will Be GSM + CDMA "Global Device"
iPhone Won't Have 4G Until At Least 2012
First White iPhone 4 Has Been Sold!

From our sister iPad Blog, ziPadBlog.com:

Toys R' Us and Best Buy iPad 2 Promotion
How to Jailbreak iPad 4.3.2 with RedSn0w
FindOne Helps you Track Down iPad 2s
NFL Finally Releases Official iPad Application
The Ultimate iPad Stand
5 Lessons the iPad 2 Could Learn From the PlayBook

iPhone location tracking: geeks hiding that Android is bigger violator

iPhone 5, white iPhone 4 theories get release this week

iPhone 5 Unlikely To Support 4G LTE Network

It is widely speculated that Apple will delay the launch of iPhone5 to fall this year instead of unveiling it at WorldWide Developer Conference 2011.

Some industry experts felt that this could give Apple enough time to add support for 4G LTE networks. But it seems unlikely based on the comments made by Apple's Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook during the quarterly earning call on Wednesday.

Tim Cook had this to say when he was asked about what Apple thoughts about the maturity of 4G LTE networks and their plans to launch products that support for 4G LTE network:

The first generation of LTE chip-sets force a lot of design compromises with the handset, and some of those we are just not willing to make.

Will Strauss, President of wireless chip tracker Forward Concepts doesn't expect chip-sets to arrive in time for iPhone 5:

They're right that there's nothing out there that fits the bill, and likely nothing will until the fourth quarter of this year.

Strauss explains how Apple's competitors have managed to launch smartphones with 4G support:

The only 4G handset on the market in the United States, Verizon's Thunderbolt, currently relies on a pair of chips to work. One chip, from Samsung, communicates with Verizon's 4G networks, allowing the handset to achieve blazing data speeds of between 5 and 20 MBPS. Another chip, from Qualcomm, lets the handset talk to Verizon's 3G network.

That two chip solution is needed because Verizon's 4G network isn't widespread enough for the carriers to offer handsets that rely on 4G alone.

Strauss goes on to add that Apple is looking for a solution where chips support 4G and 3G on a single chip so that the 4G LTE iPhone is as thin or thinner than iPhone 4 and it doesn't consume too much battery life.

According to Strauss, chipmakers like Qualcomm, ST Ericcson and Intel will launch the next generation chips that support 4G and 3G on a single chip towards the end of this year, which means that 5th generation iPhone won't support 4G LTE network.

Will the lack of support for 4G LTE network be a deal breaker for you to buy or upgrade to iPhone 5?

Real Racing 2 HD with native 1080p output now available

As developer Firemint promised a month ago, racing game Real Racing 2 HD is now live on the App Store with support for real 1080p video output that lets you enjoy action on your big screen in native 1920-by-1080 pixel resolution, without upscaling. It's a first for iPad 2 and a testament to the power of the A5 chip. TouchArchade got a chance to test out this feature and they walked away impressed with the overall polish and frame rates. Check out a video demo right after the break…According to the publication, Real Racing 2 HD, a ten bucks download, runs at thirty frames per second in 1080p "without any borders". When you turn on the 1080p output mode, the game displays a track map and real-time racing telemetry on the device which also doubles as a steering wheel controller. This transition is seamless and automatic, meaning you can disconnect the device during play and it'll automatically change the video mode and allow you to continue playing right where you left off. I have a feeling this will be a pretty big selling point and a popular feature among gamers that will convince other developers to support 1080p video output in their titles.

Of course, in order to enjoy racing action on your big screen TV, you will need a $39 Apple Digital AV Adapter to connect your iPad 2 to your tube via HDMI.

iPhone Won’t Have 4G Until At Least 2012

iPhone Won't Have 4G Until At Least 2012

Speculation has been that Apple could possibly introduce an LTE/4G iPhone in the coming year. Some even thought that Apple pushed back the iPhone5′s announcement to wait for LTE saturation in the U.S.

Will we see an iPhone 4G this September? According to both Apple and the LTE industry, it doesn't look hopeful…

The chips needed to equip the iPhone with 4G/LTE capability don't exist yet. And they won't exist until at least early 2012.

Forbes reports,

"Rumor has it the next-generation iPhone won't arrive until September. If so, it won't offer the crazy fast data speeds promised by next-generation 4G wireless networks.

That's because access to the turbo-charged networks that make Verizon's Thunderbolt handset crazy fast require a combination of chips Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said Wednesday Apple won't use."

Apple has previously shown interest in LTE, but Apple's own Tim Cook made no bones about Apple's current stance on LTE in yesterday's earnings call.

Apple's COO, Tim Cook,

"The first generation of LTE chip-sets force a lot of design compromises with the handset, and some of those we are just not willing to make."

The chipset industry and U.S. network infrastructure just can't handle iPhone-level saturation when it comes to LTE. 4G devices in the U.S. market like the Verizon Thunderbolt rely on two chips to deliver lighting fast speeds and communication between Verizon's 4G and 3G signals.

Apple doesn't like the design compromises that would need to be made to accommodate two chips for 4G in the next iPhone. And the type of chips that would appease Apple won't be available to the market until at least next year.

"Those chips won't appear in handsets until next year, says Will Strauss, president of wireless chip tracker Forward Concepts. "They're right that there's nothing out there that fits the bill, and likely nothing will until the fourth quarter of this year," Strauss says when asked about Cook's remarks."

Don't hold your breath for an iPhone 4G this fall. The sixth generation iPhone will probably be LTE-capable, but September's device will most likely run on good old 3G.

What do you think? Is Apple just blowing smoke? Will we be surprised with an iPhone 4G this year?

iPhone 5 Coming in September, Similar to iPhone 4

The iPhone 5

According to a report from Reuters, Apple is scheduled to begin production of the iPhone 5 in July/August with a September release. This news coincides with other reports that Apple will push back the next generation iPhone's launch to a later fall date.

It is unclear as to why Apple is not following the usual summer release schedule for the iPhone, but all signs point to a different roadmap for 2011. The iPhone 5 is reported to have a faster processor and look very similar to the current iPhone 4.Reuters,

"Apple Inc suppliers will begin production of its next-generation iPhone in July this year, with the finished product likely to begin shipping in September, three people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The new smartphone will have a faster processor but will look largely similar to the current iPhone 4, one of the people said. They declined to be identified because the plans were not yet public."

Apple's focus will be on software at WWDC this summer. iOS 5 will be previewed, and the iPhone 5 will most likely ship with the new OS. If the iPhone 5 does closely resemble the iPhone 4, iOS 5 could be what sets the new device apart from the iPhone 4.

We've heard that the iPhone 5 will be a significant redesign of the iPhone 4, but there have also been multiple reports claiming that the device will be similar to the current design.

A recent analyst report speculated that the iPhone 5 will have an A5 processor with a 8 MP camera. While the device could remain similar to the iPhone 4, it will definitely have some significant hardware upgrades to set it apart form its predecessor. For a comprehensive look at what to expect from the iPhone 5, check out this infographic.

The white iPhone 4 will supposedly be released at the end of this month, which would give Apple enough time to profit off its sales before introducing the iPhone 5 in the fall.

What do you think about this iPhone 5 news? Are you ok with waiting till the fall for its release, or will you be picking up another smartphone (Android?) this summer?

Just How “Green” is the iPhone? [Infographic]

Just How "Green" is the iPhone? [Infographic]

Apple has been criticized by some environmental organizations for its recycling practices. These activists claimed that Apple was slow to remove toxic chemicals from their products and lacked a proper recycling plan for old products.

Steve Jobs addressed these complaints in a letter entitled "A Greener Apple." The consensus of the note was that Apple was currently (or would soon be) leading the pack in all measurable areas of environmental impact. Apple products like MacBooks and Mac Pros certainly seem environmentally friendly thanks to their aluminum builds, but what about the iPhone?

The folks over at Geekaphone have just finished their green study of the iPhone and have wrapped the results into this delightful infographic. Even if you're not interested in the environmental impact of Apple's smartphone, the facts at the bottom are worth the read.

What do you think?

Top 10 iPhone News You Might Have Missed This Week

This is a summary of the most popular articles published on iDB and our sister,ziPadBlog, this past week.

Please make sure to spread our iPhone wisdom by sharing our posts on Twitter and Facebook.

iPhone 5 to Sport A5 Processor and 8 MP Camera?
Jailbreak iOS 4.3.2 with RedSn0w
White iPhone 4 Spotted Running Mysterious Version of iOS
TinyUmbrella Updated to Support iOS 4.3.2 and iOS 4.2.7
iPhone5 Coming in September, Will be Similar to iPhone 4
Your iPhone Secretly Records Your Location Data
Untrackerd Stops Your iPhone From Secretly Tracking Your Location
Verizon CFO Says that iPhone 5 Will Be GSM + CDMA "Global Device"
iPhone Won't Have 4G Until At Least 2012
First White iPhone 4 Has Been Sold!

From our sister iPad Blog, ziPadBlog.com:

Toys R' Us and Best Buy iPad 2 Promotion
How to Jailbreak iPad 4.3.2 with RedSn0w
FindOne Helps you Track Down iPad 2s
NFL Finally Releases Official iPad Application
The Ultimate iPad Stand
5 Lessons the iPad 2 Could Learn From the PlayBook

iPhone 5: iPod touch back, 3.7 inch display, gesture-based home button? (updated)

Update: MacRumors and people in the know who we have spoken to are having their doubts about this one.

Finally, This is my next closes by making it clear that the described iPhone5 may never hit the streets, but it's certainly being toyed with at Apple HQ:

iPhone 5 Specs: Thinner, Larger 3.7-Inch Screen, Home Button With Gesture Area & More

Joshua Topolsky, former Engadget Editor has just revealed some interesting information about Apple's next generation iPhone – iPhone5, which is rumored to be released in September.

According to Topolsky who writes at This is my next, the 5th generation iPhone will be completely redesigned and it will look like iPod Touch 4G rather than iPhone 4.

Topolopsy reports that according to their sources, iPhone 5 will be thinner than the iPhone 4, and have a "teardrop" shape, which goes from thick to thin like MacBook Air.

He has revealed that the home button will be enlarged and will double up as the home button and also a gesture area:

this falls in line with testing we've seen for gestures on the iPad, and our sources say that gestures are definitely coming in a future version of iOS. The home button will likely be enlarged, but not scrapped altogether.

He also confirms that iPhone 5 will come with a larger 3.7 inch screen (compared to the 3.5 inch screen), which will occupy nearly the entire front of the phone while keeping the same resolution.

The sketch supplied to them by a source indicates some form of inductive or touch charging but their sources have not been able to confirm it.

You can also checkout the mockup of what the next generation iPhone will look like based on information they've received.

What about you? Please share your views in the comments section below.

Why Apple Should Put The Brakes on 3D Technology For the iPhone 5

A recent Apple patent for a 3D camera and other rumors suggest that Apple might be toying with 3D technology for the iPhone5. Read why Apple and Steve Jobs should be careful about wading into the 3D waters with their next big iPhone.

You may have heard some faint rumors of 3D camera technology someday coming to the iPhone by way of some mind-blowing Apple patents that have surfaced over the past year or so. It's no wonder that Apple would be exploring 3D technology in its research and development efforts: we continue to see the application of next-generation 3D technology in motion pictures, such as James Cameron's Avatar, as well as the new Nintendo 3DS. In addition, television and computing sectors are beginning to invest vast resources into deploying 3D effects into a wide range of different media outlets.

A schematic in Apple's patent for a 3D camera. Could it end up on the iPhone 5?

Apple has two intriguing recent patents that focus on 3D: a 3D screen that would allow users to see the effect without 3D glasses, and a small 3D camera, which, by way of three separate camera sensors (see schematic to the left) would allow users to actually create and render 3D images themselves. Once deployed in a mobile device like an iPhone, this tandem of 3D inventions would most certainly turn mobile computing on its head: combined with gesture control as seen on the iPhone and iPad, it could even allow users to navigate their gadgets in a third dimension. That's some futuristic stuff!

Whether or not 3D technology could show up on the iPhone 5, however, remains to be seen.

I have postulated for the past few months that the iPhone 5 may in fact offer a groundbreaking new feature that few if any of us have even speculated on. Could this pairing of 3D technologies — the 3D screen and 3D rear-facing camera — be the hook that boosts the iPhone 5 into legendary status? After all, given Steve Job's ill health, for all we know, the iPhone 5 could be his swan song. He may be inclined to make the iPhone 5 a total game changer in mobile computing.

However, given the recent intelligence on the increasing possibility of an 8 megapixel camera for the iPhone 5 — served up by the folks at Sony — it would seem unlikely that Apple would be able to keep the lid on the additional components needed to construct a 3D camera. It could be possible that the iPhone 5 could debut its 3D screen without the pairing of a 3D camera — Nintendo 3DS already has a 3D interface, after all — but it should also be noted that, just because Apple has a patent for a 3D screen doesn't mean that the technology itself is imminent: it can take years for new ideas to become reality, as highlighted in this other article about a possible changeable topography touch screen for the iPhone 5.

And then there's also the possible dangers of 3D technology as a whole.

3D Technology Is A Possible Health Hazard

For as much as 3D technology seems like the wave of the future, Apple should be wary of deploying it in the iPhone 5. Ever since the debut of Avatar, 3D has been fraught with averse, well-documented side-effects that call into question whether man was meant for 3D technology. Remember: this isn't the 3D technology of old, complete with the funny-looking 3D glasses. Next-generation 3D technology renders images in holographic fashion by projecting images in staggered frames, so that each eye is processing images at different intervals, thus creating a three-dimensional image in the brain.

When Avatar was released, the use of 3D imagery, together with the larger-than-life, computer-generated landscapes, drove a portion of viewers to experience a broad scope of side-effects, from short-term nausea and dizziness to more serious long-term side-effects like depression and suicidal thoughts. TechRadar has an article that documents the phenomenon, with writer Marc Chacksfield reporting on how the realism of the film, combined with the utopic landscape of Pandora, left many moviegoers feeling empty and depressed. This combination of realism with other-wordliness has been attributed to 3D imagery.

In short, James Cameron opened Pandora's Box.

Cameron and other filmmakers tried to shrug off the early criticism of the dangers of 3D technology, but newer news of the ill effects of 3D in Nintendo's 3DS has corroborated the claims that not enough is understood about the effects of 3D imagery on the brain. A recent article in the Sun reports on how sickening side-effects have plagued Nintendo's wondrous new portable game console, reporting on Nintendo's damage-control disclaimer that "the console is not safe for under-sevens and advised playing in 3D mode for less than 30 minutes."

Considering that the whole point of buying the 3DS is to play games in 3D, this development should give Apple pause if they were thinking of releasing the iPhone 5 with any kind of 3D technology.

The fact of the matter is, the research on the effects of 3D has not yet caught up with the actual technology. It is a temptation to think that as humans, if we can build it, then it must be safe. After all, there are plenty of human developments over the past century that are both groundbreaking and unwieldy (nuclear energy and that scary supercollider in Switzerland immediately come to mind). Apple is most likely looking to hit a home run with the iPhone 5, but they should be careful playing with 3D tech right now — it is an unknown quantity.

And if the iPhone 5 does end with a 3D screen and/or camera, my advice would be to consider waiting to see the effects on users first before buying it.

Fake iPhone 4 Nano Being Sold in China for $60

With rumors flying about the iPhone 5, little attention has been paid to the iPhone Nano rumors that surfaced months ago. While the U.S. has remained quiet about a future iPhone Nano device, Chinese dealers are beginning to sell knock-off iPhone 4 Nano's to the tune of about $60 U.S.

These fake, mini iPhone devices run a Java-based iOS ripoff and behave a lot like the original iPhone. Most notably, these Chinese knock-offs are about 2/3 the size of the real iPhone 4…

A Giz-China writer stumbled upon a dealer selling these fake iPhone Nano devices off-contract for about $60. He described the device as being small enough to fit inside the palm of his hand.

These fake iPhone Nanos sport a 1.3 megapixel rear-facing camera, and allegedly have a front-facing camera as well. Giz-China didn't get to try the front-facing camera.

Although the device's operating system distinctly resembled iOS, it was obvious that the fake iPhone in question was running a Java-based knock-off of Apple's iOS. Giz-China didn't get an extensive hands-on with the device, but they did provide some helpful insight into the fake iPhone market.

Devices like this remind us of the Sophone knock-off, but this fake iPhone Nano lacks the specs needed to make it a worthy iPhone competitor. The only thing it has going for it is price.

What do you think about this fake iPhone Nano? Apple probably has something much cooler up its sleeve.

iPhone 5 Specs: Thinner, Larger 3.7-Inch Screen, Home Button With Gesture Area & More

Joshua Topolsky, former Engadget Editor has just revealed some interesting information about Apple's next generation iPhone – iPhone5, which is rumored to be released in September.

According to Topolsky who writes at This is my next, the 5th generation iPhone will be completely redesigned and it will look like iPod Touch 4G rather than iPhone 4.

Topolopsy reports that according to their sources, iPhone 5 will be thinner than the iPhone 4, and have a "teardrop" shape, which goes from thick to thin like MacBook Air.

He has revealed that the home button will be enlarged and will double up as the home button and also a gesture area:

this falls in line with testing we've seen for gestures on the iPad, and our sources say that gestures are definitely coming in a future version of iOS. The home button will likely be enlarged, but not scrapped altogether.

He also confirms that iPhone 5 will come with a larger 3.7 inch screen (compared to the 3.5 inch screen), which will occupy nearly the entire front of the phone while keeping the same resolution.

The sketch supplied to them by a source indicates some form of inductive or touch charging but their sources have not been able to confirm it.

You can also checkout the mockup of what the next generation iPhone will look like based on information they've received.

What about you? Please share your views in the comments section below.

Competing: iPhone 5, white iPhone 4 theories get release this week

Two competing theories regarding the nature of the iPhone5 having been running parallel amidst the vacuum of any official word about a release date, but there can only be one that's right – and that answer should arrive by default one way or the other this upcoming week. On the one hand there's the "white iPhone 4 is arriving this week" theory based on Apple exec Phil Schiller's public proclamation that there will be a white iPhone coming "this spring." The other theory says that the "white iPhone" in question is actually a white iPhone 5, and since Apple's WWDC keynote is in early June, which is technically still spring, we can still expect the iPhone 5 along the lines of Apple's traditional annual updates. Both theories are equally plausible, and both are justifiable interpretations of Schiller's words. But they can't both be right, and one of them is about to get struck down.

[via beatweek]

iPhone 5 is CMDA + GSM world phone

Well, we've known this one for while but now it's sort of official. Barrons reports that in Verizon's earnings call today, Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo said Apple's next-generation iPhone will be a world phone. A world phone of course is a phone capable of connecting to both CDMA and GSM networks worldwide. You may remember that Shammo was the Verizon executive who spilled the beans on the upcoming Verizon-capable iPad 2.
Both the Verizon iPhone 4 and the CDMA iPad 2 carry the Qualcomm Gobi chip, which we previously detailed, and this chip is capable of connecting to both CDMA and GSM networks. Apple is rumored to start iPhone 5 production as early as July and is tracking a September release. Apple typically holds an early-September event so we'll probably see the world phone there. The iPhone5 is rumored to look similar to the iPhone 4 and will sport an A5 dual-core processor.