Tech Mania: Apple rumored to release fifth-gen, SIM-less iPhone with 8MP camera by July or Aug plus 2 more articles

Tech Mania: Apple rumored to release fifth-gen, SIM-less iPhone with 8MP camera by July or Aug plus 2 more articles


Apple rumored to release fifth-gen, SIM-less iPhone with 8MP camera by July or Aug

Posted: 31 May 2011 12:17 AM PDT

Apple rumored to release fifth-gen, SIM-less iPhone with 8MP camera by July or Aug is a post from: Tech Mania.Check out more of the latest news by Subscribing to feed

The launch date of the fancied Apple iPhone 5 has once again become the hobby horse of gadget lovers and tech websites with a website called Macotakara reporting that the next generation iPhone 5 will see light of the day only in the Spring of 2012 while the iPhone 4 S will be released in July or August.Earlier, it was reported widely that Apple would begin production of iPhone 5 in July and that the product could hit stores in September. Before that, the date was sometime in June this year!

However gadget market observers read the mind of Apple correctly to find out that the fabled iPhone 5 release won't take place this June in WWDC 2011. For they gauged, correctly, that Apple wouldn't use the WWDC platform for a hardware launch and come up with some software surprise mainly the focus of the June conference of developers will be on iOS and Mac OS. "If you are an iOS or Mac OS X software developer, this is the event that you do not want to miss," Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, had said.

Reuters reported in April that that Apple will begin production of the much-awaited device in July and that the product could hit stores in September.Now, the latest buzz is that iPhone 5 will arrive next spring. There is no consensus as to why Apply is delaying the launch of its iPhone 5. However it would be safe to conclude that from a strategic point of view, two phone launches, spaced only by a few months, won't be a good strategy. This could be the case if one assumes that reports of iPhone 4 S arrival in July turn out to be correct.

According to new rumors doing the rounds, the iPhone 4 S will have an 8 megapixel camera SIM-less design along with 3-4 internal antennas that will allow the device to serve as a “world phone” compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks. That would allow the same hardware to run on both AT&T and Verizon networks in the U.S. It will also feature ARM technology in its Cortex A9 processor.The report said it is “not confirmed” whether the new processor will have a single CPU or is dual-core.

alibaba iphone5 case 250x247 image

Finally, the report claims that Apple’s next “major new handset” will arrive in the spring of 2012. A spring release for a so-called “iPhone 6″ was previously suggested in April, in a Japanese newspaper report that said Apple had selected Sharp to create next-generation low-temperature poly-silicon LCD displays for a thinner and lighter design.

As for the SIM-less design, last week the CEO of carrier Orange said that Apple will introduce a new, smaller and thinner SIM card in its next-generation iPhone. There were reports last year that Apple was working on an embedded SIM design that would allow users to select a carrier and service plan directly from their iPhone, but it was claimed that those plans upset carriers who felt they could be marginalized by such a move.

Picture quality on the new iPhone is also expected to be improved with a separate component for an improved LED flash. Various reports, including one earlier Tuesday, have suggested the flash will be moved farther from the camera lens to reduce red eye.Last December, Macotakara correctly reported that Apple’s second-generation iPad would have a smaller bezel, a flat back panel, and a larger speaker. The site also revealed that Apple was planning an event to announced the iPad 2 in March.

Via ibtimes and AppleInsider

Samsung demands to see Apple’s iPhone5, iPad3

Posted: 31 May 2011 12:00 AM PDT

Samsung demands to see Apple’s iPhone5, iPad3 is a post from: Tech Mania.Check out more of the latest news by Subscribing to feed

You have seen that in the ongoing patent and trademark battle between Apple Vs Samsung.Apple had filed a lawsuit against Samsung stating that Samsung has been replicating Apple iPod and iPad's design and user interface for devices like Samsung Nexus S, Captivate, Continuum, and Mesmerize.According to ThisIsMyNext's Nilay Patel and also reports from Computerworld, Samsung's lawyers have asked U.S. District Court Judge Koh to order Apple to hand over the company's latest iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and iPad 3 prototypes so they can check their own hardware doesn't mirror that of hardware coming from Cupertino any time soon.

The move from Samsung comes after they were ordered to hand over examples of its Droid Charge, Infuse 4G, Galaxy S II, and Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9. The aim of the game here is apparently so Apple can decide whether they should be part of the company's original lawsuit over trade-dress infringement where the legal team from Cupertino claims Samsung's Galaxy S smartphone rips off the iPhone's icons and UI. This counter from Samsung does differ slightly however. While Apple asked to see hardware that's largely already available to the public (the Galaxy Tab 8.9 is the only exception)

samsung statement 250x126 image

Granted neither Samsung nor Apple will actually see the devices – their lawyers will be the only ones to witness them – the move is still one that will raise eyebrows. Apple isn't known for sharing its prototypes with anyone – well, excluding the infamous iPhone 4!.The consensus among the people in the know is that Samsung are on a bit of a fishing expedition here. The claim that they need to see Apple's future devices so they can decide whether they may be similar to their own just in case Apple decides to go after them is a bit of a stretch, but when courts are involved anything could happen.

Apple responded that Apple was ‘willing to live by the rules that you set for us, because we want an injunction here and we’re not going to get an injunction here if we’re not reciprocal in discovery,’” the motion said Apple’s attorney told Koh on May 12

Assuming Koh agrees with Samsung, Apple would have until June 17 to hand over the iPhone and iPad samples.Samsung’s move followed Apple’s motion earlier this month demanding that its rival show it several of its newest smartphones and tablets as part of the discovery phase of a lawsuit Apple filed against Samsung. Koh granted Apple’s motion.

designs 247x250 image

Most analysts believe Apple will not begin selling a new iPhone until September, breaking with its practice the last four years, when it launched a new model in June or July.According to Samsung’s motion, Apple’s lawyers agreed to reciprocal disclosure during a May 12 hearing, and Judge Koh said she expected as much from Apple.

Samsung said it would abide by the same rules set by Koh for Apple, and that the next-generation iPhone and iPad would be examined by outside counsel only, and not shown to Samsung employees.Despite of Apple and Samsung being great business partners/supporters in the past, it looks like that the battle has just begin and it will intensify with time which  may effect Apple's sales and value in the market.

Twitter Launching Its Own Photosharing Service

Posted: 30 May 2011 09:37 PM PDT

Twitter Launching Its Own Photosharing Service is a post from: Tech Mania.Check out more of the latest news by Subscribing to feed

Twitter has been completely emphatic about where developers should stake a claim, with Twitter Platform Lead Ryan Sarver warning the ecosystem to stay away from building "client apps that mimic or reproduce the mainstream Twitter consumer client experience."

Well if this goes true the sites like Twitpics and Yfrog are gonna get less traffic. According to multiple sources, Twitter is on the verge on announcing it's own built in Twitpic competitor.This shouldn't really come as a surprise to anyone,  as photosharing is the next logical step of Twitter expanding its in app experience. It's basically grabbing at low hanging fruit.

lady gaga twit screen 250x183 image

Twitter is flinging money around; It just spent $40 million when it took over twitter client Tweetdeck which represents 13% of its userbase. Its only natural that they would spend more resources on photosharing, especially considering how much money is being poured into the white hot space and that images were the crux of the success of competitor Facebook.

TechCrunch says they have no details on what exactly the photosharing URL shortener will be (Twitphoto.me?) or what the Twitter for Photos product will look like. Just that it's coming, soon. And if they're smart they'll put ads on it.

Tech Mania: ASUS announces the Padfone plus 1 more articles

Tech Mania: ASUS announces the Padfone plus 1 more articles


ASUS announces the Padfone

Posted: 30 May 2011 04:57 AM PDT

ASUS announces the Padfone is a post from: Tech Mania.Check out more of the latest news by Subscribing to feed

Remember yesterday I posted about Asus PadFone and today at Computex, Asus have introduced an Android smartphone device that comes with a tablet it can dock into. Display switching is done dynamically, so that reading emails or browsing the web on the phone portion expands itself seamlessly once it’s connected into the pad.

padFone 250x158 image

padFone 1 250x187 image

padfone 2 212x250 image

padfone 3 250x200 image

padfone 4 101x250 image

 

padfone 5 106x250 image

padfone 6 134x250 image

Also expanded will be battery life, with an extra cell included in the slate. The mockup ASUS is showing the world today includes a 4.3-inch smarpthone and a 10.1-inch tablet dock, but the company says it hasn’t yet settled on the final dimensions of the eventual retail product. Other details, such as the particular version of Android, are still light on the ground.Check out more pics of Jonney Shih showing off the Padfone, along with the press release and ASUS’ promo video after the break. Netbooknews caught Jonney Shih’s unveiling of the Padfone live on video.Check out press shots, more snaps and eyes on at Engadget.

ASUS has big plans for it — plans that coalesce around the Christmas period and the very latest version of Android at that time. ASUS’ Benson Lin was careful not to openly admit the company intends to ship with Ice Cream Sandwich, but he did point out that you can’t launch a smartphone with Honeycomb as the OS.

The smartphone is actually the only smart aspect of this hardware pair — the slate part acts as a display, a set of speakers, an extended battery, and an I/O extender, but it doesn’t work by itself. ASUS also tells us there’ll be other functionality enabled by the tablet panel, but that’s being kept under wraps for now. Compatibility between the display dock and subsequent phone generations is being contemplated but couldn’t be confirmed, and as to the UI, ASUS says it’ll be almost the same as its second-gen Android tablets. You heard that right, second generation ASUS Android tablets — to succeed the Transformer and Slider — will be coming around the same time as the Padfone.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

Gigabyte’s announces S1080 Windows 7 Tablet with USB 3.0 With Optical Drive Dock

Posted: 30 May 2011 04:06 AM PDT

Gigabyte's announces S1080 Windows 7 Tablet with USB 3.0 With Optical Drive Dock is a post from: Tech Mania.Check out more of the latest news by Subscribing to feed

One of my favourite companies when it comes too VFM motherboards Gigabyte have moved into the tablet segment and today they have announced a windows 7 tablet with the model no S1080 which comes with UBS 3.0 support and optical drive lock as prominent features at Computex.This 10.1 inch 14.94mm-thick  capacitive tablet has a Intel Atom N570 processor with 2 gigs of DDR 3 RAM, 320gb hard drive(5400rpm SATA), USB 2.0 port, USB 3.0 port, SD card reader, RJ-45 jack, 1.3 megapixel webcam, 4000mAh battery, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, and 3.5G modem.

windows7 tablet gigabyte 250x165 image

Gigabyte's is also giving a set of stereo speakers, VGA output, three USB 2.0 ports, and audio line-in to the tablet. One more feature is the optical drive, which is hard enough to find on docking stations these days. Oh, and if you need more battery then there's also an optional 2700mAh battery bar that hooks onto the bottom of the tablet. Expect the S1080 to hit US markets in June for around $700, with pricing for dock to be said soon.

Via