Google To Make Rumored Atrix 3 Flagship Smartphone Rival To iPhone 5
In the wake of Google gaining approval for acquiring Motorola Mobility, the rumored Atrix 3 might become Google’s first serious contender against this year’s iPhone 5.
What you are looking at here are purported photos of the newest potential “iPhone 5 killer,” the Motorola Atrix 3. At present, there isn’t much to look at — a monolithic black slab ‘o smartphone, with rounded edges and what looks to be a buttonless front with a large screen. But gives the rumored specs for this new iteration of the Motorola Atrix, together with the recent news that Google will indeed purchase Motorola Mobility, conspires to suggest that the Atrix 3 could be Google’s first foray into building a smartphone that can take on the iPhone 5 mano e mano.
The photo itself is purported to be a true prototype, and not a production-ready device. But the features for the proposed Atrix 3 seem very real, and impressive enough to rival the iPhone 5′s possible quad core A6 chip, larger screen, 4G LTE, et al. Rumored specs for the Atrix 3 include the impressive Quad-core Tegra 3 processor and 2 GB of RAM, as well as a beefy 4.3 inch 1280 x 720 display and 10 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, which may or may not trump the Sony camera sensor that is rumored to be slated for the iPhone 5.
The Atrix 3 would also ostensibly include Android 4.0.
If the Atrix 3 turns out to feature these specs, what will the ramifications be for the iPhone 5? There has been talk that the A6 chip will not turn out to be quad core after all — and we should this by the time the iPad 3 is released. There are an equal number of iPhone 5 perspectives that suggest the augmentation of the iPhone 5′s screen could be less than 4.3 inches. In fact, some even believe that Apple could opt to keep the overall dimensions of the iPhone 5 chassic in line with previous iPhone models, and increase the screen only from 3.5 to 3.7 inches.
It also appears that, if rumors prove to be true and the iPhone 5 is released in June, it is likely that the Atrix 3 could be released around the same time, shaping up a major smartphone war to begin the Summer.
Fortunately for Apple, their customers don’t make iPhone purchases based solely on processors, RAM, and other tech elements. The iPhone 4S is a testament to this reality, with Siri, the innovations of iOS 5, and the coolness factor associated with the iPhone springboarding iPhone 4S sales, in spite of having no 4G LTE and the same screen and form factor as the iPhone 4.
Conversely, Google will have an uphill battle to re-imagine Motorola as a brand that can compete with Apple in terms of coolness and leading-edge technology. Though Motorola has a proven track record of innovation, the company has never had a product that has made a cultural impact like the iPhone.
It remains to be seen if Google’s Motorola experiment will work, and that their Atrix 3 could even come close to competing with the iPhone in 2012. Fortunately for Google, there are enough Motorola patents that they will suck up in the acquisition process that the investment will at the very least have a hedge against Motorola failing miserably to compete one-on-one with Apple’s iPhone 5. But the prospect of “winning” via cynical courtroom battles against Apple is a far cry from Google’s dream of making Motorola into the next ultra-hip smartphone manufacturer.
By Michael Nace
Article source: http://iphone5newsblog.com/2012/02/17/google-to-make-rumored-atrix-3-iphone-5-rival/
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5
iPhone 5 testers SMS recruitment is scam
Apparently the next generation iOS smartphone, currently known as the iPhone 5 is being used by cyber-criminals in an attempt to scam users out of their personal data by attempting to get internet users to signup to test the iPhone 5, something that should start people’s internal warning alarms ringing anyway.
According to the guys over at gmanetwork, security company Sophos has aid that numerous people have been contacted with an SMS message that Apple is looking for testers for the upcoming iPhone 5, and the message reads…
“Apple needs iPhone 5 testers! The first 1000 users who visit [Link] and enter code 4444 will get to test keep the new iPhone5.”
Obviously receiving a message such as this should rattle the warning bells as Apple never give their new as yet unannounced devices out to the public for testing purposes as I am sure most of you will be aware.
So obviously anyone that clicks the link and enters the code won’t get a free iPhone 5, but will be duped into handing over your personal information that could or more than likely would be used for nefarious purposes.
So basically if you receive an SMS text message asking for testers for the iPhone 5, don’t bother as it is just a scam and you should report the SMS to your operator as they might be able to block those behind the scam.
So there you have it the latest SMS text scam involving the upcoming iPhone 5, have any of our readers received a text message like this recently?
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Article source: http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2012/02/17/iphone-5-testers-sms-recruitment-is-scam/
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5
Android News: HTC One X, Motorola Atrix 3, Android 5.0 Jelly Bean …
Here comes Jelly Bean? Android 4.0 – we hardly knew you.
Here’s a quick snap shot of Android stories (and rumors) making the rounds this morning before the long weekend, plus my take on each.
HTC One X
Yesterday, I wrote about the HTC One X quad-core that we’re likely to see at the end of this month in Barcelona. The short of it: if you’re looking to upgrade (me, an OG Droid), then this, along with the LG X3 should be top of your short-list. This morning we’ve learned that — thankfully! — the One X will feature on-screen softkeys, not the usual physical, capacitive style that we normally see. NFC is included, and don’t forget there’s that 4.7-inch 720p display.
Motorola Atrix 3
File this next to Elvis sightings. Though it’s likely not that far fetched. If you believe everything you read on the Net (and who doesn’t?!) then this is what to expect from “3″: Tegra 3, 2GB RAM, 720p display, and – here’s the interesting part – a 3,300 mAH battery, which happens to be the same as the Maxx. See, I’m tellin’ you folks. 2012 is the year vendors finally get serious about battery life.
Fragmentation – What, Google Worry?
It seems like once again CNN agrees with me. Everyone is chiming in with their opinion on “fragmentation.” Some say it’s the work of the devil. It can only mean that the house of cards will come crashing down; too many variations of Android, too many devices, too many custom skins (HTC Sense). You know, you’d think Google was on the verge of blowing up – 2012 and all. “But the catch is, the Android ecosystem is far more variable than the iPhone landscape. That makes it a bigger long-term risk for app developers.” True. Here’s the thing: if fragmentation is so bad, I say it’s an excellent-bad strategy. How many companies have gone from ZERO share to 50% share in the mobile industry in just 5 years. I can think of one. Google. (for more, read this piece by RWM).
Jelly Bean… already?!
Speaking of fragmentation and fast release cycles, word on the street has Google releasing Android 5 aka “Jelly Bean” in Q2 of … this year! What?! You still don’t have Ice Cream Sandwich yet? Join the club, mes asmis. Chalk this one up to bizarro, over-anxious marketing gone wild. Maybe ICS, which was officially released on the Nexus in December of 2012, was just an interim test. According to this rumor, many will be on Android 5 before Android 4 even makes it most devices (Motorola has indicated most of their handsets won’t see an upgrade until 2Q’12 at best). You know what Google needs to do? As much as it pains me to say it, this is one case where they need to follow Apple’s lead. Google needs to hold a once-yearly, blow-out-the-doors Android launch event (and forget about the free Chromebooks for developers). As it stands now, releases are a mish-mash of lost momentum (see Nexus/ICS launch), underwhelming choice (Nexus, that’s it?!), and poor communication (give dates when you launch products).
Article source: http://www.starkinsider.com/2012/02/android-news-htc-one-x-motorola-atrix-3-android-5-0-jelly-bean-fragmentation-again.html
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5 News
Areas where Apple iPhone 5 might fail against its Android rivals
Rumors over iPhone 5 are running thick and fast. Geeks are impatient to wait for the next generation iPhone. Possibly, the device will be introduced in market in June this year. The next generation iPhone should come with lots of new features. But many wonder if iPhone 5 will really carry all possible features to fight off higher end Android phones? Sure, even a fanatic Apple fan mightn’t think so. The iPhone 5 may miss out a number of features that we already enjoy on its Android rivals. We can scuttle through a few of such items.
A faster processor
Rumors indicate that Apple would slot in a Tegra 3 quad core processor in its iPhone 5. But analysts now think that there is virtually no chance for a quad core processor to come in iPhone 5. Apple may enhance clock speed of iPhone 5’s processor from the current version’s 1GHz to either 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz. It is when key Android product makers like Samsung, HTC, Motorola and LG are working to build smartphones with quad core processors.
4G LTE
The iPhone 5 may not come with 4G LTE antennas. Of course, Apple aficionados still claim that iPhones do well on 3G network itself. But, the era of 3G is almost fading away at least in the U.S. It is high time the new iPhone should go 4G LTE. Apple is already in tie-up with Verizon and ATT, two leading 4G LTE service providers in the U.S., for selling its iPhone. So it could introduce 4G LTE.
NFC
NFC or Near Field Communication is a great wireless transfer technology. Almost all new Android smartphones are coming up with NFC chips, which will let users make wireless transfers and payments faster. Apple may not include NFC chips in its next iPhone. Certainly, the lack of NFC will be a big shortage of iPhone 5.
A large screen
Almost every top-of-the-line Android handsets comes with 4-inch plus display screens. See the most recent Samsung Galaxy Nexus has a 4.65-inch display. But Apple iPhone still sports a 3.5-inch display. Is there any chance for an expansion of screen size on iPhone 5? No says DigiTimes, a leading Apple gossip blog from Taiwan. The tech blog says that iPhone 5 will keep up the same 3.5-inch display. Even if there is a modifications, it will only go up to 3.7-inch not above.
A slide-out keypad
Will iPhone ever get a slide-out keypad? It really looks an insensible question when we talk about iPhone. On the other hand, we have a horde of Android phones with slide-out QWERTY keypads. Customers, who have to type huge chunks of texts, can go for a keypad-mounted smartphone. Apple declines this option for its customers.
3D camera capability
No one can seriously look forward to a 3D iPhone or 3D enabled iPhone version from Apple. The Cupertino based tech maker may launch its iPhone 5 with a 12-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash. There will be no 3D camera or 3D screen on the possible iPhone 5. At the same time, we have 3D phones like HTV EVO 3D with Android platform. Though not that much effective the EVO 3D is a great effort with a nice design.
Wireless charging
There have been gossips over Apple’s patent filing for a wireless charger for iPhone. But it is not yet clear whether iPhone 5 will come with the wireless charging option. Meanwhile, Motorola has so far realized an inductive charging facility for its new Droid 4. Verizon sells the inductive charger for an extra of $39.99. Of course, Droid 4’s inductive charger is not much portable as it was expected to be, because it contains a charging pad and other components.
Better battery
The iPhone lacks in battery life even when compared with its current Android rivals. As for comparison, take Samsung Galaxy S II that provides 18 hours of battery life. In place, the iPhone 4S offers only 14 hours. There is no chance that Apple will launch its iPhone 5 with more battery life and a replaceable battery.
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Article source: http://nvonews.com/2012/02/17/areas-where-apple-iphone-5-might-fail-against-its-android-rivals/
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5 News
iPhone 5 rumor rollup for the week ending Feb. 17
The iOSsphere seemed to be nearing exhaustion, swinging between summer and fall release dates, the differences between .1
and .2 firmware versions, and wild longings for a 3D user interface.
And all we really had to show for it was another iPhone 5 scam.
You read it here second.
__________
“It seems to be becoming more and more of a coin-toss situation each and every day regarding whether or not Apple will opt for an iPhone 5 release date in the summer or fall of this year, with rather weighty evidence backing both possibilities.”
Eddie Jones, NewsSizzle.com, apparently the last man on earth to realize that more and more rumors lead to more and more
uncertainty.
__________
ROUNDUP: 15 Smartphone Games to Play for Free in Your Browser
iPhone 5 release this summer … or fall
The good thing about rumors is the same thing that’s bad about them: They’re unmoored from reality.
“It seems to be becoming more and more of a coin-toss situation each and every day regarding whether or not Apple will opt
for an iPhone 5 release date in the summer or fall of this year, with rather weighty evidence backing both possibilities,”
writes an exasperated-sounding Eddie Jones at NewsSizzle.com, who added 1 + 1 and came up with less than zero.
But at least he has “rather weighty evidence.” And what is this evidence, you ask?
It’s “the latest string of rumors surfacing from the world’s mobile technology industry,” along with stuff that was “said
by many,” not to mention “countless key sources and supposed Foxconn workers.”
If that isn’t evidence, what is?
Jones still seems to be hoping that iPhone 5 will be announced on iOctober 5, the first anniversary of Steve Jobs’ death (although
Apple could still surprise us all and announce it, or iPad 3 or something, on his birthday next week, Feb. 24). How likely is a deathday observance? “The fact that the iPhone 5 was
said by many to be one of the most dedicated passions of Jobs and a project he had personally been involved in for years would
make this suggestion a distinct possibility to say the least,” Jones intones.
On the other hand.
“On the other hand, suggestions of a possible summer launch appear to have just as much weight behind them, as countless key
sources and supposed Foxconn workers have claimed that the iPhone 5 is pretty much ready to go and will return Apple to its
usual iPhone launch schedule at the WWDC [Worldwide Developer Conference] in June.”
So, to say the least, it’s a distinct possibility that iPhone will be announced either this summer or next fall. We wouldn’t
have to read this stuff if Jones had simply done what he suggests at the outset of his post: flip a coin.
iPhone 5 will run iOS 5.something-or-other, not iOS 6
Taking rumors at face value, Michael Nace, at the un-ironically named iPhone 5 News Blog, wonders if the imminent release of iOS 5.1 will “foreshadow a refreshed iOS 5.2 for the iPhone 5, and not a full iOS 6 overhaul?”
In a post that has only a superficial coherence, Nace explains that iOS 5, unveiled in June 2011, was a big deal but it also
contributed to the reported battery life problems of iPhone 4S, unveiled in October. So Apple is soon bringing out 5.1, and
that means it could also later bring out 5.2, unless it doesn’t.
Article source: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/021712-iphone5-rumors-256318.html
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5 News
What to expect in Mac OS X Mountain Lion
Apple has taken the wraps off Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. What new features are coming to Macs, and how will the changes affect you?
Most speculation about Apple lately has centered on the iPad 3 and (a bit) on a possible iPhone 5 — but the Cupertino company surprised the industry today by unveiling a developer preview of Mac OS X 10.8 “Mountain Lion,” the next major release of its operating system for Macintosh computers. For now, the release is just a developer preview to get programmers up to speed with the new technologies; customers won’t be able to set their hands on the operating system until August or September of this year. However, the release points the Macintosh in some tantalizing new directions, including far deeper integration with Apple’s iCloud platform, more technologies borrowed and adapted from iOS, new sharing capabilities, improved security, and a focus on China.
New features
Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion won’t be a major sea change for Mac OS in the way the transition from 10.6 (Snow Leopard) to 10.7 (Lion) was: Apple isn’t dropping any fundamental technologies (like Rosetta) that could put existing Lion users between a rock and a hard place when it comes time to make upgrade decisions. Instead, Mountain Lion represents an evolution of the groundwork Apple began in Mac OS 10.7: Take technologies pioneered in iOS (particularly on the iPad) and bring them back to the Macintosh. Mountain Lion also represents Apple’s next step in integrating iCloud services into its entire product line. While most companies have focused on offering cloud services as an adjunct or add-on to traditional computing setups, Apple has flipped the idea on its head. In the Apple product ecosystem, iCloud is the center of the universe, and individual devices — whether iPhones, iPads, or Macs — are just different types of clients that interact with iCloud to handle media, messaging, calendars, reminders, and more. As a result, much of what’s new in Mac OS X Mountain Lion will be about making Macs more useful in the always-connected, mobile world of iOS devices — and, a bit secondarily, making Macs more useful in their own right.
Twitter integration
Borrowing a page from iOS 5, Mountain Lion will sport direct integration with Twitter. Mountain Lion users will be able to tweet directly from within applications, without having to launch or manage a separate Twitter client. (To be sure, Twitter clients will still be available for Mountain Lion; from the looks of things, most will look to operate alongside Mountain Lion’s direct Twitter support.) Many of Apple’s own applications (like Safari, iPhoto, and Photo Booth) will get a new Tweet Sheet that enables users to create tweets and share images right within the app. Users will also be able to automatically add location information, if they like. Third-party applications written or updated for Mountain Lion will also offer built-in tweeting capabilities.
Share Sheets
The Tweet Sheet leads right to another Mountain Lion feature: Share Sheets. Mountain Lion-savvy applications (of course, including things like Safari, Mail, iPhoto, Reminders, and the new Messages) will be able to feature a Share menu with commands to send the current Web page, photo, message, or other item directly to sharing services or other applications. The idea is adapted from iOS’s method of moving content between applications without having to copy-and-paste: Users will be able to share documents, images, Web pages, videos, links, and other items with one move. Share sheets will be context-aware: A Share Sheet in the iPhoto, for instance, might enable users to immediate share an image via Flickr, and the Share Sheet for videos might show an option for Vimeo or YouTube. Sharing a Note will present options for Messages and Mail (but not, for instance, iPhoto), while sharing a document in the Finder might offer options to share with nearby devices using AirDrop. Share Sheets are intended to make it simpler for users to move content between applications; the mechanism might feel a little foreign to long-time Mac OS X users, but will be almost second-nature to iOS users.
Messages
Mountain Lion gets rid of the little-loved iChat, replacing it with a new united Messages application that rolls FaceTime, screen sharing, instant messages, and iOS’s iMessage into a single, unified service. Messages’ integration with iMessage (and iCloud) means that users can start a conversation on their Mac and seamlessly switch over to their iPhone or iPad without losing a beat — so long as those devices run iOS 5. If someone sends a message to a user’s iMessage email address, it will appear on all their devices, whereas messages sent to a phone number will turn up only on a users’ phone. Messages supports group chat, enables users to send file attachments (up to 100MB, so that can include video), and rolls in support for Screen Sharing so Mac users can collaborate or help each other out. Like iMessage on iOS 5, iMessages are free: They’re delivered via the Internet so there are no text-message charges, and the connections are encrypted for improved security. IM fans will appreciate that Messages continues iChat’s support for AIM, Jabber, Google Talk, and Yahoo Messenger. Can’t wait? Folks who want to get started on Messages right now, a beta version is available now (for free!) for Mac OS X Lion (10.7.3 or higher).
Reminders Notes
Notes and Reminders are two iOS applications transitioning over to the Mac. Reminders is essentially the same service available in iOS 5, without the capability to set location-dependent reminders (such as remembering to pick up a prescription when you walk by the pharmacy). Similarly, the Mountain Lion version of Notes is much like iOS, enabling users to create short documents and have them automatically synced between devices via iCloud. The Mac version of Notes supports embedded images (they don’t yet display on iOS) and more advanced formatting.
Notification Center
Share Sheets, Twitter integration, Messages, Notes… all these things and more tie in with a new Mountain Lion feature called Notification Center. It’s designed as a system-wide repository for notices, messages, updates, calendar items, and alerts sent by friends, services, applications, and more. Notifications typically appear as banners on the desktop and disappear in a few seconds so they don’t obscure what you’re doing — at least not for very long. Notification “alerts” hang around until they’re dismissed. A quick swipe gesture will move the Mountain Lion desktop to the left and shoot a very iOS-like column of notices that can include everything from incoming email messages and FaceTime requests to messages from the App Store and even pings from Game Center saying its time to make a move on a turn-based game with friends. Users will have a lot of control over what does (and doesn’t appear) in Notification Center. For instance, if you get as much email as I do the last thing you want to see desktop banners about is incoming email, so Notification Center can be configured to only show notification for mail from particular people (or perhaps none at all). Third-party developers will be able to build support for Notification Center into their apps. For some Mountain Lion users, Notification Center may turn out to be a replacement for popular add-on utilities like Growl—although, to be sure, Growl has features Notification Center currently lacks.
Game Center
The Mac has long lagged behind its PC brethren in the gaming universe—but iOS devices have turned out to be a significant force in the mobile gaming market. Mountain Lion aims to improve the Mac’s gaming story a bit by bringing over the iOS Game Center, including all its social features like global leaderboards, friend finding, notifications, and game discovery features. However, the coolest thing about Gaming Center is probably multiplayer gaming: If developers support it, Gaming Center can enable cross-platform multiplayer competition: Mac users could take on players on iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches, and even enable players to hop between devices — say, moving from their iPad to a desktop Mac in the middle of a game. Of course, Mac OS X game developers have to specifically support Game Center; that’s part of why Apple is getting this developer preview of Mountain Lion out half a year before it expects to release the operating system.
AirPlay Mirroring
For folks who have Apple’s little Apple TV “hobby” project, AirPlay Mirroring will enable users to stream a 720p high-definition video stream from their Macs to their Apple TV for display on their big-screen HDTV — no cables required. AirPlay Mirroring isn”t just about pushing video content from a Mac to a television, however: It makes the HDTV a fully mirrored version of the Mac’s display, so users can surf the Web, show presentations, and even play games on their big screen.
Key Technologies
Of course, not everything in Mountain Lion is about obvious new features or applications. Many of the most important things about the release will take place under the hood and (almost) out of sight of everyday Mac users.
iCloud
Perhaps the most important aspect of Mountain Lion is Apple”s deepening emphasis on iCloud. Going forward, it seems clear that Apple intends iCloud — not the iPhone, or the iPad, or the Mac — to be the center of its ecosystem. Mountain Lion significantly deepens the Mac’s integration with (and dependence upon) iCloud. For one thing, Apple is increasingly banking on iCloud as a central hub for all of a customer’s messaging, notifications, settings, and purchases. iCloud is the engine that synchronizes calendars, contacts, and email between Macs and mobile devices, and it’s the engine that drive’s Apple’s iMessage service. When users upgrade to Mountain Lion they will even find all their App Store purchases are there waiting for them.
However, iCloud’s Documents in the Cloud gets significant new enhancements too: If a user edits a document using an iPad, changes to those documents are immediately reflected in the version available on the user’s Mac, even if that document is open and in use. (Thanks to built-in versioning and Time Machine, Mac users can easily cycle back through previous versions of the document.) Mountain Lion will also sport a new Document Library — not just a Documents folder in a user’s home folder — where users can quickly choose between traditional locally-stored documents and iCloud-savvy documents.
GateKeeper
Macs have historically been exempt from the hordes of malware that have assaulted Windows for the better part of two decades. However, the scare last year with the MacDefender malware highlighted the fact that Macs aren’t magically immune to malware, and prompted Apple to roll some bare-bones malware protection capabilities into Snow Leopard and Lion. In Mountain Lion, Apple is taking the idea to the next stage with GateKeeper. GateKeeper basically enables users to restrict the sources of downloaded applications they run on their Macs. In this sense, it’s an extension of the quarantine techniques Apple first introduced in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. At the strictest setting, GateKeeper will only let Macs run apps download from Apple’s own Mac App Store. Users can also choose to run apps from both the App Store or obtained separately from developers who are verified members of the Apple Developer ID program — members have proven their identities to Apple, and can sign their apps with digital signatures verifying their authenticity. At the least restrictive, users can choose to run applications they download from any source, the way Macs work today. Users can temporarily override GateKeeper on a case-by-case basis as well. GateKeeper won’t be the end of malware possibilities on the Mac, but should help make Trojan horses and malicious software like MacDefender a thing of the past.
China
Another unusual move for Apple in Mountain Lion: It’s not only introducing substantial improvements to Chinese input methods to make it easier to enter Chinese script, but including explicit support for popular Chinese online services. This includes simple things like making China’s Baidu a selectable search engine in Safari (alongside the likes of Google and Bing), but also building support for China-based services like QQ, 163, and 126 in to Contacts, Mail, and Calendar, and including specific support for video sharing services Youku and Tudou. And if you thought Apple’s built-in support for Twitter was a little unusual, guess what? In China, it’ll be Sina’s weibo. The moves undeniably make sense from a business perspective: China is the world’s largest single market for Internet and technology products, and Apple would be foolish to ignore it. On the other hand, deeper involvement with China (and integrated support for China-based Internet services) will undoubtedly complicate Apple’s already-murky position in China, especially as China and the United States continue to spar over human rights and Internet freedom issues.
What about Siri?
The most glaring omission from Mountain Lion so far is Siri, the highly publicized voice-based personal assistant Apple introduced with the iPhone 4S. Apple has not announced a version of Siri for Mac OS X Mountain Lion.
In some ways this isn’t a surprise. Siri is designed as a technology to empower mobile users. Although iPhone users do have on-screen keyboards, typing search queries, making appointments, and scrolling through contacts via onscreen keyboards can be complicated and difficult. The speech recognition capabilities of Siri makes sense for mobile devices in ways they don’t make sense for notebook and desktop computers, all of which feature keyboards and sophisticated pointing devices, and aren’t limited to touch-based interfaces.
That said, bringing Siri to the Mac isn’t a horsepower issue. Although code written for the ARM-based processor in the iPhone 4S doesn’t translate directly to the Intel processors in modern Macs, there’s no denying that even low-end Macs have more memory and processing power than the iPhone 4S. Macs can handle Siri.
At a guess, Apple doesn’t want to just bring Siri to the Mac in order to say there’s a version of Siri for the Mac. If it’s going to bring the technology over, it needs to be more than a bullet point on a feature list and instead bring something to the Mac that makes the Mac better. At a guess, Apple might be working on that, and engineers have a bit of time before Mountain Lion ships.
Who can get Mountain Lion?
The Mountain Lion developer preview is available today to members of Apple’s developer program, which comes with a $99 annual enrollment fee. Paid-up developers will also get access to subsequent developer releases as Apple gets closer to a final release.
Apple says Mountain Lion will be available to everyday users in “late summer 2012,” which is most likely marketing-speak for “September.” That would mean Mountain Lion lands basically a year after the release of Mac OS X 10.7, putting Apple back on a yearly update track for Mac OS X.
Like Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, Mountain Lion will come pre-installed on new Macs once it’s shipped and will be available for download via the Mac App Store. Apple hasn’t announced any pricing for Mountain Lion, but it’s a good bet the company will stick with its $29.99-per-machine price level it set with Lion.
Article source: http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/what-to-expect-in-mac-os-x-mountain-lion/
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5
Alleged iOS 5.1 ‘pre-GM’ leak shows permanent lock-screen camera button
By Josh Ong
Published: 08:45 PM EST (05:45 PM PST)
An alleged leak of Apple’s upcoming iOS 5.1 update appears to show the addition of a permanent camera button on the lock screen and Japanese support for Siri.
Brazilian iPhone blog blogdoiPhone (Google Translation) claimed on Thursday to have a obtained a “pre-GM” version of iOS 5.1 with a few minor changes from current beta versions. The GM version is the final candidate that is used in a software release.
The publication reported that the leaked software featured a fixed camera icon on the lock screen, whereas the current version of iOS 5 adds the camera button when users double tap on the home button. According to the report, sliding a finger up on the icon pulls up the camera screen.
The publication also appeared to show the addition of Japanese to the language options for Siri, the new voice-activated assistant on the iPhone 4S. Siri itself already claims to speak Japanese, as was discovered earlier this week.
Apple has promised to add Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian and Spanish to Siri this year. One recent rumor claimed Chinese, Japanese and Russian support could arrive as early as next month.
It has been suggested that Apple will release iOS 5.1 at its third-generation iPad launch event, expected to take place on March 7. A flurry of reports have suggested that Apple’s next tablet will feature a double-resolution display, an upgraded processor and 4G LTE capability.
Apple began seeding beta releases of iOS 5.1 to developers last November. A second beta arrived in December, followed by a third beta last month. The release is expected to include deeper Facebook integration and the ability to remove individual photos from Photo Stream.
Article source: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/02/16/alleged_ios_51_pre_gm_leak_shows_permanent_lock_screen_camera_button.html
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5
iPhone 5 to be coated with waterproof Liquipel
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Last January, it was assumed that iPhone 5 will be made waterproof with HzO coating. Now, rumor has it that iPhone 5 will be waterproof with Liquipel technology. This is according to a previously trusted source.
Furthermore, the same source said that it is not only iPhone 5 that may have the waterproof Liquipel but also Samsung Galaxy S III. Samsung planned to make Galaxy S III available to the public in the spring months of this year, prior to release of the iPhone 5.
The unnamed source, which happens to be inside one of U.K.’s top phone retailers, informed Today’s iPhone that the Liquipel treatment is brought about by changes in the insurance policies. The changes are crucial because present phone insurance policies do not include liquid and moisture damage in its coverage. But, making iPhone 5 a waterproof handset due to the liquipel will mean that any damage to caused by water, would be regarded as a defect to the phone itself, and thus would be part of the insurance coverage.
iPhone 5
According to the source, an indication that iPhone 5 will feature waterproof technology are the changes being made to the insurance policies. At present, all signs indicate Liquipel will do the job, who publicly claims they are willing to do business with mobile handset manufacturers to integrate their product on devices.
Liquipel, which first appeared in this year’s Consumer Electronic Show (CES), amazed the manufacturers with their solution to waterproof several devices. The coating cannot be seen by the naked eye and doesn’t significantly change any device’s weight.
The Liquipel coating will prevent water from getting into the damage and damaging any important hardware inside it. As a result, Liquipel will allow iPhone 5 to function as usual even though it is soaked in water.
For $59, Liquipel presently applies the waterproof coating to iPhone 4S – along with other phones. The process involves transporting the phone to Liquipel, allowing them to treat the phone, and transporting it back to the customer. Clearly, applying the coating during the device’s manufacturing would be hassle-free and perhaps less expensive.
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Article source: http://www.planetinsane.com/iphone-5-to-be-coated-with-waterproof-liquipel/2627731/
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5 News
iPhone 5 release date: Will we see a summer or fall launch?
Rumors and speculation about the release of the iPhone 5 never seem to be laid to rest. The site ibtimes.com has put forward an interesting theory regarding the launch of Apple’s next-gen smartphone. Citing market research firm Gartner Inc., the site reports that Apple iPhones boomed last year, leading to a rise of 149 million units in smartphone sales in the fourth quarter of 2011. These record sales have made the Cupertino tech giant the world’s top smartphone vendor in 2011. However, Gartner estimates that interest in the iPhone 4S, Apple’s latest smartphone, will eventually fade away, generating a decrease in the company’s market share. The research firm said, “Apple had an exceptional fourth quarter, selling 35.5 million smartphones to end users, a 121.4 percent increase year on year. Apple’s continued attention to channel management helped it take full advantage of the strong quarter to further close the gap with Samsung, which saw some inventory build up for its smartphone range. Apple’s strong performance will continue into the first quarter of 2012 as availability of the iPhone 4S widens. However, since Apple will not benefit from delayed purchases as it did in the fourth quarter of 2011, Gartner analysts expect its sales to decline quarter-on-quarter.” Based on this theory, ibtimes.com speculates that the iPhone 4S’ gradual loss of popularity would eventually force Apple to plan an earlier launch for its next iPhone. Despite the initial grumbling at the launch of the iPhone 4S in October 2011 for lacking the marvel that many expected to see in the iPhone 5, the end of the year proved very favorable for the sale of Apple products, which resulted in major financial profits for the fourth quarter of 2011. In the last three months of 2011, the company’s profit reached 13.06 billion dollars, double than the previous year. The results were boosted by Apple’s strong sales of the iPhone 4S during the holiday season. However, despite its commercial success, Apple’s last smartphone may not be as successful as its predecessors, the ibtimes.com writes, simply because it’s an upgrade to the iPhone 4. In addition, the device lacks 4G-LTE connection and its battery issues have proven to be an irritating drawback. Consequently, the interest in the iPhone 4S will gradually wear out, prompting Apple to get back to basics and plan a summer launch, in line with the company’s iPhone launch history, instead of the rumored fall release date. A couple of months ago, reports surfaced stating that the iPhone 5 could be released on October 5, 2012, to commemorate Steve Jobs’ death. The late Apple CEO was closely involved with the iPhone 5 in the last days of his life and followed all the steps of the production. Other rumors pointing to a summer launch appeared in late January, when an anonymous source at Apple’s China-based supplier Foxconn, cited by 9to5Mac, claimed that several samples of the future smartphone, each sporting a slightly different design, have entered production. The insider also shared that the iPhone 5 could be launched during Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference set for this summer. In addition, earlier this month, Daiwa Securities, an Asian financial services firm, provided a screenshot of the leaked calendar from San Francisco’s Moscone Center, hinting that the event could take place between June 10 and June 15, thus narrowing down the dates of a possible iPhone 5 launch. Spring 2012 was also seen as a possible launch date as that is when LTE technology was rumored to be available. Will Strauss, president of wireless chip market research firm Forward Concepts, said Apple is likely to release the iPhone 5 in spring 2012, when LTE chipsets will be available for thin smartphones. “They’re saving iPhone 5 for the LTE version and that won’t be out until next spring,” Strauss said. Moreover, back in April, CEO Tim Cook said that the “first generation of LTE chipsets force a lot of design compromises.” Based on all these rumors and speculation, do you believe that a summer release for the iPhone 5 is closer to reality than a fall launch? 
Article source: http://www.inrumor.com/in/technology/iphone-5-release-date-will-we-see-a-summer-or-fall-launch/
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5 News
Consumer Watchdog Group Aims for ‘Ethical iPhone 5′
WASHINGTON – Consumer watchdog group SumOfUs said it is doubling down on efforts to make the iPhone 5 Apple’s first “ethical iPhone” following remarks by the Fair Labor Association, the group Apple asked to investigate Foxconn factory standards.
Just days after announcing a partnership with Apple to discuss concerns regarding working conditions in the factories of the company’s Chinese suppliers, FLA president Auret van Heerden made statements regarding an organized walkthrough of Foxconn facilities, calling the factories “tranquil” and citing “alienation and boredom” for workers’ suicides, undermining claims of excessive overtime, workplace exposure to neurotoxins, and other dangerous working conditions.
“It is inappropriate in the extreme for the FLA to be making any statements whatsoever this early in an allegedly independent investigation,” said Taren Stinkebrickner-Kauffman, executive director of SumOfUs. “So far all they’ve done is have a guided tour of the premises by Foxconn executives. What exactly were they expecting – that the company would voluntarily show them the dark underbelly of factory life on the first day?
“The FLA is funded and controlled by the same companies it is supposed to be monitoring,” Stinebrickner-Kauffman continued. “Moreover, most of the so-called ‘monitoring’ conducted by the FLA is actually outsourced to for-profit firms – and all of their incentives line up to provide a clean bill of health to factories.”
Over the past few weeks, 78,000 SumOfUs members have signed a petition calling on Apple to clean up labor abuses in their supply chain before the release of the next iPhone. In response to the remarks from the FLA, and in the lead-up to Apple’s annual general meeting in Cupertino, CA, next Thursday, SumOfUs said it would ramp up its campaign.
The organization announced today that it will do a “distributed” petition delivery, with hundreds of its members delivering the petition to managers at their own local iPhone stores around the world next week. This delivery ups the ante after SumOfUs.org and Change.org jointly delivered over 250,000 petition signatures last week to six Apple stores on four continents.
“Apple clearly took note of consumers’ concerns, but it responded with a whitewashing campaign instead of real solutions,” said Stinebrickner-Kauffman. “If hearing from customers at six stores isn’t enough, maybe hearing from them at a hundred will get the message across.”
Article source: http://www.circuitsassembly.com/cms/news/12434-consumer-watchdog-group-aims-for-ethical-iphone-5
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Iphone 5 News