Forget iPhone 5, New iPhone 4S Case Gives 5.3" Retina Display

Reports of the next-generation iPhone, the iPhone ’5′, likely to come equipped with a 4.6-inch Retina Display has gotten tech outlets very excited. While the buzzing report is still a rumor, here is something that’s real.

Forget iPhone 5 rumors, iPhone 4S case boasts 5.3-inch Retina Display magnification

Magnicase has just announced an iPhone 4S case with a built in high-quality Fresnel lens. The lens magnifies the 3.5-inch display on your iPhone 4S to a whopping 5.3-inches. With 250 grooves per-inch destiny, the manufacturer states that it will provide a resolution equal to the new iPad Retina Display. That’s right, the iPad 3!

To use it, you simply flip out the lens which enlarges the display (picture below). The unique Fresnel lens and its extension arm does not block your handsets functions and lets you operate it (touch, swipe, type) like how you normally would. It also folds away very quickly.

The creators of the device are looking for orders via Kickstarter so  they get this on shelves. It is currently priced at $40 for the case, with each replacement Fresnel lens setting you back $10. It come in Black, Blue, Clear, Grey, Pink, and White.

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Article source: http://www.motoringcrunch.com/news/mobile-tech/10269-iphone-4s-case-fresnel-lens-magnifying

[PICS] Apple Files iPhone 5 Related Patent, Home Button Looks To Remain

With the New iPad ’3′ out of the way, the next most anticipated Apple device is the best-selling iPhone model. If rumors serve true, we will see the iPhone ’5′ launch as early as this summer at WWDC 2012.

New iPhone 5 hinted in latest Apple patent

Just like with all Apple product launches, we won’t be able to confirm any features or specs until the actual day Apple unveils it. However what remains in the open is the patents Apple files with the trademark offices. Now the folks over at MobileWhack have stumbled on one to do with multiple antennas, a dead giveaway that this is for the next iPhone and not say the iPod touch or iPod nano. Check out the picture below.

The patent explains how Apple will be designing and isolating multiple antennas in the unnamed iOS device. Given the ‘Antennagate’ fiasco Apple went through wit the iPhone 4, it only makes sense that they have developed a new way to overcome this for the iPhone 5. As MW points out, “while it’s not official, it’s easy to assume that this technology might find its way into the upcoming iPhone 5, which is scheduled for release this year.”

On a side note, if you look at the filing and indicator #19, it appears that Apple will be keeping a physical home button. Given that this patent is hardware only, we can’t tell anything further (e.g. screen resolution, if it runs iOS 6.0 or not, etc). While it is no surprise that the hardware home button remains, we have been hearing multiple rumors that Apple planned to discard it along with making the bezel thinner in order to accommodate for a larger display and still keeping the overall phone dimensions close to the iPhone 4S.

We’ll keep you posted as more develops.

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Article source: http://www.motoringcrunch.com/news/mobile-tech/10279-apple-iphone-5-pictures-patent

Apple: Cook’s Trip Suggests China Mobile Deal, Says Barclays

By Tiernan Ray

Barclays Capital’s Ben Reitzes this morning dips into recent chatter about Apple‘s (AAPL) involvement in China, including reports on Monday that Apple CEO Tim Cook was in China for various meetings, and looking to make greater investments in the country.

Reitzes suggests a deal with China’s China Mobile (CHL) to sell the iPhone could be on tap:

CEO Tim Cook was in Beijing on Monday to meet with government officials, according to the Wall Street Journal. This trip reportedly marks Cook’s first to Mainland China since becoming CEO (he had previously visited in June, 2011 while he was serving as Apple’s COO). We wouldn’t be surprised if Cook was exploring a deal to distribute the iPhone with China Mobile, Mainland China’s largest mobile phone carrier. There are already several million iPhones on the China Mobile network according to the company – and don’t work at speeds we are used to in the US. We believe that China Mobile could be a major driver of upside to iPhone estimates in CY13 – with our estimate for WW unit sales of 189.5 million units still feeling conservative. We believe that China Mobile could sell the upcoming iPhone 5 by C1H13, after a fall launch in the US.

Reitzes also notes press reports that China’s China Quality Certification Centre authority granted approval for Apple’s iPad to go on sale in the country, a necessary step on the way to retail in mainland china.

The “LTE” version of the iPad would need further approvals. The development, however, may have a positive implication for Apple’s battle over the iPad trademark in China, he writes: “While still unclear, this approval could be a sign that Apple can move through the legal conflict with Proview over the iPad trademark in Mainland China.”

Apple shares today are up $3.63, or 0.6%, at $618.11.

Fin

Article source: http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2012/03/28/apple-cooks-trip-suggest-china-mobile-deal-says-barclays/?mod=BOLBlog

Is the Nokia Lumia 900 the Best $99 Smartphone at AT&T?

ATT will begin selling the highly-anticipated Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone on April 8^th for a meager $99 (with obligatory two-year contract). The bargain price for a flagship device may boost both Nokia and Windows Phone, but it’s not the only device offered by ATT for $99. Before choosing, consider the alternatives and see how the Lumia 900 stacks up against the $99 competition.

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It is highly unusual for a marquee smartphone to be offered at such a disruptive price. Apple’s iPhone 4S, and the Android-based Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket are both $200 with two-year contract. If anything, the trend seems to be going higher, not lower. The Samsung Galaxy Note “phablet” is $300 from ATT with contract, and flagship Android smartphones like the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx and Samsung Galaxy Nexus are both $300 with contract from Verizon.

The iPhone 4 is still offered by ATT for only $99 (with contract)The $100 price point is generally reserved for older devices like the iPhone 4, or the Motorola Atrix 2. So, if you’re in the market for a new ATT smartphone, and you only want to spend $100, is the Lumia 900 the best choice, or would one of the other $100 options serve you better?

With the iPhone 4 you get a smaller display than the Lumia 900 or Atrix 2—3.7 inches compared to the larger 4.3 inches. But, the display is Apple’s “Retina” display with ridiculously high pixel-density for crisper text and clearer images. The iPhone 4 has only a 5 megapixel rear camera capable of capturing 720p HD video, and a VGA-quality front-facing camera, and now that it is no longer the premier iPhone model, it is only available with 8GB of internal storage.

If Android is more your style, the Atrix 2 is a perfectly capable smartphone as well. The Atrix 2 is the only smartphone among these three that sports a dual-core processor. It comes with the same 8GB of storage as the iPhone 4, but it is expandable up to 32GB thanks to an SD memory card slot. It has an 8 megapixel camera capable of capturing 1080p HD video, and it is a 4G device for faster wireless broadband.

The Nokia Lumia 900 may be the boost that Windows Phone and Nokia both need.That brings us to the Nokia Lumia 900. The Lumia 900 also has an 8 megapixel rear camera, and 4G connectivity. The display is vivid with a Super AMOLED display, and strong thanks to Corning Gorilla Glass. It has more storage than the other two out of the box with 16GB, but lacks the expandability to match the Atrix 2. At a time when most smartphones have moved to dual core, and cutting edge devices are equipped with quad core processors, the Lumia 900 is driven by a single CPU core.

One of the primary factors in choosing, though, may be the other devices and applications you use. If you use Mac OS X and/or have an Apple iPad, you may lean toward the iPhone 4 for the consistent experience, and the ability to share many apps among your devices. If you rely on Google Docs, Gmail, and other Google products, the Android device may make the most sense because of its seamless integration with the Google ecosystem.

But, if you use Windows, Microsoft Office, SkyDrive, and other Microsoft tools and products, the Lumia 900 may be the way to go. Microsoft has developed a solid competitor with the Windows Phone platform. Windows Phone is unique, and innovative, and the Lumia 900 will most likely give it some badly needed momentum.

When you walk into ATT with your $100 on April 8, though, think about the pros and cons of the different devices, and how your smartphone will mesh with the other tools you rely on, and choose the one that best meets your needs.

Article source: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/252547/is_the_nokia_lumia_900_the_best_99_smartphone_at_atandt.html

iPhone 5 Release Date Rumors: Foxconn 20000 Hiring Spree Hints at June Launch?

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One of Foxconn’s factory situated in Taiyuan city in Northern China is mass hiring 20,000 workers. This plant will reportedly manufacture more than 80% of total iPhone 5 units. Adding more workers in mass number simply reflects that Apple and Foxconn are speeding up the process of manufacturing next generation iPhones.

It has fueled the rumors that iPhone 5 is coming out in June instead of October. Adding more workers will speed up the process and millions of iPhone 5 units can be produced within a matter of a month or two. Foxconn’s hiring spree is also prompting us to speculate June release of iPhone 5. It could mean that iPhone 4S will have a shorter life cycle than previously thought.

iPhone 5 will possibly feature quad-core A6 processor, 16/32/64GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM, 8 megapixel camera, new iOS build, NFC (Near Field Communication) technology and 4G LTE connectivity. Also, we cannot resist the temptation of mentioning that Corning Gorilla Glass 2 and ultrasonic bonding could make the new iPhone one of the most rugged iDevices ever.

(reported by Johnny Wills, edited by Surojit Chatterjee)

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Article source: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/319572/20120326/iphone-5-release-date-rumors-foxconn-20000.htm

iPhone 5 Top 5 Release Date Rumors

Apple’s next iPhone is rumored to be released in summer or fall.

Opinions are varied and rumors won’t cease until then. Here are 5 rumors about the launch of the next iPhone. When do you think we’ll get to see the much-awaited iPhone – summer or fall?

1. Citing a source within Apple, iMore has recently reported that the next iPhone will have the same 3.5 inch screen that we’re already used to. The site wrote that the iPhone 5 will work on LTE networks, that it will have a smaller USB connector and will likely be launched in the fall.

2. Reuters cited a source in South Korea that claimed the device will be available in Q2 of 2012. The same insider said that Apple is planning on launching an iPhone with a 4.6 inch screen. The current iPhone features a 3.5 inch display and shifting to 4.6 inches would be a significant change.

3. Japanese blog Macotakara, which previously provided valid information about other Apple products, reported that the iPhone 5 will be released in September / October of this year.

4. Last year’s Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) was held before June 10 but this year the company planned the event for 11 – 15 June. Analysts speculate that the iPhone 5 is likely to be launched during that interval, reports Digitimes.

5. Ibtimes wrote that the new iPhone will arrive on the market sooner than expected, that is before October. The reason for which Apple would hasten the release would be the drop in sales for the iPhone 4S, a device that looks just like the iPhone 4 and that is likely to lose its attractiveness a year after its release.

What release date do you find the most likely for the iPhone 5? Voting is open until Sunday (April 1).

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Article source: http://www.inrumor.com/in/technology/iphone-5-top-5-release-date-rumors/

What’s coming on iPhone 5?

Sure, the new iPad just came out a week ago. But it’s never too early to talk about what everyone’s expecting next on the iFrontier – iPhone 5, of course.

There’s no shortage of speculation on what it could have and what it should have. The biggest chatter seems to surround the possible announcement date of iPhone 5 and its screen size.

The timing most discussed is spring or Worldwide Developers Conference in June for an announcement. One analyst, Chris Caso of Susquehanna Financial, is quoted as writing to clients that “iPhone 5 production is expected to start around the June time frame.”

Of course, there’s a lot of buzz around October, as well. That timing seems a little more in line with how Apple likes to space out the release of its iterative products. The iPhone 4S hit the market just last fall. With that generation, we saw an improved rear camera (8 megapixels), increased storage options (a 64 GB phone) and the inclusion of Siri, of course.

On the issue of screen size, there’s a lot of heated discussion online about whether the competition’s bigger screens are pushing Apple to follow suit. The speculation has the screen going from its current 3.5 inches to anywhere from 4 inches to 4.7 inches.

While the screen is rumored to possibly get bigger, there’s talk of the micro-SIM card and the dock connector getting smaller. Maybe a micro USB connector instead of the 30-pin dock? Not likely, says iMore.

There’s every expectation of a 4G iPhone 5, particularly with the release of the new iPad with 4G LTE. Some dedicated geeks have gone digging in the latest iOS code and have found compelling hints that suggest it’s coming.

 Another upgrade expected is a quad-core processor to replace the current dual-core chip in the iPhone 4S. This would give more kick but would also require more battery juice, and Apple already has a quick drain issue with its phones.

Some have been talking about a change in form factor. I can’t lie; I do miss the sleek, easy-to-hold curves of the iPhone 3 and 3GS. Sure, the current iterations look stylish, but they just don’t fit properly in the palm. Please, Apple, bring back some curves.

 For those of us who haven’t yet put all of our faith — and music — in the cloud, bigger is always better when it comes to storage. With the advent of a 64 GB option in the iPhone 4S, those awaiting the iPhone 5 will likely not see the jump to 128 GB this go round. Maybe iPhone 6, guys.

 At the Consumer Electronics Show, we saw a great demonstration of how you could ditch the vat of rice as a remedy for the iPhone-in-toilet scenario. I’d love to see a waterproof iPhone, so I wouldn’t have to terrify my infant with my reaction every time I catch him teething on my beloved iPhone.

What’s on your iPhone 5 wish list? Maybe biometric scanning or a laser-projected keyboard, like here? Tell us in the comments.

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Original source: What’s coming on iPhone 5?

 

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Article source: http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-iphone-5-rumors-20120323,0,7278017.story