iPhone, News/Rumors

T-Mobile begins pre-orders for iPhone 5 ahead of April 12 launch

Early Friday, T-mobile has started pre-orders for the iPhone 5. The launch date of the next generation device is April 12th. About two millions iPhones are ready to be sold for only $99. Thus, customers have to do 20 additional monthly payments of $20 to cover the full cost of the hardware.

The carrier is still working to widen its LTE network, that covers seven U.S. areas:Kansas City, Kan., Houston, Tex., Las Vegas, Nev., Phoenix, Ariz., San Jose, Calif., and Washington D.C.. So, those who purchase a new device through T-mobile, will take advantage of LTE network, for users of AT&T models it’ll be necessary to install an update. T-Mobile announced that the future software upgrade with HD Voice service will be available for the iPhone 5.

The first news that T-Mobile would start selling Apple devices, appeared in winter of 2012.

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iPhone, News/Rumors

Apple to begin ‘iPhone 5S’ production this quarter

According to the Associated Press, Apple will release the next iPhone in summer of 2013. Earlier, it was reported that the new iPhone will go on the market until the autumn. According to the experts, the new iPhone will be equipped with a new flexible screen that can serve as both a speaker and microphone.
The Wall Street Journal also confirmed the information about the release of the iPhone. However, it added that it will be the size and shape resemble the iPhone5, produced in autumn of 2012.
Apple also mentioned about development of a budget iPhone model, designed primarily for markets in developing countries. This low budget iPhone will probably have a plastic or polycarbonate body, while the current iPhone 5 has a metal back and the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 glass cases. In early January 2013, the media reported that Apple was testing a next generation iPhone. The WSJ’s report also notes that Apple is still planning to launch a cheaper iPhone later this year.

It would be unusual for Apple to provide with two new iPhones in a year, but it would improve its chances in a competition with Samsung. According to some analysts, Apple chose a good time to launch iPhone 5S. They believe, that by the time the rush around Samsung Galaxy S IV  goes down and Apple will attract customer’s attention to its new device without striking a blow.

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iPhone, News/Rumors

iPhone: the greatest hacker victim

According to the latest data security experts, iOS has a significant number of vulnerabilities in comparison with other operating systems, and it is primarily due to the popularity of iPhone. Besides, the protected nature of Apple and the company’s tendency to control  the App Store apps cause the hackers’ sense of excitement and a desire to find new loopholes.

Experts from SourceFire found out, that since the inception of iPhone it revealed 210 vulnerabilities, that is 81 percent of the whole number of vulnerabilities in mobile platforms. This means that Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry received only 19 percent.

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Despite the fact, that Android is a market share leader, Apple’s smartphones are still more popular and attractive to cybercriminals. Nevertheless,  that doesn’t mean that iOS is the least protected. The fact is that the Android platform is so open to malicious programs that hackers do not even need to look for holes for making users to download their software.

As for Windows Phone, hackers show no attention to this platform due to its small market share. However, as the history shows, with a growing share of the Microsoft  platform, we can expect  its  immunity verification under the threat of hacker attacks.

Accessories, iPad

DOCKr Is The Best Converter !

Over the last couple of years I’m sure We’ve seen a lot of idevices’ accessories : Speaker cases, bring-your-own-keyboard cases, and even iPad battery cases. But here’s a new one: DOCKr, an accessory that brings all these advantages together in one Skittle-colored package.

DOCKr adds a whopping six upgrades to the iPad: a clamshell case with a custom-designed enclosure speakers and an extra battery that adds about seven hours of use. The accessory provides flexible viewing angle, the keyboard slot itself and the ability to customize the look of your iPad through different color selections as the other three — kind of iffy. Additionally, the case has USB and micro-USB port to charge your peripherals using the DOCKr’s battery. It’s also Bluetooth-enabled — though what this might be used for isn’t quite clear.
Though the DOCKr hasn’t even been introduced yet, it will cost $50. The release date is set for April 2, at which point more details will emerge and the device’s Kickstarter page will go live.

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Accessories, iPhone

CubeSensors: can make sense

 

CubeSensors-sensitive little cubes that measure practically everything and report to your idevice about it. The cubes are internet-connected, so you can get their information anywhere, any time.

The CubeSensors can detect temperature, humidity, noise, light, air quality and barometric pressure – that is, they can tell you everything about a room except for how it smells and tastes.

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As for the companion app , it can give notifications triggered by any of the above conditions, or you can just check in to keep an eye on the ambience of a room over time.
Two cubes will cost you $250 (four cubes will be $350), which is pricy for the home expert, but nothing compared to fitting the place out with environmental sensors.

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You can pre-order the cubes now with a mere $10 deposit.

Apple, iPhone, News/Rumors

A new killer software feature for iPhone 5S

A killer software feature is a new idea of Apple for the next iPhone. May be it’s time for excitement about future of smartphones again! Everyone, except HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 are ready for this excitment.

Apple is planing to prove that smartphones are not becoming a commodity product like so many soybeans sold on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Let’s pay attention to big smartphone releases for the past year and a half. Well, now you see, that the game-changing innovations are still the same, nevertheless each new iPhone, Android flagship, and even the Lumia and BlackBerry is more powerful and nicer that the last one.

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In fact, we were all excited with a new phone feature Siri for the iPhone 4S, which was introduced a year and a half ago. But even Siri didn’t end up bursing into flame.

Maybe smartphone hardware is becoming more like those soybeans, that don’t excite as we want. Katy Huberty, a frequent Apple watcher is sure that the smartphone revival isn’t over.

That sounds great, but soon we’ll check it! And what killer feature would you like to see in the next iPhone?

Accessories, iPhone, News/Rumors

Breathometer accessory for the iPhone

Breathometer, Inc. today kicked off the crowdfunding campaign for the Breathometer, an accessory that plugs into Apple’s iPhone and lets users know if they or someone else has had one too many to drink.
The Breathometer, which is the size of a typical car key, plugs into the headphone jack of a smartphone and, in combination with a mobile app, measures a user’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) when they breath into it. The device fits into a user’s pocket or attaches to a keychain, making it easily portable for regular use.

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The Breathometer app will also allow users to track their activity in order to ensure their BAC is going down. Also, it will track past results in order to allow for the proper amount of time before getting behind the wheel. The Breathometer will get additional features as time goes on, including the option to call a cab by pushing a button.
“Breathometer wasn’t created just to address the risks associated with drinking and driving, but to help people, their friends and family, all to make smart and safer choices when consuming alcohol,” said Charles Michael Yim, Breathometer’s founder and CEO. “Real time BAC measurement is the first step.”
In addition to an iPhone application available on Apple’s App Store, Breathometer will also be compatible with Android devices via corresponding Google Play software. The accessory is expected by the company to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and it is patent pending.
Breathometer, Inc., has launched an Indiegogo campaign for the device, with 32 days left in its funding. Supporters donating $20 or above will get a Breathometer unit at the latest by January 2014, with delivery time improving as the donation scales up. The device is scheduled to begin shipping in the summer of 2013.

Accessories, iPad, iPhone, News/Rumors

Definitive Technology’s Sound Cylinder

When Apple switched to the proprietary Lightning protocol with its latest salvo of iOS device launches, many users were pushed toward Bluetooth solutions in lieu of true Lightning-capable speakers, but compromises in sound quality provided for less-than-stellar performance. Definitive Technology looks to change that with its new Sound Cylinder, a high-end Bluetooth-enabled speaker that delivers true 2.1 channel audio.

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Like any new product, first impressions are based on looks, and the Sound Cylinder’s tubular design is quite aesthetically pleasing. Head on, the unit’s face is dominated by a grill reminiscent of the long-in-the-tooth Mac Pro, bookended by two slightly tapered protruding end caps. The left end houses power and volume controls, while the right serves as a port for the side-firing woofer (more on that later).
Unlike cheaper products that use plasticized materials, Definitive plied copious amounts of aluminum and magnesium alloy to give the Cylinder a high-quality sheen. The metal offers substantial torsional stiffness, giving the housing a solid feel especially for its deceptively light weight, though this level of build quality should be expected with a retail price of $199.

One would be forgiven in thinking that the device is actually a hard-wired dock, what with the non-removable rubberized piece jutting out just above the grill. The component is in fact a strong magnesium-armed clamp that can be adjusted to grasp onto tablets of most any size, including Apple’s 9.7-inch iPad. Definitive’s Cylinder can also be affixed to the top of a monitor or laptop, and with the unit at near ear-level, it easily bests the performance of Apple’s MacBook Pro speakers.

Stowed in the rear of the speaker is a rubber soled magnesium kickstand strong enough to prop up an attached tablet. In testing, the kickstand showed little flex and the hinge mechanism was securely attached to the speaker chassis.
Also hidden away on the back of the device is a thumb actuator for the clamp, which is snugly attached to a strong spring mechanism for opening and closing the rubberized jaws. Wrapping up the unit’s rear, literally, is a generous swath of rubber to prevent sliding.

iPhone, News/Rumors

Future iPhone may use Graphene for integrated Solar Cell panels

Apple is a cutting edge technology company that turned the music industry on its head and reinvented both the smartphone and information tablet. When it comes to energy, Apple is looking at how to harness solar power for both large and small scale projects like powering next generation iPhones or the iPad’s Smart Cover. Just like Apple was ahead of the curve by introducing in-cell technology into the iPhone 5 which Phil Schiller introduced as “integrated touch,” we now know that Apple is working on this same principle except this time around it’s for integrating special solar technology right into future touch displays. They’ve been working on this project since 2008. A new breakthrough in solar cell technology appears to be around the corner based on a new report revealed this week. The report pointed to a new material called graphene that will be able to greatly advance products such as night vision glasses, cameras and yes, eventually solar cells. It won’t happen tomorrow, but you could be sure that Apple’s advanced R&D teams will be considering this new material if it could bring their integrated solar panel technology to the iPhone quicker.

graphene molecule
A new report published by MIT Technology Review on Friday stated that “Although the work only hints at possible solar applications, it shows that graphene could be considered a candidate for use in so-called third-generation solar cells. The term refers to yet-to-be-developed technologies that would overcome the physical limits of conventional solar cells and reach much higher efficiencies. Today’s silicon cells have a theoretical efficiency limit of around 30 percent. Solar cells made of graphene might have a theoretical limit of over 60 percent.”
Graphene is the thinnest known material, which conducts electricity far better than copper, is at least 100 times stronger than steel, and has unique optical properties. Important future uses include the development of fast, flexible and strong consumer electronics, bendable communication device, lighter airplanes and artificial retinas.

Accessories, iPad, iPhone

Fantastic Bluetooth Speaker

If you are looking for a Bluetooth speakers to be used in the kitchen, then the the Josiah from Kwamecorp is what you need for sure! It is possibly the best kitchen speaker ever. The Speaker’s fashioned from ceramic, can even act as a snack tray besides its beautifully minimal styling fit right into any kitchen.Josiah-DAB_02

The speaker also comes as a matching DAB radio, but as that costs £20 more than the plain speaker ($515 instead of $485), and everyone has the whole internet radio thing on their iPhone anyway.
Especially as the Josiah comes with a pair of cutouts in the top.

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As you can se in the photo, these had plants in, but you could fill them with delicious snacks, or drop your phone in there, or use them as you use your fruit bowl – to store mystery keys and old bent paperclips.