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WSJ: iPhone 5 will be thinner, lighter with 8 megapixel camera

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Design, Handhelds, Rumors,

iPhone 5 mockup

We know, the wait for the iPhone 5 is killing some of you, but at least we are getting regular info about the upcoming device from legitimate sources. The latest is The Wall Street Journal, which reports that Apple will indeed be introducing a new design with the next model of the iPhone. There's been some debate as to whether the iPhone 5 will keep the iPhone 4 design, but as the WSJ reports, the phone will be thinner and lighter, which definitely means there will be some changes to not only the internal design, but the external design as well. So, what's with all the supposed iPhone 5 prototypes that look just like the iPhone 4 then? Well, as you might recall, last year the iPhone 4 leaked months before it was introduced, and it was disguised in a case that made it look like an iPhone 3GS. In order to avoid that, Apple could simply be placing the smaller internal iPhone 5 parts in the larger iPhone 4 casing. Stranger things have happened, and this would be one way to keep the new design as hidden as possible during testing.

The WSJ also reports that the new phone will be introduced this fall, which is what we've been hearing for a while now. Expect Apple to show it off alongside a high definition iPad HD at their annual September event.

Read More | WSJ

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43% of people use their phone as their main camera

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cameras, Smartphones,

photo results

Last week Flickr announced that the iPhone 4 leapfrogged the Nikon D90 to become the most popular camera used by members of the photo hosting site. So we asked readers: is your cell phone your primary camera?

566 people weighed in to answer the question, and the results were pretty close. A quarter (142 people) said their phone's camera is their primary camera because they don't see the need to carry around an additional device. 24 percent of respondents (136 people) said their phone isn't their primary camera because they like using a regular camera. About a fifth (117 people) said they use both a standalone camera and a camera phone. The good quality of their phone's camera is the reason 18 percent of readers (100 people) reported that their phone is their primary camera while a lousy camera is the reason 13 percent (71 people) said they don't use their phone as their primary camera.

Click to continue reading 43% of people use their phone as their main camera


Here’s what happens when you use up your iCloud storage

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Internet, Storage,

iCloud full

When Apple introduced iCloud at WWDC 2011, the big news was that the service would be free. Of course, Steve Jobs did make sure to mention that the 5 GB of storage included with iCloud would be more than enough "for most users," and we believe him. However, there are others out there (like us) who fall outside of that category. For example, I am only currently able to have iCloud back up just my iPhone 4. When I try to also add my iPad 2 to the backup, it errors out, telling me that I don't have enough space available, and that I need to buy ore storage space. Of course, since iCloud is still in beta, I'm unable to do that. Another iCloud user has come very close to hitting his 5 GB quota, and received the email above from Apple. Surprisingly to us, it  says that once he reaches 5 GB stored, he won't even be able to receive any new email messages. Sounds like people are gonna have to really keep an eye on how much storage they are using, especially if they have more than one iOS device backing up to the cloud.

Read More | MacRumors

Six reasons why Apple is selling unlocked iPhones in the US

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Editorial, Handhelds,

iPhone 4 unlocked

Yesterday we told you that Apple started selling unlocked iPhone 4s here in the U.S. We do have to admit that the move leaves us scratching our heads a bit. The iPhone 4 is a year-old device at this point. That leaves the question: why?

The GSM iPhone 4 only works well on AT&T. Sure, you can run it on 2G EDGE with T-Mobile, but that's a lousy user experience, and Apple is all about providing smooth user experiences. I just can't accept that T-Mobile users want the iPhone so desperately that they're willing to give up 3G for it, although I may be wrong about that, too.

Boy Genius Report's Jon Geller is right when he says that Apple sells unlocked iPhones in 85 other countries. But those countries all have more than one GSM iPhone-compatible 3G carrier. Canada has three. Dave Zatz points out this morning that for Americans, the "unlocked" iPhone will cost $450 more over two years than the locked model, because AT&T doesn't give any discounts for bringing your own phone. That's "an extra $450 mostly for the privilege of feeling more liberated and fancy free," he concludes.

Click to continue reading Six reasons why Apple is selling unlocked iPhones in the US


Apple now selling unlocked iPhone 4 starting at $649

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds,

iPhone 4 unlocked

Apple is finally selling unlocked GSM iPhone 4 models in the US, although you'll have to pony up a pretty penny to get it. You can get an unlocked black or white iPhone 4 directly from Apple for $649 for the 16 GB model, and $749 for the 32 GB model, making these the most expensive iOS devices in the Apple portfolio, save for the 64 GB iPad. Why would you want an unlocked iPhone 4 in the US? Well, if you frequently travel abroad, this would allow you to easily swap SIM cards to take advantage of local calling rates. You can also use the unlocked model with T-Mobile without risking the loss of your jailbroken unlock due to a software update, however, the iPhone 4 won't take advantage of T-Mobile's 3G speeds, so you'd be stuck with EDGE. At this point, with the iPhone 5 set for a September release, we aren't really sure who'd wanna rush out and pick up an unlocked iPhone 4 at these prices. That said, here's hoping that the next iPhone launches with an unlocked option right off the bat.

Read More | Unlocked iPhone 4

Download iOS 5 beta 9A5220p now

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,

ios 5 beta 9a5220p

Apple has been busy updating their Dev Center with all of the hotness they talked about today during the WWDC 2011 keynote. They just added in all the iOS 5 beta versions for the various iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV devices that will support it, and if you're a Mac developer, don't forget to also pick up the latest Lion Developer Preview 4.


Notification Center gets rid of pop-up messages for good in iOS 5

iOS 5 notification center

Notifications are about to get a much-needed facelift in iOS 5. We've complained many times about how, with the growth of apps using push notifications, unlimited text messaging packages, and local notifications, the pop-ups were simply getting out of control. With iOS 5, they're gone. Instead, as announced this morning during the Apple WWDC 2011 keynote, they're replaced by a simply notification at the top of the screen that doesn't interrupt you in the middle of whatever you are doing. You can also swipe down from the top of the screen to get to a list of all your recent notifications in one spot (they call this Notification Center.) Finally, you can also choose to have your recent notifications displayed right on your lock screen. Swipe an app icon to the right, and you are opened right into that app. This definitely takes a bunch of cues from MobileNotifier, a jailbreak-only notification app (that we use and love,) and improves upon it in many ways. In fact, Apple recently hired the developer of MobileNotifier, so this all makes perfect sense. iOS 5 launches this fall.


Apple’s iOS 5 launches this fall

iOS 5 WWDC 2011

As part of the WWDC 2011 keynote, Apple's Scott Forstall announced that iOS 5 will be available to all users this fall. It'll work with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 5 (although they didn't mention the next iPhone, it's a no-brainer) as well as iPad and iPad 2, and the 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation iPod touch. The fall release date is a good indicator that we won't be seeing the launch of new iPhone hardware until the fall as well. We will have a wrap-up of some of the best iOS 5 features that were demoed today in just a bit!

[Photo Credit]


Walmart slashes price of iPhone 4 by $50

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Hot Deals,

Wal-Mart iPhone 4

Just about 90 minutes before the WWDC 2011 keynote is to begin, a Walmart rep just dropped me an email letting me know that they've dropped the price of the iPhone 4 by $50. Starting today through June 30, you can grab an iPhone 4 for $147. This applies to both the AT&T and Verizon models, in both black and white. Of course, this pricing requires a two-year contract. Very interesting, as we aren't expecting any iPhone 5 hardware news this morning at WWDC--does Walmart know something we don't?

Read More | Walmart iPhone 4

Rumor says iPhone 5 will land on T-Mobile and Sprint as well

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Cameras, Rumors,

iPhone 5

More Apple rumors for you to chew on today! A new research note from Jefferies & Co analyst Peter Misek suggests that Apple isn't going to be performing a significant upgrade to the connection capabilities of its new, to-be-released iPhone 5—namely, no 4G LTE support.

Whenever the next version of Apple's smartphone hits the market—we're already nearing the one-year anniversary of the iPhone 4's launch with no hint of a new product in sight—Misek suggests that the device will only have incremental upgrades compared to the iPhone 4's specifications. Heck, it's practically keeping the same name.

"We believe the likelihood of the iPhone 5 launch in September including LTE is now remote," wrote Misek in a research note on May 13. "According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support."

The bigger news on Apple's side is Misek's suggestion that the company will be pursuing an expanded carrier lineup for its iPhones. His "industry checks" indicate that Apple will be launching the iPhone on both Sprint and T-Mobile in time for the holidays—remember, although the latter is in the process of being purchased by AT&T, T-Mobile currently remains a separate company from the larger carrier. In other words, no iPhone yet.

Click to continue reading Rumor says iPhone 5 will land on T-Mobile and Sprint as well


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