Rumored Hugely Apple anticipated iPhone 5 pre-orders to begin September 12, international sales to begin early October

apparent iPhone 5 screen and design

According to a new report from Rene Ritchie of iMore, who has been correct in the past, Apple is set to begin pre-orders of the next-generation iPhone on Sept. 12, which is the same day the device is expected to be announced. The device is then expected to be released Sept. 21, as several publications reported (and subsequently confirmed each other) a few weeks ago. At the same event, Apple is expected to introduce its new 7.85-inch iPad Mini. It is believed to compete directly with Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. iMore further added in its report this morning that the international launch of the next iPhone will take place in early October, with Oct. 5 being the most likely day. Apple has been known to delay the launch of its devices internationally to ramp up sales. For example, the launch of the iPhone 4S internationally was two weeks after the U.S. launch.

The sixth-generation iPhone is pegged to include a longer 4-inch design and rock a 640-by-1,136 resolution, redesigned nano-SIM card slot, LTE connectivity, larger battery, NFC, and 9-pin connector. Apple is believed to update its entire iOS device lineup this fall to support the smaller connector, as several publications noted. You can check out our diagram from last night that showed all of the leaked sixth-generation iPhone’s parts laid out, adding a bit of context to what is expected to come. Furthermore, last week we showed you apps running at the 640-by-1,136 resolution in both portrait and landscape mode.

We think it may be difficult for Apple to process the mass amount of pre-orders during the day, especially after a huge event with new products hitting the store. Pre-orders have historically begun in the middle of the night. Even at that, Apple has had trouble keeping its servers up-and-running. Mid-evening sounds likely, if iMore’s report stands true. If history repeats itself, we are only a few weeks away from Apple sending out invites to a press event. We will keep you updated.

Source: Imore

Non-functioning next-gen iPhone prototypes/fakes surface in Bangkok?

Today though, we have a hands on with what appears to be a prototype finalized design casing of the iPhone, in a mall, somewhere in Bangkok, Thailand.




The pictures seem to confirm what we saw in the video, and after reaching out to the source (who is an ex staff member from a long time ago) he confirmed that the iPhone is not a working device, but a "non functional replica prototype" and in his own words, "pretty accurate too."

So we can fall back on what we already know, which is that the unibody case appears to be redesigned to feature an aluminum shell. The glass backing that appeared in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S is notably absent; instead, the entire exterior is a single piece. The casing appears to feature the rumored elongated design of the new iPhone, which is said to be around 4 inches in height. Additionally, a new docking port appears to be in place, and the headphone jack has been moved to the bottom of the device similar to Apple's iPod line.

This certainly must be a first, the general public getting a look at what's to come. One has to wonder if this sort of thing would have happened if Steve Jobs were stilll head-honcho at Apple.



Source:neowin

Apple reportedly to unveil iPhone 5, iPad Mini on Sept. 12

Apple consumers could perhaps see the debut of both the new iPhone and an iPad Mini come September. Citing "sources who have proven accurate in the past," blog site iMore says that Apple will announce the two devices at a special event on Wednesday, September 12. The iPhone 5 itself would then go on sale 9 days later on Friday, September 21. This latest report follows a tidbit last week from French site App4Phone.fr (English translation), which pointed to a September 21 release date based on intel from Chinese manufacturing sources. The spacing itself jibes with last year's schedule when Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S on October 4 and then released it 10 days later. iMore's sources were apparently mum about a launch date for the iPad Mini, but the site says it could reach consumers on the same day, a logical assumption. The smaller iPad would reportedly be exactly like its 9.7-inch brother, but just on a 7-inch scale. Reports have surfaced about a new iPod Touch in the works, which could also be announced on September 12 as part of the upcoming lineup. A new iPod Nano may also be part of the mix. That promises a busy day launch day for Apple, but the company typically spruces up its iPhone announcement with updates to the iPod and other products. iMore's sources also passed along information already reported by others. The new iPhone would offer a 4-inch, 16:9 screen, while all new iOS devices would come with a smaller Dock connector. This report is still firmly in the rumor category. But a September release date for the next iPhone would make sense financially for Apple. Last year, the company launched the iPhone 4S in October. Demand for the new phone rewarded Apple with a gangbuster calendar fourth quarter. But the third quarter suffered as smartphone buyers held off purchases in anticipation of the new iPhone. Releasing a new phone in September ensures that Apple ends the calendar third quarter on a high note, with the expected heavy demand extending into the fourth quarter.

Apple ordered to run Samsung "did not copy iPad" adverts

A UK judge has ordered Apple to publish announcements that Samsung did not copy the design of its iPad, according to the Bloomberg news agency.

It said the judge said one notice should remain on Apple's website for at least six months, while other adverts should be placed in various newspapers and magazines.

It follows the US company's failed attempt to block sales of the South Korean firm's Galaxy Tab tablets.

Apple and Samsung have not commented.

The order did not feature in Judge Colin Birss's judgement published on 9 July, but Bloomberg said the matter was discussed in the court following the verdict.

It said the notices must make reference to the court case and should be designed to "correct the damaging impression" that Samsung's tablets had aped the look of Apple's products.

"They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design," said the judge at the time.

"They are not as cool. The overall impression produced is different."

However, the judge refused Samsung's request that Apple be forbidden from restating its claim that its design rights had been infringed.

Judge Birss said that the US firm was "entitled" to hold the opinion that his judgement was wrong.

So when will the patent wars between these two great companies end. Do you think Samsung is stealing apples ideas let us know by posting a comment.

Hotly ANticipated Rumored iPad mini rumored to be manufactured exclusively in Brazil

Image Credit: Imore

iPad mini rumors will not go away, with the latest set centering around it being manufactured exclusively in Brazil. According to Macotakara, this information comes from a "Chinese reliable source". Here's just some of what they had to say:

This source, who seems to look a prototype, told that new tablet (iPad mini?) had same hight with Nexus 7 and slight larger width. Even though front projection size is larger than rivals, thickness of that new tablet is considered to be thinner than current most thinnest tablet Kindle Fire, and to be similar with iPod touch (4th generation) by this source.

Foxconn has invested heavily in iPad production in Brazil.

With regards to the 7-inch iPad being same height as the Nexus 7 but slightly wider, the width increase would make sense as Apple prefers the 4:3 aspect ratio for iPad screens where as other manufacturers seem to like the 16:9 ratio. 16:9 is the standard for movies but not the best ratio for apps, web surfing and most other tasks.

iMore reported on the 7-inch iPad pricing and release date back in may. The date we are hearing is October 2012, which would put it right alongside the new iPhone. Our sources also told us that the iPad mini would be identical to the current iPad but, just a scaled down version.

Source: Macotakara

Android Jelly Bean vs. iOS 6 vs. Windows Phone 8

A quick comparison on all the new 3 major Operating systems being released this year by 3 big companys

(For the record, this is not a review. There will be no review until we have spent some quality time with the final versions of iOS 6, Android 4.1 and Windows Phone 8. This is, instead, a look at how these three stack up on paper in 12 key categories.)

Apps

iOS: 650,000 apps. 225,000 for iPad. Still tops as far as smartphone platforms go.

Android: Android is currently at 450,000 apps for Android. Most apps will run on tablets, but the number of tablet-optimised offerings is significantly lower than iOS (Google won’t give an official number, but a quick run-through Google Play makes the situation abundantly clear).

Windows Phone: Windows Phone currently has 100,000 apps available for download, which is considerably less than the other two. And since there’s no Windows 8 tablet yet, well…

 

Maps

iOS: Apple now has a maps service of its very own like Google and Microsoft. Not only does it deliver traffic updates, points of interest, and turn-by-turn navigation (which is well integrated throughout iOS 6), there are 3D maps which both look cool and might be helpful when lost in the middle of a crowded metropolis. But the lack of public transit directions hurts, even if they’re offering a third-party API solution. 

And iPhone users reared on Street View might sorely miss it; Apple hasn’t presented an equivalent.

Android: Google Maps in Jelly Bean will likely be unchanged from what Google showed off a few weeks ago at its dedicated maps event: 3D buildings, offline caching and Yelp integration will all be added to supplement the top notch combination of search, turn-by-turn navigation, and Street View. Plus, the search giant is going crazy with mapping the insides of notable locales—Compass Mode employs a phone’s gyroscope to give you 360-degree interior views—so expect to see more of that over time.

Windows Phone: Windows Phone 7 was a showcase for Microsoft’s Bing maps, but the mobile navigation turf will belong to Nokia on Windows Phone 8. The good news is, that means terrific NAVTEQ maps, turn-by-turn navigation, 3D buildings, offline caching, and dynamic routing for public transit. There aren’t many bells and whistles here, though, for better or worse.

Browser Sync

iOS: iCloud Tabs are new in iOS 6, and unify your browsing across all of your iOS and OS X devices. It’s not a full cloud browser that offers the same tab view across all devices, but rather a list of tabs tucked behind an icon or sub-menu, along with your bookmarks.

 Android: The Chrome Beta on Android offers tab syncing with your desktop as well, but throws bookmark and search syncing in the bargain. And since there are more desktop Chrome users in the world than any other browser, a lot of people will be taking advantage of this feature.

Windows Phone: Browser sync is conspicuously absent from Windows Phone, which is odd considering it will run the same version of Internet Explorer that Windows 8 will in the WinRT environment. Then again, with Windows 8 and WP8 both not expected until this fall, there’s a lot of time for Microsoft to make this work. Fingers crossed.

 

Facebook Integration

iOS: Facebook is integrated throughout iOS 6, which means you can update your status and upload images from various apps (not to mention notification center), sync contacts, and have your Facebook events coordinate with your iOS Calendar. Plus a third-party API is on the way, so all apps can integrate Facebook into their wares.

Android: Android has always been good for Facebook sharing, and there’s no reason for that to change with Jelly Bean. You can share and upload from pretty much anywhere in the OS, or inside most Android apps. Plus you can pull Facebook data for your contacts already stored on your phone, or pull all your Facebook friends into your contacts.

Windows Phone: Facebook integration has always been one of Windows Phone’s selling points, as the platform seamlessly integrates features like status updates, images, Contacts, Chat, and Events into Microsoft’s own sections (People, Messaging, Calendar, etc). It’s as well-designed as Facebook integration can get.

Voice Commands

iOS: Siri wasn’t amazing in iOS 5, but it worked. In addition to being able to dictate texts and emails, schedule calendar events, and set timers, Siri in iOS 6 has much more promise, given its ability to pull data from even more sources (sports scores, movie times, dinner reservations), in more useful ways. Plus, Siri will be able to interface with car audio and navigation systems once iOS 6 goes live in the fall.

Android: With Jelly Bean, speech recognition is about to get a big update. Google has always allowed for voice search and dictation across the entire OS, but now it taps into Knowledge Graph and a built-in speech recogniser that will be in future devices. Not only should Android voice recognition improve dramatically, but it will recognise voice input even while offline and, like Siri, can spit back Wolfram-like semantic search results (with or without your voice).

Windows Phone: Windows Phone also has voice commands, allowing you to place calls, send texts, search the web, and launch an app all from your device. It may not have the depth of Google and Apple’s efforts, but it’s there.

Mobile Payments

iOS: Surprise! The iPhone doesn’t have NFC, which means Apple doesn’t have much to offer in terms of mobile payments. But Passbook is Apple’s way in. When it’s up and running, it will collect tickets, rewards cards, debit/credit cards and more into a single app relies on both GPS and QR codes to work. It can also deliver updates and notifications for the items you have stored in Passbook (flight updates, expiring deals, etc). It’s clearly been designed with NFC payments in mind; we just have to wait a few months until Apple makes it official.

Android: For the time being, Google Wallet—which includes mobile payments, deals/rewards/offers, and more—remains unchanged. But it is a HUGE question mark for Google. Sprint is still the only official Google Wallet mobile partner (and even they’re rumored to be parting ways), MasterCard is the only card company on board, and the number of devices NFC is available on is limited. Google announced new NFC-based features today unrelated to payments; hopefully it’s enough to entice hardware partners to include the tech in future devices.

Windows Phone: With the arrival of Windows Phone 8 will come Wallet, which is Microsoft’s full-fledged attempt at, well, a digital wallet. You’ll be able to store credit/debit cards and rewards/loyalty cards, not to mention the ability to access deals. But what might set Windows Phone apart from Android and iOS is that it will make use of secure NFC elements stored on SIM cards, which will allow for more flexibility—and security—when it comes to the preferred standards of card companies and mobile carriers (Google Wallet has hit a wall because of resistance to its own built-in secure elements). Save for Apple strong-arming everyone into playing by its rules, this may be the most frictionless way for NFC-based payment technologies to succeed.

Video Chat

iOS: Apple has FaceTime, which can place calls over 3G or Wi-Fi, and works fairly well. But its also a pretty insular app that only works with other Apple devices.

Android: Android’s Gmail/Google Talk-based video chat system is a bit more universal, considering you can video chat with anybody who has Gmail on a Mac, PC, or Android phone. And yes, you can chat over 3G or Wi-Fi. But Google’s ace in the hole, surprisingly enough, might just be its Google+ app, which features Hangout support and will be available for both Android and, some day soon, iOS.

Windows Phone: Microsoft’s secret voice chat weapon is Skype, which is arguably the most universal standard of them all. There are already proper Skype apps for Macs, PCs, iOS, and Android—and Microsoft owns all of them.

Call Features

iOS: iOS 6 lets you decline a call with a canned SMS response; filter out calls annoying contacts, and includes a Do Not Disturb toggle, all of which will prove useful for power users.

Android: Android lets you compose a series of texts you can use as quick auto-replies when declining a call, and also lets you filter out calls from specific people, but it lacks the ability to enter into a Do Not Disturb mode.

Windows Phone: This is another weak point in Windows Phone, as there are no pre-composed texts you can fire off to people you don’t want to talk to, nor is there any sort of Do Not Disturb functionality. But there are advanced filtering and call block options for those people you’re trying to avoid.

Messaging

iOS: iMessage is a beta feature with a lot of promise, given its ability to trade messages between phones, tablets and laptops. But it’s hardly seamless, and barely reliable, and not exactly intuitive. There’s currently no real way to link a phone number and iCloud account of a contact and have texts and iMessages appear in a single thread. Nor do messages always arrive to all your connected devices. And there’s no way to instant message with non-Apple users. We have yet to see the final implementation of this cross-device integration, which probably won’t be settled until iOS 6 is officially out, but there’s definitely some work to be done in this regard.

Android: With WebOS all but dead, Android has the best native instant messaging platform hands down. Sure it doesn’t integrate with AIM or Facebook, but AIM has a foot in the grave anyways, and Gchat is every bit as ubiquitous as Facebook Chat. When you’re logged in to Gchat, messages always arrive on all connected devices reliably and quickly. That’s more than can be said for iMessages. Plus, Google Voice is well integrated throughout Android, which means text messages sent from your phone or laptop stay perfectly synced.

Windows Phone: The messaging effort on Windows Phone is solid and well considered, allowing you to seamlessly send texts, Facebook messages, and Skype messages to a given contact from a single window. No, there’s no Gchat or AIM, but that’s not particularly shocking, given the trend towards walled ecosystems with each platform.

Smarter Icons

iOS: When it comes to dynamic app icons, Apple is sorely lacking. Sure it has badges that let you know when there are new messages, emails, or notifications, but they don’t really tell you anything else.

One of the things we’d hoped for was that Apple would smarten up its app icons. Let them change to display information. Unfortunately, Apple is still stuck in the past on this one.

Android: Android doesn’t really do much with app icons either, and that doesn’t change with Jelly Bean. But since the App drawer is pushed into the secondary layer of Android, it doesn’t matter. Android employs widgets to take on the task of real-time updates, which allows for a fair amount of customization when it comes to getting your mail/weather/calendar updates from your home screen in a quick manner. They can sometimes be messy and unruly, but when properly implemented, are quite useful.

Windows Phone: Windows Phone 8′s Live Tiles are the cream of the crop amongst smartphones. Not only can they display notifications and vital info (such as texts, mail, weather calendar events), but they arrange into a neatly-organized grid that is now bolstered by the ability to break tiles into three different sizes depending on how you want info displayed. Microsoft is way ahead of everyone else in this regard.

Media Streaming

iOS: iOS 6 has AirPlay, which has been one of the easier, more intuitive implementations of media streaming we’ve seen so far. You can push music from your computer or iOS device to AirPlay-approved speakers, AirPort Express routers, and Apple TV (which also accepts video and iOS device mirroring, and soon OS X mirroring). And if you’re streaming from a computer, you can push to multiple AirPlay devices. But like some of Apple’s other features (FaceTime, iMessage), AirPlay doesn’t really extend past the Apple product ecosystem. That said, you’ll find AirPlay baked into more and more devices with each passing month.

Android: With the introduction of the £200 Nexus Q, Google just provided its own streaming standard for Android-based devices. The hubs will be able to take audio and video streams, and spit them out to televisions and speakers (powered by the Q’s 25-watt amplifier). Plus you can link hubs together for more robust multi-zone streaming than what Apple offers. Think of it as Sonos for Android, complete with the modest sticker shock.

Windows Phone: Windows Phone will have SmartGlass to serve as its media streaming portal to the Xbox. Though built directly on top of DLNA streaming standards, the app simplfies and visualises the process of pushing content back and forth between the Xbox and Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 devices. Plus, SmartGlass can beam supplimentary content to your device while watching a TV show, such as Game of Thrones. Toss in the possibilities for gaming and support for Windows, Android, and iOs, and you have yourself a very intriguing streaming platform.

Apple's iPhone 5 now set to include NFC-based mobile payment system

Apple's next-generation iPhone, expected to be launched this autumn, could include a Near Field Communications (NFC) chip, allowing users to easily buy products through their smartphone, according to a new report.


9to5Mac recently analysed a hardware code dump from two new iPhone 5 prototypes and found references to an integrated NFC chip and antenna. NFC is a wireless technology that has a range of only a few inches and is compatible with the countless ID card terminals around the world, allowing for contactless payments.


The new discovery follows Apple's unveiling earlier this month of an e-wallet app for iOS 6 called Passbook, which lets users store electronic versions of things like airline boarding passes, cinema tickets, shopping vouchers, and loyalty cards. Now, there is speculation that Apple will incorporate an NFC-enabled mobile payment system into Passbook.
The feature would set the stage for Apple to compete with Google Wallet and Microsoft's recently announced NFC wallet service for Windows Phone 8. Apple could integrate with an established mobile payment service such as that used by Barclays, or handle its own payments through the many credit cards already stored on iTunes, 9to5Mac pointed out.
Also, besides replacing the plastic credit card, NFC technology would allow iPhone owners to more quickly and easily share files from one iOS device to another.
Apple has reportedly been working on NFC integration for some time. Last year, in advance of the iPhone 4S launch, there were various rumours about the technology being included in Apple's smartphone, and just as many rumours that said it would not. When the iPhone 4S was unveiled in October, NFC was nowhere to be seen.
Some forward-thinking techies are already swiping their smartphone to pay for things, but mobile payments haven't really taken off with the masses yet. However, some 65 per cent of experts surveyed earlier this year said they think most people will fully adopt mobile payments by 2020, nearly eliminating the need for cash or credit cards.


Image credit: 9to5Mac

Foxconn CEO Terry Gou: iPhone 5 will put Samsung’s Galaxy S III to shame

According to several local reports, Foxconn’s Terry Gou made some pretty bold statements at Hon Hai Precision’s annual shareholders’ meeting on Monday. While there are a few translations, all seem to claim Gou urged customers to wait for the iPhone 5, “saying that the new model will put Samsung’s Galaxy III to shame.” A report from Focus Taiwan quoted China Times:

Gou said he has made it a lifetime goal to defeat Samsung — “a company with a track record of snitching on its competitors.”… He was referring to Samsung’s action in 2010 of snitching on four Taiwanese companies in an investigation by the European Commission on price-fixing in the flat panel industry…Samsung was exempted from the investigation by serving as a “tainted witness.” … Gou also urged consumers to wait for the launch of Apple’s iPhone 5, saying that the new model will put Samsung’s Galaxy III to shame.

Create Your Own Smartphone App With Infinite Monkeys – No Coding Knowledge Required

It would be great if we all had the time, skills, and patience to learn computer coding, especially since technology pervades so many areas of our life. But thankfully, there are applications and web developers out there who provide ways for the rest of us to produce apps with little or no coding skills.
Back in June, I reviewed one such web application called Buzztouch, which is designed to allow anyone to create their own smartphone application. Now a similar program has just been released called Infinite Monkeys, a web-based tool geared toward niche communities who want to share content on the iPhone and Android platforms. Infinite Monkeys is not as polished theme wise as Buzztouch, but unlike the latter, Infinite Monkeys, says the developers, “Is completely web-based, and works on any computer or tablet device. You never touch the source code and don’t have to know what it is or how it works.” There are several other differences that also might make Infinite Monkey more accessible to non-programmers than Buzztouch. But you’re free to explore both and see which fits your needs.

Web-based GUI

Infinite Monkeys’ web-based graphic user interface allows users to incorporate existing web content from social networking sites like Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and blogging sites.

These web-based apps of course don’t compare to more advanced apps like Angry Birds, but they are great for small niche communities and businesses, such as school associations, sports teams, churches, musicians and restaurants, who want to share content privately or publicly.

Infinite Monkeys provides three different app platform models, ranging from free to the pro level version of $499. But for many users, the free HTML 5 web-based, and ad-supported model should suffice.

Building An App

Infinite Monkey provides a seriously easy step-by-step process for creating a smartphone app in less than an hour; that is if you have an ample amount of content already posted on the web.

The great thing about using a web-based platform is that you can constantly add content and updates to your app via your blog site, YouTube channel, photo sharing site, etc.

The Infinite Monkey web application uses a familiar drag-and-drop process. You start off by giving your app a title, followed by choosing a privacy setting. You can make the app public, or private for closed community access which will prompt users to enter a password to view content.

You can of course customize the background image and splash screen, as well as the font colors for the title and other text.

Core Content

The core content of your app consists of primarily news and third-party feeds such as your blog site(s) and specific URLs.

Infinite Monkeys includes additional content models for music and books, food and beverages, events, sports, reference materials, and location services such as a map and directions.

With the click of a button you can easily preview your app at any point in the development process. The online app also includes an embedded short video tutorial for each of the three part steps and multifunction tools.

You have poor control over the content of your app, including links to streaming videos, live chatrooms, shared calendars for upcoming events, shopping links to recommended products, and tap–t0–call phone contact information.

Publishing App

The free version of Infinite Monkeys allows you to instantly post your HTML 5 version immediately to the web so that anyone with a web-enabled smartphone can access it through the assigned URL.

Since your app is ad-supported, Infinite Monkeys will host it for free on their server. While it is not nearly as polished as professional apps that you will find in say the iTunes App Store, it does provide a way for anyone to get their content into this space.

92 new features of Apple iOS 6 listed and categorised

Your iPhone or iPad may be getting 200 new features this Autumn. That's what Apple promised in iOS 6, as long as you have an iPhone 3GS or later, a second or third generation iPad, or a fourth-generation iPod touch.

Apple didn't list all of the 200 features during the epic two-hour keynote this week, but iOS head honcho Scott Forstall went through more than 90 of them. They were divided into four main categories and a few subcategories. Marquee features got their own slides, and there was a significant digression into new Siri features. But many other features were dumped on to two sets of slides, near the end of the presentation. 

We detailed many of the marquee features in our main story about iOS 6, but obviously we couldn't get to all of them. Here's a list of just some of what's coming soon to your iPhone, in alphabetical order. Tell us what you're most excited for in the comments.

Marquee Features

Call Enhancements: Reply with message

Call Enhancements: Remind Me Later

Do Not Disturb

Facebook Integration

FaceTime over Cellular

Features for China: Baidu

Features for China: Sina Weibo

Features for China: Tudou

Features for China: Youku

Features for China: Improved Text Input

Full-screen landscape Safari experiences

Guided Access

Mail: Inline Photos/Videos

Mail: Pull to Refresh

Maps

Maps: Flyover

Maps: Local Search

Maps: Traffic View

Maps: Turn-By Turn Navigation

Open Protected Office Docs

Passbook

Safari: iCloud Tabs

Safari: Offline Reading List

Safari: Smart app banners

Shared photo streams

Single-App Mode

VIP Mailboxes

iOS 6 Siri Major Improvements

Ask about movies

Eyes Free

Get sports scores

Launch an app

Make dinner reservations

Tweet

New languages: Canadian English/French, Spain/Mexico Spanish, Italian, Swiss French/German/Italian, Korean, Chinese for Taiwan/HK/PRC

iOS 6 User Features

Game Center challenges

Improved privacy controls

Lost Mode

Made for iPhone hearing aids

Per account signatures in Mail

Redesigned Stores

Alarm with song

App in Safari search results

Custom vibrations for alerts

Faster Safari JavaScript

Features for China

French, German and Spanish dictionaries

Game Center friends from Facebook

Global network proxy for HTTP

HDR improvements

Kernel ASLP

New iPad Clock app

Personal dictionary in iCloud Search all fields in Contacts

VoiceOver improvements

Autocorrection for every keyboard

Bluetooth MAP support

Improved keyboard

IPv6 support for Wi-Fi and LTE

Location based reminders for iPad

Manual location entry for reminders

Manual reorder of reminders

Manual reorder of reminders

Word highlights for speak selection

iOS 6 Developer APIs

Action Sheet

In-app content purchases

Map Kit

Pass Kit

Reminders

Transit Apps

Audio and video sampling during playback

Auto layout

Collection views

Control camera focus and exposure

CSS filters

Face detection API

Frame drop data

Game groups

In-app purchase hosted content

Multi-route audio

State preservation

Video stabilisation

Bluetooth MAP support

Crossfade with CSS animation

Game Center in-app experience

In-app Bluetooth pairing

Inter-app audio

Pull to refresh on Table views

Read and write image metadata

Remote Web inspector

Rich text on labels, fields and text views

VoiceOver gestures

Web Audio API

Why a 70 degree angle is the key to selling a MacBook

Apple knows the art of seduction. By positioning MacBook screens to perfect viewing angle in its stores, the company is subtlety seducing you into laying down a couple thousand dollars to take that sleek gadget home.

Before any Apple-Store lurking fanboys get their hands on a MacBook, Apple Store employees meticulously open each display computer to a 70 degree angle before the store opens, reports Forbes. Equipped with an iPhone app, the employees tilt each display screen to the best-possible viewing angle.

You might think that Apple positions all its notebook computers for aesthetic reasons. That’s partly true. The tables are uncluttered and the products are clean. But the main reason notebook computers screens are slightly angled is to encourage customers to adjust the screen to their ideal viewing angle—in other words, to touch the computer!, writes Forbes’ Carmine Gallo.

Using a precise screen angle is just one tactic Apple uses to make a sale. Apple Stores’ clean layout is designed to showcase its world-famous products. The company wants its popular device design to shine in front of a nondescript white and light-wood backdrop.

Gallo’s article mentions the differences between how Apple Stores and Best Buy display their merchandise. I’m reminded of the few misguided times I’ve purchased a PC laptop at a big-box store where the device was thoughtlessly displayed next to several other models. I had to hunt around for prices and specs while trying to open and close the laptop that was connected to a cumbersome security device. Often the laptop wasn’t turned on or connected to a power source, so I couldn’t even test it out.

Apple on the other hand, lays all the information you need out for you right in plain sight. There are no obtrusive security devices that get in the way of Apple’s design. And even Apple has its hands in Best Buy, creating a separate space from PC models that looks like a mini Apple store. The company emphasizes what Gallo calls the “multisensory experience” —  the way you can interact with Apple products in the store the same way you would in the real world.

It’s also no mistake that Apple lets you stand in a store for hours playing with its computers, iPads, and iPhones. The more you play around with its gadgets, the more you’ll fall in love and have to take one home with you, Apple hopes.

MacBook image via Flickr user Nelson Wu

Apple I fetches $374.5K at Sotheby's auction, Steve Jobs Atari note goes for $27.5k

Here's an update for all the collectors of vintage Apple Computer-wares out there. If you'll recall, it was a few weeks back when Sotheby's announced it would auction off an Apple 1 motherboard, cassette interface and its BASIC programming manual, originally set to fetch upwards of $180,000. Just this week, the hand-built piece of computing history from 1979 was sold to one lucky phone bidder for an even more massive $374,500. As Apple Insider notes, the computer is one of six that's accounted for out of 50 that are likely still out there -- ensuring these will only remain for folks with deep pockets indeed. Past that, a hand-written note from Steve Jobs during his time at Atari was also on the auction block, garnering $27,500 even though it was only estimated to sell for less than half that price. Knowing the cost of collecting a premiere piece (arguably) from the fruits of Woz and Jobs, it certainly makes that new MacBook Pro with Retina display seem like a grand bargain in comparison. Details at the links below.

Sony, Microsoft and Apple bid on new top level domains

ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, has released a list of companies who have bid to secure their brands as one of the new TLD (top level domains).

A host of new TLDs will soon be offered, complementing existing ones such as .com, .co.uk, .biz and .org.

New Statesman reports that Microsoft has bid for 11 names including .xbox, .bing and .windows. The total value of these offers is $2.035m.

Sony has spent $555,000 bidding on .playstation, .sony and .xperia while aqpple has placed a $185,000 bid on .apple.

Amazon EU has bid on 76 names including .book, .cloud, .kindle, .mail, .shop and .app for $925,000.

Other bidders include the BBC (.bbc for $185,000) and Hasbro (.transformers for $185,000).

Roundup of Retina MacBook Pro Reviews

With a number of media outlets having received Retina MacBook Pro review units on Monday after the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote and a few early hands-on reports having been published, more extensive reviews are now beginning to appear. To help summarize the overall response to the new machine, we've put together this roundup of some of the major reviews, along with some highlights from each of them.




The New York Times – David Pogue
If you could design your dream laptop, how would you describe it?

Superfast. Superthin. Superlight. Superlong battery life. Immense storage. Enough memory to keep lots of programs open at once. Stunning screen, comfortable keyboard, terrific sound. Fast start-up, rugged body, gorgeous looks.

And, of course, inexpensive.

The new Apple laptop that went on sale Monday hits an impressive number of those high notes in one radical swoop. As you might guess, the one it misses by the biggest margin is “inexpensive.”

Engadget – Tim Stevens
Is this the best Mac ever? You can't ignore the Air as an amazing piece of machinery, especially with the new, higher-powered Ivy Bridge processors and faster SSDs tucked inside its wedge profile. But, this new Pro is on another level of performance. With a quad-core processor and up to 16GB of RAM it's a proper beast -- a proper beast that you can throw in your messenger bag and carry around all day without spending all night complaining about an aching back.

That said, this is not exactly a small machine, heavy enough that those happy Air users who've been feeling tempted might want to take a swing by their closest Apple Store and lift one themselves. It's expensive, too.

The Verge – Ross Miller
If you’re in the market for a premium OS X laptop right now, it’s hard not to recommend the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. If, however, power isn’t your ultimate goal, may we suggest shaving a few pounds and specs for the MacBook Air. As for everything in between, those non-Retina “standard” MacBook Pros, well... the writing’s on the wall. And of course, it doesn’t hurt to be even a little bit patient and wait for more apps to push Retina-optimized updates — if you get the MacBook Pro with Retina display now, you’ll be waiting on the world to change.

Time – Harry McCracken
Even for those of us who are unlikely to spend more than two grand on a computer, or who prefer something more ultraportable than a 15″ model, the arrival of the Retina MacBook Pro is a meaningful moment in Mac history. It’s the most refined, advanced PC that Apple has produced to date. And it’s a safe bet that the ideas it exhibits will be reflected in future models from the company, including ones with smaller screens and smaller price tags. It’s both a great computer, and a preview of great computers to come.

CNET – Dan Ackerman
I've previously called the 15-inch MacBook Pro one of the most universally useful all-around laptops you can buy. This new version adds to that with HDMI, faster ports, and more portability. But it also subtracts from that with its exclusion of an optical drive and Ethernet port, plus its very high starting price. The Pro and Retina Pro are clearly two laptops designed for two different users, and with the exception of all-day commuters who need something closer to a MacBook Air or ultrabook, one of the two branches of the MacBook Pro family tree is still probably the most universally useful laptop you can buy.

(Image from CNET)

Lovely renders of next iPhone in white

Martin Hajek managed to fool the web when his black iPhone mockups were taken for the real thing. Gizmodo is a good sport and is now featuring his work on a white iPhone mockup which to our eyes look pretty darn good.  The renderings are based on leaked photos and video of what most believe to be the next-generation iPhone’s metal back.

APPLE UNVEILS ALL NEW MACBOOK PRO (WITH RETINA DISPLAY)

With iOS6 – including turn-by-turn navigation, Shared Photo Streams and new Passbook App – on the way you thought Apple had nothing else to shout about, right? Well the new new NEW MacBook Pro says something different...

The screen on the new MacBook Pro is actually crazy. They’ve gone a whacked 5.1 million pixels into a 15.4-inch display. They’ve gone with All-flash storage which makes the unit lightning fast which helps battery life; giving the all-new MacBook Pro upto seven hours of battery life.



This is all built around an Intel Core i7 processor with speeds up to 2.7GHz, 6MB of shared L3 cache, and Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.7GHz.
“The MacBook Pro with Retina display pushes the limits of performance and portability like no other notebook,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “With a gorgeous Retina display, all flash architecture and a radically thin and light design, the new MacBook Pro is the most advanced Mac we have ever built.”

A Retina display with 5.1 million pixels.
An all-flash architecture. Quad-core Intel Core i7 processors.
In a design that’s just 0.71 inch thin and 4.46 pounds.
The most advanced notebook they’ve ever made.

Just bought a MacBook Pro? Pissed? Discuss?