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Posted by Fox Van Allen

Wish that iPhone in the palm of your hand was a little bigger? According to the Wall Street Journal, your prayers are about to be answered: The new iPhone 5 will feature a 4-inch display, a half inch larger than current iPhone 4 models — and closer to 4″ or larger Android phones that are now commonplace.

Sources suggest that Apple is ordering large numbers of the larger screens from a number of suppliers, including LG, Sharp, and Japan Display Inc. The same reports suggest that production of the new iPhone 5 will begin in June.

Any news about the iPhone 5 is welcome, of course — there’s little doubt that the device is already the most awaited smartphone of 2012. The report lacks information about other features the phone may have, but its been suggested elsewhere that the iPhone 5 will also feature 4G wireless speeds, a long-awaited upgrade. The iPhone 5 is also expected to use Apple’s own military-grade 3D mapping software instead of Google Maps.

source: tecca

Gone are the days of when your iPod sported clickwheel navigation controls. Touchscreens have taken over almost every gadget and most other household electronics. But for those who truly miss their beloved clickwheel, good news is coming your way. According to the folks at PatentlyApple, the Cupertino giants Apple have just been granted a patent for an iOS type steering wheel remote control. The patent was originally filled back in Q1 2011 and is described a touch-sensitive, iPod-style clickwheel device that attaches to a vehicle’s steering wheel, and is used to control a media player. PatentlyApple also discovered that the clickwheel gadget was designed by Apple UI Design Manager Policarpo Wood and Anton Davydov. For complete details on the patent and the clickwheel features, check out the post from PatentlyApple here.

When it comes to vehicle controls which input method do you prefer? Hardware Controls, Touchscreen , or Voice?

via: Wired

Posted by Fox Van Allen

Though Apple just rolled out a new class of MacBook Pro laptops last October, the line of computers is in desperate need of an update. MacBook Pros have been outshined by the MacBook Air line for a while, with its smaller form and faster solid-state drive. Well, that long needed update to MacBook Pros is on its way this summer, according to insider reports, and it will feature everything we’ve been wanting — and more.

First, according to 9to5Mac, the casing itself has gone through a redesign, making it smaller and sexier. MacBooks are losing their optical drives so they can shrink even further — not that computers aren’t trending towards being unable to support DVDs anyway. You’ll have to buy and install your software through the Mac App Store, but since that’s how most people buy software these days anyway, that shouldn’t be much of a concern. Compare the new design on the left to the old design on the right:

More impressive than the shape of the MacBook is the new display: Gorgeous, crisp retina display tech is finally coming to the laptop computer. After making its debut with the original iPhone 4 and now the new iPad, support for the so-good-you-can’t-tell-they’re-pixels screen has been datamined in OS X Lion 10.7.4 and the soon-to-come Mountain Lion OS. Our graphic-design loving mouths are watering already.

But that’s not all that’s new with the MacBook Pro. According to reports, the laptops will ship with support for blazing-fast USB 3.0 built in. How blazing, exactly? At least three times faster than USB 2.0, according to a test run by The New York Times, and possibly as high as ten times faster. Considering that the new MacBook Pro will also have a faster processor — Intel’s quad-core Ivy Bridge hardware is likely in the mix — and even better graphics support via a rumored NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, the refresh of Apple’s flagship laptop has us all but ready to start lining up outside the Apple Store right now.

No one has a firm finger on the release date yet, but there are clues that these beauties will be in stores soon. Retailer Best Buy has just slashed prices on its full line of MacBook Pro laptops (as much as $200) to clear inventory. That suggests a possible June availability — and a possible announcement at the June 11 Apple Worldwide Developer’s Conference.

source: tecca

Posted by Fox Van Allen

According to what are being called “trusted sources,” the next version of the phone’s iOS operating system will be dropping Google Maps in favor of new 3D mapping software developed by Apple itself.

According to 9to5Mac, the new iOS mapping software builds off technology sourced from three companies recently acquired by Apple: Poly9, Placebase, and C3 Technologies. The centerpiece of the new mapping tech comes from C3, which uses declassified missile target algorithms (so cool) to create spectacular 3D maps. If you need any proof of how great that 3D is, take a look at the above video of the Hoover Dam created by C3.

It’s suggested that this 3D tech won’t be the default setting — you’ll need to choose to enable it, just as you do with Google’s Street View currently. Other features of the new Apple-branded mapping software are more familiar. It looks very similar to Google Maps, while offering a faster and more reliable experience.

source: tecca

Back here in New Orleans for the second day of the CTIA wireless conference. After checking out HTC and LG yesterday I thought I would visit the smaller brands to see what kind of new gear is heading our way. First up was ZTE which showed off some great devices back in January at CES as well as MWC in February. Their new Android smartphones look sleek and elegant, but also bring ICS (Android 4.0.3)  to the table. The new PF112 features a 4.5″ HD display with an 8MP camera and uses the Miflavor UI. The ZTE Era which is the flagship device for ZTE features a 4.3-inch qHD (960 x 540) display, NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 8GB of internal memory, MicroSD, HD voice, Dolby sound, and the Miflavor UI. It’s also 7.8mm thin and fits the hand nicely. Next I was off to Intel which was showing off their Intel powered smartphones such as the K800 from Lenovo. Also on display was the Xolo X900 which just launched in India as well the the Santa Clara (for Orange France/UK). The Xolo is a phone I would love to see here in the U.S. It feels great in terms of hardware and pairs a 1.6GHz Atom CPU and 4.03-inch touchscreen with an 8-megapixel camera.

Last but not least I was back at LG to check out their new Optimus 3d Max. This device is the upgrade for the LG Thrill (AT&T) and the Optimus 3d P920. The 3D Max features a 1.2GHz OMAP4430 dual-core  chip with a 4.3″ qHD display. LG may be the only player left in 3D smartphones as HTC did not bring a new 3D phone to the event. Kyocera was my final stop to check out their new water resistant Android device called the Hydro. The phone is certified IPX 5 and IPX 7 waterproof which means it can resit sprays and submersion. The phone features mediocre features with a 1GHz snapdragon processor, 3.2MP camera, and a 3.5″ IPS display. This phone is a great fit for those who want a rugged waterproof handset that can survive the elements.

That is all from day 2 here at the show. Enjoy the pictures from today below. Make sure to check back tomorrow for a final wrap up the event as well a brief look at all the new Mobile Payment systems from MasterCard, Visa, Google, and Amex. Enjoy!

CTIA wireless returns to New Orleans after a brief stint in Las Vegas and Orlando the past few years. This is my first time in New Orleans so the sights both at the show and on the streets are a plenty! This years show started off with T-Mobile announcing it will pick up 1900MHz 4G LTE by partnering with Nokia-Siemens as well as Ericsson. This news also brought out rumors of the next rendition of the iPhone being available for T-Mobile customers. Nokia also made headlines at the show today with a new portfolio of Apps that are exclusive to Lumia 900 users. Microsoft and Nokia continue to push the Lumia to consumers with new exclusive Apps from the likes of ESPN, PGA, and EA sports.

Now onto the show room floor: My first stop was straight over to HTC to check out the new One Series of devices (X,S, & V). HTC also comes to these events in stunning form with great product displays and a stunning setup. Besides the One Series I got some hands-on time with the new Incredible 4G LTE and the the EVO 4G LTE. These devices are the new flagship HTC devices for both Sprint and Verizon. The new version of the EVO is a real head turner with specs from the One X and a shiny red kickstand to boot. The new Incredible 4G has a 4-inch Super LCD display with a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor. It also has a microSD slot, supporting up to 32GB of memory. For some reason though I am still not a fan of the case design.

LG was my next stop as I got some hands-on time with the new Optimus 4X HD. This in my opinion is the best phone of the show. The 4.7-inch display uses LG’s 720p IPS panel which makes for an amazing display. It also features a quad-core processor with 16GB of on-board storage compliments an 8MP rear camera and 1.3MP front-facing camera. The phone only measure 8.9″ thin and sports a luxurious type plasticky/leather look back (similar to the Prada 3.0). Also on display was the Optimus 3D Max, Viper, Nitro HD, Spectrum, and Lucid.

Stay tuned tomorrow has I will bring you more straight from the CTIA showroom floor. Enjoy some pictures from CTIA day 1 below.

Samsung has just taken the wraps of it’s latest Android handset today at a press event in London. The new Galaxy S III Android smartphone will be a significant hardware and software update over the previous S II version. The new S III will feature a 4.8″ SuperAMOLED display which is 22% larger than its predecessor. The display will be packed with a new 720 x 1280 (306ppi) resolution screen . The new GS3 sports a 1.4-gigahertz Samsung Exynos processor with a gigabyte of RAM. It features an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. The device will come in 16GB and 32GB options, with a 64GB version expected soon. A microSD slot can expand the Galaxy S III up to 64GB, unlike the new One Series (X & S) devices from HTC which feature no expansion slots. The GS3 will run Android 4.0 with an all new version of the TouchWiz UI on top of it. In terms of size the phone weighs 133 grams, measures 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6mm, and houses a 2100mAh battery.

The new handsets will be available from the end of May in Europe. The device with then launch in Asia, the Middle East and Africa soon following. A 4G LTE version will go on sale in the US and South Korea in the summer. Expect the device to launch on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint come this summer as they will have the LTE infrastructure to support the device.

via: PCMag

Posted by Mike Wehner

There no way around it: Game consoles are expensive pieces of hardware. Most launch with price tags anywhere from $300 all the way up to $600, though those figures gradually come down over time. According to The Verge, the Xbox 360 is poised to get a subsidized bundle which would offer the console and Kinect accessory for just $99 upfront, along with a two-year subscription agreement.

The current cost of a base model Xbox 360 Kinect bundle is currently $299, so dropping the price by two thirds would be a remarkable feat. The remaining cost of the system is then included in a $15 monthly subscription which offers access to Xbox Live Gold — required for online play and other features — and perhaps even some additional streaming media content, though the details of this addition are still hazy.

Spreading the cost of a video game console over time is a rather fresh idea, but the practice of subsidization has been used for ages by wireless providers to bring down the cost of handsets and other hardware. If this as-of-yet unconfirmed information pans out, it could be a big deal not just for Microsoft, but for the video game industry as a whole. However, with a rumored reveal of the next Xbox console just around the corner, it may be a tough sell to ask customers to commit to the current generation of gaming for a further 24 months.

source: tecca

Posted by Mariella Moon

You’ve probably noticed that most smartphones news and updates recently are all about iPhones, Androids, and even Windows Phone devices. The last time BlackBerrys made a splash in the media was during the great BlackBerry outage of 2011 wherein most of its services, including BlackBerry Messenger, went down and couldn’t be used. Today, at the BlackBerry World 2012 conference in Orlando, Florida, RIM CEO and President Thorsten Heins went on stage to present the future of BlackBerry, and to assert that the platform can still compete against its toughest rivals.

Heins showcased the company’s newest operating system, BlackBerry 10, installed on a new touchscreen device. The system’s suite of new features include an advanced onscreen keyboard that can guess what word you’re most likely to type next and can even adjust itself based on your typing pattern. While it sounds like RIM is completely shifting toward touchscreen devices, the company told PhoneScoop that it will not stop making phones with physical keyboards.

Another notable feature of BlackBerry 10 is its camera app. You may be able to take great pictures with your iPhone 4S or your HTC One S, but BlackBerry 10 can give you something Android and iOS can’t: The ability to decide what goes into a picture after you click the shutter. The camera app caches everything it sees as soon as you launch it; in case you miss the perfect moment, you can simply move the frame backward or forward in time to capture it.

The device RIM showcased during the event were given to app developers, in hopes of having a healthy number of apps available for download by the time the initial batch of BlackBerry 10 phones are ready for release this fall. Reports indicate that the first BlackBerry 10 device will have a full touchscreen display, but subsequent devices will feature both touchscreens and physical keyboards. Check out the video above to see what RIM’s newest operating system has to offer.

source: tecca

Microsoft have just revealed that they will invest $300 million in the Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader platform. The alliance is said to capture the rise in digital text books and to compete with the likes of Amazon and Apple. As part of the deal Microsoft will also buy into the college textbook business that B&N has as well. The long term outlook for Microsoft is to build Windows 8 into the Nook platform with a compatible Nook application. The new division called NewCo (for now) will have Barnes and Noble retaining a major portion of the project (82.4%), while Microsoft will control the remaining 17.6%. The partnership makes complete sense considering Barnes and Noble has been struggling against Amazon in recent years. With Microsoft competing against both Google and Apple in the Mobile OS wars,  a new Windows 8 powered reader could be a breath of fresh air to the tablet/e-reader world. What do you think?

via: AppleInsider