• apple,  att,  iphone,  rumors,  tmobile,  verizon

    Rumor: White iPhone 4 Lands on April 27th, T-Mobile Prototype Spotted

    April 25, 2011 /

    Just because it was a long Easter holiday weekend didn’t mean that there was a shortage of new white iPhone rumors.

    The first is that the white iPhone 4 will finally go on sale here in the United States this week.  Since this is a rumor, it is unclear if the near mythical iPhone will go on sale simultaneously for AT&T and Verizon Wireless or not.  After all of the delays, I personally hope that Apple rolls out the white iPhone 4 in both the GSM and CDMA flavors at the same time.  If the rumor is true, white iPhone 4’s are already being shipped in advance of the debut of their retail sales date.

    [Via AppleInside.com…]

    As a side note, BGR seems to have gotten their hands on what appears to be a prototype iPhone 4, yes, it’s white, running on the T-Mobile network.  The T-Mobile iPhone seems to have all signs pointing to test device, so don’t expect any T-Mobile/Apple product announcements anytime soon.

    [Via BGR.com…]

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  • Uncategorized

    Apple Wireless Keyboard + iPad

    April 21, 2011 /

    Apple Wireless Keyboard

    Earlier today I dropped by my local Best Buy. No, not to buy an iPad 2 – everyone knows that they are sold out.

    I stopped by because I had a gift card and felt like playing with other people’s money today. After looking around for a few minutes, I decided that I would “look” in the Apple Store section.

    There on the shelf was an open box Apple Wireless Keyboard. Normally, the sell for $69 dollars, but this was $61. The box appeared to be in good condition so I picked it so I can pair it up with my 32GB iPad. it seemed like a better choice than the Apple iPad dock with built-in keyboard because I would be able to use my new Bluetooth keyboard with more devices.

    After spending about 5 minutes setting it, I’m very happy with my new “toy”. I also picked up a copy of the new iPad blogging app Blogsy, with which I’m writing this post with.

    The keyboard, obviously, works with the iPad as well at other iOS devices. You can also use the keyboard with a Bluetooth enabled Mac running current editions of OS X. While I haven’t tried it yet myself, if you have a Windows Vista or Windows 7 PC, and a Mac OS X/Boot Camp disc handy, you should be able to install the Apple drive for the keyboard and use it with your Windows box too. (Not too bad, if I do say so myself.)

    The compact size of the keyboard means it is small enough to be carried around with me and my iPad so I can bang out blog post, long emails, or touch type and take notes in the many note taking and task management applications for iOS. I also like that fact that the face of the mini keyboard is metal. (The bottom plate is plastic.) The Apple Wireless Keyboard is powered by two AA batteries (included). This is a nice second keyboard, however, if it was going to be my primary, every day keyboard that I was going to use with my Mac Pro or MacBook Pro, I like the older Apple Wireless Pro keyboard better since it is larger and has a numeric keypad on the right side of the keyboard.

    The Apple Wireless Keyboard is available now at Apple Stores, Apple resellers like Best Buy, and online at Apple.com for $69.00.

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  • apple,  ios,  itunes,  mac os x,  mobileme,  rumors

    The Daily: Apple Shines On

    April 18, 2011 /

    In yesterday’s issue of The Daily, writer Dan Gallagher, profiled Apple, Inc in terms of their up-coming earnings report for last quarter.  To open the article, titled “Apple shines on,” Mr. Gallagher writes:

    “While investors widely expect Apple to report its usual barn-burner results this week, some creeping questions have weighed down the computer company’s high-flying stock recently.”

    The article continues on about the natural disasters in Japan and how they are preventing Apple from otherwise cranking out enough iPad 2 tablets to meet the demand for the popular item both here in the United States and abroad.

    That’s all fine and good, but I take issue Mr. Gallagher’s third sentence which reads:

    “In addition, a growing number of indicators have pointed to a potential delay of the company’s next iPhone to later in the year, instead of it’s customary launch period of midsummer.”

    Again, I don’t have a problem with Mr. Gallagher reporting what was widely discussed over the last two weeks when Apple announced that their annual developer get together, the World Wide Developer’s Conference, would be held on June 6.  On the March 28 notice that was sent out by Apple, which simply said, “Join us for a preview of iOS and Mac OS X.”  In short, that was Apple’s way of letting the legion of fans, geeks, investors, and yes, even journalists, that iPhone 5 would not be making a debut at this year’s event.

    If Apple, a company known for it’s legendary product secrecy, hasn’t yet announced the iPhone 5, which we all know is coming because “5” comes after “4,” how can it be considered delayed or even late?  The white iPhone 4?  That was delayed and is late.  The iPhone 5?  I have to disagree.

    Hit the read more link to keep reading…

    If the rumors are true, will Apple be breaking from previous product launch cycles this year?  Sure they are.  There are some things that need to be considered, in addition to the problems in Japan.

    First of all, the black iPhone 4 just became available on Verizon not even three months ago.  Do you really think that Apple and Verizon would ship iPhone 5 in less that six months of the iPhone 4 going live?  I don’t think so.

    Secondly, we still have the white iPhone 4 to deal with.  Yes, some people really have put off buying an iPhone 4 just so they can have a white iPhone 4.  With the white iPhone 4 coming something during the next few weeks, do you really think that Apple would ramp up a massive stock pile of a phone that they were about to replace?  I don’t think so.

    Thirdly, there has been a lot of talk on the Internet over the past few weeks about Apple’s plans for the next iPhone.  Some of them talk about more memory, larger screens, and faster processors.  These are all very likely true and will be in the next release of the iPhone.  There is also talk about incorporating the new Long Term Evolution, or LTE, cellular radio in the next iPhone – making it a “4G” phone.  (Marketing hype aside, “4G” networks are faster then today’s 3G networks, but probably not fast as carriers want to you think.)  Apple is also rumored to be working on a new way to use your iPhone as a short range wireless payment device using a technology called Near Field Communication, or NFC.  If true, once you have activated the feature, you could wave your iPhone over a receiver an make a payment similar to they way you can with some credit and debit cards today.

    However, there is one other think to consider which could be the cause of the “delay;” and that is: software.

    Despite the pile of cash that Apple is sitting on, the company keeps it’s competitive edge by remaining relatively small.  That means that Apple shifts employees around certain development efforts as they need to, and there are two, if not three, major software rewrites in the works.

    The first is the next release of the software that runs all of the Macintosh desktop, tower, and notebooks, known as Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.  Apple is working with software developers on pre-release versions of the software to help them iron out the bugs and to allow developers time to update their applications to work with the new Apple software.  Next up, Apple is also working on the fifth version of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch software known as iOS.  iOS 5 will be a major overhaul of the mobile device software, which, by the way, at it’s core, uses the exact same software as Mac OS X, to ensure that Apple’s handheld software remains feature rich and competitive with phones and tablets running the Google Android OS.  If that wasn’t enough, I’m sure Apple is also hard at work on a major revamp of their MobileMe software, which will use the new data center Apple has built in North Carolina and support new features in Mac OS X, iOS, and iTunes.

    So with all of that, it’s more important for Apple to focus on the strategic scheduling of each of these major projects and being successful with their roll outs.  It’s not about holding to an annual schedule that we can all expect to happen each and every year.  Apple is about their software and hardware coming together to create a unique customer experience that no other tech company can match.  It’s about delighting the customer.

    So, no, the iPhone 5 is not delayed.  The announcement and release of the iPhone 5 this year has been scheduled behind other critical Apple engineering efforts.

    Ok?  Everyone take a deep breath and exhale.  It’s going to be fine.

    You can read Mr. Gallagher’s full article on The Daily website.

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  • apple,  att,  iphone,  verizon

    Rumor: The Mythical White iPhone To Arrive Soon – AT&T, Verizon

    April 14, 2011 /

    I don’t know which is more plausible: seeing a unicorn or a real – not hacked – white iPhone 4.

    AppleInsider.com is reporting that CDMA and GSM versions of the white iPhone 4 for both Verizon and AT&T are “nearly ready.”

    With some 8+ months having already passed since the black iPhone 4 went on sale, is there really anyone at this point, who has put off the purchase of an iPhone 4 just to get the white one?  I didn’t think so.

    [Via AppleInsider.com…]

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  • microsoft,  touchpad,  web os

    HP TouchPad to Feature Bing Maps

    April 12, 2011 /

    If some recent photos of HP’s upcoming TouchPad are accurate, webOS fans might be in for a bit of a shock.  It would seem that Google Maps, which has be a part of webOS from version 1.0, will be replaced by Bing Maps in HP’s webOS 3.0 software.

    WinRumors.com writes:

    “It’s not yet clear whether the Bing Maps integration is due to a partnership or deal with Microsoft. HP has been a close partner to Microsoft on its Windows based PCs. Microsoft’s Bing Maps has a lead over Google on 45° “birds-eye” views but lacks the POI and retail data that Google contains.”

    For a long time, I’ve been a Google user, but I’ve been warming up to Bing, if for no other reason, it’s not a Google service.

    [Via WinRumors.com…]

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  • att,  pre,  sprint,  verizon,  web os

    I’ve Got The ‘End of Contract’ Itch. What Do I Do Now?

    April 3, 2011 /

    Ok, so it’s clear that two things are not going to happen in the next two months:

    • HP and Sprint release the Pre 2 or Pre 3 running webOS 2.1 or later
    • Apple and Verizon or AT&T will release the iPhone 5 running iOS 4.3 or later

    So what am I suppose to do with my 22 month old Sprint edition Palm Pre running a pre-release beta build of webOS 2.0.1?

    I think for the next six months I’m going to continue on Sprint (with at least four months going contract free), buying a replacement stock Palm Pre/Pixi battery, and going back to webOS 1.4.5.

    My Pre has suffered the test of time and has at least three cracks in it’s exterior casing, and one of the cracks has caused the microUSB door to fall out.  (For the record, I didn’t break it off.)  The battery is holding about 60% charge these days, so a new battery is going to be a must to make it until Q4, which is when the iPhone 5 could be arriving.  (Some bloggers seem to think that the iPhone 5 will go live this summer with iOS 4, and get a major software upgrade in September or October.  Others think Apple will continue to run with the iPhone 4, in black and white, until the ‘September-ish’ timeframe.)

    So that brings me back to webOS.  Don’t get me wrong: webOS is a great operating system.  I really do like it.  It’s just that it isn’t grabbing the attention of consumers like iOS and Android are doing.  The webOS pre-release beta build that I have on my phone is working, however, the code isn’t optimized to run on 2-year old hardware, and it is a bit ‘sluggish’.  (HP, to their credit, hasn’t released webOS 2.0.1 to the Pre/Pixi toting public.  The experience would be sub-optimal to anyone except the hardcore Palm fan – something I still consider myself.)

    So, fellow Palm Pre users still rockin’ it on Sprint, what are we going to do on June 6, 2011?  Time is almost up.

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  • apple,  ipad,  iphone,  macbook pro,  mobileme

    MobileMe: Paid, Free, or Somewhere in the Middle?

    March 29, 2011 /

    MobileMe is an online service provided by Apple that provides you access to a “me” email account, online storage for documents, music, and photos, plus, Mac specific features to keep all your Mac settings in sync across multiple Mac OS X computers.

    In 2011, many people are hoping for a major revamp of the service, thanks to a brief email from Apple CEO Steve Jobs that said MobileMe will, “get a lot better in 2011.”

    Mr. Jobs’ statement touched off the rumor mill that MobileMe would get new services, become free to compete with other offerings from Google, DropBox, and the like, or get a new mix of “free-mium” options.

    With the introduction of iOS 4.2.1, Apple chose to make the Find My iPhone service free to their iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch customers.  It is a great feature for any iOS device owners, specifically for iPhone owners.  Again, this change to MobileMe, which allowed anyone with an iOS device and an Apple ID account could now use the service which typically required a $99 annual subscription to use.

    Most recently, Apple stopped shipping boxed “copies” of MobileMe to their retail stores and authorized resellers.  Many people, myself included, thought that this change signaled the impending switch to a free service or some other free or build your own package service offering for MobileMe.

    Today, TUAW.com has a report up that Apple could be changing the way you pay for MobileMe, which sounds like MobileMe isn’t going to be a completely free service.

    Up until now, I haven’t feel a need to have a MobileMe account, a side from the Find My iPad app.  Having already made the decision to switch from my Palm Pre to an iPhone 5 this year, I am revisiting my decision to subscribe to MobileMe or not.  With two MacBooks, and iPad, and a new iPhone 5 in the cards for this year, albeit maybe later than I planned, a MobileMe subscription looks to be a good way to keep all of my Apple gear in sync.

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  • apple,  ios,  iphone,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    Apple WWDC To Be Held June 6 – 10

    March 29, 2011 /

     Today Apple announced that their annual developer’s conference, World Wide Developer Conference, will be held June 6 – 10 in San Francisco this year.

    Tickets to the iOS and Mac OS X developer conference sold out in less than 12 hours.

    For fans, however, today’s announcement might disappoint.  Apple is clearly sending us a signal to set our expectations as we head into the summer event: this year’s WWDC will not feature any new hardware announcements.  The tag line for this year’s event is, “Join us for a preview of iOS and Mac OS X.”

    No new Macs.  No new iPhones.  Nada.

    This year’s event will feature Mac OS X and iOS.  Some rumors circulating around the Internet say that Apple may expand on their future plans for iOS 5 and the revamp for MobileMe which could include new streaming options for iTunes and a digital document “locker” for Mac OS X and your iTunes purchases.

    Those of us who were expecting to buy a new iPhone 5 this June or July, should reset their expectations for new iPhone hardware between late September and the end of the year.

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  • apple,  ios,  ipad,  iphone,  touch

    Apple Releases iOS 4.3.1 Update

    March 27, 2011 /

    On Friday evening, Apple released a minor update to iOS, 4.3.1.  The update address the following issues:

    • Fixes an occasional graphics glitch on iPod touch (4th generation)
    • Resolves bugs related to activating and connecting to some cellular networks
    • Fixes image flicker when using Apple Digital AV Adapter with some TVs
    • Resolves an issue authenticating with some enterprise web services

    Notably, the CDMA iPhone 4 for Verizon and the iPad 2 did not receive the update.

    I have been using iOS 4.3.1 since Friday evening when it was released and I have not noticed any changes for better or worse.  Some people have claimed that the battery life on their iPhone 4 was decreased after applying the iOS 4.3 update on March 9.

    The update is also rumored to address a security flaw uncovered during the security and hacking event Pwn2Own, which too place earlier this month.

    The software update is available now for most current model iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models.   

    To upgrade your iDevice, make sure that you are running the latest version of iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC, and then connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, and follow the on screen directions.

    Need Help Upgrading to iOS 4.3.1?  Check out our iOS upgrade directions!

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