The iPhone 4S: To buy or not to buy? The specs and features to help answer that question.
It’s official. The next generation iPhone is the iPhone 4S. Though Steve Jobs and his trademark, black turtleneck were noticeably absent, Apple new CEO, Tim Cook took the stage and delivered the much-anticipated details regarding what will undoubtedly become the company’s next big money-maker.
Much to the chagrin of many, the iPhone 5 didn’t appear. That doesn’t mean the iPhone 4S doesn’t come with noticeable improvements over its predecessor, the iPhone 4. Of course, the show included reports on Apple’s recent financial successes, store openings, etc. That said, we know that’s why you’re here, so we’ll get straight to the list of specifications and features that were unveiled during the big Apple event.
The iPhone (Insert Cool Number) Event: Where to watch it live
October 4, 2011 is finally here. As any respectable tech geek knows, today Apple is set to unveil the next-generation iPhone. Will it be called the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 or, perhaps, the iMegaPhone. Okay, that last one is a stretch, but it has to be something exciting, right? While you may not have received a personal invitation from Apple to attend the event, you can join the connected masses who will be among the first to know its specs and features, through the techno-magic that is live-blogging.
For whatever reason, Apple decided against live-streaming the event, via its own website. There’s no need to worry, though, since there is no shortage of tech sites who will be live-blogging for your bandwidth-consuming pleasure. As in the past, we’ve put posted the schedule for various time zones, as well as a list of sites on which you can watch. It’s always advisable to get in early, turn on the auto-refresh, so you don’t miss a moment. It also doesn’t hurt to open up a few different live-blogs at the same time because…lets face it…some of the live-bloggers don’t post as quickly as others.
The Æ+Y is the most expensive phone you’ll never own
These days, it seems there is a mobile phone to fit everyone’s unique needs, tastes, and budget. A yet-to-be-released device from Denmark-based Aesir is pushing that idea to the limit. The Æ+Y Phone comes in two models. Typically, the difference in pricing has to do with a mobile phone’s storage capacity, features, etc. In the case of the Æ+Y Phone, the difference has to do with the materials of which it’s made.
This work of mobile phone art comes in an 18-carat, yellow gold model and a stainless steel model. Yes, you read that correctly. After reviewing the image gallery on Aesir’s website, it truly is an impressive device. How much will the Æ+Y Phone set you back? The term “sticker shock” is taken to an entirely new level, when speaking of the device. That’s because the gold model will set you back approximately $57,300. If that’s a bit of a stretch for your budget, you can always settle for the stainless steel model, which can be yours for a mere $9,900.
Nintendo: Can increased 3DS sales and new games save a 2D company?
Yesterday, Nintendo announced, via press release, that the next update for the Nintendo 3DS will include the ability to record video in 3D. Additionally, the company also touted the upcoming release of a new slidepad accessory for the device and new games like Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7 and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
In a separate press release from a few days earlier, Nintendo lauded the fact that sales of its first 3D gaming device increased by 260 percent, since August 12, 2011, over the previous month’s sales. With the new accessory, games, device features, and sales increase, one would assume that things were great for Nintendo. Upon closer inspection, though, this might not actually be the case.
Fake News: 15-month old reveals iPhone 5 prototype
Who am I kidding? I already gave away the fact that GSL doesn’t have a real, verifiable iPhone 5 prototype to send you into a fit of delirious tech-joy. Additionally, I’m not going to tell you that the iPhone 5 might be made of a previously undiscovered, super-lightweight metal from Mars or that, allegedly, it may have a Pez dispenser integrated into the body of the device. I won’t even tell you that the iPhone 5 could possibly serve as a universal remote for your entire home theater system.
Though the photo submitted super-secretly and anonymously by Twitter’s very own @dbone15 (oops…let that one slip) is a very impressive rendering of what the device might look like, it wasn’t exfiltrated from Apple’s servers or found in a bar or Photoshopped in any way, shape or form. How do we know this? It’s because he readily admits it was drawn with highlighters, by his 15-month old daughter, Sophie G. He may or may not have helped her out a little with the Apple logo, but I can let that slide. After all, it is a fake prototype. Those last two words bring us to the actual point of this post. Read on, and it will all become clear….hopefully.
An iPhone 5 Prototype (Artistic Credit: Sophie G., 13-month old tech geek)
U.S. Government to AT&T: No bars in those places
This morning, Bloomberg broke the news that the U.S. Department of Justice, via, for lack of a better term, its parent company, the U.S. Government, formally filed a complaint to stop the proposed acquisition of T-Mobile assets by AT&T. Back in March of this year, GSL published a post on the proposed acquisition and detailed how we thought customers could emerge as the real winners.
For better or worse, though, it appears that the U.S. Government feels that such an acquisition would constitute a violation of U.S. Antitrust laws. Specifically, the complaint cites that a completed and approved deal would “substantially lessen competition” among the companies that make up the U.S. wireless market.
It ain’t easy being (a) green (Android user)
This morning, one of the lead stories over at TechCrunch reported that all Android phones released in 2011 by AT&T will have Android version 2.3, or as its more commonly known, Gingerbread. The news itself isn’t that exciting unless you’re a consumer who was planning on upgrading your device during the second half of this year. The list of AT&T devices includes the HTC Inspire 4G, LG Phoenix, Motorola Atrix 4G, and Pantech Crossover. Apparently, those who already own these devices will be able to upgrade them to Gingerbread within the near future.
What does this mean for the green (read: new) and average Android users? The answer is “not much”. The TechCrunch post throws around technical jargon, like “root” and “CyanogenMod” that many of us tecnophiles understand. The average Android user may recognize what it means to “root” their Android, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they want or even know how to do it. What the whole thing really reminds us is that, despite their technical goodness, Android devices, their various OS versions and residual app compatibility issues make smartphones seem rather dumb and, ultimately, may influence potential buyers to choose….you guessed it….an iPhone.
Sideloading apps on the PlayBook (and Android apps as well)- A How-To
The BlackBerry PlayBook has been out for a few months, and for some, they are blissfully happy with it as is. There are those of us, however, that just can’t leave well enough alone. Recently, the coming Android App Player for the PlayBook leaked, and while it is still a very beta version, there are some who wanted to use it. This presented those people with two problems, namely that they had a file they did not know how to get onto their PlayBook, and if they figured that out, a whole library of apps to install. Neither one of these is an intuitive process, so I figured I would put together a bit of a newbie guide to help you along.
This guide can also be a resource for those who are interested in beta testing for developers of PlayBook apps, as the sideloading process is necessary to install them. While there are a couple tools available to assist in the sideloading of apps to the PlayBook, this is what I have found to be the most efficient and reliable method.
Banana TV: Enable Airplay from iDevices to Intel Macs
Anyone who has an iPhone or iPad will likely tell you that Airplay is a great feature…if you have an Apple TV. Thanks to the developers of a new tool called Banana TV, Airplay can now be achieved from iDevices to Intel-based Macs. How does it work? The good news is that it doesn’t require a jailbreak or any potentially painful tweaks to the iPhone or iPad. Installation and configuration is surprisingly simple and is done entirely on the Mac.
Does it sound intriguing? If so, you’ll want to take a minute to watch the demo video from Banana TV. Of course, we go a bit more in-depth and explain the minimum requirements and how it works further along in the post.
ConvertIt – Unit conversion application for the PlayBook
First thing’s first, I’ll be completely up front about my bias towards this app. I am the creator, it’s my baby. I’m not going to give it glowing reviews, I’m simply going to give you a brief rundown about it, as I promised I would blog it for those who followed along with it’s creation. It’s up to you to download it and judge for yourself.
ConvertIt is a simple unit conversion app, featuring three separate categories of unit conversion to choose from. The user can choose from Distance, Weight, and Cooking measurements from the main drop down menu. The appropriate units will then display in the conversion dropdowns, allowing you to choose from 6 different measurements for each category. Distance and Weight are pretty standard conversion units, but to my knowledge this is the only one so far that does basic cooking measurements. (Hard to determine, as App World will not allow me to sort specifically by the PlayBook apps).
