News from category ‘Hardware’

The developers have recently tested Windows Phone 7. We've already seen how Windows Phone 7 tried to overcome iPhone 3GS that runs on iOS 4. Now Pocketnow offers a unique opportunity to check the web-browsing with Internet Explorer on Windows Phone 7, comparing it with Nexus One, running on Android 2.2 Froyo and iPhone 4 on iOS 4.x.

According to Pocketnow, Windows Phone 7 has something to show your iPhone and Nexus One. But we should not draw hasty conclusions.

It seems that Asian iPhone owners are in for an unpleasant surprise. A Chinese newspaper states that message boards have been hit with hundreds of messages reporting problems with the devices because of the humidity that affected the liquid indicators. Indeed, even US users seem to have this problem, with one class action suit filed earlier this year.

Read the rest of this entry »

Apple could be planning to introduce touchscreens to the iMac by way of a hybrid interface, a recently discovered patent application suggests. The company notes that despite the usefulness of a touch slide off-screen interface, a mouse- and keyboard-based one is still better in some circumstances. To switch between the two, Apple proposes a design in which a computer's display would be upright for the mouse interface, but slanted down and back for touch.

To make the transition possible an iMac would need a flexible display stand, and a sensor to determine when to change. For the latter Apple proposes several options, such as an accelerometer, a rotation sensor in the stand, and/or a special touch sensor at the place people would want to grip the display. Past a certain input limit, a computer would automatically switch between interfaces.

Notably, elements of Mac OS X such as the Menu Bar, the Dock and the mouse cursor could be made to slide off-screen during the handover. Apple has not specified what the touch interface would be, but it could be iOS.

It seems the device is the latest version of the white iPhone 4, which is officially scheduled for release in the end of this year. "Some people believe that this may be one of those devices that have been destroyed by Apple in the last minute after the discovery of defects of white color that have been found." Check out

Read the rest of this entry »

Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse was finally unveiled for the whole world. It is a sexy mouse designed by Microsoft, whose concept is very similar to the latest generation of Microsoft’s Arc Mouse, except that it has a touch-sensitive surface, and you can straighten it and curl up as you wish! Isn’t it a curious idea to combine Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad? Isn’t it quite interesting?

Of course, it has not yet been officially introduced by Microsoft. We took these photos from a German online store, which reports that it will be available on October 13.

You can buy Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse at € 69,99 in Europe or $ 69.95 in the USA.

After iPad's appearance in late April many Apple's competitors decided to release their own tablets. Almost four months had passed since that moment and now we decided to study the market of iPad's rivals and write down every one that worth attention.

But before we start the list it is important to note that we chose the tablet devices that satisfied next criteria:

1. No physical keyboard;
2. Availability for purchase;
3. The screen must be at least 5''.

Let's go!

Read the rest of this entry »

Do you remember the robot called T-1000 Skynet made of liquid metal in the film Terminator 2? It seems that Steve Jobs decided to create devices of next generation using Liquidmetal Technologies, a California company from which Apple has recently acquired the exclusive rights for creation of liquid metal alloy products.

One of the best and most distinctive factors in all Apple products is how this company produces its own devices, the quality of production, as well as the materials used, which, undoubtedly, have first-class quality.

Now that Apple has the exclusive rights to create products of the liquid metal, we can assume that it has no plans to create a robot for the next Terminator movie, but probably will use it for such devices as iMac, iPad and iPhone of the next generation in order to be one step ahead of its competitors.

Now you can find a lot of accessories for iPhone 4, some of them offer high functionality, while others make it even more attractive! Most of you probably have already seen accessory Xtand for iPhone 3GS, 3G and iPod touch, which enjoys wide popularity. Its main advantage is that it allows you to turn your iPhone into "the smallest desktop in the world." Xtand accessory is fully compatible to work with iPhone 4, but most important is the fact that now everyone can make his or her favorite iPhone 4 in the “mini” iMac, to give it a presentable appearance. Do you still doubt? Then look at the image above.

Accessory Xtand is a perfect complement to the existing list of accessories for iPhone 4 and it is without a doubt, the best way to show off your iPhone 4 all around. It can be ordered from the Apple Store for $ 24.95.

Among the downsides that the present Apple’s MacBooks have lies in the fact that there is no possibility of 4G, 3G or LTE network connection without using a USB modem (or some other devices).

According to the Apple’s patent filings we may state that the company has some ideas and is working on their fulfillment. It goes about a telephonic MacBook that will have a magnetically coupled antenna.

It is said that the company is planning to use the wireless communication circuitry in MacBooks. Thus, users can get data communications in some communication bands and cellular telephone communications in several frequency bands.

Let’s wait what actions Apple is going to take with such fancy patent ideas for their future line of MacBooks, but we think that users won’t be disappointed.

Taking into account the rumors about iPods from Apple, some people all over the world have found out that in UK there are many retailers who decided to slash their prices for the iPod nano and iPod shuffle by nearly 40%! The result of this action is that these media players have been already in various places, speculating that Apple is going to introduce a new version of the iPod nano and iPod shuffle very soon. Some guys are even thinking that the new iPod shuffle will feature a miniature touchscreen. It’s quite interesting till the device price haven’t yet risen to the stars.

We’ve gotten exclusive legit details of the upcoming Verizon (unicorn) iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 supposedly will gain a 1.2 GHz next-gen A4 chip, a larger 3.7 inch retina display, an all new internal antenna, all in a more durable design. To be honest that just sounds like the probable iPhone 5 launching in June 2011.

To prove all that, we may say, that Verizon isn’t likely to want launching in January an iPhone 4 that has identical specifications to the current AT&T model. Another possibility, if this is all true, is that the probably iPhone 5 launching in June '11 will be the first (AT&T model too) and will carry the rumored features.

Social Bicycles - a bike sharing system with a twist – plans to start using an iPhone application, the system allows users to drop off, locate, and borrow a bike nearly anywhere. The bikes are equipped with a GPS device which is locked to one of the wheels, and when the bike is locked, it's locatable using the application, so that someone can borrow it; when it's in use and unlocked, it doesn't appear in the app. The real upside to Social Bicycles is that the regular infrastructure required for bike lending systems are unnecessary, which can make lending much cheaper.

We've gotten some information that Apple plans to rename the Apple TV into "iTV", which was initially named as "iTV" in September 2006, but changed the name to "Apple TV" for its launch in January 2007. Apparently the box won't be capable of handling 1080p video. Instead it will only push out 720p clips. Moreover, video experts note that the difference in resolution is not visible to users at a normal TV viewing distance unless the screen is larger than 55 inches. The device will be getting apps and presumably an App Store entry.

iTV well be running iOS that means that it will get access to iTunes. By converting Apple TV into an iOS device, the company could erect a third new wing of apps in iTunes. This smaller, cheaper device will probably use network streaming rather than Apple TV's hard drive for local storage.

It is much of a rumor that there is going to appear a new iPad sporting a 7-inch display. Now Digitimes specifies the possible features that this Apple device may get.

It is that at the beginning of 2011 Apple is going to launch an upgraded iPad with 9.7-inch display that will feature 512MB of RAM and a new processor based on ARM Cortex-A9. The 7-inch iPad will use an IPS panel having 1024 x 768 resolution and a similar processor.

Except the introduction of the iPad, it is rumored that in December we’ll get a CDMA iPhone. It is going to be supplied to China Telecom and Verizon Wireless. Evidently it will feature an integrated antenna and a metal backplate.

According to UBM TechInsights, Apple had been testing an InvenSense gyroscope in its iPad prototypes, but final version of the next-gen iPad will use a component from STMicroelectronics, which is also used in the iPhone 4. The company's product manager Steve Bitton wonders why there is no gyroscope in the current iPad.

“It seemed strange at the time that a product like the iPad would have been designed to not include a gyroscope but an iPhone 4 that was being designed at around the same time would”.

Moreover, Bitton disassembled an iPad and found an empty space where gyroscope exactly fits. And if InvenSense unit requires 24 pads, STMicro L3G4200D unit needs only 16 pads and is already used in the iPhone 4, so it obviously will be easier for Apple to use a component, which is also already supported by an iOS4.

"Apple probably chose to wait until the next iteration of the iPad to introduce gyroscope capabilities [and plans] to use [the] ST Micro’s L3G4200D to reduce the amount of [software] development required”.