News from category ‘rumors’

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.

Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, confirmed that the new software update iOS 4.x will appear in the near future to correct performance problems on the iPhone 3G, which works on iOS 4.x. He confirmed it while answering to the email he got from a user who was disappointed with the iPhone 3G performance running on iOS 4, describing it as "dog slow".

Although he did not mention a specific version or date of its release we can guess that he was specking about iOS 4.1, which is going to be released next month, when iTV (Apple TV) and the next generation iPod touch will spotlight.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office revealed a patent application from Apple entitled "Systems and Methods for Identifying Unauthorized Users of an Electronic Device." The invention describes methods to identify users through a picture, the sound of their voice, or even their heartbeat.

"The photograph, recording, or heartbeat can be compared to a photograph, recording or heartbeat of authorized users of the electronic device to determine whether they match," the application reads. "If they do not match, the current user can be detected as an unauthorized user."

If an unauthorized user were to attempt to access an iPhone or another device, the owner of the handset could be notified via a phone call, text message or e-mail. It could send the owner - or the police - a picture of the unauthorized user, or other information specific to the potential thief.

The handset could recognize an unauthorized user if they do certain uncharacteristic activities with the phone, such as hacking, jailbreaking, unlocking, or removing a SIM card.

It became known that Lady Gaga, the famous singer, has visited Apple’s 1-Infinite Loop Campus in Cupertino, California, where she was photographed behind the main building with the Apple’s staff. But what was the purpose of her visit? Do you have the same opinion as we, don’t you?

Now it is said that she was probably invited to make a new series of commercials for iPhone 4 about which we have already reported in May. There is also a possibility that she was invited for a small private concert, which Apple organizes from time to time? Nevertheless, soon we’ll know about the event in more details.

Apple is testing the first material update to its iOS 4.0, next-generation iPod touches, an iPad revision, and an "unknown" product.

The latest beta of iOS 4.1 includes three new "Configuration Descriptors" within its USB configuration files - all of which pertain to devices that list "Apple, Inc." as their "manufacturer" (see screenshot).

The first product, a fourth-generation iPod touch, is referenced as "iPod 4,1." This year's iPod touch calls for models akin to iPhone 4, equipped with dual cameras, FaceTime support, Apple's A4 processor, and Retina Display.

The second product referenced in the USB configuration files is "iProd 2,1." All indications are that this device represents a material update to the iPad.

Finally, is a previously undiscovered mention of a mysterious device listed as "unknownHardware." Although the configuration files tag this device with Apple product ID of 20547, it's textual descriptor is similarly listed as "Unknown- Add device descriptor info for this device." It's possible that those place holders are to be dubbed iTV - capable of running App Store applications and based on iOS 4.0 platform.

Chinese-language newspaper Economic Daily News reported Tuesday that Apple plans to launch a second-generation iPad with a 7-inch screen by Christmas of this year.. The report claimed that the original, 9.7-inch iPad is too big and heavy for many consumers, and the new model will cut weight down from 700 grams to 500 grams.

The newspaper suggested that the new iPad will have a Cortex-A9 processor and 7-inch LCD screen with resolution of 1,024-by-768 pixels.

On Monday, it was alleged that indications of a next-generation iPad are currently found within the source code of iOS 4. The relevant code allows devices carrying the designations of iPhone3,2, iPhone3,3, and iProd2,1 to “auto-activate”, a process said to allow carriers to test the devices without requiring manual activation through iTunes.

A source has revealed code in iOS 4 showing that new iPhone and iPad models may be set to begin field testing. The relevant code allows devices carrying the designations of iPhone3,2, iPhone3,3, and iProd2,1 to "auto-activate", a process said to allow carriers to test the devices without requiring manual activation through iTunes.

Software evidence of Apple's future devices tends to appear rather early in the development process, as evidenced by iPhone3,1 appearing in iPhone OS configuration files in March 2009. That device turned out to be the iPhone 4, released 15 months later. Evidence of field testing of the iPhone 4 appeared by late November 2009, more than six months before its public launch. The fact that the new iPhone models carry the iPhone3,2 and iPhone3,3 designations rather than "iPhone4,1" suggests that the hardware is a relatively minor revision to the existing iPhone 4, although it is unclear why there are two new iPhone models in testing.

Last week, SFWeekly has published reports about how the iPad is helping children of autism. The publication visited the family of Leo Rosa, a nine-year old that suffers from autism. Despite his limitations, Leo is learning to communicate better with his family thanks to a new iPad.

Since the iPad’s unveiling in April, autism experts and parents have brought it into countless homes and classrooms around the world. Developers have begun pumping out applications specifically designed for users with special needs. Through the devices, some of these children have been able to communicate their thoughts to adults for the first time. Others have learned life skills.

For Leo, the introduction of the iPad into the family home has been life-changing. Leo’s mother won the iPad in a school raffle for $5. She stated:“With the iPad, Leo electrifies the air around him with independence and daily new skills”.

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.

Recently released Apple's rechargeble batteries were found to have many of the same characteristics as the Sanyo Eneloop model HR-3UTG batteries first developed in 2005 and launched for sale in 2006. Both batteries retain over 75% of their charge after three years of use. In addition to having identical performance, the Sanyo rechargeables also have the same minimum capacity of 1900 mAh. Moreover, Apple's new rechargeable batteries do not offer any indication of who manufactured them.

Experts took apart one of the AA batteries from Apple, but did not find any evidence on the inside that they are manufactured by Sanyo. The batteries are the first Apple’s product, which doesn’t have an Apple logo on them. In fact, the only thing known about these batteries is what that they were made in Japan. Sanyo's corporate headquarters is in Japan, and its Eneloop batteries are manufactured also in Japan.

And batteries have almost similar prices: Apples batteries retail for $29 and Sanyo Eneloop – for about $22.

Apple has not commented this situation.

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.

This Tuesday well-known blogger John Gruber posted a note on his Daring Fireball blog, where he said that the upcoming tablet device from Dell called Streak will cost $550 (without a contract from AT&T) and that new iPod touch will have new features that Streak doesn't have.

"That's almost twice as much as a good iPod touch, and if you wait a few weeks to buy the Touch, you'll get one with a Retina Display and dual cameras. If Dell can't make an iPod touch competitor, who can?"

Though Gruber did not say whether he obtained this information from his sources or not, previous rumors confirm that the next-gen iPod touch will support FaceTime (which requires two cameras).