Tag Archives: Ios5

Apple Introduces New iPod Touch, iPod Nano, and iPod Shuffle Media Players

At San Francisco California, Apple has just introduced a new line of iPod devices, including a powerful iPod Touch, a redesigned iPod Nano and a new version of the tiny iPod Shuffle.

iPod Touch:

The fifth-gen iPod touch player appears to be one of the most impressive products that has ever hit the market.

This new iteration boasts that same gorgeous4-inch display (326 ppi panel) the new iphone 5 packs, while the structure itself is nothing but amazing. Only 88 grams (3.1 ounces) of heft behind it and it just 6.1mm thin. As far as architecture goes, the new Touch will sport an A5 chip inside, that is guaranteed to give you roughly seven times the graphics performance (compared to Apple’s previous model).

The built-in battery was also upgraded. When fully charged, it seems to last at least 8 hours of video broadcast or 40 hours of music playback.

The rear camera has been bumped up to 5 megapixels, alongside a backside-illuminated sensor and an f/2.4 lens aperture. There’s also support for 1080p video playback / recording, in addition to the new and highly efficient image stabilization factor. The front facing camera of the Touch holds the 720p resolution.

We’ve also learned that the one strange silver button on the back of the Touch was added in order to hook up a safety lanyard onto the body. OK, whatever. Fortunately, there are some positive news for us software aficionados, as the new player said to support Siri personal assistant, out of the box, and claimed to be shipped along with Apple’s latest and greatest iOS 6 platform.

Finally, the iPod Touch will be offered in a variety of colors, including raw aluminum, black, blue, yellow,and red. We’re also told that the rest of the system’s configuration is pretty respectable, with the new ipod Touch models to run you $299 and $399, housing either 32GB and 64GB, respectively.

More about the new lineup after the break.

Update: Looks like Apple’s new iPod touch, shuffle and nano players just went up on Amazon, so you can place your orders right away, with shipping to start in about 2 – 5 weeks.

iPod Shuffle:

A new version of the iPod shuffle was also recently announced. And while most of the the changes to this new iPod flavor are basically minor, we still thought they’re worth a mention. Well, as a matter of fact there is only one major change, and if you haven’t guessed by now, we’re talking about the colors. The new iPod shuffle will come in eight different colors. That three additional hues from the latest line of shuffles.

iPod Nano:

Apple says it wanted to “reinvent” the nano lineup for quite some time now, and that’s exactly what they’ve done. The new iPod nano (seventh-gen if you’re counting), like the Shuffle, will come in seven different colors. But if the colors weren’t enough, Apple was looking to give it a large display, some nice controls, a thin design and that same small 8-pin lightning connector. The results are pretty impressive, to say the least. The new and entirely revamped nano device holds a few physical controls along the chassis, while the 2.5-inch screen, on top of the DAP, is the biggest display the company ever put in a nano, and it’s covered with a multitouch interface. Oh, and there’s a home button, can you believe it? And it’s widescreen too. That’s nice and all, but at the end it’s the inner parts of the product that make it so special, and in this case, there is a bluetooth connection for pairing wireless headsets or cellphones, along with an FM radio tuner and a fitness pedometer. The average battery life is rated at about 30 hours for audio, with the standard capacity to sell for $149 and 16GB of storage.

 

[Apple]

Apple Announces The iPhone 5: 4-Inch Display, 8MP Camera, A6 Processor, LTE, Coming September 21

 

Today at Apple’s event the company announced the iPhone 5 which will be available for Pre Orders September 14th and goes on sale September 21th. As expected, all rumors confirmed this time, so no surprises at all. But before we get into the details, first some numbers from the Cupertino spreadsheet. According to Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, the company “sold more iPads than any PC manufacturer sold of their entire PC line.” And guys, we’re talking about 84 million pieces in here, where in the last quarter alone, Apple had already sold 17 million. That’s crazy!  As for the the iOS App Store, apparently it has just crossed the 700,000 apps, while 250,000 are iPad applications. Cook says that 400M iOS devices sold through June 2012, an incredible milestone for the CEO and the entire team.

Now that you know the numbers, let’s get to the juicy stuff. Apple’s Phil Schiller first words on stage were: “Today we’re introducing iPhone 5.” Of course you are, that’s what we’ve all been waiting for. But when the applause died down, we finally could get some info. So let’s break it down into specs:

The new iPhone 5 comes with a larger screen than previous versions, 4-inch at 1136 x 640 resolution (to be on the accurate side),  just as the mockups predicted. And yes, this is a 16:9 widescreen Retina panel we have inside, with 44% more color saturation, and full sRGB rendering support. And just to add another quote from Phil, “you see, we’re able to add a fifth row of icons.”

As for measures, the iphone 5 is only 7.6mm thick (about 18% thinner than the 4S ), and weighs 112 grams (which makes it 20% lighter).  Phil Schiller claims this is “the most beautiful product we have ever made.” And frankly speaking, it sounds too polished to live up to its competition. But hey, it is made completely out of glass and aluminum hardware.

 

Connectivity wise,  Apple is going to release the iPhone 5 with 4G LTE, supported by all three major U.S networks (Sprint, Verizon and AT&T). Other than that, there’s a dynamic “ultrafast wireless technology” under the lid, featuring the 5GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi support for a wireless experience up to 150 Mbps. Too bad there’s no NFC chip out of the box. Perhaps in iphone 6 (oh well). Yet, you can either choose between CDMA or GSM configuration, depends upon your mobile provider.

As it turns out, the rumors were true about that new A6 processor as well, which according to Apple is more energy efficient, 22% smaller, and two times faster in CPU and graphics performance.

The battery is one of Apple’s strongest components, in general, and the iPhone 5 is no different in that area.  The numbers tell the whole story: 8 hours on LTE, 10 hours of video playback, 40 hours of music, and 10 hours even when you wirelessly browsing.  Overall, you’re getting 225 hours at standby mode, which looks and sounds quite impressive!

Up next, are the camera shooters (called the iSight). Basically, we are looking at the same “things” we’ve been looking at before, in the previous model. In that regard, there’s a front-facing 720p webcam, alongside an 8-megapixel sensor on the back, shooting pictures at 3264×2248 with backside illumination, hybrid IR and an f/2.4 aperture. It definitely should be better, when you take everything into consideration. In fact, it is claimed to be 40%  faster when taking pictures. Not to mention the dynamic low light mode that is supposed to improve performance in low light conditions, and this uber cool Panorama mode, that will get you up to 28 megapixel of widescreen nature images. And then, there’s the 1080p video capturing element that comes native, as part of the deal.

So what else, you’re asking? There are three microphones in this monster, front, back, and bottom. While the new earpiece technology now includes noise canceling on your own audio out. And speaking about audio, Apple is now giving away a new set of earbuds, also known as the earpods. Apple’s guy said they’ve spent about 3 years in order to get to the new in-ear design, which ultimately gives you greater canal comfort . Interesting!

As for the cord, Apple has finally got rid of the good ‘ol 30 pin dock connector (not that we had any complaints about it), unveiling instead a newly designed 8-pin cable connector, dubbed the Lightning (a play on the Thunderbolt). This one is 80 percent smaller, in case you were wondering, but it will match your previous accessories with a $29 Lightning port adapter. Just another way for Apple to make some extra money on the side.

Then, there’s the iOS 6 on iPhone 5, which has over 200 new features, compared to iOS 5. Apple says it will go live Sep 19th, one week from today.

For those asking THE “how much do I have to spend” question, well, the short answer would probably be “same prices” no matter if you choose the black one or the white color. The long asnswer is the following:  $199 for 16 GB, $299 for 32 GB, $399 for 64 GB version, on a two-year contract. Regretfully, Apple discontinues the 3GS model, but keeps the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S as part of its lineup.

So yeah! This is pretty much it for now. You can jump on past the break, either read the full PR or take a look at the nifty videos below.

Update1: Prices of unlocked iPhone 5 mobile devices just showed up on Apple’s U.S online store. Here are your options: $649 (16GB), $749 (32GB) And $849 (64GB).

Update2: Apple has officially reported it sold over 2 million iphone 5 devices in the first 24 hours (long before the retail craziness begins). More than double the iPhone 4s opening weekend sales. A new record, for sure!

[Apple]

Continue reading Apple Announces The iPhone 5: 4-Inch Display, 8MP Camera, A6 Processor, LTE, Coming September 21

Apple Rolls Out iOS 5.1.1 Update For iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

Another day, another iOS update. This time, just a minor release from Apple that includes a number of bug fixes, HDR reliability improvement, a better Airplay video handling, a fix to the 2G/3G iPad issues and another one with the App Store notifications, where “Unable to purchase” alert could be displayed after successful purchase. The 5.1.1 version is also taking care of reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List and it is now available for Cupertino’s iDevices via iTunes or over-the-air. Happy downloads!

And just in case you were wondering, iOS 5.1.1 has already been jailbroken.

[Apple]

 

iOS 5.1.1

This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:

• Improves reliability of using HDR option for photos taken using the Lock Screen shortcut
• Addresses bugs that could prevent the new iPad from switching between 2G and 3G networks
• Fixes bugs that affected AirPlay video playback in some circumstances
• Improved reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List
• Fixes an issue where ‘Unable to purchase’ alert could be displayed after successful purchase

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

Apple’s iOS 5.0.1 is Officially Out, Fixes iPhone Battery Problems

Apple has just rolled out iOS 5.0.1  (build number 9A405) for its iDevices lineup, now available through your iTunes app. The new update, which many iphone 4s owners have been waiting for, fixes the pesky battery-draining problem that users were suffering from in iOS 5. In addition, the new release is offering a bug fix for uploading documents to the iCloud service and brings some new multitasking gestures for iPad’s first-gen. Happy updates!

Update: It’s a 790MB download if you’ll choose the iTunes path, or 44.6MB delta for those who will update wirelessly (OTA).

Apple iOS5 Now Officially Available

Apple has just pushed out iOS 5, one of its biggest updates ever, now available for download through your iTunes account, for  iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, third- and fourth-generation iPod touch, as well as both iPad 1 & iPad 2. iOS 5 includes more than 200 new features for your iDevices, among them: The notification center, iMessage, Newsstand, Reminders, integrated Twitter app, photo enhancements (plus grid & edit features), iCloud sync and backup for your mail/calender/contacts/notes/reminders etc. (you get 5GB of storage for FREE), WiFi sync capabilities, Airplay mirroring, multitasking gestures and more. In addition, Apple has also released iTunes 10.5 filled with iCloud support and plenty other goodies you will all get to try with iOS 5 on board. And speaking about the cloud, looks like iCloud.com is now officially LIVE and ready for use (in case you have iOS 5 or OS X  Lion client). Check out the video after the break.

Update: Apple has also released two new iOS apps, including AirPort Utility and Find My Friends, which can be downloaded via iCloud.

Continue reading Apple iOS5 Now Officially Available

Apple Announces New iPhone 4S: 8MP Camera, A5 Dual-Core Chip, Siri Intelligent Voice Assistant, Coming October 14

apple-iphone4s-mobile

At the “Let’s Talk iPhone” event in Cupertino, Apple officially introduces its iPhone 4S, an upgrade to the iPhone 4 with the “S” mark stands for Speed (Or Super Man, your call). The 4S will run on HSDPA network (dual CDMA / GSM) and will launch on October 14 in the US (Canada, Australia, UK, France, Germany, and Japan), priced at $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB and $399 for 64GB, while orders start October 7th.

The new iPhone 4S will sport a rear eight-megapixel camera  (capable of 3264-by-2448 pixel resolution) with a backlit sensor, a DSLR lens mount, and last but not least: 1080p HD recording. Besides that, it boasts 1GB RAM (vs. the 512mb on the iphone 4), a powerful dual-core A5 processor, a 7x times faster graphics integration and finally, and maybe a little disappointing, the same concept/design of the good ‘ol iphone 4.

What else inside, you’re asking? Well, it has that same stunning 3.5-inch Retina display up front, paired with the nice and fragile glass cover on the back, a built-in Wifi connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0 +A2DP, a battery that delivers impressive 8 hours of 3G talk time, 6 hours of 3G browsing, 10 hours of video playback and up to 40 hours in music mode.

Software wise, the iPhone 4S will run Apple’s latest and greatest iOS 5 platform which will be released, free of charge, on October 12th, along with other cool features such as AirPlay mirroring, Notifications center, Reminders, the iMessages, a Newsstand app, and the big daddy of them all – iCloude support. The 4S is also the first iDevice to run Siri, your personal intelligent voice assistant that lets you ask any question about weather forecast, directions, technological issues, restaurants recommendations and more – Compatible with English French and German languages in the Beta stage – Or set up calender meetings, voice-to-text messages, alarms, different kind of web searches/activities and many other options on board.

Apple also plans an 8 GB iPhone 4 that will be launched at the same day for $49.99(!), replacing the iPhone 3GS that will be offered for nothing but $0 at the entry level point.

Make sure you checkout the Official iPhone 4S/Siri introduction videos after the break, along with the full PR announcement and a comparison table between the new 4S device and its twin brother – iphone 4.

Update1: Whether it’s the Steve Jobs effect or the iphone 4S attraction, one thing’s for sure – the iphone 4S mobile device is already a hit. According to the latest news, the Cupertino giant has already received over 200,000 AT&T pre-orders in the first 12 hours of online availability (since October 7), which means the entire first iphone 4s U.S online stock is GONE and it would probably take one or two weeks of shipping for those who aim for a second round of orders. That’s crazy! To say the least.

Update2: And to be even more precised, Apple has just issued a new press release announcing even more staggering numbers – Over one million pre-orders for the iPhone 4S in 24 hours. Wow. Almost twice the previous single-day iphone 4 selling record of 600,000.  Full PR after the break.

 

[Apple]

Continue reading Apple Announces New iPhone 4S: 8MP Camera, A5 Dual-Core Chip, Siri Intelligent Voice Assistant, Coming October 14