Last night Apple sent invitations to various journalists worldwide for the iPhone 5 launch, iCloud and iOS 5 presentation.
The image above could be found in the invitation, making space for a lot of speculation. Experts are already analyzing every detail of the symbolism behind the icons and their placement. Of course nobody knows exactly what Apple wanted to say but some things are certain: IOS 5, iCloud and at least a new iPhone model will be presented at the conference. Now let's talk about what we can expect fro iPhone 5 launch presentation.
The highlight of the conference on 4 October will be the launch of iPhone 5. It is rumored that the device will have a 4 inch screen, A5 processor just like iPad 2, 1 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB RAM and graphics capabilites 9 times more powerful than the iPhone 4, 8 megapixel camera capable of shooting HD 1080p format, a new design and perhaps a younger brother named iPhone 4S. I've posted rumors about the internal components and I think that iPhone 5 will contain everything I have presented above, except of course the 4 inch screen. Regarding the price of the new device, you can expect to pull out of pockets around $ 700 / 800 for 16 GB version.
ps. Enjoy an interpretation of the image found in the invitation for the iPhone 5 launch presentation:
The Clock icon — “The hands of the clock are pointing at both the number 10 and the number 12. Actually, the second hand is also pointing at the number 12. Add those numbers up — 12 + 12 + 10 — and you get the number 34. This is very telling … Steve Jobs’ birth mother Joanne Simpson was remarried to George Simpson when she was 34 years old, which proves that the government is covering up everything that happened at Area 51 in 1966. But I digress. There’s a progression there. 3 … 4 … 5! Yes! The iPhone 5 will be announced!”
The Maps icon — “280 in the shield on this icon is an obvious indication that iOS 5 will be released and has 280 new or improved features. The meaning of the intersection of the yellow and orange lines is also obvious to anyone with half a brain — it means that Apple’s new products will come in two colors, orange and yellow. The red pin signifies that this icon might fall off of the web page and someone stuck a pin into it to keep that from happening.”
The Phone icon — “Ah, yes, the number 1. It can mean many things. One is the loneliest number, and its location on the upper right-hand corner of the icon has special meaning. That points to the northeast, and in the olden days of America, that’s where witches were burned — in the northeast part of the country. It is obvious to anyone that there is magic and witchcraft involved in the design of the new phones. The green pinstripes on the background portend an event where all of the Apple executives will be wearing suits. The white phone icon even has deep meaning. Note that it looks exactly like a silhouette of a fetus, which points to the birth of a new era of technology, cheap beer, and world peace.”
After much anticipation, the largest online retailer finally released Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet, a 7-inch tablet with Android operating system and top specifications.
The new Kindle will have a 7-inch screen wired with IPS LCD technology (plus a layer of Gorilla Glass), dual-core processor and only 414 grams! The price is also very competitive: $199. Let's not forget that the main competitor, iPad 2 have a price around $ 499. Unfortunately this model will not feature 3G (WiFi only).
Amazon' Kindle Fire will have no microphone and no camera (which explains lack of 3G). It seems that Amazon wants to provide a tablet at the lowest price possible. If you buy the Amazon Kindle Fire you'll get a trial subscription for a period of 30 days to Amazon Prime.
Regarding OS, as we expect, we have Android Market, Kindle books, magazines. All these can be stored online for free through Amazon Cloud Storage. The producers say that Kindle Fire is able to store even movies. When you get home, you can continue to watch the rest of the movie on your TV set. How cool is that..!?
Even if we were told that Android operating system is present, the interface looks like nothing we have seen before. In my opinion it resembles iOS but we need to expect a review before we can decide. The preorders started today, so hurry up!
Motorola will launch XOOM 2 tablet - thinner and more powerful than its predecessor (Xoom 1) was. Xoom 2 is named after its predecessor and is meant to be a substitute for e-reader.
According to various sources, the new tablet from Motorola will "come to his feet". It seems that they favor the vertical design, and this arrangement can be seen easily with the placement of the front camera.
The tablet will be thinner and it will have a smaller screen than expected: 8.2 inch HD IPS and it weights around 430 grams. According to ThisIsMyNext site (TIMNE), Xoom 2 wants to replace the nowadays e-reader and has "on board" IR remote control and subwoofer. TIMNE argues that the classic version will have a 1.2 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and can record HD video in 1080p.
Two months ago Samsung managed to sell in 85 days over five million smartphones Galaxy S II, substantially exceeding the first model. Now, after two months, the success of new mobile phone has not dropped at all, being in total sold over ten million terminals.
In comparison, Apple has sold twice as many iPhones. But I'm sure they will feel threatened by the new device, and maybe they will find a patent violation for the gadget, leading to soft processes and new prohibitions (hopefully not).
A study by Prosper Mobile shows that most rich Americans prefer BlackBerry despite the fact that iPhone is the market leader in US.
A U.S. survey of smartphone users divided by revenue showed that the BlackBerry is still rich's phone in the United States of America. Thus people with incomes over 110,000 were called rich, 11.3% of them preferred the BlackBerry. Ranked second among preferences among rich people with 10.9% is iPhone and Android came 3rd with just 7.2 percent.
Another category is that of wealthy people with average income between 75,000 and 100,000 $$$ per year. And here BlackBerry is the leader again with 21.2 percent followed by iPhone with 19.1%. The poorest are all gathered around Android phones with 15 percent.
Finally, in the category of people who earn modest 50,000 to 75,000 per year between leader is followed by iPhone with 19.6%, BlackBerry and finally Android. Only people who earn less than 55,000 euros per year prefer Android, study says.
This is the newest future car presented at Frankfurt Motor Show. The Peugeot HX-1 plug-in hybrid features gullwing doors and a unparalleled design the called “the first diesel hybrid in the world.”
Peugeot alleges its purpose with this concept car was to produce a product that employs plug-in hybrid technology and can still have sporty performance while maintaining fuel efficiency. The French auto manufacturer is getting ingenious with this concept design, with 2.2-liter HDi diesel engine “Hybrid4″ engineering comprising of a diesel engine powering the front wheels while an electric engine powers the rear wheels.
This is a less complicated method of bearing plug-in hybrid power, contrary to hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic hybrid which expend a combination of an electric motor and internal combustion engine enforced simultaneously on the car’s front wheels.
After the World Health Organization announced that mobile phones cause cancer, cnetfrance.fr site quoted by various blogs published a list of index radiation emitted by the most popular phones, which represents the maximum level of RF emitted by phone when used at full capacity. The value is expressed in watts / kilogram.
Phones that have the highest index of radiation, according to citated sources are:
1. Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro 1,61 W/kg 2. Sony Ericsson Satio 1,58 W/kg 3. BlackBerry Curve 9300 1,45 W/kg 4. BlackBerry Bold 9780 1,11 W/kg 5. Sony Ericsson Yendo 1,07 W/kg 6. Nokia C6 1,05 W/kg 7. Sony-Ericsson Vivaz 1,04 W/kg 8. Nokia N8 1,02 W/kg 9. BlackBerry Curve 8520 1,02 W/kg 10. Nokia 7230 0,97 W/kg
Phones with the lowest index of radiation are:
1. Samsung Galaxy S 0,23 W/kg 2. Samsung Galaxy S 2 0,33 W/kg 3. HTC Desire S 0,35 W/kg 4. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 0,36 W/kg 5. Samsung Nexus S 0,50 W/kg 6. HTC 7 Mozart 0,53 W/kg 7. LG Optimus 2X P990 0,54 W/kg 8. Apple iPhone 4 0,59 W/kg 9. Samsung Wave 2 0,62 W/kg 10. Samsung Player 5 0,63 W/kg 11. 10 bis. HTC HD2 0,63 W/kg
It's really interesting to see that Samsung Galaxy S 2 it's on the lower part of this top. How about that?
DailyMail informs that Apple plans to block recording function of the iPhone during concerts. This means that if you're at a concert and try to video record, the camera phone will turn off automatically. Giant Apple said that they are working on the necessary software. iPhone will "feel" when the phone is used to film a concert and will block the action.
When the iPhone is headed to the concert stage or a field on a sports arena match, it will trigger a series of sensors that will shut the camera device.
However, the remaining functions will go smoothly. The reason Apple has resorted to using this software is that most concert organizers are upset on users who upload videos on Youtube, given that television rights are bought.
BenQ P1410 is the most powerful compact camera that manufacturer in Taiwan is currently propose - dedicated to young audiences who wants quality photos.
Amazing Corona Golden Ring design, the device comes equipped with a 14 megapixel sensor and a host of advanced features including a 7x optical zoom, anti shake system and a dual LED back light display 3.0 "(7, 62cm) with a resolution of 460,000 pixels (960x480).
28mm wide lens fitted for this model offers a 7x optical zoom, despite a thickness of only 19mm. This feature allows for portrait shots even when the subject is located at a distance of 15 meters from the photographer.
Another novelty is that P1410 brings a stabilization system that combines the optical stabilization software for sharp images taken when moving.
BenQ P1410 now includes a photographic effect specific to professional cameras, Toy Mode, in addition to already well-known effects BenQ: LOMO, Color Accent and Fisheye.
I know this is not of general interest, but I searched today for a Motorola L6 USB cable driver for hours and I just want to help those who are looking for the driver and can't find it. Download Motorola L6 USB Cable DriverAlternative link
The frenzy with the launch the first pre-beta build of Windows 8 almost passed and it's time to discuss things that are truly important regarding this historical movement of Microsoft and what impact will this have on the market, on hardware and user perception.
Metro Interface
The most visible change that is observed is related to the metro interface concept (already present on the Windows platform Phione 7). Instead of the classic Start menu that is present in Windows for more than 15 years Microsoft presents a new concept: tile sites. Static icons are replaced by tile s, of fixed size that can aggregate more information for the user to see instantly what is happening with his application - eg module brings real-time weather forecast information.
Enhanced touch interface
Finally, after many unsuccessful Microsoft attempts to join the fight for tablets market. Metro is an interface built specifically for the exclusive use of touch and the experience is exceptional! And very easily get used to it.
Multiplatform, multiformat
The fact that the same version of Windows can run on ARM processors or on a variety of other devices, regardless of size, shape or screen resolutions opens tremendous opportunities for developers: they can write one application which will then run on a similar high variety of devices without rewriting and recompiling needed.
Microsoft did not say it clearly, but it's obvious: Windows 8 is made for tablets. That's the reason I trully believe that when launched, Windows 8 will run only Metro and metro apps. But time will tell...
Cloud Synchronization
Who chooses to use a Live ID account will automatically be synchronized with cloud operating system settings and applications.
No maximize / minimize and resizing windows
Metro runs all applications in full screen that is no longer bothered by menus and scroll bars. Information can be easily arranged and accessed. There is however a way to run multiple applications in Metro main screen: the multitasking option, similar to what's on Honeycomb but done better.
2012 is almost here so we need to be prepared. Here are some of the coolest gadgets that will be released in 2012 (some presented at IFA Berlon 2011).
Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet
With only 7.89 millimeters thick and weighing 335 grams, the Galaxy 7.7 presents users with a Super AMOLED display that offers high contrast and accurate viewing experience, allowing a wider variety of colors, with better separation between light and shade tones. The battery will last up to 10 hours.
LG Smartscan mouse
The new mouse from LG has a built scanner. All you need to do is press the Smart Scan button located on the left side of the mouse device and roll over the material they want to scan. The scanned image can then be saved in the desired format (PNG, JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PDF, XLS or DOC) or placed in a document or an application with drag & drop. The technology involves a proprietary optical character recognition to convert scanned text to a Microsoft Word document that can be edited if desired. This 2-in-1 device can scan A3 pages.
Sony 3D viewer
One of the most futuristic devices presented at the IFA is "Personal 3D Viewer" from Sony. It is mounted on the head and gives the user a new style of 3D viewing experience. Sony 3D viewer consists of two different displays, one for the left eye and one for the user's right eye. To provide an experience full surround-sound device incorporates headphones.
VIERA Neo Plasma Panasonic: 2D to 3D conversion
The new Panasonic Viera range Neoplasms technology provides an excellent conversion from 2D to 3D image. The newLineis distinguished,are equippedwithtechnologyInfiniteBlackPanelPro,THXcertificationfortheir2D to3Dplaybackandcan connect tocertain Internet contentviaVIERAConnect.Moreover, theyareWi-Fiready(via USB)andDLNAcertification,offersthe possibility of makingvideo callsvia Skype, andcanplaybackpictures and videosthanks toVIERAImageViewer.
I'm into video games so you can imagine how I feel when I see what this has in his living room. Hydraulics, steering wheel, few beers and the party can start!
Men of science at Intel developed a new project involving an experimental CPU that may conduct to gadgets and computers with importantly lower energy usage.
The chip is codenamed “Claremont” and is acknowledged as a near-threshold voltage processor, which grants electronic transistors to engage at super-low, near “verge” emfs to increase efficiency and diminish energy consumption. This degree is very close to the electric potential at which transistors turn on and start conducting current (“threshold” voltage). This brings a 500% increase in energy efficiency.
In the presentation, the prototype low-power CPU was exploited on a PC running Linux Operating System, powered exclusively off a photovoltaic cell the size of a stamp. The CPU was utilized in alignment with other experimental project, a prototype DRAM named the hybrid memory cube (ultra-effective computer memory interface).
“We used a solar cell in the demonstration to show how little power was required,” said Intel spokeswoman Connie Brown in an interview. “But it could run on anything that has power.” Like lemon juice, or perhaps a potato as Brown suggested. “The key message is the low power and how much more transistors would be power-efficient running at near-threshold.”
Numerous years of exploring unknown territories in research have conducted to Intel’s near-threshold voltage-processor design. Claremont changes into NTV mode (under 10 mW in power consumption) when its workload is light.
This implies, besides powering off entirely, a CPU can remain in an “ultra low-power state,” conserving open applications and active processes — “always-on” devices. The technology could even be applied to produce “zero-power” computer architectures powered by solar power. The future is bright!
If you are a big fan of "Back the the future" movies you'll love these. Power Laces prototype is a project started by these guys. As you can see, the shoes look just like the ones in the movie. As you can read on their site, all the proceeds will go to Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research.
You should be really happy because SanDisk just announced that 64GB memory card. Now you can add more memory to your phone with the 64GB MicroSDXC memory card. They say the new card will be faster than most actual phone and tablet memory cards, with Class 6 speeds of up to 30MB/sec.
Before buying it be sure your phone has a SDXC-compatible slot. MicroSDXC is a fresh standard declared in 2009 to allow mini memory cards to suport up to 2TB of memory. The 64GB SanDisk card will be available in October.
First of all you should know that this iPhone 5 is just a concept design. I'm sure the official release will not include the holographic display. There have been a lot of rumors regarding the subject, so it's cool to see something that will not be included for sure.
iPhone 5 rumored specs:
Faster, multi-Core processor
NFC technology makes iPhone your iWallet
Better camera, 1080p video recording
LTE 4G speeds
iPhone 5 will be considerably thinner and somewhat wider than the current mode
from HMB-TEC: Put an iPocketFan In Your Pocket. The “Summer Hit of 2011″. Hot days happen. Be cool with the iPocketFan, a pleasant, fresh breeze from the iPhone. Use our little mini-fan for office, club, holiday, car, beach, events, whenever it’s hot. Simply plug into the headphone jack, run the iPocketFan App from the App Store, and enjoy feeling fresh.
Technical Specifications of the HMB-TEC ® Real Pocket Fan Plug: • No battery required • Max. 10mA current consumption • Power from headphone jack • 100Hz AC • Ipocket Fan App in the App Store
HMB-TEC of Germany has created an eclectic and eccentric collection of hardware gadgets that plug into the 3.5mm headphone jack of an iPhone, and couple with their apps.
Among the devices they make are a heart monitor, microphone, thermometer, stethoscope, pocket fan, oscilloscope, laser pointer, flashlight, breath controller, all sorts of remote control devices, and much more. German ingenuity and engineering leads the way again. The accessories cost from between $20 to $90 US, excluding shipping. The accompanying apps cost between $1 to $5.
1) Nature versus Nurture. His sister is Mona Simpson but he didn't know it until he was an adult. Mona Simpson was one of my favorite novelists from the late 80s. Her first novel, Anywhere but Here, was about her relationship with her parents. Which, ironically, were Steve Jobs' parents. But since Steve Jobs was adopted (see below), they didn't know they were brother-sister until the 90s when he tracked her down. It's proof (to an extent) of the nature versus nurture argument. Two kids, without knowing they were brother and sister, both having a unique sensibility of life on this planet to become among the best artists in the world in completely different endeavors. And, to me it was great that I was a fan of both without realizing (even before they realized) that they were related.
2) His father's name is Abdulfattah Jandali. If you had to ask me what Steve Jobs' father's name was I never in one zillion years would've guessed that and that Steve Jobs biologically was half Syrian Muslim. For some reason I thought he was Jewish. Maybe it's because I wanted to be him so I projected my own background onto him. His parents were two graduate students who I guess weren't sure if they were ready for a kid so put him up for adoption and then a few years later had another kid (see above). So I didn't know he was adopted. The one requirement his biological parents had was that he be adopted by two college-educated people. But the couple that adopted him lied at first and turned out not to be college educated (the mom was not a high school graduate), so the deal almost fell through until they promised to send Steve to college. A promise they couldn't keep (see below). So despite many layers of lies and promises broken, it all worked out in the end. People can save a lot of hassle by not having such high expectations and overly ambitious worries in the first place.
3) He made the game "Breakout." If there was one thing I loved almost as much as the games on the Apple II+, it was playing Breakout on my first-generation Atari (I can't remember, was that the Atari 2600?). And then Breakout on every version of my Blackberry since 2000. If he had never done anything else in life and I had met him and he said, "I'm the guy who made Breakout," I would've said, "you are the greatest genius of the past 100 years." Funny how things turn out. He went on from Atari to form Apple. Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari, went to form the greatest restaurant chain in the history of mankind: Chuck E. Cheese.
4) He denied paternity on his first child, claiming he was sterile. The mother had to initially raise the kid using welfare checks. I have no judgment on this at all. Raising kids is hard. And when you have a kid you feel like this enormous energy and creativity you have for the world is going to get misdirected into a... little baby (Jobs' parents must've felt that way as well. Like father, like son). Heck, I originally wanted my first kid to be aborted. But people change, mature, grow up. Eventually Jobs became a good father. And that's what counts in the end. Much worse if it was the reverse. I didn't know this either: that the Lisa computer (the "Apple III") was named after this first child.
5) He's a pescetarian. In other words, he eats fish but no other meat. And he eats anything else a vegetarian eats (including eggs and dairy). I think from now on I'm going to be a pescetarian, just because Steve Jobs is one. Except when I'm in Argentina. In Argentina you have to eat steak. Ted Danson and Mary Tyler Moore consider themselves pescetarians. Somehow, even the world "pescetarian" seems like it was invented in California.
6) He doesn't give any money to charity. And when he became Apple's CEO he stopped all of their philanthropic programs. He said, "wait until we are profitable". Now they are profitable, and sitting on $40b cash, and still not corporate philanthropy. I actually think Jobs is probably the most charitable guy on the planet. Rather than focus on which mosquitoes to kill in Africa (Bill Gates is already focusing on that), Jobs has put his energy into massively improving quality of life with all of his inventions. People think that entrepreneurs have to some day "give back". This is not true. They already gave at the office. Look at the entire iPod/Mac/iPhone/Disney ecosystem and ask how many lives have benefited directly (because they've been hired) or indirectly (because they use the products to improve their quality of life). As far as I know, Jobs has never even commented about his thoughts on charity. Good for him. As one CEO of a (currently) Fortune 10 company once told me when I had my hand out for a charitable website, "Screw charity!"
7) He lied to Steve Wozniak. When they made Breakout for Atari, Wozniak and Jobs were going to split the pay 50-50. Atari gave Jobs $5000 to do the job. He told Wozniak he got $700 so Wozniak took home $350. Again, no judgment. Young people do things. Show me someone who says he's been honest from the day he was born and I'll show you a liar. It's by making mistakes, having fights, finding out where your real boundaries in life are, that allow you to truly know where the boundaries are.
8) He's a Zen Buddhist. He even thought about joining a monastery and becoming a monk. His guru, a Zen monk, married him and his wife. When I was going through some of my hardest times my only relief was sitting with a Zen group. Trying to quiet the mind to deal with the onrush of non-stop pain that was trying to invade there. The interesting thing about Jobs being a a Zen Buddhist is that most people would think that serious Buddhism and being one of the wealthiest people in the world come into conflict with each other. Isn't Buddhism about non-attachment? Didn't Buddha himself leave his riches and family behind? But the answer is "no". It's normal to pursue passions and outcomes, but just not to become overly attached to those outcomes. Being happy regardless of the outcome. A great story is the Zen master and his student walking by a river. A prostitute was there and needed to be carried over the river. The Zen master picked her up and carried her across the river and then put her down. Then the master and student kept walking. A few hours later the student was so agitated he finally had to ask, "Master, how could you touch and help that prostitute! That's against what we believe in!" And the Master said, "I left her by the river. Why are you still carrying her?"
9) He didn't go to college. I actually didn't know this initially. Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are the famous college dropouts that I knew about. But apparently Steve Jobs went to Reed College for one semester and then dropped out. I guess you don't need college to program computers, make computers, build businesses, make movies, manage people, etc. (Of course, you can see all my other posts on why kids should not go to college.)
10) Psychedelics. Steve Jobs used LSD at least once when he was younger. In fact, he said about the experience, it was "one of the two or three most important things I have done in my life." Apple's slogan for many years was "Think Different". Maybe using a drug which tore him from the normal frame of reference taught him how to look at problems from such a unique perspective. I don't think LSD is for everyone, but when you combine it with the innate genius the man had, plus the many ups and downs that he experienced, plus the Zen Buddhism and all of the other things above, it's quite possible it all adds up to the many inventions he's been able to produce.
Steve Jobs' story is filled with nuance and ambiguity. People study Steve Jobs by looking at his straightforward business successes. Yes, he started Apple in a garage. Yes, he started Pixar and almost went broke with it. Yes, he started and sold Next and he was fired as CEO of Apple, and blah blah blah. But none of that will ever explain the man behind the genius. None of that will explain all the products he invented that we use today. None of that will tell us about the iPad, Toy Story, the MacBook Air, the Apple II+, etc. A man's successes can be truly understood only if we can count his tears. And unfortunately in the case of Steve Jobs, that is one task that's impossible.
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