Home Page

Foursquare is about getting points for grabbing dinner, not enjoying the food. Nike+ puts the emphasis on a leader board, not a leaner you. And now Badgeville wants to turn the entire internet into a game. This is really awful. More »

In a new research note provided to MacRumors, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that Apple is scheduled to send the golden master version of iOS 5 to its iPhone and iPod touch assembling partners during the timeframe of September 23rd through 30th, suggesting a launch for the new hardware around mid-October once the assemblers have had time to install the software on already-produced hardware and ship it out. The claims are in line with other reports suggesting that Apple will debut the next iPhone around the middle of next month.


Back panel from prototype N94 iPhone
Perhaps more interestingly, Kuo specifically tells us that he has seen no evidence of the rumored redesigned "iPhone 5" in the supply chain. Instead, his sources point to the "N94" iPhone that has been popularly referred to as the "iPhone 4S" as the sole new iPhone model set to ship, with Apple planning for 30 million units through the end of the year. Apple is also planning production of an additional 5 million units of the existing iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS models as it transitions to the new model.

While many have been holding out for a significantly redesigned iPhone 5 offering a thinner, tapered profile as shown in third-party cases supposedly based on leaked design documents, essentially no evidence for such a model has surfaced in the form of parts leaks or other details. While some have suggested that the N94 is a decoy/scrapped/backup model and that Apple is keeping the redesigned model under tighter wraps, Kuo is not seeing signs of such a model anywhere in Apple's supply chain.

As for the N94 iPhone, Kuo also shares a few details on the device:

- 512 MB of RAM: This is to be expected, as the next iPhone should be using the same A5 chip found in the iPad 2, which does in fact offer 512 MB of RAM.
- Camera module height "almost same" as in iPhone 4: Camera thickness is the major limiting factor for overall device thickness, meaning that the next iPhone is not likely to be significantly thinner than the iPhone 4. Sony is said to have started shipping camera sensors to Apple's manufacturers back in July, with OmniVision coming online to assist in September or October.
- 3.5-inch display: A number of rumors have claimed that Apple will be using a larger display for the new iPhone, but Kuo's sources indicate the screen will be the same size as that found in the iPhone 4.
- Glass front and back: Although not 100% confident on this item, Kuo's sources suggest that Apple will continue to utilize the same basic design of the iPhone 4, with glass on both the front and back of the device.
- Manufacturing shares: Foxconn is scheduled to handle 85% of the production load for the new iPhone, with Pegatron taking the remaining 15%. As previously noted, Pegatron will be a bit slower to ramp up production, and will primarily be supplying Apple's Asia-Pacific markets.

As for the next-generation iPod touch, Kuo sees very few enhancements over the current fourth-generation models. The most visible change will be the addition of white models, with Apple said to be targeting production at a 60-40 split between black and white for both the iPhone and iPod touch. The iPod touch is said to be set to see a major redesign for the 2012 release.


Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Sprint Blacking Out Employee Vacations for First Half of October?
• Lowe's to Deploy 42,000 iPhone 4 Devices to Stores
• Dropbox May Have Declined $800 Million Acquisition Offer from Apple
• LG Resolves Quality Issues with iPad 2 Display Production
• Conan Pokes Fun at Lost iPhone 5

If you don't count the HP startup screen, Windows 8 purportedly boots into a usable interface in just 2-seconds. Throw in the posting screen, and you'll be ready to go in under 10-seconds. Microsoft will officially reveal Windows 8 at its BUILD conference next week. Continue reading for the video.

Microsoft achieves this quick boot by writing the kernel sessions to disk, essentially putting the computer in hibernation mode rather than shutting it down completely. This improves boot time by 30-70% since the computer doesn't have to load all the drivers and services every time.

[via TechCrunch - image via]

Well, this news is a long time coming for most Star Trek Fans. Apparently, CBS is hard at work remastering the Next Generation as an HD offering, and will beam it to you via Netflix this fall. More »

RYNO has unveiled a limited edition, self-balancing unicycle that can travel up to 30-miles on a single charge, with a top speed of 20mph. Unfortunately, you'll have to shell out $25,000 for the privilege of owning one. Video after the break. Click here for more pictures.

RYNO Motors is in the middle of building a series of 50 hand built limited edition pre-production bikes. These numbered bikes will have all the features of our production bike and be accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity.

[via Technabob]

A source for TechCrunch has handed them a little more info about Facebook's planned new role as music's connective tissue. In a nutshell, you'll be able to share what you're streaming across whatever service, be it MOG or Spotify, you use. That's huge. More »

That's right, the very first pair of Nike AIR MAG shoes sold for a whopping $37,500 to 22-year-old British rapper Tinie Tempah. Fortunately, "all the proceeds will go to charity." Videos after the break. Click here for more pictures.

[via Buzzfeed - Kicksonfire - TMZ]

We have seen the future of sport compacts, and it's the Toyota FT-86 II, or at least once the production model is released. Unfortunately, there's no word yet on what upgrades enthusiasts can expect. Video after the break. Click here for more pictures.

[via Autoblog]

Adobe yesterday announced the release of Flash Media Server 4.5 and Flash Access 3.0, updated tools to allow publishers to host streaming Flash video content. As noted by Computerworld, the release includes a new solution to allow Flash content to be repackaged and streamed to iOS devices, which famously do not support Flash Player directly.

"With Adobe Flash Media Server 4.5, media publishers now have a single, simple workflow for delivering content using the same stream to Flash-enabled devices or to the Apple iPhone and iPad."

In other words, Adobe's solution repackages content in real-time, changing the protocol to suit the target device, HTTP Dynamic Streaming or HLS, for example. This should mean that iOS devices will get much of the advantages of Flash video support, without the processor degradation and battery life cost of the format in use on other devices.

Consequently, as media publishers begin to adopt the new Adobe software, they will be able to easily deliver HTML5-compatible content to mobile devices alongside the traditional Flash Player content. Because the feature utilizes video streaming technology rather than running the Flash content directly on the device, it does not yet support interactive Flash content such as games and banner ads, but the ability to access streaming Flash video on iOS devices will certainly be a welcome addition for many users.

A number of media providers have of course already taken to providing HTML5 versions of their video content in order to bring compatibility to iOS devices, but direct integration of the functionality into Flash Media Server should simplify the process for those content providers who have invested in the platform.


Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Lowe's to Deploy 42,000 iPhone 4 Devices to Stores
• Dropbox May Have Declined $800 Million Acquisition Offer from Apple
• LG Resolves Quality Issues with iPad 2 Display Production
• Conan Pokes Fun at Lost iPhone 5
• Apple Again Tops J.D. Power Rankings of Smartphone Consumer Satisfaction

Rising up from the 9/11 Ground Zero World Trade Center site will be the world's greenest skyscraper complex. In addition to recycling rain water, these structures will feature sun-reactive dimming lights, hydrogen fuel cells for power generation, using the Hudson River to cool the WTC Transportation Hub, and building with 75 percent post-industrial recycled content. Click here for more pictures. Continue reading to watch the "Rebirth of Ground Zero".

Visitors to both the WTC buildings and the 9/11 Memorial will first pass through airport-style metal detectors and X-ray machines and have every bag, briefcase, and delivered parcel screened. Museum patrons won't even be allowed into the central plaza without passing security.

[via PopSci - Gizmodo]