Winamp update adds Mac support, $5 Pro version

We’re no fans of animal cruelty around here, but in at least one case, we’re in favor of whipping the llama. Classic media player Winamp has released version 1.2 for Android, bringing a host of improvements, most notably the ability to natively sync with Macs and iTunes. The feature is in beta, but you can try it out now – here’s the Android Market link.

Mac syncing uses the new Winamp for Mac Sync Beta, allowing wired and Wifi transfers of individual songs and playlists. Android users who have not yet torn themselves away from the scourge of iTunes can enable their bad habits by syncing iTunes libraries and playlists automatically. The software is in beta, so there may be some early issues, but considering that it’s a free download there’s no harm in trying.
Winamp is also releasing a Pro version, which (regrettably) requires a non-Market upgrade. Winamp for Android Pro includes a full equalizer, crossfade and other goodies, bringing it in line with the current favorite commercial app among audiophiles, PowerAMP. Other advanced features include full FLAC support, gapless playback, and personalized ShoutCast recommendations, not to mention an absence of mobile ads. The Pro version is a $4.99 upgrade, and you can reach the purchase page via the app’s internal menu.

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More trouble for Android, Apple granted Slide to Unlock patent

Today we have more news regarding some of those Apple patents. This morning after being filed way back in December of 2005, The US Patent & Trademark Office issued a patent grant to Apple regarding their familiar Slide to Unlock gesture. This has actually been officially granted to Apple, no longer is this pending, the deed is done.

We have seen plenty of news regarding Apple and patents already and this could be another major patent that we will be seeing lawsuits stem from in the near future. Apple’s lawyers have been busy, especially with Samsung phones and tablets, but things could get a bit more interesting now they’ve finally been granted a patent on this revolutionary “feature”.

Remember, this was a new feature and while unveiling the new iPhone to the world this is what we heard:

To unlock the phone, I just take my finger and slide it across. Wanna see that again? We wanted something you couldn’t do by accident in your pocket. Just slide it across – BOOM.”, Steve Jobs

For now we don’t really know what to expect from this grant, or what Apple will do with it but I have a feeling it wont be pretty. Android has a very very similar slide-to-unlock manor now, it’s still similar yet slightly changed in Ice Cream Sandwich but I’m not sure that will be enough to save it from a possible lawsuit. The course this will take on Android is unknown, but we will probably be hearing plenty here soon. For more information regarding the patents head to USPTO.gov search engine and look up patent number 7657849.
[via SlashGear]

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Aussie retailers skirt Apple injunction to sell Galaxy Tab 10.1

Apple won a major victory in its “thermonuclear war” with Android in Australia, where the civil court upheld a sales injunction against Samsung’s Galaxy Tab based on Apple’s practical and design patents. But the courts are no obstacle for the determined, and a collection of crafty online retailers are still selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 down under. Like Prohibition smugglers they get their stock from outside the continent and sell the tablets as import items, exploiting a loophole in Australian law.

Naturally Apple isn’t happy. The American company has forwarded copies of the injunction to eTail Solutions and and MobiCity, two of the online shops currently selling the contraband tablets. Other retailers currently offering the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to underserved Aussies include import specialist Expansys, Techrific, dMavo and eBay, though not all of these have been contacted by Apple. According to an eTail Solutions manager, to stop the sales Apple would have to also win an injunction against Samsung where the tablets are being imported from, in this case, Hong Kong.
Retailers are still prohibited from purchasing the tablets directly from Samsung, but Samsung is trying to overrule the courts’ ruling with an appeal. If that fails there isn’t a whole lot Samsung can do, since Apple has flat-out denied any sort of appeal. Similar cases between Apple and Samsung are being waged all over the world, with troubling developments here in the United States as the circuit judge in charge of the case declared Samsung in violation of some of Apple’s technical patents.

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Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Nexus

We see how the new Galaxy Nexus from Samsung holds up against Apple's updated iPhone 4S

We compare Apple’s new baby, the iPhone 4S, to Samsung’s latest Galaxy Nexus handset.

Form:
Samsung Galaxy Nexus - 135.5x67.9x8.9mm, 135g
Apple iPhone 4S - 115.2x58.6x9.3mm, 140g
The iPhone 4S hasn’t changed a bit from the previous iPhone 4 on the outside, it’s pretty much exactly the same.
For iPhone fans this isn’t too much of a problem but we’ve become rather bored of its plain design.
The Galaxy Nexus is the nicest looking Nexus phone so far as it’s been stretched out and enlarged compared to its predecessors.
In part this is to accommodate a large screen, but these larger proportions are more flattering and help the phone to avoid looking too ‘bubbly’.
Often with ‘softer’ handsets with an abundance of rounded corners and curved edges the look becomes boring or odd.
While the Galaxy Nexus may not be our favourite handset visually it’s a better looking phone than the iPhone 4S.
Winner – Samsung Galaxy Nexus

DisplayApple has been leading the pack for some time on display technology with its acclaimed Retina display, but the main problem has always been the limited size.
At 3.5-inches the iPhone 4S’ screen is certainly at the lower end of what many now expect from a full-sized smartphone.
The iPhone 4S uses an LED-backlit IPS TFT capacitive touchscreen at a resolution of 640x960 pixels, which gives a very high pixel density of 330 pixels-per-inch (ppi).
Display features include scratch-resistant glass with an oleophobic surface to repel fingerprints, as well as multi-touch input support, a three axis gyroscope sensor and an accelerometer.
Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus has one of the larger screens on the market at 4.6-inches but unlike many other large displays Samsung has managed to keep the pixel density at a high 316ppi thanks to an impressive screen resolution of 720x1280 pixels.
The Galaxy Nexus uses Samsung’s own Super Amoled technology and also features the same oleophobic coating, multi-touch input, accelerometer and gyro sensors as its rival.
Choosing a winner in this round is pretty difficult, both have impressively high pixel densities which are more or less unrivalled by other smartphones.
The iPhone 4S has the higher pixel density but the Galaxy Nexus makes up for it by having a much larger touchscreen than the iPhone’s rather small display.
Winner – Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Storage
Apple’s handset comes in three storage variants with a choice of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Any model you pick will have 512MB of RAM but true to form Apple hasn’t included a card slot on this device.
With the Galaxy Nexus there’s only the first two options for 16GB or 32GB of in-built capacity and like its opponent it has no card support. Samsung’s handset does better on RAM though with 1GB to help the processor.
This is a trade-off which depends on your preferences, a 64GB upper limit on the iPhone 4S is great, though it’ll cost you a pretty penny to get hold of this variant.
However, you lose out on RAM with Apple’s handset.
On the opposite end of the spectrum the Galaxy Nexus doesn’t have the lofty 64GB option, but 32GB is still a lot to play with and it has twice the RAM of the iPhone.
Winner - Draw


ProcessorIt’s dual core devices all round here, which is a first for an Apple phone, not so much for Samsung though which is why we feel the company could have pushed the boat out a bit more on the chipset and graphics processing unit (GPU).
Both are using ARM Cortex-A9 processors, the iPhone 4S is clocked at 1GHz while the Galaxy Nexus comes in at 1.2GHz.
The iPhone 4S uses Apple’s own A5 chipset and a PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU, a combination previously used in the iPad 2 to good effect.
Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus runs a TI OMAP 4460 chipset and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU, which while competent enough isn’t as highly powered as some other ‘premium’ Android phones such as the Galaxy S2, and the GPU is the same as one used in the previous Nexus S phone, which launched at the end of 2010.
The ace up iPhone’s sleeve is that, despite the Galaxy Nexus having an extra 200MHz on the clock, Apple is particularly adept at optimising its operating system to its processors and other hardware, so we should see some pretty slick performance just as we did on the iPad 2.
The Galaxy Nexus is sure to still power through things, however, though it has to be said it won’t blitz gaming and intensive multimedia as much as we hoped.
Winner - Draw

Operating SystemThe iPhone 4S is the debut device for Apple’s new iOS 5 operating system, while the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first handset to run Google’s new Android Ice Cream Sandwich platform, version 4.0.
iOS 5 has a number of new improvements, including the iMessage service, expanding messaging from just SMS and MMS text to include a BlackBerry Messenger style service between iPhones.
The browser has also been enhanced and is much faster, it also features some new viewing modes for either storing web pages to view later or stripping them down to raw text for easier reading.
Twitter has been more extensively integrated, though you still have to download and install it to take advantage of these features. There’s also the Newsstand app which aggregates all your newspaper and magazine subscriptions into one place and supports background downloads.
Unique to the iPhone 4S is the Siri Assistant, a voice operated assistant which can help you organise your calendar and allows you to set reminders, read text messages, reply, make phone calls and search for information.
Android Ice Cream Sandwich brings many of the changes made in the tablet-specific 3.0 Honeycomb to the smartphone platform.
This includes faster web browsing with smoother touch control and tab functionality, an enhanced Google voice search (though not as advanced as Siri), a completely re-designed interface and improved customisation, app switching and multi-tasking controls.
Both systems are the most advanced iterations we've seen from their respective developers so far, but we don’t feel one is necessarily better than the other, it’s a case of personal preference.
Winner - Draw

Camera
The Galaxy Nexus is a little disappointing when it comes to the camera as it only uses a 5-megapixel primary at 2592x1936 pixels.
Video capture is at 1080p and there’s a secondary 13-megapixel front-facing camera with video-call support.
It features an LED flash, autofocus, touch focus, geo-tagging and face detection.
Apple has upgraded the iPhone’s camera to an 8-megapixel primary at 3264x2448 pixels, but it’s not just the megapixel count and resolution which has been ramped up.
A fifth lens has been added and an improved aperture to allow in more light and improve photo quality.
The iPhone 4S supports video calling over Wi-Fi and features a front-facing VGA secondary camera.
It has an LED flash and video light, autofocus, touch focus, image and video stabilisation, face detection and geo-tagging.
Apple’s decision to upgrade the camera in the iPhone 4S means it wins this round easily against Samsung’s lacklustre offering.
Winner – Apple iPhone 4S

Final Thoughts
Both phones have decent specs and fit in nicely at the higher end of the current phone market, however, considering all the build up and hype neither are the ‘game changers’ we were expecting.
Both have processors which will handle most of what you can throw at them, although the Galaxy Nexus could have opted for better chipset and GPU architecture to make it a truly excellent smartphone.
The other area where the Galaxy Nexus lacks is the camera which just isn’t anywhere near good enough for a flagship device these days.
We’re disappointed that both handsets have rejected micro SD functionality, but both have considerable onboard storage space.
It might only be a problem having no card capability if you store a ton of music or eBooks but let’s face it this scenario is becoming increasingly the norm for many phone users.
Both displays are excellent, the iPhone has a higher pixel density but the Galaxy Nexus isn’t far behind and has a far larger screen with a higher resolution.
In conclusion, we're calling this one a draw but we feel that both are 'good enough' premium phones rather than anything exceptional.

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Steve Jobs had pledged “thermonuclear war” on Android

No matter what you think of Apple or the business practices the company uses, you have to admit that the firm makes some fantastic products in the smartphone and tablet range. I think no matter your smartphone of choice, we were all a little saddened by the passing of Jobs. Today we have learned from the AP via an early release copy of the biography on Steve Jobs that he was very set on destroying Android and Google.

According to the biography, Jobs had called Android a “grand theft” of iPhone technology and had vowed that he would go to “Thermonuclear war” to kill Android. According to the biography, Jobs had a meeting with Eric Schmidt when Schmidt was CEO of the search firm. Allegedly, in that meeting Jobs refused to consider any settlement of the suit between Apple and Google.
Jobs is said to have quipped that Apple had “plenty of money” and the only settlement he wanted was for Android to stop using Apple ideas. According to the biography Jobs said, “I want you to stop using our ideas in Android, that’s all I want.”

“I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple’s $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong … I’m going to destroy Android, because it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go thermonuclear war on this” Steve Jobs

[via SlashGear]

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Insiders claim Samsung smartphone sales topped Apple in Q3

I wonder if Apple will find a way to blame rumors for this one as it did for the missed expectations on its earnings for fiscal Q4. Insiders are claiming that Samsung actually sold more smartphones than Apple in Q3. These insiders are claiming that Samsung moved 20 million of its devices. Apple has previously confirmed that it moved 17.1 million iPhones.

Undoubtedly, the fact that consumers were holding off on buying the iPhone 4 led to the reduced shipments. Apple will surely have a bang up quarter with the iPhone 4S on the market now. The other issue with confirming this story is that Samsung doesn’t offer shipment numbers in its quarterly reports. That means other than the unnamed insiders we have no proof that Samsung actually shipped 20 million smartphones.
The numbers for Samsung seem believable enough though. Strategy Analytics has previously said that its estimates predicted Samsung shipped 12 million smartphones in Q1 2011 and then in Q2 it shipped 19 million. That 20 million number suddenly seems more believable. What do you think the odds of Samsung holding on to that lead are going into the current quarter? The iPhone 4S is now here and so is the Galaxy Nexus.
[via SlashGear]

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Samsung: Galaxy Nexus was designed to avoid Apple’s lawyers

Now that the Galaxy Nexus has finally been unveiled to the world, Samsung has admitted that the device was specifically designed with the thought of bypassing Apple patents to help avoid those lawyers we’ve seen so much from as of late. Talking to Yonhap News, mobile president Shin Jong-kyun mentioned the company “will avoid everything we can” and that they “take patents very seriously” and that obviously given the complexity of those situations nothing is certain.

After Google and Samsung delayed the announcement for the Galaxy Nexus rumors were stirring that it wasn’t just to be courteous and show respect for Steve Jobs, but also because the two companies were still working out some patent details and agreements and what not. Rumors also suggested some of Ice Cream Sandwich’s features would be modified to not overlap and touch on Apple’s IP.

Shown in the image above, you can clearly see the direction change, looking closer to the Nexus S rather than the Galaxy S II that has been a large part of the Apple attack on Samsung — well and the original Galaxy S that looked similar to the II. Shin also went on to say “We will see if [the new phone] will be 100 percent free” but that is yet to be known. He also mentions Samsung will continue to innovate and be strong and these lawsuits aren’t slowing them down, only cutting into the pride of their brand. Samsung has actually filed for a few of their own injunctions against Apple and the iPhone 4S in some area’s such as Australia and Japan recently but we haven’t heard much back on those fronts yet.
Whether lawsuits and patents were actually part of the cause of the delayed announcement aren’t actually known, but Samsung’s confirmation that they were looking to dodge future problems with the design and thought of the Galaxy Nexus makes me happy. It should also give a few potential buyers assurance to go snatch this amazing phone up next month once available.
Galaxy Nexus hands-on:

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Ouch: Samsung caught using an iPhone screenshot to promote its own device

It seems that the Apple – Samsung war is far from over; it was discovered that Samsung used screenshots of the iPhone’s Maps application in the promo materials for its brand new Galaxy Player. As AppleInsider says, the screenshot Samsung uses has been lifted from a blog post by Laura Scott written in 2008 – three years ago!
Samsung recently announced that it will do everything to stop Apple from selling the iPhone and iPad in South Korea, but the request got denied. I guess there might be some bitterness there, as Apple managed to convince the Dutch court to ban three of Samsung’s smartphones due to patent infringement.
A similar thing happened to Samsung’s Galaxy Tab in Australia and let’s not forget that Samsung’s lawyer was unable to distinguish between Galaxy Tab and the iPad during the court hearing.
It looks like this is a battle where one side will eventually fall, and it will fall hard. If you take into consideration that Samsung is a major supplier of components for Apple, we might witness a break in this deal. If Apple ditches Samsung and gets nasty, it might use its patent rights all over the world to shut down sales of some of Samsung’s devices. If that happens, there will be nothing that Samsung could sell in its stores, which by the way have been accused of being heavily inspired by Apple.

Image credit: AppleInsider.com

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ITC sides with Apple over HTC in latest patent case

Android can’t catch a break when it comes to patents. After enduring a few months of Apple’s legislative offensive in 2010, HTC acquired some mobile patents and decided to try a few volleys in the other direction. The first of those has been rejected by the International Trade Commission, which ruled today that the patents in question were not violated.

Judge Charles Bullock issued the ruling, taking care to mention that the patents in question weren’t invalidated ,just that the iPhone, iPod and iPad weren’t actively violating them. The four patents that HTC was using cover extremely basic phone operations, like touchscreens, dialer and battery management. HTC still has five other patents that they’re suing Apple with in other courts, but the outcome of those case may be heavily influenced by this one, and if HTC loses it could give Apple even more ammunition for a sales injunction.
Apple has been firing lawyers head-first at HTC and Samsung over the last year in courts all over the world, even winning some outright sales bans on Samsung tablets in Germany and Australia. Here in the U.S. they’re suing both HTC and Samsung and hoping to win similar bans on phones and tablets before the holidays. It’s a lot harder to block commerce in the United States, and even when Samsung was found to be in violation of one of Apple’s overly broad patents, the judge would not immediately commit to a sales ban. Google, Verizon and T-Mobile have come out in support of both manufacturers, alternately claiming that Apple is trying to create a monopoly using the courts and that a sales ban would irreparably harm their businesses.
[via SlashGear]

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Samsung attempts to get iPhone 4S banned in Japan and Australia

We all know that Apple has been all over Samsung’s case over the past few months, requesting for preliminary injunctions to block sales of Samsung’s devices in countries all over the world. In retribution, Samsung has been doing the same thing as well, albeit with less success. The Korean electronics manufacturer has recently announced that it is attempting to get sales of the iPhone 4S banned in two more countries: Japan and Australia.

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Acer founder: Android will beat Apple

Taipei, Oct. 14, 2011 (CENS)--Stan Shih, the founder of Acer Inc., one of the world’s top five PC suppliers, stated in an interview with Taiwan’s Chinese-language United Daily News that consistently tapping synergies of Wintel (Windows plus Intel) and Google on innovation, Android leaguers are likely to outdo Apple Inc. in the near future.

Buoyed by PC and smartphone suppliers, Google’s Android has become one of the world’s most used mobile operating systems, regarded as the answer to Apple’s incursion into the global market for PCDs (portable communication devices).

Shih stressed that Intel’s alliance with Google is especially the good news to Android leaguers, as the two high-tech giants will jointly come up with better solutions to optimizing Android’s speed and performance. In the future, Shin opines, Android-powered, Atom processor-built PCDs will likely outsell Apple’s products to lead PC development.

Shih also commented that the emergence of Ultrabook PC may be a transient boom, which is likely to temporarily revive the PC industry in the short term, but won’t secure insiders a lifetime of growth. Thus, he said, “The PC industry needs to make more destructive innovations happen to draw consumers back.”

On the post-PC era, Shih indicated that the arrival of the post-PC era doesn’t mean that PC would become the past tense for the industry, but would continue to exist in diverse forms (like tablets and smartphones) in the future. Therefore, Shih furthered, contract manufacturers of parts and components, such as display panels and IC chipsets, will keep playing key part in the global supply chain of PCs, whose production capabilities and capacity will be increasingly needed by PCD customers. In other words, the PC industry’s influence will be enhanced in the future, despite the coming post-PC era, he concluded.

Finally, Shih also pointed out that development of Taiwan’s software industry will hinge on concerted efforts by the government and enterprises to create a sizeable domestic market, talents and a positive environment on the island, saying that success of the U.S.’s software industry is a living example to Taiwan.

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Siri alternatives for Android users

The only thing that was major about the unveiling of the iPhone 4S was the new Siri voice assistant service. All the other stuff about the iPhone 4S was just not that interesting. If you are on an Android phone and like the idea of Siri, several apps out there will give you similar features right now. Extremetech ran down the top five Android apps that are like Siri, see what you think of their choices.

The first is Vlingo Virtual Assistant, which is a free app with ads or $2 to remove the ads. It has more than a million downloads and the app is one of the best by some accounts. You can voice dial with the app, send texts, and emails as well as conduct local search. Sonalight Text by Voice is the next app and it will cost you $20 per year. It lets you text using your voice and reads them back to you too.
Google Voice Search/actions is the next on the list and it is free. You can access this by clicking the mic button on the keyboard. The fourth choice is Edwin, Speech-to-Speech. This gives you voice control for different features and you can ask it odd questions since it works with Wolfram Alpha. It is free as well. The last is Speaktoit Assistant, also free. This app is like Vlingo in functionality and has an avatar on screen you talk to.
[via ExtremeTech]

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Apple Wins Injunction Against Samsung In Australia

It doesn’t look good for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the land down under. Justice Annabelle Bennett, read from a summary judgement text in Sydney Australia Thursday.  She said that she weighed both sides of this patent argument to see who would suffer more while the entire patent case is being prepared.
Bennett said she felt that if the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 were to be released while the full patent case was being prepared the damage to Apple would be significant. She did weigh in on the other side suggesting that Samsung would suffer lost revenues if the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was pulled off the shelves.
More after the break
The balance of convenience is almost exactly the same however Bennett said in this case the balance of convenience falls in favor of Apple.
In the Australian patent case Samsung was willing to go back to the drawing board and eliminate certain features that Apple says they lay claim to, and release a whole new version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 just for Australia.  Apple balked at that deal and pushed on in court.
Samsung released the following statement in regards to the judges ruling:

We are disappointed with this ruling and Samsung will be seeking legal advice on its options. Samsung will continue its legal proceeding against Apple’s claim in order to ensure our innovative products remain available to consumers.
This is a part of our ongoing legal proceeding against Apple’s claim. Samsung is also confident it can prove Apple’s violation of Samsung’s wireless technology patents through a cross claim filed on 16 September 2011 with the Federal Court of Australia, New South Wales.
Our wireless standard patents are essential for mobile business. We will continue to legally assert our intellectual property rights against those who violate Samsung’s patents and free ride on our technology.
source: ZDnet Australia

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Samsung Galaxy S II vs iPhone 4S browser comparison and load times [Video]

The iPhone 4S is finally here and while we don’t have a 5 to compare things to, we do have the 4S to throw up against the Samsung Galaxy S II for a few browser load times and overall performance tests as I’m sure plenty are interested in seeing the results. I always told myself I’d never use the word “iPhone” in a title here at Android Community but this isn’t about me — its for you, the readers. A little friendly competition is always nice right? Because where would we all be without it — probably still using Nokia candy bar phones daily. Enough of that, check out our video below.

Now I’m not going to get too crazy here or break down all the little things about Android or iOS, iPhone 4S or Galaxy S II, instead I’ll just show you all the video by our sister site and good man Vincent from SlashGear. Your humble narrator (me) wouldn’t be caught dead with an idevice so we’ll just have to take Vincents word for it. First off he compares the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S in a browser test or three just for fun and to see how well the new A5 dual-core processor chugs along in the “S”, then he moves on to the good stuff — Android. The first attempt with the Galaxy S II he doesn’t hit go, so don’t get discouraged and break anything just yet, watch the entire clip.
iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S II browser test


I myself am not in control of the testing here, but from initial results the iPhone 4S performs quite well, I’m sure everyone expected that as the original held its own pretty well too. One of the fastest processors around currently, the 1.5 GHz Qualcomm in the Galaxy S II performs very well but is just barely by a hair beat by the new A5 dual-core iPhone 4S in most tests. I’d rather have the SGSII perform 1 second slower and have a full flash experience personally. We could argue about this all day, flash or no flash, or try other sites but when it really comes down to it iOS is highly efficient as is Android — not to mention many many websites are designed with iOS in mind.
This is just one prime example that we don’t need blazing fast quad-core processors and huge 4.7″ displays to have an awesome experience. I can’t see myself browsing the web and reading websites with that puny little 3.5″ display, but that is just me. Android has came a long ways over the past few years and is growing daily. The rapid growth and development of the entire ecosystem is just one more reason to be completely excited about things to come. The iPhone 4S may slightly be faster by a tiny hair at the moment, but wait for those quad-core processors to start hitting the streets and this will be an entire different story. I know I mentioned we don’t need the quad-cores, and we still don’t, but I sure would love to have one.
In the end both sides will remain extremely competitive, they will drive innovation and Samsung and Android will continue to rise and rise. Do take note that Android 2.3 Gingerbread is well over a year old, and iOS 5 was just released. Once we get the newer, bigger, better, and faster Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich powered Samsung Galaxy Nexus I’d love to run these tests again and see who’s boss (and we will).
For now we’ll just have to agree that while they didn’t release a newer and bigger iPhone 5, Apple’s done a decent job with the new iPhone 4S. Apparently there is more to it than just the S so the upgrade kit I was planning to sell pictured below might not work after all.

What do you think of the video? We would love to see your comments in the appropriate section below.

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Wire free charger in iPhone 6

Have you ever thought about having a wireless charging technology? Can you really believe that you can charge your iPhone without any cable in future? But these thought are about to be converted in the reality. Apple has advanced far ahead in their research to develop a groundbreaking wireless charging technology. Many technology researchers have developed diverse methods to build a wireless charging system for smartphones and other handheld devices. Among them, Apple’s much-appraised induction-based wireless charging project is a bit interesting, and deserves to mention here.

Rumors suggest that Apple will be up with a wireless charger for its iPhone 6 in 2012. However, after the new development that Apple launched iPhone 4S for this year instead of an iPhone 5, we may be getting the wireless charging in an iPhone 5 only in the next year. The imagined toe-to-head revamped iPhone 5 will be only drifting to the market next year now. Whatever it is, in this article, we are talking about the wireless charging technology, its possibilities and, of course, its efficiency to keep you move on without a cable charger in your backpack.

How does wireless charging work?

Apple’s wireless charging method is all about the induction technology. Your smartphone or tablet is expected to obtain power as a result of some inductive processes in a charging mat. We have no more details about the Apple’s much-discussed wireless charging method; however inductive charging is a commonly accepted method for wireless charging. Some of Apple’s recent patent applications specify that the company is working to churn out a technology to charge its future iPhones using the induction-based wireless charging.

The technology states that inductive charging happens when electromagnetic field transfers power between two objects. With an inductive coupling to an electrical device that may be a computer or any other devices, the charging station - charging mat - will send the power into the battery of your handheld devices. It is actually a kind of method in which a short-distance wireless electricity happens. For the procedure, you are supposed to place your device on top of a charging mat, built up of the components required for the inductive power generation.

Benefit of wireless charging

Wireless charging primarily escapes you from the task of searching for an electricity outlet whenever you are out. Quite often, when you go for a trip, you will be much worried about carrying the cable charger and also finding an electricity outlet. But as the wireless technology is to get realized, you will no longer have to be anxious of these things. You can carry the wireless charging mat and use it for charging your device near any electric device. One another benefit is that inductive power is an alternative power option. Technologists these days are working to utilize all possibilities to harvest power from alternative sources. Inductive power is indeed part of such a movement. So wireless charging, to an extent, goes green also.



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About the author: Kate is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and lifestyle. Beside this she loves cooking. These days she is busy in writing her new article on mobile phones.

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Apple sells over 1 million iPhone 4S handsets in first 24 hours

Apple has confirmed that the company has sold a mind-numbing number of iPhone 4S devices in pre-orders, over one million of them. The previous record was from last year’s iPhone 4 launch which totaled over 600,000 in three days. Apple had a larger amount of global carrier partners for this year’s launch, including Verizon and Sprint in the U.S., but it’s still incredibly impressive. Apple’s Apple’s press release is after the break.

iPhone 4S Pre-Orders Top One Million in First 24 Hours
CUPERTINO, California—October 10, 2011—Apple® today announced pre-orders of its iPhone® 4S have topped one million in a single day, surpassing the previous single day pre-order record of 600,000 held by iPhone 4. iPhone 4S is the most amazing iPhone yet, packed with incredible new features including Apple’s dual-core A5 chip for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics; an all new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and Siri™, an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking.
“We are blown away with the incredible customer response to iPhone 4S,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The first day pre-orders for iPhone 4S have been the most for any new product that Apple has ever launched and we are thrilled that customers love iPhone 4S as much as we do.”
iPhone 4S will be available at all 245 Apple retail stores in the US beginning at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, October 14. Every customer who buys an iPhone 4S at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPhone 4S by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store™ and more, so they’ll be up and running with their new iPhone before they leave the store.
iPhone 4S includes iOS 5, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features, and iCloud®, a breakthrough set of free cloud services that work seamlessly with your iPhone, iPad®, iPod touch®, Mac® or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices.
Pricing & Availability
iPhone 4S comes in either black or white and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the new 64GB model.* iPhone 4S will be available from the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and select Best Buy, Target and Walmart stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 4 is available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 3GS is available for free with a two year contract.
iPhone 4S will roll out worldwide to 22 more countries by the end of October including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
*Qualified customers only. Requires a new two year rate plan, sold separately.

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AT&T sells over 200,000 Apple iPhone 4S pre-orders in 12 hours

Critics who said that the public might have less of a demand for the Apple iPhone 4S due to its relatively minor upgrades might be quieted, as AT&T has announced that it sold over 200,000 pre-orders for the smartphone in a mere 12 hours since the option went live for customers. The other U.S. carriers selling the iPhone, Sprint and Verizon Wireless, have not announced exact numbers of pre-orders, but a quick check on their availability online shows many options delayed or even sold out.
Apple's own website lists a 1 to 2 week wait for each model from all three carriers. AT&T's website says that ship times for the 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions are in the 14 to 21 day range, while Verizon Wireless says each model will ship on October 21, a week after the phone becomes available in stores. Those who are itching to get their pre-order in and want the phone next week might have the best luck with Sprint, though they will have to opt for the higher capacity models. Sprint says the 16GB version is sold out completely and is no longer taking pre-orders for it. The 32GB and 64GB are still listed with an October 14 ship date, so orders placed for those might be fulfilled next week. The 16GB model sells for $199 with a new two-year contract, while the 32GB and 64GB versions cost $299 and $399 respectively.
Following Apple's announcement of the iPhone 4S, many critics said that demand for the popular smartphone would wane because the exterior design is the same as the 15-month old iPhone 4. That apparently isn't the case, as can be seen from the high demand for pre-orders of the iPhone 4S. Apple's sales record for the iPhone was set last June for the iPhone 4 launch, and stands at 1.7 million units in three days. At the pace that the iPhone 4S is selling, there is a good chance that Apple could see a new sales record with the new model when it hits stores on October 14.

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Google & T-Mobile file to support HTC in Apple lawsuit

T-Mobile and Google have both filed friends of the court briefs supporting HTC against Apple’s patent lawsuit. The two corporations are protecting interests in the Android platform and its manufacturers, as both of them are actively supporting Samsung in a similar case. The reasoning behind their support briefs is the public interest, and both claim that if Apple keeps HTC from selling competitive devices, various negative effects will be felt by American consumers.

The move mirrors amicus curiae briefs filed by both Verizon and T-Mobile last week in support of Samsung, which is also being sued by Apple in the United States and countries around the globe. Apple contests that both HTC and Samsung have violated their hardware and software design patents, and have filed injunctions to stop sales of devices competing with the iPhone and in some countries the iPad as well. Apple has already secured injunctions against Samsung in both Germany and Australia.
The reasoning behind Google’s brief raised eyebrows at FOSS Patents, a popular blog covering the legal aspects of free and open-source software. Google touted Android’s expansion of the mobile market into low-income ares and its effectiveness during natural disasters, as well as its use by important infrastructure such as the U.S. Army. Google claims that Apple is using the patent system as a means of creating a monopoly, and that their attempted injunction against HTC threatens competition.
Google also highlighted Android’s status as “the only open mobile computing platform.” Editorial note: say Google, Honeycomb came out more than six months ago – would you mind releasing the source code for this open mobile OS you’re so keen on?

T-Mobile basically repeated their support for Samsung, claiming HTC as a major business partner and that an injunction would cause irreparable damage to their future sales. T-Mobile called out Apple’s suggestion that companies supplement a lack of Android devices with “iOS for iPhone, Blackberry OS, and Microsoft Windows” as unreasonable. The company also said that an injunction against HTC would damage its continuing rollout of a 4G network.
So, will these supplementary briefs help HTC and Samsung? It’s hard to say. Patent cases like this end in a settlement more often than not, but it looks like Apple won’t be satisfied with anything less than a ban on Android devices from both major manufacturers. Apple’s refusal to settle in the Samsung Australian case indicates that the worldwide patent battle won’t be ending any time soon.

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Reactions to the passing of Steve Jobs: What the world has to say

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, died today at the young age of 56. His death has saddened many people throughout the world. Reactions from his friends, co-workers, the media, world leaders, fans, and more have started. Here are some notable reactions to the news of the passing of Steve Jobs.
This page will be updated with more reactions as they pour in.
Thanks for all the hard work you did, and for the way you changed and entire planet. Your work and vision will never be forgotten.

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The Jobs Family

Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family.
In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve’s illness; a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories.
We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.

Tim Cook, Apple

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.
No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.

Bill Gates, Microsoft Chairman

I’m truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs’ death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.
Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.
The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.
For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.

Larry Page, Google

I am very, very sad to hear the news about Steve. He was a great man with incredible achievements and amazing brilliance. He always seemed to be able to say in very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it. His focus on the user experience above all else has always been an inspiration to me. He was very kind to reach out to me as I became CEO of Google and spend time offering his advice and knowledge even though he was not at all well. My thoughts and Google’s are with his family and the whole Apple family.

Larry Page, Google

I am very, very sad to hear the news about Steve. He was a great man with incredible achievements and amazing brilliance. He always seemed to be able to say in very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it. His focus on the user experience above all else has always been an inspiration to me. He was very kind to reach out to me as I became CEO of Google and spend time offering his advice and knowledge even though he was not at all well. My thoughts and Google’s are with his family and the whole Apple family.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook

Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you.

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO

I want to express my deepest condolences at the passing of Steve Jobs, one of the founders of our industry and a true visionary. My heart goes out to his family, everyone at Apple and everyone who has been touched by his work.

Paul Allen, Micorosoft Co-Founder

My condolences to Steve Jobs’ family and friends. We’ve lost a unique tech pioneer and auteur who knew how to make amazingly great products. Steve fought a long battle against tough odds in a very brave way. He kept doing amazing things in the face of all that adversity. As someone who has had his own medical challenges, I couldn’t help but be encouraged by how he persevered.

Paul Otellini, Intel

True genius is measured by the ability to touch every person on the planet. Steve did that, not just once, but many, many times over his amazing life. We at Intel were privileged to have known him and worked with him as he brought his creations to life. Our hearts go out to his family and to his many friends and co-creators throughout the world.

Vic Gondutra, Google

Even when I worked for 15 years for Bill Gates at Microsoft, I had a huge admiration for Steve and what Apple had produced. But in the end, when I think about leadership, passion and attention to detail, I think back to the call I received from Steve Jobs on a Sunday morning in January. It was a lesson I’ll never forget. CEOs should care about details. Even shades of yellow. On a Sunday. To one of the greatest leaders I’ve ever met, my prayers and hopes are with you Steve.

President Obama

Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was among the greatest of American innovators – brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.
By building one of the planet’s most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity. By making computers personal and putting the internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun. And by turning his talents to storytelling, he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike. Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.
The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve’s wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him.

John Lasseter and Ed Catmull, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios

Steve Jobs was an extraordinary visionary, our very dear friend and the guiding light of the Pixar family. He saw the potential of what Pixar could be before the rest of us, and beyond what anyone ever imagined. Steve took a chance on us and believed in our crazy dream of making computer animated films; the one thing he always said was to simply ‘make it great.’ He is why Pixar turned out the way we did and his strength, integrity and love of life has made us all better people. He will forever be a part of Pixar’s DNA. Our hearts go out to his wife Laurene and their children during this incredibly difficult time.

Jerry Brown, California Governor

Steve Jobs was a great California innovator who demonstrated what a totally independent and creative mind can accomplish. Few people have made such a powerful and elegant imprint on our lives. Anne and I wish to express our deepest sympathy to Steve’s wife, Laurene, and their entire family.

Michael Gartenberg, Gartner

There aren’t enough words to describe what Steve has done, he defines a generation. I hope that everyone will respect his privacy and will respect his family’s privacy. For apple this will be business as usual. For all intents and purposes, we knew Steve was sick, but we had no idea he was this sick. This is a tremendous loss of an icon for the tech community, but it’s not the time to dismiss Apple.

John John Riccitiello, CEO of EA

Steve was one of a kind. For many of us working in technology and entertainment, Steve was a new kind of hero that lead with big, bold moves and would not settle for less than perfection. He is the best role model for a leader that aspires to be great.

Joe Fernandez, Klout CEO

His death is a huge loss for the creative community. If you think about how many creative things that were made using Apple products… Steve Jobs is probably the biggest influencer there is.

Leander Kahney, Author of “Inside Steve’s Brain”

I’m shocked, and saddened. He’s obviously one of the century’s most important innovators and set the agenda for the tech industry for 30 years. I had mixed feelings about him as a man, as a manager. He was cool … his influence has been staggering.

Scott McGregor, Broadcomm CEO

Steve’s passion for innovation and creativity will carry on for decades to come. His legacy is enormous, touching millions of people around the world. Our entire industry and economy is better for his presence and incredible contributions. On behalf of Broadcom, we send our deepest condolences to Steve’s family and to Apple employees.

Michael Bloomberg, NYC Mayor

Tonight, America lost a genius who will be remembered with Edison and Einstein, and whose ideas will shape the world for generations to come. Again and again over the last four decades, Steve Jobs saw the future and brought it to life long before most people could even see the horizon. And Steve’s passionate belief in the power of technology to transform the way we live brought us more than smart phones and iPads: it brought knowledge and power that is reshaping the face of civilization. In New York City’s government, everyone from street construction inspectors to NYPD detectives have harnessed Apple’s products to do their jobs more efficiently and intuitively. Tonight our City – a city that has always had such respect and admiration for creative genius – joins with people around the planet in remembering a great man and keeping Laurene and the rest of the Jobs family in our thoughts and prayers.

Brian Dunn, Best Buy CEO

I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. He has had an indelible influence on the way we use technology in our lives,” said Brian J. Dunn, CEO of Best Buy, the world’s largest CE retailer. “Steve was a visionary leader who was able to see the world in ways that others were unable to see. Under Steve’s leadership, Apple has been a great partner to Best Buy and we will miss him. Beyond that, Steve’s mark on the connected world as we know it today – making technology smart, simple and empowering – will leave a lasting legacy that will continue to influence technology well into the future. For that, all of us, whether Apple users or not, should be forever grateful.

Eric Schmidt, Google Chairman

Steve Jobs is the most successful CEO in the U.S. of the last 25 years. He uniquely combined an artists touch and an engineers vision to build an extraordinary company… one of the greatest American leaders in history.

Choi Gee-sung, Samsung Electronics CEO

Samsung Electronics is saddened to hear of Chairman Steve Jobs’ passing and would like to extend our deepest condolences.
Chairman Steve Jobs introduced numerous revolutionary changes to the information technology industry and was a great entrepreneur.
His innovative spirit and remarkable accomplishments will forever be remembered by people around the world. We would like to again express our sincerest condolences to Mr. Jobs’ family and his colleagues.

Yuanqing Yuan, Lenovo CEO

Today the world lost one of its greatest innovators and visionaries with the passing of Steve Jobs. His achievements are unmatched in our time. We admired his spirit, his creativity and his passion. He not only changed the technology industry, he changed the world and made it better.
While we will all feel this enormous loss, I am confident that this industry will take to heart the lessons Steve taught us about innovation. Steve led this industry like a beacon for the past decade. As a competitor, he helped ensure all of us pushed even harder, and I am confident his legacy will continue to energize the industry for many years to come.
His spirit will carry on, and it will inspire all of us to achieve more. We would like to express the sympathy of all 27,000 Lenovo employees worldwide to his family and friends, and we joining the world in mourning his passing and celebrating his life.

Michael Dell, Dell CEO

Today the world lost a visionary leader, the technology industry lost an iconic legend and I lost a friend and fellow founder. The legacy of Steve Jobs will be remembered for generations to come. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to the Apple team.

Dick Costlo, Twitter CEO

Once in a rare while, somebody comes along who doesnt just raise the bar, they create an entirely new standard of measurement. #RIPSteveJobs

Steve Case, AOL Co-founder

I feel honored to have known Steve Jobs. He was the most innovative entrepreneur of our generation. His legacy will live on for the ages.

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The Passing of a Great Man: Steve Jobs

Well, just one day after the announcement of the new iPhone 4S we have some terribly sad news. Today Apple board of directors have now confirmed that Steve Jobs has passed away. It deeply saddens me to have to write this story, Steve will always be remembered for his utterly amazing work and everything he has achieved and accomplished.

I don’t even know what to say. His brilliant idea’s and designs will be forever remembered for what changed the mobile industry forever and more. This news is just hitting the wires and sadly we must report it.

Statement by Apple’s Board of Directors
CUPERTINO, Calif.– We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today.
Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.
His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

Apple’s new CEO Tim Cook today sent the following email to all Apple employees:

Team,
I have some very sad news to share with all of you. Steve passed away earlier today.
Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.
We are planning a celebration of Steve’s extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences in the interim, you can simply email rememberingsteve@apple.com.
No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.
Tim

This is a terribly sad day for the world in general, but especially for his entire family — that being those close to him, and the technology and mobile communities at large. We all love and enjoy everything Steve and Apple have created. He has now left at the early age of 56, he will be sorely missed.
If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com

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