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Apple iPad 2 now in production
Posted by Patrick Lambert Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Rumors
The iPad 2 rumors have been going ever since the current iPad hit stores. If you've been looking for something solid though, the Wall Street Journal is now reporting that the next iPad is currently in production. They say the new iPad will be thinner and lighter than the first model, and will support Facetime with a camera on the front of the device. Those hoping for a Retina display will be disappointed though, as WSJ is reporting that the resolution of the display won't be changed. It will also have more memory and a more powerful graphics processor, according to insider sources.
Click to continue reading Apple iPad 2 now in production
Read More 
| WSJ
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iPad 2 to sport carbon fiber, NFC, and a 7-inch option?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Rumors
Our friends at iLounge got a few new tidbits relating to the iPad 2, which are interesting to say the least, but should be taken with a grain of salt. First, Apple has been toying with the idea of using carbon fiber for the casing of the next iPad. Carbon fiber is strong, but also very lightweight, and this would be a move to make the iPad much lighter than the original (which was a complaint from many.) Second, Apple is considering throwing NFC technology into the iPad 2. We think this one is pretty much a lock, as it will allow Apple to tap into a huge revenue stream. Last, Apple is reportedly still tossing around the idea of a 7-inch version of the iPad. Steve Jobs recently trashed this idea, saying that all the 7-inch tablets out there were pretty much dead on arrival because they were too small. We don't buy that, because, well, look at the iPod touch. It's pretty much a 3.5-inch tablet. Still, we aren't gonna hold out hope for a 7-inch iPad to roll around this April.
Read More | iLounge
Apple working on embedded SIM for iPhone?
Posted by Patrick Lambert Categories: Apple, Cell Phones, Handhelds, Rumors
Apple has gotten creative with SIM cards in the past. They've done it before with the iPad, which uses a MicroSIM to connect to a 3G cellular network, and then the iPhone 4 followed suit. While they didn't exactly invent the technology, it's the first time that this gets used in a mass market device. Now, this morning, sources inside of some European carriers say that Apple is ready to pull a similar stunt. Apple and SIM maker Gemalto are reportedly about to implement a new SIM technology which would live permanently inside of the iPhone, and wouldn't need to be removed to switch carrier. The new SIM could be changed from one network to the next by the software, removing the need for it to be a removable card.
This is only rumor at this point, and if it was any other company it would be a dubious one at best. However, Apple's already proved that they can make carriers bend to their will to a certain extent, and this may be no different. The main benefit for Apple would be the ability to bypass the carrier. Consumers could buy a phone online, without any need to be pre-attached to a carrier like AT&T or T-Mobile, and then choose themselves which carrier to configure it for, at will.
Of course it's not all good for the end user. This would remove some of the control from the cellular network, but that control would be put straight into Apple's hands. So it remains to be seen what they would do with such increased power. Nevertheless, if they do manage this feat, it's clear others would be tempted to do so. Time will tell if Apple breaks the smartphone mold once more.
Read More | GigaOM
Apple readying cheaper, faster, lighter MacBook Air
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Rumors
Looks like the guys over at Cult of Mac have received a few interesting tidbits of information as it pertains to a possible MacBook Air refresh at this Wednesday's Back to the Mac Apple event. Here's a look at what they say they've been told:
- The new model is also apparently much snappier than its underpowered predecessor. ”It boots so fast, it’s unbelievable,” our source says. “It’s amazing how fast it boots up.”
- A faster 13-inch model with upgradeable options should appeal to pro users, while a cheaper 11-inch MacBook Air might be more attractive to students and casual users.
- A 50-percent bigger battery, delivering 8-10 hours of battery life. The current MacBook Air has a 5-hour battery.
- The new machine is thinner and lighter, weighing less than the current model’s 3lbs, our source says.
- The new enclosure is also an aluminum unibody design, like the current model — but not as curvy.
- Same black keyboard as current MBA, same single-button Multi-Touch trackpad. [wha? Current MacBook trackpad has separate button, unlike the rendering]
- Upgradable RAM (base 2GB [-boo!], SSD. Also NVidia GeForce 320M integrated graphics
- Two configs: 2.1Ghz (with 2GB of RAM) and 2.4 GHz (with 4GB of RAM).
Of course, we take all this stuff with a grain of salt until Apple actually shows it off, but the MacBook Air is in serious need of a hardware refresh, so we wouldn't be surprised to see it happen on Wednesday. Pricing on these is also rumored to be dropping from the current $1,500 starting price, with the 11.6-inch model starting at $1,100 and the 13.3-inch version going for $1,400.
As always, we will have all the details from this Wednesday's event as they happen.
Read More | Cult of Mac
WSJ: Verizon iPhone coming early 2011
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Cell Phones, Handhelds, Rumors
According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is readying plans to mass produce a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 that would allow Verizon Wireless to sell the phone early next year. They say their sources are “people briefed by Apple,” and we know that we’ve all gone over this rumor numerous times over the past couple of years, but it seems that 2011 marks the end of the AT&T exclusivity on the iPhone in the US, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see it hit Verizon in the first quarter of 2011.
In other news, WSJ reports that Apple is already hard at work on the iPhone 5. Of course, with it expected to launch in just 8 months, that really isn’t news at all.
Read More | WSJ
New MacBook Air update coming tomorrow?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Rumors
Macworld.au is reporting that a “well-placed source” familiar with Apple and their inventory and refresh schedules is now saying that there may be a MacBook Air update happening very soon—in fact, it could come as soon as tomorrow. There is apparently a new Apple product number out there, that being MC516LL/A K87 BETTER BTR-USA. The ‘BETTER’ portion of that number most likely points to it being in the Mac product line, and the MacBook Air is well overdue for an update. Now, the source also says that it may point to a new 27-inch LED Cinema Display, since that seems to be coming soon as well. However, there are thousands of these apparently headed to Australia, which would be more in line with a major new product revision.
Read More | Macworld.au
Opinion: Apple, iPhone 4, and the Case against Gizmodo
Posted by Alex Lifschitz Categories: Apple, Cell Phones, Editorial, Features, Handhelds, Rumors
I’m a pretty crappy journalist.
I do it in my free time, and for the most part, I’m an opinions and hands-on writer. I don’t go monstering around the nation’s capital with a fedora and notepad, and I rarely find myself in a position where I have to probe into anything that matters past an arbitrary release date. I don’t always fact check if I’m not making accusations.
But I know a scummy move when I see one. And Gizmodo’s actions in the iPhone HD prototype debacle have been consistently unethical, unprofessional, and, yes, illegal.
It sucks. Gizmodo’s parent company, Gawker Media, is home to a lot of great blogs and great people – people who seem to have some professional standards. But in the face of such reprehensible journalism, Gizmodo has been inexplicably wearing their tarnished reputation from this saga as if it were some kind of badge of pride. I’m sure they have lawyers going over every step of their story, but how someone in their legal or PR departments could have greenlit this is really beyond my comprehension.
Before I get into the ethical issues of yellow journalism, I think it’s important we establish a fact pattern and what I hold to be the optimal course of actions they could have taken through this whole sordid affair. Join me while I use my rudimentary Google-fu to make my case against the actions of nearly all parties involved.
Click to continue reading Opinion: Apple, iPhone 4, and the Case against Gizmodo
Apple set to finally refresh 30-inch Cinema Display?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Displays, Rumors
If you’ve been waiting to pick up a new 30-inch Apple Cinema Display, but were waiting until Apple released an LED-backlit version, there may be hope for you yet. Now, we don’t want to get your hopes up too much, but from the looks of things, the 30-inch Cinema Display have been pushed back. Typically, they would ship within 24 hours, but as of today, it is showing a 5-7 business day wait. Historically, when there is a large and sudden shipping delay like that, we’ve seen a product refresh follow soon thereafter. Now that Apple has worked out the 27-inch iMac LED display issues, maybe it’s finally time that the 30-inch display gets update (or replaced with a standalone LED-backlit 27-inch Cinema Display.)
Read More | Apple 30-inch Cinema Display
Steve Jobs hates Google CEO Eric Schmidt?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Google, Rumors, Videos
Those are some strong words, but if CNBC journalists and analysts are to be believed, the relationship between Apple and Google is so strained as they both compete to win in the mobile space that it has come to a point where “Steve Jobs simply hates Eric Schmidt.” Hey, if that hared fuels the fire of innovation and competition, then it’s the consumers who will walk away the winners in this battle. Amiright?
Apple readying six-core Mac Pro Core i7-980x for next week?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Rumors
The boys over at ZDNet are reporting that they’ve been hearing whispers that Apple is set to debut an overhaul to the Mac Pro professional desktop line, packing in a six-core Intel Core i7-980x processor, as soon as this coming Tuesday, March 16th. They’re saying it should have a 3.33GHz 6 core/12 thread processor (that goes to up 3.6 GHz with TurboBoost,) 32nm architecture, and Socket LGA1366 130W TDP. In a nutshell, throw this chip into a Mac Pro with some updated internals, and you have one hell of a machine.
Read More | ZDNet
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