iphone4s
Latest
Nokia 808 PureView impressions, camera showdown with the iPhone 4S and HTC One S
Nokia invited us to take a tour of the Carl Zeiss HQ in Germany, all in the name of getting some time to shoot with the pair's latest project, the 808 PureView. Sure, you've heard the specs: a 41-megapixel sensor, f/2.4 Carl Zeiss lens and a focal length of 8.02mm. That hulking sensor dominates the body, but how do those photographic results turn out? We spent a few hours shooting with Symbian's (possibly) last hurrah and found that -- unsurprisingly -- this looks to be the new benchmark for mobile imaging. The top-heavy body fits in with the focus on mobile photography epitomized in this phone and there's a tangible quality to the photos even on the 808 PureView's 640 x 360 display, alongside a noticeable decrease in noise. Check out our gallery and grab more impressions and comparison images with the iPhone 4S and One S after the break. %Gallery-156016%
Two new carrier Siri ads feature John Malkovich
It's a pity that they don't feature a doorway that lets you crawl inside his brain, but the ever-fascinating John Malkovich is the star of two new "Celebrity Siri" ads. Previous ads have featured Zooey Deschanel and Samuel L. Jackson chatting with Apple's iPhone 4S-based digital assistant. The two ads, "Life" and "Joke," are embedded below via Apple's official YouTube channel. Enjoy! Thanks to Sean for the heads-up.
Insert Coin: CordLite illuminated iPhone cable (video)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. On average, North American consumers will spend a lifetime total of five days on failed attempts to pair their dock connector cable with an iPad or iPhone. Yeah, that's not true, but we can certainly sympathize with frustrated device owners -- fitting a tiny connector to any gadget can be a chore, especially in the dark. Scrap Pile Labs' CordLite sets out to point the way to a successful connection with its built-in LEDs. The illuminated cable is quite simple to use -- with no buttons or switches to fuss with, the connector lights up when you touch the aluminum plates, and powers off the moment it's secured to your device. There's really not much else to it -- CordLite functions identically to an Apple-manufactured cable, though the dock connector itself is significant larger than the OEM variety, at least in its current prototype form. The design team has turned to Kickstarter to get their project funded, with a $70,000 goal. If all goes to plan, they expect to ship black or white CordLites beginning in September at $35 a pop, but as always, getting in during the "pre-order" phase will net you a hefty discount. The first 200 backers can get an early-bird cord in the color of their choice with a $25 pledge, with the required amount jumping up to $30 from there. A $45 pledge gets you an exclusive laser-etched model, while $50 will be met with a pair of early-bird cords. As you may have gathered from the picture above, the first version will only function with Apple devices, though a microUSB cord is also said to be in the works. See it in action in the video demo just past the break.
Sprint to offer $100 towards iPhone 4S upon trade-in
Sprint wants customers to buy the iPhone 4S and is offering a US$100 credit for the 4S to anyone who brings in an older iPhone as a trade. Details of this trade-in offer was published by TechnoBuffalo, who received it from a trusted source. This offer is supposedly available to both new and existing customers who agree to a new two-year contract and will last until June 30.
iPhone "buzz" gets a boost following celebrity ads
Love them or hate them, those new Siri ads starring Zooey Deschanel and Samuel L. Jackson are apparently effective, says a YouGov BrandIndex report. As noted by Fortune's Apple 2.0 blog, the celebrity Siri ads are creating buzz among 18-34 year old questioned in the survey. In just a few weeks, the buzz score for the iPhone went from 16 on April 19 to 51 on May 4, surpassing Android on its way up. The buzz score is based on a survey of consumers who were asked whether they've heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, either through advertising, news or word of mouth, and whether it was it positive or negative. [Via Fortune's Apple 2.0]
Redsn0w update lets iPad 2, new iPad, iPhone 4S downgrade to older firmware
The iPhone Dev Team released version 0.9.11b1 of redsn0w last week that lets you restore IPSWs directly to your iPad 2, iPad 3 and iPhone 4S. This means recent iOS device owners can now downgrade their firmware using the jailbreak tool. This is good news for folks who updated to iOS 5.1.1 or iOS 5.1 and want to go back to iOS 5.0.1. You do need your SHSH blobs from the earlier firmware if you want to downgrade, but Cydia usually saves those files automatically for you. For detailed instructions, point your browser to the iPhone Dev Team's blog. [Via JailbreakUntethered]
Mobile Miscellany: week of May 7th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Sprint reassured us with optimism for Windows Phone 8, and T-Mobile's CEO found a new partner to continue the fight against Verizon's AWS acquisition. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of May 7th, 2012.
Radio Shack discounts iPhone 4S, 4 by $50
Earlier this week, RadioShack announced via Twitter that the iPhone 4 and 4S will be on sale for a limited time. Following in the footsteps of Target, the electronics retailer is slashing the price on all models by $50 until June 30. This offer is only available in stores as Radio Shack does not sell the iPhone on its online website. [Via Electronista]
Redsn0w 0.9.11b1 now allows post-iPad 2 devices to downgrade to an older firmware
Per usual, the Dev-Team whiz-kids have been hard at work trying to make your jailbroken iOS life a tad bit easier. This time around, MuscleNerd & Co. have outed their latest revision of RedSn0w (0.9.11b1), allowing folks using the new iPad, iPad 2 and iPhone 4S to downgrade to lower firmwares for jailbreaking purposes -- a feature others have been enjoying for some time now. As expected, you'd still need those saved SHSH blobs from the previous firmware in order to do so, and if your device depends on an unofficial unlock, it's recommended (with a few exceptions) to steer clear since this method will upgrade your baseband. Speaking of, the Dev-Team also notes you should stick with an earlier version of Redsn0w unless you must have the new tidbits. Those of you eager to give it a try can head over to the Dev-Tem Blog to grab yourself a copy.
FreedomPop iPhone case to offer free 4G connectivity
Earlier this year, FreedomPop said it was working on an iPhone case with an integrated cellular radio that would provide users with free mobile broadband access on Clearwire's 4G WiMAX network. Now, the company is taking pre-orders for this 4G WiMAX sleeve. Each sleeve will cost US$99 and will include 500 MB of free mobile data. This is a drop from the planned 1 GB of data FreedomPop hoped to offer. You can bump up that data by participating in a social service that'll earn you an unspecified amount of data for connecting with your friends. Customers can also transfer unused data to other customers who need the extra capacity. (Note that the company's pre-order page still says "up to 1 GB of free data.") You can read more about the FreedomPop case on the company's website and watch a promotional video about the sleeve in the YouTube video below.
iOS 5.1 untethered jailbreak gets a video demo, not yet ready to meet the public
Moving along a similar path to his previous untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.0, hacker pod2g has followed up announcements of an untethered jailbreak for the iPhone 4 and iPad 3 running iOS 5.1 with a quick demo video (embedded after the break) as evidence. The video shows a jailbroken iPad 3 that manages to stay that way even after a reboot, the key difference from the current tethered hack already available. There's still no word on when the community at large may get a crack at the software, although tweets mention "stabilizing the payload" before taking a crack at the recently released iOS 5.1.1, and that the new Apple TV may not be able to come along for the ride.
iPhone comes to two more small US carriers
After landing at several smaller US carriers in April, Apple's iPhone is poised to make another round of expansion into regional markets later this month, according to MacRumors. As of the writing of this post, three wireless carriers, including Bluegrass Cellular of Kentucky, Golden State Cellular of California and Nex-Tech Wireless of Kansas, will start selling the iPhone 4S on May 18. These regional operators will offer the iPhone for US$50 off Apple's retail price with the 16 GB model selling for US$149, the 32 GB for $249 and the 64 GB for $349. The trio will also sell the iPhone 4 for $49. All prices require a two-year customer agreement.
Glif+: Even more iPhoneography love in the same small package
If there's one accessory that every iPhoneographer should have in his or her pocket, it's the Glif. You probably remember our previous coverage of this cool little gizmo -- it fits onto the side of an iPhone and has a standard tripod screw mount on the bottom. Now Studio Neat has made the Glif even spiffier with some new additions. The Glif+ (US$30) adds two pieces to the original Glif ($20) to make it even more useful. What's new? Well, there were always two little problems with the original Glif -- first, it was easy to lose and second, if you put the iPhone and Glif into an odd position the phone could fall out. By adding the Serif and the Ligature to the Glif, Studio Neat solved both issues. %Gallery-154787% The Serif is a tiny plastic piece that snaps onto the existing Glif and provides an "arm" that holds the iPhone into place, even when the Glif and iPhone are hanging upside-down. Of course, you can always use your Glif "sans Serif" in the traditional manner... The Ligature is a tiny metal ring that screws into the bottom of the Glif, allowing you to attach your Glif to a key ring or hang it from a strap. This should be very useful for keeping the Glif close at hand for your iPhoneography needs. If you already have a Glif, you can buy just the Serif and Ligature in a "+Pack" for $12. Oh, and one more thing -- the box that the Glif+ comes in? It can even be used as a tripod. Very clever, these Studio Neat guys. [Thanks to Photojojo.com for providing a review unit]
Clarion Next Gate brings iPhone apps (and distractions) to your windshield
Clarion is primarily known for its aftermarket car audio and navigation solutions, but it's increasingly moving into the realm of smartphone integration. Looking to court iPhone users who'd appreciate the connectivity and convenience of Pioneer's AppRadio, but don't care to fuss with the installation, Clarion's Next Gate can be easily mounted to one's windshield. It offers access to popular apps such as TuneIn and Pandora, along with navigation, hands-free calling and voice-dialing functionality. Scarily enough, users will even be able to access Facebook and Twitter via the voice-activated Vlingo app -- please, just promise to keep your focus on the road. The display itself is a 7-inch, WVGA affair, and as you'd expect, the unit is powered by the vehicle's 12 volt accessory jack -- otherwise known as the cigarette lighter receptacle. Similarly, the Next Gate connects to the iPhone via Apple's dock connector, which means that users will need to manage a bit of cable clutter. All in all, the Clarion Next Gate could certainly be a compelling solution for some, and its $270 price is within the realm of reason. While we're a bit concerned about what it entails for driving distractions, the unit shouldn't be any worse of a diversion than the ol' smartphone itself. In fact, we're most disappointed that there's no support for Android. Those in the privileged iPhone community will be able to purchase the Next Gate as of June 1st, and you'll find the full PR after the break.
Sprint CEO takes pay cut as investors voice concern about cost of iPhone deal
Sprint Nextel's $15.5 billion gamble on Apple's iPhone will apparently lighten CEO Dan Hesse's proverbial wallet by $3.25 million this year. That's how much compensation Hesse agreed to give back to help placate investors unhappy about the high cost of the company's iPhone deal. Securing the iPhone has already paid dividends for Sprint in terms of sales. The company sold 1.5 million iPhones in the first quarter while posting a net subscriber growth of 263,000. That didn't stop Sprint from posting an $863 million net loss during the same period, however, causing some investors to grumble about the cost of subsidizing Apple's phone. The subsidy Sprint pays for each iPhone is 40 percent higher -- about $200 -- than what the company pays for other competing devices. Don't feel too bad for Hesse, though. Apparently, the financial gesture basically brings back his "compensation target opportunities" to 2010 levels.
Walmart cuts price of iPhone 4S (Update: Pricing error)
Update: 9to5Mac got confirmation from Walmart that this was a pricing error, not a sale. Walmart is not only the third-largest reseller of iPads, but the discount retailer also sells a lot of iPhones for Apple at its approximately 9,000 locations. Now it appears that Walmart is selling the AT&T iPhone 4S at a significant discount at some stores. According to Cult of Mac and The Verge, some Walmart stores are showing a sale price on the 16 GB iPhone 4S (in both black and white) with a two-year AT&T contract for US$114. That's $74 less than the usual price at Walmart and a full $85 off the normal $199 price from Apple and AT&T. The sale isn't available on Walmart's website, but appears to be popping up at a number of stores. The price drop was discovered at a Walmart store in Edmond, OK by Cult of Mac, and The Verge found the same pricing at a store in Austin, TX. If you're not in the market for an iPhone 4S, the 8 GB iPhone 4 is also available at a discount at the low, low sale price of just $34. TUAW readers who find the sale pricing at their local stores should leave the store location in the comments below so other readers may take advantage of the bargain.
Samsung Galaxy S III vs. rival flagships: iPhone 4S, HTC One X, Lumia 900
Oh yes, it's a good time to go shopping for a smartphone, particularly if you've acquired a taste for an abundance of pixels and silicon cores. But which phones ought to be considered flagships worthy of comparison with the shiny new GS III? Yes, we're including the Lumia 900 in this context, for the sake of platform neutrality and also in recognition of the fact that raw specs don't count for everything -- but we can't overlook that this handset is sorely lacking in terms of ppi and some other areas. The next two choices are more obvious: the eternal (or infernal) iPhone 4S and AT&T's version of the HTC One X. So here it is: one table to rule them all, right after the break.
Growing Up Geek: Jon Fingas
Welcome to Growing Up Geek, an ongoing feature where we take a look back at our youth and tell stories of growing up to be the nerds that we are. Today, we have our new editor, Jon Fingas. You might say I started early. Some of my first memories of technology -- or of anything, really -- were of mashing the keyboards on Compaq PC clones at my dad's workplace when I was three. Little did I know that I'd started on a path towards technology that would lead me towards mashing the keyboards for a career that would land me here at Engadget.
Celebrity iPhone ads score well with viewers
Apple's new iPhone 4S ads featuring Samuel L. Jackson and Zooey Deschanel appear to be resonating with TV viewers. Ace Metrix, a firm that does analytics for television and video advertisers, found that those two ads were the "most effective TV ads to break the week ending April 20" for mobile phones. For some reason, the rather mundane Samsung Galaxy Note "The Best of a Phone and Tablet" and "The Best of Both Tablet and Phone" ads still manage to take the #1, 5, and 7 spots in the Ace Metrix list, while Zooey tied for #1, Sam was in second place, and three other iPhone 4S ads placed 6th, 8th, and 9th. Ace Metrix CEO Peter Daboll noted that Apple's iPhone ads earlier in the year had been "falling rather flat," and that "This new creative tack that uses likeable (sic) celebrities struck a chord with American viewers." [via MacRumors]
Sprint sold 1.5 million iPhones to new customers in Q1
Sprint announced its quarterly earnings on Wednesday and the results were disappointing as expected. The carrier posted a net loss of US$863M and cash reserves are now at a razor thin $7.6 billion. In the midst of this doom and gloom, one bright spot for Sprint was the iPhone. The carrier said in its earnings report that it sold 1.5 million iPhones in the opening quarter. It's a slight drop from the 1.8 million it sold in Q4 2011, but this dip is expected after a holiday quarter. Sprint still trails Verizon Wireless which sold 3.2 million iPhones and AT&T which sold 4.3 million. Of those buying an iPhone with Sprint, 44 percent were new customers. Sprint said in its earning conference call that 40% of those new Sprint iPhone users reportedly broke a contract to switch to the carrier. About 60% would not have switched if Sprint didn't have the iPhone. The iPhone is not only increasing sales, it's helping Sprint keep customers, too. The carrier said that iPhone churn rate is low, with significantly less iPhone users asking for support or returning their phone when compared to other smartphone users. Sprint didn't come out and say it, but it's becoming increasingly obvious that the cornerstone of Sprint's smartphone business is the iPhone.
