Techztalk

March 29, 2012

Taposé – Microsoft Courier Concept Inspired App Now Available of iPad

Microsoft Courier was codename for a booklet type tablet concept that was cancelled in 2010. The concept had booklet form factor with dual touchscreen that could be used for taking note, posting pics and pinning up digital cut outs just like you would do in your journal. Check out the video below to see how the Courier concept worked. The concept got lot of attention because of its unique design but Microsoft cancelled it. If you liked the Courier concept like many others did, then you would be happy to know that the idea didn’t die completely and inspired few fellows to create an app called Taposé for the iPad.

There have been many unsubstantiated rumors going around about how Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn treats its workers. Most of these rumors/news were fueled by lies of Mike Daisey, a theater actor who was trying to get publicity for his show. However, now a legit organization Fair Labor Association (FLA) has released their independent investigation report into labor rights allegations at Foxconn.

RepairLabs, a company known for online iPhone repairs, published the first rumor. According to their sources, Texas Instruments have already began production of parts for next generation iPhone, which will ship in September. RepairLabs claims that their source has proven extremely reliable in past and so they believe these rumors are true. The website posted:

PCWorld and Wired: The New iPad Doesn’t Get Any Hotter Than Most Tablets

Last week, Consumer Reports published that the new iPad runs 13 degrees hotter than the old iPad 2 at 116 degrees Fahrenheit. This report spread like wildfire around the blogosphere, but like all Apple news from Consumer Reports this report was also sensationalized for more page views rather than deliver actually comparison of products. Consumer Reports didn’t compare iPad with other tablets to give users an idea about what normal working temperatures of most tablets are.

Microsoft started ‘Smoked by Windows Phone’ Campaign that challenges users of iOS and Android devices to head-to-head tasks to demonstrate speedier performance of Windows Phone platform with features like Live Tiles. However, the campaign is now turning into a headache for Microsoft as many people are complaining of foul play.

NVIDIA Launches GeForce GTX 680 and GeForce GT 640M First GeForce GPUs Based on New Kepler Architecture (Reviews Added)

NVIDIA today launched the first GPUs based on its next generation Kepler graphics architecture. According to NVIDIA, for desktop gaming the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 GPU provides a faster, smoother and richer experience and for notebooks the new lineup of GeForce 600M GPUs puts the "ultra" in Ultrabooks, enabling smaller, more powerful designs than were previously possible.

iOS 5.1 Shows Code for 4G LTE iPhone

iDownloadBlog has posted that iOS 5.1 includes code for 4G LTE support on next generation iPhone. The code was discovered by Cydia developer Krishna Sagar and included text like “Disabling 4G will end your phone call, Are you sure you want to disable 4G?” The code mainly deals with enable and disable 4G LTE on iPhone, which would indicate that as rumored Apple is indeed working on 4G LTE support in next generation iPhone.

Apple Evaluating RF Components for Next Generation LTE iPhone

Investment firm Barclays released a research note in which they claim that Apple is currently testing and evaluating various radio components for next generation iPhone. Apple will be using Qualcomm’s next generation MDM9615 LTE chip that will be made with 28nm process technology in the next generation iPhone. The new chip from Qualcomm will support both voice and data on high-speed 4G networks and will be world compatible supporting variety of 4G LTE and 3G standards.

Yesterday, Consumer Reports posted that the new iPad was running 13 degrees hotter than the old iPad 2 while playing graphically intense games like Infinity Blade II. Donna Tapellini wrote:

DisplayMate Calls iPad’s Retina Display “The Best Display Ever on a Mobile Device”

While announcing the new iPad, Apple claimed that the new Retina display on the new tablet is the best display ever on a mobile device. And today DisplayMate put Apple’s claim on test with iPad display technology shoot-out, in which they compared the new iPad’s display with displays on iPhone 4 and iPad 2.

iPad Teardown Reveals Bigger Battery, Larger A5X Processor and 5-megapixel Sensor from iPhone 4

As always folks at iFixit got their hands on the new iPad that Apple started shipping last Friday and ripped it apart to see what’s ticking inside. Although most of the things that the teardown revealed we already knew, but it showed the monumental task Apple went through to fit so much in such a thin and light package.

Review Roundup: Apple TV (2012 1080p)

Apple launched the new Apple TV featuring 1080p video playback, new A5 processor, iCloud support and Airplay in full HD. The new Apple TV is available now for $99. Below we have added links of 7 best Apple TV reviews available online:

As with all iPad launches, people again lined-up outside Apple store to get their hands on the new device from Apple. Lines were formed in front of Apple flagship stores in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland and US.

Review Roundup: Apple iPad (2012 Third Generation)

Apple announced the new third generation iPad featuring the stunning Retina display, A5X processor with quad-core graphics, 5-megapixel camera, 1080p video recording and 4G LTE support on March 7th 2012. The new iPad with Retina display is shipping now with a price range of $499 to $829 depending on storage and wireless configuration.

Below we have added links to 10 best available iPad reviews online:

MacBook Air 15-inch Coming in April, But will it Kill The Pro Lineup

Today a UK website Electripig posted that Apple will launch a 15-inch MacBook Air in April, which would “effectively kill” the pro lineup for average consumer. Electripig claimed that ultimately only 17-inch MacBook Pro will remain and other Pro models will be removed in favor of the MacBook Air lineup. Adam Bunker wrote that they have heard the following from a premium Mac accessory maker:

Sony Announces Entry Level Alpha A57 Digital SLR with Translucent Mirror Technology

Sony today introduced new Alpha A57 digital SLR featuring Translucent Mirror technology that directs incoming light to the CMOS image sensor and the AF sensor at the same time, allowing full-time continuous AF during both still and video shooting. A successor to A55 camera, the new A57 also includes high-resolution Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder, which offers a wide viewing angle and 100% field of view.

A Vietnamese website Tinh.te has posted Geekbench test results of new the iPad. The benchmark results revealed that Apple is using the same ARMv7 CPU running at 1.00GHz found on iPad 2, but the new chip has double the RAM at 988MB. However, as feared by many the Geekbench score showed no CPU performance improvement over previous generation iPad.

iPad Preorders Sold Out in Two Days, Lines Already Forming Outside Apple Stores

Apple today officially said that preorders for the new iPad were sold out and customers looking to get their hands on the much wanted devices on launch day will have to go to Apple Store or select Apple resellers on 16th March. Apple started taking preorders for the new iPad after announcing the new device on Wednesday, March 7th. Apple said in a statement to USA Today:

Apple TV Now Supports 1080p Full HD Video Playback

Apple today announced the new Apple TV featuring 1080p programming including iTunes movies and TV shows, Netflix, Vimeo, photos and more in HD. With iTunes in the Cloud, customers can purchase and play their favorite movies and TV shows from the iTunes Store and watch them instantly on their HD TV. The new Apple TV features a simpler, refined user interface making it easier than ever to access your purchased movies, TV shows and music with iTunes Match right from iCloud. With AirPlay, users can stream or mirror their favorite content from their iPad or iPhone 4S to Apple TV.

Apple today introduced the new iPad featuring the seriously stunning new Retina display, A5X processor with quad core graphics, 5-megapixel camera with same optics as found on iPhone 4S and support of 4G LTE.

Live Coverage of Apple’s March 7th iPad Event Starts at 10AM PST / 1PM EST

We will be doing indepth take on all the new products Apple announced today on TechzTalk.

That's it from the Apple event. Tim thanks everyone for coming.

Tim says that only Apple could deliver that kind of integration and 2102: there's a lot to look forward to.

He starts by calling the new iPad amazing and is now showing an ad for the new iPad.

Tim is back on stage.

Phil confirms that the iPad 2 will now be priced $399 for 16GB WiFi model. And the new iPad will start at $499.

The iPad video is now over and Phil is back on stage.

Apple is now talking about the screen that has True RGB pixels. and Also about QUAD CORE A5X processor. It has quad core GPU and dual core CPU.

One thing we would like to note its called just iPad and not iPad HD like many blogs posted and we were the first to say "Apple Calling Next Generation Tablet “iPad HD” will be a Big Mistake".

Apple is now running an iPad video highlighting all the new features.

The iPhoto app works on both the iPad and iPhone. And it will be available today for $4.99

You can add maps, notes, text, calendar for date to the photos to give them more details.

The app has some many features, its actually a full-fledged photo editing applications.

Tapping in a specific area lets you adjust specific areas of the image. Touch and drag to brighten up the dark areas in an underexposed image, then touch again in the sky to tweak the saturation.

He is now showing sharing on social networks and using features like auto enhance and cropping.

The iPhoto app supports up to 19-megapixel images and has some very innovative gestures. You have to see it to believe it.

He starts by talking about reinventing iPhoto for touch interface. He is demoing the new bezel gesture that allos you to Swipe in from the left to look at other photos in the album.

Randy Ubillos is on stage for the iPhoto demo.

Introducing iPhoto for iPad. It will have new gestures, new effects, multi-touch editing, iCloud support and sharing.

Both GarageBand and iMovie are $4.99 and will be a free update.

Next app is iMovie that is also getting Retina treatment. Phil showing a movie that was recorded on the iPad.

GarageBand demo going on with four guys jamming.

Now Phil is showing GarageBand for iPad that has new Smart Strings, Note Editor, iCloud support and sharing features.

Apple will also release free updates for Pages, Keynote to support Retina display on new iPad.

He adds "It's only going to look like this and play like this on the new iPad."

The demo again is awesome and he says iPad has more memory and screen resolution than either the Xbox 360 or PS3.

He says the game has HDR graphics and tone-mapping showing the graphics power on the new chip.

Infinity Blade: Dungeons in which you are on a quest to craft the ultimate weapon.

Now its Mike Capps, president of Epic Games showing a new project.

He adds "Retina display is luscious. It takes it to the next level and creates an immersive environment. Professionals and everyday artists are going to love this device."

The SketchBook Pro is a new drawing app. He says it takes advantage of the incredible graphics power of new iPad.

Chris Cheung from Autodesk is up now and he is demoing Sketchbook.

It looks great and the replay is really smooth for a action game that to at 2048 x 1536. Apple has definitely worked magic on the new A5X processor.

First it's James Shelton from Namco showing Sky Gamblers new flight sim game.

Now application demo time on Retina display of the new iPad.

US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland and Japan will be the first to get the iPad.

iPad will be available on March 16th and preorder starts today. Prices will remain same starting at $499 for 16GB WiFi version.

It is also slightly thicker at 9.4mm and now weighs 1.4 pounds.

Phil is now talking about battery, iPad 2 had 10 hours battery life for 3G. The new ipad will still have 10 hours, but it will be little less for LTE at 9 hours.

Phil says This device is said to have the "most bands ever" -- "It's no small feat. This new iPad has the most wireless bands that has ever shipped."

Verizon, Rogers, Bell, Telus and AT&T will be the LTE parnters at launch.

Photos are loading faster on LTE, actually way faster than HSPA. LTE on iPad will support both AT&T and Verizon networks.

Phil is demoing HSPA vs 4G LTE.

iPad now has 21Mbps HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA at 42Mbps, with LTE at 72Mbps.

It's not complete Siri. Now the fifth feature 4G LTE support.

iPad will do 1080p video recording with image stabilization. It will also have voice dictation.

Phil says the camera is basically same a iPhone 4S camera but with lower megapixel.

Other features 5-megapixel backside illuminated sensor on the back, 5-element lens and IR filter camera. iSight front camera.

The A5X processor offer four times the performance.

The screen has 44% better color reproduction and the iPad will powered by A5X processor.

He says that most people hold their iPad at about 15-inch and at that distant the iPad display easily crosses the Retina display threshold.

Time for a new screen. It has 2048 x 1536 resolution with 3.1million pixels for a 264ppi.

Phil adds "To this day no-one has yet matched that display technology. This presents a problem for us in presenting it to you. For the first time an iPad has a higher resolution than this entire display behind you... That's a fun challenge."

He starts with Retina display says "Until you see it you can't understand how amazing it is."

Phil is on the stage for iPad demo.

"Today we are annoucing the new iPad and it's amazing"

Tim says you won't find iPad like experience anywhere else. He shows apps running on other tablets like Samsung Galaxy Tab and compares that with applications on iPad. And you know who is the winner.

He says when we ask users what is their favorite device their answer is usually iPad. And the reason behind that is games and apps that are custom built for big iPad screen.

Now quotes from various publications about iPad.

That brings us to iPad, Tim again talks numbers and says that Apple is shipping more iPad than the total number of PC shipped by HP.

That's the Apple TV demo. Tim is back on stage. Announces Apple TV will ship on March 16th for $99.

Eddy is looking through the movie selection and play "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close". It took 10 seconds to start a 1080p playback.

He shows the gorgeous new UI with and starts the demo with Photo Stream.

Eddy Cue is up for demoing the new Apple TV.

It's new Apple TV with complete iCloud support, 1080p support and new streamlined UI.

Now iCloud and iTunes support in iCloud.

Tim says you can't talk about post PC era without App Store. He is showing numbers including 25 billion downloads till now and 550,000 apps available for downlaod.

Siri update will be part of iOS 5.1, which will be available today.

Siri is now available in other parts of the world including Australia, France, Germany and Japan.

Now iOS, we sold 62million iOS devices last quarter and 315million overall. And he says one of this favorite iOS feature is Siri.

Showing Apple Store videos from around the world.

Now he is talking about advantages Apple has with Apple store, iTunes and other services.

Talking about revenue, Apple post PC devices made up 76% of revenue and Apple's feet are firmly planted in post PC era.

He says we have three post PC product iPod, iPhone and iPad.

He says that Apple is leading the post PC revolution and is talking about a world where PC is no longer the center of your digital life.

Tim Cook is on stage and welcomes everyone to a great Apple event.

We are in the hall the event is about to start.

We are here and ready to go in, still 20 mins left for the event to start.

We will be doing live coverage of Apple’s iPad event today. It is rumored that along with iPad 3, Apple will also announce Apple TV update and a new accessory codenamed B82. For live coverage of the press event please join us on live.TechzTalk.com. The Apple event will start at 10AM PST / 1 PM EST.

Till the Apple event starts you can read the latest news/rumors about the iPad 3 event below:

Apple TV model J33 and a $39 Accessory Coming Tomorrow at Apple Event

It is almost certain that we will see iPad 3 tomorrow. However, iPad 3 won’t be the only thing Apple announces tomorrow, it will be accompanied by updated Apple TV and a new accessory codenamed B82. Seth Weintraub wrote on 9to5mac:

Apple Calling Next Generation Tablet “iPad HD” will be a Big Mistake

Every other tech website is now reporting that Apple’s next generation iPad 3 will be called “iPad HD” because it will have higher resolution display. However, I believe that calling the new iPad model “iPad HD” will be a big mistake, especially for marketing purposes. Here are some of the reasons behind my thinking.

AMD Introduces Radeon HD 7870 and 7850 Graphics Cards (Update – Review Links Added)

AMD today added two more graphics cards to their 28nm GPU lineup, the AMD Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition and AMD Radeon HD 7850 graphics cards. Featuring AMD's cutting-edge Graphics Core Next Architecture (GCN) for spectacular performance and efficiency, the AMD Radeon HD 7800 series comes equipped with PCI Express 3.0 and the efficient AMD ZeroCore Power technology.

DigiTimes today continued their flood of iPad rumors with report that AU Optronics (AUO) has received orders for 7.85-inch LCD panels that Apple will use in their 7.85-inch iPad model later this year. DigiTimes report was based on an article published by Chinese language newspaper. Steve Shen wrote on DigiTimes:

iPad 3 Parts Including Front Glass and Back Aluminum Shell Put Together

MIC Gadget has gotten their hand on front glass panel, rear aluminum shell and some cases for upcoming iPad 3. As they are the first tech site to get iPad 3’s front glass and rear shell they decided to put it together to see if the two parts fit. And these parts did fit perfectly as you can see in the image above.

Apple TV Stock Shortage Indicate Imminent New Model

There have been rumors going around that Apple will introduce new Apple TV with the launch of new iPad 3. And now many Apple Stores and other Apple retail partners show that the Apple TV is out of stock indicating that Apple TV update is imminent.

iPad 3 Will Have Home Button and Might be Called iPad HD

Two days back iPad picture on Apple’s March 7th press event invite started a rumor that next generation iPad won’t have the Home button. However, Repair Labs have gotten their hands on front glass and digitizer assembly in both black and white color, which they claim is for upcoming iPad 3. The assembly looks almost similar to current iPad 2 part, but the ribbon cable is different indicating that the part is indeed for a newer model.

DigiTimes Wrongly Claims Slow Ramp Up of iPad 3 Production Could Cause Supply Problems at Launch

In past two days, DigiTimes has posted many Apple related rumors with some of these rumors being almost laughable. One of such rumors that DigiTimes posted today is Apple won’t be able to ramp up supply of iPad 3 until Q2 2012. Siu Han wrote:

DigiTimes is reporting that along with two iPad 3 models, Apple will also unveil an 8GB iPad 2 model at Wednesday’s Apple event. Aaron Lee wrote on DigiTimes:

As Apple has scheduled an event on March 7, sources from its upstream supply chain pointed out that the company is expected to launch two iPad 3 models - a 16GB version and 32GB version.

Microsoft released the first public beta of upcoming next generation OS Windows 8 last year and today the company announced the release of Windows 8 Consumer Preview, available for download now for anyone trying out the new OS. Microsoft showcased Windows 8 Consumer Preview at Mobile World Congress 2012 (MWC) in Barcelona.

New MacBook Pro Coming in April and Apple Considering 14-inch MacBook Air

We have been hearing about MacBook Pro getting a complete design refresh sometime this year. And now DigiTimes is reporting that the new thinner and lighter design will come in April and create significant threat against other notebooks players. Aaron Lee wrote:

Sony today introduced rugged ultrathin line of Cyber-Shot cameras that are designed to deliver impressive, high-resolution images while underwater, outside or inside, during both day and night. Four new models announced today include the DSC-WX150, DSC-W690, DSC-TX66 and DSC-TX20 models.

iPad 3 Rumors: 0.8mm Thicker, Three Versions, and No Home Button

Even with an event like Mobile World Congress 2012 going on, today’s tech news has been all about iPad 3. Apple’s March 7th press event announcement has started a slew of iPad 3 rumors ranging from size of the upcoming tablet to design changes on iPad 3.

Apple today sent out invites for their upcoming event to various media houses. The Invite shows a finger touching Calendar app with Wednesday 7 on it. And it says:

MWC 2012: Intel Announces New Chips, Products and Partners for Smartphones

Though we haven’t seen any major Intel based smartphone in the market yet, the company today expanded its smartphone portfolio with new chips, products, services and partners at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. At Intel’s news conference, CEO Paul Otellini highlighted plans to expand smartphone SoC and communications product roadmaps for the performance and value smartphone market segments.

One of the most interesting announcements at Mobile World Congress (MWC) came from Nokia today in form of 808 PureView handset with astonishing 41-megapixel camera. Yes, you read it right, it’s not 5, 8 or 13-megapixel, it’s 41 MEGAPIXEL… Nokia explains:

HTC today announced their new top-of-the-line One series of smartphones, including the One X, One S and One V handsets. And the flagship model of the one series is One X that comes with 4.7-inch 720p display, 1.5GHz quad core Tegra 3 processor and 8-megapixel camera with f2.0 lens and backside illuminated sensor.

iPad 3 Shipment from Foxconn Already Started, And Apple Working on Two New Chips for iOS Devices

Many Chinese websites have posted images of cargo being loaded on an Airplane and shipping documents of highly secured cargos. The shipping documents are for a new product that has start shipping today (February 26) from Foxconn to various major cities in US. Details about these highly secured cargos were posted on Chinese website Weibo and WeiPhone, and were translated by a 9to5mac reader:

iFixit Provides More Details About iPad 3 Retina Display

Last week, we reported that MacRumors has got their hands on an iPad 3 Retina display and they put it under microscope to confirm pixel density. MacRumors today sent that display to iFixit, a company known for repairing broken iPhones, MacBooks and iPads, for detailed examination by experts. After examining the display iFixit posted the following:

iPad 3 Picture is Almost Complete

In past few days we have seen almost everything there is to see about the upcoming iPad 3, from the ultra high resolution Retina display, to the more tapered back panel and the new logic board with A5X processor. In continuation of iPad 3 component leak saga MIC Gadget has posted clear images of iPad 3 rear shell, which they claimed “is a confirmed rear shell for iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 3G model”. Here is what we know from all the rumors/leaks/news about iPad 3:

Apple to Completely Overhaul the iTunes Store, App Store and iBookstore Later This Year

9to5mac is reporting that Apple is preparing first completely redesign of iTunes Store in nearly three years. The redesign will not be limited to just iTunes Store, but it will also include new designs for the App Store and the iBookstore. Mark Gurman wrote on 9to5mac:

Many Blogs Report iPhone 5 Release in September or October, But We Hear It will be Slightly Earlier

Today, two blogs Macotakara and iMore reported that Apple is targeting September or October for launch of next generation iPhone 5. Macotakara posted they have heard from reliable Asian source that next iPhone will be released in September or October, and Apple will follow this end of the year cycle for future iPhone releases.

Another Image Leaked Showing iPad 3 Logic Board with “A5X” Processor

Today is turning out to be a major iPad 3 rumors day with clear back panel images leaked earlier and now the logic board pic showing the new A5X processor. A forum post on Chinese website WeiPhone shows an image of claimed iPad 3 logic board that has and “A5X” processor.

MacRumors Confirms iPad 3 Has Retina Display with 2048 x 1536 Resolution

Till now we have seen many LCD displays on various websites that are claimed to be the Retina display for iPad 3. However, as the displays are not switched on we can’t see the resolution difference and hence can’t confirm that they are ultra high resolution Retina display. Now MacRumors has found a solution for the problem, they got their hands on an iPad 3 display and examined it under a microscope. Eric Slivka wrote on MacRumors:

Intel to Push Back Mass Shipments of Ivy Bridge to June 2012

It was previous believed that Intel will start shipping the next generation Core i processors codenamed Ivy Bridge by end of Q1 2012 or in early April. However, Digitimes is reporting that Intel will start mass shipment later than originally thought. Intel has notified its partners that mass shipment of Ivy Bridge processors will start in June 2012. Monica Chen wrote:

Apple today released a developer preview of OS X Mountain Lion, the ninth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system, which brings popular apps and features from iPad to the Mac and accelerates the pace of OS X innovation. Mountain Lion introduces Messages, Notes, Reminders and Game Center to the Mac, as well as Notification Center, Share Sheets, Twitter integration and AirPlay Mirroring.

Apple Becomes World’s Top Smartphone Vendor

Gartner is reporting today that world smartphone sales soared to 149 million units in Q4 2011, a 47.3 percent jump. According to Gartner smartphone volumes during the quarter rose due to record sales of Apple iPhones. As a result, Apple became the third-largest mobile phone vendor in the world, overtaking LG.

WSJ: AT&T and Verizon to Get 4G LTE iPad 3

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Verizon and AT&T will sell an iPad model with support for new 4G LTE network. According to Spencer E Ante and Jessica E Vascellaro of WSJ:

Various iPad 3 Components Falling in Place Hinting at Upcoming March Launch

In last two weeks many leaked images showing various components of upcoming iPad 3 have been posted by tech news websites. And now iLab Factory has gotten their hands on some of these components including the ultra high resolution Sharp LCD, the aluminum back panel and the dock connector. iLab Factory assembled these components together to see if they fit and they were as perfect match.

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