iPhone 5 launch next Wednesday we look at the five things

apple takes awrap off the latest iteration of its flagship on Wednesday..as the worlds wait ... what should u expect 



Ahead of the expected iPhone 5 launch next Wednesday we look at the five things that are expected to make up the new phone.
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 5 on September 12





The rivals have shown their hands. Samsung played its cards, in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S3, back in June. Nokia followed, with the Lumia 920, earlier this week. Now both will wait to see what Apple is holding. In San Francisco next week Tim Cook, Apple chief executive, is expected to show off the iPhone 5. As always, Apple will confirm nothing until the launch event but widespread rumours allow us to make a few good guesses about what the new handset might be like.

1. The case

Numerous images purporting to show the new iPhone show a device that is slightly taller than the current iPhone 4S, which makes room for a taller, but not wider, screen. The back and sides of the new handset appear to be one piece of metal, with glass panels at the top and bottom of the case to maximise wireless reception. The iPhone 5 is rumoured to be around 30 per cent thinner than the existing model, too.

2. The screen

As mentioned above, leaked images and parts suggest a taller screen for the new iPhone but not a wider one. Smartphone screens have been steadily getting larger, while Apple have stayed with a display that measures 3.5-inches. This new screen is expected to measure 4-inches from corner to corner but the fact that Apple is not making the iPhone wider suggests a degree of confidence in the form factor. Larger devices, such as Samsung's Galaxy S3, can feel too wide for some users.


3. Goodbye dock connector

It's been a familiar part of Apple's products since the launch of the third-generation iPod in 2003 but the smart money suggests that the dock connector – used to charge the device or to connect it to docks and other accessories – is being replaced in the new iPhone. It's simply too big for a gadget that needs to get more powerful, while also getting thinner. In its place will be a much smaller connector, which will frustrate those with a lot of accessories.


4. Super-fast 4G capability

As with the third-generation iPad, released in March, the new iPhone is expected to incorporate 4G LTE connectivity, which means much faster browsing with a compatible network. Coincidentally, mobile network Everything Everywhere plans to turn on its own 4G network within weeks. Unfortunately, because US networks use different frequencies for 4G, it's by no means certain that the new iPhone will deliver 4G speeds here, even if it is capable of delivering them in the US.

5. Better performance

Now we're getting into the realms of crystal ball-gazing but it's reasonable to expect that the components in the new iPhone will be upgraded for better performance. Don't be surprised if the RAM doubles to 1GB and it's likely that the handset will be powered by a faster processor too.

Where does that leave us? Faster, thinner, better screen and it makes a long-established feature obsolete. It all sounds right but all eyes will be on California next week to see just how much of it is right.

MAKE QR CODES YOURSELF

Have you seen an image like this somewhere? On an print ad, maybe? Or on the flipside of a calling card? It may look like a fuzzy painting by a drunk artist, but it actually is an information barcode, also known as QR code, that can be scanned. Point your smartphone camera at the QR code, and if it has the right software, the code will yield up its secrets — a phone number, an address, a discount offer... One software that reads QR codes is available at http://get.scan.me, for Windows, Android and iPhones. But how can you generate a code that you can put on your stationery?

•  Head to www.qrstuff.com 

•  On the left of the screen, select the kind of information you want to put in the QR code: a Website address, a link or URL, an email address… 

•  Fill the box in the middle of the screen with the information you want to embed in the QR code. Specify if you want the code in a different color — though I suggest you stick to black and white. 

• Click on 'Download QR code' and you get a .PNG file. This you can email, print it on a card, or even put up on your Website. Do scan this QR code and let us know what you found.

Windows Phone vs Android — The battle in the mid range

Thanks to Nokia, the prices of smartphones running on Windows Phone has steadily been falling. As a result, if you are looking for a mid-range smartphone, it is no longer a question of choosing between the various Android-based smartphones.

I used the Nokia Lumia 610 and Motorola Defy XT, which have been launched recently. Here are my impressions.

Motorola Defy XT

The Motorola Defy XT, a rugged-looking phone, is certified dust-proof and water resistant. (Do note it is not water-proof.) Unfortunately, it also looks chunky, though the rubberised body does redeem the design somewhat. Despite the looks, the phone feels solid in the hand. The 3.7inch screen has a resolution of 480x854 pixels, and was bright enough to use even under the sunlight. The phone is powered by a 1GHz processor, which is assisted by 512MB of RAM. I was worried by the slight lag while switching between screens. The stutter doesn’t affect the experience while using apps, but it is a minus nonetheless. The phone runs on Android 2.3, Gingerbread, which is a bit of a disappointment - you expect Android phones to come loaded with at least Ice Cream Sandwich these days. But what I liked about the phone is that it comes with minimal bloatware.

Nokia Lumia 610

The review unit of the Nokia Lumia 610 I received was bright blue in colour with a shiny blue band along the edges.

With a resolution of 480x600, the screen of the Lumia 610 is comparable to the Defy XT. But thanks to the Windows Phone’s design, it is the former that looks sharper. However, the Defy XT’s screen is brighter of the two.

The Lumia 610 couples its 800 MHz processor with a separate graphics processor. Some of the games, however, lagged a bit. There were no issues, however, while using the phone for browsing or playing media files.

The user experience otherwise is standard issue Windows Phone 7.5, since Microsoft doesn’t allow manufacturers to tweak the OS like Android. In my opinion, Windows Phone is the more refined OS of the two. Then again, some may prefer Android’s tweak-ability over Windows Phone’s regimented experience. More important than user experience, however, is the availability of apps. In terms of sheer number of apps available, Android wins hands down.If you need a smartphone mainly to check emails and do basic browsing, then the Lumia 610 is the better phone — it has a better design and a smoother user interface.

But if you are keen on using a variety of apps, the Defy XT is the phone for you among the two. However, do not forget to check out other Android-based phones in the same price range.

new iphone facing screen delays

The new Apple iPhone has not even being announced but already unnamed sources are predicting that stocks will be affected by manufacturing delays.

Sharp, whose chief executive let slip last month that his company would manufacture the screens for the next iPhone, is reportedly struggling with costs Reuters has reported, citing a source "familiar with Sharp's production operations".

The next iPhone is rumoured to be thinner than previous models, in part thanks to new technology that combines the touchscreen layer with the display itself. Reports also suggest that the new iPhone will have a screen that is longer - but not wider - than the current version and that it will drop the familiar 30-pin dock connector.

The loss of the dock connector, which Apple introduced in 2003 with the third-generation iPod, will make some accessories obsolete. Earlier this week sources told the Telegraph that Apple would compensate for this by expanding its AirPlay wireless connectivity technology to allow iPhones to connect to remote speakers without the need for a LAN.

Apple is expected to hold an event in California on September 12 to announce the new iPhone. If so, the company will almost certainly issue invitations to journalists and analysts some time next week.

Initially, rumours suggested that Apple would use the same event to announce a new 7-inch version of the iPad. The so-called mini-iPad is now expected to be unveiled at its own launch event some time in October.

According to Bloomberg, the mini iPad will use screens manufactured by LG and AU Optronics. Apple is thought to be planning the mini iPad as a way of competing with Amazon's Kindle Fire - a new version of which is expected to be unveiled this week - and Google's Nexus 7, which was released in July.

samsung galaxy note 2... the first impression

The Samsung Galaxy Note was launched with huge fanfare at IFA in Berlin this time last year, and it was met with huge confusion. Was it a phone, a tablet or whole new category of device? Samsung claimed the latter, but rejected the ‘phablet’ label.

With a 5” screen and a stylus for writing directly on the screen, the Galaxy Note was a real attempt to turn creativity digital and even to digitise the humble paper notebook and pen or pencil. The idea of the ‘S-Pen’ was that it would allow users to snip parts of photos or the web and send them to friends easily and simply, annotate websites or pictures, or simply to write notes. To the surprise of the technology press, the Note sold very well and gained a loyal following among the 10million consumers who bought it.

With the launch of the SIII mobile phone, an update to the Note was inevitable, and last night in Berlin again Samsung revealed that the Note, previously like a large SII phone, would now look like a large SIII phone.

That’s unfair, however – in the few minutes I’ve had to use the Note, the improvements are substantial. I said in my review of the original that it was a brilliant idea whose execution was not yet perfect; in the Note II, however, the main improvement is the update to the pen so that it feels almost like using a conventional rollerball.

That simply makes writing on the screen feel easy, rather than like skating over glass: if anything the regret now is almost that the 5.5” screen is in fact too small. Who, after all, would use a 5.5” notebook as their main pad? The Galaxy Note 10.1, in fact, looks more attractive than ever.

smart apps for Android

Last fortnight, we looked at some must-have free Android apps. Hope you got a chance to try and make good use of them. It’s time to shed light on a few more free ones that should reside in your phone.

Flashlight

Talk of shedding light, this app does that literally. Flashlight or Tiny Flashlight as it’s also known, allows you to use your camera flash as a torch with just one tap; simple but more than useful in the dark. However, if your phone does not have a flash or an LED, it just turns the screen white; not as effective but useful nonetheless.

QR Droid

Have you been seeing a lot of those weird squares made up of black and white characters lately? Yes, they are called QR Codes and they hold some useful information about the product or service. QR Droid helps you demystify them by scanning the QR codes with the phone camera and then decoding the information. I have seen a couple of airline companies conceal discounts on airfare in the QR codes on their websites. This app can help you save a few hundred rupees just like that.

Opera Mini
The default browser in Android is not too bad, but what’s the harm in having something better, especially on a GPRS connection. Enter Opera Mini, arguably the world’s fastest Android browser. Their compression technology significantly reduces data usage that not only speeds up browsing but also reduces your data costs. Add to that features like tabbed browsing, speed dial for websites, bars and pages that adjust

automatically to your screen size and you have an excellent browsing experience on the go. However, if you are on a fast data connection like 3G or Wifi, you might want to try Opera Mobile instead of Mini.

Sky Map

This is another interesting app that can be used in the dark. If you are into astronomy or sky gazing or simply can’t differentiate between Venus and Mars, Sky Map is the app for you. All you need to do is start the app and point the phone in the direction of the heavenly body you would like to know more about and it tells you exactly what you are looking at. Don’t get wrong ideas. Just give it a shot and you will be star-struck.

Dropbox

With the influx of various internet enabled computing devices, your data end up scattered across gadgets or you end up with multiple copies of the same unnecessarily consuming storage space. Dropbox lets you store all your photos, docs and videos at one place that can be accessed from your phone, tablet or computer. You are also allowed to edit your documents directly in Dropbox or save your email attachment there. And of course, it doesn’t miss out on the functionality to share files with your family and friends. The free version offers you 2 GB of storage space that can be enhanced to 18 GB if you refer more people. You also have an option of buying more space.

Reduce Photo Size

On the topic of compression, here’s a very handy tool that takes care of your images. The name may lack creativity or flair, but Reduce Photo Size is more than efficient at doing than what its name suggests and more. It primarily helps you resize, crop, rotate and share images. So, no more mailing those jumbo 2 MB image files or wasting those precious megabytes while sharing your images on Twitter or Facebook.

GO Power Master

One can’t stress enough the importance of having that extra bit of battery back-up in your smartphone. GO Power Master is a professional power management tool that helps you improve your battery performance. It identifies the most power hungry applications and also switches to a power saving mode when the battery is low. Its One-Touch Optimization helps you lighten the load on your battery instantly. One of the more interesting features of this app is that it shows your battery life in terms of time and not just percentages so that you get a fair idea about when to go looking for the charger.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is the new SMS/MMS of the smartphone world. The biggest difference being it’s free irrespective of whether you message your next door neighbour or your friend in the US. And not just text, you can share photos, videos and more. Add to that features like group chat, offline messaging, share location or contacts, plus there’s a lot more to explore. The best part is that even if some of your friends or family members do not have an Android phone, WhatsApp works seamlessly across different platforms like BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Phone and Symbian.
Note: The service is totally free for the 1st year. From the 2nd year, you need to pay $0.99 per annum which I am sure you happily will.

Viber

Viber is similar to WhatsApp, but with one major extra feature – free voice calls around the globe with other Viber users. Yes, it is similar to Skype, but with a lot more features. And it’s free of ads, too. It is certainly worth a shot if you have friends and relatives abroad or in different states in India. Though it functions on GPRS, it should be ideally used on a higher bandwidth data connection like 3G or Wifi especially for the voice calls.

m-Indicator

This app is dedicated to the Mumbai readers and especially those who use public transport. m-Indicator or Mumbai Indicator provides you Mumbai local Train timetable, Bus routes, updated auto and taxi fare at your fingertips and without a data connection too. They constantly keep adding new features to it with every update. Never let a cabbie or rickshawala overcharge you again and always know when the next train is going to arrive and plan accordingly rather than waiting for it for hours at the station. This is a must have for every smart Mumbaikar.

That’s it for now. Hope these apps serve you well and save you a lot of time and money.