Hands-on with the Sprint HTC EVO 3D; Update: Video! | Android Central

Hands-on with the Sprint HTC EVO 3D; Update: Video!

How do you follow up one of the most popular, most successful, biggest and fastest phones of 2010? In the case of the recently announced Sprint HTC EVO 3D, you give it a higher resolution screen, 3D recording and playback capability, and you open up a whole new world of user generated content. Oh, and you make it even faster and more powerful.

That's the EVO 3D in a nutshell. It's based off the wildly popular EVO 4G. But it's gained a qHD (960x540) touchscreen in the same 4.3-inch space. And it's sporting the first dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, at 1.2GHz. Worried about battery life? It's got a 1730mAh power source -- the largest stock battery we've seen.

In the hand, it very much feels like an EVO 4G. It's lost the kickstand, but we can live with that. The battery cover has a nice texture to it, and you don't feel like the phone's going to go flying out of your hand, an important safety measure as it's still pretty sizable (it's actually a tad longer than the EVO 4G) and weighs six ounces. It's gained a physical camera button. We've been fans of them for a while now, and the EVO 3D's is about the best we've seen. It's round and textured, and you're not going to be hunting for it. Next to the camera button you have a toggle switch for the 2D/3D camera. In 2D mode, video shoots at 1080p. In 3D, it's at 720p resolution.

The 3D content plays back as smooth as you'd expect. And while 3D's still kind of gimmicky, it's also not the worst thing in the world. And if you never watch 3D content, you'll likely have a perfectly fine experience with the EVO 4G. Check out the video below.

Sprint critiques proposed AT&T / T-Mobile deal, says buyout would 'dramatically alter' telecom industry

This afternoon, AT&T and T-Mobile dedicated a twenty-eight page PDF to convincing regulators that their $39 billion aquisition wouldn't violate antitrust law, using images like the one above. Well, as you can imagine, Sprint had something to say about that, and you can read it immediately below.

The combination of AT&T and T-Mobile USA, if approved by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC), would alter dramatically the structure of the communications industry. AT&T and Verizon are already by far the largest wireless providers. A combined AT&T and T-Mobile would be almost three times the size of Sprint, the third largest wireless competitor. If approved, the merger would result in a wireless industry dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically-integrated companies that control almost 80% of the US wireless post-paid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to compete. The DOJ and the FCC must decide if this transaction is in the best interest of consumers and the US economy overall, and determine if innovation and robust competition would be impacted adversely and by this dramatic change in the structure of the industry.

Last week, rumors flew that Sprint, not AT&T, would be the one to join T-Mobile and create a vast wireless network, and while we haven't heard any proof of that so far, it probably wouldn't be terribly happy to settle for "number 1 spectrum position" if the tables were indeed turned.
View the original article here

Mr. Blurrycam bags a silvery striped smartphone -- is this the HTC Pyramid?

By Sean Hollister posted Mar 20th 2011 6:52PM  Looks like our favorite anonymous globetrotting photographer's spotted something sweet -- it's that alleged HTC Pyramid, comfortably chilling with the 4.3-inch HTC Desire HD. Unfortunately, Mr. Blurrycam only had time to snap this single shot before vanishing to parts unknown, so all we can tell is that that it's sporting a flush, off-center camera with a twin-LED flash, a headset jack up top, and that it's a fairly large, curvy phone. Don't be disappointed, though -- we imagine we'll see a good bit more of the handset this week at a little Florida show.
View the original article here

Sneak peek at Archos Gen 9 tablets: 1.6 GHz dual-core A9 processor, 250GB HDD for €400 in June

By Michael Gorman posted Mar 20th 2011 9:13AM Word on the street was Archos planned to give us a couple of new tablets at IFA this year, but it turns out the upscale Gen 9 hardware is coming a couple months prior to the September trade show. The new Honeycomb slates are set for a June 2011 release and pack a 1.6GHz ARM A9 dual-core chip (the prospect of which should get you spec-heads drooling), up to a 250GB HDD / 32GB SSD, and a patent-pending "disruptive 3G modem" -- all for €400 (about $566). Archos' fiendish plan is to steal some of the iPad 2's thunder with its speedy processor and competitive price, but history tells us it'll need more than "competitive" to truly yank any marketshare. Too bad the post-PC world can't be bothered to care, right Steve?

View the original article here

T-Mobile answers its customers' most Frequently Asked Question: no iPhone

By Vlad Savov posted Mar 20th 2011 7:16PM Never mind the practicalities of T-Mobile and AT&T using different 3G bands, Apple not having approved any deal for extended distribution of its phone, or the fact AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile isn't set to complete for another year. The immediate reaction to AT&T agreeing to buy T-Mobile USA was to ask, "so that means the iPhone's coming to T-Mo, right?" Well, wrong. T-Mobile has delivered an FAQ on its site informing customers about the forthcoming transition, including the unequivocal notice regarding the iPhone:

"T-Mobile USA remains an independent company. The acquisition is expected to be completed in approximately 12 months. We do not offer the iPhone. We offer cutting edge devices like the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and coming soon our new Sidekick 4G."

So that settles that (for a year, anyway). In other news, service and billing won't be changing, and there's a promise that T-Mobile devices will continue to operate as they do now even after the acquisition is complete. Ominously, however, the company fails to answer its own question about pricing changes, stating only that it'll honor "all contracted plans that are entered into before the change of ownership."

View the original article here

TI-Nspire graphing calcs get full color displays, 3D, WiFi, and new OS

TI-Nspire CX Handheld by Texas Instruments Brings Color and Images to Math and Science Learning

New suite of Nspired Learning tools creates the foundation for interactive classrooms

DALLAS, Feb. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In its quest to support math and science educators in achieving learning goals for their students, Texas Instruments rolls out its Nspired Learning solution with the introduction of the new color-display TI-Nspire™ CX handheld. With the Nspired Learning solution, teachers are able to build their own interactive and engaging math and science classrooms.

The TI-Nspire CX handheld is the cornerstone of the Nspired Learning solution. The TI-Nspire CX handheld offers a set of fully integrated tools that allow dynamic links among multiple representations of a problem. The color display enables students to better observe patterns and make connections between math and science concepts and real-world learning. With the TI-Nspire CX and TI-Nspire CAS handhelds' new 3D graphing capabilities, students can explore concepts from multiple points of view to develop deeper conceptual understanding.

"The TI-Nspire CX handheld exponentially changes how we can teach mathematics," said Carlo Trafficante, the first educator to pilot the TI-Nspire CX handheld in a classroom. Trafficante teaches Calculus, Integrated Algebra and Geometry, and Advanced Math at Austintown Fitch High School in Youngstown, Ohio. "With the addition of color as a key learning cue and with 3D graphing, students can better visualize and interact with class exercises. I can emphasize different parts of an equation with color, so the charts, tables, graphics and even photographs that I import into my lessons have more impact and relevance, and enable students to make the important connections among all of these representations."

Research(1) shows that when students are engaged and actively participate in their own learning, they progress faster and further in understanding mathematics and science. Graphing handhelds such as the TI-Nspire handhelds have been shown to foster student engagement and encourage participation in their own learning.

"At Texas Instruments we work with educators to develop new math and science learning technology to help them better engage students in mastering key concepts," said Melendy Lovett, president of Texas Instruments Education Technology. "The TI-Nspire CX handheld and software update is not only a graphing calculator; it is special-purpose technology created to give teachers new ways to reach students and achieve learning breakthroughs."

The TI-Nspire CX and TI-Nspire CX CAS handhelds deliver a 16-bit, 320 x 240 pixel high-resolution color display for clear, crisp viewing. With this display, teachers and students can see sharp, full-color images and animations. The new TI-Nspire CX handhelds offer a slim profile, sleek design, and a rechargeable battery.

The TI-Nspire CX handheld is permitted for use on the SAT*, AP*, PSAT/NSMQT*, IB®, and ACT® college entrance exams, as well as many state standardized tests.

TI-Nspire Software Version 3.0

TI-Nspire Software Version 3.0 includes the new PublishView™ feature, a digital content authoring and publishing tool. With the PublishView feature, educators can create interactive lessons that can be published to the Web or easily printed as worksheets. Students can use the PublishView tool to create reports and class presentations. The software allows users to load their own images, animations and even video into their TI-Nspire documents to create vibrant activities. The software can be loaded on a PC or MAC® computer.

Nspired Learning

Along with the handheld, the Nspired Learning offering includes student monitoring and assessment technology, ready-to-use digital lessons, and professional development services. With its Nspired Learning solution, Texas Instruments empowers teachers to create interactivity in their math and science classrooms in ways that complement the way they teach and the way their students learn.

When a TI-Nspire handheld is linked to a teacher's classroom computer via the wireless TI-Nspire™ Navigator™ system – including the new TI-Nspire™ CX Navigator™ system – teachers can better understand the progress of individual students, personalize their teaching style to fit class needs, and promote discussions that allow students to share ideas and learn from each other.

TI also offers the Math Nspired resource center, a collection of free, online lessons and tools that enable teachers to leverage TI-Nspire technology with ready-to-use lessons that cover tough-to-teach, tough-to-learn topics. TI will launch the Science Nspired resource center for Physics and Chemistry in time for back to school 2011.

TI rounds out its Nspired Learning offering with T3™ - Teachers Teaching with Technology ™ - professional development services. The T3 organization provides customizable professional development in a variety of formats, ranging from conferences and workshops to live and on-demand webinars to help educators sharpen their pedagogy skills using the latest TI technology.

For more information on the TI-Nspire CX handhelds or the full line of TI-Nspire technology and resources, visit http://education.ti.com/calculators/products/US/Nspire-Family/CX-Handhelds.

View the original article here

How To Manually Enable Sideloading On Your Atrix

March 1, 2011   By: mic_888

If you are the lucky owner of a Motorola Atrix 4G, you may be wondering how to sideload apps onto your Android device.

Perhaps you don’t have access to the Market, maybe you’re testing some apps….well XDA forum member gdanko has posted how you can enable sideloading the old-fashioned way.

You’ll need sqlite3 which the XDA member has noted that Linux and OSX come with, installed by default, so if you are running Windows you’ll need to download the exe file for this. Once you’re set with sqlite3, gdanko has provided the code required.

If you’re interested, check out the forum thread.

View the original article here

Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 (2.2GHz Core i7, 15 in)

Review:

After a now-customary period of rumors, leaks, and anecdotal evidence, Apple's new generation of MacBook Pro laptops has arrived. And though these new models may look the same as the ones they replace, the changes under the hood are some of the most far-reaching in the history of the MacBook Pro brand.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro moves from Intel's original Core i-series CPUs to the latest second-generation chips, formerly code-named Sandy Bridge. Not only that, you can forget about seeing an Intel Core i5 CPU in your 15-inch (or 17-inch) MacBook Pro--these use high-end quad-core Core i7 chips ... Expand full review

After a now-customary period of rumors, leaks, and anecdotal evidence, Apple's new generation of MacBook Pro laptops has arrived. And though these new models may look the same as the ones they replace, the changes under the hood are some of the most far-reaching in the history of the MacBook Pro brand.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro moves from Intel's original Core i-series CPUs to the latest second-generation chips, formerly code-named Sandy Bridge. Not only that, you can forget about seeing an Intel Core i5 CPU in your 15-inch (or 17-inch) MacBook Pro--these use high-end quad-core Core i7 chips now. Our step-up $2,199 review unit had a 2.2GHz quad-core i7, with 4GB of RAM and a huge 750GB hard drive (at only 5,400rpm, however).

The biggest surprise is the 15-inch MacBook Pro's graphics processor. Instead of the Nvidia GeForce 330M graphics card previously found in these systems, the GPUs now come from Nvidia's longtime rival AMD. The base 15-inch model has an AMD Radeon HD 6490M, and our review unit had an even faster 6750M. With Intel's improved integrated graphics in the 13-inch models, that means that Nvidia has been completely ousted from the MacBook Pro line.

The iconic unibody aluminum construction remains, as does the large glass multitouch trackpad. Most of the ports and connections also remain the same, with one very notable new addition. Where the Mini DisplayPort connection used to be, now an identically sized port is marked with a lightning-bolt icon. That's for Thunderbolt, Intel's new high-speed powered-port technology for data transfer and displays. The Thunderbolt tech is envisioned as a sort of future unified successor to USB, FireWire, and DisplayPort, allowing peripherals to carry data and video at 10Gbps (in the video above, we may have had a slip of the tongue and said Mbps, but we meant Gbps).

For now, at least, that promise is hypothetical. We have very little idea of exactly when Thunderbolt-compatible peripherals will be available (although Apple says the first ones should show up in the spring of 2011), how much they'll cost, or if Apple will be adding the technology to future displays or iOS devices. For now, it's a wait-and-see gamble on a future technology.

The lowest-cost 15-inch MacBook Pro is still $1,799, following the usual Apple trajectory of keeping the price steady but adding faster, more powerful components. While we're still waiting for oft-requested extras such as HDMI, Blu-ray, and 3G, the speed and power of these new quad-core Core i7 CPUs is extremely impressive, and leaves even other recent MacBook Pros in the dust.

2.2GHz Intel Core i7 quad-coreAMD Radeon HD 6750M / Intel HD 3000System weight / Weight with AC adapter

By now, the shape and size of the MacBook Pro should be very familiar. Even more recent Apple designs, such as the second-generation MacBook Air, are basically just variations on it. The core building block remains the same: a solid block of aluminum, which is carved down into a shell with support struts. This unibody chassis has the benefit of being thin (for a 15-inch laptop), but strong and flex-free at the same time.

The touch philosophy that informs the iPad/iPhone line of devices can be said to have its roots in the large multitouch clickpad-style trackpad that's been a staple of the MacBook Pro for years. Of the multitouch gestures, our favorite is sweeping up or down with four fingers to show or hide all your active windows. Once you get used to that, going back to a regular touch pad is difficult. A few new gestures are apparently coming to the next version of OS X, but you won't see those until this summer.

Several Windows laptops have added larger clickpads over the past year or so, with similar multitouch gestures, but we can easily say that none can yet compete with the MacBook Pro's implementation.

The 1,440x900-pixel display is still a higher resolution than many 15-inch laptops (many of which are 1,366x768 pixels), and two screen upgrades are available: a 1,680x1,050-pixel-resolution version for an extra $100, or a 1,680x1,050-pixel-resolution "antiglare" version for $150. That's a lot more flexibility than the 13-inch MacBook Pro, which still doesn't have a glare-free or higher-resolution screen option (even though the current 13-inch MacBook Air has a stock 1,440x900-pixel resolution).

Mini DisplayPort/Thunderbolt I/OStereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacksStereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks2 USB 2.0, FireWire 800, SD card reader4 USB 2.0, SD card reader, eSATAEthernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, BluetoothEthernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional mobile broadband

The big story in the ports and connections category is the new port based on Intel's Thunderbolt high-speed I/O technology. If it looks a lot like the Mini DisplayPort connection on previous MacBook Pros, that's because it is the same, except for the tiny lightning bolt logo next to it. It still functions as a DisplayPort output, and, in fact, you'll be able to daisy-chain up to six Thunderbolt devices or displays to that single port.

While there aren't any Thunderbolt peripherals available yet, we did get to see a demo of a prototype RAID product when we met with Apple, and the performance passing multiple uncompressed HD video streams was impressive. Thunderbolt is technically capable of 10Gbps bidirectional transfer, and if Intel and Apple have their way, it may replace many other kinds of ports and connections in the future.

Also notable on the new MacBook Pro is a 720p Webcam, which works with the new Mac version of FaceTime, the same video-conferencing application found on the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch. With a solid Wi-Fi signal, jumping into full-screen mode was clear and mostly stutter-free. There's also an onscreen button for changing the video window from portrait mode to horizontal, and video calls can be made between MacBooks and iPhones as well. You can read more about FaceTime for Mac in this hands-on. It's also worth noting that the SD card slot is now SDXC-compatible, meaning it will work with higher-capacity SD cards.

But while Thunderbolt and FaceTime are interesting extras, the real muscle behind the new MacBook Pro is the quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU and AMD Radeon HD 6750M GPU. In our CNET Labs benchmark tests, it absolutely clobbers the competition, including last year's 15-inch MacBook Pro, which had a first-gen Intel Core i7, and other high-end midsize laptops, such as a Core i7 Alienware M15x.

To be sure, once more systems with these new Intel processors hit the streets, the competitive gap will close up significantly, but for now, this is the fastest laptop we've tested.

Hide Review Next page

The switch from Nvidia to AMD in the graphics department came as a surprise. The AMD Radeon HD 6750M in our review unit is one of the better GPUs you can cram into a laptop right now. The less-expensive base-model 15-inch version of the MacBook Pro includes a still-good Radeon 6490M. As with the last generation of MacBook Pros, the discrete graphics automatically share the workload with the integrated Intel graphics as needed, saving battery life as you go.

Mac gaming, no matter what anyone says, is still a pretty fallow field, with many big games still available only for Windows systems. Fortunately, one of our most anticipated upcoming releases, Dragon Age II, will be Mac-compatible. Civilization V is another recent high-end game that will run on OS X. In our older Modern Warfare Mac gaming benchmark, we got 51.8 frames per second at a 1,440x900-pixel resolution with high quality settings, which was significantly better than the 34.5fps we got with the Nvidia GeForce 330M in last year's 15-inch MacBook Pro (but when we turned the graphics settings down to medium, the two GPUs were much more similar).

Apple MacBook Pro - Core i7 Sandy Bridge 15.4-inch - 2.2GHz

For once, our battery life score actually exceeded a manufacturer's estimate. Apple says the system should run for 7 hours on average, and in our video playback battery drain test, it ran for 7 hours and 5 minutes. That's about an hour longer than last year's model, even with all the new, powerful hardware inside.

Service and support from Apple has always been a bit of a mixed bag. Apple includes a one-year parts-and-labor warranty, but only 90 days of telephone support. Upgrading to a full three-year plan under AppleCare will cost an extra $349 ($100 more than for the 13-inch MacBook Pro) and is pretty much a must-buy, considering the proprietary nature of Apple products and their sealed bodies. Support is also accessible through a well-stocked online knowledge base, video tutorials, and e-mail with customer service, or through in-person visits to Apple's retail store Genius Bars, which, in our personal experience, have always been fairly efficient, frustration-free encounters.

Multimedia multitasking test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple MacBook Pro - Core i7 Sandy Bridge 15.4-inch - 2.2GHz
Adobe Photoshop CS3 image-processing test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple MacBook Pro - Core i7 Sandy Bridge 15.4-inch - 2.2GHz
Apple iTunes encoding test (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Apple MacBook Pro - Core i7 Sandy Bridge 15.4-inch - 2.2GHz
Video playback battery drain test (in minutes)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Apple MacBook Pro - Core i7 Sandy Bridge 15.4-inch - 2.2GHz

Find out more about how we test laptops.

System configurations:

Apple MacBook Pro (2011) 2.2GHz Core i7 quad-core, 15.4 inch
OS X 10.6.6 Snow Leopard; Intel Core i7 2.2GHz; 4,096MB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz; 1GB AMD Radeon HD 6750M / 384MB (Shared) Intel HD 3000; 750GB Toshiba 5,400rpm

Dell XPS 15
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit); 2.53GHz Intel Core i5 M460; 4,096MB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 1GB NVIDIA GeForce 420M + 64MB(Dedicated) Intel GMA HD; 500GB Seagate 7,200rpm

Acer Aspire 5742G-7200
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit); 2.53GHz Intel Core i5 M460; 4,096MB DDR3 SDRAM 1,066MHz; 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 420M; 500GB Western Digital 5,400rpm

Apple MacBook Pro (2010) Core i7 M620 15.4 inch - 2.66GHz
OS X 10.6.2 Snow Leopard; Intel Core i7 M620 2.66GHz; 4,096MB DDR3 SDRAM 1,066MHz; 512MB Nvidia GeForce GT 330M + 256MB Intel GMA HD; 500GB Seagate 5,400rpm

Alienware M15x
Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit); 2.0GHz Intel Core i7-920XM; 4GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,066MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M; 500GB Seagate 7,200rpm

Previous page

View the original article here

What to Expect From iPad 2

Apple is almost certainly taking the wrapper off its next-generation iPad on Wednesday, so now is a great time to take stock of all the rumors, analyst predictions, and other info we’ve been hearing about the upcoming device. We might not have long to wait to get our hands on Apple’s newest tablet, since AppleInsider is reporting that it will be on store shelves soon after it’s unveiled. But let’s see if we can’t come up with a more realistic overall picture of what to expect.

The new iPad will have FaceTime support via a front-facing camera. If it doesn’t, I will eat my hat. Apple is all about FaceTime, and I’m fairly sure the only reason the first iPad didn’t have it is because Apple wanted that to be an iPhone 4 launch feature, and the company knew full well that in a year’s time, it would become an upgrade incentive for original iPad owners. Whether the iPad will have a rear camera as well is less certain. It would help keep the device on par with Android hardware, and Mark thinks it could come in handy for business users. On the other hand, I think most users probably wouldn’t take advantage of it much, and Apple isn’t known for doing things just because everyone else is doing it.

The biggest question mark surrounding Apple’s new iPad is probably the display. Will it be double the resolution (2048×1536), as some early rumors speculated? Or will it remain exactly the same, as more recent murmurs indicate? I think the iPad 2 will have a similar screen to the original, but with quality improvements that don’t change the resolution but nevertheless affect the look of the screen. Whether it’s better contrast, brightness, viewing angle or screen depth, we’ll see something that makes the iPad 2 visually pop, but Apple won’t go Retina Display with this revision. The iPhone’s screen remained relatively the same until the iPhone 4, after all. It can afford to keep the same quality of display in place for one more year, especially if it continues to beat all others when it comes to price.

The iPad 2 will be thinner than its predecessor. Apple loves to do this with its portable devices; the iPod touch is a perfect example. Apple will have refined the design of components to allow for a thinner case. We might also see a thinner bezel around the screen, allowing for a smaller overall surface area, but the screen will almost certainly remain 9.7 inches. Apple won’t reduce the size of the bezel by too much, though, because the iPad still can’t be held comfortably with one hand without putting a finger on the front of the device. Some suggest a carbon-fiber body might be on the way, but I’d wager that Apple will stick with an aluminum back for this model. BGR this morning posted what it claims might be a picture of the next iPad’s back casing. The casing pictured appears to replicate the design rumors that have been floating around, with a flat back and more prominent speaker, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this is, in fact, what we get.

Apple will make sure the next iPad gets improvements under the hood, even if it doesn’t go overboard and throw in dual-core processing or tremendous amounts of RAM. Recent rumors suggest that it’ll get an upgrade to a more powerful processor, an A5 to succeed Apple’s in-house designed A4, which currently powers the iPhone 4 and the iPad. At least 512MB of RAM is also pretty much a guarantee. Don’t be surprised if Apple keeps these changes relatively modest on paper, though. The key to iPad’s success is, after all, how well it performs in the hands of users, something more muscle-bound machines haven’t yet been able to match.

All of the above items are what we can pretty safely expect to see, but none of them will really bowl over customers the way Apple likes to with new iterations of its devices. FaceTime is a big addition from Apple’s perspective, but consumers at this point will be shocked only if it isn’t there. Instead, there are a number of possibilities for something new that really shakes things up.

There are three likely possible wow factors for the iPad 2 in my opinion. The first is the inclusion of a Thunderbolt port. Many early case prototypes for the new iPad feature a space for a port that’s too small to be USB, and was originally suspected to be for Mini DisplayPort. Apple showed it was serious about Thunderbolt by including it in the new MacBook Pros it introduced last Thursday. It makes sense for iPad, because it could make for ultra-fast syncing and data transfer between the iPad and new Macs, rewarding customers who embrace both of Apple’s computing platforms. And even for those who don’t, Thunderbolt on the iPad could be used for simple, single-cord A/V out to connected displays. I think this is possible for this generation, but it’s more likely Apple will wait until Thunderbolt has more presence in its Mac line before we see it go portable.

Second, Apple could introduce iOS 5 alongside the iPad, with additional, device-specific features that are only available to customers who pay for the hardware upgrade. Maybe these could be the oft-rumored NFC features many think are on their way to iOS devices, or AirDrop capabilities like those in the new OS X Lion developer preview that allow for easy, fast device-to-device direct file transfer. This seems like the most realistic wow factor candidate for this generation of hardware.

Finally, the new iPad could come with a price reduction. Apple is already leading the tablet pack when it comes to the cost to consumers, but even a $25 drop would do a lot to solidify that position and overshadow a relatively modest, evolutionary hardware update. Apple has been making the iPad for a year now, so presumably it’s been able to reduce production costs along the way.

Those are my expectations going into Wednesday’s event. What are yours?

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

View the original article here

T-Mobile continues campaign against iPhone 4 with new 'State of the Smartphone' infographic

By Vlad Savov posted Feb 28th 2011 2:45AM T-Mobile cares about you. It cares so much that it's spending all its advertising dollars lately making sure you know full well that the iPhone 4 can't do "4G" the way its own phones can. The latest salvo in this crusade of enlightenment includes the above graphs showing just how much faster and further your money can go if you ride along on the Magenta network. It conveniently ignores the fact that AT&T and Verizon offer other phones besides Apple's iPhone, some of which can handle speeds above the 3G threshold, but such is the price you pay when you want to have a really pretty and eye-catching chart. Hit the source link to soak up more of T-Mobile's priceless wisdom.

[Thanks, Ramon]

View the original article here

Apple Introduces New MacBook Pros

Apple MacBook Pro

As rumored, Apple today unveiled updates to its MacBook Pro line of computers. Early leaks revealed the specs of all the new models at least a day ahead of launch, and those leaks proved quite accurate. Here are the details of Apple’s new lineup of Pro notebooks.
Perhaps the highlight of the new MacBook Pro line (especially for professional users) is the introduction of the new Thunderbolt I/O standard. In the press release announcing the new machines, Apple SVP of Marketing Phil Schiller had this to say about the new tech:

Thunderbolt is a revolutionary new I/O technology that delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second and can support every important I/O standard which is ideal for the new MacBook Pro.

Unlike what some early rumors predicted, the new MacBook Pros sport the same basic design as their predecessors, meaning aluminum and glass enclosures with a black bezel around the screen. All the new MacBooks also sport an Intel HD Graphics 3000 integrated GPU, although the 15- and 17-inch models also offer discrete graphics, too. And all the revised Pro models also boast a new FaceTime HD Camera, which replaces the built-in iSight camera and offers full 720p quality video for FaceTime calls between the new Macs. SSD upgrades are also available for all options, in sizes ranging from 128 GB to 512 GB. Here are the specs for each individual model:
Configuration #1 ($1199)
2.3GHz Dual-Core i5 Intel ProcessorIntel HD Graphics 30004GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM320GB 5400 RPM HDGlossy 1280×800 resolution displaySuperDrive 8xThunderbolt/Mini DisplayPortSDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo Jack
Configuration #2 ($1499)
2.7GHz Dual-Core i7 Intel ProcessorIntel HD Graphics 30004GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM500GB 5400 RPM HDGlossy 1280×800 resolution displaySuperDrive 8xThunderbolt/Mini DisplayPortSDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo Jack
Configuration #1 ($1799)
2.0GHz Quad-Core i7 Intel ProcessorIntel HD Graphics 3000AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256 MB of GDDR5 RAM4GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM500GB 5400 RPM HDGlossy or antiglare 1440×900 resolution displaySuperDrive 8xThunderbolt/Mini DisplayPortSDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo in/out
Configuration #2 ($2199)
2.2GHz Quad-Core i7 Intel ProcessorIntel HD Graphics 3000AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1 GB of GDDR5 RAM4GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM750GB 5400 RPM HDGlossy or antiglare 1440×900 resolution displaySuperDrive 8xThunderbolt/Mini DisplayPortSDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo in/out
Configuration #1 ($2499)
2.2GHz Quad-Core i7 Intel ProcessorIntel HD Graphics 3000AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1 GB of GDDR5 RAM4GB DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM750GB 5400 RPM HDGlossy or antiglare 1900×1200 resolution displaySuperDrive 8xThunderbolt/Mini DisplayPortSDXC Card slot, 1x FireWire 800, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet and Digital Audio/Mini Stereo in/out
All the above configurations can be customized with up to 8 GB of RAM, and all include a built-in battery rated for 7-hours of wireless web use according to Apple’s battery testing standards, which it revised to be more representative of real-world use when it introduced the MacBook Air.
So, who’s buying one of these?


View the original article here

Report: 1M Verizon iPhones Sold at Launch

Just because there weren’t long lines at Verizon and Apple stores when the iPhone 4 launched on Verizon’s network Feb. 10 doesn’t mean the device didn’t sell well. According to estimates made based on recent comments by Verizon CEO Dan Mead, sales of the iPhone 4 may have exceeded 1 million during its introductory weekend.

Here’s how the math works out: according to The Street, recent analyst estimates put Verizon pre-orders at around the 600,000 mark. Mead said this weekend talking to press that pre-orders accounted for 60 percent of total iPhone 4 sales at launch. That means 1 million total devices potentially flew off the shelves during the debut, with even more sold during the following weeks. Verizon plans to announce actual sales figures when it reveals its first quarter earnings in April.

In comparison, AT&T sold 1.7 million during the first three days of the original iPhone 4 launch in June of last year. Verizon’s totals may not match AT&T’s success, but remember that the iPhone 4 has already been on market for more than half a year now, and that many customers may be unwilling to buy when a new model is expected for a June release.

Mead also revealed that Apple has plans in mind for LTE, Verizon’s next-generation mobile broadband technology, but he declined to give any more specific information. Analyst predictions have LTE on track for a sixth-generation iPhone device, but not for the one we’ll see released this summer. That timeline makes sense, given Apple’s propensity to wait until a technology is more or less widely adopted and stable before introducing it to its products.

Even without LTE, the iPhone 5 will be the device launch to watch in terms of truly gauging the relative success of Apple’s smartphone on both Verizon and AT&T, since it’ll likely be available simultaneously on both networks. AT&T, meanwhile, looks to be hedging its bets with alternative connected devices.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (subscription req’d):

View the original article here