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iPhone 5S: What and When to Expect

11:12 PM Lecor Martineau


The iPhone 5 may only be a few months old, but we're already hearing information about a successor, which may be known as the iPhone 5S.

The early arrival of the iPad 4 and the iPad mini - just eight months after the release of the iPad 3 in March - has meant that Apple still has the ability to surprise and we could well see an iPhone 5S appear earlier than expected.



iPhone 5S release date

That means the iPhone 5S release date could be as early Spring 2013. However, we believe it's still likely that we'll see another iPhone later in 2013.
But that's not what everybody thinks: the Chinese-language Commercial Times estimates that full commercial production of the rumored iPhone 5S will begin as early as Q1 2013. That's borne out by further rumors suggesting a March manufacturing start date, followed by a mid-year release.
Digitimes reckons the iPhone 5S release date will be a little later, citing predicted sales targets of relevant component manufacturers. "Apple is expected to introduce its next-generation iPad and iPhone series around the middle of 2013... Component orders placed by Apple, which climbed to high levels prior to the iPhone 5 rollout, will rise again between March and April, the observers indicated."


iPhone 5S rumors

Some sources claim that Apple has is ploughing ahead with the next iteration of the popular handset, due to low yield rates of the iPhone 5 on the assembly line at Foxconn.
Apparently, because of the fragility of the parts used to make the device, many break before they even see the light of day.
The leaked handset has already been referred to as the iPhone 5S, in keeping with Apple's naming convention for updates to the outward appearance of its iconic device.


iPhone 5S display

iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 will include a Super HD screen display and camera according to new reports in December 2012. The China Times says a 'Touch On Display' panel is being developed by Taiwanese supplier Innolux with 10 point multi-touch and a 0.5mm thickness. Apparently the site spoke to sources inside Apple's supply chain.
iPhone 5S casing

According to further rumours, the iPhone 5S might not be the only Apple handset we see this year - rumours abound about cheaper, plastic iPhones, while Apple could be readying an even bigger smartphone to launch in June, apparently called the iPhone Math.
According to the hit-and-miss China Times wesbite the iPhone Math will carry a sizable 4.8-inch display and an 8MP camera.
The new, larger, lower-cost handset could be aimed at emerging markets such as China.


iPhone 5S camera

In January 2013 iLounge received information that indicated the handset would sport the same design as the iPhone 5 with the key difference being a beefier camera and larger flash on the back.
That's hardly ground breaking upgrades from Apple, with the touted 13MP camera on the 5S hardly bucking the trend considering the Sony Xperia Z already has this and we'd expect the Samsung Galaxy S4 to offer up something similar.


iPhone 5S wireless charging

According to CP Tech, Apple filed a patent application last month for Wireless Power Utilization, a wireless charging system with near-field magnetic resonance (NFMR). That means we'll get wireless charging at last.

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iPad5 Rumours and Speculations

10:56 PM Lecor Martineau


While many people are focusing on the next generation of iPhone or iPad mini, the iPad 5 release date itself is perhaps more important. The iPad 5 is expected to be Apple’s best-selling iPad, and there are lots of rumours already about what the new iPad 5 will be like. 

Apple itself has typically kept quiet about any developments on the iPad front, but we expect iPad 5 rumours, especially regarding the new iPad 5 release date to intensify over the next few months.



New iPad 5 release date

Speculation regarding a new iPad 5 release date is rampant at the moment, but we do expect a new iPad 5 model to be released at some point in 2013.

Narrowing the new iPad 5 release date down further than that requires some speculation. We can look at Apple’s history with iPad release dates. It’s interesting to note that the first iPad was released less than two years ago in April 2010. Apple then followed that with an iPad 2 in March 2011, iPad 3 in March 2012, and a surprise iPad 4 in November 2012.

History suggests that the new iPad 5 release date will be March 2013

So if we’re looking for a pattern to set a date for the new iPad 5 release, March 2013 would seem a good date to pick. This is when we expect the new iPad 5 release date to be.

Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White claims that his checks with industry sources during the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January indicated that the iPad 5 would arrive in March, alongside the iPad mini 2 with Retina display.

However, the new iPad 4 was released in November 2012, just seven months after the iPad 3. And a new iPad 5 March 2013 release this would mean just five months between the iPad 4 and iPad 5 release date.

This does seem a little concertinaed to us, and Apple would be open to grumbles from iPad 4 owners about buying a technology that was so quickly superseded. Not that we expect that to stop Apple from forging ahead with the latest technology, but it does seem a little swift.

In mid-January, it was reported that Sharp had reduced the production of Apple’s full-size iPad displays to a ‘minimal level’, which some said indicates an upcoming iPad update.

Rumours suggest a new iPad 5 release date of June 2013

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek wrote in a research note in December that he believed Apple’s fifth-generation iPad will be thinner and lighter with a June 2013 launch.

There seems to be no firm reason for the slightly later release date, although it makes sense when you consider the recent release of the iPad 4, and the impending Apple Television. A slightly later June launch could make sense.

The new iPad 5 released date could be late 2013

It may be that Apple decides to move the new iPad 5 to a later point in the year, perhaps October or November 2012 to match up with a pre-Christmas launch of other products like the iPod and iPhones.

This later iPad 5 release date would also allow Apple to focus on an Apple Television launch in the first half the year.


New iPad 5 rumours

The new iPad 5 rumours are starting to come through the pipeline, although they are few and far between so far. Here is what we expect the new iPad 5 features to include.

New iPad 5 will have one LED Light Bar Retina Display

The new iPad 5 will keep the 9.7in Retina Display, however rumours suggest that the new iPad 5 will have just one LED Light Bar inside (the current iPad has two LED Light Bars). This is rumoured to be because Apple will be using newer, more efficient LED Light Bars than previously.

The LED Light Bars enable the iPad to display brightness and colour accurately, and two are currently required to power the the iPad Retina Display.

New iPad 5 will have IGZO display

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek wrote in a research note on that he believed Apple’s fifth-generation iPad would have an IGZO (Indium gallium zinc oxide) display. These displays allow for smaller pixels which enable a device to have a higher resolution, or a higher reaction time for the display.

The IGZO displays are rumoured to be developed by Sharp. Sharp said the new technology allows for twice the detail of existing panels at the same transparency, which means high-resolution devices can be designed that require less power and space for backlighting. The company said the new displays cut power consumption by up to 90 percent versus those currently in use.

New iPad 5 will be thinner and lighter

Taiwanese news source DigiTimes reported first on switch to a single LED Light Bar in the upcoming new iPad 5 release. Removing one of the LED Light Bars will free up some space inside the new iPad 5, enabling Apple to produce a lighter and thinner device. It also has an advantage of reducing the power requirement of the new iPad 5, again enabling Apple to create a smaller and thinner new iPad 5 because it will not require so much battery space (the iPad is essentially one large battery with components inside and a display attached to it).

In January, trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI Securities said that he predicts that Apple will launch a thinner, lighter 10in iPad in 2013, alongside a Retina iPad mini 2 and a cheaper iPod touch. The new iPad 5 could have a design similar to the iPad mini, and could be available in the same black and slate and white and silver designs as the smaller tablet.

New iPad 5 will look like the iPad mini

Although we have no firm idea of what Apple is planning with the new iPad 5 design, we can reasonably believe that it will take its cues from the recently restyled iPad mini and iPhone 5.

As with the iPad, it comes in two colours: white and black (although further colours have been introduced to the iPod touch, and these are a possibility).

There has also been this rumour that the next-generation iPhone 6 will come in a variety of colours. It is possible the the new iPad 5 will also come with more colourful options.

New technology will boost iPad 5′s performance and reduce power consumption

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is developing a 16nm process that Apple may adopt for future iPhone and iPad chips. The process should boost performance and reduce the power consumption of new Apple products.

New iPad 5 will have tougher Gorilla Glass 3 display

Corning has developed a new version of its Gorilla Glass for smartphones and tablets that it says will result in 40 percent fewer scratches, and will arrive in devices later this year, possibly including Apple’s iPhone 6, iPad 5 and iPad mini 2.

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Samsung Shows Youm - Flexible Phone OLED Screen

9:26 PM Lecor Martineau


By showing off a phone with a flexible screen, Samsung is hinting at a day when we might fold up our large phone or tablet screens as if they were maps. 

The Korean electronics company provided a glimpse of such a device at a keynote speech Wednesday at the International CES gadget show in Las Vegas. It's an annual showcase of the latest TVs, computers and other consumer-electronic devices. 

WHAT IT IS: Brian Berkeley, head of Samsung Electronics Co.'s display lab in San Jose, Calif., demonstrated a phone that consists of a matchbox-sized hard enclosure, with a paper-thin, flexible color screen attached to one end. The screen doesn't appear flexible enough to fold in half like a piece of paper, but it could bend into a tube.

The company also showed a video of a future concept, with a phone-sized device that opens up like a book, revealing a tablet-sized screen inside.


HOW IT WORKS: The screen uses organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. Only a thin layer of these chemicals is needed to produce a bright, colorful screen. They're used in many Samsung phones already, though with glass screens. For the bendable phone, Samsung laid the chemicals over thin plastic instead of glass. That's a trick you can't pull off with liquid crystals in standard displays.

WHY YOU'D WANT IT: You could pack a bigger screen in your pocket. In a more conventional application, Berkeley demonstrated a phone with a display that's rigid, but bent around the edges of the device, so it can show incoming messages even with a cover over the main screen. In short, OLEDs free designers to make gadgets with curved screens.

WHY IT MIGHT NOT WORK: It's tough to use a touch screen if it bends away from your finger. Flexible OLED screens have been demonstrated for years, but the OLED chemicals are extremely sensitive to oxygen, so they need to be completely sealed off from the air. Volume production of flexible displays that remain airtight has so far stumped engineers. Samsung's screens aren't yet flexible enough to fold, just bend.

AVAILABILITY: Samsung didn't say anything about when flexible displays might be commercialized.

"The concept of the flexible screen has been around for some time, but it finally looks as if Samsung is really going to deliver on that technology," said Stephen Bell, an analyst with Keystone Global.

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Samsung Exynos Octa Processor

11:23 PM Lecor Martineau


Samsung has announced the Exynos 5 Octa processor at CES 2013, an eight-core chip built using ARM’s interesting big.LITTLE concept for improved power and lower energy consumption.

Samsung has shown why it’s one of the most exciting companies working in mobile tech at the moment, by announcing the Exynos 5 Octa processor during its keynote presentation at CES 2013. Just in case the name hasn’t given it away, this is an eight-core processor, and it’s destined to one day power the smartphone in your pocket. 

The new chip will one day replace the Exynos 4 Quad, now powering an astonishing 53 million devices worldwide, as Samsung’s go-to chip for its flagship phones. CEO Stephen Woo said it will provide, “A level of pure processing power never seen before in a mobile device,” before using a reference device to show the processor in action, when its multi-tasking and gaming abilities were briefly demonstrated.

Although the Exynos 5 Octa is billed as an eight-core chip, not all its processor cores were born equal and a more accurate description is that it’s a dual quad-core processor. This is because it’s one of the very first system-on-a-chips to be built using ARM’s big.LITTLE concept.


Dual quad-core processing power

Rather than a single eight-core chip, it has two quad-cores inside – one being a quad-core ARM Cortex A15 and the other a quad-core Cortex A7. The Cortex A15 deals with the tough stuff but passes off the easy tasks to the Cortex A7, or they can both be fired up to really show off. This means it’s strong enough to provide all the power you may need, while at the same time being smart enough to conserve energy when it can. If you’re wondering just how much difference the Exynos 5 Octa and other big.LITTLE chips will make when used in a device, ARM’s CEO Warren East said he expects “twice the performance and half the power consumption” compared to today’s best offerings.

If this approach sounds familiar, it’s similar to the companion core found in Nvidia’s Tegra 3, which avoids waking the quad-core beast and deals with the easy tasks on its own. The difference is, the Exynos 5 Octa’s cores can all work together when the need arises. Samsung has built its new processor using a 28nm manufacturing process, which it promises will help keep power consumption to a minimum.

Now we’ve got you all excited about the Exynos 5 Octa, you’ll want to know when it’s going to be available, right? Sadly, Samsung glossed over this point as it moved on to other things during its presentation, but there have been rumors it’ll be powering the Galaxy S4 when it’s released later this year.

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RIM to Announce BlackBerry 10

11:16 PM Lecor Martineau


Research In Motion says it will debut on January 30 new smartphones running its revamped BlackBerry 10 operating system, which is widely viewed as the company's last chance to stay relevant versus Apple iPhone and Google Android devices. 

The upcoming announcement is expected to include shipping dates and prices. AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and T-Mobile confirmed to mobile industry newsletter FierceWireless this week that they'll carry the new phones. RIM officials previously said several models will be screen-only devices and at least one phone will use the conventional QWERTY keyboard.

RIM announced details of its new operating system in 2012. Users will get efficient multitasking, a modern web browser, a new interface for on-screen keyboards, and a profile feature for quickly switching your phone between office and personal configurations.

Notably, the phones can run applications written for a 2011 version of Android, but only if the applications are first repackaged through BlackBerry's software development tools. Whether that would be up to users, or up to the application's original programmers, remains to be seen. The ability for a mobile computing platform to run programs made for another is unique, said Farpoint Group's Craig Mathias, a well-known analyst in the mobile field. But not all features will be supported, according to information on the BlackBerry software development site. Also unclear is whether the phones will be able to run software designed for newer versions of Android. Software compatibility is a problem even among different versions of individual phones based on Android, he noted.

Early reviews of BlackBerry 10 phones, published by sites such as Cnet, Gizmodo, TechRadar, and USA Today, have been mostly positive.

BlackBerry remains viable in law firms even as the past few years saw an attorney exodus to the iPhone. Almost 50 percent of attorneys surveyed in 2012 by the American Bar Association used iPhones; more than 30 percent were still using BlackBerry. The CIOs at DLA Piper and Holland & Knight said at the time they're seeing a clear shift toward the Apple platform and were taking a wait-and-see approach to BlackBerry 10.

Mathias said that he is optimistic about BlackBerry 10 devices having impressive design, but less so about RIM's overall chances of swaying iPhone and Android customers.

"RIM will build a very high-quality product," Mathias said, in Ashland, Mass. But even if the Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM makes all the right technical and marketing moves, it still probably won't have features compelling enough to make iPhone and Android users switch, he said. Nor was Hewlett-Packard or Microsoft able to make significant inroads with their own mobile devices, despite having far larger budgets than RIM, he observed.

RIM still has a good reputation for their enterprise deployment software and for their wireless security features, Mathias added. But, he said, the importance of such features is shrinking in a bring-your-down-device world.

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USB 3.0 Double-Speed Version Due to Arrive in 2014

11:03 PM Lecor Martineau

The first devices that take advantage of the new standard's 10Gbps data-transfer speed should arrive in 2014. 



Computing industry powers are doubling the data-transfer speed of USB 3.0 from today's 5 gigabits per second rate to 10Gbps. 

The move will uncork speed bottlenecks of external SSD storage devices, open up options such second monitors, and help confine the even faster Thunderbolt interface to a high-end niche.

But it won't happen immediately. The specification should be done in mid-2013, which "will enable initial products to appear in late 2014 with a much broader availability of products in 2015," according to the USB 3.0 Promoter Group, which announced the faster Universal Serial Bus work today at the CES show.

That group's members are Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Microsoft, Renesas Electronics, ST-Ericsson, and Texas Instruments. It's a powerful alliance, to be sure, but it's hard to move the entire electronics industry rapidly to a new standard. The specification for USB 3.0, aka SuperSpeed, was finished in 2008, but it wasn't until four years later that USB 3.0 really took off as a standard part of Intel hardware in 2012.

To take advantage of the double-speed USB 3.0 interface, devices such as computers, hubs, and digital cameras will need new USB controller hardware. However, the new version of USB 3.0 uses the same connectors, so existing USB devices can be plugged into the higher-speed ports.

USB 3.0 cables may or may not work. "Existing SuperSpeed USB cables are not certified to operate at 10 Gbps; it is possible that some existing SuperSpeed USB cables may be capable of operating at 10 Gbps," the group said.

USB has been a remarkable success, spreading from the computer industry to many other segments of the market including cars, mobile phones, and TVs. The Universal Serial Bus Implementers Forum (USB-IF), which oversees the standard, said there are more than 720 USB 3.0 devices

Another area of development: upgrading USB's ability to carry electrical current so it can be used to charge mobile devices faster and even power laptop PCs.

There's some good news for Thunderbolt, which is useful today by virtue of its convenience and performance. Each Thunderbolt port offers dual 10Gbps channels and the ability to daisy-chain multiple Thunderbolt devices. Its utility is expanding with the arrival of optical Thunderbolt cables. And Thunderbolt's future also is warmed by Intel's plan for faster versions of the standard.

But so far Thunderbolt is almost completely nonexistent on personal computers besides Apple models, and cables remain expensive. USB is a necessity, but Thunderbolt remains a luxury.

The new USB standard also could make life harder for another new high-speed communication standard, PCIe Cable.

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XXELLA Jelly Bean Firmware Manual Update for UK Galaxy S3 Users

11:44 PM Lecor Martineau


The release of an Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) XXELL5 update for the international version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 (I9300) has been followed by that of the unbranded Android 4.1.2 XXELLA file for Galaxy S3 users in the United Kingdom. The update offers features like Multi-View, Page Buddy, a customisable Notification Panel and the Group Cast app. 


Firmware detail

PDA: I9300XXELLA

CES: I9300XAELLA

Version: Android 4.1.2

Region supported: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain 

The firmware is available both as an Over-The-Air (OTA) transfer and through Samsung Kies. Galaxy S3 users looking to manually update the device may follow this guide. IBTimes UK reminds its readers it will not be held liable for any damage to the device during this procedure. We also warn readers this firmware is compatible only with the Samsung Galaxy S3 (I9300). 


Pre-Requisites
  • Ensure appropriate USB drivers are downloaded and installed
  • Enable USB Debugging mode
  • Ensure all data is backed-up
  • Ensure 80 percent battery charge
  • Ensure the device is factory unlocked

Steps to Install Android 4.1.2 XXELLA (Jelly Bean) on Galaxy S3 I9300
  • Download Android 4.1.2 XXELLA and extract contents of file (among others, a .tar file should be available)
  • Download Odin v3.07 and extract contents of file
  • Switch device off and re-start in Download mode (to do so, press and hold Volume Down, Home and Power till Samsung Galaxy logo appears on screen)
  • Run Odin on computer and connect device using USB cable (a successful connection is indicated by a message - Added - and the display of a COM port number, against a yellow background)
  • In Odin, select these files (extracted the XXELLA folder) in the order mentioned
  • Click PDA and select .tar file with CODE in its name
  • Click Phone and select file with MODEM in its name
  • Click CSC button and select file with CSC in its name
  • Click PIT button and select .pit file
  • Note: Last three steps can be ignored if such files are not found
  • In Odin, ensure Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time checkboxes are selected
  • Click Start to begin installation
  • A successful installation will be indicated by a message - Pass - from Odin (against a green background) and the device will reboot (disconnect from computer only after Samsung logo appears)
  • Note:  In case device gets stuck at boot animation, go to Recovery mode and perform the Wipe Data/Factory Reset task and reboot system

The Samsung Galaxy S3 (I9300) should now be running on Android 4.1.2 XXELLA (Jelly Bean) firmware. Navigate to Settings > About Phone to verify firmware running on device.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Rumours

11:29 PM Lecor Martineau


Samsung is expected to showcase the next-generation Galaxy S smartphone at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).


Phone Arena reports there will be no official announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and neither will the smartphone appear in public. Samsung will instead show an early model to key partners only.

The report quotes information from South Korean website MT and suggests Jay Lee, the group's vice chairman, will show the Galaxy S4 to carriers and other partners. MT also claims the successor to the Galaxy S3 will have a 5in full HD screen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. The report adds the processor is likely to be the Exynos 5440, a quad-core ARM Cortex A-15 based chipset.
Meanwhile, a photograph of the Galaxy S4, claimed as a press image, has been leaked. The photograph reveals the design of the new smartphone resembles that of the S3 and the Premier. In addition, the device does not have a Home button, which suggests it may have on-screen buttons. Finally, the bezel around the device is much thinner and the display is larger than earlier.

The leaked photograph, on SamMobile, also has details of hardware configuration and these are marginally different from those in the MT report. SamMobile believes an Exynos 5450 chip featuring a quad-core processor clocked at 2GHz will be used and this will be paired with a Mali-T658 graphics unit and 2GB of RAM. In addition, the handset will carry a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and a two megapixel front-facing camera. The device will run on Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean).

Meanwhile, in response to questions, Samsung's Lebanon Facebook page has indicated the Galaxy S4 will not be released before May. The Facebook post is not an official statement but it does seem reasonable; the Galaxy S3 marks its first anniversary in the same month.

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Windows 8 Complete Guide

5:44 AM Lecor Martineau



Microsoft's newest operating system has a whole new interface and loads of new features. Of course, learning a whole new operating system always takes a little time. Here are our tips for getting up to speed quickly and getting the most out of Windows 8.


Preparing for Windows 8

Check compatibility
Is the software and hardware on your PC compatible with Windows 8? It's easy to find out with the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant.

Get your PC ready
If you're planning to upgrade to Microsoft's latest OS, now might be a good time to begin preparing your PC.

Try it out -- sort of
You've probably heard about the new Metro interface in Windows 8, but how to know if you'll like it? Current Windows users can get a sneak peek into the look and feel of Metro with the free metro7 app.

Get Windows 8
Microsoft's biggest desire is to get you using Windows 8, and fast. Here's how to use that $40 upgrade to flip older versions of Windows to Windows 8.


Starting up and shutting down

Skip the log-in
Users who don't need the security of a lock screen and a log-in screen can bypass both through a few simple steps.

Get the start menu back
Three free utilities can replicate the classic Start button and menu in Windows 8.

Going back to start
Clean and simple, Windows 8's Desktop mode also lacks any apparent ways to get back to Metro. Here's three tips on how to do just that.

Use a picture as your password
Tablet and PC users alike can create a picture password in Windows 8 as a visual way of signing in. Here's how.

Shut down with a tile
Shutting down or rebooting Windows 8 can be as easy as point, then click, if you want it to be.


The basics

Keyboard shortcuts
Windows 8 has some new keyboard shortcuts that will help you get around Microsoft's latest OS.

Set default programs
Windows 8 chooses its default players to run your music and video, but what if you want different programs to open your files? Here's how to change them.

Task Manager
The most neglected feature of Windows since it landed in 1995, Task Manager has finally received some love in Windows 8. Here's what's new.

Automatic backups
The new File History feature in Windows 8 can automatically back up your documents, music, pictures, and other personal files.

Sync your devices
One of the best things about Windows 8 is that you can sync settings, apps, and more across multiple computers and tablets. Here's how you do it.

Printing
Printing from a Metro app in Windows 8 works differently than printing from a Desktop app. So, how do you print from a Metro app?

Get Windows Media Center back
Windows Media Center isn't included with Windows 8, but for a limited time, you can get it free of charge.


Advanced tips

Run Windows 8 Desktop and Metro side by side
Not sure if you prefer Windows 8 in Desktop or Metro view? With an external monitor you can use both at the same time.

Dual-boot with 7
Dual-booting your Windows 7 PC with Windows 8 can help you ease into using Windows 8.

Make it kid-safe
Parental controls in Windows 8 are more configurable and robust than ever before. We'll show you how to use parental controls in Windows 8 to help keep kids safe while using a PC.

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