MIC Gadget says that there is a shutter/overexposure problem with the 1.3 Megapixel camera shutter that Apple is working on and they expect a April time frame release.
According to our factory sources, Apple have problems with the lens aperture for the next-gen iPod nano, the iris is not functioning correctly to allow the advantages of the low aperture to be utilized. Every shot was overexposed. Apple intends to correct its mistake, but the problem still exists in this prototype that is manufactured two months ago. What’s more, a 2-megapixel camera was tested, but it was unsatisfactory — the photos look washed-out and flat.
9to5Mac.com has covered this news as well and goes on to say that, more evidence that Apple was (is?) prototyping an iPod nano with a camera on the back and the accompanying hole on the clip.
Leaked by the Japanese blog Apple.pro, which leaked a similar set of images in April of last year, the new shots further indicate that Apple could be working (or at least was researching at some point), a next-generation iPod nano with an alleged 1.3-megapixel camera on its back, while still keeping the current model’s size and display.
The clip hole looks very similar to an Apple patent filing published in May 2011, with one of the drawings depicting a belt clip with a hole in the exactly same place as on these spy shots.
Looks like Apple is doing something very different this time. A wearable iPod that offers full Siri support? Very interesting concept right. The New York Times on Monday, revealed that Apple is working on a “curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist,” which sounds similar to a watch-like device that could replace the iPod nano and shuffle in gyms around the world. BGR put some more light on this:
Apple is reportedly working on a “curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist,” which sounds similar to a watch-like device that could replace the iPod nano and shuffle in gyms around the world. Presuming Siri support would be the same as it is on the iPhone 4S, users could command the device to play a specific song, check the weather or more. We’re even imagining deeper Siri integration where a user might be able to ask their iPod how far they have run or what their current heart rate is.
Found this really cool concept of Wearable iPod on walyou.comcalled iBangles. FYI, this concept was covered way back in 2008. Check it out:
The New York Times suggested that the brain that brings all these things together will be the smartphone, which after all is really the first wearable computer. Researchers note that the smartphone is almost never more than three feet away from its user. It is often just inches from the bed during the night as well, and has replaced the alarm clock for many people.
As a result, the smartphone is going to be the hub for our information sharing and gathering. Think of it as a force field that will engulf us wherever we are, transmitting power and Internet access to sensors and screens that are tacked to our clothing.
Apple has aired another commercial showing of the new iPod Touch. In this ad users are enjoying multiplayer iOS games and are communicating via FaceTime, Twitter and iMessage. Check it out:
Nielsen’s latest survey data is out for the Holiday season. Looks like its all going to be iPad, iPod touch and iPhones. Nearly half of kids aged 6-12 said they want an iPad this year, while nearly a quarter of kids aged 13 or over said the same thing.
Consistent with U.S. kids’ 2010 wish lists, the Apple iPad is the most desired consumer electronic among kids ages 6-12 for holiday 2011. In fact, the iPad increases its stronghold, with nearly half (44%) of kids expressing interest in the product, up from 31 percent in 2010. Two other popular Apple devices – iPod Touch (30%) and iPhone (27%) – round out kids’ top three, with computers and other tablet brands each appealing to a quarter of younger consumers
Let me share 2 datasheets that would be interest:
Among consumers ages 13 and older, appeal for the iPad (24%) has also broadened relative to last year (18%), and exceeds that of computers (18%), 2010’s top item. Further, it appears the iPad has successfully paved the way for other tablet offerings, as a notable 17 percent of adults/teens also express interest in non-Apple tablets
The 2010 version of the report can now be downloaded from nielsen.com.
Amazon’s Kindle Fire was launched a few days back is being compared side by side with iPad 2 by iDownloadblog in the below video. iPad 2 beats Kindle Fire in many counts. Check it out:
According to a new report by analytics firm Ooyala.com, internet users are watching more video on tablets than on desktop computers. The report suggests that “on average, tablet viewers watched videos nearly 30% longer than when watching on their desktop:”
Ooyala looks at more than a billion video analytics daily from all over the world, and their first-ever report aggregated this information in some other interesting factoids. For example, Facebook was 17 times more popular than Twitter in Italy, for example, but the two social media sites were used more or less equally in Japan. And non-traditional TV watching devices such as cord-cutting boxes like Boxee and video game consoles tripled the amount of videos they played during the last quarter, although they still have a minute market share. “Videos 10 minutes or longer accounted for 56 percent of the time played on tablets and 84 percent played on connected TV devices and game consoles.
Just 2 years back Nintendo held around 70% of all portable gaming revenue in the US. And in just 2 years iOS and Android have taken a 58% share in all gaming revenue in the US according to Flurry, which is up from 34%. The way its going, very soon we will have Nintendo and Sony PSP losing most of their monopoly. Check this chart:
Digitimes has just reported that Apple will completely overhaul all of its product lineup for 2012. The publication is calling for an all new iPhone, iMac, MacBook Air and iPad. This completely new iPhone could be the teardrop-shaped device also:
Inventory of key parts and components for the next-generation iPads will be sufficient enough for the production of two million units by year-end 2011. However, the next-generation iPhone and iMac are unlikely to be revealed until the second half of 2012, the sources added.
BGR reports that Gmail for iPhone and iPad showed up in the App Store for a while yesterday. But then Google pulled it stating this “The iOS app we launched today contained a bug with notifications,” Google posted on Twitter. “We have pulled the app to fix the problem. Sorry we messed up.” Anyways here is the screenshot shared by BGR:
Here is the list of features:
Get alerted to new messages with push notifications and sounds
Find an email in seconds with search across your entire inbox
Autocomplete email addresses from your Gmail contacts or select from your device’s address book
Upload photos with a click using the new attachment button in compose view
On iPad, navigate your inbox and read your mail simultaneously with split view
BGR goes on to say that Gmail for iOS offers a priority inbox feature for finding your most important messages, threaded conversations, labeling, archiving and more. It also supports touch gestures so that users can swipe left or right to view labels and folders.
Last week 9to5Mac shared Troughton-Smith’s video that showed Siri fully working on iPhone 4. These have finally fully hacked Siri to run on iPhone 4 and iPod touch. Check out 2 videos below where Siri completely runs on iPhone 4 and iPod Touch 4G. Note that iPhone 4S jailbreak is necessary in order to accomplish the task of porting the proper files for Siri’s servers to connect to an iPhone 4.
I am not too sure if Apple would come up with another iPad form factor called the iPad Mini, but this might come true. This iPad Mini tablet might come with a 7.85″ display, according a report from United Daily News in Taiwan. Macrumors share this rumor a while back:
Regarding Apple, our research is pointing to the unveiling of a lower priced iPad in the first few months of 2012 that is aimed at expanding the company’s market potential by tapping into a more price sensitive consumer segment. Essentially, this “iPad mini” will also fend off the recently announced Amazon Kindle Fire that addresses the low-end tablet market with a $199 price tag but could lead to bigger tablet ambitions from the online retailer in the future. The “mini” refers to a reduced price point of this iPad and not necessarily the size of the device. We believe this lower priced iPad could be priced in the mid-to-high-$200 range.
LG Display and AU Optronics will supply the parts for the device, which will have the same 1024 x 768-pixel resolution as the iPad 2. Apple may want to enter the lower-priced tablet market in an effort to steal market share away from Amazon’s Kindle Fire device, but at least one analyst has argued the device may not be smaller in size than the current iPad.
7-inch "iPad mini" from iLounge
Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White recently suggested that Apple might introduce an “iPad mini” priced in the “high to mid-$200 range” during the first few months of 2012, and the device will feature the same 9-inch display despite its smaller price tag. Apple is then expected to release an iPad 3 with a higher 2048 x 736 resolution later in the year
A slightly refreshed iPod Nanos were also announced at iPhone media event yesterday. You can now swipe through large icons. The UI includes improved Nike+ fitness feature and also includes 16 new watch faces. The iPod Nano will be available starting today in seven colors for $129 for 8GB and $149 for 16GB.
