Last month, Ubergizmo reported that the iPhone 5 will sport the Liquipel waterproof coating, which covers both the outside and inside of mobile phones to make it water repellent and reduces moisture and liquid damage. Now, the guys over at Today’s iPhone said that one of their sources claimed that both smartphones from Apple and Samsung will get Liquipel coating.

“Both will have had Liquipel treatment as they’ll be altering the wording on insurance,” said the report.

Moisture and liquid damage are known as the top reasons for insurance claims on smartphones, so placing more liquid protection on high-end mobile phones such as the Galaxy S III and the iPhone 5 could definitely change that.

For those who don’t know, Liquipel is a new technology that uses a proprietary compound that is coated on a mobile device. “Liquipel penetrates the entire device as a whole, including all of the vital components inside and out to provide optimal protection against accidental contact with liquids,” according to Liquipel’s website.

This would also mean that it will be good selling points for these smartphones that are also capable of pretty much anything.

via: Ubergizmo

iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III to sport Liquipel? is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Apple enthusiast site 9 to 5 Mac reported that a source from Foxconn said that the next-generation iPhone is ready for production. The source also said that a number of sample units, each different from one another, have been made for testing.

“We received word from a reliable source at Foxconn in China that the iPhone 5, as it is currently being called, is now gearing for production,” 9 to 5 Mac’s report said.

The source said that the sample iPhones all have:

• 4+ inch display (made by LG on at least one of them).
• No teardrop-shaped devices, as rumored in the lead up to the iPhone 4S. Samples so far have been symmetrical in thickness (also longer/wider).
• Neither of the sample devices have the iPhone 4/4S form factor.
• Neither of the devices are the final versions.

John Gruber of Daring Fireball quickly debunked the rumors that the new iPhone will sport a wider and longer body, saying, “longer and wider? Sounds like bullsh*t. I can see Apple putting a bigger display on a device of the same size. I can’t see them making a bigger device.”

We can expect to hear more rumors in the upcoming months as the expected summer release date approaches.

via: Geeky Gadget

Is Apple going to release the iPhone 5 this summer? is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Selling more than 66 million units of Xbox 360 consoles and around 18 million units of its Kinect peripheral since its launch, Microsoft is looking to generate more revenue when it releases Xbox Live to other platforms. Xbox Live are only available to Windows Phone at this time.

“While the Xbox Live experiences and games always work best on the Windows platform, we understand that some Xbox fans may be using other types of devices,” a spokesman from Microsoft said. “To satisfy that need, we are working to extend a few of our Xbox experiences and titles to other platforms.”

This is exciting news for those who want to use the service but opt to use Android and iOS platforms, which are the two leading mobile operating systems in the world. Microsoft has launched Xbox Live and Kinectimals on the iOS platform just recently.

Rumors began earlier this month when Microsoft posted a job listing for a Software Development Engineer, who will be working with the Xbox Live team “to bring the latest and greatest gaming and entertainment experience to mobile platforms including Windows Phone, iOS, and other mobile platforms.”

This would mean that Microsoft is willing to sacrifice its own mobile OS to get a greater share in the mobile gaming market.

Is this a right move for Microsoft?

via: Techradar

Microsoft to launch Xbox Live on Android and iOS is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Apple Inc., which was ranked 17th last year, rose to 8th place as its value increased to $22.49 billion from $21.14 billion a year before. Google is also included in the top 10 that has direct interests in the telecommunications industry. The search giant stil ranks at number four, not moving since 2010. The company’s value, however, has increased to $55.31 billion from $43.55 billion. Other telecom-related companies in the list are Microsoft (3rd place), Intel (7th place) and HP (10th place).

The Cupertino tech giant has seen the biggest change in brand value with a 58 percent increase, while Microsoft’s has decreased by 3 percent. Even though Apple rose 9 places up, the biggest leap came from Amazon, who jumped 10 places to 26th place.
The report reveals that Coca Cola has retained the top spot with the company’s $71.8 billion value, followed by business services company IBM with $69.9 billion.

The surge of Apple has impressed lots of spectators and some say that it is rather unsurprising. It is interesting to find what products the company will release this year, considering the changes it had at the end of 2011. Maybe we will see the light of its revolutionary Apple TV.

via: Bloomberg

Apple now the 8th most valuable brand in the world is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Given the event’s theme, it is rather not surprising that the most people bet on “Electronic/Digital textbooks” at 1/6, with the “iPad Lite” at second with 6/1 and the “iPad 3″ at third place with 9/1.

The iMac desktop’s return is at fourth place with 14/1, while the Apple TV set, or the iTV, takes the following spot with 16/1 and the iPhone 5 on fifth place with 20/1.

“Like all tech junkies I’m awaiting the latest Apple announcement with bated breath, it looks very likely that they’re on the verge of launching electronic textbooks but I don’t think it’s beyond those geniuses at Apple to build a robot teacher,” said a spokesperson for Paddy Power.

Apple previously announced that it will hold an event in New York on Thursday, preparing for an “educational announcement.” The company has been quiet about it, but rather than releasing a new device, observers are expecting it to unveil iPad-optimized textbooks and new features on how users will interact with its content.

Paddy Power is the leading provider of gaming services and the biggest bookmaker in the United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland.

Source: Casino reviewer

Betting has started for Apple’s big announcement is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

According to 9 to 5 Mac, a hidden panel within the code of the beta reveals the processors the iOS 5.1 can handle. The code referenced a “/cores/core.3″ device, which means that its processor has four cores.

“While not quite confirming that a quad-core processor will power Apple’s third-generation iPad, we have obtained evidence that suggests Apple is currently working on quad-core iOS devices,” said Mark Gurman of 9 to 5 Mac on Friday.

In iOS, “/cores/core.0″ indicates a single-core processor. The iOS has referenced “/cores/core.1″ for a two-core device, such as the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4S, each using Apple’s A5 processor. No mention of a triple core chipset was found in the latest beta.

It is said that Apple is using the iOS 5.1 beta to test its new iPad 3 tablet, which is slated to arrive in the first quarter, as well as an unreleased “iPhone 5,1.” Rumors claim that the iPad 3 will have a bigger resolution display, which runs at 2048 x 1536, and a larger battery.

Apple is also said to release a fourth-generation iPad before the year ends to challenge new Windows 8-based tablets.

It seems that Apple will release an iOS device running on four cores, as it can help these devices bring higher resolution screens and power advanced software like the rumored iOS version of Final Cut Pro.

via: Phone Dog

Quad-core processor support seen in iOS 5.1 beta code is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

In a Google+ post by Andy Rubin, Google’s senior vice president for mobile, on December 28, he said, “There were 3.7M Android devices activated on 12/24 and 12/25. Congrats team-Android!” This was after he tweeted that 700,000 Android devices are activated every day.

While the exec did not break down how many were activated on Christmas Eve and how many were on Christmas Day, there’s no doubt that one of those days set a new record for activations. Now, the rate at which new Android tablets and smartphones are being activated has grown 40 percent in just around six months.

Christmas activations for iOS devices may even be higher in the United States. According to data posted by Flurry Analytics, 6.8 million new Android and iOS devices were activated on Christmas alone, and if both posted small activation numbers on Christmas Eve, Apple’s mobile OS likely posted more activations than Android.

The data shows that even if Android had 80 percent activations on Christmas day (around 3 million devices); this leaves 3.8 million for iOS.

“On Christmas Day, activations jumped to more than 6.8 million, a 353 percent increase over the baseline,” said Peter Ferago, vice president of engineering at Flurry Analytics. “Compared with Christmas Day 2010, the previous single-day record, with 2.8 million device activations, Christmas 2011 grew by more than 140 percent.”

via: Android Police

3.7 million Android devices activated in Christmas is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The phone prototype sadly never made it into production, but was reportedly designed by Harmtut Esslinger. Esslinger was the man behind the design of the Apple IIc, which was Apple’s first attempt to make a portable computer. According to Wikipedia, Esslinger, founder of Frogdesign, has a $1 million a year contract with Apple to design some of their products.

“Setting up shop in California for the first time, Esslinger and Frogdesign created the “Snow White design language” which was applied to all Apple product lines from 1984 to 1990, commencing with the Apple IIc and including the Macintosh computer,” according to the site.

The prototype gives us a very interesting look at how the iPhone came to be. The phone features a telephone with a built-in screen. A photo shows what seems to be a check-writing app, where you can pay bills using a modem.

Tech site Mashable pointed out that this is not the first time the photos were revealed. Interest in old prototypes, however, has been renewed because of a stockpile of Apple documents at the Stanford University. These were donated in 1997 when Steve Jobs returned to Apple after being forced out.

via: Mashable

Apple phone prototype from 1983 revealed is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

According to Japanese news site Macotakara.com, the two companies have done shipping the new LCD displays to Apple Inc. The site cites “sources within Apple’s Far Eastern supply chain” as the news source.

If these reports are true, it would be a step further to confirming that a new iOS device, possibly the iPhone 5 or 6, will sport a 4-inch display, which was expected by most people to be introduced in the release of the iPhone 4S.

Also, Sharp Corp. was reportedly tapped by Apple Inc. to manufacture the displays of Apple TVs (or iTVs). The website added that Sharp will also make displays for the next-generation iPhone and iPad. The displays will support Sharp’s production capacity for IGZO LCD panels, which will allow both iPad and iPhone to have improved battery performance and thinner designs.

“The IGZO (indium, gallium, zinc) technology is perfect in that it offers near-OLED power consumption while having a lower cost and thinness that is only 25 percent greater than OLED, based on our checks,” said Peter Misek an analyst from Jeffries.

All of the above remain unconfirmed and should only be considered speculation until a statement from the company is released.

via: Apple Insider

Apple getting 4-inch display orders from Sony and Hitachi is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The Starbucks payment app for the iPhone and iPod Touch will be launched on January 5th next year and will allow customers to pay for their ordered items via their smartphones. The company rolls out this service aiming to reduce transaction time by 10 seconds, which does not only provide convenience to the crew, but also the customers.

“Customers want to be served quickly, but fewer want to use cash. We wanted to find a way for them to pay in the quickest way possible,” explains Starbucks United Kingdom and Ireland’s Brian Waring. “Because our customers want it, we have created our own custom-built mobile payment technology rather than waiting for the near field communication technology which is currently not widely available. We’re always thinking of new ways to add value to our customers and give them more reasons to choose Starbucks.”

The app also eliminates the need to remove users’ Starbucks cards from their wallets, as it can be linked with the app. This means that customers who use the app can still get freebies and the like.

One of five people in the country does not use cash to pay for their purchases, and the app aims to provide people another way to pay.

via: Foodbev

Starbucks will launch mobile payment app in the UK is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos