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Tag: iPhone 5

  • iPhone 5S Will Ship Sooner Than Thought

    Planning on buying an iPhone 5S for a Christmas gift or just wanting to get one for yourself? Now is the time because the shipping time on this hot holiday item has just been shortened. Just a few short months ago, Apple said that they had limited numbers of the iPhone 5S available and that the wait for shipment could be lengthy. Apple is now saying that they have plenty of the smartphones in stock and ready to ship out just in time for Christmas.

    Although many people argued that the features added to the iPhone 5S weren’t good enough to make it worth the cost or the wait, it did well during its first week on the market with 9 million iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C handsets sold.

    “This is our best iPhone launch yet… a new record for first weekend sales,” Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said in a press release at the time. “The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible.”

    The sudden availability of the iPhone 5S means that shoppers are jumping at the chance to get them during the Christmas shopping season. Whether Apple was able to get a larger supply for this time of year or if they were simply able to get them shipped out faster has not been determined but as long as customers are getting their phones faster, they aren’t likely to question the process.

    Is the iPhone 5S the top item on your Christmas list or are you saving your upgrade for a newer iPhone that will likely be available in just a few short months?

    Image from Apple.

  • iOS 7 Updates Now Available: iOS 7.0.2. Released

    While Apple’s iOS 7 made an impressive debut yielding more than 100 million downloads in its first week, the old cliche, “Nothing is perfect,” gradually proved to be a descriptive trait. Thousands of customers who initially rendered the mobile operating system as Apple’s ‘best release yet,’ have slowly begun to pick up on small details that have come to question the quality of the new operating system. Last week, complaints slowly started to trickle in before flooding the Internet. The biggest complaint was the ‘Lock Screen’ feature’s deficiency.

    As a result, Apple decided to retract a few steps to resolve the issues with the flawed operating system. Today, Apple released iOS 7.0.2., which is a 17-19MB update component implemented to amend the mobile operating system.

    The new update was created to eradicate the malfunction of the ‘Lock Screen’ feature, which enabled security breaches. The feature had a deficiency whereas someone could easily bypass the ‘Lock Screen’ security without entering the phone’s pass-code. BGR reports that this particular problem granted unauthorized access to the phone’s photos and allowed for phone calls to be placed. It also granted access to mobile applications such as email and Twitter. The update component should resolve the issue and reacquaint the Greek keyboard option so those characters can be implemented for pass-code creation and entry purposes as well.

    The adjustments appear to be a breath of fresh air for Apple users. The Pfeiffer Report conducted an extensive comparative study on both the iOS 6 and 7, in contrast with Android, Windows 8, and BlackBerry 10. In their recent survey based on Mobile Operating System User Experience, Apple topped the list for user satisfaction. We just hope the update serves as a permanent fix.

     

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Apple Sales Spike, iPhone Opening Weekend Sales Top 9M

    After months of skepticism and critical analysis, the iPhone 5 delivers. Many questioned whether the iPhone 5 and iOS 7 would render the same laudable consumer response as releases of previous versions had. Today, the numbers spoke volumes and a verdict was reached – Apple is still a force to be reckoned with. Like Air Jordans on release day at Foot Locker, avid Apple customers fought long lines that wrapped around corners in an effort to walk out with the item in high demand.

    Today, Apple stated in a brief press release that iPhone sales had surged to a staggering 9 million sold in just three days. Since Friday’s release across the United States, the ever-popular smart-phone has been placed on back-order online, and many mobile and electronic outlet stores report that they are totally wiped out. The rare gold version is even harder to find.

    Then, if the iPhone sales weren’t impressive enough, the iOS 7 release also broke the barriers of criticism. Since it’s official release on Sept. 18, the multinational company has announced that approximately 100 million customers have downloaded the iOS 7 operating system as an upgrade or purchased a device with seventh generation Apple mobile operating system. The numbers are astounding.

    Apple has yet to release the detailed reports that disclose the financial breakdown of sales for both iPhone 5 models. However, all that matters is that the release went unprecedented, serving as the iPhone’s best debut yet, topping last year’s opening weekend sales by approximately 4 million.

    With even more customers awaiting the release of more stock, Apple CEO, Tim Cook, made a point of assuring customers that, as usual, the electronic monument would deliver. “The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we’ve sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5s, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly. We appreciate everyone’s patience and are working hard to build enough new iPhones for everyone.”

    As a result of the over and exceeding sales, Apple’s stock inflated by approximately 5% at the close of the business day.
    Image via Apple

  • How Different Is The iPhone 5C From the iPhone 5?

    Today is the day – the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are launching in stores around the world. People are no doubt picking up the iPhone 5S in droves, but what about its cheaper counterpart – the iPhone 5C? Is there any reason to upgrade to the 5C from the iPhone 5?

    In a new teardown video from cellhelmet, he takes apart both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C to see just how different they are. In short, the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C are nearly identical spec wise. The difference comes from how the two devices are built which is sure to please those who like to take apart and rebuild mobile devices.

    So, what does this mean to the average consumer? Not much. If you already own an iPhone 5, you won’t see any performance improvement from the iPhone 5C. The only reason to buy the iPhone 5C is if you like its colorful plastic casing. For everybody else, the iPhone 5S is your best option when looking for a noticeable upgrade in performance.

    [h/t: Gizmodo]
    [Image: Michael Kane/YouTube]

  • iPhone 5C To Replace The iPhone 5

    At Apple’s press event today, the company announced the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C. The former is their flagship device whereas the latter will be the cheaper option. So, where does that leave last year’s iPhone 5?

    During the event, Tim Cook remarked that Apple wouldn’t continue its tradition of marking down the previous iPhone when introducing the newest device. Instead, Apple will outright replace the iPhone 5 with both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. To be more specific, the iPhone 5C replaced the iPhone 5.

    When looking at specs, the iPhone 5 and 5C are nearly identical. They have the same display, the same amount of RAM, the same camera and the same internal memory options. The only thing that sets apart the 5C from the iPhone 5 is its plastic casing and the wide variety of colors its available in.

    When looking at it that way, it makes an incredible amount of sense that Apple would want to discontinue the iPhone 5 in favor of the 5C. It provides all the same performance at a cheaper price. In short, the iPhone 5C is just an iPhone 5 in a plastic shell.

    Those who were waiting on a price drop on the iPhone 5 before picking one up will just have to settle for the 5C. You could always upgrade to the 5S and get better performance, but the $99 on contract price is mighty tempting for one who doesn’t mind a bit more bulk on their iPhone.

    Oh, and if $99 is still too much for you, Apple will be selling the iPhone 4S at the low price of free with a two-year contract. It’s been almost three years since its introduction, but the 4S is still a decent phone. It will also be getting the upgrade to iOS 7 so you won’t be missing out on much if you decide to go the super cheap route.

    [Image: Apple]
    [h/t: The Verge]

  • Now This Is How You Do An iPhone 5 Price Drop

    So Apple should be commended for introducing a more-affordable model of their newest phone upgrade; in this case, the iPhone 5C. Apparently, the “C” stands for “Cheaper model Consumer-friendlier” because it is clearly being showcased as the less expensive cousin of the upcoming iPhone 5S. I guess the “S” stands for “the expenSive model.” Digression aside, did Apple miss out on an even better iPhone 5 price drop opportunity?

    I mean, where’s the 24.99 iPhone 5? Let’s ask Funny or Die:


    That sounds like the absolute perfect device. An iPhone with Snake already installed on it? Yes, please.

    I don’t know about you, but I’d certainly pay 25 bucks to play Snake on my phone. Furthermore, I’m won’t ever be good enough to crash the processor; and I get access to the incredibly useful Ciris. So while everyone will be standing in line for their iPhone 5 upgrade on September 13, I’ll be downgrading to the 5F. That being said, I can’t help but wonder if it comes in gold or is that something that will be available in later 5F upgrades? What do the Otter Boxes look like? Will I be able to get a Duck Dynasty iPhone 5F case?

    If not, I may have to reconsider.

    [Lead image courtesy of Funny or Die]

  • Is This What The iPhone 5S Looks Like? [Rumor]

    At 1 p.m. EST today, Apple will unveil its latest iPhone to the world. It’s accepted at this point that the phone will be called the iPhone 5S, and will look very similar to the current iPhone 5. What we don’t know is what the iPhone 5S actually looks like, but a new leak may have provided the answer.

    French Web site nowhereelse.fr has shared a render of the iPhone 5S that it obtained from one of its sources. The image looks legitimate enough, and seems to match up pretty well with what we’ve heard about the device thus far.

    The major difference between the iPhone 5 and the 5S is that it now has a circular home button. The render also shows that the home button now doubles as a Touch ID sensor. If true, the below render confirms the oft-rumored fingerprint sensor.

    Is This What The iPhone 5S Looks Like?

    Whether or not this turns out to be the iPhone 5S, you can expect something that looks very similar to the iPhone 5. It will probably receive a bump in specs, but nothing that extraordinary. By most accounts, it’s looking like the star of the show will be the new fingerprint sensor. The company called NFC a fad back in June so it will have to prove to us today that its inclusion of a fingerprint sensor isn’t just that – a fad destined for irrelevance.

    [h/t: Engadget]
    [Image: nowhereelse.fr]

  • Flickr Just Launched A Big Improvement For iPhone Users

    Yahoo announced today that it is launching a new photo taking experience for iPhone users aimed at taking better advantage of what the device’s camera has to offer. The iPhone 5, by the way, is the most popular camera on Flickr.

    “In our view, taking a photo should be an enhancement of what you’re experiencing and seeing through your device,” says Markus Spiering, Head of Product at Flickr. “We’ve come up with a camera that gives you full control over how your final photo looks, even before you snap the shot. Our goal is to make it effortless for you to have a beautiful result, with simple but powerful features.”

    Yahoo is taking advantage of recent acquisitions like GhostBird Software and KitCam to improve Flickr. Much of what they’re adding now comes from these.

    This includes live filters, which show you how your photo looks while you take it. You can swipe through filters as you’re setting up your shot, and and view preview tiles to see what it will look like.

    “All of our filters are also customizable after you’ve taken the photo,” says Spiering. “You don’t have to leave the camera and lose focus on your perfectly melting ice cream shot. In addition to our magic wand, we’re adding all the advanced tools so you can enhance, crop, sharpen, balance color, use Levels, add vignette and more – for free. You now have a complete photo studio in your hands.”

    Flickr filters

    Yahoo continues to update its offerings on a daily basis. This follows a slew of redesigns the company launched this week.

    Yahoo also made another acquisition regarding Flickr recently, so we’ll probably be seeing further improvements from that in the near future.

  • Electrocuted By iPhone? Woman’s Family Says So

    The family of a woman in China who died while reportedly answering her iPhone say her body showed signs of electrocution, and they want answers.

    Ma Ailun was charging her phone–which she bought at an official Apple store in China–last week when she received a call and answered it with the charger plugged in. She allegedly received a shock so great that her heart stopped, but officials are investigating the cause and haven’t released details yet.

    Someone claiming to be Ma’s sister posted on Weibo–a Twitter-like site–about the incident, saying she wants not just an explanation, but a warning to users so this doesn’t happen again.

    “(I) hope that Apple Inc. can give us an explanation. I also hope that all of you will refrain from using your mobile devices while charging,” the post read.

    Apple released a statement, saying they intend to launch a full investigation into the matter. Experts say that a cell phone couldn’t emit enough voltage to kill someone unless the charger was damaged in some way.

    “We are deeply saddened to learn of this tragic incident and offer our condolences to the Ma family. We will fully investigate and cooperate with authorities in this matter.”

    A couple of years ago, Apple received reports of iPhones that were “exploding” spontaneously; three users from Australia, France and Brazil all claimed that their devices started to smoke and emit sparks, and the faces of each phone were destroyed. There was speculation that the battery may have had something to do with the incidents.

  • Virgin Mobile Gets The iPhone 5 On June 28

    The iPhone 5 is a mythical device that supposedly boosts the fortunes of any carrier lucky enough to offer it. T-Mobile was only just recently allowed to the carry the sacred device, and now Virgin Mobile is the latest to offer it.

    Virgin Mobile announced today that it will be offering the iPhone 5 starting June 28. As the carrier is pre-paid only, consumers will have to pay the full price of the device. The 16GB iPhone 5 will be sold online, in stores and at Radio Shack for $550. The larger 32GB and 64GB iPhone 5s will only be available via Virgin Mobile’s Web site for $650 and $750 respectively.

    You might not like the idea of paying the full price of the phone upfront, but at Virgin Mobile’s service is pretty cheap. All iPhone 5 users on Virgin Mobile will be enrolled in the carrier’s Beyond Talk plan. For $35 a month, consumers will unlimited data and unlimited text. It should be noted, however, that the plan only gives you full speed 4G data for the first 2.5GB of data per month. After that, your speeds will be throttled.

    With Virgin Mobile now on board, I think we can safely say that the iPhone 5 is now available on just about every major carrier. Now we can look forward to the iPhone 5 hitting the smaller carriers like TracFone. Wouldn’t it be fun to buy pre-paid data cards?

  • Just So You Know, The Galaxy S4 Can’t Survive Being Shot

    Just So You Know, The Galaxy S4 Can’t Survive Being Shot

    Samsung’s latest flagship device – the Galaxy S4 – must have went through the same rigorous testing process that Samsung’s other devices go through. That being said, I’m pretty sure Samsung never tested to see if its lastest device was bulletproof.

    YouTube personality raredrr saw this glaring hole in Samsung’s testing regimen and took matters into his own hands with his latest test to see if the S4 can survive being shot with a 50 cal sniper rifle. Short answer – no. Long answer – don’t expect the Galaxy S4 to stop incoming bullets.

    As a bonus, here’s ratedrr shooting the Galaxy S4’s main competition – the iPhone 5 – with a 50 cal rifle. It holds up a little better:

    [h/t: Kotaku]

  • T-Mobile Opens Up iPhone 5 Pre-Orders

    Just under two weeks ago, T-Mobile announced at long last, they were finally going to carry the iPhone 5. At the time, interested customers to pre-register for their device.

    Today, official pre-orders begin. You can access all the iPhones that T-Mobile offers here.

    The 16GB iPhone 5 starts at $99.99, with a monthly payment of $20 per month got 24 months. Without the plan, it’ll cost $579.99 up front. The 32GB iPhone with with run $199.99 with a 2-year plan, $679.99 without. And the 64GB device will cost $299.99 with the plan and $779.99 without.

    The phone will ship on April 12th.

    Also, if you want a cheaper option, T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 4S for $69.99 down and $20 per month for 24 months and the iPhone 4 for $14.99 down and $15 per month for 24 months.

    “This is an important day for people who love their iPhone but can’t stand the pain other carriers put them through to own one,” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile USA when he announced the addition. “We feel their pain. I’ve felt the pain. So we’re rewriting the rules of wireless to provide a radically simple, affordable iPhone 5 experience — on an extremely powerful network.”

    Speaking of pain, plenty of T-Mobile customers painfully waited for the company to offer the iPhone 5. As you probably know, T-Mobile was the last of the major U.S. carriers to offer the device, trailing AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.

    Apple’s App Store went down early this morning, but it wasn’t because of the T-Mobile addition. When buying an iPhone via the Apple online Store, T-Mobile has yet to be included as an option.

  • T-Mobile Drops The Contract In Favor Of A Simple Choice

    It’s been hinted at for a while that T-Mobile would be moving away from the traditional two-year contract business model. Now the company has fully unveiled its new plan – dubbed Simple Choice – at its UnCarrier event.

    So, what can you expect from T-Mobile’s new Simple Choice plan? It’s actually very similar to how two-year contract plans work, just minus the contract. The consumer still gets a subsidized phone while paying a monthly fee. The only difference is that the remaining cost of the phone is paid off in small payments that are added onto your monthly bill. Once the phone is paid off, the fee comes off your monthly bill.

    As for the pricing, the Simple Choice plan is very reasonable. For a single line, consumers get unlimited talk/text plus 500MB of data for $50 per month. For $10 more, consumers can upgrade to 2GB a month. At $20 more, consumers get unlimited 4G. Those on the 500MB or 2GB plans won’t have to worry about overage fees, however, as T-Mobile will only drop you down to 2G speeds if you go over.

    For those with families, T-Mobile’s Simple Choice plan charges $30 extra for a second line and $10 more for each extra line.

    Of course, a plan is only as good as the phones being offered by the carrier. T-Mobile has that covered as the company offers very attractive prices for flagship devices like the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note 2. The carrier also plans to offer the Galaxy S 4 and the HTC One when those become available later this one.

    On a final note, T-Mobile will finally offer the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 starting April 12. Apple’s latest flagship device will only be $99, plus $20 more a month for two years.

    T-Mobile still has a long way to go before it can take on heavyweights like Verizon and AT&T, but this move will hopefully push the U.S.-based carriers to drop contracts in favor of more consumer friendly plans like T-Mobile’s Simple Choice.

  • T-Mobile Lets You Put $99 Down On iPhone 5

    T-Mobile Lets You Put $99 Down On iPhone 5

    Not only did T-Mobile announce the availability of the iPhone 5 today, but it announced that consumers can put $99 down on the device, with monthly payments to make up the difference ($20 per month for 24 months). And that’s with no annual service contract plus unlimited talk, text and Web and 4G.

    The device will be available from Friday, April 12.

    In addition, T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 4S for $69.99 down and $20 per month for 24 months and the iPhone 4 for $14.99 down and $15 per month for 24 months.

    While the 4S and 4 will be available in select markets, the iPhone 5 will be available nationwide.

    “This is an important day for people who love their iPhone but can’t stand the pain other carriers put them through to own one,” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile USA. “We feel their pain. I’ve felt the pain. So we’re rewriting the rules of wireless to provide a radically simple, affordable iPhone 5 experience — on an extremely powerful network.”

    T-Mobile also announced today a new simplified rate plan, and eliminated the need for customers to enter into contracts.

  • iPhone 5S Rumor: Launch Could Come As Early As June

    Earlier this month, a rumor suggested that we’d be seeing the iPhone 5S launch in August. Other rumors have backed the claim up, but an analyst has come forward with speculation that we could be seeing the iPhone 5S even sooner.

    In a recent investors note, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said that Apple will likely launch the iPhone 5S in late June. He also predicts that Apple will sell 4 million units before the end of the month. As for total iPhone sales, he expects those to be around 30 million by the end of the June quarter.

    Beyond his speculation of an earlier release date, Munster doesn’t really offer much in the way of new information in regards to the iPhone 5S. He regurgitates previous rumors that state the new iPhone will feature updated specs and whatever the next version of iOS brings to the table. He also suspects that Apple will incorporate NFC into the iPhone 5S.

    With all this talk about the iPhone 5S, it’s easy to forget that Apple may be launching a cheaper iPhone this year as well. A report from earlier this year suggested that the device would meld the designs of the iPod Touch and iPod Classic for a plastic chassis iPhone that would significantly reduce manufacturing costs. Munster predicts that we’ll be seeing this cheaper iPhone at some point in September, and that it will cost $250. Don’t expect it to see it in the U.S., though, as the phone is reportedly targeted exclusively at emerging markets like China and South America.

    Outside of phones, Munster drops some new speculation about the Apple TV and the rumored iWatch. He suspects that the oft-rumored Apple TV will finally be announced later this year with an iWatch announcement coming soon after.

    Like always, you should take anything analysts say with a grain of salt. They are only providing guidance to investors, and can be wrong. That being said, a June launch for the iPhone 5S would help Apple better combat the impending launch of the Galaxy S 4 and other top-tier Android handsets launching in the next few months.

    [h/t: CNET]

  • iPhone 5 Took Over The World In Q4 2012

    iPhone 5 Took Over The World In Q4 2012

    A recent analysis of the smartphone market in 2012 found that Android dominated with over two-thirds of total smartphone shipments. The wide variety of Android devices ensures that the mobile OS ends up in the hands of more people. Another analysis, however, has found that Apple is still king when you take individual smartphone model shipments into account.

    According to numbers released by Strategy Analytics this morning, the firm estimates that the iPhone 5 was king of individual smartphone shipments and marketshare in the fourth quarter. The firm estimates that the iPhone 5 sold 27.4 million units in the fourth quarter for 12.6 percent of the market. The iPhone 4S came in second with 17.4 million units for 8 percent of the market.

    It wasn’t just purely an Apple game as Samsung’s Galaxy S3 came in third place with 15.4 million units shipped in the fourth quarter for 7.1 percent of the market. What’s interesting is that the Galaxy S3 was beating out both the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5 in the third quarter, but lost out to both in the fourth quarter. In fact, both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S saw growth while the Galaxy S3 saw a decline.

    So, why is the Galaxy S3 starting to see decreased demand? Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, says that the S3’s global demand has peaked:

    “Apple’s iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S together accounted for 1 in 5 of all smartphones shipped worldwide in Q4 2012. This was an impressive performance, given the iPhone portfolio’s premium pricing. We estimate Samsung’s Galaxy S3 was the world’s third best-selling smartphone model and it shipped 15.4 million units globally, capturing 7 percent share in the fourth quarter of 2012. Samsung’s Galaxy S3 has long proven wildly popular with consumers and operators across North America, Europe and Asia. However, global demand for the Galaxy S3 appears to have peaked and Samsung will surely be keen to introduce its rumored Galaxy S4 upgrade in the coming weeks to fight back against Apple’s popular iPhone range.”

    The iPhone 5 and 4S certainly benefitted from the holiday shopping season in quarter four, but Neil Shah, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, thinks Apple’s success can be attributed to a few other factors as well. For one, he cites “generous operator subsidies” as one reason for the devices’ combined success, but also the fact that the iPhone is available in more places around the world compared to Samsung’s flagship product.

    It’s worth nothing that Apple’s dominance is a phase and Samsung is poised to take back the lead when it introduces the Galaxy S4 in a few months. Some reports peg it for a March reveal and an April launch. Apple will then undoubtedly release the iPhone 5S later this year. The device will push Apple to the top yet again. It’s all part of the cyclical nature of popular consumer technology.

    [h/t: Engadget]

  • That Cheap iPhone 5 Will Borrow Design Elements From The iPod Touch And iPod Classic [Report]

    A cheaper iPhone 5 for emerging markets has been hinted at for a while now. Apple has denied all such rumors, but a recent report from iLounge suggests otherwise.

    After revealing pretty much everything about Apple’s latest redesign for the next-generation iPad, iLounge’s Jeremy Horwitz now has the scoop on the cheap iPhone 5 that’s been rumored since early this year. He confirms a number of rumors about the device that we’ve been hearing for a while now, but there’s some new information to be had as well.

    First and foremost, the cheap iPhone 5 will indeed be made out of plastic. That being said, Horwitz says that it won’t just be an iPhone 5 made out of plastic. The new device will reportedly borrow design elements from several products of Apple’s past and present to create a pretty unique device.

    According to Horwitz, the cheap iPhone 5 will still remain about the same size as its more expensive brother. Specifically, the cheaper version will only about half-millimeter taller, half-millimeter wider and a half-millimeter thicker. The display will still be 4-inches, just like the iPhone 5. Since most people won’t notice the size difference, the cheaper iPhone 5 will look almost identical to the current iPhone 5 from the front.

    The device’s design, however, will reportedly change once you start to look at the side, back and bottom of the device. For starters, the curves of the device will be more similar to that of the iPod classic in that the back and sides are flat, but connected by a curve. The volume buttons on the side will also shift from the circular buttons of the iPhone 5 to the elongated pill designs of the iPod Touch.

    Finally, the back of the device will feature a camera, microphone and rear flash that are almost identical to the layout of the iPhone 5. The bottom is also similar to the iPhone 5 in that it features a headphone port, Lightning port, bottom microphone and speaker in roughly the same positions.

    The cheap iPhone 5 isn’t the only iPhone coming out this year. The next iteration, dubbed the iPhone 5S, is also reportedly on the way later this year. Check here for more details.

  • Give Your Smartphone The Iron Throne Its Always Deserved

    Are you sick of your iPhone 5 not having a dock to sit comfortably in? Are you a huge Game of Thrones fan? If you answered yes to both, this latest 3D printed creation may be just for you.

    Instructables user mstyle183 has recreated a miniature Iron Throne that will comfortably seat an iPhone 5 or other mobile devices. The beauty of 3D printing is that the creator can adjust the size of the dock on the fly for any type of phone without changing the overall design.

    Check out a few pictures of the dock complete with iPhone 5:

    (image)

    (image)

    You can download the dock’s design from its Instructables page. If you don’t have a 3D printer, you can purchase it from the creator’s Web site for $49.99.

    [h/t: 3ders]

  • Tim Cook Says iPhone 5’s Display Size Was Right Choice, Suggests Larger iPhone Isn’t Happening

    Tim Cook Says iPhone 5’s Display Size Was Right Choice, Suggests Larger iPhone Isn’t Happening

    One of the most prevalent rumors concerning the iPhone 5S, or iPhone 6, is that it will feature a larger display. The first rumor said that the next iPhone would come with multiple display sizes for consumers to choose from. You might not want to get your hopes for a larger iPhone though as Apple CEO Tim Cook thinks the current size is just perfect.

    During Apple’s Q1 2013 earnings call, Cook was asked about the latest rumors regarding a larger iPhone being on the horizon. The increased size of Android devices, and their increased popularity, have some analysts questioning Apple’s decision to stay small. For his part, Cook says that the iPhone 5’s 4-inch display is just fine:

    The iPhone 5 offers as you know a new 4-inch Retina display, which is the most advanced display in the industry and no one comes close to matching the level of quality as the Retina display. It also provides a larger screen size for iPhone customers without sacrificing the one-handed ease-of-use that our customers love. So, we put a lot of thinking into screen size and believe we’ve picked the right one.

    It’s not an outright denial, but it suggests that Apple thinks going over 4-inches is a little too much. It’s true that larger phones are a bit more unwieldy, but Android users obviously like the larger screens offered by the likes of Samsung and HTC. Would Apple sacrifice the iPhone’s “one-handed ease-of-use” to appeal to those who want larger devices? Tim Cook says no, but Apple says no to a lot of things that end up happening anyway.

    That being said, Cook may be only talking about this year. The latest rumor says that Apple will keep the 4-inch display in 2013 with two iPhones – one for established markets and a cheaper device for emerging markets. The rumor goes on to say that Apple will be upgrading the size of the iPhone in 2014 to a 4.8-inch display.

    A larger iPhone isn’t the only rumor that’s been shot down recently. Phil Schiller recently shot down another rumor of a cheap iPhone for emerging markets by China. He said going cheaper “will never be the future of Apple’s products.”

    [h/t: GottaBeMobile]

  • Apple Has Three iPhones Currently In Development [Rumor]

    The iPhone 5 was a pretty big success at first, but demand for the device is starting to slow down. What can Apple do to increase demand? How about release two iPhones this year?

    Digitimes is reporting Apple is currently developing two phones for release in 2013, with a third phone already being tested for a tentative 2014 release. The first two phones are expected to be the iPhone 5S that will only change the internal specs without much cosmetic change. The devices are rumored to feature 4-inch screens and in-cell technology.

    One of the phones planned for this year is once rumored to be the cheap iPhone 5S that will target emerging markets like China. Previous rumors said it would have a larger screen and feature a cheaper chassis. The rumor today suggests that the cheaper iPhone will be more similar to the regular iPhone in cosmetics, but perhaps feature lower specs. The reduction in price can also be attributed to better yields for the in-cell technology used in the iPhone 5.

    So what about that third iPhone in production for 2014? Digitimes’ sources say that Apple is playing around with the idea of a 4.8-inch screen. If true, it would be the largest phone that Apple has made to date. Samsung and others are already producing smartphones with screens of that size and larger, but those phones are also comparably fat. I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple is waiting for a reduction in component size so it can release a larger phone without sacrificing the trademark thinness of the iPhone brand.

    As always, these are all rumors at this point, but Apple has to shake up it’s iPhone brand at some point. The company has been playing it safe for far too long. If the company doesn’t introduce something radically different this year then 2014’s rumored larger phone may just be when Apple really starts to take risks.

  • BlackBerry 10 Browser Speeds Ahead Of Competition

    BlackBerry 10 officially launches at the end of this month. As such, more details about RIM’s hardware and software are starting to leak out. We already got a good look at the Z10 on Tuesday, and now the phone’s browser is being put to the test. Spoilers: It’s fast.

    In a series of videos from GadgetMasters, a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpa B’s browser speed is put against the browsers of an iPhone 5 running iOS 6 and a HTC 8X with Windows Phone 8. Both devices are lauded for their speedy browsers, but how do they hold up to the BlackBerry 10’s WebKit-based browser?

    Both videos illustrate that the BlackBerry 10’s browser, at least at this point, is faster than both Safari and Internet Explorer in iOS 6 and Windows Phone 8 respectively. The BlackBerry 10 browser also has a higher HTML5 score at least when compared to Windows Phone 8.

    The only thing we don’t know for sure is how fast BlackBerry 10 is compared to Android. Granted, it’s hard to test something against Android due to the variety of devices and builds. The most effective test would be to see how it stacks up to a Nexus 4 or Galaxy S III running Chrome.

    Beyond that, it’s important to note that the BlackBerry 10 phone on hand is not final hardware or software. The browser could be even faster when the device launches later this month. Of course, the browser is only one component of a smartphone, and other devices may easily beat out the BlackBerry 10 in other areas. We won’t know for sure until people get the final device in their hands and run it through a battery of tests.

    For now, however, we can say that Windows Phone 8 has been smoked by BlackBerry 10.

    [h/t: BGR]