Apple may launch iPhone 5

The rumour mills always go crazy around this time of the year about the next piece of hardware Apple is expected to release. The latest buzz is about the next model of the Apple iPhone. Citing industry sources, Know Your Mobile  reports that Apple’s highly-anticipated iPhone 5 is set to be launched on August 7 in a keynote speech. According to the report, the smartphone is expected to ship with Apple’s iOS 6 operating system and is expected to bring deeper integration with Facebook and iCloud.

Two rumours of the iPhone 5 have been quite consistent. One states that the iPhone 5 will have a re-designed casing with a larger display, while the second states that it will feature a micro dock. The next iPhone is expected to feature a major design overhaul and is said to be much bigger, measuring 58.47 mm wide, 123.83 mm high and 7.6 mm thin with a four-inch display. As previous reports have indicated, the headphone jack will also be relocated, with it being moved from the top of the iPhone to the bottom.

Reports indicate that the size of the dock has been reduced drastically and is much smaller; it is said to be similar to the size of a micro USB. The screen size of the iPhone has remained the same since it was first launched. Apple is expected to increase the size of the display to four-inches diagonally. While the width will not change, Apple will raise the height, thereby giving it a resolution of 1136 x 640.

The delicious rumours!

Many expected the new iPhone to be launched last year, but Apple instead unveiled the iPhone 4S, which included a bundle of new features and performance improvements. The iPhone 5 is said to have LTE support built into it. Foxconn, of course, is going to be the one producing the new iPhone.

According to a previous report, the late Steve Jobs worked very closely on the iPhone 5. As per the report, “Apple, based in Cupertino, California, has placed orders from suppliers in Asia for screens that are bigger than the 3.5- inch size now on the smartphone, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had worked closely on the re-designed phone before his death in October, one person said.” The report goes on to add, “The design change will be Apple’s first for the iPhone since 2010, when it introduced the iPhone 4. Electronics makers, led by Samsung, are moving toward bigger screens, as consumers use handheld devices for a broader array of tasks, including watching video, playing games and browsing the Web.”

HOW YOUR FAVORITE SITES ARE USING YOUR DATA

The rise of social sharing sites has brought about an interesting change in how our data is being used. All of the different sites you frequent on a daily basis are actively gathering facts about you. You may have noticed that when you were searching for a perfect new summer tank top on Urban Outfitters, that when you left to check other websites those same tank tops started following you in ads on those new sites. Social networks are betting on a future built on a personalized web, an Internet paradise filled with items the virtual you will be more apt to share, pin, tweet, or “like.”

Social sites, search engines and applications are increasingly using our information in an effort to provide a more personal web experience. Facebook, Pinterest, Google, Pandora, and Twitter are some of the most popular websites that are changing the way we are being advertised to. The value of this change will bring more of the products and services we actually enjoy and want to look at, instead of all the junk we aren’t interested in, or even remotely care about. As we wake up to how the web is changing, it will most likely be seen as a fair exchange for the information we offer to companies and advertisers in our social profiles. It will also create a more personalized way for brands to interact with their customers.

Click here or the graphic below for a full-sized view.

Windows 8.1 demo video hits the web

We’ve only seen leaks and preview images of what Windows 8.1 (code named Windows Blue) would look like so far, but we won’t have to do that anymore. Microsoft has finally released a video demo of Windows 8.1, showing off some of the new features the update brings.

The video shows Jensen Harris of the Windows User Experience Team demonstrating some of the improvements and changes to the Start Screen and Search; how the new Snap Views work, and the changes to the overall user interface. However, Microsoft is still mum about the Start button on Windows 8.1.

Windows 8.1 has a number of visual tweaks and the core apps have improved functionality. Users are handed more control of the look and behavior of their Windows device. Microsoft lets you customize and organize the Start Screen—you can group together apps and tiles, and name the groups. There are new small and live tiles that make the Start screen look very similar to Windows Phone 8’s main menu. Multiple selection of tiles is a much-needed improvement—you can re-size, move and even get rid of several in one go. There’s no indication of whether the excessive animation has been reined in or whether all tile animations can be turned off in one shot.

There are also more choices for the Start screen’s background. There are more colours and new “tattoo” patterns (including animated ones), but users will most likely appreciate the ability to use any image as the background and also unify the desktop wallpaper and Start screen background. 

New colours and tattoos, including animated ones

In addition, you can choose to run a slideshow as a sort of screensaver when your device is locked. Photos on your hard drive or in your online accounts can be used. There’s also a smartphone-inspired feature for taking photos with the webcam even when a device is locked—probably not much use on a desktop, but potentially handy for tablets.

The Snap feature, which lets you view two windows side by side, is now not limited to specific screen sizes. You can snap two apps next to each other and drag the bar between them arbitrarily. You can also have two instances of the same app snapped next to each other on the screen, such as two document windows—something that really should have been allowed right from the beginning. PC users with more than one monitor will be able to snap even more apps together, run different full-screen apps on different monitors and even leave the Start screen permanently visible on any one monitor.

Microsoft will release the first public preview of Windows 8.1 on June 26, at Microsoft’s Build conference.