Latest Gadgets, Tablets and Smartphones
Google [GOOG] has filed a patent for a new unlock screen. Apple has recently been chasing after companies who use a “Slide to Unlock” feature on smartphones and was successful in a case just recently.
This new unlock method by Google looks to aim to avoid any disputes but also add a few more functions to the unlock to make it in to a mechanism to access certain parts of the system.
Some screenshots have leaked online which apparently show the next version of Windows Phone which is to be called Tango.
The screenshots appear to show MMS messages with video and audio files attached. Also, a new native voice recording app can be seen in the update.
A source is claiming that the iPad 3 will be announced on March 7. That date is a Wednesday this year which that particular day of the week falls in line with other product announcements by Apple. That week also falls inline with earlier reports just a few days ago from another source.
So, on March 7 this year we should hear more about the iPad 3 and perhaps be given a release date of the week after earliest.
Reports are indicating that the next generation iPad, likely to be called the iPad 3, will be announced early in March and will be launched about a week after that to follow on from the mid-March release date of the iPad 2 last year.
With just a week expected between the announcement and launch a number of developers are beginning to prepare Retina resolution graphics just in case the new model does have a Retina display. Remember that when the iPhone 4 launched there were a few weeks in which developers could recreate graphics to match the higher resolution screen. This thought also follows along with an email sent out by this week to Apple developers which requested that all images for the iTunes store were sent in a Retina resolution which hints that the 3GS is coming to the end of its life soon. Also, it could be a hint that we will soon see the same email about submitting higher res iPad screenshots to the store.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the latest officially backed ‘Google’ Phone, following in the footsteps of the G1 and the Nexus phones. It comes pre-loaded with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS); the Android OS that is supposed to bring together fragmentation that Android has suffered between tablets and phones.
Samsung is rumoured to be launching the Galaxy SIII in April this year which will follow an announcement made at Mobile World Congress this February.
As we have seen with the previous Galaxy S models, we can expect some high-end specs and a very sleek device. Lets take a look at the rumoured specs of the device. Also note that the image below is just a concept of what it could look like.
Before I begin I’ll just comment that this needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as it contains an iPad 3 (or 2S) rumour.
A case manufacturer has created a new case that has been designed for an iPad 2S. The company believes that the new iPad will be a small update similar to that of the iPhone 4 to 4S. The main difference with dimensions will be that it is slightly thicker as previously rumoured.
The official webpage for the Samsung Galaxy Note in Canada is now hinting that the large smartphone will be launching in mid-February in Canada.
The 3D Reconstruction Sphere from OrcaM looks quite impressive. Inside the sphere you’ll find 7 high definition cameras that can rotate around an object so that it can be scanned as a 3D model within just a few minutes. As well as scanning and creating a mesh of the model, the cameras also capture textures on the object by using a series of lights that show reflections, bumps and other details on the object.
Lenovo has launched a new tablet called the Lenovo IdeaTab S2. The device measures just 8.69mm thick and comes with a 10 inch display. The operating system running on the S2 is Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
The keyboard is an extra which adds a little thickness to the tablet. In a similar way to the Transformer Prime, the S2 keyboard allows the tablet portion to be docked so it can be used more like a laptop for data entry.
An interesting report has been doing the rounds today about the iPhone 4S and how much data users eat through whilst using the device. When comparing it to the iPhone 4, users use double the amount of data. Some reports are blaming it on Siri with this being the only extra on the device.
The image below is a fan made concept design of what is being called the iPhone SJ (Steve Jobs). It is similar in design to the iPhone 4S with the metal band around the edges but is thinner and has a larger screen.
