A new survey of smartphone users paints a pretty grim picture for RIM and their Blackberry line of smartphones. According to market research firm Crowd Science , 40% of blackberry users plan to swap their device for an iPhone come the end of their contract. And it’s not just the iPhone that has these normally reserved business types excited.
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Microsoft has unveiled its developer platform for the forthcoming Windows Phone 7 Series , promising the chance to build some ’stunning apps’. The framework will allow developers to play with elements like the accelerometer, locations services, push notifications, hardware video acceleration and multi-touch support – in short, helping create well-rounded apps. So in the future we’ll be seeing games controlled by motion, using the GPS chip, taking advantage of background updates and even multi-touch control. Admittedly, it’s nothing new – but it’s good to see Microsoft trying to at least draw level with the likes of Apple in the development game. A raft of new development tools have also been offered, along with the unveiling of the new Windows Phone Marketplace, where the apps and games will be available for download.
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One of the biggest gripes with Apple’s handheld products is that you can’t swap out the battery yourself, at least not easily. So what happens if you’re out-of-warranty iPad tablet stops holding a charge? “If your iPad requires service due to the battery’s diminished ability to hold an electrical charge, Apple will replace your iPad for a service fee,” Apple states in its FAQ section . The service costs $105.95 ($99 plus $6.95 for shipping) and is subject to local tax
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In what could end up being a major boost for Apple’s iPad, Barnes and Noble confirmed in a recent blog post that it will soon offer an e-reader application for the upcoming tablet. “Designed specifically for the iPad, our new B&N eReader will give our customers access to more than one million eBooks, magazines, and newspapers in the Barnes and Noble eBookstore, as well as the existing content in their Barnes and Noble digital library,” B&N wrote. The bookstore went on to say that the app will be released around the same time as the iPad’s “expected availability,” which is April 3rd.
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Apple and Google love it. Adobe allegedly fears it (although it probably shouldn ‘t ). Microsoft is sort of squinting at it. It’s HTML5, the future of the Web
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Apple could be set to release the iPhone HD later this year, according to a new video ‘uncovered’ by a tech fan. A new commercial discovered on YouTube shows the new iPhone HD, and brings up a new phone with a radically new chassis. We’re taking this ‘discovery’ with so much salt that we’re in danger of drying up completely – we can’t imagine that Apple would change the iPhone design so much for the upgrade, as maintaining chassis shape and basic specs makes for easier and cheaper upgrades. What would the iPhone HD look like? The iPhone HD would basically mean a phone with a higher-power camera, apparently a front-facing camera for video conferencing, and a new high-res screen.
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Nokia and Apple are supposed to be duking it out in court over both infringing on each other’s patents – but that doesn’t seem likely to happen any time soon. According to Reuters , the duo will only actually get to present their cases to a packed courtroom (probably with a comedic, oddball lawyer if TV dramas are to be believed) by 2012. This means that this litigation battle – unless settled in the intervening period – will be dragged over months and months, by which point the balance of power in the mobile world may have shifted even further. What’s it all about?
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Your Mac is in all probability one of your more prized possessions. Perhaps you even have more than one – a desktop and a portable, and an iPod touch or an iPhone to complete the line-up. What’s easy to forget though is that the kit itself is only part of the story.
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Short and to the point, Apple this morning has started accepting pre-orders for its upcoming iPad tablet, which will be available on April 3 (Wi-Fi) and late April (Wi-Fi + 3G). As a reminder, pricing breaks down as follows: 16GB Wi-Fi: $499 32GB Wi-Fi: $599 64GB Wi-Fi: $699 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G: $629 32GB Wi-Fi + 3G: $729 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G: $829 Shipping is free, and Apple’s wording makes it sound like the tablet will be delivered on the day of its release (or April 5 if Saturday delivery isn’t available in your area). If you don’t want to chance it, you can also opt to reserve a copy at your local Apple Retail Store and pick it up between 9AM and 3PM. So, who’s in for one (or two, which is the pre-order limit)? Pre-order Page Image Credit: Apple
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Good news for those frustrated by the single track mind of the iPhone – it seems multi-tasking is finally on its way. According to Apple Insider, “people with a proven track record in predicting Apple’s technological advances” have managed to dig out this little nugget about the next iPhone 4.0 update. The sources state that Apple has managed to tweak things to the point where it can manage battery life and memory resources, meaning no substantial loss in performance. Not ready yet However, the firmware update is not ready as yet, as it apparently has a ‘long way to go’ before it’s ready to be shot out to all the iPhones. The debate over why Apple is unable to put features in its phones that every other manufacturer has managed with aplomb for yonks is an old one – it seems likely that Jobs is just looking to keep things back to make new iPhones seem even swishier.
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