AT&T and Samsung have issued the first security update for the Galaxy S3 handset this week.
The new update fixes a few small issues including the device prematurely asking for an unlock pin, and also "dumbs down" Google's unified search function which makes contacts, apps and mail search unavailable there.
Sprint recently issued a similar update to its version of the smartphone.
The wait is finally over. The eagerly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S3, touted as iPhone's nemesis, has finally hit Verizon stores. However, if you want to avoid being disappointed, I suggest you hurry to grab your copy - some store managers are citing limited availability and urging customers to snap up the smartphone wonder in a jiffy!
The telecommunication giant Verizon had initially set the in-store release date as July 10. However, high demand for the Galaxy S3 forced the company to push back the release date to July 12. Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S3 started rolling out last week on Verizon's website with several customers flocking to the company's forums to report that they have received their phones. Many though are still in line to receive the latest offering from Samsung.
Samsung has reportedly removed the unified search function from its flagship Galaxy S III Android smartphone, possibly as a pre-emptive measure again further lawsuits from Apple.
Apple recently won an injunction against the sale of Google and Samsung's Galaxy Nexus handset in the US, with the relevant 'Siri' patent covering unified search. Google has promised to work around that patent in the Android 'Jelly Bean' 4.1 update.
Apple has not gone after the Galaxy S III, which is further away from getting a Jelly Bean update. However, the device now seems to have lost its unified search function anyway.
According to an Android Central report on Tuesday, a "security" update on Monday meant that users could no longer search for on-device content as well as web content through the omnipresent Google search bar.
Samsung Galaxy S3 is the latest handset to come from the house of the South Korean mobile phonemanufacturer. This device is already one of the most popular devices in the smartphone market.
The world is going nuts for a handset. Yes, we are talking about the majestic Samsung Galaxy S3. First, let’s have a look at the appearance of this device. We were unbelievably astounded by the build quality of this device, even with its plastic body it seems like a premium product. We simply loved the hardware key — it symbolizes the contours of gadget & appears awesome. The huge 4.8-inch screen size is also nothing short of a miracle, and shows the current trend of smartphones with insane screen size.
Samsung Galaxy S2 versus Apple iPhone 4S was one of the most exciting smartphone war the industry have ever seen. However, the successor to the Galaxy S2 has arrived and now it's time for the Galaxy S3 to shine. But, some people who own the Galaxy S2 doubt whether the new smartphone is worth upgrading.
We are here to solve the riddle with the detailed comparison of both these smartphones.
Design and Display
Kicking off with the Galaxy S2, it has 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display with a resolution of 480 X 800 pixels, topped by Corning Gorilla Glass protection. The device is 8.5mm thick and weighs 113 g. On the other hand, the Galaxy S3 has a massive 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display with resolution of 720 X 1,280 pixels. The display is protected by second-generation Corning Gorilla Glass. It has a uniform 8.6mm thickness and weighs 133 g.
The Galaxy S2 is smaller, lighter and fits in the pocket easily. On the other hand, the Galaxy S3 is bigger, but build quality remains the same - both the smartphone have plastic body. The Galaxy S3 comes in white and blue editions with so-called "hyperglazed" layer on the top of plastic. Samsung Galaxy S2 comes in black, white and pink colors with patterned backcover. However, the build quality of both the Samsung smartphones cannot be compared to eye-popping polycarbonate or aluminum unibodies.
When it comes to display, RGB (Galaxy S2) and PenTile (Galaxy S3) displays are often compared, where RGB is found to be superior display technology. Galaxy S2's display produce perfect black dark pixels, but it can never match the sharpness of HD displays; we are comparing WVGA @217ppi with HD display having 300+ pixel density here.
Processor, Memory and Storage
Samsung's latest flagship model runs on quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex A9 processor fitted on Exynos 4 Quad chipset, accompanied by Mali 400MP GPU. It has 1GB of RAM, 16/32GB of internal storage and microSD card support up to 64GB. A 64GB edition of Galaxy S3 is due to debut later this year.
Samsung Galaxy S2 has dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex A9 processor, same Mali 400MP GPU, 1GB of RAM and 16/32GB of build-in storage. Fortunately, 64GB microSD cards are also compatible with the smartphone.
The LTE variant of Galaxy S3 comes with dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, but 2GB of RAM, while Samsung Galaxy S2 LTE has slower Snapdragon S3 processor and same 1GB of RAM.
Connectivity
Most of the Android smartphones have identical connectivity offerings. The scenario is same here, but the latest Galaxy S series smartphone takes the game with added benefits. S Beam app, which is based on NFC chip, allows users to share big file in a matter of few seconds. GPS with GLONASS support locates your exact location with a significant margin, before Galaxy S2 does that. Both the smartphone can do Bluetooth 3.0 high speed transfer, but Galaxy S3 again has an advantage with Bluetooth 4.0 support for device's with low power requirements. In addition, the notification LED is back in Galaxy S3, which is missing from the dethroned Samsung king.
User Interface
Both the smartphones run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - Galaxy S2 with OTA update and Galaxy S3 out-of-box, but the Galaxy S3 takes things a step further. The difference could be easily noticed from the homescreen - Galaxy S3 has 5 row stationary dock, while there dock has 4 rows in the Galaxy S2. In addition, Samsung Galaxy S3 packs a couple of smart features like Smart Stay, S Voice, Direct Call, Pop-up Play, AllShare Cast, etc.
Camera
With 8-megapixel rear camera loaded in both these smartphones, the quality of still shots remains the same. However, Samsung does some tricks in Galaxy S3 by updating the camera with low shutter lags, photo capturing while recording HD videos and burst camera mode to take up to 20 continuous shots. In addition, both the smartphones shoot 1080p videos at 30fps at 17Mbps in MP4 format with 130Kbps audio bitrate and 48 kHz sampling. The Galaxy S3 gives slightly better quality under low light conditions. The secondary camera in Galaxy S3 is 1.9-megapixel that records 720p HD videos at 30fps. Secondary camera in Galaxy S3 is 2-megapixel, but it records 480p videos only.
Battery
Samsung Galaxy S3 has 2,100 mAh battery with 450 mAh added capacity than its predecessor, which gives a talk time of 10 hours, 5 hours of web browsing and 10 hours of video playback. Battery in Galaxy S2 is 1,650 mAh that gives more than 8 hours of talk time. Galaxy S2's battery lasts 5 hours on web browsing and 7 hours on video playback.
Conclusion
Galaxy S3 has gigantic HD display, double number of processor cores, software intelligence and rapid-fire camera. The Galaxy S2 isn't quite as good as its successor. Like always, newer smartphone is better, but Galaxy S2 will easily be one of the best smartphones in the market for another one year. If you already have the Galaxy S2, you probably might not be so keen for an upgrade. And, if you're a first time Galaxy buyer, you can get the Galaxy S2 at much cheaper price than the Galaxy S3. For U.S. users, Galaxy S2 have some exclusive LTE variants too, one of which come with bigger HD displays.
Will the next Galaxy S smartphone, which is likely to be called the Galaxy S4, change the whole game with eye-popping design, 12-megapixel camera and superior features? Meanwhile, let us know whether you own the Galaxy S2 and are thinking of buying the Galaxy S3. If so, why?
Apple and Samsung have been locked in unceasing patent battles over their offerings, and now some people are accusing Samsung of even ripping off the design of Apple's retail stores.
But Apple doesn't own the corner on using an open floor design and it certainly didn't invent the idea of minimalism. And any retail store that sells phones and gadgets is going to have tables for playing with them. Microsoft stores do.
Samsung recently opened its first North American retail store in Burnaby's Metropolis at Metrotown, Vancouver, British Columbia and it can't be denied that it does resemble an Apple Store with its open floor space, demo tables, and blue-shirted staff.
But is Samsung intentionally copying Apple Store design?
Samsung has recently been rumored to be gearing up to launch the successor to its Galaxy Note “phablet” and the latest news out of South Korea suggests that the company could hold a launch event at the IFA trade show in Berlin on August 30.
The report from the publication DDaily says the debut for the Galaxy Note 2 will happen a day earlier than the previously-rumored August 31 launch date. Despite this, IFA is almost certain to be where Samsung will unveil its latest offering.
There hasn’t been any definitive news about the internal components of the Galaxy Note 2, but a rash of recent leaks have contributed to a general picture of the new device, which should prove to be an exciting entry in the market.
Samsung’s brand new Galaxy S III is the talk of town. Just unveiled in many key markets, the gadget has grabbed enormous attention. All key carriers in the US have presented the flagship Android handset with great fanfare. But, unfortunately the much-talked about handset has some critical bugs and issues. Along with the international version, some U.S variants of S 3 also have the problems, reports indicate. Carriers and Samsung have made timely efforts to solve the glitches with software updates. It looks like that most of such issues are almost solved at least on a temporary basis. Here we talk about major issues the Galaxy S III faced.
Battery drain: Battery drain is an issue that mainly affected the global versions of S3. The U.S. variants have not been reported with the compliant. Anyway, battery drain is now a common problem with most top-notch Android handsets. As per users, the Galaxy S III consumes 50 to 70 percent more power than the real use. Samsung instantly fixed the glitch with a software update. As per some sources, the Galaxy S3′s U.S versions also had the problem when connected to 4G LTE, though.
Samsung S3 has a bigger 4.8-inch HD screen with a fantastic AMOLED display which is nothing like the LCD TFT screens. It outputs a resolution of 1280x720, it has an 8-megapixel camera with 2GB of RAM, 1.4GHz quad-core processor, 4G LTE connectivity, and a microSD cad slot. It comes in two colours, blue and white. It is also available in 16GB ($199), 32GB ($249), and 64GB. Its video is in HD 1080p. In the front there is also a 1.9 megapixel camera for video calling.
The Galaxy S3 uses Android 4.0 Ice Cream with the TouchWiz interface for its software. It has a app known as S Voice, using which we can set alarms, pick or reject calls. Another feature of the app is Direct Call, if you are texting anyone, and move your handset towards the ear, you will be placing a call.
Galaxy S3 comes with a lot of annoying apps and services, though we cannot remove them, we can "hide" them instead. The user can customize the screen with certain apps of their choice. They can be set as shortcuts. The user can monitor data usage too if they have purchased limited data plan by 'Settings' and clicking on 'Data Usage.' Galaxy S3 allows you to create different vibration alerts. S Beam app lets you transfer pictures, music, videos, and more just by place them back to back.http://www.gamenguide.com/articles/2539/20120714/samsung-galaxy-s3-apple-rivalry-rises-retail.htm
Apple hasn't announced the iPhone 5, if that's what it will be called, but pre-orders are being taken for the smartphone in China.
Sellers on Chinese website Taobao are offering the illustrious device prices well over $1,000 complete with images and supposed specifications. Unsurprisingly the sellers do not promise when the phone will arrive.
According to Reuters the sellers plan to purchase an iPhone 5 in the US or Hong Kong when it goes on sale and bring it back to China. It is thought that Apple will announce the iPhone 5 later this year with iOS 6, possibly in September.
Read more: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/apple/3369771/iphone-5-goes-up-for-pre-order/#ixzz20fVIDskG
Buying on rumor
Logically it might make little sense, but reports this morning claim some Chinese online retailers have already begun offering the unannounced, unconfirmed and unrevealed smartphone for pre-release sale -- and orders are coming in.
Reuters tells us Chinese ecommerce website, Taobao is already hosting listings from jump-the-gun sellers, some of whom are even publishing mock-ups of what the new phone will look like, alongside lists detailing some of the claimed features (biometric recognition systems, anyone?).
Sellers are requesting deposits to secure the first units of the iPhone to be smuggled into the country of up to $1,100. They plan to purchase the device in Hong Kong or the US and then import them into China -- and it seems some people are already stumping up the cash to secure the freshly smuggled devices when the product ships, perhaps as soon as late September.http://blogs.computerworld.com/smartphones/20684/iphone-5-release-china-gray-market-pre-orders-available-now
Enterprising sellers on Taobao, China’s largest e-commerce platform, are already accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 5, despite the fact that it hasn’t even been announced yet.
The newest version of Apple’s smartphone is expected to be released between August and October this year, but Apple has not provided any firm details or even acknowledged the device’s existence.
This hasn’t stopped rumours of a larger screen, quad-core processor, support for contactless payments through Near Field Communication (NFC) technology or even a new connector being included in the smartphone.
Screw week-long line-ups, you can pre-order the iPhone 5 right now, provided you’re happy to fork over money for the as yet unannounced handset to vendors in China.
Reuters reports that some sellers on Chinese e-commerce network Taobao are already offering pre-orders for the handset.
It’ll reportedly set you back around 1000 yuan for the deposit on the iPhone 5, but you may end up paying the full amount of around 7000 yuan if you buy from some sellers.
The release of Apple's next iPhone hasn't even been confirmed yet, but that hasn't stopped enthusiastic vendors using China's most popular e-commerce site, Taobao, from starting to advertise the device.
Listings on the Chinese equivalent of eBay claiming to offer the iPhone 5 for pre-order (see image, top) have been cropping up this week, despite the fact that the handset's moniker exists solely in the public imagination and the expected autumn release date is still pure speculation - though Know Your Mobile today cited a "reliable industry source" as confirming a 7 August announcement date for the device.
Mock-up images and projected spec lists feature in many of the listings, which generally ask for a deposit in the region of £100. Some sellers, however, are already demanding full payment, and others are being especially opportunistic by asking for a full payment of over £700.
"Demand is high. Yesterday someone just bought two phones. Altogether we have about two dozen orders," said one seller on Taobao who went by the nickname Xiaoyu, according to the national daily that first pushed the story.
Read more: http://www.itproportal.com/2012/07/13/apple-iphone-5-now-available-for-pre-order-coincides-with-confirmed-launch-date-and-latest-photo-leak/#ixzz20fT93d9C
Shanghai: Apple Inc's next-generation iPhone has not even been released yet, but opportunistic sellers on China's largest e-commerce platform, Taobao, are already accepting pre-orders, complete with mock-up pictures and purported technical specifications.
The hotly anticipated iPhone 5 is widely expected to be released sometime between August and October this year, although Apple itself has been tight-lipped about it. Sources have said the iPhone 5 would have a bigger screen than previous models, while Taiwanese media reported the phone's voice recognition software, Siri, would have more powerful functions.
Sellers on Taobao, a unit of Alibaba Group, are accepting orders for the iPhone 5, in some cases asking for a deposit of 1,000 yuan ($160) for the new phone. One seller, "Dahai99888", who started accepting pre-orders this week, is asking for full payment upfront, at a cool 6,999 yuan ($1,100).
The new iPhone 5 may still be months away and Apple has yet to utter a single word on the device’s arrival. As per rumors, the device is expected to find light sometimes later this year. But some opportunistic retailers in China have started to accept pre-orders for the gadget. Yes, believe it or not, you can preorder for iPhone 5 in China over a few sellers including Taobao, a unit of Alibaba Group. The retailers actually want to earn profits from people’s craze towards new Apple products in China.
Apple’s new products come very late to China. Before their release in the mainland, the devices will be available in Hong Kong and other major markets. Hence, the Chinese retailers often bring the gadgets to the mainland for increased prices. However, Chinese Apple fans will not hesitate to buy the items for high prices. It is the case with the new iPhone 5, which is expected to be the best upgrade of the iPhone series Apple has ever produced. Indeed, there are a large number of Apple fans, who are anxiously awaiting the launch of next iPhone version
Good grief. Now you can pre-order the new iPhone 5 from China's biggest e-commerce website. It's still a month or three before the release date, so grab a shaker full of salt.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is keeping schtum, natch, but is doubtless overjoyed about the additional frothy chatter. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers are happy to oblige.
Yahoo and Facebook announced Friday they have settled a high-profile patent dispute with a deal that analysts said would likely be good for both sides.
As part of the agreement, Yahoo and Facebook have signed a cross-licensing deal granting access to each others' patent portfolios, they said in a joint statement. They've also forged an advertising partnership and will expand an existing content distribution agreement.
Yahoo sued Facebook in March under the leadership of former CEO Scott Thompson. It accused Facebook of infringing patents covering technologies related to social networking, advertising, privacy, site customization and communications. Facebook's News Feed and the way it handles privacy were both in violation of Yahoo's patents, Yahoo contended.
Soon after, Facebook shot back with its own patent infringement lawsuit against Yahoo.
Yahoo Inc. and Facebook Inc., partners before patent litigation soured relations this spring, are back to being partners again.
The two Internet companies announced a settlement of their legal battle Friday, drawing an end to a nasty but ultimately short-lived dispute that had roiled Silicon Valley.
No money changed hands as part of the deal. Instead the companies announced what they called a strategic alliance, which includes a new advertising partnership, expanded distribution arrangements and a patent cross-license. Yahoo and Facebook said they will also work together to bring Yahoo's media event coverage to Facebook users, by collaborating on "social integrations" on the Yahoo site.
A settlement between the two companies had been expected since Ross Levinsohn took over as Yahoo's interim CEO in May.
Yahoo, of Sunnyvale, Calif., sued Facebook in March, alleging that the social site had infringed 10 of its patents related to online social networking and advertising.
Chatwing chat box can now be embedded in any Facebook page with the help of Lujure. The Chatwing tool is known in different blogging communities and forums. Chatwing is also free and can be installed easily.
Miami, FL (PRWEB) July 13, 2012
The Chatwing team is now moving up in the Facebook community with the help of the Lujure app. Lujure allows the Chatwing shoutbox to be embedded in Facebook pages, providing a new stream of real-time communication for a lot of Facebook users. This is crucial for Internet marketers who are making a living in Facebook. The Chatwing chat tool has been known in other online communities because of its versatility and high rate of global connection. Additionally, Chatwing is also easier to use compared to other apps.
Spool, a mobile social bookmarking company, has been “acqhired” by Facebook.
The company informed users this morning that it would be shutting down and that it would be pursuing its vision “to make content easy to consume on a mobile device” as a part of Facebook.
It recommended existing users synchronize their Spool bookmarks with competing products Pocket and Delicious.
This wasn’t a full acquisition, but rather a deal to pick up the Spool team.
Spool was founded in late 2010 by Avichal Garg, a former Google product manager who also founded education start-up PrepMe, and Curtis Spencer, previously of Kosmix and Oracle. It had about five employees, per LinkedIn.
In a blog post this morning, Spool co-founder and CEO Avichal Garg said the company developed “some very sophisticated technology” to power its app. “We firmly believe that solving these problems will be increasingly important as the world accesses the Internet primarily through mobile devices,” he wrote.
The news doesn’t mean that Facebook is developing its own Instapaper competitor, but I wouldn’t be too surprised if it did. Facebook has been focused on keeping people within its ecosystem as much as possible, so it would be a major win for the social network if users could save external web content and read it within Facebook.
Spool’s existing service will be shut down as part of the acqui-hire. The company suggests synchronizing your Spool bookmarks with competitors like Delicious or Pocket. The service was particularly unique since it could save all sorts of web content, including images and PDF files, and it also allowed you to push content easily to your friends. (That’s another feature I imagine Facebook is drooling to replicate.)
Facebook has acquired the team behind Spool, the mobile content-caching startup that launched in September 2011 at TechCrunch Disrupt. At that time, my colleague Sarah Perez snappily described its service as “Instapaper on steroids.”
This looks like a pure talent acquisition — it doesn’t appear that any of the technology Spool built will be integrated into Facebook, and the company has already shut down its service. Spool raised a $1 million round of venture capital this past January from a group including SVAngel, Felicis Ventures, Yuri Milner’s Start Fund and YouTube founder Steve Chen.
We’ve reached out to Spool for more information about the deal — financial details, staff numbers, and the like. This will be updated with any news we receive.
Facebook has acquired Spool, a San Francisco-based startup that developed a mobile-bookmarking service. The small firm was all about mobile content consumption, an area Facebook wants to significantly improve in.
The service has already been shut down. It never even made it out of beta. Users were sent an e-mail with all their bookmarks attached in a file called "bookmarks.html."
Spool has recommended its users move their bookmarks to one of its competitors: Pocket or Delicious. If you're a Spool user, you'll want to read this: Instructions for importing your bookmarks into another service.
Spool has five employees and all of them are moving to work for the social-networking giant. Additional details of the acquisition were not disclosed, but this appears to be mainly a talent acquisition; Facebook will not be getting the technology behind the service, or its user data.
Though multiple reports suggest that filmmaker Sage Stallone had been dead for days before his body was found, People Magazine reports that such information may be incorrect.
According to People, Stallone’s attorney and longtime friend George Braunstein claims the 36-year old posted photos to his Facebook account 17 hours before the body was found.
Braunstein disputes that the son of actor Sylvester Stallone was found in a room full of empty alcohol bottles as reports have claimed.
“Sage didn’t even drink,” he told People. “There was a report that his room was filled with liquor bottles. Actually, they were empty bottles of Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda.”
Braunstein’s claims counteract reports, such as one from the Huffington Post, that suggest that Sage Stallone had been dead for days when found, citing the Facebook post. He also claimed Sage Stallone didn’t seem depressed.
“Sage was a really young, very sensitive, and very talented kid,” Braunstein told People. “There has been no indication that there was anything wrong in his life.”
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/276966/update-stallone-photos-posted-to-facebook-17-hours-before-body-found/#9Vkbo2xEv0GqpLhc.99
Despite close to a billion friends, Facebook is struggling to prove it can make money from advertising.
Questions about whether Facebook ads work circulated this spring when General Motors suddenly pulled its $10 million advertising budget because they had little impact on car purchases.
It continues to run free Facebook pages for its various brands.
And an Advertising Age survey, compiled with Citigroup, released in June, found marketers believe they need to be on Facebook, but they weren’t sold on paid advertising.
The survey of 658 subscribers found nearly 86 per cent use Facebook as a marketing tactic, while only 55 per cent pay for advertising, and nearly 88 per cent said they would implement Facebook content without advertising at all.
A BBC investigation suggests companies are wasting large sums of money on adverts to gain "likes" from Facebook members who have no real interest in their products.
It also appears many account holders who click on the links have lied about their personal details.
A security expert has said some of the profiles appeared to be "fakes" run by computer programs to spread spam.
Facebook said it had "not seen evidence of a significant problem".
"Likes" are highly valued by many leading brands' marketing departments.
Once a user has clicked on a link the company it belongs to can then post content on their news feed, send them messages and alert their friends to the connection.
Facebook makes money by charging companies a fee to show adverts designed to attract new "likes".
Some companies have attracted millions of "likes".
Companies are charged a fee by Facebook to show adverts designed to attract new ‘likes’. However, Graham Cluley of security firm Sophos insists that the number of fake accounts poses a major problem to this strategy. ‘Spammers and malware authors can mass-produce false Facebook profiles to help them spread dangerous links and spam, and trick people into befriending them,’ he told the BBC. –Metro
A broadcaster’s stunt has thrown doubt on the value of the “likes” so coveted by Facebook’s advertisers.
BBC reporter Rory Cellan-Jones set up a site for West London company VirtualBagel on Facebook.
To publicise it, he booked a modest $US10 ad campaign on the social network.
By the end of his campaign’s first week, VirtualBagel had 2999 likes.
Problem: VirtualBagel doesn’t exist beyond its Facebook page. No one could actually have appreciated its service, or eaten any of its bagels, because it doesn’t make any.
Many companies tout Facebook likes here. Last month, Telecom was recently touting its Skinny Mobile sub-brand’s 50,000+ Facebook likes (which I note has now jumped to 93,000+).
But it seems you don't need to do a lot - or indeed, anything beyond a $US10 Facebook ad campaign - to attract fans.
The resurgence now is a welcome indication that deal makers are regaining confidence about raising money through IPOs.
But the situation is far from rosy.
There are 68 companies expected to raise $14.4 billion through IPOs later this year, according to research firm Dealogic. Last year at this time there were almost double that amount of companies - 135 - looking to raise $23.6 billion.
"If the market stays healthy - the overall market - I think we will see a lot of IPO activity in the second half," said Nick Einhorn, an analyst with Renaissance Capital. But another plunge in stock markets could make it difficult for companies to raise money by selling shares.
New York: With new public stock offerings for guitar maker Fender and travel booking website Kayak on deck next week, there are signs demand is starting to grow for IPOs after a five-week freeze triggered by a steep decline in financial markets and exacerbated by Facebook’s rocky May 18 debut.
Five companies are scheduled to go public next week alone, including Fender, Kayak and Palo Alto Networks, a maker of computer network security products. After Facebook, just four deals made it to the market by the end of June, marking the longest stretch without an initial public offering (IPO) of stock since the 2008 financial crisis.
The resurgence of activity is a welcome indication that dealmakers are regaining confidence about raising money through IPOs.
But the situation is far from rosy.
Sage Stallone was found dead in his home on Friday, July 13, 2012. New information claims that he was on Facebook just hours before he died. That contradicts the theory thatStallone had been lying dead in his home for days, even a week, before he was discovered.
George Braunstein told People that Sage Stallone posted photos of himself at home to the popular social media site Facebook 17 hours before he was found dead. Furthermore, Braunstein, who was Stallone's attorney and personal friend, claims Stallone neither did drugs nor drank.
While reports have surfaced that Sage Moonblood Stallone may have been dead for several days before his body was discovered in his Hollywood Hills homeFriday, his attorney and longtime friend George Braunstein dismisses such a suggestion – and points to the fact that photos of him at home were posted to Stallone's Facebook page only 17 hours before he was found.
In addition, Braunstein tells PEOPLE, although Stallone smoked cigarettes and consumed candy and soda, the 36-year-old never exhibited any signs of drug use or addiction.
"Sage didn't even drink," the attorney, who knew the son of Sylvester Stallone socially and professionally for more than 15 years, tells PEOPLE. "There was a report that his room was filled with liquor bottles. Actually, they were empty bottles of Dr. Brown's Cream Soda."
"Sage was a really young, very sensitive, and very talented kid," says Braunstein. "There has been no indication that there was anything wrong in his life."
You can place your bet — er, pre-order — on Taobao with a deposit of 1,000 yuan (about $160). Taobao is actually a clearing house for various retailers, and some of its retail partners will even let you buy the non-existent and completely unannounced phone outright. Just pay 6,999 yuan ($1,100) up front to reserve your Apple handset. Taobao is a division of Alibaba group.
The opportunity to pre-order highly anticipated Apple gear is undoubtedly more useful to folks in China or other countries than U.S. buyers. Schemes like this theoretically allow Apple fans to get their hands on devices way before they become available on native soil.
The Taobao sellers told Reuters that they plan to buy the handsets in the U.S. and Hong Kong whenever it goes on sale, and then bring them to China. And they aren’t promising any specific delivery date.
It looks like we might get our hands on an iPhone 5 sooner than expected after all.
Website KnowYourMobile is reporting that Apple will make a keynote speech August 7 to reveal the latest iteration of the iPhone.
KnowYourMobile states that it received the information from a "reliable industry source who wishes to remain anonymous."
Release date estimates ranged from August to October, but earlier in July, reports began surfacing that the iPhone 5 was being moved up to August in order to try and counter some of the Samsung Galaxy S3's success. Samsung has stated that it expects to sell 10 million Galaxy S3s through July.
SHANGHAI, China - Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) next-generation iPhone has not even been released yet, but opportunistic sellers on China's largest e-commerce platform, Taobao, are already accepting pre-orders, complete with mock-up pictures and purported technical specifications.
The hotly anticipated iPhone 5 is widely expected to be released sometime between August and October this year, although Apple itself has been tight-lipped about it. Sources have said the iPhone 5 would have a bigger screen than previous models, while Taiwanese media reported the phone's voice recognition software, Siri, would have more powerful functions.
Sellers on Taobao, a unit of Alibaba Group, are accepting orders for the iPhone 5, in some cases asking for a deposit of 1,000 yuan ($160) for the new phone. One seller, "Dahai99888", who started accepting pre-orders this week, is asking for full payment upfront, at a cool 6,999 yuan ($1,100).
Taobao sellers that Reuters spoke with said they planned to buy the iPhone 5 in Hong Kong or the United States and then bring it to mainland China. Apple products are often available in Hong Kong before they are released on the mainland.
The sellers could not promise a specific delivery time.
The next iPhone will feature a larger screen that's close to a widescreen's 16:9 aspect ratio. This will make for a taller iPhone that maintains the width of the current models, but might be slightly thinner with a smaller bezel.
A redesign means that this is the first major change to the handset since the introduction of the iPhone 4.
The iPhone 5 has a camera lens similar in size and placement to the iPhone 4S, but adds a microphone between the camera and the flash. According to GottaBeMobile.com, this microphone will help capture audio better during video recording as well as help with noise-reduction during calls.
Worth noting is that the back plate of the upcoming iPhone is rumored to be metal. It seems that it's sectioned (image below), and could be made up of more than one material.
Rumors and speculations are piling up about Apple’s new smartphone, commonly dubbed the “iPhone 5”. According to the latest rumor from Know Your Mobile, Apple will announce the new phone on Aug. 7.
Previous rumors stated that Apple may have been planning on October launch after the release of its next mobile operation system, iOS 6, which was introduced at WWDC 2012 in June. However, some speculated Apple to launch iPhone 5 earlier in September, or even in August. The new rumor from Know Your Mobile may strengthen the early launch rumor of the much anticipated device.
“Apple will announce the iPhone 5 on August 7, Know Your Mobile can exclusively reveal,” wrote on their website.
“A reliable industry source who wishes to remain anonymous revealed to Know Your Mobile that Apple’s highly-anticipated and much-[rumored] iPhone 5 will be launched via a keynote speech on August 7.”http://www.jobsnhire.com/articles/2476/20120714/iphone-5-release-date-apple-unveil-august.htm
According to Japanese blog Macotakara, the next generation iPhone has already gone into production in China. Macotakara cites reliable Chinese sources for the information.
For reference, Macotakara also cited similar sources when they reported that the iPad 3 first went into production in January 2012. The lead time between production and launch for the iPad 3 was approximately two months with an official launch date of March 16th, 2012. That could suggest that we could see the new iPhone as early as September, though the production timelines for the iPad and iPhone may differ significantly.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal had previously reported that the iPhone 5 would begin production in June, and all signs have pointed to a September or October launch for the new iPhone.
Chinese economic growth may be slowing, but its iPhone 5 rumor industry is soaring.
This week, opportunistic Chinese sellers start taking orders for iPhone 5. Wondrous metal engineering samples, direct from China, "confirm" long-rumored phone details. A patent grant sparks a new wave of iOSphere cud-chewing about NFC and mobile payments. And The Announcement is just 25 days away.
You read it here second.
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"And while Apple has yet to confirm the device's features or the device itself, the rumors have painted a picture of what Apple might announce this fall." -- Shawn Ingram, GottaBeMobile.com, on the artistic essence of iPhone rumoring
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iPhone 5 already on sale in China
Reuters started this one, with a story about how "opportunistic sellers on China's largest e-commerce platform, Taobao, are already accepting pre-orders [for iPhone 5] complete with mock-up pictures and purported technical specifications."
Read more: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/mobile-phone/3369907/iphone-5-rumor-rollup-for-week-ending-july-13/#ixzz20fJRZTNp
The iPhone 5 release date may arrive much sooner than previously expected. Earlier predictions had slated the new Apple smartphone launch date for September or October, but new sources say the 6th generation iOS 6 gadget may hit the scene a bit sooner than that.
An article at Christian Post says a "reliable industry source who wishes to remain anonymous" claims a new leak hints "that an early August event will unveil Apple's next generation smartphone to the world." It is believed Apple plans to have a keynote speech at this upcoming event, during which analysts and fans alike believe the official iPhone 5 release date will be announced.
If Apple is holding an event in August, it does seem likely they will announce and preview thenew iPhone. However, the handset will not likely debut right away. Usually there is a small wait between when Apple announces their new gadgets, and when the device actually hits stores to go one sale.
It’s been just a few days since the most recent leak on alleged iPhone 5 components from Apple’s supply chain in China, and we’ve already gotten a fresh batch of pictures that are largely consistent with the most persistent rumors about the much-rumored smartphone.
The images, which were picked up by KitGuru, are supposedly of a “pre-release iPhone 5 test sample.” Unlike the relatively undetailed plastic engineering samples that were most recently revealed, the latest leak has more details, but is still a solid block.
Put side-by-side with an iPhone 4S, the sample is taller and thinner. Apple could be planning to cut the smartphone’s thickness down to 8mm, 15% thinner than the current model. This is 1mm thinner than Motorola’s Droid RAZR MAXX and 0.5mm thinner than the wildly popular Samsung Galaxy S3. Apple is supposedly planning to integrate touch screen technology into the display panel, which could allow a thinner profile.
If the latest report ends up proving true, we could be seeing the next iPhone launch sooner than expected. A “reliable industry source” told KnowYourMobile that the next iPhone will be unveiled during an August 7 Apple keynote. The next iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 6, is also expected to be officially released at the same time.
Last year, the iPhone 4S debuted October 4 and went on sale a week later. The iPhone 4 was launched in June at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference the year before that. This year, Apple has largely been expected to unveil the next-generation iPhone in either September or October.
A late-September to early-October launch puts the iPhone in a good position for holiday sales, giving Apple the full span of its holiday quarter for beefy profits and sales numbers. An August launch feels a bit early for us, but Apple shook things up with the launch date of the iPhone last year, so it’s certainly in the realm of possibility.
Fresh reports from Chinese sources claim Apple's next-generation handset has entered the production phase complete with design changes including the addition of glass to the unit's "uni-body" backplate.
A trusted source notified Japanese language Mac blog MacOtakara on Saturday that Chinese manufacturers have started to ramp up production of Apple's new iPhone, which the site calls "iPhone 5," and adds the unit may bear some minor design changes from parts allegedly leaked in May.
While previous reports pointed to a "uni-body" chassis that featured a two-tone all-metal design, the purported production model will sport an inlayed glass piece between the backplate's top and bottom edges instead of leaving a bare aluminum surface. Unlike the iPhone 4 and 4S which boast a "glass sandwich" design with tough Gorilla Glass front and back coverings, the upcoming handset will reportedly have a backplate only "partially covered" by the tough material. The change could be in response to a rumored screen size bump to a 4-inch Retina display with 16:9 aspect ratio.
The source goes on to call the part seen in images and video circulating around the web a pre-production design built for prototype testing.
Rumors keep coming in for the iPhone 5, as new images of the "engineering samples" of the much- anticipated iPhone series have leaked online.
The picture shows that the new iPhone 5 will have larger screen, perhaps a 4-inch screen with an aspect ratio close to 16:9 with a possible resolution of 1136x640. This might make iPhone 5 taller and thinner. The new iPhone might have a remodelled, casing and micro-dock and headphone jack may be at the bottom. A website, KitGuru which posted the pictures said that the images were 'release test samples' and may be 'cleaned up' before the production model is launched.
Steve Jobs wanted a clear distinction between a phone and a tablet, so there are high caches of the screen in iPhone being bigger. After the introduction of iPhone 4, there has not been any redesign of the handset. The new handset can be a 4G LTE phone, quad-core processors, NFC chips, iTravel app, larger battery, and with Liquidmetal design.
Additional evidence came in the form of leaked images of parts for the next-generation iOS device iPhone 5 and new iPod touch reveal that the panel measures 4.1inches diagonally.
"The most significant of these parts is a claimed front panel from the next-generation iPod touch, with the supplier claiming that the display would be taller than the current model and that the opening in the front panel measures 4.1 inches diagonally," reports MacRumors.
One of the questions we are most asked is when will we see a release for the Apple iPhone 5 but of course until Apple chooses to confirm this it’s one of those questions we just can’t answer. However today we have heard that an August 7 iPhone 5 release date is being touted and it’s fair to say this has taken us by surprise.
Until recently there have been two distinct schools of thought among those in the tech world about a launch timeframe for the iPhone 5. There were those who thought it would be unveiled at WWDC in June with a release shortly afterwards and then others who felt a fall release was more likely. We have always thought it more likely that it will appear in the fall, around a year after the arrival of the iPhone 4S and after there was no mention of it at WWDC a fall release looked certain, but news today that an August 7 iPhone 5 release date is being touted has surprised us.
We did recently hear rumors that the iPhone 5 release could be brought forward to August because of pressure to take advantage of the lucrative back-to-school market so maybe we shouldn’t be so surprised to see an August 7 release written in black-and-white. However the same pressure would have applied last year for the iPhone 4S and there was also the same competition from Samsung’s latest Galaxy S phone last year with the Galaxy S2 and this time round the Galaxy S3, so we’re not altogether convinced.
Although the iPhone 4S was unveiled unto the world on October 4, 2011, a day before Apple co-founder Steve Jobs sadly passed away on October 5, 2011, the latest claim is that the iPhone 5 is due to arrive 3 months earlier than expected on August 7.
So, is Apple going to launch its next “new iPhone”, the presumptive iPhone 5, on Tuesday the 7th of August 2012, at what we’re guessing is the likely time of 10am?
That, minus the 10am timeframe, is the claim from the mischievous bloggers over at KnowYourMobile.
The source for this audacious claim?
KnowYourMobile says it is a “reliable industry source” – something that may or may not imply a deep throat within Apple itself – who has spilled the beans, clearly in an anonymous fashion to avoid infurating Apple – should the rumour prove true, of course.
While those wishing the iPhone 5 into existence are likely hopin’ and a prayin’ that this rumour is true, there’s sadly no way to confirm its veracity, because any approach to Apple would simply result in a reply that Apple doesn’t comment on speculation or rumour – if Apple spokespeople were to reply at all.
The next-generation Apple iPhone will be released in the fall, according to a Japanese blog that correctly predicted the iPhone 4S release late last year.
While iPhone enthusiasts were expecting a June launch for the iPhone 4S, the Japanese blog Macotakara released a report that claimed the phone would be launched in mid-October and mass production would take place over the summer. And it was right. It seems Apple is adopting the same timetable for the sixth-generation iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 5.
Citing sources from Apple's supply chain inChina, Macotakara has revealed that the iPhone will be redesigned with a two-toned back panel made of glass and aluminum.
The report is fitting with common iPhone 5 rumors that predict a larger screen, thinner chassis, retina display, and smaller dock connector.
The blog post has been published amid reports from "Know Your Mobile" that the iPhone 5 would be unveiled on Aug. 7. The site makes claims based on a tip from "a well-known source in the industry who chooses to remain anonymous."
A Chinese online-commerce site also started taking preorders for the phone this week. The site, Taobao, had posted concept pictures of the phone without any features or specifications, and it has put a preorder price of $1,000 on the phone.
Apple's next-generation iPhone popularly being referred to as iPhone 5 is launching on August 7, claims a blog on Know Your Mobile website. The website makes this claim citing "a reliable industry source" who, it says, has stated that the Cupertino-based tech giant will launch the device during a keynote speech.
Earlier, the same website had reported that the launch date of iPhone 5 has been pushed ahead to August in order to compete better againstSamsung Galaxy S III.
There have been many rumours and leaks about the device. The latest post by Know Your Mobile has pegged the launch date for the much anticipated smartphone at least 3 months ahead of the day when iPhone 4S was unveiled.
Moreover, this launch date will be ahead of the scheduled roll out of iOS 6, which is said to be launched this September. It is anticipated that the upcoming iPhone will be shipped with the latest version of Apple's operating system.
