iPhone 4S + More

Apple recently hosted a keynote announcement , announcing its new iPhone, as well as a few minor updates to the iPod line.

Siri on the iPhone 4S

iPhone 4S:


Although some were expecting a completely new and redesigned iPhone 5, Apple will probably wait for 2012 to announce the iPhone 5. Until then, we will have to live with the more minor updates of the new iPhone 4S.

The 4S keeps the same beautiful and elegant design as the iPhone 4, but now comes packed with the same Apple A5 processor found in the iPad 2. This new chip allows for a much snappier experience, along with the ability to carry out more powerful tasks on the iPhone. Although the 4S has a much more powerful processor, battery life is still great, with up to eight hours of talk time on a single charge.

Another major update in the iPhone 4S is the camera. The iPhone 4's camera was always known as a great one, especially for a cell phone camera. The 4S's camera is even greater than its predecessor, with an 8 megapixel sensor, as well as many other improvements to the picture quality. The camera can also now provide 1080p video recording.

The iPhone 4S will also come pre-loaded with Apple's newest mobile operating system, iOS 5. Click here for an overview of iOS 5.

The most talked about feature on the new iPhone 4S is most probably Siri. In April of 2010, Apple bought the voice-command recognition company Siri. Apple is now integrating Siri into it's newest iPhone. To activate Siri, one just holds down the home button on the iPhone, and the Siri window pops up. Users can ask Siri almost anything, and it will answer. It can be used to schedule tasks, play music, dictate emails, look up facts, and much more.

The new iPhone 4S will cost $199 with a two year contract, and will be available on AT&T, Verizon, and now Sprint.

iPods:

The iPod Nano

There really weren't many major updates to the iPod line. The two devices they changed slightly are the iPod Nano, and the iPod Touch.

The Nano has a few new features, including a new, simpler user interface, a built in sensor for exercising right out of the box, and many new clock face options. The Nano's price was lowered to $129 for the 8GB model, and $149 for the 16GB model. The Nano keeps it's same design.

The iPod Touch also got a price decrease, starting now at $199 for 8GB, and is now available in white.

White iPhone 4 Finally out; Thicker? (UPDATE: Apple Responds)

     It has been nearly a year since Apple announced it's latest edition of it's smartphone device, the iPhone 4. Like every edition of the iPhone before this one, it was going to be available in both black or white colors. The white edition of the iPhone 4 was delayed for a few weeks, and then completely taken down from the Apple website.
     Rumors have been floating around pretty much ever since the white iPhone was delayed. There were both rumors about why it was delayed, and about when it would come out. Although we may never know the answer to why the white iPhone 4 was delayed for so long, we do know when it will come out. The answer: today.
     Apple posted a picture of the white iPhone 4 on it's website yesterday, along with a caption saying that the white iPhone 4 will be available tomorrow. That tomorrow is now today.
     The white iPhone 4 is available for purchase now, and many have already bought it. The ones who already have the device in their possession have started a buzz about the thickness of the white iPhone 4 compared to the black version.
     The picture below shows the slight difference in the thickness of the white iPhone compared to the black Model.

     Speculation is always possible as to what the reason for the thicker device is. However, I believe that this difference in thickness means next to nothing, and time should not be wasted guessing the reason for the thickness difference. One of the reasons that the white iPhone may be important, is that Apple wouldn't a new model of the same version phone if a newer version phone was just a few months away. This white iPhone launch seems to support the rumors that the iPhone 5 will not be coming out, as originally expected, in June 2011.

UPDATE: Apple responded to this claim by saying that, unlike what the picture above suggests, the white and black iPhone are actually the same size. Consumer Reports also did testing on this issue, and concluded that both models of the iPhone are the same thickness.

Will iPhone 5 feature NFC?

     A back and forth of reports have been going on about the iPhone 5, the expected name for the next version of the Apple iPhone and NFC. NFC stands for Near Field Communications, and is a way to transfer data wirelessly at very close distances. This would be useful for using your phone like a credit card, and making purchases just by waving the phone over the other NFC device.
     Bloomberg reported a few weeks ago that the iPhone 5 will come with a built in NFC chip. That report was then contradicted by The Independent, who said that if NFC appears at all, it will be in the iPhone 6th generation, rather than the iPhone 5. The contradictions continue as Elizabeth Woyke of Forbes claims (via SIA) that the iPhone 5 will have NFC built in after all.

Just met with an entrepreneur who says the iPhone 5 *will* have NFC...according to his friend, who works at Apple. Huh.

     With all the contradicting rumors, it's hard to tell which is true. Will the iPhone 5 contain a built-in NFC chip. We may have to wait for the iPhone 5 announcement, expected to be around June.