Yes, it’s the same on the outside, but on the inside, under the bonnet it’s a totally different machine. The iPhone 4S comes with the all new Apple A5 Chipset, the main hub of the phone meaning that it is significantly faster than the iPhone 4. Another feature that the iPhone 4S has which sadly the very good iPhone 4 can’t boast is the 1080p HD recording. With its video stabilising, LED Flash and both photo and video geotagging it’s safe to say that the iPhone 4S has a lot more to offer on many more fronts.

With all the problems Apple had last year with the antenna problems when they released iPhone 4, this year with the iPhone 4S they have vastly improved signal quality as I imagine they don’t want a repeat of last year’s fiasco when they had to send out iPhone 4 bumpers to everyone who had purchased their new device.

One other thing on the iPhone 4S that is sure to capture the headlines is the new voice control software, Siri. For those of you who don’t know what exactly it does then you may or may not be blown away by it. It’s pretty much an app for your phone that means you can hold a conversation with it about anything from local restaurants to asking Siri to remind you to buy your wife a birthday card when you leave your workplace. Yes, it is that good that it knows when you leave work. For more on Siri see Apple’s YouTube video on how to use it and the things it is capable of here.

So all in all the iPhone 4S is no doubt a step up from the iPhone 4, but in theory it is only keeping up with the competition from the likes of Samsung and HTC. We do however expect to see many people lining the streets to buy their new handset when it is released later this week, especially seeing as though Apple managed to get people queuing outside their stores for a white version of a 9 month old phone!

The rumours have been rife over the last few months about whether we’re going to see a new iPhone or just a tweaked version of the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, but with people claiming to have “leaked” news about the imminent arrival of the iPhone 5 I think the vast majority of people would be surprised to see no iPhone 5 being released.

There are also “leaks” that there is going to be another iPhone device announced. There’s some photo’s doing the rounds from a factory in Brazil. In these pictures apparently is the new iPhone 4S device. This does wash seeing as the device in question does look pretty much exactly the same as the iPhone 4. Could we be seeing two new iPhones?

There are many out there who hope that Apple will be unveiling not one, but two new iPhone handsets. Obviously this would be a first for Apple as they have previously only released one handset at any one time, but there are a lot of things doing the rounds in the rumour mill that there’s going to be an iPhone 4S and 5 released. Also, someone out there is obviously a bit of a big iPhone fan, as they’ve made their own iPhone 5 prototype device.

They will also be talking a little bit about the new iOS which is no doubt going to be on the new handset. The new iOS in question is aptly named ‘iOS 5’ which you would think points to the fact that there’s going to be an iPhone 5 released.

Also, iTunes new beta version which is set to be released on Friday has leaked the iPhone 4S. In its description tag it has the product name ‘iPhone 4S’ which again may throw many people out there off as there’s no mention of the iPhone 5.

So it seems that there’s still no clear news as to what devices are going to be released, so I suppose all we’ll have to do now is wait. Not like we have to wait long though, it’s announced tomorrow!

The Taiwan Economic News is reporting that a number of suppliers of the components will start delivering parts for the new tablet from October, increasing numbers by December encouraging speculation for a release date in early 2012.

The company have also reportedly enlisted a second company to assemble the device following supply problems after an explosion at the factory where the iPad 2 was being constructed.

Apple have currently not confirmed or denied anything to do with the iPad 3 and are expected to remain quiet up until the official launch.

Owners of first or second generation iPads should look to investing in iPad insurance for their tablet. Accidents and theft can easily happen, so looking for iPad insurance prices on iPad insurance comparison websites can give peace of mind to owners of the tablet to be sure that your device is safe, no matter what happens.

Yes that’s right, Samsung! Who’d have thought that Samsung would be bothered by what their rivals are producing? Well it seems that Samsung are quite bothered. Apple have said that their rivals, Samsung have been harassing them into releasing details about their secret plans for the next iPhone and the iPad 3.

In all fairness, there is a lawsuit that is currently going on to try and determine whether Samsung’s Galaxy range has been influenced by Apple’s iPhone range and a judge has forced the Korean tech giants to show their upcoming range of handsets and in retaliation the Korean giants have demanded that Apple show their plans for future devices, however Apple are now calling it harassment.

Make of this what you will but we could soon be treated to a bit of info about the new iPhone! Fingers crossed guys!

The iPad 2 has already been released in the US, being launched out there on the 11^th of March. Steve Jobs announced that Apple would be releasing this new device at the recent conference that was held. It’s kind of an annual conference that is held almost every year, like the one for the iPhone that get held every June or July to announce the eagerly anticipated Apple iPhone that most people know about anyway. Because let’s be honest it doesn’t really take a genius to work out the sequence they’ve got going on when it comes to announcing new products.

Back on to the subject of iPad’s they have announced the iPad 2 and its release date for the UK and in the US so as you may imagine when it comes to new Apple products, there’ll be an abundance of people pre-ordering the new iPad so that they can go and pick theirs up on release day. Some people may have a look at the different iPad accessories that are available for you to buy with your iPad. As you may imagine, Apple probably make a fair amount of their money on the official accessories that they sell in their stores up and down the country and also online. Things like iPad accessories will be massive sellers when the new device gets released, people will want to keep their new ‘toy’ safe and protected.

Perhaps you’re not in the US, perhaps you’re over here in the UK? Well if you are then there’s plenty of different places for you to go and have a look for iPad accessories UK, and have a look at what they have on offer for you and your iPad, and who knows you may find a bargain, or bag yourself an absolute gem that may cost you ten times the price somewhere else. Maybe you know someone over in America who can get you what you’re after for half the price? If you do then that would be a money saver for you!

The iPad has been a massive hit in the 12 months that it’s been out. As of the 25^th of December last year the original iPad had sold over 14 million units worldwide! 14.79 to be precise which is pretty damn amazing when you consider that we’re supposed to be in a global recession. Imagine all the iPad accessories that got sold when people were buying their flash, fancy new iPads.

Well, now that the iPad rumour mill is done for another few months or so we can proudly announce that we have had the first iPhone 5 rumours after the iPad 2. A Chinese source is claiming that Apple have decided to get rid of the glass backed iPhone and bring back the aluminium backed handset. You may remember this look from the very first iPhone that was brought out way back in 2007. This was a handset that revolutionised the mobile phone market and in many ways led to the birth of what we now call the “Smartphone”.
The Smartphone originally came about because of RIM’s Blackberry handsets but they were mediocre at best and at the time, like the iPhone weren’t very accessible to the general public. Only a select few people had them, people that tended to of the business type and were based in London.

Anyhow, back to the matter at hand. Regarding the logo on the back of the handset apparently one of these “in the know” people have been told that Apple are planning on turning the logo into an antenna in an attempt to try and bypass the “antenna-gate” troubles that they experienced a few months after they released the iPhone 4 handset back in 2010.

So with the latest instalment of Apple iPhone 5 rumours we have more to look forward to when they finally release the much anticipated in June/July. Here’s to more iPhone 5 rumours!

Well after all of this, there’s finally been an official announcement made about the new iPad 2 coming out and to be perfectly honest it’s not all that different to the first iPad that was released. There are very minor changes to the device things like it being ever so slightly lighter and also thinner than the original iPad and that also means that for any of you iPhone 4 users out there, its bad news I’m afraid. The new iPad 2 is thinner than your handset, now how does that make you feel?

There’s one major difference between this device and the original device and this is that the new iPad has a front mounted camera on it for any of you FaceTime lovers out there. So if you were thinking about getting one but weren’t sure because of the potential lack of a front camera then you can now rest easy in the knowledge that it will have a front camera on it so that you’ll be able to FaceTime the hell out of your new iPad 2. One other thing, they have released the White iPad 2 as well just in case you fancy a change of colour. Or as it may seem they are trying to appeal more to the women out there.

But with all this frenzied app creation and consumption, there comes a dark side: the pervasive collection of users’ data, many times without their knowledge. We’ve compiled a list of the apps that may get your personal identity in the most trouble.

Latitude

Latitude is one of those apps that doesn’t really hide the fact that it’s transmitting your personal information, but it definitely divulges an undeniably personal level of detail when you’re signed on: your exact physical location.

Granted the app handles profile viewers much the same as any other social media – you must confirm who your friends are and you can quit anytime – but considering the havoc social sites such as Facebook have reeked on people’s lives, it’s easy to see how things could go awry.

For example, if you decide, one day, to scan the world map to see where your “friends” are residing, you may be surprised to find two dots that happen to be right on top of each other. Two friendly phones set on a coffee table, or two of your friends doing the hanky-panky?

If it’s not speculation and gossip you’re worried about, then turn your attention to some of your less scrupulous “friends.” There have already been documented stories of vacationers’ away messages hinting burglars to empty houses ripe for the plucking. With Latitude, you don’t even need to leave town for the weekend to be had; one of your “friends” just has to see that you happen to be cruising the shopping mall on the opposite side of town.

Google Searches – Maps, Web, etc.

If you’re so sure you’d never be so stupid as to give away your location information, think about Google’s Maps or Web searches. While you may be under the impression that your location information is merely between you and Google to get you to the closest vegan, gluten-free café in town, think again. The truth is you agreed when you downloaded the app that Google could share your data with third parties.

While Google uses the defense of full disclosure (i.e. it mentions what data the app has access to in the fine print before the download occurs), it is believed that many independently created apps could be violating these rules.

Facebook

Facebook is another giant that was found to be divulging information; in this case phone IDs that could potentially give third-party advertisers your name and friends list. The mere scale of this is what makes it most disturbing – tens of millions of people according to a Wall Street Journal investigation.

Paper Toss

Despite the fact that many smartphone owners justify the device’s purchase based on its ability to offer a vast array of life management capabilities, games are believed to be the most downloaded type of app. Which brings us to Paper Toss; one review lauds the thrilling prospect that this game is “so realistic, you will think you are stuck in an office killing time”.

If the lure of workplace drudgery digitized at your fingerprints is too much to avoid, consider what kind of information Paper Toss collects and distributes about its users. Turns out, the app game has already given out users’ unique phone ID number to several different ad companies.

And, depending on what kind of phone you have, the ID number can give a range of information. Apple’s UDID is a 40-digit alphanumeric code that acts as a lifelong serial number for the phone. Android phones have an Android ID that is able to be reset. BOTH are transmitted unknowingly by several app providers. To make it more complicated is the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, an ID number that is used to lock phones when users report them stolen. Five Android apps were already found to be sending this number to one or more outside companies.

Pandora

Pandora is one of the most downloaded apps for smartphones, and with good reason. Who doesn’t love streaming music digitally cooked to perfection?

The point is that Android and iPhone versions of this wildly popular app have been revealed to transmit information about users’ age, gender, and location. Age and gender data are usually fodder for marketing companies, nothing too wildly insidious. But why must location play a role in designing music tastes? Is Pandora embarking on a journey to change the world, one song at a time? “Oh, look, this user is walking along the bridge, skip Van Halen’s “Jump”” Or is it for control over the masses? “User has entered assimilation facility; cue up Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine.”

So, next time you’re zipping through your smart phone’s app store with reckless abandon, stop and ponder who might be watching and just how much they already know.

About the Author

Jon Lee is a freelance writer who’s interests are helping people with money saving ideas. His articles have been featured on large online savings sites such as Savoo.

The touch-screen device is thought to have sold approximately 6.31 million units between October 1 and December 31, 2010, which is about 2 million above their average quarterly figures. Not bad for a device which was launched eight months ago, yet is rumoured to be superceded in April by a better device.

Even kids were getting in on the act, turning their noses up at toys and car sets favoured by earlier generations with 39% of kids just saying they wanted Apple devices from Santa, from iPods to iPads to the iPhone 4, in accordance with the Duracell Toy Report which quizzed a huge number of five to 16-year-olds.

But with the clamour for pricey gadgets during the Christmas period, new iPad users are now being warned that they are prime targets for robbery and really should seek iPad insurance which is certainly becoming more and more cost-effective with quite a few suppliers vying for a little bit of the Apple pie.

Rob Townsend, director of property claims, at Aviva said: “Our homes were jam-packed with plenty of expensive gadgets and glamorous gifts over Christmas and of course that means rich pickings for any opportunist thief in the New Year.”

Together with Apple gizmos – laptops, consoles and digital cameras were top of burglars’ Christmas list in 2009 as crooks cashed in on empty homes and newly-bought presents. Statistics for Christmas crime in 2010 are soon to be revealed.

Orange UK have been sending out emails to customers that are waiting for the white iPhone 4, saying:

“We wanted to let you know that there won’t be any white iPhone 4′s in the UK until the end of the year. If you’re happy to wait another few months we’ll let you know as soon as they’re back in stock.

Alternatively, if you want it now, visit your local Orange shop to get the iPhone 4 Black 16GB or 32GB today.”

Next year is far too long for some iPhone 4 fans though; there has been a surge to certain websites that allow you to buy white iPhone 4 parts complete with the Apple stamp with some customers reporting that the whole conversion operation takes as little as 20 minutes to complete.

Smart retailers in China are already starting to sell DIY kits that allow owners of black iPhones to convert their handsets at a cost.