The last seven days have been a ball for technology fans. Apple’s new iPhone 4 saw the light of day in one of the least surprising announcements of the last year. Microsoft’s new Kinect gaming system was announced, awaiting a full showcase at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.
We’ve catalogued the most important events in the technology world, ordered and arranged here for your reading pleasure. If you’re tired of trying to keep up-to-date with the technology industry’s lightening quick developments, be sure to look out for our weekly ‘This Week in Tech’ series.
New iPhone pre-orders open June 15th, June 24th release
Apple’s new iPhone announcement received a great deal of coverage, though it was slightly less surprising than the recent iPad display. The iPhone 4 will ship towards the end of June, with UK pre-orders opening on June 15th.
The new iPhone offers full HD video recording, a vastly improved digital display, and a slick new case design. Apple have clearly aimed the device at the hardcore techie demographic; their recent iPad wasn’t exactly a hit with technology reporters, though the iPhone 4 appears to be a true powerhouse.
Want to be annoying? There’s an app for that.
Fifa are considering an all-out vuvuzela ban for upcoming World Cup matches. The infamous plastic horns have been the subject of thousands of complaints from TV viewers, though South African football fans have insisted that they’re an important part of sporting culture.
If you want to bring the annoyance to your local sports bar, living room, or stadium, the Vuvuzela Horn iPhone application could be your best option. It’s annoying, loud, and utterly unlistenable; for the ultimate in annoying sounds, try installing it on your iPad.
Microsoft Kinect brings Xbox owners one step closer to virtual reality.
Previously billed as Project Natal and endlessly hyped prior to this year’s E3 gaming conference, Microsoft’s Kinect is the company’s next step into virtual reality and motion-based gaming. The system allows gamers to play upcoming Xbox 360 titles without a standard controller, instead using their own motion to control game characters and vehicles.
The Xbox 360 was the first of this generation’s gaming systems, and is the only without a standard motion sensing control system. Whether Kinect will bridge the console sales gap is unknown, but it certainly looks like a fun gaming experience.
iPad security breaches cause problems for App Store users
Over 100,000 American iPad owners fell victim to a security breach last week, after a team of hackers gained access to mobile phone company AT&T‘s user information database. The breach resulted in several thousand customer email addresses getting leaked, the majority of which have been subjected to spam emails and phishing attacks.
AT&T have been apologetic about the situation, sending out a mass email to subscribers who could potentially be at risk of account phishing or spam email. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is involved in the investigation, aiming to prosecute the group as cyber criminals.
