Apple : Tutorial: 21 handy iOS 5 tips and tricks |
- Tutorial: 21 handy iOS 5 tips and tricks
- iOS 5 download woes - web traffic reveals reasons
- Updated: Hands on: iPhone 4S review
- Apple Newsstand opens its doors in the UK
- Updated: Top 200 best iPad apps 2011
- Updated: iPhone 4S price: tariffs for UK buyers
- Facebook for iPad finally launched
- Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
| Tutorial: 21 handy iOS 5 tips and tricks Posted:  21 handy iOS 5 tips and tricksAfter much fanfare, iOS 5 has finally landed. But as is so often the case with Apple, someone forgot to write the manual. Worry not. We've rifled through 200-plus improvements and come up with 21 iOS 5 tips to make your life easier. If you haven't upgraded already, hook up your Apple device to your computer and launch iTunes now. Click on your device in the sidebar, and under Version you'll see a button called Check for Update: click it. Follow the onscreen instructions and we'll meet you back here once your device has rebooted to show you what's what. And then you're ready to use our iOS 5 tips… 1. iOS 5 upgrade error 3200Hit by the '3200 error' caused by the influx of traffic hitting Apple's servers? Time for a DIY iOS installation. Download the file that applies to your device using one of the links below. Then hold Option (Shift for Windows users) and click the Update button in iTunes. In the navigation window, select the file you downloaded and the update should begin. 2. Private BrowsingPrivate Browsing. We all know what it's for… shopping for presents, right? Handily, Apple has finally seen fit to include the feature in iOS. Simply head to Settings > Safari and swipe on Private Browsing. There, your secret's safe with us.
3. Keyboard shortcutsFind yourself tapping out the same phrases every day in mails and texts? That's valuable Facebook time you're wasting. Fortunately, Keyboard shortcuts are here to help. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Shortcuts to define shortcuts that will magically transform into the phrase you specify. The death of textspeak? We doubt it.
4. Weather reportsApple's built-in Weather app has seen a much-needed update in iOS 5. Swipe down on a forecast for an hourly breakdown of the day. With Location Services turned on in Settings, you can get local weather reports too - just tap the app's 'i' button. And check out its strip in the new Notification Center, where a sideways swipe gives you a seven-day forecast.
5. Location-based remindersLet's say you want to be reminded to call your better half the moment you leave work. Open the new Reminders app and tap the plus button to create a new reminder, then hit return. Now tap the reminder, followed by the Remind Me button, and turn on the At a Location option. Choose your Current Location and, finally, tick 'When I Leave' on the last screen and click done.
6. Safari Reading ListFound a web article you want to read later? Simply tap Safari's action button (the rectangle with an arrow inside), then tap Add to Reading List. To read a saved story, just tap the Bookmarks button and hit Reading List - all of your stored links appear. What's more, if you're using iCloud, they're synced to all your devices.
7. Safari ReaderThis one's a desktop feature that actually feels as if it was made for iOS. A Reader button appears in Safari's address bar whenever you're browsing a web article. Tap it and the page fluff is stripped away, leaving the main text against a clean screen, along with font sizing and share options. Trust us, your eyes will love this one.
8. Flag emailsWant a message in your inbox to stand out, highlighting its importance? That's right - iOS 5 now lets you flag emails. When viewing an email, you'll notice the word Mark in the subject line. Tap it for the Flag option (alongside Mark as Unread). Select this and your message will be graced with a fruity orange flag.
9. Email formattingGive your emails a touch of style with the new text formatting options. Simply double-tap a word or paragraph in the body of your message and select the arrow rightmost of the floating menu. Finally, tap the leftmost option that appears and select from Bold, Italics and Underline.
10. Twitter integrationTwitter is baked right into iOS 5, and it's awesome. Head to Settings > Twitter and fill in the username and password entries. Now whenever you snap a photo, record a vid, mark a map location or find an interesting web page or YouTube clip, you can tweet it directly via the action button. It's gonna get busy...
11. Good vibrationsWant to know who messages or calls you simply from the vibration your phone makes? Go to Settings > General and in the Accessibility screen turn on Custom Vibrations. Now back in Settings, go to Sounds and tap Vibration > Create New Vibration. Go ahead: tap out a vibration; when you're done, hit Save. Now you can assign it to a contact from within the Phone app.
10 more handy iOS 5 tips and tricks12. Alternate Map routesNow when you look for directions in the Maps app, you're presented with alternate routes. Simply tap a route to view its path, or tap the 'overleaf' button bottom-right to view the route as a list of directions. And if you select 'Show Traffic' from the latter menu, routes are colour-coded based on congestion, green being the least busy.
13. Default email addressSick of having to select your most-used email account when sending messages? iOS 5 lets you select a default account, with system-wide effect. Go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars and scroll down to Default Account. Nix the problem with a tick.
14. Camera RollThe Camera Roll is cool, but it doesn't half get crowded quick. Solve the issue by creating folders for your snaps. Launch the Photos app and tap into the Camera Roll. Now hit the top-right action button and start tapping on the photos you want to include. When done, tap 'Add To' then 'Create a New Album' buttons, and enter a name. Voila - your album is created.
15. Camera grid and auto focusLine up your photos more accurately with the Camera app's new Grid overlay - tap the Options button to turn the Grid on. You can now also tap in on one spot to set the focus, as well as tap-and-hold to lock exposure for your shot. Poor Camera+, eh?
16. Photo EnhancementsApple has brought over its desktop iPhoto tools to the iOS Camera interface. Tap the Edit button when viewing a photo and note the strip of options that appear along the bottom of your shot. From left to right they are: Rotate, Auto-Enhance, Remove Red-Eye, and Crop.
17. iPad gesturesiOS 5 brings system-wide gestures to the iPad. Switch between apps with a four-finger swipe from side to side; a five-finger pinch takes you to the Home screen. Finally, flick up with four fingers to bring up the Multitasking Bar. 18. Photos and PlacesYou no longer need a computer to see your snaps on a map. Take advantage of geotags straight away by opening the Photos app and tapping Places. Your snaps are grouped by location, represented by pins on the map; zoom in to split the locations into individual shots. It's that simple.
19. Send a voice memoiMessage is Apple's new instant messaging service allowing iOS users to communicate freely using texts, photos, videos and so on. Mix things up and surprise a friend by sending a voice memo instead: launch the Voice Memos app and record your memo in the usual way. Now tap the triple-lined button, select Share > Message and finally, choose your recipient.
20. Lock screen cameraRemember how annoying it was having to unlock your iPhone before you could take a photo? By the time you got round to it, nine times out of ten the moment was long lost. But no more. When in the lock screen, double-click the Home button and a Camera button appears; tap it. Hey, you're in the Camera app! Don't fret - the rest of your phone's contents is still locked down.
21. Alert StyleThe welcome arrival of Notification Center brings new options to the way alerts behave. Go to Settings > Notifications and click on an app to switch its alert style among None, transitory Banners (along the top of the screen) and classic centre-of-screen Alerts. Make sure to check Notification Center periodically for Banner alerts you might have missed.
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| iOS 5 download woes - web traffic reveals reasons Posted:  As many an Apple user will know, iOS 5 was released this week and its presence caused such a web surge that many customers were getting failed 'error 3200' messages due to the company's servers being overwhelmed and their own connections being overburdened. According to PlusNet, the web traffic generated from those downloading iOS 5 was phenomenal – pushing its network to its limits. On it community blog, the web service said: "At Plusnet we keep an eye on upcoming sport, TV shows and other events which may have an effect on our network. "Last year Apple released iOS 4 and this had a small effect on our traffic over a few days. "To help cope with increased demand across our network we added over 2Gbps to our network this week, but this year's iOS update had a much larger effect than last year's in just one evening." PlusNet puts the iOS5 update on the same pedestal as a big football match and did note that latency was experienced because of the surge, even though PlusNet had labelled downloading iOS 5 as Gold (top priority). Internet traffic spikeFor Apple users, iOS 5 is a massive update to their devices, adding some 200 new features. The software is compatible with the iPhone 4 and 3GS, the iPad, iPad 2 and the iPod touch. In all, the internet spike was said to last for around four hours and - according to the AAISP - pushed UK web traffic up by a fifth. With great power, comes great responsibility – so we are betting that internet providers the world over will hope to have a little help from Apple next time its big update lands. Lucky our reviewer had no problem downloading iOS 5 - as you can see from our Hands on: iOS 5 review. |
| Updated: Hands on: iPhone 4S review Posted:  Hands on: iPhone 4S reviewUpdate: Ahead of our forthcoming and in-depth iPhone 4S review, we've added in more video, more information and taken a closer look at iOS 5 to help you decide whether to upgrade to the new iPhone. It may not sport a bigger screen or a different design, but the iPhone 4S is certainly a step on from its predecessor, although much of the attention will be focused on just how big that step is. Sporting the already-lauded A5 processor, improved aerial signal and a better camera, the hardware changes to the iPhone 4S from the iPhone 4 are by no means striking. It's difficult not to feel a little underwhelmed that an incremental increase has been 16 months coming. However, the Siri personal assistant software is likely to capture the headlines, the photographs we took with the new 8 megapixel camera may well convince us to throw away our compact camera and the big improvements in graphics and processor power could lead to some enticing opportunities. We're not going to dwell on the design of the device – it's identical to the iPhone 4, so check out our hugely in-depth review to see how the hardware handles in the hand.
Siri-ouslyIt is Siri that raised the temperature at the launch event more than any other feature, so it seems that the personal assistant is the natural place to start. Voice control is by no means a new concept, but interpreting what has been said and working out the context is something that has not been fully explored on a mobile device before.
Google is doing great work with its own voice software, but Siri appears to have taken things - for now at least - to a new level. Why? Simply because it seems remarkably good at interpreting instructions and turning them into actions.
Siri isn't integrated into everything that the iPhone 4S does, but it does link up with some key features, allowing it to be a significant tool and not a cheap gimmick. Demanding Siri to, for instance, set up an appointment for 9am on Friday not only creates the appointment, but checks first if you are free and tells you if you have a clash, offering the chance to change your mind.
Asking for a Wikipedia search brings the information fast, and the Wolfram Alpha integration means that you can get precise answers to mathematical problems and to things such as currency and weight conversions. The feature also integrates into the new task list in iOS 5 (more on that later) which means you can set up action points not only for times and dates, but also when you leave a 'geo-fenced' area.
For example, asking Siri to set a reminder to buy your wife a card when you leave your workplace will do just that. It's a powerful mechanism and one that moves from 'cool, but something you won't use after trying it once' to 'actually something useful'. There are also some slighty twee but satisfying Easter eggs. Ask Siri who she/he is brings up "a humble personal assistant" asking it the meaning of life was met with "To answer questions like these". (Although the obvious answer is 42, right?). It's a very nice integration of something that any sci-fi buff has been expecting on their personal communicator for some time now. And although even Apple is clear that it's not perfect, it is a tool and not just a fad.
Of course, whether you can get over looking like a madman or a tool by talking to a robotic-voiced device is another question entirely. And now you can see Apple's take on the software it thinks will revolutionise mobile phones: Aerial threat and happy snapperMoving on, Apple is also keen to point out that the aerial issue that tainted the launch of the iPhone 4S' predecessor – the iPhone 4 – is not likely to be repeated, with dual aerials in the 4S that can automatically switch to bring a faster and more stable signal.
We can't actually tell you if this is noticeable yet, because we were only able to use the phone on Wi-Fi, but we look forward to testing this out in our full iPhone 4S review later this month. The camera is certainly an improvement; backed up by a very good processor and a decent sensor, along with some interesting software options, the snapper on the iPhone 4S will convince some that the time is ripe to only buy a DSLR for holidays and rely on their smartphone for everyday photo tasks.
8MP snapper: A shot from the iPhone 4S camera The video camera is now capable of filming in true HD 1080p; given the iPhone 4's video functionality was laudable, this means that flip cams and even cheaper video cameras might need to watch their rear viewfinders. However, don't think this is anything revolutionary - it's still only keeping pace with the imaging capabilities of the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2. And the low-light capabilities of the iPhone 4S are yet to be proved better than the Exmor R sensor in the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S. iPhone 4S hardware and OSIs A5 A1?Last, but not least for the iPhone 4S hardware was the arrival of the A5 processor, which has previously been busy making the iPad 2 the most popular tablet on the planet.
This not only brings double the processing grunt, but also a significant graphics upgrade; seven times better according to Apple's tests. What does this actually mean for the user? Well, loading apps is definitely snappier, and there was no discernable lag in the games we played, but we might well have to wait until some more demanding titles arrive in the App Store before we can truly gauge what we expect to be a significant impact. iOS 5Onto iOS 5, the operating system the iPhone 4S will sport at launch. It's also coming to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS, and brings some significant changes.
The most immediate improvement is the change to the way you're notified of text messages, emails, tweets and other events. If you want to see the new iOS 5 in action, check out our in-depth video below: Instead of hidden away in apps or limited to a single update, the notifications centre shows when your handset is locked and, when you get a new alert, can be swiped down from the top to check out what has happened. Notifications are something that the rival Android smartphone operating system has been better at pretty much since launch, and it will be a relief to Apple fans that their devices now have this similar functionality. Another useful addition is the 'To do list', which allows you to schedule events by time, date and even as you arrive or leave locations thanks to tracking your location. However, it will be interesting to see the effect these constant pings have on the battery. This is potentially hugely useful as our phones become a proper PDA, tied into the cloud, with knowledge of our location and able to look at our calendars and schedules - and when you factor in Siri, the potential is clear. And if you want a sneaky peek ahead of our in-depth iPhone 4S review, then check out our verdict on the new iOS 5 in our review: "iOS 5 has been trailed for so long that the element of surprise went ages ago, but there's enough here to make your iPhone, iPad or iPad touch feel shiny and new all over again. "There's nothing particularly dramatic here and in some respects - notifications in particular - Apple's just catching up with what everyone else has been doing, but it's a solid upgrade to an excellent OS."
NewsstandThe popularity of magazines through Apple's current iOS means that a revamped 'Newsstand' brings a more natural home for your subscription. This means easier access and a straightforward shop for more offerings all wrapped up in the now familiar Ikea-esque bookshelf that we've seen before with the iBooks app - although whether magazines and newspapers for an iPhone will really work on the smaller screen is up for debate. The much-derided Games Centre has also been given a lick of paint – although the full impact of that is not easy to ascertain yet - and iMessage lets you chat with any iOS 5 contacts over Wi-Fi or 3G, in the style of BBM.
Deep into Twitter?Deep Twitter integration will be welcomed by those with a 140 character obsession. You'll be able to post pictures, videos and links from the iPhone 4S to the micro-blog much more easily. And Safari has been boosted with the arrival of Reader, which lets you strip out the body text and key pictures from any website and display them in an arguably more readable format on your phone. Another more minor but crucial update is to the camera software that lets you access the camera from the lock screen, (finally) snap a picture with the volume up button instead of from the screen itself and add grid lines for composition.
Once you've taken the photos, you can organise them, enhance with a tap, crop and rotate, and remove red-eye all without leaving the photos app. The new iOS 5 also supports over the air updates. This means you can buy the new iPhone 4S and never need to connect it to a computer to get up and running.
AirPlay is present in the latest iPhone 4S, a feature that has impressed on prior devices and allows you to stream to your other (AirPlay-enabled) devices. Also significant is the arrival of the iCloud system, which makes the latest iPhones much more cloud and data friendly. The idea of being able to sync pictures, contacts and calendar notifications across a multitude of devices is a good one, but it's another example of Apple making a big fanfare (and rightly so) over a feature that Google has been crafting away at for Android for years now, arguably better.
VerdictAll in all, the iPhone 4S lives up to its billing as the best ever iPhone, bringing it a clear step up from the iPhone 4. Many with that handset will question if the upgrades are worth it, and that's something that could impact on the iPhone 4S - especially if people feel that they should hang on for an iPhone 5 instead. It's important to remember that Apple enjoys a special relationship with consumers, attracting those who don't care a jot about smartphone specs but want to make sure they get something halfway decent. The trust in the brand is unerring for many. But imagine this was the update Samsung threw out for the Galaxy S3 - technology enthusiasts would be pointing and laughing at the Korean giant for such a minor set of of updates. Technically, the iPhone 4S manages to keep pace with the competition - and will likely find it will be quickly outdone in the coming months in spec terms. But Apple has a way of making the features that rivals implemented years ago seem shiny and new. Given that Cook's Clan managed to get people queuing down the street for a white variant of a nine month-old phone, we fully expect swathes of consumers to line the streets again for the iPhone 4S. |
| Apple Newsstand opens its doors in the UK Posted:  The arrival of iOS 5 in the UK has brought with it a number of decent features for your iOS device, but among the more intruguing is Newsstand. This feature finally offers up a dedicated place for magazine purchasing on your iPad and there are a number of big-name UK mags and newspapers that are now available through the service. From Future Publishing – TechRadar's publisher – comes T3 and Total Film, with T3 offering up 360-degree product shots and Total Film arriving with embedded trailers and the like. Conde Nast has made Vanity Fair, GQ and Wired available on Newsstand, while Hearst Publishing has Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Runner's World. Magazine downloadsOther publications that are available are the Guardian and Metro newspapers, and small publishing house Imagine has managed to sneak one of its magazines How It Works into the service and Dennis Publishing is offering Men's Fitness. At the time of writing, T3 magazine is at the top of the Newsstand charts, a position it held when it was sold as a standalone app on the App Store. For a more in-depth look at the mags you can find on Newsstand, check out Gizmodo UK's feature. |
| Updated: Top 200 best iPad apps 2011 Posted:  Top 200 best iPad appsIf you've just bought yourself a new iPad, you're going to want to start downloading the best apps straight away. It's the Apps that really set iOS apart from other platforms - there are far more apps available for the iPad than any other tablet. So which which ones are worth your cash? And which are the best free apps? Luckily for you we've tested thousands of the best iPad apps so that you don't have to. So read on for our best-in-class apps for each major category, followed by some more specific lists of the best free and paid for apps and games. .
Best iPad app: BooksApp name: Kindle Why list a free e-book reader as the top pick when Apple's own iBook is included? Ask anyone who owns a Kindle - with this free Kindle app, you can download every book and magazine you have ever purchased for free and read them on the iPad. .
Best iPad app: BusinessApp name: QuickOffice Pro HD Apple's iWork apps have been praised for their look and feel, but many actually prefer Quickoffice Pro HD. It dispenses with Pages', Numbers' and Keynote's visual clutter to present a clean, professional interface, while beating Apple to the cut by already fully integrating cloud synchronisation courtesy of Google Docs. .
Best iPad app: EducationApp name: Star Walk - 5 Stars Astronomy Guide Even if astronomy's not your thing, you can't fail to be impressed by Star Walk. Point it at the sky, and using the iPad's digital compass you'll see a virtual starscape on your screen. It gets even better when you start move around - you'll see that the view pans with you, highlighting what constellations you should be able to make out. .
Best iPad app: EntertainmentApp name: AVPlayerHD While iOS is packed with useful features, itdoesn't offer native support for many popular video formats, and this is where the AVPlayerHD app comes into play. It supports all the biggies - XVID, AVI, WMV, RMVB, H.264 and MKV - and offers compatibility with external subtitle file formats such as SMI, SRT and TXT. .
Best iPad app: FinanceApp name: Accounts Accounts is an easy to use application to replace your paper checkbook. You can schedule transactions, create recurring payees list, transfer funds, reconcile, export data, view reports, graphs, and much more. .
Best iPad app: GamesApp name: Plants vs. Zombies HD A mob of fun-loving zombies is about to invade your home. Defend it with an arsenal of 49 zombie-zapping plants that will slow down, confuse and mulchify all 26 types of zombies before they reach your door. .
Best iPad app: LifestyleApp name: Jamie's Recipes Rather than having ahefty one-off price, the new Jamie's Recipes is free, but contains only a 10-recipe sample pack - you have to buy more packs as In-App Purchases of around £1.49. We're loving the attention to detail - for example, ingredients can be added to a shopping list, which you can email to yourself or a loved one to pick up on the way home. .
Best iPad app: MusicApp name: Garageband GarageBand turns your iPad into a collection of Touch Instruments and a full-featured recording studio — so you can make music anywhere you go. Use Multi-Touch gestures to play pianos, organs, guitars, drums, and basses on your iPad. They sound and play like their counterparts, but let you do things you could never do on a real instrument. .
Best iPad app: NavigationApp name: Navfree GPS UK & ROI Navfree turns your iPad into a fill-blown satnav device, offering turn-by-turn directions, voice and on-screen instructions, offline map use and address search and live search via Google and Microsoft Bing, among many other features. And it's completely free. .
Best iPad app: NewsApp name: Reeder for iPad While some hold up Pulse as the best way to access RSS feeds - stripped-down, automatically refreshed website content that you usually subscribe to for free - it's a little too lightweight for us. It's fine if you only have a dozen or so feeds coming in, but if you follow a lot more than that, Reeder is the app for you. .
Best iPad app: Photo & VideoApp name: Filterstorm If there's an iOS app that comes close to offering the kind of editing facilities that are available in a Mac OS X or Windows application, then it's this one, Filterstorm. For starters, it can import and process images in raw format. Add to that a host of editing tools, such as curves manipulation, colour correction, noise reduction, sharpening and vignetting, and you can see already that there's plenty here for photographers to get excited about - and it doesn't stop there. .
Best iPad app: ProductivityApp name: Noteshelf You can create multiple notebooks, and stack and arrange them on a shelf. Each notebook has a default paper style - lined, squared, and more - but you can mix paper types in one book; yay! Better still, you can import your own templates. There's no handwriting recognition, and the option to type as well as hand-write would be nice, but even so: superb. .
Best iPad app: ReferenceApp name: WolframAlpha Find out how much vitamin C is in a bowl of ice cream. Learn what European country has the fourth largest population of children. Compute solutions to difficult trig and calculus problems. Balance complex chemical equations. Discover what is overhead as you gaze up at the stars. Finally crack that crossword puzzle. Whoever you are and whatever you do, Wolfram Alpha delivers insight and understanding into any facet of your life. .
Best iPad app: Social NetworkingApp name: Facebook It may sound like stating the obvious, but this is clearly designed for the iPad from the ground up. It does more than just take advantage of the big screen and gesture recognition: other iPad features including the cameras and location services have been thoughtfully integrated as well. .
Best iPad app: SportApp name: Sky Go There's only one way to watch Sky Sports on your iOS device, and that's using the brand new Sky Go app. It replaces the much-maligned Mobile TV app, which had the cheek to demand you pay money for it, even if you were already paying a monthly fee for Sky TV and Sky Player. Providing you're a Sky Sports subscriber, you have access to all 4 Sky Sports channels, as well as ESPN, Sky One and more. .
Best iPad app: TravelApp name: Google Earth If, like us, you were amazed by the desktop version of Google Earth when you first used it, you'll love the iOS version. The iPad's Multi-Touch interface is the perfect way to navigate the planet, allowing you to fluidly roll from one place to the next, pinching and swiping your way from one amazing place to the next. .
Best iPad app: UtilitiesApp name: Dolphin Browser HD Dolphin has a tough task to prove that it has enough killer features to persuade users to switch from Safari. It covers the basics well, but where Apple's browser leaves gaping holes, Dolphin dives straight in with a wealth of extras. Top 50 best free iPad appsMany great free iPhone apps cost 59p or more in their iPad incarnations, and the quality level of what's still free is often ropey. But among the dross lie rare gems - iPad apps that are so good you can't believe they're still free. Of those we unearthed, here are our favourites. Read: Top 50 best free iPad apps Top 40 best paid-for iPad appsWe worked our way through the App Store and furiously tested a huge (digital) pile of apps, before coming up with our 40 best paid-for iPad apps. Read: Top 40 best paid-for iPad apps Top 40 best free iPad gamesThe App Store offers plenty of iPad gaming goodness for the (unintentional or otherwise) skinflint. Our pick of the 30 best free iPad games are below. Read: Top 30 best free iPad games 30 best iPad games worth paying forWith the iPad, the larger screen and extra clout from Apple's A4 chip creates a gaming experience markedly superior compared to that on the iPhone, and already there are plenty of fantastic titles for the system. Here are our current top 30 paid-for iPad games. Read: 30 best iPad games worth paying for 20 best iPad 2 appsIf you've been fortunate enough to get your hands on a new iPad 2, you'll know that it's a very powerful piece of kit. But what apps should you get to show it at its best? Read: 20 best iPad 2 apps
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| Updated: iPhone 4S price: tariffs for UK buyers Posted:  The iPhone 4S UK price has been confirmed and we've also had details of the iPhone 4S deals and tariffs from all the major networks. Without contract, he iPhone 4S UK SIM-free price has been made official by Apple, with the latest handset starting at £499 for the 16GB model in black or white, £599 for 32GB or a whopping £699 for the 64GB version. You can now pre-order the handset from Apple. The iPhone 4S UK release date is 14 October along with the US, Canada, France and Germany, meaning queues outside the Apple Stores around the country - but most people will want to know when their network will be stocking it. Read on for more on the latest iPhone 4S tariffs and deals by network. O2O2 has curtly told us: "The iPhone 4S will be available on O2 from the 14 October" and has promised more to come with regard to pricing. You can register for iPhone 4S on O2 updates. OrangeYou can register your interest in the new iPhone 4S at shop.orange.co.uk/new-iPhone. Orange will be offering the 16GB iPhone on a two year contract with the handset for no additional cost if you are willing to spend £46 a month, while at the other end of the scale you will need to fork £309 for £20 a month over 24 months. For the 32 GB, a £20 a month, two year contract means you will need to fork out £449, and for the 64GB on the same contract it is £519.99. T-MobileSimilar to it's Orange stablemate, you can head on over to t-mobile.co.uk/newiphone to register interest in the iPhone 4S on T-Mobile. You can get the 16GB handset for no additional cost if you are willing to sign up to a two year £45.96 contract, or you can agree to a £25.45 24-month contract and pay £239.99 for the handset. Should you want the bigger storage phones then that networks' £25.45 a month contract over 24 months would mean you pay £379 for the 32GB and £449 for the 64GB option. Tesco MobileThere's a page about iPhone 4S on Tesco Mobile, suggesting it will be coming to the network, but as yet has released no furtherinformation. ThreeThree has now released its full iPhone 4s tariffs and is taking preorders online, over the phone and in store - although it seems 16GB models aren't available online at the moment. On the cheapest 24-month £30 tariff (300 minutes, 500MB of data), the 16GB handset costs £129 upfront, the 32GB £219 and the 32GB £309 - significantly cheaper than rivals. You can get the 16GB handset for £49 if you're prepared to pay £35 a month. For a free 16GB handset, it'll cost you £43 a month - there are no free deals on the 32GB and 64GB models. Virgin MobileVirgin Mobile has not yet released any information about the iPhone 4S on its network. VodafoneVodafone will be stocking the iPhone 4S, and you can now pre-order IPhone 4S on Vodafone. Vodafone was pricing the iPhone 4S higher than any of its competitors but announced a few days before the phone's release that it had slashed its price plans. The new details are below. The 16GB model is available on various 24-month tariffs starting at £26 for a 100 minute, 250MB tariff - you will pay £239 up front. You can get the 32GB model on this tariff for £359 up front or the 64GB for £449. To get the 16GB handset free, you'll need to spend £46 a month and to get the 32GB version free, you'll need to pay a huge £62 a month. The 64GB model isn't available for free on any tariff. Our favoured tariff is the £36 a month deal for 600 minutes - though you will need to spend £99 up front on the 16GB handset, £199 for the 32GB and £269 for the 64GB version. All the handsets are also available on 12 or 18 month plans. |
| Facebook for iPad finally launched Posted:  The long-awaited Facebook for iPad app has finally been unleashed, the social networking giant has revealed. The free app, which has been in the works for well over a year and was revealed earlier this summer is finally ready to go, according to Facebook. Facebook for iPad now arrives boasting a slick, new iPad-centric user experience with tabbed navigation, allowing users to slide between profiles and menus, much like the Twitter iPad app. Photo albums have also been overhauled, with hi-res, screen-filling shots that Facebook says are "easy to flick through, just like a real photo album." Multi-touch gestures also allow users to zoom in on photos, maps and other content. Gaming on the goOther new features include gaming on the go and simpler, drop-down messaging functionality. Facebook says the changes are also being reflected in the company's iPhone app. "Many of you have been asking about Facebook for iPad," said Facebook engineer Leon Dubinsky. "Today, it's finally here. With the iPad app, you get the full Facebook experience, right at your fingertips. It's a fun, colorful way to keep up with friends, share photos, chat and more." "Facebook on the iPad feels fun," he added. "Photos really shine on the iPad. They're bigger and easy to flip through, like a real photo album. It's like having a slideshow with all your friends and memories, wherever you go." No sign just yetFacebook for iPad has been beset by delays with CTO Brett Taylor explaining in an interview with the New York Times that "it just wasn't ready yet." Last month the app's chief developer revealed that he had quit Facebook for Google as a result of Facebook's unwillingness to launch the iPad app that he said had been complete for months. To add a little more drama, the app has not yet appeared in the App Store. Presumably it takes a while to appear in Apple's listings. We'll let you know when it lands. UPDATE: Facebook for iPad has landed on the App Store for your downloading pleasure |
| Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know Posted:  iPhone 5 rumours: iPhone 4S and new rumoursAs it happened, there was no iPhone 5 launched by Apple this week, but the company did announce the iPhone 4S. However, the iPhone 5 is still on the cards - we're expecting it to debut in late 2012. You can check out the latest rumours about iPhone 5 below our complete coverage of the new iPhone 4S. Check out our iPhone 4S video preview: Apple iPhone 4S UK release date announcedApple has announced that the iPhone 4S UK release date will be 14 October, with pre-orders opening on 7 October. Our article on the iPhone 4S release date has more info. iPhone 4S: which networks will offer it?The iPhone 4S UK release date has been announced as 14 October, meaning swathes of queues outside the Apple Stores around the country - but most people will want to know when their network will be stocking it. So check out our handy list of all iPhone 4S networks - we'll be adding to it as we get pricing and release dates too. Hands on: iPhone 4S reviewIt may not sport a bigger screen or a different design, but the iPhone 4S is certainly a step on from its predecessor, although much of the attention will be focused on just how big that step is. Check out our Hands on: iPhone 4S review for the full lowdown. So now that the iPhone 4S is out in the open it's time to fire up the iPhone 5 rumour mill. What specs will it carry and when will it be released? We'll be updating this article constantly as new rumours surface. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are the new iPhone 5 rumours we've gathered together since the iPhone 4S launch iPhone 5 release dateUPDATE: For the latest on new iPhone 5's release date, check out our regularly updated articleiPhone 5 release date. Given the pattern Apple's iPhone launches, we're expecting the next-gen iPhone 5 to debut in mid to late 2012. We reckon it's most likely to be shown off at Apple's Worldwide Developer Event (WWDC) which usually takes place in early June. iPhone 5 form factorUnlike the iPhone 4S, it'll be a completely new design from what has gone before, so that means an entirely new casing as we saw with the iPhone 3G and, later, the iPhone 4. iPhone 5 specsBased on the roadmap of mobile chip design specialist ARM (of which Apple is a licensee), we'll see a quad-core processor debut in the iPhone 5 - probably called the Apple A6. We know that we'll see other quad core handsets debut in 2012, so it's not too much of a stretch to say that the iPhone 5 will be the same. iPhone 5 will have 4G/LTE supportWith many 4G handsets already announced in the US, it can't be long before the iPhone supports 4G technologies - even if we won't even have a UK spectrum auction until 2012. Cnet.com quotes Will Strauss from analyst firm Forward Concepts, who says that the next iPhone will feature LTE technologies."They're saving iPhone 5 for the LTEversion and that won't be out until next spring," said Strauss. iPhone 5 rumours: old rumoursBelow are the rumours that we reported on leading up to the iPhone 4S press conference. iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours have been flying thick and fast for months. And now Apple has finally confirmed a press conference for Tuesday 4 October, where the company will almost certainly unveil the iPhone 5. The invitation hints that it will be one phone that is announced, which is likely to be the iPhone 5 rather than the much-discussed iPhone 4S. Check out what TechRadar is hoping makes it into the next iPhone, in our video wish list: And if you're in a bit of a hurry, we've also got a handy iPhone 5 video detailing the latest rumours on release date, spec and more - so check if out for a quick fix of next-gen Apple fun: Although we are still waiting for news on an iPhone 5 UK release date, we reckon an iPhone 5 release of late October is likely. It's possible that the iPhone 5 release date is November, but it's more likely set for October. In mid September the CEO of France Telecom (the parent company of Orange) got specific when commenting on the iPhone 5 release date, saying "If we believe what we have been told, the iPhone 5 will be released on 15 October." Price cuts of the iPhone 4 in August hinted at an autumn release for the iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S and Apple reportedly began pushing up the amount of orders for the handset. In early September, Japanese site Macotakara reported that the iPhone 5 had entered production, saying that Foxconn and Pegatron had begun assembly on the new handset. A few days later, Digitimes wrote that Foxconn was producing 150,000 units of the new iPhone per day. Rumours of a UK Apple Store holiday ban also emerged on 26 September.It was also reported that Telefonica, which owns the O2 network, is set to begin scaling back iPhone stock in advance of "the launch of a new smartphone". However, it may not all be plain sailing for Apple, with rumours that Samsung will seek a sales ban courtesy of an injunction- another piece of the increasingly mixed up lawsuit puzzle between the pair. The iPhone 5 will debut alongside iOS 5 and iCloudApple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer was asked during an earnings call why he was suggesting a 12 per cent drop in revenues for the Q3 financial period - a traditionally robust time thanks to the scores of people buying the latest iPhone. He said that there is "a lot going on in the fall with iOS 5 and iCloud" but added there will be a "future product transition that we will not talk about today". That's almost certainly the new iPhone 5. And iOS 5 will arrive alongside it as well iCloud.
Apple says it is "cutting the cable" with iOS 5- just as well, as it claimed the iPad 2 was the first post-PC device earlier in the year. OS updates can be delivered over the air - you'll just received what's changed rather than the usual 600MB download - and devices can be activated without plugging them into iTunes. You can also now create and delete iOS calendars and mailboxes too, so you really can devolve your device from your PC or Mac. "You can activate on the device and you're ready to go," explained Apple's Scott Forstall. "Software updates are now over the air. So you no longer need to plug in to update your software. And they're now Delta updates. Instead of downloading the whole OS, you only download what's changed," he continued. The Wall Street Journal has previously reported that: "Apple is also developing a new iPhone model, said people briefed on the phone. One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available… it was unclear how soon that version would be available to Verizon or other carriers." This has since been backed up by reports from Engadget, which state the design will be a 'total rethink'. Chinese case manufacturers have been sent design briefings of the new iPhone 5 chassis and apparently feature a return to the old days of iPhone design. But could iPhone 5 really have a curved back? We can't begin to tell you how sceptical we are over such a 'leak', given Apple's desperation to keep its forthcoming designs under wraps. However, earlier reports from China backed up the larger-screened, metal chassis-sporting iPhone 5 rumours, so the redesign still seems firmly on the cards. Interestingly, an Apple patent that we reported on on 7 April 2011suggests that we could see the bezel put to good use on the new iPhone. The patent describes how visual indicators and touch-sensitive buttons could be incorporated to the space around the iPhone screen. Will iPhone 5 actually be an iPhone 4S?Of course, since the iPhone 3G was followed by the 3GS it's possible the new iPhone won't be a total refresh and we'll see an iPhone 4S (or iPhone 4GS) before an iPhone 5. An iPhone 4S looked more likely on 16 May 2011 after analyst Peter Misek wrote: "According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support." Rumours that we covered on 3 May 2011, suggest that there may even be two versions of the new iPhone: a 'standard' iPhone 5 and an iPhone 5 'pro'. Apparently, Apple is buying in components of differing quality, and those parts wouldn't be required for a single phone. A white iPhone 5The Economic Daily News is reporting that white iPhone 5 glass is being shipped, with a supplier called Wintek being the sole touch panel vendor for the white iPhone. On 12 September 2011, a page which briefly popped up on Vodafone's site referenced the iPhone 5 in white as well as black. iPhone 5 will support 1080p HDIt's fairly likely - given that the iPad 2 supports Full HD - that the new iPhone will do the same. According to the Chinese Economic Daily News (via AppleInsider), with the exception of Qualcomm chipsets - which would replace the current Infineon chipsets in the iPhone 4 - Apple's sticking with the same suppliers for the 2011 iPhone 5G components. We'd expect the basics of the iPhone 5 specs to get a bump - more memory, faster processor, and more storage. The A5 dual-core ARM processor from the iPad 2 is extremely likely to be included. The specs? A new antenna, 1.2GHz processor (possibly dual-core) and a larger screen: 3.7" instead of 3.5". The iPhone 5 may also be made from a new kind of alloy, or maybe meat. On 12 September 2011, a page briefly appeared on the Vodafone site referencing the iPhone 5 in 16GB and 32GB storage, and in white as well as black. Other sources expect double the RAM of the iPhone 4, so that would be 1GB instead of 512MB. On 20 September a bunch of internal iPhone 5 components were supposedly shown off. iPhone 5 screenVarious sources claim the iPhone 5 will feature a larger, 4-inch screen. Digitimes quotes the source as saying that Apple is expanding the screen size "to support the tablet PC market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market." On 23 May, we reported on rumours that the iPhone 5 could feature a curved glass screen. These rumours also came from Digitimes, which said that Apple has purchased between 200 and 300 special glass cutting machines because they're too costly for the manufacturers to invest in. The iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S will also get a massive graphical boost as it moves to a dual-core GPU - this will herald true 1080p output from the new device. iPhone 5 digital wallet - NFCThere's been some speculation that Apple might include Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the iPhone 5G, turning it into a kind of credit/debit card. However, as Techeye.net notes, "Apple has looked into NFC before" so this might not be imminent. However, with the tech being inside the Google Nexus S, the time for NFC may finally be here. On 24 June it was reported that the Google Wallet mobile payment platform could feature on the new iPhone. Eric Schmidt admitted that Google is looking to port the software to other manufacturers. iPhone 5 cameraSpeaking at a live Wall Street Journal event, Sony's Sir Howard Stringer was talking about the company's camera image sensor facility in Sendai, a town that was recently ravaged by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami. According to 9to5Mac, he said something along the lines of, "Our best sensor technology is built in one of the [tsunami] affected factories. Those go to Apple for their iPhones… or iPads. Isn't that something? They buy our best sensors from us." Other sources have also said that the new iPhone could have an 8MP camera. On 8 September 2011 photo taken by an iPhone appeared on Flickr, but the EXIF data revealed that the camera is superior to that on the iPhone 4. Could this be the first pic snapped by the iPhone 5 in the wild? iPhone 5 priceIf the iPhone 5 is an evolutionary step like the move from the iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3GS then we'd expect the price to stay more or less the same, although in the UK higher VAT rates may well mean a higher price tag. iPhone 5 reviewTechRadar is renowned for it's detailed phone reviews where we look at every aspect of a handset, and we'll be bringing you a full, in-depth iPhone 5 review when we get our hands on one. |
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