Thieves are now using an app, in conjunction with near field communication (NFC), to swipe credit card information by waving their phones at close proximity to a victim's wallet or jacket, according to a recent CBC News report. The process takes only a second, and because of its swipe-and-grab nature, it doesn't leave any evidence.
The report didn't specify exactly which app was being used, but it did mention the phone in the study was a Samsung Galaxy S III.
SEE ALSO: Is Your Twitter Password Strong Enough?
What's important to note is that the credit cards in danger here are only those that use NFC for payment, like MasterCard PayPass or Visa payWave, which allow customers to tap their card to make quick purchases. You can contact your credit card company to see if your card is NFC-capable.
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Bloomberg is reporting that the white iPhone 4 will be coming out of Cupertino in the matter of weeks. Recently Phill Schiller confirmed that we will see that white iPhone this year but no date was given. Bloombergs report is after the break.
Apple Inc. will begin selling a white model of the iPhone 4 in the next few weeks after a 10- month delay, according to three people familiar with the plans.
The new version will be available from AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless by the end of April, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. The release was stalled as Apple resolved manufacturing challenges, including paint that peeled under heat, one person said.
This almost goes without saying, but it's truly been a wild ride for the iPhone 4 over the last three weeks. While most of us will just happily open our hands to Stevie J'sfreebies, there's one question that's still bugging us: what's actually holding back the white iPhone 4? Sure, Apple's now promised us an "end of July" delivery for its latest iTemptation, but it has yet to specify what the manufacturing difficulty is. According to Chinese newspaper 21st Century Business Herald, the problem stems from a little-known Chinese factory by the name of Lens Technology, which is apparently responsible for transforming fine raw glass into the majority of iPhone glass panels out there (and contrary to previous reports, there's no mention ofCorning here). Read on to find out what's causing our invisible hero to stall.Lens Technology -- a rather bland name for a touchscreen glass manufacturer -- isn't exactly a household name to the average gadget consumer, but its list of clients tells a different story: Huawei, Lenovo, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and more. Since its launch in July 1993, the company's set up several plants, including its latest site (circa December 2006) in Liuyang, Hunan that currently houses about 14,000 workers, which looks about right in the drawing above. While this is merely a fraction of Foxconn's 400,000 employees in Shenzhen, Lens' recent intake of some 7,000 "post-90's" (a Chinese saying for those born after 1990) workers still led to many disciplinary issues. But this wasn't the reason for the white iPhone 4 delay.
According to a project feasibility report published by Lens in 2006, its glass manufacturing process involves the following steps: developing the tooling, cutting the raw material (mainly sourced from Germany, Switzerland and Japan), fine-milling using CNC (computed numerically controlled) machines, sanding the edges, polishing, strengthening, cleaning, coating, screen printing, baking, anti-shatter treatment, assembling, and packaging. Yeah, pretty tedious. Now, a worker from Lens' quality control department has allegedly admitted that the company's screen-printing workshop may currently be dealing with some issues with the white iPhone 4 covers. Specifically, the factory's still working out the perfect combination of paint thickness and opacity -- the former to ensure the next sub-contractor has enough clearance for the digitizer overlay, and the latter for the absolute whiteness thatJony Ive and co. strive for. As we pointed out before, the prototype white covers we acquired appeared a touch darker than the iPhone 4 dock, so here's hoping that we'll see a closer match when the official white phone comes out later this month.
Even if Apple does deliver the new batch of phones on the promised date, what about meeting the potential huge demand? According to another contractor down the iPhone assembly stream, Lens' current production capacity only meets half of Apple's demand, thus becoming a major bottleneck for the entire iPhone 4 production pipeline. Of course, this could just be smack talk from a potential competitor, and there's a small chance that othercomponents might be affected as well, but the truth is the handset's currently in short supply -- after 3 million unitssince launch, Apple's online store was listing a 3-week shipping date for the black iPhone 4 at the time of writing this. Considering each CNC machine could apparently only cut out three iPhone 4 glass covers every hour, Lens will need to get its act together on the paint job and use all the machines it can get -- along with their skilled operators -- to keep Cupertino and its followers happy.
Later this year, Tim Cook will stride onto the stage at Apple's Cupertino headquarters, and introduce the world to the latest iPhone.
And that's all we know for sure about the so-called iPhone 5. But that hasn't stopped the rumour mill from turning over some compelling clues. Between allegedly leaked parts, loose-lipped Chinese sources, inadvertent slip-ups in the latest iOS beta, and some active imaginations, we can piece together a pretty good idea of what the phone might look like.
A bigger screen
One doggedly persistent rumour is that Apple plans to use a larger screen on the next-generation iPhone.
Reuters' sources say that "the new iPhone screens will measure four inches from corner to corner", which would give it a roughly 30 percent increase in screen size, over the iPhone's current 3.5-inch screen.
Bloomberg corroborates the report, and references three people familiar with the matter.
References to the larger screen size can be seen in the beta for iOS 6. When9to5mac shifted the resolution of the iOS 5.1 simulator to the taller 640 x 1136, the iPhone operating system simply spaced the icons out to account for the larger real estate. On iOS 6, a fifth row of icons appeared.
If it came to fruition, a larger screen would put the iPhone on level ground with the majority of modern Android devices. On the downside, it would also give some developers a nasty headache when they realise they'll need to remake their apps to fill the new aspect ratio.
A smaller dock connector
The next iPhone may switch to a smaller dock connector, with just nine pins. It's a recurring feature in iPhone 5 parts and shells, that have supposedly been leaked from Apple's manufacturing partners.
More recently, a reference to "9Pin" has been found in the beta for upcoming operating system, iOS 6.
A smaller dock connector would give Apple more room to maneuver inside the iPhone's snug case. The firm could potentially fit more components in the shell, or sneak in a bigger battery. The only downside -- and it's a big one -- is that your current Apple accessories will not fi, unless the Cupertino company ships some kind of adapter.
A Nano SIM card
Parts of the new iPhone, allegedly leaked out of Usa, reveal that the iPhone 5 may take new "Nano SIM" cards. The iPhone 5's tinier SIM card tray has been present in a number of supposed part leaks, giving weight to the rumour.
These cards are 40 percent smaller than the current Micro SIMs used in the iPhone 4 and 4S, and were standardised by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute in June 2012.
"Today's SIM card designs take up a significant amount of space inside a mobile device," a spokersperson for ETSI said. "This space is more and more valuable in today's handsets which deliver an ever increasing number of features."
The iPhone is Apple's crown jewel; it's Apple's most successful product ever. With one of the biggest launches yet, Apple has done it again with the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 is Apple's next generation smartphone, ready to compete with other powerful devices like the Droid Incredible, the EVO 4G, and the upcoming Droid X. Is it worthy of the fanfare and praise, or is it a disappointment? Hit the jump to read our comprehensive review of the iPhone 4.
Design The most notable feature in the iPhone 4 is the drastic design change. Apple completely redesigned the iPhone, ditching the outmoded, round, plastic back in favorof a more modern, stainless steel shell that is sandwiched between two pieces of strengthened glass. The result is a gorgeous phone that has a very sophisticated feel to it. The steel band goes completely around the phone, broken only by the antenna bands, the speakers, the dock connector, and the hardware buttons. With the new shell, the iPhone measures in at 4.5 x 2.31 x 0.37 inches and weighs just 4.8 ounces, making the device thinner and tighter than the previous iPhone.
In a touch of elegance and practicality, Apple also changed the volume key into two separate buttons for easier use. When you pick up this device, you will immediately feel the elegance of the design. But, however elegant the phone may be, there is a problem with using glass for the back. Anyone who has used a touchscreen phone will know that touchscreens are grease magnets. After just five minutes of use, the iPhone 4 we used for review was covered in finger grease. Now, instead of just wiping the screen after a period of use, you have to wipe both the screen and the back. Finger grease aside, the design is nothing short of beautiful.
Display A lot of things were expected from the iPhone 4 before it was revealed; we expected hardware upgrades and improved performance. We did not expect, however, that Apple would change the market with an absolutely stunning display. Dubbed the "Retina" display, the 3.5 inch widescreen multitouch screen has a resolution of 960 x 640 pixels and is rated at 326 ppi. The result? A screen that delivers clarity like no other smartphone screen on the market. The individual pixels are nearly impossible to see, which means picture, text, and video is crisp and clean.
The slight blur is from a shaky camera hand, not the screen itself.
Hardware Inside, hiding under the display and the steel shell, is the guts and glory of the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 is powered by the same A4 chip that runs the iPad, although Apple has not specified whether the clock speed is a bit slower or the same as that of the A4 chip in the iPad. The A4 chip comes in handy now that the iPhone has to handle multitasking. Although it may not be full multitasking, iOS4 allows a handful of API's to run in the background, which means that you will be able to have some multitasking features.
Residing next to the A4 chip is the improved battery (not that the battery in the 3GS needed any improvement) that, according to Apple, offers up to 7 hours of 3G talk time and 300 hours of standby time. Also, whereas the iPhone 3GS had only one camera with no flash, the iPhone 4 comes with a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with flash and 720p video capture, and a front facing VGA camera. Other goodies include WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, three-axis gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, and an ambient light sensor. Internal storage comes in the same 16 GB and 32 GB sizes. The most prominent hardware upgrades from the previous iPhone are the A4 chip and the Retina display, both of which make this iPhone 4 a powerful next generation smartphone.
Camera Apple finally answered one of the biggest problems with the iPhone 3GS: the camera quality and the lack of flash. For the iPhone 4, Apple upgraded to a 5 megapixel camera with 720p video capture and added flash on the backside. On the front, Apple added a VGA camera for self-takes and for FaceTime video calls. The 5 megapixel takes great stills, comparable to the 8 megapixel camera on the Droid Incredible (which is what we used to take our photos of the iPhone 4). It also records great quality videos that can be edited straight from the phone with Apple's new iMovie app ($4.99).
The VGA camera doesn't have great quality, but what can you expect from a VGA camera? It's still decent enough for FaceTime calls, however (it can hide acne from your friends). And, FaceTime lets you switch between both cameras, so you can talk to your friend or switch to the rear camera and show them what you're seeing. The only downside to FaceTime is that it requires a WiFi connection to work, but then again, we don't think AT&T's network needs anymore trouble.
Software The iPhone 4 comes with iOS4, which brings with it improved speeds, a bit more customization, the ability to organize apps into folders, and some multitasking features using specific API's. Although the new features like folders and multitasking are great, there are still a few problems we have with the OS. We're not too big on Apple's version of multitasking, as it only allows certain parts of apps to run in the background. For most apps, the OS just pauses the app so you can return to it later. This system works great for the most part, but sometimes, you really do need the benefits of full multitasking.
We are also disappointed that Apple hasn't worked at all to improve the notifications on the OS. The pop-up notifications are just obtrusive and extremely annoying. It pauses whatever app you're on and shoves a notification in your face. We really would've liked to some sort of notification bar, but we guess Apple is holding that feature for iOS5 or hopefully a future update. Another qualm we have is the lack of widgets; Apple definitely has the ability to create some great widgets, so we're disappointed that Apple refuses to create a weather widget or at least make the weather icon show the actual temperature. Is that too much to ask from Apple? Android definitely has the edge over iOS4 with full multitasking, a great notification system, and widgets. We would love to see some improvement in this area.
Antenna One of the biggest points that Apple was making with the iPhone 4 was the improved antenna. The iPhone 4 utilizes the shell itself as an antenna, and for the most part, the reception is much better on the iPhone 4 than on the 3GS. Unfortunately, it became obvious soon after launch that the new antenna system had a serious Achilles' heel. Many users have found that when the phone was held the natural way for the left hand, the signal would drop from full bars to none; this has varied from phone to phone and person to person, with some dropping some or all bars and others even dropping calls completely. The photo below illustrates what is now called the "Death grip".
The signal was full bars before and is dropping slowly down to two bars in this photo.
Because this is the way a lot of people hold their phones, this is a major problem. All phones tend to lose a fraction of signal strength when held, but this is the worst we've ever seen. Tests run by a number of users have narrowed the problem down to the bottom left side. When you cover the area with your hand, the signal problems occur. Apple is working on a fix, but we have no idea when the fix will be available. The later batch of phones that will come with the launch of the white model will probably yield some sort of fix, but until then, you will have to use a case like Apple's own Bumper case or the upcoming Vapor case from Element Case, in order to avoid choking the signal from your device.
Verdict The iPhone 4 is easily one of the best smartphones on the market right now, and will likely continue to be until the next generation. With a stunning display, long battery life, and the muscle to go the distance, the iPhone 4 truly is a great device. But, although the iPhone 4 is definitely a highly sophisticated and powerful device, we have to mark it down for the severe problems with the antenna and the features missing from the OS, like widgets, full multitasking, and an improved notification system.
Should you buy this phone? It really comes down to personal preference; if you want a powerful smartphone, you have numerous options like the Droid Incredible, the EVO 4G, and the upcoming Droid X, aside from the iPhone 4. They all come with their own distinct talents and specialties, so choose what is best for you. We highly recommend the iPhone 4 for those on AT&T or those planning on switching to AT&T; we do have to suggest waiting until the antenna problem is fixed, however. Cheers.
There was much umbrage at the launch of the new iPad 4, as it basically rendered the iPad 3 obsolete mere months after launch. However, with only a minor CPU and front camera change, is there really any point thinking about upgrading?
iPad mini review
The question most people ask us when it comes to the new iPad 4 is: what's different from the old one? Or the iPad 2, for that matter?
Well, in this case it's pretty easy: there's a Retina Display that makes everything look superbly crisp, an updated A6X processor with much superior performance, the same 5MP camera on the rear with a 1.3MP HD sensor on the front now to replace the VGA effort.
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Oh, and the new iPad 4 is now running iOS 6 out of the box (well, it's also on the likes of the iPhone 5 and iPad mini, but hey, we've already reviewed those, and you don't really care unless it's a new iPad, do you?)
The design of the new iPad 4 isn't really anything different from the original duo from Apple's tablet range. Actually, while we're thinking about it, it looks almost identical to the iPad 2 – to the point you'd struggle to tell them apart when turned off.
However, in the hand, there's a little bit of a difference, especially when it comes to the weight. The new iPad is nearly 60g heavier than the second iteration, and while it's not terrible, it does add a little arm strain during a marathon movie session.
Sometimes you become accustomed to the weight of a device if you use it enough, and then the whole debacle becomes a completely none issue.
However the weight of the iPad 4 is still noticeable even a few months after first get
ting it - pick it up and hold it for the duration of a movie and that unmistakable heft is still there to haunt you.
Retina Display
Before we get onto all the normal insight over the frame of the new iPad 4, it's worth talking about one top feature: the Retina Display.
Apple has packed a huge amount more pixels into the 9.7-inch screen - 1536 x 2048 to be exact. However, despite the fact that the Cupertino brand makes a big thing about the 330 PPI density of the iPhone 4S, we're looking at a screen that's technically a lot less sharp than its smartphone brethren - around 264PPI.
Apple has got around this fact by stating that the screen is meant to be held 15 inches from the face, rather than the 10 inches the iPhone is supposed to be from your eyes, and as such the sharpness is the same.
Given the fact the term 'Retina Display' really isn't a legally binding term, we don't care. What matters is the effect - and it's one of the most impressive we've seen on a tablet to date. If someone took an iPad, printed out a really hi-res image of an iOS system and stuck it on the front, we'd struggle to tell the difference - it's superb, and even squinting up close you'll be hard pushed to notice any pixelation.
The colour reproduction will also appeal to many, as it's pretty close to reality - it lacks the punch of the Super AMOLED HD screens seen on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 for instance, but it will depend on personal preference as to whether that's a good thing.
We like the vivid colours of Samsung's screens, but we know plenty of people that loathe them too.
The main thing is things like internet browsing; photo viewing and movie sessions are all much, much improved over the iPad 2, and is one of the main reasons to pick up the new iPad.
Design
The new iPad, as we said, is only marginally thicker and a little heavier than the iPad 2, and if you pick it up with no knowledge of the former, you'll likely be mighty impressed.
The rest of the design is premium too - given you can be paying nearly £700 / $AU900 for a top end model, it needs to seem like a worthwhile investment, and it does.
There's also the new Lightning connector on offer, which brings the smaller, faster port for all your needs... unless your need is to use you recently purchased dock, in which case you'll need to fork out for an adaptor.
The curved edges, the oleophobic scratch-proof glass and the aluminium chassis are all the kind of thing that some Android tablets have tried to ape and failed. Of course, many will prefer the feather-light frames of some of the Samsung models but, like the screen, it really comes down to personal preference.
The buttonry on the new iPad is pretty sparse though - we're talking four buttons and that's your lot.
The iconic home button is back once again, despite rumours of its demise, and is easy to reach and hit within the thick bezel.
The rest of the buttons are all clustered tightly together in the top left-hand corner of the new iPad, with the rocker/volume key, the mute/orientation switch and power/lock key all within an inch of one another.
As you can see, Apple has been pretty efficient with the button placement, with all of them performing more than one function. And they say the iPad can't multi-task... tsk.
Apple Inc's Asian suppliers have started to produce a new version of iPhone 4 with a lower retail price, Tencent Tech reported.
The lower-priced iPhone 4 will be equipped with an 8GB flash drive, compared with the current 16GB and 64 GB iPhone 4 models, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed source familiar with the matter.
The flash drive for the reported new iPhone 4 is being manufactured by a Korean company, according to the source, without providing the name of the company.
Apple currently use flash drives made by Japan's Toshiba and South Korea's Samsung Electronics.
Both Apple and Samsung have declined to comment on the report.
The 8GB iPhone 4 is reportedly to be launched in the upcoming weeks. The current iPhone 4 model was launched in June 2010.
The lower-priced iPhone 4 is expected to bring in more sales revenue in emerging countries for Apple.
Besides market rumors about this 8GB iPhone 4, Apple is also reportedly going to announce a new iPhone 5 in September. Of all the wild guess about new features and functions of iPhone 5, a bigger screen, a better camera and an upgraded CPU are most likely to be realized in the new smartphone.
Love your iPhone? Though you may be used to using your iPhone 4 everyday, have you found all of the tricks it can do? Take a look at our top tricks and tips for your smartphone. We can protect your smartphone in a matter of minutes, get a quote today.
Take a snap of yourself
The iPhone 4 has have two cameras. The rear camera takes a high quality picture, whilst the front camera is a lower resolution. In the camera app, just tap the switch button to change camera from rear to front. It's a handy mirror to see what you look like!
Facetime your friends
See your friends while you chat when you use FaceTime over Wi-Fi. To make your video call, simply make a regular call and then tap the FaceTime button from your application.
Show PDF files
Since more information can be stored within a PDF it's handy that you can view it on your iPhone. You can also use it for eBooks. To upload your PDF drag and drop your file into the iTunes library, then when you sync your iPhone look in the tab for Books. Your PDF will appear in your iBooks app. Set your iPod to sleep
If you listen to music on your iPhone 4, especially while on the go or when falling asleep, you know how much playing tunes can wear on your batter. Don't leave your iPhone playing in your purse or after you're already asleep. Instead, set your iPhone function to sleep mode to help. To set the timer launch the clock, select timer, set the amount of time you want to listen to music before the iPod goes to sleep. Select 'When Timer Ends' menu and here you can select 'Sleep iPhone'.
Send full resolution photos on email
Most people don't realise that when you share and 'email photo' to someone the iPhone will automatically scale the picture down. If you want to send it in full resolution simply open the picture in your iPhone's camera roll, tap and hold until 'copy' appears. Then compose an email, paste to insert your photo.
Open link in a new page
Tapping on the top of the screen will bring you back to the beginning of a web page. To open a new page, tap and hold the link and this will link to a separate window. When you've finished reading just close it and it will take you back to the main page. This saves time reloading information.
Want great cover for the gadget you love? Get a quote now for your iPhone4.
