(Credit: Apple)

People have been wanting one for years and now it’s finally here. The iPhone 4 will be available on Verizon’s network starting next month.

Representatives from both Verizon and Apple announced that a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 would be coming to the network at Verizon’s 1/11/11 event. There, they talked a lot about how well the phone has done on AT&T’s network, some of the features that it will exhibit on Verizon’s, and how well they expect it’ll do once it becomes available on America’s most reliable wireless service provider.

Design-wise, they discussed how this new iteration of the iPhone 4 had to undergo a few physical changes in order for the antenna to be optimized for communicating with a CDMA network. Don’t look for a major redesign here, though. Just the removal of a slot for the SIM card and some relocated slits on the phone’s bordering antenna that serve to better allow its cellular chip to communicate with a different infrastructure. One possible downside to the second change is that it may prove frustrating if you plan on switching from AT&T’s iPhone to Verizon’s and hope to continue using your old case, because one of the new slits on the side of the phone has caused a bump-down of the volume buttons and mute switch. All that means is you’ll have to go out and buy a new case if you want one that will fit the phone’s slightly different style correctly, which is always annoying.

When it comes down to the software that powers Verizon’s iPhone, it also received an update. When guests at Verizon’s event got a chance to go hands-on with the device, they noticed that it was running iOS 4.2.5 as opposed to Apple’s latest public release, iOS 4.2.1. Included with the new version of iOS is one cool new feature that’s located in the Settings app. That feature is called “Personal Hotspot”. It allows the phone to act as a wireless hotspot and share its 3G connection with up to five other devices that connect either by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB. In other words, it’s tethering.

The Verizon iPhone is a 3G only device. No 2G, no 4G, just 3G. When asked why both companies decided not to implement Verizon’s LTE network, they responded by saying that it would have taken them a while longer to come up with a larger redesign to fit its technology and they just wanted to get the phone to consumers as quickly as possible. They also stated that they simply wanted to place the new iPhone on a very stable, widely available 3G network and watch how it handled there. Both are very legitimate reasons to wait on further advancing the phone’s cellular technologies and I agree that it’s probably for the best that they wait.

For those of you disappointed to learn that LTE won’t be available on the CDMA iPhone 4, try not to be. LTE is still a relatively new tech and it’s the first CDMA iPhone, plus, 3G speeds aren’t that slow, so you really should cut them some slack. Besides, I think your wish will come true if you are just patient and wait a good while after Verizon launches this one so they have the time to see how it’s working on 3G. If all goes well and Apple and Verizon team up to start designing, developing, and testing an LTE iPhone soon after, if not immediately after, I’m willing to bet that we might even see one around this time next year.

One thing in particular that seems to have detracted a few people is that Verizon’s CDMA network doesn’t allow for simultaneous use of voice and data. That means that if you get a phone call while in the middle of surfing the Internet or downloading a file, your data access will be suspended until the call is answered, sent to voicemail, or the caller hangs up. It also means that you can’t multitask with applications that use data while in the middle of a call, as an iPhone commercial has shown a user doing with the iPhone on AT&T’s network. I’m going to go out on a limb, however, and say that this won’t be an incredible deal for most people. But I could imagine it getting annoying pretty quickly if you’re the type of person that tends to get a lot of calls.

In an effort to end things on a positive note, a really cool thing about the CDMA iPhone is that it is non-exclusive, meaning that other CDMA networks, such as Sprint, could carry it at any time. For those currently signed with a non-Verizon CDMA network that are eager to get the iPhone, this means that you have a shred of hope of not having to switch in order for that to happen! I don’t think companies will find low-demand a problem when looking at bringing the iPhone to their own network, so there’s a pretty significant chance it’ll make it there as soon the company deems that there is a demand amongst their customers. There have, although, been a few reports that suggest, as one CDMA provider, Sprint will not be quick to bring the iPhone to their customers. If that’s true, I wonder what their reasoning behind holding off might be…

All in all, if there are no major problems with it or the network after it launches, I think the first CDMA iPhone, the Verizon iPhone, will be a win.

(Via: Engadget, Gizmodo)
(Source: Apple, Verizon)

The Tivizen connected to an iPad through its 30-pin connector (Credit: Valups)

The same company that showcased the <a title="Valups Tivit Soon Coming Out for iPhone, iPod touch, Android, BlackBerry, and PC <Tivit MDTV tuner for iPhone, iPod touch, Android, BlackBerry, and PC at last year’s CES has brought us a similar device for CES 2011. The Tivizen by Valups will give anyone with an iPhone, iPod touch, and now iPad access to a rapidly-growing market of MDTV compliant television stations for just $99 come June. It’s app will launch with the product and will be free on the App Store.

If you’re unfamiliar with MDTV (Mobile Digital TV), you should know that it’s different than regular DTV. The overall method of delivery from the station’s transmitter to the receiver’s antenna is the same, but the digital signal that MDTV programming is broadcast in is formatted specifically for viewing on mobile devices. It’s built to better handle things that can weaken a signal when on the move, as well as to better display on a smaller screen. Basically, the format is just better for watching TV on-the-go than regular DTV, which is optimized for larger television screens that tend to remain stationary.

Because MDTV is still relatively new, it’s not a technology that’s widely available in all cities yet. To check what stations in your market are broadcasting the signal, if any, you can visit http://www.mdtvsignalmap.com/. The list is updated periodically. Whenever any new stations sign on to start supporting the format.

Although it could draw its power through your iDevice, the Valups Tivizen adapter tries to be nice and uses its own dedicated rechargeable battery instead. It’s great to know that it won’t drain any more power from your already power-hungry iThing. That being said, don’t expect to get much more than two hours of view time per charge out of it and its tiny battery. That is, unless something changes before the product hits shelves in six months.

Features of the Tivizen and its application include an easy-to-use firmware upgrader, an electronic program guide, and capabilities to instantly check the device’s signal reception strength and battery power status, change channels, adjust volume, adjust screen size, perform an auto-channel scan, and have it power-off automatically.

A Wi-Fi version of the Tivizen will be made available later this year (Credit: Valups)

For those of you who would be excited to see something like this come to your non-Apple mobile device, or even laptop, a version of the Tivizen that connects via Wi-Fi is currently being readied and should debut sometime by the end of this year.

(Via: CNET)
(Source: Valups)

Steve Jobs does quite an amazing job setting the mood for the keynote attendees, and preparing them for perhaps the best ad they will ever see.

The very first commercial for iPod. Oh, memories.

New Apple iPod shuffle

New Apple iPod nano

I’m not the only one who’s completely dumbfounded by Apple’s decision to keep the iPod shuffle’s same design the same (because they still haven’t decided to kill the product altogether), right? I’m not the only one who thinks what Apple did with the iPod nano, they should have really done with the iPod shuffle, right? Good. I mean, they take away one of the iPod nano’s coolest features (a video camera), make the screen a lot smaller (although it is a touchscreen), and give it almost the exact same for factor as the iPod shuffle, all-the-while continuing to keep the original shuffle around? Personally, I think they should have put the tiny touchscreen on the shuffle, completely getting rid of its click controls, kept the iPod nano’s design basically the same, and only added on to its features! Who agrees?

New Apple TV

As for the new Apple TV (no, it was not renamed iTV), I’m also disappointed. For one, Apple didn’t port a version of the App Store to it, as predicted. They also removed the hard drive, leaving no hope for it to happen via software update. Probably, the biggest downside to no hard drive (and, thus, no App Store) is that the potential for it to run really cool and useful apps, or even become a competing home game console (if it ever got a real controller, of course), is now impossible for the device. At least for its current iteration.

Another thing that partially involves the Apple TV is the deal Apple made with ABC and FOX to provide 99 cent TV show rentals. Granted, that’s cheaper than their previous $2.99 deal, but that was to buy. To own. The key word in their new deal is rental. Yeah, the company probably has in mind that most people don’t watch a TV show more than a couple of times, but purchasing something, even a digital TV show, gives the consumer a sort of “no-worries” sense. With it, they can think, “Hey! I can watch this show a year from now if I want to!”, although they most likely won’t.

Look at it this way… Amazon offers 99 cent TV show purchases from both of those networks. If Amazon could reach that kind of agreement with them, I’m sure Apple could’ve if they tried. The question is, why didn’t they try? It’d do nothing bad, only provide their costumers with a worry-free guarantee that they can watch their shows whenever they want. Wouldn’t you prefer to buy a TV show if it were offered for the same price to rent, and the “buy” and “rent” buttons were right next to each other? I think you would.

As for everything else that was debuted, I loved it all. Especially the new iPod touch! I plan on getting one in the somewhat near future. Woo!

According to a load of Apple patents that have flowed in from Patently Apple, a new device is in the works. A device that has the functionality of an iPad and an iMac, made possible by a dual installation of both the OS X and iOS operating systems. Whether it will be an iPad that is also an iMac, or an iMac with iPad functionality marketed on the side, this merge would mean yet another convergence of a device that was essentially created to be a convergence of the laptop computer and smartphone. After only one generation of the iPad, it could already converge with the iMac? Crazy stuff.

Here’s how a device like this would work:

When set upright, such as a monitor is, it would boot into Mac OS X, basically turning it into a smaller and much more portable version of the iMac. From there, you would be able to connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and get full functionality out of them, just as if you were using them on your desktop Mac.

When the product is titled to a user-determined number of degrees from that straight-up position, it would automatically transform into the tablet we know and love by booting into the iOS. The user could also decide to take advantage of a couple of “invisible” buttons on the sides of the screen and program each to manually transition into either OS that way. Most likely, these buttons would be used in combination with the tilt sensor because they are in spots that could easily be tapped by accident.

A third way for the computer to know when it’s time to switch operating systems may be through a sensor in the device’s stand that also detects rotation. This sensor (displayed as item 321 in the figure above) would be in the loop of the stand, and interact with the “iMac touch”, if you will, when they’re connected. Although I believe the computer itself is supposed to disconnect from the stand, I don’t see how it can. At least not by looking at the design above. The diagram makes it look like the wire from the sensor leads right into the machine, without any interface. I hope Apple plans on adding an interface, so you can take the thing off of its stand.

Another interesting detail, which made its way into the system overview, says that the device will be able to interact with the iPhone or iPod touch, and vice versa. For instance, you could set the “iMac touch” to automatically pair with your iPhone whenever the two are close enough for communication. From that point, you could be alerted about phone calls, and take them right from the computer. If that proves true, you’ll likely be able to make calls with the help of an on-screen number-pad as well. Your iDevice may also be used as a remote control for certain aspects of the machine, such as video playback controls, volume, or it could act as a trackpad.

As a sort of side-note, the MacBook could also become a hybrid of Mac OS X and the iOS.

An unverified patent image showing the alleged MacBook/Tablet hybrid (Credit: Patently Apple)

In this case, the transition from OS X to iOS would take place when you swivel the screen and lay the back of it down on the keyboard. (But I imagine the after-transformation result would look something like a chunky and not-so-seamless iPad.) Orient the screen back to the standard laptop position and you’ve got an ordinary MacBook again!

An iMac touch and a MacBook tablet are what I’d call a couple of VERY sweet creations!

(Via: Mashable)
(Source: Patently Apple)

Apple will broadcast its September 1 event online using Apple’’s industry-leading HTTP Live Streaming, which is based on open standards. Viewing requires either a Mac running Safari on Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard, an iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 3.0 or higher, or an iPad. The live broadcast will begin at 10:00 a.m. PDT on September 1, 2010 at www.apple.com.

If you read the second-to-last sentence, you see how Apple pulled a fast one on all of us. They’re only going to allow those who try to access the link from an iThing (either through OS X or iOS) to view the video feed. Some blogs say installing a user-agent switcher won’t even work this time, because Apple’s systems will be able to detect the actual operating system behind the browser. Seems to be another way for the company to demonstrate that Apple product possessors get VIP access to stuff like this, but why wouldn’t they want everybody to see what they’ve created, and show that their way of revealing it is more enveloping than any live-blog? I thought they liked to show these things off to the entire world.

Why wouldn’t Apple want everyone possible to be amazed by their latest device line-up? I don’t know. That could be a tactic to recruit more potential buyers. Well, what about those who love Apple, but can’t afford one of their devices? Although they may not be able to afford any of their current devices, they could be saving up for something they expect from the next generation. If so, shouldn’t they get to see what they actually released? I think so. And lastly, what about those who only own the Apple iPhone or iPod touch (such as myself)? Looks like if we want to watch it, we’ll just be forced to do so on a tiny screen.

Despite all of this, live-blogs are still here and show no signs of going away anytime soon. (Yes, I did take this into consideration during the Q&A above, I was just trying to make a point). If you prefer the text and picture-based live-blog updates or you don’t have an Apple device to watch it on (or if you’ll have to miss the live stream due to work or school), Engadget, to name one, will keep the tradition alive and live-blog the heck out of this event, as always. Just park your browser at the URL above and you’ll be ready to watch the updates fly when it gets going.

(Via: Engadget)
(Source: Apple)

Apple sent an invitation to AppleInsider for the September 1st Media Event (Credit: AppleInsider)

As you can see above, the keynote will take place on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 (which is also my birthday!!!), at 10 A.M. Pacific Time, 1 P.M. Eastern Time, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California. Yeah, you could follow the directions on the invitation, but you won’t get in without a press pass.

The biggest upgrade is expected to occur in the iPod touch, with the iPod shuffle taking second (if it actually obtains a 1.7″ touchscreen, like discussed in a <a title="Refreshed Line of iDevices Coming by Late 2010/Early 2011 <previous post, that is). As you probably know, the iPod touch should get most of what debuted on the iPhone 4. That includes both a rear and front-facing camera, the ability to conduct FaceTime video calls, a retina display, a gyroscope, and perhaps a few other things. The likelihood that it will get at least those four things is extremely great.

The second thing predicted to be unveiled during the keynote is a completely revamped Apple TV (which is expected to be renamed iTV at the event debut). The iTV should have a base model that starts at only $99. Also, new rumors have surfaced via big names, Bloomberg and The New York Times, that cite sources who say that Apple is in the middle of working out a deal with the TV networks so they can offer consumers 99 cent TV show episode rentals. That’s not too bad, but I wouldn’t buy an iTV just for it.

Obviously, the iTV isn’t something you can expect will steal the show. Although, it could be a very promising device if Apple transitioned the product over to the iOS, as rumors suggest. If that happens, it would give the device access to apps in its own little section on the App Store. You may be able to play Angry Birds from the App Store on your TV someday.

If you try to think further ahead in the product’s lifetime (and bring your imagination into play a little bit), then the iTV could even compare with the real-deal gaming consoles. That is, if they made a controller for it sometime. Nobody wants to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with their remote. Hey, the iPhone compares with portable gaming systems and it runs on the iOS. If built with the right specs, the iTV could compare and compete too. It could have a whole lot of potential!

If everything goes according to plan, this year’s “media event” will probably be the most exciting one since the debut of the original iPod touch. Hopefully, Apple will pull out a surprise or two, as well. That’d just be the icing on the cake.

(Source: AppleInsider)

The video does an incredible job of demonstrating the power and potential of the BlindType keyboard’s auto-correcting algorithm. One of the coolest things is that the keyboard’s algorithm learns one’s personal style of typing and dramatically improves suggestions over time. You can also have it perform a number of adjustments, such as to automatically resize the keyboard to fit your typing, rotate it by the degree, move its position to practically anywhere on the screen, and even turn it entirely invisible! With BlindType, no keyboard is no problem, because you literally won’t need to see where you’re typing! Just like when typing on a computer keyboard! It’s that good.

BlindType goes way more above and beyond the average smartphone auto-correct feature. I’d even go so far as to say it goes much further than we could’ve ever dreamed for the feature to. Most smartphones can only guess the right word if there are 2-4 mistakes max. BlindType’s extremely complex algorithm can somehow manage to figure out what you meant to type in just about every case! Even if every letter in the word is wrong! Whether you’re way off base from the keyboard itself (which it would then automatically adjust for in between every word you type) or even typing one letter to the left every time (don’t try that with any smartphone’s generic auto-correct!)! It seems that, as long as you’re in the general vicinity of that letter and touch the screen, it can fix your mistake. And the general vicinity in BlindType is pretty general. I love that!

The above video would lead the average iDevice proprietor to assume that you need to be jailbroken in order to use the feature. And that would make perfect since. But it’s not available anywhere as a tweak for jailbreakers. In fact, the developers hope not to make it available through the jailbreak route. According to Engadget’s post, they’ve said they’re going to submit BlindType to Apple as an add-on for the iOS to pressure them to finally allow things like this.

Who knows? Maybe this will be the thing that causes Apple to open up the iOS to more than just applications! An “iOS Add-on” section in the App Store would be totally wicked!

Last but not least, the developers will release BlindType for Android devices, as well. They didn’t forget you guys, and neither did I.

(Via: CNET, Engadget)
(Source: BlindType)

Let’s start with the new line of iPods. The latest details state that Apple should have at least three major iPod updates ready to go by event day. A new iPod touch (expected to undergo the iPhone 4 design change and be given most of the features of its more-capable cousin), an updated iPod nano (with no click-wheel and an entirely touchscreen interface, perhaps?), and an almost entirely reinvented iPod shuffle. If the leaked info turns out to be correct, the new iPod shuffle will be upgraded with a 1.7″ screen. Not only that, but the screen would be a touchscreen.

Other rumors supporting a three-inch touchscreen for some iPod have also arisen. Although some think it could be for the iPod touch, I sure don’t agree. Apple typically isn’t the type to downgrade the specs of their products in any way. They especially wouldn’t do it when the iPod touch’s screen is one of it’s most coveted qualities. Plus, it would contradict the more-supported rumor that the next iPhone will have a larger 3.7″ screen (as discussed in my post about the highly likely and quickly impending CDMA iPhone, located <a title=”*UPDATED* Apple’s CDMA (Verizon!) iPhone Inches Closer to Production <here). I seriously doubt the iPod touch will head in the opposite direction.

A new iPhone is also expected to make an appearance around early 2011. January, to be more specific. “That soon?”, you say? Yes, that soon. “Well, why that soon?”, you ask? Well, according again to iLounge, it’s because Apple is admitting there is something wrong with the iPhone 4′s antenna. This is something else that I have to disagree with. And my argument is a very simple one…

Apple has continually stuck to their word that there is no “antenna issue”. That there is no flaw in the current iPhone’s design. They’ve held firm to this statement since day one of its release. Why would they take back what they said now? They wouldn’t. And if they did, it wouldn’t be good for their reputation. But if they were to manufacture the next iPhone with an internal antenna at the request of a certain service provider… Well, we’ll get to that right about… NOW! (By that, I mean in the paragraph directly below.)

If there’s one major thing most iPhone followers expect to happen and would like to happen, it’d be for the phone to finally switch networks from AT&T to Verizon. Although there have been numerous rumors of this sort (beginning only months after the phone made its original debut), the most recent have shown to be the most detailed and convincing. The rumor that the next iPhone will have a better antenna system goes almost perfectly with the one that states Verizon requested that Apple implement an internal antenna in the phone’s next iteration on their network. The way these two fit together is pretty suspicious, to say the least.

(If you’d like to read more about the likely Verizon iPhone, check out my other article, <a title=”*UPDATED* Apple’s CDMA (Verizon!) iPhone Inches Closer to Production <here.)

Rumors have it that a new 7″ iPad will also be unveiled in this great release. If you really want to learn more about it and its rumors, check out my dedicated post <a title=”7″ iPad to Debut by Late 2010/Early 2011 <here.

And finally, both last and least in this case, a new iPhone bumper! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this new bumper will provide almost no improvement over the last one, whatsoever. In fact, it’ll be made even more cheaply! Something you thought couldn’t get any cheaper to make, will. Apparently, the cost of making the current iPhone 4 bumpers to support the free bumper program is costing Apple more money than they’d like. They want to make cheaper cases to hand out so they won’t lose as much money towards the end of the program.

That’s most all of the details we have so far. I’m sure more leaks will appear as we approach the date, but… In order to know anything for sure, we’ll just have to wait and see what Steve Jobs announces. Just be on the lookout for any surprise keynotes that pop-up anytime around late 2010 or early 2011. If one does, I think we can be fairly sure about some of what’s to be expected.

(Source: iLounge)