Time for plan B

Timely is a gorgeous new alarm clock for Android with cross-device syncing

It may be one of the most basic apps on your smartphone, but it is also one of the most important, which is why a good alarm clock app is a worthwhile investment. Sometimes, it can be hard to choose the best, but if you heavily weight your decision on looks, you may want to give Timely a try, because it is a new alarm clock app that is absolutely gorgeous.

Timely Alarm Clock is a free app, but it includes a number of add-on premium features that can be unlocked both through an in-app purchase, or through spamming your friends on your favorite social network. The UI is lovely, with a heavily customizable color palette. The alarm clock app itself is easy to set, and comes with a few sounds, as well as a cool "Smart Rise" feature, which will pulse music softly in the 30 minutes leading up to your alarm time to try to catch you when you're coming out of a sleep cycle. 

One of the best features is that the app will sync your alarms across your devices; and, the app is optimized for all devices running Android 4.0.3 and up, so it will look good on your smartphone all the way to your 10-inch tablet. There is a widget and Google Now integration as well. 

You will get access to all of the premium features for free for 5 days, and after that you can purchase the full unlock bundle, which includes ad-removal, more themes, more sounds, the syncing option and more, for $2.99. Or, you can unlock only the things you want, like no-ads for 99 cents. And, of course, as we mentioned, you can unlock things by referring more friends to the app using your referral code (which we will not be doing here, so as not to abuse our power). 

It really is a lovely app, and definitely worth a look. You can download Timely Alarm Clock for free. 

Download: Timely Alarm Clock

More information about the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch leaks

On September 4th, Samsung is expected to introduce the Samsung Galaxy Note III and its new Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch. While there seems to be more interest in the phablet, the launch of the watch is actually much more important for Samsung. With Apple apparently having difficulties developing the Apple iWatch, Samsung will have the stage all to itself for the first unveiling in this new smartwatch era. 

A couple of days ago, we told you that the device is expected to run using a dual-core 1.5GHz Samsung Exynos 5412 CPU with an ARM Mali-400 MP4 GPU, 1GB of RAM, a 1.67 inch AMOLED display with resolution of 320 x 320. The watch also includes a 2MP camera, and support for both Bluetooth and NFC.

Now, however, sources point out that the Galaxy Gear will have a larger, 2.5-inch OLED display with 320 x 320 pixel resolution. Moreover, the chip inside it is said to actually be an Exynos 4212, the same as in the international Galaxy S III.

Now, some more information about the watch has leaked. At the time of the first report, we might have sounded a bit skeptical about the camera placement. But the latest speculation has the camera integrated with the strap along with tiny speakers placed in the clasp of the watch. Furthermore, the device is expected to support Bluetooth 4.0 LE which means it will work great with wireless monitors designed to measure your health. These include monitors to measure your heart rate and blood pressure. And because you're using Bluetooth 4.0 LE, it won't be a stress on your watch's battery.

While the watch will have an accelerometer, and the screen will support the usual gestures such as swiping, there will be no way to enter text on the watch. Versions of the watch that were handed out to developers came with either Android 4.1 or Android 4.2 aboard. There is Twitter and Facebook integration out of the box, allowing you to use the smartwatch to keep up with your social networks. To sync the watch with your phone, you will need to install the Samsung watch manager app which will be available from Samsung's own app store. That could mean that owning a Samsung Galaxy handset or tablet will be necessary if you want to use the watch to its fullest.

If  the watch is released in week 40, as one source says it will be (September 30-October 6th), and everything goes smoothly, this could be Samsung's game to win or lose with Apple having to play catch-up. 

source: GigaOM

Nokia finds the perfect product placement in Enrique Iglesias' latest music video

Enrique Iglesias' latest music video called Into the Night is the perfect vehicle for Nokia to score a product placement with, for the Nokia Lumia 925. First of all, we can tell its the Lumia 925 right from the beginning of the video.On a passenger's side seat of a car, we see the phone's display showing the always-on clock that is part of the GDR 2 update which happens to come pre-installed on that model (and we can tell that its not the Nokia Lumia 1020 which also has the update installed out of the box).

With the video called Into the Night, we were expecting it to show the Nokia Lumia 925 doing its thang. In other words, snapping some pictures under low light conditions. We weren't disappointed as the video shows the phone being used to take some snapshots in a dark club. We can see that this is the perfect image that Nokia is aiming for. Young, hip, monied crowd looking for a phone that can take great pictures in dark clubs. Looks like Nokia nailed this product placement.



Thanks, Anonymous Tipster!

source: YouTube

Images of the 4.5-inch HTC Zara leaked, will run Sense 5.5 on top of Android 4.3

source: @evleaks

Sony Honami cameraphone might land as Z1, marking the first 'One Sony' handset

Color schemes for the Sony Z1

Those rumors that Sony's upcoming 20 MP cameraphone, codenamed Honami, might be called i1 in the end, seem to have been off by a letter. DooMLoRD from XDA-Devs fame, who has leaked Sony ROMs pre-launch before, tweeted that the Honami will actually be called Z1, not i1, which makes much more sense.

Z1 (Z One) would merge the notation for the company's flagship handsets line, like Xperia Z and Z Ultra, with the hint that the Honami is the first result of the One Sony strategy in one cool, easy to remember name. Whether or not it will also be branded Xperia Z1, remains to be seen.

One Sony was announced by CEO Kaz Hirai last year, and aimed at cross-department collaboration at Sony, so its new products benefit from the best the company is capable of in each of their aspects. Thus the Sony Z1 is expected to feature the BIONZ image processing engine, superior audio, and Sony's newTriluminous display technology, coming from the company's TV panels, that proved itself already in the Z Ultra phablet.

source: DooMLoRD (Twitter) via XperiaBlog

Apple iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C to go on sale September 20th

The date September 10th should already be marked on your calendars - it is the day when Apple will finally unveil its new iPhone, and if we are to believe all we are hearing, this time there will be a pair of iPhones rather than a single one. The Apple iPhone 5S will be the seventh-generation iPhone (here's all we know about the iPhone 5S), the traditional yearly iPhone upgrade, but in addition Cupertino will also unveil a new plastic iPhone 5C that will be more affordable.

Now, launch dates for the two devices have also leaked. Expectations are the new iPhones will launch on September 20th.

If you know a bit about Apple you could have guessed the new iPhone release date yourselves, of course. For six years Apple has rolled out the new iPhone more than a week and less than two weeks after the official announcement. Moreover, Apple has the tradition to launch the device on Friday, giving users a full weekend to check out the device in store and purchase it if they want. The only Friday fitting those requirements is September 20th.

The interesting part in this latest rumor however is the fact that the new iPhone 5C is expected to launch at the same time as the iPhone 5S. We’ve been hearing rumors that the iPhone 5C will actually replace the iPhone 5. Thus, Apple might simply discontinue the iPhone 5 and offer the 5C instead for the reduced price of $99 on contract.

iOS 7, the new versions of Apple’s mobile operating system with completely redesigned looks, will allegedly launch a few days earlier on September 16th.

The Apple iPad fifth generation and the iPad mini 2 are expected to launch later on, likely in the of October, around October 25th.

iPhone 5C (left), iPhone 5S (right)

All in all, here are all key dates to know:

• Sept 10: Apple announces iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C
• Sept 16: Apple rolls out iOS 7
• Sept 20: Apple iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C go on sale
• Oct 25: Apple iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 go on sale

Keep in mind that all this - as true as it sounds - is just rumors at the time being.

source: Techmaniacs (translated)

AirCast for Android streams to Chromecast from your Gallery, Dropbox, Google Drive

Those who have read our review already know that Google's Chromecastis a great little gadget. It does have its limitations, however, and one of them is that only a handful of Android apps, such as YouTube or Google Play Music, can stream data to the dongle. Koushik Dutta, who is known for his work on ClockworkMod and CyanogenMod, wasn't happy with this so he made AirCast. It is an easy-to-use Android app that beams media over to Chromecast from apps that are not officially supported at this time. These include Dropbox, Google Drive, and the stock Android Gallery application.

But while AirCast is free to download, Koush notes that his app is in an early stage of its development, released for the purpose of collecting user feedback and bug reports. Nevertheless, anyone who has a Chromecast dongle (or an Android device running CheapCast) is free to give it a try. For more info, check out the demonstration video below or follow the link to the dev's Google+ page. 

source: Koush (Google+) via XDA-Developers

Black Apple iPhone 5C spotted

We have seen the plastic iPhone 5C in all sorts of colors - blue, yellow, red, white and green, but now for the first time the upcoming device leaks out in a gorgeous black plastic shell. The black iPhone 5C is no different than all other versions except for the color. With it, Apple would allegedly have six different color versions of the handset.

Cupertino will hold an official press event on September 10th where it will most certainly unveil its traditional yearly handset upgrade, the iPhone 5S. Many people are saying that the iPhone 5C would also be introduced at that event and will launch alongside the iPhone 5S on Septebmer 20th.

The iPhone 5C, earlier referred to as the ‘affordable’ iPhone, is believed to have an identical 4-inch ‘Retina’ display and a slightly thicker body.

First Samsung and LG mass produced flexible screens to ship in November

We have long been hearing about flexible screens, and the first mass produced ones are finally coming this November. Samsung and LG are both pushing the envelope and will start first production runs to have bendable screens in November, and consider expanding their capacity further on.

This means that we could have the first actual devices with such displays as early as November 2013. It’s not all science fiction to reality just yet, though - the first flexible screens won’t bend in multiple planes, but only in a single one. That’s still a huge breakthrough and even more so given that this new type of screens is lighter, thinner and unbreakable. Being lighter and thinner are key features to enabling devices with even longer lasting batteries.

Right now, Samsung has a maximum capacity to produce around 1.5 million 5 to 6-inch flexible displays a month. That is at 100% yield, but the actual yields are lower, so the real number is likely around a million. LG Display has an even lower capacity.

Are you looking forward to devices with flexible displays? Analysts predict such devices will reach huge popularity in 2015, but until then they will slowly start getting traction.

“Key to flexible display is to find applications,” HIS researcher Kang Min-soo said. “As it has many advantages, demands will explode if there is a suitable market.”

source: ET News via Android Beat

MHL 3.0 standard announced: lag-free mobile games on your 4K TV

The MHL Consortium just announced the next version of itswired connectivity standard which you can meet on many smartphones lately, mainly Samsung, HTC and LG ones.

MHL 3.0 is backwards compatible, which means it will work with your existing dongles, and can use just five pins to function, so it's connector-agnostic and can be rolled into the microUSB port, just like what we have now. The Consortium jazzed things up significantly, introducing 4K video support for that expensive TV you haven't even bought yet, but will do in a year or two.

A fast bi-directional channel allows you to hook up peripherals such as touch screens, keyboard and mouse, while doing the 4K streaming, and your phone or tablet are also charged by your TV in the process. Here's the full changelog:

• 4K (Ultra HD): Support of 4K formats up to 2160p30
• Simultaneous high-speed data channel
• Improved Remote Control Protocol (RCP) with support for peripherals such as a touch screen, keyboard and mouse
• Power charging up to 10W
• Backward compatible with MHL 1 and MHL 2
• Latest HDCP 2.2 content protection
• Enhanced 7.1 surround sound with Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD
• Connector agnostic – uses as few as five pins 
• Support for simultaneous multiple displays

The MHL 3.0 standard specs will be available on the Consortium's website next month, so that manufacturers can grab them, and start equipping our smartphones and tablets with 4K-capable wired connectivity.

A Google Glass app for shoppers fetches item reviews and performs price check on the spot

Here we are talking about smartphones day in and day out, all the while Google has been pushing something of a hobby side project closer and closer to reality. We're, of course, talking about Google Glass, a concept that may very well change the nature of how we use technology to interact with everything around us. And while the possibilities that we've thought of so far sound awesome, it's worth noting that this entire 'thing' is still nascent, or said otherwise: we can't know when, how and if Glass and other similar products will get anywhere.

While seemingly aware of the above fact, Google is, nevertheless, probably the company best positioned to take this somewhere, given its track record. This notion has been given some measure of credibility, for developers have been hot on the new platform, and today's story is no exception. So meet Crystal Shopper, an app that lets you search for the best prices available for a given product, and also fetches Amazon ratings off the web. The app itself is designed to work in a rather self-explanatory manner: you scan the barcode of a product that you're interested in, and voilà – the app does the rest.

Of course, Crystal Shopper is far from polished and actually seems kind of laggy, and we also wouldn't say no to a more feature-rich experience. And while we aren't about to engage in prophesying, this particular app, or the thinking behind it, really shows just how disruptive Google's new platform could prove to be.

That being said, make sure you go ahead and check what Crystal Shopper is all about right below.

via: VentureBeat

9 Exciting Smartphones for Fall 2013: iPhone 5S, Sony Honami & More

1. Apple iPhone 5S

No other phone can generate as much hype, buzz, and anticipation as Apple’s flagship smartphone. Love it or hate it, Apple will still continue making headlines in 2013 despite a lukewarm reception to a modestly redesigned iPhone 5 last year. The iPhone 5S is said to use more or less the same iPhone 5 design. This year, the hot, new color option is a champagne gold hue to keep things upscale and classy.

Mock up from iMore.

If you’re more technologista than fashionista, then you’ll likely be happy to know that rumored features for the S generation model will include a fingerprint scanner concealed under the home button, dual LED flash for better shots when you’re out on the town, and a refreshed camera likely upping the megapixel resolution to a healthy 12 or 13 megapixels to keep up with the Joneses, or rather other Android phones. Storage capacity may get increased to 128 GB, which is good for storing all those photos you snap and downloading more digital content from iTunes.

And speaking of that highly rumored fingerprint sensor, it’s been rumored that rather than a dimpled home button, to accommodate this new security feature to make it easier and more secure for users to lock and unlock their iPhone devices, Apple will switch to a more bulbous button. The button itself will go premium though, eschewing the plastic construction for a sapphire glass element to protect the underlying fingerprint sensor.

2. Apple iPhone 5C

This year’s special is not just a new iPhone, but two new iPhones. Can you handle it? If you can’t handle the big budget flagship model, Apple is hoping to entice you with the iPhone 5C. C stands for color, and the iPhone 5C will come in an assortment of bright, fun colors to spice up your wardrobe. It’s still too soon to tell whether the iPhone 5C will be a useful tech tool, a cool toy, or a fashion accessory, but the lower entry price (rumored to be between $300 and $500) may help Apple sell more phones.

Mock up from MacRumors..

Though another potential meaning for the C in iPhone 5C may be crippled. Apple is rumored to be dropping Siri on the iPhone 5C in an effort to differentiate the higher end iPhone 5S offering.

Replacing the iPhone 5′s unibody aluminum construction, the iPhone 5C brings back the plastic back from the long gone era of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. Coming with similar specs as today’s iPhone 5, the iPhone 5C is rumored to be replacing the iPhone 5 and is said to be selling alongside the iPhone 5S as well as the iPhone 4S. The mid-ranger will carry many of the same specs as the iPhone 5, including the hallmarked 4-inch Retina Display and 8-megapixel camera with single LED flash. Love it or hate it, the iPhone 5C will infuse a bit more whimsical fun with its alluring colors.

3. Sony Honami

Not to be left out of the party, Sony will be unveiling its camera phone competitor to the Galaxy S4 Zoom from Samsung and the acclaimed Lumia 1020 from Nokia. With a point-and-shoot camera sized sensor along with 20.7 megapixels of resolving power, the Honami itself will pack quite a bit of a punch. The successor to the Xperia Z flagship will also carry with it a new optical system that’s branded as the Sony G lens, optical image stabilization, and may have waterproofing capabilities.

And for the serious photographers, Sony isn’t holding back any punches. Optional lens attachments will turn the phone into a DSLR-like camera body where the vivid Triluminos display will serve as the camera viewfinder. Users can add DSLR-styled lenses to the camera and the lenses will pair with NFC and WiFi to send the images to the phone; this isn’t those cheap zoom lenses from China that’s been floating around that screws over where the camera lens is. Rather, Sony will have azoom lens and a premium lens at launch that hooks into the phone via WiFi and magnets.

And there’s also a Honami Mini that’s been rumored, though it’s unclear if the Mini will be making a debut in 2013.

4. Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Having found a surprising success with its Galaxy Note phablet, Samsung is widely believed to be launching its Galaxy Note 3 at this year’s IFA show in Berlin. Though leaks have been all over the place, more recent leaks point to a 5.7-inch full 1080p HD display, 4G LTE support, options for either a Samsung Exynos 5 octa processor or an equally powerful Snapdragon 800 CPU, S Pen support, and potentially more storage with capacities beginning at 32 GB rather than the 16 GB starting point. A 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization has also been rumored as well making this device a good all-in-one for those who need a decent smartphone, tablet, and camera. The OIS tech could allow for better low light photography and recording videos that won’t make you motion sick when you’re playing back your footage.

The Galaxy Note 3 will also be getting a companion in the form of the highly anticipated Galaxy Gear smartwatch.

5. Nokia Lumia Phablet

Microsoft’s next major update to the Windows Phone 8 platform should allow for more powerful hardware. A rumored 6-inch Nokia phablet is rumored with new features such as a quad-core processor and a full 1080p HD display, both first for the Windows Phone platform. Additionally, the code named Bandit phablet is rumored to have a 20-megapixel camera and the Lumia design is said to have a hump to accommodate this new sensor.

It’s also speculated that this camera would be different than the so-called PureView camera technology that had appeared on prior Lumias. This time, Nokia will be using a Lytro-styled camera. The camera would capture multiple images every time the shutter is depressed, with each image having a different focus point or focus distance. Typically, cameras today work in that users choose a focus point when they capture an image so that the foreground or background could be blurred to tell a more dramatic story. However, as multiple focus points are captured with multiple images, users can decide after the shot was taken to choose where they want to focus the subject of the frame on. It’s part of Nokia allowing users to tell different stories from the ‘same’ captured image, similar to the re-framing and re-zooming feature from the 41-megapixel PureView sensor on the Lumia 1020.

6. HTC One Max

Part of the HTC One family, the HTC One Max is a phablet-sized competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Mega devices. The Max would sport a larger display and use many of the features that make the HTC One popular, including the Ultrapixel camera with HTC Zoe, the HTC Sense 5.0 with Blink Feed experience, and stereo front-facing BoomSound speakers.

The Max will also have the zero-gap unibody aluminum design of the original HTC One. A recent leak suggests that the Max may also have a fingerprint sensor on the rear of the phone just below the camera module, though the credibility of that leak is highly uncertain.

7. Nexus 5

Flagship specs at rock bottom prices have been the main appeal of the Nexus series of smartphones. Coupled that with a pure Google experience without any customizations, UIs, or skins, the Nexus 5 will surely appeal to many who want a high-end phone without paying a premium price. Rumored to cost the same $300 price as the Nexus 4 for an unlocked unit, the Nexus 5 has been rumored with features like a 1080p HD display, the same quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor as that found on the flagship HTC One and Galaxy S4 from Samsung, and potentially even 4G LTEsupport. The unlocked price means that users won’t have to sign up to a lengthy contract and the Google-branded phone will be getting software updates and patches well in advance of those updates arriving on other Android handsets. If pricing rumors are accurate, the Nexus 5 will be giving the iPhone 5C a run for its money.

It’s unclear who will be manufacturing the Nexus 5 for Google. LG has been a popular candidate in the rumor mills as a partner for the Nexus 5, though the company had said earlier this summer it wasn’t in discussions with Google in making the Nexus 5. Things may have changed since then, and if LG is it then it means that the LG G2 may be a good reference platform, in terms of hardware, for the Nexus smartphone. Another candidate is Google-owned Motorola Mobility. Given that Google may give Motorola the manufacturing job for Google Glass, Google may not want to give Motorola the manufacturing rights to the Nexus 5 lest it wants to upset other Android partners.

8. Moto X Mini

Details are still scarce on this one, but after launching the Moto X Motorola Mobility executives hinted that a lower cost version of the Moto X would be landing in the coming months. Dennis Woodside had commented that the model would be good both for emerging markets as well as prepaid carriers in the U.S., suggesting that the lighter edition of the Moto X will also be landing Stateside.

We’ll have to wait and see what Motorola has in store for the budget model, but it may be a good competitor from Google against Apple’s iPhone 5C.

9. BlackBerry Aristo A10

The BlackBerry A10 will be a 5-inch variant of the current BlackBerry Z10 smartphone. Featuring an all-touch design based on the BlackBerry 10 OS, the A10 will bring the BlackBerry hardware closer to phablet territory, though rumored difficulties of getting the best battery life with the hardware design is keeping BlackBerry from launching the A10 with the best specs available.

Like the current crop of Windows Phone 8 devices, the A10 will be capped with a 720p HD display (rather than full 1080p HD on Android flagships) and a dual-core processor (rather than quad-core CPU support with Android). Otherwise, in terms of design and functionality, it should be very similar to the Z10, just with added screen real estate.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra Will Be a ‘Mega’ Sized Competitor on AT&T

After AT&T Mobility had announced that the Samsung Galaxy Mega will be landing on store shelves by Friday with its 6.3-inch display, it looks like Sony is poised to give the mega a challenge with its 6.4-inch Xperia Z Ultraphablet. Though neither Sony nor AT&T is confirming that the Xperia Z Ultra will be hitting the carrier’s airwaves in the U.S., recently revealed FCC documents show that the handset bears support for AT&T’s 4G LTE bands. In addition to LTE, the device also has compatible bands for AT&T’s HSPA+ network as well for areas where LTE isn’t available.

And while Samsung’s Mega is a mid-range phablet with a more affordable price tag, the Xperia Z Ultra will bring some of the best specs available on the market today. It will have a higher resolution 1080p full HD display with Sony’s Triluminos screen technology, a waterproof and dustproof body that’s slim and sleek like the Xperia Z smartphone, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a high-end Snapdragon 800 processor.

Despite the FCC registration for the Ultra reported by Engadget, it’s still unclear if and when AT&T will announce the tablet for the U.S. market. Given the more high-end specs, the device may be a closer competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 series rather than the Mega, despite that the latter handset has a screen size that more closely matches the Xperia Z Ultra’s. Additionally, both the Note 3 and the Ultra will support a digitizing stylus, making them more suited rivals.

Both the Ultra and the Mega display sizes put these phones closer in competition to smaller 7-inch tablets, like the recently refreshed Google Nexus 7 slate for this year. However, the Mega and Ultra would benefit in being an all-in-one device with the capability of making phone calls. Thus far, tablets in the U.S. market are stripped of their voice calling capabilities and are used solely for data.

Sony will be hosting a press conference on September 4th in Berlin a few days ahead of the IFA trade show. The date would be the same day that Samsung is widely believed to be announcing the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. Sony’s press conference is believed to be the venue where the Japanese electronics giant will be introducing its camera-centric Honami smartphone.

The smartphone market is definitely heating up with some lust-worthy devices to look forward to in the second half of this year.

iPhone 5S & iPhone 5C Reportedly Pushing iPhone 5 Out this Fall

The iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S could push the iPhone 5 out of Apple’s lineup after only a year on store shelves according to a well-sourced analyst.

This is not the first time we’ve heard the iPhone 5C could replace an iPhone currently on sale. In late June the first claim that the Apple wouldstop selling the iPhone 5 when the iPhone 5S release arrives landed, which was too sketchy to believe on its own.

Last week another well-known analyst claimed the iPhone 5C would replace the iPhone 4S in Apple’s lineup, joining the iPhone 5, but arriving without Siri. This report also pegged the iPhone 5C price at $300.

As the week kicks off and we enter the home stretch of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C rumors, we hear another possible iPhone 5C price and a claim that the iPhone 5C will push the iPhone 5 out of the picture.

The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C could replace the iPhone 5 this fall. Image via Martin Hajek.

In an Apple Insider report, Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities claims the iPhone 5C will take the place of the iPhone 5, and will arrive with an off contract price of $400 to $500. In addition to this cheaper off contract price, Kuo claims the iPhone 4S will be available for as low as $300 off contract. This could deliver an iPhone lineup as follows;

• iPhone 5S – $649 and Up off contract
• iPhone 5C – $400 off contract
• iPhone 4S – $300 off contract

The iPhone 4S is currently $99 on contract and $549 off contract while the iPhone 4 is free on contract and $449 off contract. If Kuo is correct this means a big drop in off contract pricing which could make a Straight Talk iPhone and other pre-paid iPhone options much more attractive.

Apple is reportedly trying to go after the lower price levels without delivering a typical budget phone. An iPhone 5C is expected to arrive with a 4-inch Retina Display, Lightning connection and iOS 7 on board, though it may not get the same set of software features as the iPhone 5S.

While it is possible that Apple is planning to replace the iPhone 5 with the iPhone 5C, it would not solve all the same problems as replacing the iPhone 4S. If the iPhone 5C replaces the iPhone 4S, all on-sale iPhones would come with a 4-inch Retina Display and Lightning connection, standardizing important features.

Even though the iPhone 5 is less than a year old, there is precedent for Apple removing a product from the lineup this fast. The iPad 3 was only on sale for 7 months before the iPad 4 completely replaced it.

iPhone 5S vs. iPhone 5, Behind The Decision

If Apple chooses to replace the iPhone 5, the decision is likely based on the iPhone 5S, not the plastic budget iPhone.

The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5 will reportedly look the same, and will come with many of the same features. An earlier report from Ming-Chi Kuo suggests Apple is trying hard to differentiate the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5 with a Gold color option and up to 128GB of storage.

These new features would help set the two apart, in addition to a rumored fingerprint sensor and improved camera experience, but if Apple is really planning to pull the iPhone 5 from store shelves, the company may not think it is enough on its own to get shoppers to buy the premium iPhone.

By putting a plastic iPhone 5C in between the iPhone 5S and iPhone 4S, Apple would offer immediately recognizable differences in design and price.

iOS 7 Beta 7 Release Expected Today

The iOS 7 beta 7 release date is reportedly set for today, delivering the final iOS 7 beta in time for testing before a Gold Master that is expected at the rumored September 10th iPhone 5S event.

The iOS 7 beta release cycle is expected to come back to Monday, with the iOS 7 beta 7 release arriving at 1 PM eastern, 10 AM Pacific, for developers registered as part of the Apple Developer program.

Update: The IOS 7 beta 7 release is still in the wind, but could come later today.

Rumors previously targeted an iOS 7 beta 6 release this week, but Apple pushed that out late Thursday night as an emergency fix for an iCloud issue, bumping a bigger fix of the iOS 7 beta to today.

Apple announced iOS 7 at WWDC in June, and kicked off an iOS 7 beta program that developers are using to test the new features and design. many developers are already planning iOS 7 app updates and over half will require iOS 7 to use their new app versions.

The iOS 7 beta 7 release date is expected today. Apple continues to add new features and design tweaks to iOS 7 as we approach a fall release.

BGR reports this morning that the iOS 7 beta 7 release is set for today, claiming the file is already in the hands of Apple Partners who have early access to the files.

The iOS 7 beta 7 reportedly comes with a higher build number that indicates a new version of iOS 7. While we don’t yet know what will be new in the iOS 7 beta 7, it is likely the last beta Apple will push out before locking down the iOS 7 release into a Gold Master.

Rumors point to an iOS 7 Gold Master or GM arriving on September 5th for some partners and to developers on September 5th after Apple shows off new iPhone models and likely several hidden iOS 7 features which it kept internal to the Apple IOS development team.

iCloud beta Review: iOS 7 Aesthetics and New iWork Apps Arrive

The new iCloud beta got a significant update recently, adding an iOS 7 style look to go with the iWork apps previously added when it first launched. This site replaces the former iWork that included Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Reminders and Find My iPhone. It’s still missing access to photos and videos from Photostream.

A primary benefit of iCloud now with the iWork apps comes when a user must jump on a non-Apple product like a Windows PC or the Chromebook we’re reviewing. It also lets a user access their iCloud stored content on someone else’s machine, like when visiting family or working at another office.

iCloud beta sports a new iOS 7 style interface along with the already added iWork apps.

The simple version of the iWork apps work well. We prefer them over Google Docs and Office 365. They look better and offer just as many features, but in an easier to use presentation.

With Pages users can do basic word processing tasks and even some simple desktop publishing. The templates look a lot like the iOS versions of the app. The first time a user opens one of the iWork apps, the site shows helpful yellow tool tips with visual cues about using the site. Click on the large plus symbol to open the Template Chooser, which shows available templates. Begin editing to create a masterpiece ready for coworkers or personal use.

Users can jump between iWork or iCloud apps from the file manager in each app. Click the cloud button on the upper left to do this in the iWork apps. Here’s one inconsistency between the iWork apps and the other iCloud apps. They don’t show a cloud icon, but show the name of the current app with a drop down arrow next to it which lets the user switch to the other apps by clicking the link.

Ads by Google

QuickBooks From Intuit
Must Have Tool for Business Owners. Access Anywhere. Try it for Free!
quickbooks.in

Notice the link instead of the cloud icon used to jump between apps.

When creating a new document, a new window pops up so that the user can return to the file manager or the iCloud home page just by switching browser windows.

The site works great on a Mac, and we even find it useful on a Windows or Chromebook machine. We like the user interface and enjoyed creating simple documents, spreadsheets and even presentations.

iCloud beta (link to Apple info page) has room to grow with more features needed. The iWorks apps don’t share the overall iOS 7 look that graces the other iCloud PIM tools. We guess that might change on final release, which some iOS 7 detractors may not like. We miss the menu across the top of the windows and some of the advanced features hidden in them, like creating a user template in Pages. We also think Apple should add Photostream access to the mix. The Mail app really needs to add POP3 access or better iMap access so we can use other mail accounts with the app, like we can on the mobile and computer versions of Mail. The same holds true for Calendar, which remains useless for Google Calendar users.

iCloud Mail needs access to other email accounts via POP 3 or IMAP

Only iCloud subscribers can access it and then only those who sign up for the beta and get approved by Apple. When it finally launches, likely about the same time that OS X 10.9 Mavericks hits the Mac App Store and new Macs, the current iteration of iCloud will offer enough to pull Mac users away from Google Drive or Office 365, if they prefer using iWork on their iOS device or computer. It won’t draw them away if they already invested in Microsoft Office 365 or use Google Drive heavily.