iphone4

You should wait online, not in line, for the iPhone 4S

With any new Apple iPhone or iPad, a logistical question emerges that bears considering: how do you buy it without enduring a line or a long wait time? The iPhone 4S goes on sale next week on October 14, and it's crossed my mind that my travails with both the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 weren't pretty. Resellers have recently been largely responsible for making the already challenging Apple Store lines an unbearable ordeal with products being sold out well before most people even knew they were back in stock.

In fact, I preordered an iPad 2 back in the spring, then canceled when I decided that the two-week wait time could be bettered by a quick trip to the Apple Store. I bet wrong, and spent two weeks calling Best Buys and searching message boards for a place that would have the iPad I wanted in stock.

Embarrassing, yes, but this was a common occurrence for many people during the first month or so of both the iPhone 4 and iPad 2's existence.

I have one simple suggestion, and it's hardly a shocker: take advantage of preorder. … Read more

iPhone 4 fetches top dollar on eBay Instant Sale--today only

Every time I check my in-box, the wad of cash being offered for old iPhones seems to be growing. Right now it's up to as much as $357 for a used 32GB iPhone 4--provided it's in excellent condition.

That's the highest price being offered today--and apparently today only--from eBay Instant Sale, the electronics recycling arm of the auction site. The offer is separate from the normal auction, "make an offer," and "buy it now" listings on eBay. It's actually a partnership between eBay and a single electronics wholesaler, which makes instant buyback offers for old phones based on the model, its condition, and whether the charger is included.

Instant Sale was already offering some of the best prices around, but in the wake of the iPhone 4S reveal yesterday, they've upped their offer prices for today only by around 5 percent to 10 percent--that translates to an extra $20 or so in your pocket in the case of some used iPhones.… Read more

Report: Twitter users tilt negative on iPhone 4S

I got an e-mail this morning from Crimson Hexagon, which describes itself as "a leader in social media analytics" and says it studied the Twittersphere in "real time" to find out how consumers really feel about Apple's iPhone 4S announcement. Not surprisingly, the results of the analysis seem to echo the sentiments of CNET readers.

According to Crimson Hexagon, here are the highlights:

49 percent showed negativity toward the announcement, with 33 percent expressing disappointment that the iPhone 4s was released and not the iPhone 5. 16 percent shared their feelings that Tim Cook is … Read more

iPhone 4S: Apple rethinks the inside

The iPhone today got an internal overhaul--its remarkably unchanged exterior notwithstanding.

Apple is "completely rethinking the inside" of the iPhone, according to Greg Joawiak, vice president of iPhone product marketing, who spoke in a video now up on Apple's Web site.

The biggest change is the dual-core A5 processor packing improved graphics silicon. "With two processors handling the workload, it really makes a big difference," Bob Mansfield, senior vice president of hardware, said in the same video.

"In Safari, Web pages will load up to twice as fast. Apps will run and launch faster...graphics can [load] up to seven times quicker, making game playing a lot better," Mansfield said.

If the A5-equipped iPad 2 is any indication, that second-generation Apple tablet showed big jumps in benchmark scores compared to the original iPad.

The other big change is the camera. In fact, the balance of statements by Apple today about internal changes were about the camera and optics. "We've increased the size of the aperture to let in more light," Mansfield said. "And added a fifth lens [resulting in] sharper images, more detail, more accurate color...and 1080p video at 30 frames per second."

Apple has also included a backside illumination sensor for increased sensitivity and a shorter exposure time to achieve the same scene brightness. "Colors are less saturated, and you'll see more details," Apple states on its iPhone 4S camera Web page. The camera also adds face detection and reduced motion blur.

And the A5 chip helps out here too. "The A5 chip is designed with an image signal processor that's just as good as the ones found in dSLR cameras," Apple claims. The image processor allows you to tap to focus and control exposure. And the A5's image processor also enables immediate photo capture (aka "zero shutter lag") when taking pictures.

And the camera also uses better algorithms in iOS 5 for more color accuracy, better white balance, and greater dynamic range. … Read more

Rumor roundup scorecard: iPhone 4S edition

In case you missed it, Apple this morning announced the iPhone 4S a follow-up to the iPhone 4, along with the release dates for iOS 5 and iCloud. You can re-watch the whole event right here.

Below are some of the big claims that circulated leading up to the event, and how they stacked up against today's actual news:

Voice assistant

A phone you can talk to that understands what you're saying? At a basic level, Apple's had that since the first version of Voice Control was introduced with the iPhone 3GS. The only problem is that … Read more

How Apple's new iPhone 4S changes gaming

At today's Apple event, a new iPhone was announced. Surprise, surprise: the iPhone 4S is a modest upgrade, at least in terms of design. However, it shares a benefit with its larger iPad 2 cousin: significantly improved graphics.

It's no longer a secret or even an aspiration: the iPhone and iPod Touch are now the most popular gaming handhelds on the planet. The Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita are, at best, hopefuls trying to steal away Apple's newfound crown. So, how does Apple's latest iPhone hold up the mantle as the reigning gaming handheld du jour?

In short: by continuing to do what it does best.… Read more

iPhone 4 vs. iPhone 4S (comparison chart)

Today, Apple officially announced the iPhone 4S, which means we can finally be done with the rumors and get down to the facts. Though we didn't get the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4S might not look all that different from the iPhone 4, there are a number of changes under the hood. To help you out, we've put together this handy comparison chart of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, so you can see the differences for yourself. … Read more

iPhone 5 to be major makeover, 'shatter' sales record

The iPhone 5 will represent a major upgrade over its predecessor, helping "shatter" the sales record captured by the iPhone 4 at launch last year, says an analyst with Ticonderoga Securities.

Providing his take on the new iPhone ahead of today's launch event, analyst Brian White expects the iPhone 5 to offer a "sleek, aluminum unibody enclosure" that's more like the MacBook Air than the iPhone 4. The new enclosure will not only look better but be stronger and lighter, avoiding the cracks that sometimes appear in the glass back of the iPhone 4.… Read more

New iPhone reportedly spotted in Apple's inventory

The long-awaited new iPhone has reportedly popped up in Apple's inventory with signs indicating that it will be a major upgrade over the current iPhone 4.

As described by 9to5Mac and SlashGear, the phone uncovered in the inventory list is code-named N94, the same name hidden in code for Apple's iOS earlier this year. That code name was found to point to a device with a dual-core A5 processor, the same chip that's been expected to appear in the iPhone 5.

Citing information from its anonymous but apparently reliable Mr. X source, who is known for leaking … Read more

Apple holding iPhone 5 event on October 4

As expected, Apple will be holding an iPhone event next Tuesday at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters.

The company sent an e-mail to select reporters earlier today, saying the event will start at 10 a.m. PT next week with an "executive presentation." Although Apple didn't specifically mention the iPhone 5 by name, speculation abounds that the company will unveil one, or perhaps two, iPhones at the event.

Rumors have been swirling for months over when Apple would finally unveil its next iPhone. In previous years, Apple has shown off a new version of its popular smartphone at … Read more