iPhone 5 Training Underway at Canadian Operator Rogers (Unconfirmed)

Canadian iPhone carrier Rogers Wireless has kicked off staff training with an eye on the iPhone 5 launch, according to a leaked internal document that clearly has employees preparing for a new Apple smartphone.

Reports are coming in from iPhoneinCanada and Cultofmac that Canadian wireless operator Rogers is giving its employees the heads up regarding an “iPhone Pre-Launch Training.”

The Apple-centric site recalls that such leaked documents have done well to confirm product launches in the past, though an ounce of skepticsm never hurts, may we add.

However, based on the wording in the leaked file, the next iPhone should arrive in a matter of weeks. From the original document:

“As of August 11th, the training for the iPhone pre-launch will start. Please complete this training once notified by the Just in Time (JIT) training coordinator in your site. the module is a 45 minute self-study; please make sure to complete the following training: iPhone Pre-Launch Training - Rogers Wireless 2011.”

The Rogers document only adds fuel to the fire of those who strongly believe the iPhone 5 will arrive this fall.
And why shouldn’t it? All the elements are there to make fall 2011 the perfect time to launch a new iPhone that will leverage at least two new Apple products - iCloud and the highly improved iOS 5.

There is some debate as to whether the actual device will be substantially different from the current hardware, but it is fair to assume that the 5.0 moniker deserves some cool new features that make the handset stand out.
After all, Apple cannot lose its reputation of being a constant innovator by launching the rumored iPhone 4S.

Perhaps a cheap, middle-class iPhone will be released as well. Word on the web is that it will have many ties with iCloud and that it may even be free for those who embrace the successor of MobileMe by getting themselves a paid plan.

iPhone 5 Training Underway at Canadian Operator Rogers (Unconfirmed)

Apple 'Changed' the Universe with the Release of OS X Lion

Apple has reportedly modified an iconic picture of the Andromeda galaxy originally produced by astrophotographer Robert Gendler in order to use it as the default wallpaper of Mac OS X Lion.

The Universe holds many galaxies like our own, the Milky Way - a spirally thingy made up of hundreds of billions of suns, one of which is eight light-minutes away from our Earth.

One such galaxy is Andromeda, a spiral pool of stars approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Andromeda.

It was shot in all its splendor by astrophotographer Robert Gendler back in 2007.

His image is published in the 2008 Guiness Book of World Records as the Largest image (in pixel dimensions) of a spiral Galaxy ever taken.

David Kaplan, assistant professor of physics at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, sent boing boing a gif image showing the differences between the original picture and the one that serves as the default wallpaper in OS X 10.7.

It shows quite a few differences between them.

So, Kaplan told the blog, “Apple has once again altered the Universe according to their whim. They moved/removed many stars, and got rid of a whole galaxy. This is M110, which is one of M31?s [Andromeda's] satellites. The other big satellite, M32, is still there.”

The observation, of course, isn’t bad intended.

Rather, it’s a humorous take on the fact that Apple decided to brush out an entire galaxy so the image doesn't look cluttered, or too asymmetrical, perhaps.

Kaplan said he couldn't guarantee whether or not M110 (the galaxy Apple erased from the photo) was still observable in the night sky (again, most likely as a joke). But he said he was pretty sure Photoshop had something to do with the way Apple's wallpaper shows.

As Apple fans will agree, the Mac maker’s version of the Andromeda is, by far, more attractive, considering the vivid colors, the gradient lighting, the hues, you name it.

However, for something as elegant as the Cosmos, I for one disagree with Apple’s decision to doctor the image to such extent that an entire galaxy had to be removed for the sake of a wallpaper.

Apple Deals: $749 for 2010 Macbook Air, $929 for 3.06GHz iMac

Apple hasn’t very been keen to include any attractive offers on its Special Deals site lately, but there’s always something to pick when you’re looking to buy yourself a new computer.

Most of Apple’s Macs now have Intel Sandy Bridge processors, Thunderbolt I/O, and the latest mobile solutions in AMD graphics, but that doesn’t mean the company’s refurbished 2010 models are obsolete.

Not by far, actually. This October 2010 MacBook Air, for example, packs a 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB memory, 64GB flash storage, and NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics for the affordable price of $749.00.

The system is Lion-ready and it still a pack leader in the ultra-thin sector, despite competition catching up with Apple.

A refurbished Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server, for those who think more about work than play, saves its lucky buyer $250 and features a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB memory, dual 500GB Serial ATA hard disk drives, an HDMI port with support for up to 1920-by-1200 resolution, and NVIDIA GeForce 320M with 256MB memory.

It goes for $749 and fully supports Lion Server. If you wish to install the latest OS prior to your purchase, Apple will charge a $49 fee. Otherwise, the system ships with Snow Leopard Server installed.
The now-discontinued White MacBook stands tall on Apple’s Deals section still.

Priced at $849 and saving its buyer $150, this Apple gem boasts a 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 2GB (2 x 1GB) of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 250GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm, 8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW), and NVIDIA GeForce 320M with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory.

If you’re the desktop type, go for the 21.5-inch iMac with a 3.06GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB memory, 500GB hard drive, 8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW), and ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics, that can handle pretty much everything from Angry Birds to Photoshop. The machine is priced at $929 – a $170 discount.

About Apple refurbished products
Apple Certified Refurbished Products are pre-owned products that undergo Apple’s stringent refurbishment process, prior to being offered for sale. They are returned under Apple’s Return and Refund Policies.

While only some units are brought back because of technical issues, all of them undergo the company’s rigorous quality-refurbishment process.

Service and support include 90 days of telephone support and a one-year warranty. You have the option of purchasing an AppleCare Protection Plan for your refurb, while shipping is free in the US.

Samsung: Omnia W leaked details "not accurate"

Looks like we have yet another rumor debunk on our hands! Yesterday we reported on a rumored Samsung Omnia W device which was said to include a 1GHz processor, 5 megapixel camera sensor, and a 3.7-inch display. The Omnia W was joined by a slew of Android smartphones and tablets as well, but now Samsung has come out to deny the information in this leak. Posting on the official Samsung Tomorrow blog, this was the following statement from the company (emphasis ours):

Some media have been reporting that Samsung is preparing to launch nine new smartphones and two new tablet devices. While Samsung is continuously working on new devices for our customers, the details being cited are not accurate in this case.

We appreciate the interest in our upcoming mobile devices and will share more information once its available.

So there you have it. Does this mean the Omnia W doesn't exist? We'll let you be the judge, but if you ask us there's a pretty good shot we'll see it pop up again in the future.

Via: SlashGear
Source: Samsung Tomorrow

Joe Belfiore on September 1st Mango launch: "Just a rumor"

Well it looks like at least one rumor this week has been debunked. Windows Phone team leader Joe Belfiore just tweeted the above message. He only used 28 characters to address rumors about a major product launch, which is even more impressive considering this is Twitter we're talking about. So is this a denial? It sounds like it is, but Belfiore likes to tease his followers so it's tough to tell. For now just don't get your hopes up on that September 1st launch and we'll see how it goes from there, okay?

Fun Fact: Joe Belfiore uses MetroTwit! (You should too.)

Source: Twitter (@joebelfiore)

HTC Mazaa shows off next-gen potential, performance that makes us drool

One very special student developer won quite the treat from Microsoft: an HTC Mazaa! There she is, and ain't she a beaut? Of course it's identical to the HTC Trophy, but it's the inside that counts and Mazaa certainly delivers there. XDA user Cpitt, the recipient of the phone, compared the WP Bench results of the HD7 to the Mazaa and the most obvious difference is the GPU. The Mazaa's 50 FPS more than doubled the HD7's performance of 23 FPS. Even more impressive was the Internet Explorer 9 performance, with the Mazaa clocking in 47 FPS with the Fishtank test compared to the HD7's 30. Very impressive stuff and if this is just the minimum we can expect to see from future hardware, sign us up!

Via: WPCentral
Source: XDA-Developers

Sliding Keyboard updated to v2.0, renamed to Slydr

Need your Swype fix and missing it deeply on your Windows Phone? We can't win every round and unfortunately due to Microsoft's tight control over the OS, we doubt we'll see Swype added as a keyboard option (unless Nokia can sneak it in). What's the next best option? How about Invoke IT Limited's Slydr, formerly known as Sliding Keyboard, to satisfy your needs? The app was just updated to v2.0 and brings along a ton of new international-friendly options. Here's the app description:

Slydr (Sliding Keyboard) is a standalone app. Windows Phone 7 in current form does not allow other keyboards. Slydr allows users to enter words by sliding over the keyboard rather than typing each entry. Version 2.0 contains custom built word dictionaries that contain most use words. Slydr also intelligently allows you to use accents automatically

The following language dictionaries / keyboard layouts are supported in the app
1. Catalan (Català)
2. Czech (Český)
3. Danish
4. German (Deutsch)
5. Dutch (Nederlands)
6. Dutch (Belgium)
7. English
8. Spanish (Español)
9. Finnish (Soumi)
10. Français (France)
11. Français (Canada)
12. Français (Switzerland)
13. Greek (Ελληνικά)
14. Italian (Italiano)
15. Norwegian (Norsk)
16. Hungarian (Magyar)
17. Polish (Polski)
18. Português (Portugal)
19. Português (Brasil)
20. Russian (русский)
21. Swedish (Svenska)
22. Turkish (Türkçe)
23. Ukrainian (українська)
For suggestions and support, please contact info@invokeit.co.uk

Yes, the app is a standalone and you're forced to use it and then copy-and-paste whatever you wrote so some may find it a bit useless. Still, if you just can't stand tapping on a keyboard, we recommend you check it out. Slydr is available for $0.99 as a full version and as a free trial with direct access to SMS/Email and more shortcuts removed. See it in the marketplace by clicking on the tile below.

Slydr Invoke IT Limited $0.99 + Trial Version 2.0