budget

This app can help you budget your finances for the future [Deals]

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PocketSmith does more than visualize the state of your finances, it helps you predict where they'll go.
PocketSmith does more than visualize the state of your finances, it helps you predict where they'll go.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Saving money is one of the most important things you can do, and one of the most difficult. We’re told to invest our money in a 401k, the stock market or, by some dubious sources, in cryptocurrency. Unfortunately, each is a risk (some more than others); what really helps is being able to watch and predict the course of your personal finances.

Surprise! Digital Content May Actually Cost Less After U.K. Tax Change

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Following a change to VAT (value added tax) legislation in the United Kingdom, there have been a lot of reports suggesting that Apple customers in the U.K. may soon have to pay more when buying from iTunes and the App Store.

As it turns out, those reports are likely incorrect.

You see, Apple has been charging Brits 23% VAT on digital content until now — but the U.K. VAT rate is only 20%.

Spigen SGP Already Selling iPhone 5C Cases, Screen Protectors On Amazon

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It’s not uncommon that we see accessories for new Apple devices before they’ve even been announced — we covered the first cases for the iPhone 5C earlier this week. But they usually come from no-name manufacturers in China who are scrambling to get their products out there before anyone else, even if it means building them from rumored specifications.

It is uncommon that we see premature releases from big brands, however. But Spigen SGP has already made its first iPhone 5C cases and screen protectors available to order on Amazon.

Why Apple Needs A Low-Cost iPhone More Than Ever

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Since Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, smartphones have really taken off , and more than 1 billion people worldwide now own one. Last year alone, smartphones generated $293.9 billion in sales, but the cost of the average smartphone has begun falling.

More than half of cellphone owners in the U.S. and other developed markets already own a smartphone, and those in emerging markets such as China and India aren’t able to pay for high-end devices like the iPhone. As a result, cheaper options are becoming increasingly popular.

Is This The Budget iPhone’s Plastic Shell? [Image]

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Apple is expected to announce a new low-cost iPhone later this year in an effort to compete with rivals like Samsung in emerging markets. Reports have suggested that to keep costs low, the Cupertino company will give it a plastic form factor similar to that of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.

And now that plastic shell appears to have been leaked for the first time.

Brits Don’t Need A Budget iPhone When They Can Get The iPhone 4 For Just 50p A Day

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Apple is expected to launch a new low-cost iPhone later this year, but as long as you’re willing to buy an older model, you can already bag an Apple smartphone for as little as 50p a day.

British retailer Carphone Warehouse will offer the iPhone 4 on a two-year contract for just £17 a month from tomorrow, May 10, with no upfront cost. It will be the cheapest iPhone tariff available in the United Kingdom.

Is This The Budget iPhone’s Plastic Casing?

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Remember that fifth-generation iPad mould that we reported on earlier this week? Well, its source has now obtained what is believed to be the casing for Apple’s rumored low-cost iPhone.

It’s made of polycarbonate plastic just like the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS, and it will reportedly pack a 3.5-inch display like previous iPhones — yet it’s both taller and wider than the iPhone 4S.  It may also get its grand unveiling this October.

Could This Be The Low-Cost iPhone’s First Leaked Component? [Image]

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With so much interest in Apple’s unreleased iOS devices, the Cupertino has had a difficult time trying to prevent leaks of late. We saw numerous components for recent iPads, the iPhone 5, and the iPad mini ahead of their official unveilings, and now we’re beginning to see parts believed to be from Apple’s next generation of devices.

The vibration motor and switches pictured above are reportedly destined for Apple’s rumored low-cost iPhone, which could launch sometime this year.

What Did Schiller Really Say? Reuters Pulls Story On Low-Cost iPhone Comments

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Phil Schiller introducing iPad mini

Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, reportedly shot down suggestions that the Cupertino company will launch a low-cost iPhone later this year during an interview with a Chinese newspaper earlier this week. According to the report, Schiller said that the budget devices will “never be the future of Apple products.”

Reuters was one of the first media outlets to cover the report, but in an interesting move, it has this morning pulled its piece after “substantial changes” were made to the original article. Could this mean Schiller didn’t really say those things?

Apple’s Low-Cost iPhone To Launch Later This Year With Larger Display, New Design [Rumor]

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A lawsuit claims the battery of an iPhone 4s is responsible for a house fire.
Photo: Apple

Digitimes has today published one of its more questionable rumors regarding Apple’s upcoming low-cost iPhone. Citing sources in the Cupertino company’s supply chain, it claims the cheaper device — believed to be called the “iPhone mini” by one analyst — will make its debut later this year, aimed at China and other emerging markets.

But it won’t be smaller to cut costs. Instead it’ll boast a larger screen to meet the “prevailing trend for the adoption of 5-inch displays.”

WSJ Confirms Amazon Is Testing A Smartphone That Could Enter Production This Year

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Amazon hopes to expand its mobile reach with a new smartphone.
Amazon hopes to expand its mobile reach with a new smartphone.

Following earlier rumors that claimed Amazon is gearing up to launch a smartphone that will rival Apple’s iPhone, The Wall Street Journal has confirmed with sources that the retail giant is currently testing the device with its suppliers, and that it could enter production as early as the end of this year.

How Would Apple Make A $50 iPhone? [iFixIt Q&A]

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Earlier this week, a report surfaced claiming that Apple is currently working on a more affordable model of its iPhone 4, which is set to launch alongside the iPhone 5 later this year. The device will reportedly be aimed at those looking to purchase an iPhone with a tight budget, and will have just 8GB of storage in order to keep costs down.

This got us thinking: how would Apple bring down the price of an iPhone 4 to appeal to low-cost subscribers? How exactly would they make an iPhone 4 that would cost $50 or so with a two year contract? We’ve been speaking to Miroslav Djuric of iFixita popular online repair shop that produces how-to repair guides and tear-downs — to try and find out, and we think we know how Apple would do it. Here’s how.

Budget Crisis My iPad, City Council Says

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CC-licensed, thanks henribergius on Flickr.
CC-licensed, thanks henribergius on Flickr.

City commissioners in a Florida town approved iPads for themselves to save money on paper costs despite budget problems.

The expense of $2,916 was approved for four iPads despite a cash crunch. Last year, Coral Springs dipped into reserves for $4.8 million plus raised fees and property taxes to carry on.