A new case mould showing of the fifth-generation iPad’s new design has surfaced today, alongside a date on which Apple will announce the device. As expected, the mould points to an all-new thinner form factor for the device, with narrow bezels down either side of the display, much like the iPad mini.
The source of the mould claims the iPad 5 will be announced on June 18, which could see its unveiling during WWDC.
Apple could introduce a redesigned backlighting system to the fifth-generation iPad to help make the device thinner and lighter, according to NDP DisplaySearch. The Cupertino company will have to make significant changes if it is to bring the iPad mini’s sleek and slim form factor to its bigger brother, and this is one of the areas in which it could reduce bulk.
Even though the iPhone 5 was launched in October of 2012, many analysts and pundits believe that Apple will likely release the iPhone 5S sometime this summer.
KGI Securities analysts Ming-Chi Kuo thinks that you shouldn’t get your hopes too high for a new iPhone though. In a report he released today, Kuo claims Apple is facing production problems on both the iPhone 5 and cheaper iPhone and that they won’t launch until Q3 of 2013.
Microsoft is planning a new lineup of Surface tablets that includes a 7-inch model designed to compete with Apple’s iPad mini and Google’s Nexus 7, The Wall Street Journal reports. The device will enter mass production later this year, according to people familiar with Microsoft’s plans, but it’s unclear when the company will bring the new slate to market.
Rumor has it that Apple’s fifth-generation iPad — expected to launch later this year — will boast a new form factor much like the iPad mini’s, with thinner bezels down each side of its display. The first evidence we have to prove those claims has surfaced today in the form of a leaked front panel.
To stay on top of its prediction game, analyst firm Piper Jaffray’s just finished its 25th bi-annual teen survey to find out what all the cool kids are doing with tech and what do they want next.
The survey found that Apple is the most desired tech brand by teens, but Google has made some improvement compared to last year. Yet while analysts are still busy predicting the demise of Apple, 48% of teens in the survey say they own an iPhone, and 62% say they plan to buy one next.
Apple’s fifth-generation iPad will enter production between July and August, according to supply chain sources in Taiwan. The device is expected to sport a thinner, lighter design much like that of the iPad mini, with smaller bezels around its display.
Earlier this morning we found out that Best Buy is selling Retina display iPads for $30 off, and it looks like Walmart may have a similar deal on the iPad mini.
Depending on the zip code you live in, Walmart is offering the 16GB iPad mini Wifi-only models for $299. That’s 30 bucks cheaper than buying it directly from Apple. Walmart’s offering both standard shipping and in-store pickup depending on the availability of units in your area. If you’ve been on the fence about embracing the iPad mini, this is the lowest price on new units that we’ve seen so far.
Source: Walmart
Via: DealNews
I’m a big fan of Loop Attachment’s Mummy cases for the iPhone — they’re probably the best silicone cases you can get — so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Mummy case for iPad mini when it was announced at CES back in January.
Just like its smaller siblings, it’s made almost entirely from a soft, coated silicone that provides impact protection from those inevitable dings and drops. It’s also the first envoloping silicone case that’s designed to be compatible with the iPad mini’s Smart Cover, and the Mummy’s built-in magnets will keep your Smart Cover pinned back while your device is in use.
The Mummy has been carefully designed to show off the Apple logo on the back of your device, as well as provide access to all of your buttons, ports, and speakers while still protecting your iPad mini from head to toe. It’s available now in black, blue, graphite, red, and teal, with a white model available for pre-order.
I’ve been testing the Mummy for around a month to find out whether it’s worth its $30 price tag.
Apple has been dealt yet another blow by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office after receiving confirmation that its famous “rubber banding” patent, which plays a key role in the company’s fight against Samsung, is invalid. The “final” decision comes after the USPTO tentatively rejected all claims in the ‘381 patent back in October 2012.
The iPad mini is one of Apple’s biggest successes to date, but that doesn’t matter to the US Patent and Trademark Office, which has turned down Apple’s request for a trademark on the iPad mini because it is “merely descriptive.”
A new report suggests that the next iPad mini will be getting a new touch panel supplier, and guess what? It’s not Samsung.
Apple has reportedly cut its iPad mini orders for the second quarter of 2013 by as much as 20% in preparation for the next-generation device. Shipments of the current iPad mini could be as low as 10 million units during the quarter, according to “multiple sources who provide various components” for the device.
iPhone app downloads dropped significantly last month following a spike over the holiday season. According to app marketing platform Fiksu, downloads dropped 13% to 5.2 million per day in February, from 6.01 million per day in January.
Apple is gearing up to send its much-anticipated “iTV” into mass production during the second half of this year, according to sources in the Cupertino company’s supply chain, who have been speaking to DigiTimes. The set will reportedly boast a 4K “Ultra HD” display with a 3840×2160 resolution, and it’ll be controlled by voice and motion.
Logitech has today announced the launch of its new Keyboard Folio cases for iPad and iPad mini. Built from refined fabrics — and available in a whole host of pretty colors — the Keyboard Folio is designed to provide your beloved tablet with all-round protection as well as a physical keyboard that’ll let you get things done on the go.
Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets have been some of the best competition to the iPad, mostly because they’re cheap but come with good software. It seems like Amazon would sell the Kindle for as cheap as possible if it meant taking a slice of Apple’s pie.
Earlier this morning, a rumor was floated by TechCrunch that Amazon is making a $99 tablet to compete with the iPad mini. It sounded crazy at the time because the Kindle Fire is already $130 cheaper than the iPad mini. Turns out that the rumor was too good to be true and Amazon’s already shot it down.
Amazon hasn’t been able to beat the iPad in terms of features, apps or build quality, but the ace up the online retail giant’s sleeve was always the price: at just $199 for the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD, getting Amazon’s tablet is at least $130 cheaper than Apple’s cheapest iPad mini.
Undercutting Apple on price, then, is the major way Amazon is competing ith Apple in the tablet space, and a new report suggests they are about to take that even further with the release of a $99 Kindle Fire.
We’ve been fascinated the stuff emerging from motorcycle-wizards-turned-iDevice-accessory-crafter Rokform ever since we took their machined alloy Rokbed iPhone case for a spin a few years back. Today the company revealed the Rokshield v3, basically a smaller, iPad Mini version of their Roklock case and mounting system.
There’s never been much chance that Apple was going to release a new iPad mini with Retina display before later this year.
Although it’s true that Apple refreshed the fourth-gen iPad last just eight months after introducing the third-gen iPad, that refresh had the hallmark of being an exception aimed at making sure every iOS device was compatible with the new Lightning cable.
So it’s unlikely we’re going to see a Retina iPad mini this spring, and here’s further proof: current iPad mini sales aren’t tapering off, giving Apple no reason to upgrade their mini any earlier than necessary.
Even though the iPad mini and iPad 4 have been on the market for over 5 months, Apple hasn’t offered any refurbished models until now.
The Online Apple Store just added refurbished iPad Minis and 4th-gen iPads to its catalog, so if you’ve been waiting to get a better deal, this is your chance.
Twelve South has today announced a new addition to its BookArc family, the BookArc for iPad mini. The arc-shaped steel stand supports your device in both portrait and landscape mode, making it perfect for hands-free use at home or in the office, while its sleek and sexy form factor looks right at home alongside your Mac.
Being in business with Apple can’t be all that bad right now. Despite a report this morning that claimed Apple’s suppliers experienced weak sales in February, there are a few Apple suppliers that are hiring more employees to meet demand.
Both TSMC and Hon Hai are looking to hire 5,000 new employees, which might mean that Apple really is looking to ditch Samsung in favor of TSMC.
The Apple TV, Cupertino’s “hobby” of a set-top box, is often used to test out new fabrication process for the A-series chips that go into iPhones, iPod touches and iPads. The last Apple TV ran a 32nm A5 processor built by Samsung with a single-core disabled, which eventually ended up (in a dual-core capacity) in the iPad mini.
With the new third-gen Apple TV, Apple’s at it again. The new Apple TV is functionally and physically identical to its predecessor, except for one detail: it features a 28nm A5 chip built by TSMC. But what does it mean?
Sharp has this morning announced a ¥10.4 billion ($112 million) investment from Samsung that will provide the latter with a 3% stake in the company. It makes Samsung the biggest individual shareholder in the Japanese display maker, and secures its access to Sharp’s LCD panel supplies.
The investment comes at a time when Sharp has been struggling. The company received a $4.4 billion bailout from the banks in October 2012, and its iPad display orders from Apple were recently cut as consumer demand shifted to the smaller iPad mini, which Sharp is not involved with.