• Tweet

• Tweet

The one X is HTC’s new flagship and, even though it hasn’t yet been made available in the United States and most other important markets, is one of the hottest Android handsets around.

With a Tegra 3 quad-core processor under the hood, a very thin body, and a sophisticated and stylish look, the one X is certainly one of Android’s biggest  hopes in the everlasting battle against the iPhone.

But aside from the awesome performance and cool looks, the guys at HTC are also confident that they’ll make a difference with the rear-facing camera on the one X, a camera that is supposedly “better than the iPhone 4S’ shooter”, according to official claims.

That’s a very bold statement, considering Apple’s very popular and capable cameras, but it might not be as far from reality as it sounded the first time, if we are to trust a CNET review from a couple of days ago.

The guys at CNET took both cameras for a quick spin and, after looking at seven photographs delivered in the same conditions, they reached the conclusion… that it’s impossible to reach a clear conclusion right now.

If you are a bit confused, it’s understandable, but let’s take a hard look at the photos, one by one, and see what we can say about the two cameras.

The first one (above) is a sample shot of a CNET staffer’s desk, clearly showing that the iPhone 4S is capable of producing warmer colors than the HTC one X. I think that there’s no question here about which one of the two cameras produced with the brightest, clearest image, so let’s move on.

The second pic (the first one from the gallery at the end of the post), which is a close look at the first images (at 100% crop), brings the first good news for HTC. while it’s practically impossible to set the two images apart, the one X’ shot seems just a tad sharper and clearer if you look at it closely. the guys at CNET are claiming that HTC’s camera was a “bit noisier”, but, in my opinion, the difference is to small to count.

The third face-off  (the second pic in the gallery) is probably the most important one, being CNET’s standard test shot and probably the one thing that interests all technology users. to be honest, I am not that artistic and don’t usually take pictures in low lighting and with all sorts of effects, so I am primarily interested in how normal, regular photos look on a smartphone’s camera.

The iPhone 4S seems to have more natural colors and a slightly better exposure, but then again, for me personally, both these pics look darn good, so I’ll call this battle a tie.

The next CNET photo (the third in the gallery below) is another 100% crop, but I’m not going to insist on it, because we commented on the 100% crop close look earlier, so it’s only natural to reach pretty much the same conclusions.

The lowlight test (the fourth pic in the gallery), on the other hand, is probably the first clear victory for one X. the image on the left is clearly sharper than the one on the right, so, after all, it might seem that the guys at HTC  were on to something when they boldly stated that the one X has a better camera than the iPhone.

HTC’s flagship continues to impress in terms of HDR (high dynamic range) imaging, where there are very notable differences and a clear upper hand for the one X (the image below).

Finally, the close-up section of CNET’s comparison (the last pic in the gallery) seems to be another win for the HTC one X. once more, we have a sharper image from the one X, but the differences are not that significant and we must admit that iPhone 4S’ pic looks pretty good as well.

All in all, even though I haven’t been on the same page with CNET’s editors on all the seven face-offs between the HTC one X and iPhone 4S, I must say that I agree with them on the conclusion. neither of the two cameras can be clearly called the better one right now, as they are both pretty great and have their own set of upsides and downsides.

However, although HTC’s claims seem to be only partially backed in reality, we have to admit that it’s not easy to come close to Apple’s performance in terms of cameras, let alone to defeat them.

Congrats, HTC! the one X, with its beautiful screen, high processing performance, and excellent camera shapes up to be one of the best mobile devices of  2012.

HTC One X and iPhone 4S pitted against each other in camera face off

Why must political seasons always be as fragrant as a raccoon’s breath?

Agreeing to disagree seems to have all the popularity of dancing in a graveyard. who, then, can but offer a snort of resignation that some underhanded nastiness has allegedly wafted over to Facebook?

Allegations are surfacing from the political swamp that supporters of one party are getting those of their rival party suspended from commenting on fan pages.

This alleged ruse was brought to my attention by Jon Kopp, the founder and president of Quality Epoxyin Gilbert, Ariz. he claims he has been banned by Facebook because the site accuses him of constantly posting spam. (I have placed Facebook’s automated message to Kopp above.)

(Credit:Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)

What Kopp believes has happened is that Republican operatives — not official operatives, you understand, but mere enthusiasts — have discovered that you merely need to “like” a Facebook business page in order to be able to comment on it.

So these wily weasels allegedly claim they “like,” say, Rachel Maddow and then mark certain Democratic-leaning postings as spam.

In due course, Facebook suspends these allegedly decent and lawful posters with a message that reads “This Feature is Blocked For You,” as if Facebook is doing you a service by blocking you from posting. the suspensions can last 15 days or more and accuse posters of “making spammy and irrelevant posts on Facebook Pages.”

Kopp told me: “Since I have been accused of spamming, it effects me on all pages that are not my personal pages. I am blocked on all, just not my personal page, because I am in control of that.”

Naturally, my first instinct was to contact Facebook and see if the company knew of this alleged naughtiness. A Facebook spokesman told me: “While we are not aware nor have validated the existence of this particular attack, our automated and manual review systems are trained with controversial content in mind.”

So what Kopp alleges might be occurring?

The spokesman added: “We weigh both positive and negative signals in our machine learning systems. Our systems have built in manual and automated redundancies to make sure content and users are not affected by controversial content, that abides by our terms.”

Ah, so it could have happened? I asked Facebook if they might look into Kopp’s case. the company has promised to do so. Facebook believes in its systems and often the people who attempt this sort of spamming scam use fake accounts.

However, it is perfectly possible to post only positive things on certain pages and still get banned, simply for posting in an excessive manner.

Kopp told me he has heard of many people who have been given Facebook bans for what they suspect are the same nefarious reasons.

He believes that Facebook should have more controls in place to prevent such behavior. he insisted: “If Facebook wants to rule the world in social networking, they need to fix this flaw immediately. the business owner of that page should be in charge so that the hijacking does not occur anymore.”

He says that when he tried to contact Facebook, the customer service was less than he had expected. indeed, he says that it was less than nothing.

“I called Facebook … and the message says if you want customer service support press 1. I press 1 and a new message says ‘We do not offer customer support’,” he said.

I am sure that if fans of one party are being accused of such behavior, there will be sufficient cheerleaders of their rival who have themselves worked out this vehicle of pleasure and visited it upon their opponents.

This all might seem childish, unseemly, pathetic, annoying, and despicable. These adjectives would cheerily describe contemporary politics.

Democrat: Republicans got me banned on Facebook

A North Carolina waiter is so excited about an extra $200 gratuity left by the former Colts quarterback that he posts it online. His restaurant is displeased. it cuts him.

(Credit:Screenshot: Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)

There are few more painful jobs than being a restaurant server.

Why, only yesterday, a number of them were awarded more than $5 million, after they claimed that Mario Batali’s company had unfairly re-allocated some of their tips.

So if Peyton Manning walked into your restaurant and, at the end of a meal, offered an a additional tip of $200, you might feel a little giddy. Especially as 18 percent had already been added to the $739.58 check.

You would want to tell as many people as possible–or at least your friends.

These days, though, many think the word “friends” means everyone on the Web–unless, that is you have an excellent sense of privacy and an even finer judgment of friendship.

And “telling” means posting in some public way, because we’re all Zuckerbergians now, aren’t we?

So, the server in question–at a restaurant called the Angus Barn in Raleigh, N.C.–somehow allowed for a picture of Manning’s generosity to seep out. For now many news outlets have printed a picture of Manning’s credit card receipt. (Yes, he does use a Mastercard.)

It is unclear whether the server–reportedly called Jon–merely e-mailed it to friends who sent it to more friends or whether he socially networked it in a more obvious way.

However, it appears to have been posted on so many Twitter feeds–for example, here on the feed of Dipo Ogunrinde–that it has become a public work of art.

In any case, the Triangle Business Journal reports that Jon was fired. Indeed, it quotes Van Eure, the Angus Barn’s owner as saying: “This goes against every policy we have. It’s just horrible.”

The Angus Barn, you see, likes to have celebs pop by. it likes them to enjoy and fine and private experience.

One can entirely understand that neither Manning nor the restaurant could have been cheered by the waiter’s posting.

It always seems sad, though, when one man’s excitement over another man’s generosity–in a world where millions are less than generous–is punished by something more than an excessive celebration penalty enforced at the kickoff.

Waiter sacked for posting pic of Peyton Manning’s tip

Apple isn’t holding its special media event until Wednesday, but it’s already begun preparing the venue in downtown San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO–Apple today began adorning the outside of San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts ahead of its media event next week.

That event, which is widely expected to bring the next version of its iPad, is once again taking place here. Apple has used it as its venue of choice for theiPad, as well as for its music-themed events that have brought new versions of theiPod.

In typical fashion, Apple has covered up the front of the building with its logo, once again choosing a multicolored paint splatter design similar to the one it used when first introducing thetablet in 2010. last year the company went with a decidedly more minimal look.

CNET took a field trip down the street to snap a few shots of the venue getting all dressed up, which you can check out in the slideshow below. The event itself is Wednesday, and kicks off at 10 a.m. PT. CNET will be there to cover it live. Expect more details on that early next week.

Apple sets the stage for next week’s iPad 3 event

Plus El Reg’s comment ‘sin bin’ and what iPhone, Android and BlackBerry switchers thought of Windows Phone

A quick burst of 7 links for you to chew over, as picked by the Technology team

Use Kinect to teach anatomy? It’s a ‘Mirracle’! >> CNET Health Tech

“Kinect hacks have been used for many a grand feat, from a tool that helps the blind navigate more easily to hands-free questing in World of Warcraft and virtual cat brushing. The Mirracle system projects a CT image onto the user’s reflection to give the illusion of seeing inside one’s own body. so why not integrate the powers of Microsoft Kinect with a mirror to teach such subjects as basic anatomy?

maybe they could make it into a revision game for the Xbox 360?

Google to give closed-door briefing on user policy changes >> USA Today

To the US Congress. and Larry Page, the chief executive, can’t make it. we await his first public appearance in front of Congress, or a similar public forum. and – behind closed doors? For the public privacy policy?

The Register Comments Guidelines, 2012 >> The Register

We never knew that El Reg had a moderation team. The policy there looks pretty much exactly like the one here, except that new commenters get put in a “might sin” bin before being allowed to play with the big kids.

Why Android will gain HUGE tablet marketshare later this year >> Scobleizer

No, not 2012. this is from June 2011:

I finally had someone explain to me why Android will gain huge marketshare this year in the large-screen tablet wars (aka where iPad is dominant). It took USA’s #1 TV manufacturer, Vizio, to do it. Why didn’t Google have them on stage to show this off a few weeks back at Google IO?

Vizio didn’t figure in Android tablet sales for 2011 in any research we have seen.

The World’s first computer password? It was useless too >> Wired.com

This may not come as a surprise. but it goes back a long way.

Windows Phone switchers try a week away from iOS, Android and BlackBerry >> Laptop Mag

Three people who usually use those bigger (in terms of sales) platforms try a week on Windows Phones devices. as it’s the US, none is a Nokia one. The common response from the iOS and Android user: the apps don’t match up. The BlackBerry user seemed impressed, though.

First look: Final cut Pro X 10.0.3 restores professional features; adds notable new ones >> Macworld

The latest update adds functionality:

Videographers were promised from the introduction of FCP X that in the near future we would once again be able to edit a multi-camera project, and Apple has delivered. With up to 64 active camera angles available, FCP X may actually shake the industry to its core with that level of multicam facility in the basic editing package. this means that you can actively edit more cameras than I have ever heard of being used for any multicam project, with the possible exception of the Super Bowl or, perhaps the bullet-time for The Matrix.

however, what’s completely mystifying is why Apple released a not-good-enough initial version in June 2011, rather than waiting until it had everything it needed. It has lost clients – will this really get them back? (Thanks @rquick for the link.)

You can follow Guardian Technology’s linkbucket on Pinboard. to suggest a link, either add it below or tag it with @gdntech on the free Delicious service;

Josh HallidayCharles Arthurguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. all rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Boot up: Google to brief US congress on privacy policy, Kinect to teach anatomy, and more

(Credit:Apple/CNET)

Apple could be getting back on its summer release schedule for theiPhone, if you want to believe a new rumor.

Citing a “reliable source at Foxconn in China,” Apple-focused blog 9to5Mac says Apple’s got a handful of sample devices for the next iPhone “floating around,” and that based on previous production scheduling, the company could be looking to release a new model this summer.

The blog also notes some changes on these samples compared to previous iPhone models including a 4-inch (or larger) display, and a form factor that looks unlike the currentiPhone 4 and 4S with a “longer/wider” appearance. 9to5Mac also says none of these supposed samples carry a tapered, teardrop shape, a form-factor that rumors leading up to theiPhone 4S unveiling had so heartily suggested.

A return to a summer release schedule would make the next iPhone the first to see a release in less than a year between models. the iPhone 4S was the first phone to get off of Apple’s annual schedule, a move that resulted in record-breaking iPhone sales that were detailed in yesterday’s quarterly earnings.

As for the 4-inch display rumor, that one has been kicking around for nearly a year, dating back to last February. it first emerged from a snapshot out of China depicting the front screen of what looked like an iPhone with a larger and wider display. just weeks before, component industry tracker DigiTimes claimed that Apple was eyeing bigger screens, in part to better compete with Android devices. then in March, purported “mold engineering” drawings cropped up, depicting such a device that looked like an iPhone 4 but with a noticeably larger screen. There was also a report in June from the Verge claiming it had seen device with a 3.7-inch display, complete with a mockup of said device.

Not to be outdone, a report by our own sister site CNET France in September said it heard the next iPhone would use a qHD screen that comes in 960×540 pixels and measures about 4.2 to 4.3 inches diagonally. That’s compared to the iPhone 4 and 4S’ 3.5-inch display that runs at a higher 960×640 pixels. Finally, there were the slew of cases that hit store shelves just ahead of the iPhone 4S unveiling designed for a slightly larger, but thinner iPhone, based on what was allegedly a prototype device that leaked from a Foxconn manufacturing facility.

So what’s to believe about this rumor then? 9to5Mac says this source is the same one who told the outlet that there would be no iPhone 5 last year, suggesting that the company was working on another “S” model instead.

Rumor: iPhone 5 with 4-inch screen expected this summer

(Credit:Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)

Hey, iOS users! are you still scratching your heads over what exactly iTunes Match is supposed to do for you? Apple has done its best to come to your rescue with a new Web page designed to answer your lingering questions about the service.

Launched last month, the $24.99-per-year iTunes Match service lets you store your iTunes collection in Apple’s cloud– even content you’ve ripped from CDs or purchased from other music sites. From the cloud, you can then sync and listen to your music across an array of devices, including aniPhone, iPad,iPod Touch,Mac, PC, and Apple TV.

But there’s at least one area of confusion that Apple has attempted to address on its new page: does iTunes Match stream songs or download them? well, it depends.

iOS devices will start playing songs from iCloud as they download, though they’ll also store them locally for you to play without a network connection. PCs and Macs will stream your songs, but you can download them by clicking on the iCloud download button. and Apple TV will only stream your songs.

Further, you can store as many as 25,000 songs in iCloud, or more if you buy them from iTunes. But only the tracks you want to play are stored on your device.

Apple also explains that iTunes Match can handle any music format iTunes itself uses, including AAC, MP3, WAV, and AIFF. the service will support up to 10 different devices.

You also have the option of downloading and playing music via your 3G connection or only Wi-Fi.

And for people who purchased or ripped songs at a low quality, iTunes Match will automatically match your music with a higher-quality 256-Kbps AAC DRM-free format.

To learn more about setting up and using iTunes Match, you can check out CNET’s helpful how-to guide.

Confused about iTunes Match? Apple tries a new explanation

Apple iPhone 4S

Cnet rating: 4 stars out of 5 (excellent)

The good: The iPhone 4S has a faster processor and an upgraded camera, all the benefits of iOS 5, and a useful and immensely fun voice assistant. call quality on the Sprint model is admirable, and the data speeds, while certainly not 4G, get the job done.

The bad: It’s about time we get a larger screen.

The cost: $400

The bottom line: The iPhone 4S isn’t the king of cell phones, but it’s part of the royal family nonetheless. Even without 4G and a giant screen, this phone’s voice assistant, Siri, the benefits of iOS 5, and its spectacular camera make it a top choice for anyone ready to upgrade.

Motorola Droid Razr

Cnet rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (outstanding)

The good: The Droid Razr has an attractive, slim and lightweight design that is water repellent and scratch resistant. it has a fantastic 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display, a 1.2-GHz dual-core processor, Verizon’s 4G/LTE speeds, plenty of multimedia features, corporate and government-grade security, Webtop function, and decent battery life.

The bad: The Droid Razr’s large size might feel awkward in small hands; we expected better picture quality from its 8-megapixel camera; the battery is not removable.

The cost: $170 to $300

The bottom line: With its razor-thin design, jam-packed features and blazing speed, the Droid Razr is easily one of the year’s top Android smart phones.

Apple iPad 2

Cnet rating: 4 stars out of 5 (excellent)

The good: Apple’s iPad 2 is dramatically thinner and boasts front and rear cameras, FaceTime video chat, a faster processor and 3G options for both AT&T and Verizon.

The bad: The screen resolution hasn’t budged, photo quality is mediocre, there’s still no Adobe Flash support, and ports for HDMI, USB and SD all require adapters.

The cost: $496 to $524

The bottom line: The iPad 2 refines an already excellent product. its easy-to-use interface, vast app catalog and marathon battery life bolster Apple’s claim to being the king of tablets.

Amazon.com Kindle Fire

Cnet rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (very good)

The good: The Kindle fire is a 7-inch tablet that links seamlessly with Amazon’s impressive collection of digital music, video, magazine and book services in one easy-to-use package. it boasts a great Web browser, and its Android app store includes most of the big must-have apps (such as Netflix, Pandora, and Hulu). the fire is ultra-affordable, and the screen quality is exceptional for the price.

The bad: The budget price means no premium features (3G wireless, cameras, microphone, GPS and location services are absent), but the biggest issues are its paltry storage (only 8 GB – with no expansion slot), lack of Bluetooth and dearth of parental controls. Screen brightness could be better, and the app selection doesn’t match Apple’s or Google’s (at least for now). Also, you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to take advantage of some of the features.

The cost: $200

The bottom line: Though it lacks the tech specs found on more expensive Apple and Android tablets, the Kindle fire is an outstanding entertainment value that prizes simplicity over techno-wizardry.

This article appeared on page D – 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Best technology products of 2011

(Credit:James Martin/CNET)

Expecting something from Apple can be a dangerous game, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to try and read the tea leaves every once in a while.

Below are five things I think we can expect from Apple next year. some of these are based on a long ramp-up of rumors and telltale signs from this year, with others outright speculation from trends and the company’s product release habits.

It’s worth pointing out that Apple’s usual lack of predictability is what makes it such an interesting company to watch. Nowhere was that more clear than what happened with theiPhone 4S. while most of the press and rumor blogs were anticipating a full overhaul of theiPhone‘s hardware, we got a souped upiPhone 4 instead. Sure, Siri turned out to be pretty cool, but many were expecting something else.

Now, without further ado…

1. no TV set, yetThe rumored product that’s spent most of 2011 as an abstraction of data points is almost certainly on its way to being a real thing, but likely won’t be seen next year.

In the recently released biography of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, author Walter Isaacson noted Jobs’ efforts on making an easy-to-use TV set that is integrated with the company’s various products and services. “I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,” Jobs told Isaacson. “It would be seamlessly synched with all of your devices and with iCloud. it will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.”

Of course how far along Apple really was in that endeavor remains a significant question. in an interview with CNET, Isaacson said Apple wasn’t “close at all,” and that “it was very theoretical.” in late October, Bloomberg claimed that the company had already turned to one of the founding team members of the iPod and iTunes Music Store to get a TV set out the door. More recently, Jefferies & Company analyst Peter Misek claimed that Apple was tapping Sharp for display panels in order to make a TV for a mid-2012 release.

But that estimate seems awfully bullish, especially given where Apple’s home entertainment landscape currently sits. For better or worse, the Apple TV box remains a hobby product for the company. no doubt it will become more capable in future iterations, but what many are expecting with a TV set would be something that leapfrogs that effort. will Apple deliver that in 2012? my guess is no.

2. Siri opened up to developersThe sassy voice assistant has been a breakout hit for Apple since its introduction with the iPhone 4S in October, but it’s missing something big. Apple’s current implementation is limited to Web queries from partners like Wolfram Alpha and Yelp, along with Apple’s own apps. What’s missing is a way to hook it into the half a million or so apps that are on the App Store.

Much as those very same apps helped expand what one could do with the iPhone itself, creating voice plug-ins for apps could very well be the next step in making Siri a more useful service.

It took Apple a little less than four months after the launch of the original iPhone to announce a software developer kit, a move that led to the App Store in 2008. in Siri’s case, the apps are already there, as are the tools to make them. However Siri does most of its magic on Apple’s servers, and is currently limited to the iPhone 4S.

Would developers take on extra work for just one device? They certainly did that with the iPhone 4 and its move to a Retina Display, as well as the iPad and its bigger resolution.

3. The end of the Mac ProDesktop sales just weren’t what they used to be compared to when Apple introduced the original design of the Mac Pro (then the Power Mac G5) in mid-2003. while Mac hardware sales have grown considerably since then, notebooks have been the belle of the ball since they surpassed the company’s sales of desktop computers in 2004. those same notebook units now face cannibalization from Apple’s iPad, which itself blew past Mac sales last year.

So why keep the Mac Pro around? it certainly links back to Apple’s roots in providing designers and professionals with beefy workstations. But it’s one of the only products in Apple’s lineup that just doesn’t fit in anymore. Apple’s Macs are basically sealed up, and need to be taken to a repair professional for anything outside of swapping out the RAM. By comparison, the Mac Pro lets you open up the side and fiddle around with the inside bits. That’s the standard for PC manufacturers, but Apple’s made a hefty business out of doing things the other way around.

An anonymously sourced report from AppleInsider in October suggested that Apple’s seen a sharp decline in sales of the workstations, which begin at $2,499 in the U.S., and that the drop has led executives to reconsider whether it’s worth continuing to invest in the product. Lending further credence to that idea is the fact that Apple hasn’t given the line a proper overhaul since before it made the move to Intel processors, instead putting its focus on updates to its Mac Mini, iMac and MacBook portable lines.

The real question is how the Mac Pro will take its bow. will Apple announce its demise, or simply replace that spot in its product line with something else?

4. Apple ditches Google for MapsGoogle’s been closely tied to Apple’s iOS since the first iPhone was unveiled, but that could change next year if the company ends up introducing its own mapping service. Why would Apple do that? Tensions between the Apple and Google have increased in recent years with the rise of Android, Google’s mobile operating system.

Making matters more interesting was Apple’s acknowledgement that it was collecting traffic data “to build a crowd-sourced traffic database with the goal of providing iPhone users an improved traffic service in the next couple of years.” that sounds more like a layer on top of an existing mapping service than a standalone service of its own. yet, Apple acquired C3 Technologies this year, the third such mapping company it’s bought up, and one that specializes in eye-popping 3D imagery.

Something that throws some cold water on this prediction is that Apple renewed its deal with Google to use its mapping service earlier this year, but we don’t know how long that’s good for.

5. A truly new iPhoneApple’s released a new iPhone every year since its introduction, making this one a bit of a no-brainer. so far that cycle’s consisted of a steady stream of internal tweaks, with every other year including a full-scale overhaul. The iPhone 4 was the last such big change to Apple’s iPhone design formula, with the 4S getting speedier guts.

Yet before the 4S launched, the rumors were hot and heavy with Apple pushing out a drastic design change. that device never materialized, putting all bets on it arriving next year.

So what features will it have? The big thing to expect is a larger screen. The traditional 3.5-inch displays have served Apple well, but other manufacturers have bumped up to the 4-inch range, with some going bigger. Other things to put on that list include a jump to 4G networking, near-field communications (NFC) for transferring information between devices, and of course the usual tweaks to the camera and processor.

Apple: Five predictions for 2012

Delirium reigns in the iOSsphere on learning that the iPhone 5 is, or was, real. until Steve Jobs, its Creator, also became its Destroyer.

How could he do it?

It helps that a just released Qualcomm chipset means LTE is coming soon on the iPhone 5, even though Qualcomm didn’t mention smartphones as a target for the new product.

You read it here second.

“[W]hat makes the iPhone 5 rumor-mill so incredibly captivating is the suggestion that the fabled device has in fact existed for quite some time….”

- Dannie Heffron, DailyNewsCorner.com

Blame Steve Jobs: he cancelled, trashed, scrapped, killed iPhone 5 “at the last second”

Or pretty nearly the last second. This week, the iOSsphere is ablaze with the claims made Nov. 11 by Business Insider: a larger-screened, thinner, iPhone 5 was just “months” away from being announced, and Steve Jobs pulled the plug on it.

Or, as other sites are reporting, killed, binned, scrapped, yanked, trashed.

The new spate of speculation comes just a month after the last one, over how the “next-generation iPhone [i.e. iPhone 5] ‘was the last project that Steve Jobs was intimately involved with from concept to final design,” according to a CNET post by Brooke Crothers, quoting a Wall Street analyst.

Put the two spates together and you get: “Steve Jobs was intimately involved from concept to final design of the iPhone 5, which he then abruptly cancelled 12 weeks before it was going to be announced, and came up with the iPhone 4S instead.”

Business Insider’s headline: “The iPhone 5 Was Real, says A Source who Played with A Prototype”. And as re-interpreted by DailyNewsCorner.com: “iPhone 5 Release Date Postponed last second by Steve Jobs”

That’s how it goes in the iOSsphere: rumor embroidering. Dannie Heffron, a member of the site’s crack “team of experienced writers who are dedicated to bring you the hottest news articles and media insights from all around the world,” is happy to embroider because “what makes the iPhone 5 rumor-mill so incredibly captivating is the suggestion that the fabled device has in fact existed for quite some time, but for one reason or another has yet to be unleashed upon the world.”

The Business Insider post was written by Nicholas Carlson, who assures us that “it turns out the ‘iPhone 5′ – or at least, a fully redesigned iPhone – was real and it was scrapped only three months before the iPhone 4S was announced” instead. This reality is based on “an industry source who has been right about future Apple products in the past.” The idea of “future products…in the past” makes our eyes cross, but we get the idea: this guy guessed right before.

The industry source says his claims are based on talks he had with Apple engineers. “Our source said that Apple engineers he knows thought until about three months before the iPhone 4S was released, that a new fully re-designed iPhone was going to be Apple’s next big announcement.”

But the obvious question here is who were these engineers, and were they in a position actually to know Apple’s real plans for the iPhone?

So what happened to iPhone 5, asks Carlson. “Our source doesn’t claim to know.” But the source does know of a rumor that claims to know. “He says the rumor among Apple employees is that Steve Jobs was unhappy with the bigger screen because it ‘fragmented’ iPhones. Apple’s big argument against Android is the way all the different phones from different manufacturers fragment that operating system.”

Even Heffron doesn’t seem fully convinced: “Apparently, Jobs was not happy with the way the new, larger screen somewhat fragmented the iPhone line.”

This strikes us as a bit odd. Jobs oversees for 12 to 18 months the design and development of a new iPhone with “truly staggering” specs, including a bigger screen, and then – 12 weeks before the phone is to be announced — realizes he doesn’t like the fact that the bigger screen is, you know, bigger.

Heffron: “If the reports are to be believed, the iPhone 4S should never have actually been brought into existence, but was used as a stopgap solution to keep the masses busy until the iPhone 5 was perfected – which of course could take some considerable time.” (Based on what Heffron has already said, this could only mean that Apple was redesigning the phone Jobs designed so it will be released with a smaller screen, which to put it mildly, seems absurd.)

Bill Palmer, at BeatWeek, has been beating this drum for much of 2011: there were one or more “problems” with iPhone 5, so Apple shoved it on the backburner, and rushed to complete and release the stopgap iPhone 4S.

Palmer doesn’t bother to present any evidence for this. Carlson at Business Insider says his source claimed to have used a prototype of this Real true iPhone 5. Even if the source did have a prototype, there’s always less to this kind of claim than first appears. The question is: was it a prototype for the Real-True-iPhone-5-that-was-12-weeks-from-being-released or was it, like you know, a prototype – a unit testing a range of features as part of long-term product developer, features that could indeed appear in a 2012, or later, iPhone model.

If Carlson’s source is to be believed, you believe that Apple abruptly cancelled a product on the verge of being launched and then, in the space of 12 weeks, designed and developed a replacement and ramped up manufacturing to millions of units.

It’s this kind of embroidered absurdity that really makes the “iPhone 5 rumor-mill so incredibly captivating.”

LTE looms not just for iPad 3 but also iPhone 5, via Qualcomm’s Gobi 4000 chip

Qualcomm this week announced that its Gobi 4000 chip, with integrated LTE, is now shipping.

And the iOSsphere lit up like a solar flare. This could only mean one thing: finally, finally, LTE is coming to the long-suffering, yearning iPhone masses.

Gobi combines Qualcomm’s multimode 3G/4G modems, so OEMs can offer both LTE/HSPA+ and LTE/EV-DO designs, according to the chip vendor. Modules using the new silicon are already available from Novatel Wireless and Sierra Wireless.

The iOSsphere instantly overflowed with speculation that iPad 3 will go Gobi, and ditto iPhone 5. The chip “could very well ship in a next-generation LTE-capable iPad,” announced Jordan Kahn at 9to5mac.

It “could be used in the 4G LTE iPhone,” speculated iPhoneHacks. “Is This The Next-Gen LTE Chipset That The iPad 3 And iPhone 5 Have Been Waiting For?” asked the breathless headline at CultOfMac. 

Looks like it, according to Todd Haselton at BoyGeniusReport. “Apple uses older Gobi technology in its CDMA iPad 2 and iPhone 4, which means it’s very possible that we’ll see Qualcomm’s Gobi 4000 platform used in a 4G iPhone and iPad,” he posted. 

Benny Har-Even, at Telecoms.com is even more optimistic: 

Apple’s use of Qualcomm silicon is “making it likely that the new chips will provide a straight upgrade path to an LTE capable iPhone 5 and iPad 3.”

That’s a nice touch: the phrase “straight upgrade path” makes it sound sort of like swapping your old PC hard disk for a newer, bigger, faster one.

CNET’s Joe Aimonetti raised a quibble or two, noting that “Apple was not specifically mentioned in the press release as a partner for the new chip.” And in fact, the Qualcomm didn’t even mention smartphones: Gobi is great for “many commonly used personal computing, tablet and e-reader operating systems, including Windows® and Android, and hardware architectures, such as our powerful Snapdragon™ dual-core and quad-core processors.”

And Aimonetti pointed out that “Of course, Apple has not released any official specs or plans for the iPad 3″ not to mention the iPhone 5.

Don’t worry though: the iOSsphere will fill in all the blanks.

iPhone 5 will have a 4-inch display from LG

AppleInsider was one of a few sites that picked up a short-lived story, published by Korea Times, that Apple was talking with LG about displays for next generation iPads and iPhones.

One would be a 7.3-inch display for an “iPad mini” or a smaller version of the iPad, and a 4-inch screen for the next iPhone. The current iPad has 9.7-inch display; the current iPhone 4S has a 3.5-inch one.

AppleInsider says the original story, based on a single unnamed source who was variously identified as an industry insider, a LG Executive, or just anonymous source, was “quickly pulled” from the Korea Times Website.

Steve Jobs ‘trashed iPhone 5 at the last minute’, report claims – iPad/iPhone – Macworld UK