Hasta La Gadget!

Take today’s latest iPhone news with a grain of salt, folks, but it looks like Apple’s next iPhone could be announced on June 20, and be released a couple weeks later sometime in early July. This isn’t an odd time frame for Apple, however, as they’ve made announcements in June in the past. This would then point to a fall launch of a possible lower-cost iPhone that, according to a new patent, could come with a ceramic body.

The new patent filing from Apple provides only slightly more evidence that a cheaper iPhone may be in our future. The patent suggests that the low-cost iPhone could be made out of a type of ceramic, with the materials mentioned being zirconia and alumina. Zirconia is said to allow radio waves to pass through easily, making it ideal for electronics consumption.

Of course, there’s a whole list of materials that are rumored for a low-cost iPhone, so we’re merely just adding more to the list with today’s ceramics patent. As for the iPhone 5S this June, that would be right after Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference took place, or at least compared to last year’s dates for the event. Apple has yet to announce dates for this year’s WWDC, but that could be the time when Apple makes the official announcement.

Apple has recently been using the fall season to announce and launch its new products. The last time that the company announced a new iPhone was back in 2010 when they unveiled the iPhone 4 at WWDC in June. Of course, it certainly wouldn’t be odd of them to go back to the summer release cycle, but we’ll ultimately have to wait and see what they decide to do.

[via CNET]

iPhone 5S event tipped for June 20 while Apple patent suggests ceramics is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

A recent change in Microsoft’s hardware requirements for Windows 8 is creating a lot of speculation on what Microsoft has planned in the future. Previously, Windows 8 could only run on displays with a resolution of at least 1366×768. However, that requirement has been lowered to only 1024×768, which means that we could see smaller form factors of Windows tablets in the future.

Of course, Windows 8 has supported 1024×768 for a while now, but hardware requirements from Microsoft as far as tablets are concerned requires at least a widescreen 1366×768 resolution, which is rather odd, but Microsoft has quietly updated its tablet requirements with the new spec, meaning that smaller Windows tablets could be in our future.

This seems fairly obvious, though, as small form factors are rather popular as of now, with Google’s Nexus 7, Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD, and Apple’s iPad mini leading the charge in the 7- to 8-inch tablet race. As for when we might see smaller Windows tablets, it’s not entirely certain, but they could come during Microsoft’s BUILD developers conference in June.

If a 7- or 8-inch Windows tablet does, indeed, step into the limelight, it’ll be interesting to see if they catch on. Currently, Microsoft’s Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets haven’t been selling well, so if manufacturers get the price right with the smaller variants, they could squeeze their way in with the other Android and iOS offerings.

[via ZDNet]

Windows 8 hardware requirement update hints at 7-inch tablet is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It’s a very poorly kept secret that Intel is looking to bust in the pay-TV business. Rumors have been circulating since at least December that the chip giant is working on its own set-top box and hopes to pair it with a “virtual cable” service that offers unbundled channels. Of course, content creators are reticent to give up the lucrative package deals they’ve struck, which require providers to serve up smaller outlets alongside popular ones. But the tides are starting to shift, and many are demanding that these channels be offered à la carte. According to Bloomberg, Intel is getting close to offering such a service and is reportedly closing in on deals with Time Warner, Viacom and NBC that would allow them to offer both live and on-demand content over the internet. Sources are reporting that the broad terms of the deal have been agreed to, and its only a few fine details and some financial terms that need to be finalized. Intel is also allegedly in talks with Disney, CBS and News Corp. Though, those negotiations are in the preliminary stages. If Intel can successfully land deals for CNN, Comedy Central, MTV and other properties owned by its supposed new partners then its TV experiment could stand a legitimate chance at success.

Filed under: Internet, HD, Intel

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Source: Bloomberg

While viewers enjoy promotions like free Star Trek and Kurosawa, Hulu’s owners are once again considering selling the video streaming site. The last bit of news was that News Corp and Disney were considering buying one another out, but according to Reuters, anonymous sources confirm that the board is reaching out to several potential buyers while it considers its options. Another possibility from Variety suggests that the two would remain as part owners, and welcome another party to join, perhaps CBS. This wouldn’t be the first time Hulu’s owners tried to sell the site however, as it went through the whole process — without changing hands — back in 2011. Perhaps this time, with a new CEO in place, all the companies involved can figure out what they want Hulu to be going forward.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

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Source: Reuters, Variety

If you’ve been waiting for a smartwatch ever since Apple released the super-cute iPod that fit perfectly on a wristwatch strap, you may be in luck – Google is reportedly making one running Android. But then there’ve been reports of Apple making a smartwatch too. And LG is making one as well, and Samsung, and who knows which other companies – smartwatches from every angle, I tell you! But today’s report about Google comes from the Financial Times where they’ve got an inside contact, so it’s best we listen.

If you see what the Financial Times notes, they’ve got a “person briefed on the project” who says that though larger projects like Glass are being created in the Google X laboratories, this supposed Google smartwatch is being developed for by the Google Android unit. What we must assume here is that, if the watch were real, it’d be created by one of Google’s hardware partners – perhaps Motorola? Meanwhile the Google developers on-staff creating Android would be taming a version of Android tailored specifically for an ultra-tiny display.

“While Glass is being created in its X Lab, home to experimental “moonshot” projects such as the self-driving car, Google’s smart watch is being developed by its Android unit, according to a person briefed on the project, to act as an extension to the smartphones using that operating system. The project is separate from Samsung’s efforts, the source said, although there is no indication of when it might launch.” – FT

It’s not as if it doesn’t make sense for everyone and their grandmother to be creating a smartwatch at the same time with essentially no warning and no pre-cursor or need, but what if? What if Apple and Google decided, separately, that they’d both create a wearable computer that wrapped around your wrist at once?

That once-utilized watch-loving arm will once again be home to a timepiece, only this time, you’ll be able to do a whole lot more than you were able in the past. Then it’s time again to get rid of the cellphone and the smartphone, right? Seems only logical!

Of course, then again, there’s always that Google Smartwatch patent.

Google Smartwatch is latest in essentially baseless claims of wearables is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.