Exclusive: White iPhone 4 lands at Vodafone UK

Well, would you have a gander at that? That, friends, is Apple’s long-awaited, hardly-forgotten white iPhone 4, and so far as we can tell, this is actually the real deal. We’ve seen retailers making space for the elusive handset over the past few months, and earlier today, we heard that Vodafone UK’s inventory systems were showing the white iPhone 4 as shipping in. Now, we’ve secured a few images of a 16GB model from a separate source that has seemingly made its way into the hands of one lucky customer (read: bloke) over in Britain.

As the story goes, the salesperson rang it up as a black iPhone to help facilitate the transaction, and shortly after the sale went down, Voda sent out a notice to halt sale of these gems “until next week.” Just so you know, the MC604B/A model number shown here is particularly interesting when compared to our own in-house UK iPhone 4; the latter, which is also a 16GB edition, sports a model number of MC603B/A. We suspect we aren’t going too far out on a limb by suggesting that the “3” and “4” are there to represent hue variations, and if you’d like to stretch the theory one step further, MC605B/A represents the 32GB black iPhone 4. In other words, don’t be shocked when the white 32 gigger rolls in as MC606B/A. So, is this the first legitimate sign that a white iPhone 4 is but days away from going on sale? We’re hardly experts in meteorology, but it sure felt like spring in Londontown today.

P.S. – 9 to 5 Mac suggests that it’ll be landing on April 27th, at least in the Netherlands.

[Thanks, Anonymii]

Exclusive: White iPhone 4 lands at Vodafone UK originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung strikes back at Apple with ten patent infringement claims

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone: in the latest chapter of the Apple-Samsung dispute over their smartphones’ resemblance, the latter company has just retaliated by filing lawsuits against Apple in three countries. Sammy’s load of ammo includes five patent infringements in South Korea, two in Japan, and three in Germany, though we’ve yet to hear more details about these claims. Now we just sit back and enjoy the show — popcorn, anyone?

[Thanks, Jake L.]

Update: Reuters has shed some light on the actual patents Samsung is alleging are being infringed. The news organization reports they relate to “power reduction during data transmission, 3G technology for reducing errors during data transmission, and wireless data communication technology.”

Samsung strikes back at Apple with ten patent infringement claims originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 23:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 5 to have 8 megapixel camera and improved antenna, same old design?

To date, we’ve heard scant few details about the next-generation iPhone, except for a rumor that it may or may not have a bigger screen, and that it almost certainly won’t pack an NFC chip. Now, one analyst is reporting the design will remain unchanged, though its innards will get a slight boost. Ming-Chi Kuo of Concord Securities (who has been dead-on in the past) talked with sources in Apple’s supply chain to learn that the iPhone 5 will boast the same A5 processor as the iPad 2, along with an 8 megapixel rear camera, improved antenna design, and that Qualcomm baseband for both GSM and CDMA models we’ve seen bandied about (technically, the one in the current Verizon version is already GSM-capable). His sources also claim that Apple will begin mass production of its next-gen phone in September, which aligns with what we already heard about Apple moving to a fall launch — and because of the ongoing disaster in Japan, the company might not have sufficient supplies to launch a new iPod touch at the same time. Typically we take many Apple rumors with a grain of salt, but these tidbits all sound plausible. And given that Kuo has been right before, we’re especially inclined to believe him — even if the truth is more ho-hum than magical.

iPhone 5 to have 8 megapixel camera and improved antenna, same old design? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile answers its customers’ most Frequently Asked Question: no iPhone

Never mind the practicalities of T-Mobile and AT&T using different 3G bands, Apple not having approved any deal for extended distribution of its phone, or the fact AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile isn’t set to complete for another year. The immediate reaction to AT&T agreeing to buy T-Mobile USA was to ask, “so that means the iPhone’s coming to T-Mo, right?” Well, wrong. T-Mobile has delivered an FAQ on its site informing customers about the forthcoming transition, including the unequivocal notice regarding the iPhone:

“T-Mobile USA remains an independent company. The acquisition is expected to be completed in approximately 12 months. We do not offer the iPhone. We offer cutting edge devices like the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and coming soon our new Sidekick 4G.”

So that settles that (for a year, anyway). In other news, service and billing won’t be changing, and there’s a promise that T-Mobile devices will continue to operate as they do now even after the acquisition is complete. Ominously, however, the company fails to answer its own question about pricing changes, stating only that it’ll honor “all contracted plans that are entered into before the change of ownership.”

T-Mobile answers its customers’ most Frequently Asked Question: no iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Mar 2011 19:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 5 won’t have NFC, say insiders at UK carriers

The Independent is starting our week off on a sour note with the information that Apple’s next iPhone won’t have NFC hardware built in. Near Field Communication has found itself coming to the fore this year, thanks in large part to the Nexus S touting it as a major feature, however sources at “several” of the UK’s major carriers have told the newspaper that Apple intends to skip on it for this year. That intel is reportedly coming directly from meetings with the Cupertino brain trust, which is said to be dissatisfied with the current lack of a clear, universal NFC standard. It’s generally been Apple’s wont to omit or delay features it doesn’t feel it can implement well, and NFC looks fated to be another one on that list.

iPhone 5 won’t have NFC, say insiders at UK carriers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 03:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LTE iPhone noise builds steam with a grain of Wang

Has it got the fourgees? Well, if you’re talking about Apple’s iPhone and believe what you hear from China Mobile Chairman Wang Jianzhou, it very soon will. Following in the well publicized footsteps of Verizon CEO Dan Mead, Mr. Jianzhou tells us that Steve Jobs himself “has expressed his interest in an LTE iPhone and is willing to start the development at an early date.” Of course, the crux of the issue will be in ascertaining how early “an early date” might be, but it’s not completely out of the realm of reason to believe that Apple may already be cranking away on an LTE-capable iPhone 5. We all know how much Steve loves to compare measurements with the competition and the iPhone’s lack of a fourth G will probably be driving him mad by the time the summer rolls around. Either way, we’ve now got two extremely senior dudes claiming LTE is on Apple’s roadmap.

LTE iPhone noise builds steam with a grain of Wang originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 09:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iControlPad finally available for order, shipping next week

iControlPad finally available for order, phone gamers finally get physical controls

The iControlPad hasn’t been flirting with vaporware status for quite as long as Duke Nukem Forever but certainly long enough to make us wonder if we’d ever be able to use it to kick some in-game butt before we ran out of bubblegum. We’ve been tantalized by this formerly iPhone-exclusive adapter since way back in 2008, when it was going to be a simple case with a dock connector that would let you control those emulators with greater ease. It’s grown significantly since then, the latest version shown above — the final version, as it happens. It’s now available for order at a cost of $74.99, and we’re happy to say that ditching that dock connector and going for Bluetooth has expanded support well past the iDevice crowd, including things like the Motorola Blackflip, Blackberry Touch, and the now-classic G1. However, we’re told not all games and emulators will work with the thing, so your mileage may vary. First devices ship next week, so make with the clicking.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

iControlPad finally available for order, shipping next week originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 10:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon iPhone now shipping to select customers: ‘it begins’

While pre-orders have been halted for the interim, several readers that got their credit card information in on time have been sent an email from Verizon alerting to an CDMA iPhone shipment en route to their residence of choice. FedEx doesn’t seem to be tracking any of the orders just yet, but we’ll check back tomorrow to be sure.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: We’ve seen our first FedEx tracking screen and the estimated delivery date is February 7th, a whole 72 hours before everyone else gets it. Thanks, Richard!

Verizon iPhone now shipping to select customers: ‘it begins’ originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon iPhone review

The Verizon iPhone 4 is an interesting product for Engadget to review. Firstly, it’s not exactly a new device (not in any outwardly noticeable way). From design, down to its CPU, RAM, and even cost, this iPhone is the same as the AT&T model… save for that one small but really important thing: it’s got a CDMA radio inside. The device is also somewhat tricky to review based on its software, since we’ve all been using (and even took a deep look at) iOS 4.2 for quite some time. So for us the task is to make clear the differences between these two devices and their networks. Now that’s a little easier, because we’re sure you have the same questions as us. What are calls like? How are the data rates? Is service notably improved or different than AT&T’s? Most importantly, if you’re currently a frustrated iPhone 4 owner, does it make sense to make the switch? We’re going to answer all those queries (and more), so read on for a full review of the Verizon iPhone 4!

Continue reading Verizon iPhone review

Verizon iPhone review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geolocation app appeals to your inner good samaritan, makes you an amateur EMT

When you go into cardiac arrest, you’ve got about ten minutes to live if you don’t receive medical attention, and the average emergency response time is seven minutes after you dial 911. In an effort to get folks help more quickly and leverage the iPhone’s life saving abilities, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District in California has created the FireDepartment app to enlist the help of the citizenry in fighting the (unfortunate) results of a lifetime of eating tacos. The iPhone app — Android and BlackBerry versions are currently in the works — allows emergency dispatchers to notify users via text of a nearby crisis. For those feeling heroic, the app displays a map with the victim’s location and any nearby automatic electronic defibrillators, and provides “resuscitation reminders” in case you’re the CPR teddy-toting type. For now, the service only works in San Ramon but there are plans to port it for use elsewhere. That means we can look forward to a nation of amateur EMTs, which makes us thankful that mouth-to-mouth is no longer a part of CPR. Check the video after the break to see the app in action.

Continue reading Geolocation app appeals to your inner good samaritan, makes you an amateur EMT

Geolocation app appeals to your inner good samaritan, makes you an amateur EMT originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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