Fresh iPhone Apps for Sep. 30: Quora, Chefs Feed, Pig Curling, Robotriot – iPhone app article – Phil Hornshaw

Question-and-answer community website Quora has finally come to the iTunes App Store with an app that taps you in to experts, community members and anyone else who can dish out information when you need a question answered. Read about it below, and then get some more specific answers from Chefs Feed, an app that gets restaurant recommendations from actual chefs, rather than just other users. Pig Curling is exactly what it sounds like and is a fun casual game to take into the weekend with you, while Robotriot will satisfy any cravings for old-school side-scrolling platformers and fighting robots.

Questions and answers – that’s Quora’s bag (Q or A – get it?) and now you can tie into the online community used by many to quickly ask and answer questions on all manner of topics. That’s 60,000 topics, to be precise, and many of them location-based. If you want to learn about something, post a question and you’ll get answers back as quickly as community members can respond. If you’ve got an insight to share, you can do that on the fly as well, using your device’s Wi-Fi or 3G Internet capabilities.

Quora is populated by experts in a lot of fields, so asking questions will often yield very useful answers. you can also use the topical organization to learn about topics you’re interested in by reading the questions of others and the answers they receive. Quora is also a handy traveling tool, with the ability to get information on nearby locations using your iOS device’s GPS capabilities.

You’ve probably seen restaurant guides that give you recommendations from restaurant reviews or from other users and friends, but you’ve likely never seen one that shows you where chefs like to eat. That’s Chefs Feed, a restaurant recommendation app that polls true food experts and finds out what they like in a variety of genres and categories.

Chefs Feed is launching in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles and includes 100 of the best chefs from those cities. you can search for particular chefs and their restaurants by quality and category, and you can even see those chefs’ favorite dishes at various establishments. If you’re hungry enough, the app carries a feature that finds you a great chef-recommended dish at a restaurant nearby, using your device’s GPS capabilities.

The premise here is pretty simple. It’s curling, the Winter Olympic sport popular in Canada, in which a team throws a rock down an icy stretch to try to hit a spot on a bullseye to score points. But instead of a rock, you throw picks. it sounds weird because it is, but Pig Curling gains a lot from replacing stones with swine, like various kinds of pigs that can go further or bash through obstacles (and yes, there are lots of obstacles with which to deal). the more points you score in each level and the more pigs you leave on the bullseye, the better your rank for each stage.

You’ll use seven different kinds of pigs to score points and deal with four different kinds of surfaces for your curling levels. there are 40 levels available in the game, and you’ll also be able to earn achievements and rank up on global leaderboards, thanks to Game Center support.

Robots need fighting, I guess, which is why there are so many apps that concern battling renegade machines equipped with scary weapons. in Robotriot, you play a robot tasked with raiding the ships of other robots in a side-scrolling adventure game, not unlike classic titles such as Metroid or Castlevania: Symphony of the Night from the console side, or Robot Wants Kitty from the iTunes App Store. in each level, you’ll have to fight off renegade robots while you learn how to move through each stage, find the generator and destroy it.

You’ll work through 12 different levels in this sci-fi platformer, and face off against 13 different kinds of robotic enemies along the way. You’ll also fight off bosses and gather weapons upgrades to further your warlike robotic ends.

LG Unveils 4G Phone Optimus LTE

South Korean electronics major LG has unveiled a new smartphone called Optimus LTE that runs on 4G network in its home market. The new smartphone joins the small line of 4G mobile handsets currently available in the world and sports an Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system.

4G is basically the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards after 2G and 3G and offers much faster data transmission (among other things) than any of its predecessors. while 3G speeds currently max out at 14Mbps (for downlink), with 4G speeds up to 100Mbps (for moving user) and 1Gbps (for stationary user) can be achieved. Other 4G mobile phones currently available include HTC EVO 4G, Samsung Galaxy S II LTE and HTC Thunderbolt among others.

Since Indian telco’s are still in the mode of launching 3G services in the country, don’t expect to get your hands on this phone anytime soon. Indian carriers are unlikely to launch 4G services in the near future, so even if you manage to get one of these devices, you may not be able to play around much at super fast speeds.

The Optimus LTE comes with a 4.5 inch true HD IPS (in-plane switching) touchscreen LCD display (developed in close collaboration with sister company LG Display) which according to the company will offer more information at a glance with 1280×720 high definition pixel resolution and 16:9 screen viewing without distortion (the same standards used in the TVs). The display also has 329 pixels per inch (ppi) real RGB resolution, displays true natural colours and automatically adjusts colours (by LG’s mobile HD graphic engine).

“High resolution displays on smartphones are becoming even more necessary these days. LG Optimus LTE is the first smartphone in Korea to offer vivid and clear HD content on a 4G network,” said Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.

The mobile phone runs on the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system and is powered by a 1.5GHz Scorpion dual-core processor. It has 1GB of RAM and comes with 4GB of internal memory that is expandable up to 32GB with a microSD card.

Additionally, the handset has an 8 mega pixels auto-focus rear camera with LED flash that can record full HD videos (1080p) and a 1.3 mega pixels front facing camera. It also has an HDMI port and supports DLNA, which enables file sharing between other DLNA devices like TVs. The mobile phone comes with a stereo FM radio, has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and comes with a 1,830 mAh battery.

There is no doubt that the new mobile phone is a good one but it is the display that actually catches the imagination. The resolution and pixels per inch is even better than the one offered by Apple on their new iPhone 4S. while the iPhone 4S offers  960×640 pixel resolution at 326 ppi, LG’s display offers 1280×720 HD pixel resolution at 329 ppi.

Also Intertek, an international product testing and certification agency, recently pointed out in a report that IPS displays perform better than AMOLED in areas of colour accuracy, brightness, battery efficiency and performance, therefore making the true HD IPS display better than most of the displays offered on mobile phones today.

As of now, there is no news available about Optimus LTE’s launch outside Korea. but keep track of this space for more on the same.

Apple iPhone 4S Review – Smartphones – CNET Reviews

We tried a few indoor shots with the camera and definitely noticed a change from the iPhone 4. in addition to the sharper details, most colors were brighter. We’ll have to save our final opinion until we can gauge the camera under several conditions (a sunny day, with a flash, and so on), but we like what we see so far.

Videos also get a boost with the ability to shoot 1080p HD video clips at 30 frames per second and with video stabilization. yet, even with all the improvements, CNET digital imaging editor Lori Grunin is quick to note that while the iPhone might have a killer camera, it’s no camera killer.

New carrierThough it received very little attention during Apple’s presentation, the addition of Sprint is one of the day’s high points. over the past few weeks, it was pretty obvious the iPhone family would expand, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that millions of new people can now join the iOS family without switching carriers. What’s more, Sprint is promising that it will keep its unlimited data plans, at least for now. That alone is a big point in the carrier’s favor over AT&T and Verizon Wireless. On the other hand, we’ll have to see just how the increase in data-hungry users will test Sprint’s network and how the carrier’s strong Android lineup will withstand the new competition.

Once we get iPhone 4 review devices we’ll do a close comparison of how the Sprint models stack up against the AT&T and Verizon versions in both data speed and call quality. but at the very least, we’re always glad to see more customer choice.

ConnectivityAs widely reported, the iPhone 4S is a dual-band world phone, meaning it supports both GSM and CDMA. this is more significant for Verizon and Sprint customers, as it will allow them to use the iPhone even if they travel overseas. What’s yet to be determined is whether the carriers will unlock the preloaded SIM card, so users can swap it out for a prepaid international SIM card at their destination. We also don’t know if the CDMA models will offer simultaneous voice and data over the CDMA network. At present, that’s a significant limitation of the Verizon iPhone 4.

Meanwhile, for GSM customers, the iPhone 4S now supports HSDPA 14.4, so the smartphone is capable of reaching theoretical download speeds of 14.4Mbps down, 5.8Mbps up, which is double the speed of the iPhone 4. Note that AT&T has taken some liberties with its marketing by saying it will be the only first U.S. carrier to offer an HSPA+ connection, but to be classified as HSPA+, the handset would technically need to be capable of reaching theoretical download speeds of 21Mbps, such as the Samsung Galaxy S II for AT&T.

Of course, the lack of “real” 4G support for LTE on Verizon or WiMax on Sprint is troubling. Apple has its reasons, no doubt. Battery life remains an issue for high-speed phones and Apple must have decided that, at this point, it couldn’t offer its optimal customer experience on a 4G handset (remember that customer experience is really what Apple is all about). secondly, Apple never jumps on a technology that is still growing, and it must think that 4G doesn’t cover enough people quite yet.

DesignAs we noted earlier, the iPhone 4S’ design is nearly identical to the iPhone 4’s. aside from being 0.1 ounce heavier, the iPhone 4S is exactly the same size as its predecessor. It also features the same 3.5-inch, 960×640-pixel Retina Display with a glass back and front. One thing Apple did redesign, however, is the antenna system. The new design will hopefully prevent another Antennagate situation and Apple says to expect even better call quality.

Pricing and availabilityThe iPhone 4S will be available for preorder on October 7; it goes on sale October 14 from AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint in the U.S. It will come in black and white and pricing starts at $199 for the 16GB version, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB.

iOS 5 The iPhone 4S will debut with all the features of iOS 5, which is Apple’s latest version of its operating system. We tackle that analysis in our separate iOS 5 first Take, so be sure to check it out. in short, it’s not a huge upgrade, but we welcome the new features like the advanced notifications and “PC Free.”

So should you buy it? There’s no question that the iPhone 4S offers several attractive new features. Granted, some gadget enthusiasts who’ve spent months watching the “iPhone 5” rumor mill spin out of control will be disappointed. and in a way, we sympathize. indeed, the lack of highly anticipated features like 4G and a revamped design can be hard to swallow. but as long as the “antennagate” problems that we saw on the iPhone 4 don’t return, we can live without a new design. a bigger display would be nice, but we don’t see a real need for a thinner phone. Waiting for 4G is more troubling, but it fits Apple’s pattern of staying behind bleeding-edge technology. Android fans may gloat, but Apple fans shouldn’t be surprised.

In the end, the decision to buy an iPhone 4S will depend on your current carrier contract. If you aren’t eligible for an upgrade with a rebate, then we don’t think the new features are worth paying full price. On the other hand, if you can upgrade or if you’re a Sprint customer waiting to get your hands on the iPhone for the very first time, then you should consider it. Sure, there’s the chance that a better “iPhone 5” will come next June, but that’s a long time to wait. What’s more, there’s no guarantee that Apple will even stick to that schedule. So go ahead and take the chance because in the cell phone world, something better is always around the corner.

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Apple iPhone 4S Preorders Top 1 Million in 24 Hours

Apple announced that preorders of its iPhone 4S have topped 1 million in a single day, surpassing the previous single-day preorder record of 600,000 held by iPhone 4. the iPhone 4S is the company’s latest smartphone and comes with new features including Apple’s dual-core A5 chip, an all new camera with advanced optics, full 1080p HD resolution video recording and Siri, an intelligent assistant application that helps users get things done by asking it questions.

"we are blown away with the incredible customer response to iPhone 4S," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing. "the first-day preorders for iPhone 4S have been the most for any new product that Apple has ever launched, and we are thrilled that customers love iPhone 4S as much as we do."

The iPhone 4S will be available at all 245 Apple retail stores in the United States starting Oct. 14. Every customer who buys an iPhone 4S at an Apple retail store will also be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPhone 4S by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store and more. the smartphone also includes iOS 5, Apple’s latest edition of its mobile operating system with over 200 new features, and iCloud, a set of free cloud services that work with a user’s iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac or PC to automatically and wirelessly store content in iCloud and push it to all user devices.

The iPhone 4S comes in either black or white and will be available

The Top 5 iPhone Apps To Help You Study

Today’s students have a big advantage over their predecessors: mobile smartphones. using these remarkable devices, students have access to virtually any piece of knowledge that they can possibly hope to search for, right in their pocket. Let’s take a look at some applications for the iPhone that can help you further your scholarly pursuits.

New Oxford American Dictionary – Handmark, Inc.

English students should not think twice about downloading the new Oxford American Dictionary app for their iPhones. with over 350,000 of the most up-to-date words and phrases, you can’t possibly go wrong when searching for a particular word. Not only can you find the words that you need, but you can read up on hundreds of notes which will explain exactly what each one means. You can download the latest edition of the app for your iPhone and simply look at it when you need to spell a word or find the meaning.

Convert ~ the unit calculator – tap tap tap

Although this app is particularly useful for math and science students, it is a very handy iPhone app to have regardless of your major. You can converts units of area, time, volume, weight and many other measurements simply by entering the information and selecting the units you wish to convert it to. You won’t even have to switch apps to use an ordinary calculator because there is one built-in with this unit converter. it is regularly updated to give you all the latest conversions and details, so you’ll never be out-of-date!

Answers: powered by Yahoo! answers – Western ITS Limited

Now you can find answers to all your questions by joining the answers community powered by Yahoo! Download the app and connect your iPhone (or iPod) in order to read the many answers that ordinary people have given to over 100 million different questions. You can browse several different categories in order to narrow down your search and find answers quicker; however, you could improve your general knowledge simply by looking through various questions that you find interesting. unfortunately, you cannot ask or answer any questions yet with this app, but you can search for certain keywords and solve your problems very quickly.

Science Fact of the Day – JoJo, Inc.

With this app, you can download it to your iPhone and receive a fact about a certain aspect of science every single day. by taking a few seconds to read each fact, you will increase your knowledge of nature, the human body, planets and much more. this app is ideal for Science students as you can learn more about all areas of science and impress your classmates! You don’t need an internet connection to use this iPhone app, so you can read these interesting facts simply by downloading it.

15,000 useful Phrases by Grenville Kleiser – Andrews UK Limited

This iPhone/iPad app allows you to find the perfect phrase for any essay or assignment that you have to complete. even if you’re not an English student, you will often find yourself having to write certain essays for various projects. Medical students, law students and social care students often find themselves lost for words when completing essays and other pieces of writing. if you want to apply for certain courses, schemes, universities and jobs, you can impress those in charge simply by using impressive and appropriate language. However you choose to use it, this app will help you to expand your knowledge of the English language and its vocabulary.

Category: Tech, The Gadgets!

case4iphone.org: The Best Accessories pertaining to iPhone 4

The most recent model on the iPhone is spectacular, and it provides proved this Apple understand how to carry out your a lot of up-to-date technology to acquire outcome each and every and also each time. if you will be fortunate sufficient to be able to own one such incredible mobiles you’ll need to make certain for you to handle it. There a wide range of distinct accessories offered that can be sure to keep your iPhone inside best possible condition, to get probably the most from it. whether you might be trying to find accessories regarding iPhone 3G or even add-ons for iPhone 4, there are plenty that will enhance and also improve ones handsets overall performance and also offer you protection.The display is one of several most significant features of the particular iPhone, and also you have to always retain this specific safe in any respect times. Tactile displays usually are far also straightforward to scratch, and also ruin building all of them out of the q uestion to use. even the smallest connected with scratches tend to make this iPhone glimpse pretty unattractive, plus thinking about the amount they amount to desire to keep these people looking great. therefore several could dispute that certain with the best iPhone accessories may be the tv screen protector. The suitable iPhone instance is actually the key adornment you can purchase. The event that you simply choose will most likely be as a result of personal taste, and budget, and you will love this large variety of different cases available. There are wide and varied materials, styles, colours, and layout of choice from. So in addition to preserving your own mobile phone from blobs plus knocks, the truth turns into part of your present style, rather than just a case intended for a person’s mobile.once you will have located the optimal event you can begin to check at various other accessories. There is actually absolutely nothing more intense as compared with ones cell phone intending flat although you happen to be out, and about, therefore developing a automobile charger is definitely essential. The dock, and charger tend to be portion of your system, along with allow for you to help sync your iphone while using with vehicle charger. This will ensure you won’t become kept with an inactive cell while it can be needed the particular most. The high quality of good on the iphone 3gs is usually fantastic, and you will really want the particular earphones in order to supplement this sound. The specifically designed earphones permit one to pay attention to this melodies around the iphone, then any time an newly arriving telephone can be attained the i phone will mute that tunes hobby enabling anyone to perceive the actual mystery caller clearly. Hands-free is often a huge component when looking at using your smartphone within the move, and these types of headsets present people with good quality regarding sound, as well as comfort.Locating your iphone 3gs add-ons in shops along with stores may make you really feel dissatisfied and also frequently you’ll discover very restrained choices. however, shopping on the internet for that apple company iphone components will get into a full fresh world, along with let you have a big offering of items. you could learn most of you will need from the on the net shops along with usually at awesome prices.For an incredible group portable phone accessories go to mobileaccessorystore.co.uk where by a huge number of add-ons with regard to mobile or portable phones in addition to supplements can be found from numerous retailers many below one personal covering just to save everyone time.

Accessory will be spot in which you get newest selections involving iPhone several case or even iPad case.

Outlet Management: 3 Space Saving Socket Chargers

Bluelounge MiniDock – The MiniDock is a minimal charging dock that attaches to your iPhone/iPod charger. It eliminates the need to carry a cable around while adding a standing dock. The MiniDock is perfect for travel and in the home it’s perfect for the kitchen or wherever you have outlets that are above floor level. It’s also compatible with most cases.

Flipit! Plug-Less USB Charger – When traveling, sockets in hotels, airplanes and airports are hard to come by–when finally find one they’re usually already being used. with the Flipit! Plug-Less USB Charger you can slip this right in between whatever is already plugged in, without blocking any ports. If someone at the airport is using a socket, you can use the same one at the same time with the Flipit.

Belkin Conserve Socket Power Timer – This cute little socket accessory from Belkin has a timer that automatically shuts off power, saving energy and reducing your electric bill. The timer switch allows you to turn off electronics from time intervals of 30 minutes, 3 hours or 6 hours. The refreshing pop of neon green along the back makes the Socket Power Timer as fun as it is functional.

Belkin Conserve Power Switch – like the Belkin Socket Power Timer, the Conserve Power Switch is all about saving energy. It has a nifty on/off switch along the side so you can easily turn off your electronics or appliances when they’re not in use. The Power Switch is slim and won’t block your other unused outlet.

Rumored Specs of Apple iPhone 5 Spread as Release Nears

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An article in a Boy Genius report added fuel to the rumor that Sprint will add the iPhone to its arsenal with the impending launch of the iPhone 5. according to that report, Sprint is not letting its employees take any vacation time from Sept. 30 through Oct. 15 due to the launch of the iPhone 5.

Meanwhile, analysts at Jefferies, a global securities and investment banking group, expect the iPhone 5 to launch in October on all four major U.S. carriers, and they expect Apple to keep the Broadcom Bluetooth/Wi-Fi socket in that device.

There are huge expectations for the iPhone 5’s features, which will boast significant hardware and software upgrades. take a look at the most-rumored iPhone 5 features:

Design: Apple products are known for their beautiful design. The iPhone 5 is expected to adopt a teardrop design that is supposed to be slimmer and lighter than previous iPhone models.

The new smartphone will come with an aluminum plate casing rather than the current glass backing. Rumors suggest a more uniform design across all of Apple’s mobile devices than ever before, as aluminum may be the consistent material used in the upcoming iPad 3 and iPod lineups as well.

Recently, the Web page where the iPhone 5/4S was spotted was immediately pulled down by Case-Mate. however, the images clearly showed that the next-generation iPhone 5 could come with radical design changes.

The Web page also revealed that Apple may release two phones. The listing points to the possibility that there will be an iPhone 5 and an iPhone 4S. even many analysts predict the next-generation iPhone will come in two forms.

Qualcomm Chip Support: The speculation is that Apple is using Qualcomm chipsets, because of the Verizon iPhone, which uses CDMA technology rather than GSM, which AT&T uses. Qualcomm manufactures chipsets that are GSM/CDMA, which would fit both networks. Apple would likely want to minimize SKUs rather than split its product line into GSM and CDMA.

Home Button: one rumor that gets repeatedly mentioned is that Steve Jobs didn’t want any physical buttons on the iPhone from the start. however, reported prototypes suggest that the iPhone 5 may have a rectangular button compared to the circular one found in iPhone 4.

iOS 5: Apple’s newest mobile operating system version iOS 5 was announced at the WWDC 2011 keynote address on June 6. The new OS comes with 200 new features that will include Improved Notifications system, Newsstand and iMessage. It will also feature new applications, such as the Reminders app and Newsstand, an application resembling Folders and iBooks.

iCloud: The iPhone 5 is expected to feature the new iCloud service for operating iTunes, providing wireless remote access of music from all computers and mobile devices. The iCloud will also store photos, apps, calendars and documents without using the phone’s memory storag capacity.

Hardware: several of Apple’s rivals, mainly LG, Motorola and Samsung, have already released dual-core processor phones. according to a recent media report from 9to5Mac, Apple gave its developers a dual-core iPhone 4 to allow them to prep for the iPhone 5.

It is expected that the iPhone 5 will integrate a fast 1.2-to-1.5 GHz dual-core A5 processor chip, which powers the iPad 2, with probably 1GB of RAM. With upgraded hardware, the iPhone 5 will likely be equipped with speed in processing information and apps, in addition to using lighter hardware parts than in previous designs to decrease the device’s weight.

In addition to a new processor, new elements such as a SIM-less design or an embedded SIM card could help reduce the iPhone 5’s physical thickness. Among other chipsets, a Broadcom BCM4330 could be integrated for its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities.

Camera: in the tech world, a 5-megapixel camera seems passé — and as sad as that might sound to some, it’s true. Just as they use a dual-core processor, several of the iPhone’s competitors in the Android world have phones with an 8-megapixel camera.

Hence, the rumor mills effortlessly churn out one piece of evidence after another for the next iPhone featuring an 8-megapixel camera. At this point an 8-megapixel camera on the iPhone 5 looks like a foregone conclusion.

According to a CNET report, the iPhone 5 will have an improved flash unit for its camera. Citing industry sources, the report says Apple has reduced orders for iPhone 4’s current LED flash.

Apart from the rear-facing camera, Apple’s smartphone is also expected to have a front-facing one for video chatting. It is expected to include a dual-LED flash, and there are rumors that the flash unit will be separated from the camera sensor.

It is also reported that new panoramic imaging features will allow instant panoramic shots with Apple’s stock photo app, and they will have the ability to record 1080p high-definition videos.

Evidence found within the developer preview of iOS indicates that the next-generation iPhone may still use a 5-megapixel camera sensor, not an 8-megapixel sensor, which Bloomberg reported.

NFC Payment: there have been reports since early this year that Apple is testing an iPhone that incorporates Near Field Communication technology. Users can simply pay for goods by waving their iPhone in front of a contactless payment scanner.

Mobile-payment services using NFC will be a hot segment in the future. The technology could offer features that allow multiple mobile devices to sync for speedier information exchange and gaming.

It is also said that Apple had disclosed in some of its meetings that it won’t feature NFC on the next iPhone. The Independent said that Apple will sacrifice NFC in its next iPhone due to lack of industry standards about the technology.

Bernstein Research Analyst Toni Sacconaghi claimed that Apple will not adopt the NFC-based mobile payment feature in the upcoming iPhone 5 until Apple is convinced that the technology’s chicken-and-egg-problem is solved, as the technology requires widespread consumer adoption and critical mass with merchants in order to be viable.

But analysts at Jefferies expect Apple to come out with another iPhone, which will likely be named the iPhone 5S, in 2012, which will have an NFC payment feature.

4G: there have been a lot of rumors regarding the possibility of the iPhone 5 being available on 4G networks for AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. The consensus from analysts and tech experts seems to be that the iPhone 5 will not have 4G support.

Peter Misek, an analyst at Jefferies & Co., stated that Apple will not release a 4G LTE capability in the iPhone 5 this year because Qualcomm’s LTE chipsets, which Apple would have used, were not reaching the yields that Apple expects for its iPhone 5.

Instead, Misek recently stated that because the new iPhone in October will most likely be called the iPhone 5, he believes the LTE iPhone will likely be named the iPhone 5S and launched in Summer 2012 (though it could come earlier).

Memory: The Apple iPhone 4 comes in 16GB and 32GB versions. however, it is expected that the iPhone 5 will have 16/32/64 GB internal storage.

World Phone with a SIM-less Design: by making it a world phone, the iPhone 5 is rumored to feature a new SIM-less design with two to three internal antennas for CDMA and GSM compatibility.

Model: It is expected that the iPhone 5 will come in a black as well as a white model.

Wireless Charging: A revolutionary way of charging mobile devices may see the iPhone 5 gain mass appeal. The inductive wireless charging technology for the iPhone could juice up its battery without the use of cables or plugs. by utilizing a charging dock, the iPhone can charge its battery as well as share, sync or back up data at the same time.

Best Buy: A best Buy memo points to a release date on Oct. 21. Some best Buy employees claim they were informed that pre-orders for the iPhone 5 will begin in coming weeks for a release in the first week of October. however, best Buy also pointed out that the product introduction and launch dates are subject to change.

Sprint: The iPhone 5 will be offered on Sprint in addition to Verizon and AT&T. An internal memo leak indicated that the company has informed its employees that they can’t go on vacation from September 30 to October 15 due to a possible major mobile phone launch. Also Sprint may launch the iPhone 5 when the carrier is set to offer unlimited data plan.

Must Read: AT&T Samsung Galaxy S2 on Oct. 2, iPhone 5 Two Days Later

Stocks Rallied for Third Day on EU Bank Hopes (AA, AAPL, BAC, C, COH, GLW, MON, PHM, RF, S, TJX, WYNN)

New York, October 6th (TradersHuddle.com) – Stocks jumped, logging a 3-session rally led by financials and economic sensitive stocks. The Dow finished above 11,000 following encouraging data in the U.S. and after the ECB announced new liquidity measures to aid banks in the region and the President of the EU commission said that policymakers were discussing coordinated action to recapitalize banks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 183.38 points, or 1.68%. The S&P 500 index gained 20.94 points, or 1.83%, while the NASDAQ rallied 46.31 points, or 1.88%.

The market started around the unchanged mark and quickly moved to the downside at the start of trade after what it was a volatile morning, with futures showing a strong bid early in the morning following weekly jobless claims data and strong overseas action in reaction to additional comments over a plan to recapitalize European banks, but futures gave those gains after the ECB left rates unchanged. National retailers had been reporting their September sales, with the majority of the reports coming better than expected.

But the majority of the headlines were coming from the news that Steve Jobs, Apple’s visionary leader, passed away yesterday. The news generated an outpouring of tributes from political, business, technology leaders, and regular folks, as he through his work touched and transformed all of our lives. Shares of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) started the session modestly lower, trading as low as $372.58.

In Europe markets closed sharply higher, closing at their highest level in 5 weeks, as miners received strong bids following news that the Bank of England announced new stimulus measures. Banks were also among the leaders on hopes the policymakers will be able to find a way to recapitalize them. Participants shrugged off the ECB holding rates steady and focus on a new liquidity measure aimed to aid in bank funding.

The market erased earlier losses and moved into higher territory as European market closed and more chatter emerged from Europe regarding plans to recapitalized troubled banks. The improved picture in weekly jobless claims and the positive ADP report also provided confidence for participants to add to positions ahead of tomorrow’s key jobs report.

All of the S&P 500 sectors closed in positive territory, with financials, materials, consumer discretionary, and industrials posting the biggest gains. Defensive plays like consumer staples and healthcare were lagging. Technology slightly underperformed the broad market index, partly as Apple shares didn’t participate in the rally, as it had a subdued price action given the sad news.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was falling 0.23% to $377.37 after actually turning positive for some time in the morning trading. The stock held well amid the news of Steve Jobs losing his long fight against cancer. Participants remembered mr. Jobs as a visionary, a rebel, a master innovator, an inspiration to many, and as a leader that will be hard to replace; however on the other hand they seem to focus that the company he helped build has a deep bench, with a strong management team, a robust product pipeline and plenty of cash and brand power to succeed in the years ahead. The latest innovation the iPhone 4S received a flat response when it was unveiled yesterday, however analysts believe that the strong ecosystem as well as the upgrades the device has internally will continue to drive sales for the tech giant. There were no analyst rating changes for the stock, only research notes citing the long term plans, product portfolio, and the management team, with analysts expressing confidence in Tim Cook and its ability to manage Apple in the post Steve Jobs era.

Financials rallied more than 3% for the session, thanks to big gains in bank stocks. in addition to Europe policymakers taking a banking crisis of the table, given the talk of banks getting additional capital, the market in the U.S. reacted favorably and bid the embattled sector. Comments from Timothy Geithner, U.S. Treasury Secretary, provided an additional boost in confidence, as he said that there is no risk of any U.S. major bank failing due to its exposure to European debt, as they are stronger than in 2008.

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), the largest U.S. lender and a proxy for the U.S. consumer, surged 8.84% to $6.28, posting the biggest gain in the blue chip index. The stock extended its rebound from its multiyear low of $5.13 posted on Tuesday, in 3 days, the Charlotte, NC based bank has jumped 9.6%.

Rival Citigroup (NYSE:C), the third largest U.S. lender, jumped 5.3% to $26.02, extending its rally from its multiyear low of $21.40. Citi shares have surged 21.5% since hitting the low on Tuesday this week.

Regional banks were also top performers in the sector and the broad market index. Regions Financial (NYSE:RF), the Alabama based regional bank, rallied 9.91% to $3.66, logging one of the top gains in the S&P 500 index, but closing below calculated resistance at $3.76.

Providing additional support to banks and also homebuilders were news that 30-year mortgage rates fell for the first time ever below 4%, providing more incentives for U.S. households to refinance or providing help for potential buyers to qualify for mortgages. PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM), the Michigan based homebuilder, gained 2.8% to $4.03, extending its surge from the yearly low of $3.29 logged on Tuesday. The homebuilder was among the outperformers of the consumer discretionary sector.

Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN), the operator of luxury casinos, was the top performing stock in the sector. Shares of Wynn resorts rallied 10.54% to $132.58. The stock has surged 21% from the lowest level it traded earlier in the week. The stock had been under pressure from concerns over economic growth, especially in China amid signal of tighter credit in China. Tuesday’s gaming data from Macau dispel fears of big drops in gambling revenue at the Asian gambling capital, which together with fears of an economic calamity easing has provided the fuel for the rebound. Last quartet, the company generated about ¾ of its revenue and EBITDA from its operations in Macau.

Retailers also saw increased interest amid mostly positive sales reports. Coach (NYSE:COH), the leading American designer and maker of luxury lifestyle handbags and accessories, was among the top performers in the space, with shares jumping 6.63% to $56.78. Coach has calculated support at $48.37 and resistance at $60.90.

Meanwhile, lagging in the sector were shares of TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX), the owner and operator of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls chains, fell 1.4% to $55.60 after the company reported September same store sales increased by 4% versus consensus of $2.9%, while saying that it sees its third quarter EPS in a range of $1.03-1.07 versus consensus of $1.07.

Materials saw a strong bid, as the underlying commodities were moving higher as concerns over faltering demand that have hit them in the last sessions eased. Alcoa (NYSE:AA) jumped 5.44% to $9.88, posting the second biggest percentage gain in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, as the euro strengthened on talk of bank recapitalization plans, providing an additional lift to metal prices. Alcoa is schedule to report its earnings ahead of the opening bell next October 11th, with analysts on average expecting a profit of $0.26 per share on revenue of $6.31 billion.

Monsanto (NYSE:MON), the agricultural business company, jumped 7.61% to $71.29, closing above calculated resistance at $67.35. The stock was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan and yesterday the company posted better than expected top and bottom line results, while providing current quarter EPS guidance above consensus and in line EPS for fiscal 2012.

And in tech, Corning (NYSE:GLW), the LCD and optical fiber maker, rallied 7.14% to $13.50, closing above calculated resistance at $13.16 and logging one of the best performances in the sector. The company announced a 50% increase to its quarterly dividend to $0.075 per share, while also announcing a $1.5 billion buyback program. Morgan Stanley also initiated coverage in the stock with an Equal Weight.

Meanwhile, Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S), the 3rd largest U.S. wireless provider, jumped 5.24% to $3.01. The stock had been under pressure earlier in the week on concern over the pressure in margins and the amount of its commitment made to Apple in order to be able to carry the new iPhone 4S. Sprint has rallied close to 34% from its multiyear low of $2.25, logged last Tuesday.

Greenbelt Festival Engages Families With High and Low Tech

Festivals often struggle to know how to accommodate families. It’s expensive and complicated to provide childcare and offering children’s entertainment can often mean running two festivals on the same site: one for adults and one for kids (perhaps with a third stream for youth).

Greenbelt Festival (the UK-based art, faith and justice festival that has been going since 1974) grasped the family nettle this year and decided to do away with their drop-off childcare. In its place they offered a range of children’s activities — the idea being this would be more flexible and better serve the needs of family revelers.

I was a little unsure how this would work — having the kids in tow for the four days of the festival would make it hard to get to the music, art and talks I wanted to see. But this being Greenbelt — a yearly experience that has become almost pilgrimage-like for our family — we sucked it up and headed hopefully to the racecourse venue in Cheltenham where it has been for the last ten years.

Like any GeekDad worth his salt, I turned to technology to lighten the load. first I ensured I had enough batteries and chargers (I still find the Pebble hard to beat) to last the time in the tent without being cut off. A wind-up lantern, radio and LED torches for each of us complete the preparations.

Then, on the way up the motorway we were able to browse the hundreds of events on offer with their novel iPad app (available via iTunes and on Android via the Marketplace). so much happens over the bank-holiday weekend that it is easy to miss something. This year though, the app became invaluable as we started to plan what things we would go to. We also checked out the site on the iPad app map and made quickly for a prime camping spot once we got there.

As we got into the swing of things, it was actually Greenbelt’s inclusion of older tech that our kids appreciated. Skate parks, Diablo, juggling and stilt walking were all a big hit. the more creative t-shirt painting, forest crafts and phone case sewing were also lapped up — particularly by my eldest daughter. and for some chill-out time there was an on-site Cinema.

The biggest success though, was that these events catered for the whole family, so mums and dads could get good food and drink while the kids got creative. Combine this with the great line-up on main stage and a bit of turn-taking to get to some talks (and the “Jesus Arms” beer tent) and I think this was one of our best Greenbelts yet.

The clever use of technology like the iPhone and Android apps helped, but more than this it was the fact that the kids felt as at home at Greenbelt as we did that was the big winner. Integrating their events in with the rest of the revelry got them involved with the feel of the festival proper.

They are already planning what they want to do at next year’s festival, and I’ve been brewing up some videogame based art events (their one blind spot) to offer as a contributor. I have a secret ambition to bring PAC Manhattan to the festival next year (but don’t tell them that, will you).