Product Reviews Net |
- Bing now the fastest growing search engine in the UK
- Madden NFL 12: Peyton Hillis Vs Michael Vick – Cover Art Battle
- Mortal Kombat 9 (2011): List of All Fatalities on Video, Secrets Too
- Twitter looking to snap up TweetDeck
- Samsung Galaxy S: iPhone 4 in Disguise – Apple’s new Lawsuit
- iPhone 5: New Specs Worthy of AT&T and Verizon Upgrade?
- E3 2011: Microsoft Press Conference Start Time and Date
- Elder Scrolls V Skyrim: New Gameplay Screenshots for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC
- Rage Game Gets Pre-Order Bonus: ‘Anarchy Edition’ Detailed
- Friends Aloud 1.0: Get your Facebook news feed read aloud
- Sonic Generations: New Game Officially Announced and Detailed
- Panorama 4D: Turn Your iPhone into a 3D camera with an App
- White iPhone 4 Appears on Three UK
- Philips sells off loss making TV business
- Volkswagen reveal bigger Beetle for 2012
- Samsung Promises 2GHz Dual Core Handset Next Year
- ViewSonic gTablet Software Update – Changes Include Flash Support
- Toshiba ANT Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) Tablet: Price and Specs
- Bulletstorm Epic Edition Owners – Play Gears of War 3 Beta Today
- iPhone 5 to have slight changes and ready for mass production in September
| Bing now the fastest growing search engine in the UK Posted: 19 Apr 2011 02:13 AM PDT As far as current progression goes, the news comes that Bing is now the fastest growing search engine in the United Kingdom. This information has come concluding an updated report done by Experian Hitwise. Microsoft's search engine Bing and the Social Analysis report show that even though Google are still the major search engine in the United Kingdom with 90 percent, the Microsoft sites have upped 0.28 percent in market share within February and March. With Google sites losing market share searches of 0.66 percent in this period. Stephen Lepitak also reports this in an article on TheDrum. The report carried out by Experian Hitwise found that Bing have grown year after year, with an increase of 1.43 percent in 2010, the figures were at 2.96 and went up to 4.39 percent in their market share of searches. Yahoo saw a drop of 0.52 percent and is currently 3rd on the list of online search sites, and Ask who dropped 0.21 percent is listed the 4th most used of these search sites. Facebook is the most popular of current social media platforms with 56 percent of social network visitors. Google's YouTube had the quickest growth in March, from 18.32 percent up to 19.6 percent of social media visits within the United Kingdom during this period. The 3rd most popular social media site is Twitter with a growth of 0.53 percent. What search engine do you use? Let us know. For more coverage:
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| Madden NFL 12: Peyton Hillis Vs Michael Vick – Cover Art Battle Posted: 19 Apr 2011 01:53 AM PDT We informed you a few weeks ago that the Madden NFL 12 video game cover would be decided by a fan vote this year, and now we are reaching the final stages. It has now come down to a final showdown between Cleveland Browns player Peyton Hillis and Philadelphia’s Michael Vick. But the obvious question we’re going to ask you, is who deserves to be on the Madden NFL 12 cover the most? You could argue that Michael Vick is a firm favorite since he is considered to be more popular than Hillis, but on the other hard, you may feel that Hillis should get the vote based on merit for his hard working performances this season. Either way, the decision will be announced on April 27th via SportsNation on ESPN2 at 4PM Eastern Time, so don’t miss it. If you still haven’t voted yet, head to ESPN’s official website here to cast your vote. If you are planning on picking up Madden 12 later on this year, let us know which player you’d like to see on the cover the most – Peyton Hillis or Michael Vick? For more coverage:
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| Mortal Kombat 9 (2011): List of All Fatalities on Video, Secrets Too Posted: 19 Apr 2011 01:10 AM PDT For those of you who are yet to pick up a copy of Mortal Kombat or who just want to get a heads up before everyone else, we now have a few video clips to show you, which demonstate the entire list of fatalities in the game, including the secret fatalities you can unlock as well. In case you are unaware, each character possesses more than just one fatality. The included move lists in the game will show you how to perform the first fatality, but the second one and some cases, the third ones are secret and you have to find out the input code yourself. We’ve taken a look at a lot of Mortal Kombat 9 fatality videos on YouTube and we can tell you that there are some really brutal ones out there. These include Stryker’s handgun finish, Shang Tsung’s morph into a clown, Kabal’s disembowel fatality, Quan Chi’s beatdown, one of Baraka’s and so much more – there’s too many to list here. You’ll be able to view most of them by checking out the included fatality videos below. It shows the standard fatality for each character, as well as the secret fatalities too. If there are any missed fatalities which are not on the list, leave us a comment below and we’ll try to find them for you. Which fatality is your favorite? For more coverage:
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| Twitter looking to snap up TweetDeck Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:38 AM PDT Twitter is thought to be advanced talks about a deal to snap up TweetDeck, which is a popular application that allows Twitter users to manage their Twitter accounts. Dominic Rushe from guardian.co.uk is reporting that the British founder of TweetDeck is a massive F1 fan, and could soon become $50m richer. TweetDeck allows users to sort their Twitter accounts into categories, and to bring information from other social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. This news follows previous reports that an internet entrepreneur, Bill Gross, offered $30m for the company. It currently employs 15 staff who are mainly based in the UK, and the company has a close relationship with Twitter. Twitter itself has been the talk of buyout rumors, with both Facebook and Google thought to be thinking about making a move. TweetDeck has seen its fortunes rise of late, and was successful in gaining advertisers to the service and is on track to earn $150m this year. Do you use TweetDeck? For more coverage:
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| Samsung Galaxy S: iPhone 4 in Disguise – Apple’s new Lawsuit Posted: 19 Apr 2011 12:17 AM PDT Here is some news which is definitely factor 10 on the surprising scale. Apple has just filed a new lawsuit against rivals Samsung, by claiming that Samsung copied Apple’s iPhone 4 design for their Galaxy S smartphone. Does this sound ridiculous to you or not? Below is the official statement from Apple which is detailed in the lawsuit, which has been brought to our attention via an article in the Wall Street Journal: “Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smart phone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple’s technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products.” Not only are they seeking an infringement in the iPhone 4 design, but they also state that Samsung copied the iPad’s design as well – ouch. It’s fair to say that you could draw some similarities in design between the two juggernaut smartphones, but for Apple to directly launch a lawsuit because of it seems very harsh in our opinion. What are your thoughts on this? Do you believe that Samsung copied the design of the iPhone 4 for their Galaxy S? You can view some patent photos from Apple’s ‘evidence’ over at Engadget. We’ll let you know when Samsung respond to the claims. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.For more coverage:
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| iPhone 5: New Specs Worthy of AT&T and Verizon Upgrade? Posted: 18 Apr 2011 09:24 PM PDT Earlier on, we informed you about some new rumors suggesting that the iPhone 5 won’t feature a design overhaul, but instead will be fitted with a few extra hardware features. We want to discuss this in detail now and gather your thoughts on whether the changes would still warrant an upgrade for those of you with an iPhone 4. Just to refresh, rumors from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of Concord Securities stated that the iPhone 5 would carry the exact same design as the iPhone 4, but it would come with an improved antenna design, obviously to counter another antenna-gate scandal if it it happened. On a more pleasing note, we’re hearing that the iPhone 5 will have the same Apple A5 dual-core processor that is featured in the iPad 2, and the rear camera will get upgraded to an 8 megapixel sensor, obviously a lot better than the current 5MP sensor that’s offered in the iPhone 4. And aside from both Verizon and AT&T support – that might be all you’re getting. No mention of a bigger 4-inch screen, built-in NFC chip and more importantly – no new design. With this in mind, we want to know what you think of the planned improvements for the iPhone 5 – are they to your liking? Would you still upgrade to the iPhone 5 on Verizon or AT&T even if it carries the same design as the iPhone 4? For more coverage:
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| E3 2011: Microsoft Press Conference Start Time and Date Posted: 18 Apr 2011 08:42 PM PDT Last week we informed you of Sony’s official start date and time for their E3 2011 keynote conference, and now it’s Microsoft’s turn. The company has also just made things official and they will be starting at the very first opportunity. Sony raised a few eyebrows when they were the first company to announce their E3 plans ahead of Microsoft and Nintendo, but we can tell you now that Microsoft’s press conference will still take place before Sonys, as reported from VG247. Microsoft’s E3 press conference will take place on Monday June 6th, at 9am PST, 12pm for those of you on Eastern Time. Just to refresh, Sony’s keynote takes place on 5PM PST on June 6th, so once again, Microsoft has the opportunity to steal the limelight before Sony gets underway later on in the day. Will Microsoft deliver this year though? Aside from Gears of War 3, Forza 4 and maybe a few other titles, nobody really knows what the company are planning – which is excellent. E3 is all about surprises, so we hope that they make it one to remember. Will we see the Xbox 720 to counter Nintendo’s showing of the Nintendo Wii 2? It seems very unlikely but we definitely can’t rule it out. Let us know your expectations of Microsoft’s E3 event. For more coverage:
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| Elder Scrolls V Skyrim: New Gameplay Screenshots for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC Posted: 18 Apr 2011 08:20 PM PDT We have a treat for Elder Scrolls fans now, as some new screenshots of the upcoming Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim game have emerged, giving a first look at the Khajiit and Orc character models for those who are yet to see them in action using Bethesda’s brand new engine. The screenshots have come directly from a recent showing of the game over at Utah, in which game director Todd Howard previewed the latest build of the game at a press event. VG247 were at the event, and they are the ones who have uploaded the new screenshots for you to enjoy. There are eight in total, although you may have seen one or two of them before. We’re guessing you definitely havent seen the shot of the Khajiit class though, and the image gives you a great idea of just how impressive models look in Skyrim using the new engine, compared to say the Khajiit models in Oblivion. Further screenshots also show the Orc class, and some breathtaking visuals featured in one of the game’s towns. There’s also a nasty looking giant spider which you’ll have to contend with in-game, although we’re not sure if this is a boss or just an average foe you’ll come across whilst exploring. Take a look at the screenshots over at VG247, they have also written up a summary of Bethesda’s event in Utah, so don’t miss that. Let us know afterwards your impressions of the game so far – is Skyrim a day one purchase for you? For more coverage:
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| Rage Game Gets Pre-Order Bonus: ‘Anarchy Edition’ Detailed Posted: 18 Apr 2011 02:00 PM PDT We have some pretty exciting news now for those of you that live in North America and are thinking about picking up a copy of the upcoming Rage game, as both id Software and Bethesda Softworks have just announced and detailed a special pre-order bonus. According to a computerandvideogames.com article by Tom Pakinkis, those who decide to pre-order a copy of the much-anticipated first-person shooter will receive a special 'Anarchy Edition' free of charge. This indicates that the pack will be made available to everyone, but at a cost. The 'Anarchy Edition' provides players with exclusive weapons such as the one-handed double shotgun and the Fists of Rage, a spiked knuckle-duster that enhances a player's melee attack. The pack also includes a special 'Rat Rod' buggy, which replaces the standard vehicle. Players will also be provided with the Crimson Elite armor. As noted by Pete Haas at cinemablend.com, gamers can take advantage of the special bonus when pre-ordering the game from Amazon.com, GameStop, Direct2Drive and Steam, indicating the it will be available for all versions of the game. Bethesda's Pete Hines said that special editions and pre-order bonuses are currently being worked out for those who live outside of the US. Will you be pre-ordering a copy of the Rage game? For more coverage:
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| Friends Aloud 1.0: Get your Facebook news feed read aloud Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:41 PM PDT If you enjoy using Facebook but don't always have the time to read through all of your news feed, a great application which was recently released can help. Friends Aloud 1.0 will read out all of your news feed to you, and is available to owners of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Released by VoiZapp the application is the first to use state of the art text-to-speech technology on Facebook for all iOS devices. The app will read all of your friend's postings and comments when they occur, as long as you wish for it to do so. The content is read out to users with a pleasant female voice. Other features of the app include choose to limit the number of comments read aloud, Play, pause, and skip forward/back using intuitive controls, and much more. The application is ideal for use when you are driving or simply if you would like to rest your eyes from reading. The app has received great reviews even though it has only been available for a short time. Friends Aloud 1.0 is available worldwide on the App Store for only $2.99/£1.79. iOS 3.1.3 or later required. There is also a free version available which just reads out your top ten posts. For more coverage:
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| Sonic Generations: New Game Officially Announced and Detailed Posted: 18 Apr 2011 01:09 PM PDT Earlier this month Sega began hinting about the release of a new Sonic the Hedgehog game believed to be called Sonic Generations, by releasing a very brief but interesting teaser trailer. Well we can now tell you that the new game has been officially announced and detailed. As Pete Davison over at gamepro.com notes, Sega has promised that the Sonic Generations game will provide a definitive gaming experience for both old and new Sonic fans. The game enables gamers to play as the modern day Sonic, as well as the 1991 incarnation of the popular character. Sonic Generations will feature a time-travelling storyline, as well as environments that are playable in both the classic 2D side-scrolling mode and the 3D style from the more recent Sonic titles. Each of the two incarnations of Sonic will have their trademark special moves to use. Classic Sonic features a Spin Attack and Spin Dash, while the modern day Sonic features a Sonic Boost and Homing Attack. Sega also promises that the new game will feature a new interactive menu system. It looks like the game will also provide players with plenty of unlockable content as well. If you haven't already seen it, the teaser trailer can be viewed over on the gamepro.com website. Are you excited about the new Sonic Generations game? For more coverage:
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| Panorama 4D: Turn Your iPhone into a 3D camera with an App Posted: 18 Apr 2011 12:58 PM PDT A really clever application has recently been released to the App Store which lets users turn their iPhone into a 3D camera. Panorama4D is available for owners of the iPhone 4 and 3GS, iPad 2 and iPod Touch 4G. Released by OWLAB, Panorama 4D is a photography application which lets users take stereoscopic 3D images with your camera even though your device only has a 2D camera. To use you first have to extend your arms and rotate to the left side until you hit the marker. Then the application starts recording the video as you go in the other direction and stop once the other marker is hit. The app will then analyze and align the frames to create ten stereoscopic images of what you were videoing at different angles. Then you are ready to don your anaglyph 3D glasses to admire your handy work. Users can share their creations via email, Facebook and Twitter with one simple click. Unfortunately glasses are not included with the app but are pretty inexpensive. You are aided with step-by-step on screen instruction as you go. Panorama 4D 1.0 is available worldwide on the App Store for only $1.99/£1.19. iOS 4.2 or later required. For more coverage:
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| White iPhone 4 Appears on Three UK Posted: 18 Apr 2011 12:19 PM PDT After months of waiting it really does seem that those of you who have been waiting for the white iPhone 4, will soon be able to get your hands on one. Recently we told you about the device showing up on some Verizon inventory, and today we can tell you that the handset has appeared on the Three UK network website. Thomas Newton from recombu.com is reporting that the 32GB version is on the website on a £35 per month plan with an upfront price of £159. The contract is for two years and gives you 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, and unlimited data usage. They are even throwing in a free bumper case into the deal. After contacting the carrier it was discovered the deal is not yet live, even though the ad says the deal is only available until April 30th. The carrier didn't say when the deal would go live but it must be any day now. The order page originally was saying the white iPhone 4 would be dispatched by April 20th, but as the deal is not yet live it is hard to see that happening. Someone must have put the offer up early and maybe the April 20 date was for the deal to go live. It will certainly be an interesting couple of days as the world waits to see when the device finally hits the shelves. Do you think it will be long now before the handset is officially launched by Apple? For more coverage:
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| Philips sells off loss making TV business Posted: 18 Apr 2011 11:42 AM PDT We told you a couple of months ago that TV prices have been falling for a while now, and this could have something to do with the news that Philips had sold its loss making TV business. An article over at What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision is reporting the company has moved its TV production into a joint venture with a Chinese company due to falling profits. The deal see's the Dutch company give up most of the control of its TV business retaining only thirty percent. Philips along with other TV manufacturers have struggled making any money on TVs, and sees this as a way of solving the problem. This was one of the top priorities for the company's new President and CEO, Frans van Houten. The tie-up with China based TPV Technology is similar to what it did a couple of years ago, after it licensed a Japanese company to make Philips TVs for the US. Back in 2005 TPV bought part of Philips flat screen and monitor business. TPV have said it has now emerged as the biggest monitor maker in the world, and commands a "strong foot hold in the People’s Republic of China market." Would you still consider a Philips TV following this news? For more coverage:
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| Volkswagen reveal bigger Beetle for 2012 Posted: 18 Apr 2011 11:13 AM PDT The iconic Volkswagen Beetle has been with us for over fifty years now, and after some spy shots and other speculation the car has finally made its debut. Today in New York Volkswagen revealed a bigger Beetle for 2012. Patrick Olsen of Cars.com has managed to get up close to the new Beetle as it was showcased at the New York Auto Show. About to enter its third generation the latest model has been beefed up from its predecessor, in an attempt to make it appeal to the more masculine amongst us. This new design is wider than the old model with a longer front hood. The windshield is further back than before and also has a steeper incline, and the body is six inches longer. Inside there was a totally new feel in the driver's seat, with a more focused feel to the driving position. The dashboard has been improved and could have come out of a sporty coupe. The backseat is still mainly for children or adults you are not too fond of. VW brand design Chief Klaus Bischoff said “All of the customers who have seen it have reacted positively to the changes.” You will find the backseat is still mainly for children or adults you are not too fond of. VW brand design Chief Klaus Bischoff said “All of the customers who have seen it have reacted positively to the changes.” The latest Beetle is expected to hit the US either in September or October, and at the moment Volkswagen have not revealed their pricing plans. Hit the link above to see more images of the 2012 Beetle. Do you like the look of the next Beetle? For more coverage:
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| Samsung Promises 2GHz Dual Core Handset Next Year Posted: 18 Apr 2011 09:07 AM PDT Our cell phones continue to grow more powerful with many features we wouldn't have dreamed of a few years ago. Today we can report that Samsung promises a 2GHz dual core handset next year. Rachel King over at ZDNet.com is reporting that current processors in smartphones are evolving from 1GHz to 1.2 GHz dual-core, but the processors Samsung are promising are a big step up. It is thought the first Samsung handset to feature such a processor should be released towards the end of 2012. The company is expected to not only produce the processors, but also sell them to other manufacturers. Devices with processors like these will further allow smartphones to close the gap to the desktop PC. With the news that the processors will be made available to other companies, we should see a whole host of devices using the technology next year. As smartphones become more of a mobile computer and become more powerful, what sort of affect will processors like these have on battery life? Many users of handsets like the HTC Thunderbolt have been complaining about how long the battery lasts before needing another charge. Power hungry consumers may have to make some sacrifices with things like battery life, if they want the latest and most powerful handset. Do you think processors with this much power will drain batteries too quickly? For more coverage:
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| ViewSonic gTablet Software Update – Changes Include Flash Support Posted: 18 Apr 2011 08:48 AM PDT Since its release we haven’t heard a great deal about the ViewSonic gTablet, however a new update has been released and it should make the gTablet even more desirable than it already is. The update actually went live four days ago, however it slipped under our radar, the installation procedure is simple as it is being rolled-out over-the-air, simply reboot or power on the GTablet and you should see a notification, then you just follow the on-screen instructions and soon you will be updated. If for some reason you do not receive a notification simply select updates from the program launcher. Once you have installed the update you should notice some impressive changes, these include an energy saving screen lock, Adobe Flash support, French and Spanish language support, support for keyboards, mice and docking stations and finally there will be international cities available in weather. There are probably a lot of unmentioned changes which will improve the tablet such as minor bug fixes and interface tweaks, however ViewSonic has not given us a complete breakdown of all of the refinements. We would love to hear from you if you still think that ViewSonic need to add or improve some of the gTablet’s functionality and features, let us know in the comments section below if you have any ideas. For more coverage:
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| Toshiba ANT Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) Tablet: Price and Specs Posted: 18 Apr 2011 08:34 AM PDT Although many of you may have already heard about Toshiba's forthcoming Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) run tablet PC before now, nothing was really known about the actual name of the device. Not only have we now got details of a name however, but also information on a price and specs. According to a recent laptoping.com article, the device – which was listed on the Newegg website – has been named the Toshiba ANT, although we don't know whether that's the final name. There will be a choice of 3 different models: the 8GB ANT-100, the 16GB ANT-102 and the 32GB ANT-104. The models have been priced up at $450, $500 and $580 respectively. The Toshiba ANT is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz processor, features Bluetooth and 802.11n wireless connectivity and comes with a 10.1-inch multi-touch display with a resolution of 1280 x 800. It also comes with a 6-cell replaceable battery that provides a battery life of around 7 hours, a 2-megapixel front-facing webcam, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus, accelerometer, a GPS receiver, an HDMI port, a full-size USB and a mini-USB and an SD card slot. Unfortunately we have no word on availability at this stage. Do you like the sound of the Toshiba ANT Android tablet? For more coverage:
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| Bulletstorm Epic Edition Owners – Play Gears of War 3 Beta Today Posted: 18 Apr 2011 07:57 AM PDT Earlier we gave you a tour of the Gears of War 3 beta and listed the beta’s unlockables which carry across to the next game, now we have realized that purchasers of the Epic Edition of Bulletstorm for the Xbox 360 will be able to access the beta today. Sadly none of the writers for Product-Reviews have a code for the beta, therefore we cannot confirm whether the beta codes are working yet, We would love our readers to let us know whether it is available yet via the comments section below. The beta ends on May 15th therefore gamers have roughly 28 days to get their GoW 3 fix, then there will be a long wait before the game finally arrives on September 20th, perhaps a demo will hit Xbox Live between now and then. If you have pre-ordered your copy of Gears of War 3 from GameStop you will be able to start playing the beta this time next week, as you would expect there are plenty of eBay listings where people can buy codes, however we would seriously recommend checking the small print. We would love to hear whether you have access to the beta yet, feel free to tell us how impressive the game is in the comments section… that’s if you can pull yourself away from your 360. For more coverage:
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| iPhone 5 to have slight changes and ready for mass production in September Posted: 18 Apr 2011 07:52 AM PDT Speculation recently has pointed to Apple not releasing the next iPhone when we would normally expect at the WWDC event in June. Today we have a report that the iPhone 5 is to have only slight changes, and ready for mass production in September. Neil Hughes from AppleInsider is reporting in an article that the next iPhone will have only "slight modifications" over the iPhone 4. Part of these changes includes an 8 Megapixel camera and a Qualcomm baseband for both CDMA and GSM models. The handset is then expected to go into mass production in September. An analyst from Concord Securities – Ming-Chi Kuo – offered details of the next iPhone after checking with supply chain sources. Kuo has heard details of the faster A5 chip which have been speculated about before, will find its way into the handset. There is also talk of an improved antenna design. Kuo has been told by his sources that the new handset will start a trial production during August, before going into full production in September. This runs with reports before that the iPhone 5 may not be launched before the start of Apple's next financial year. The analyst has correctly predicted in the past features of Apple products, including the iPad 2 would have the same display as the original. He had also said last month that production of the white iPhone 4 would start, and then we recently had reports the device was set to be released. What do you think? Will we have to wait until the end of the year before a new iPhone becomes available? For more coverage:
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