iPhone 5 leaks are continuing to appear on the web ahead of the release date event later today. A new report now publishes images of iPhone 5 logic board showing the new A6 chip. The Italian blog Apple.HDblog.it has posted new images which clearly show the details of the logic board of the sixth-gen iPhone.

In addition to A6 chip the iPhone 5 logic board shows Qualcomm MDM9615M LTE modem, which confirms earlier rumors about iPhone 5 supporting faster 4G LTE network. The photos seem to line up with recently leaked search page on Apple.com which lists a placeholder URL for LTE capabilities of the new iPhone.

As reported by MacRumors the logic board also reveals flash memory which is apparently being provided by Hynix and also goes on to show other chips that support features like WiFi, Bluetooth, gyroscope and accelerometer. Speculation suggests that A6 is believed to be a quad-core processor which could significantly enhance the phone’s computational capability and make advance apps like iPhoto to perform functions smoothly.

iPhone 5 media event will go live later today and it will be interesting to see if all the details that were revealed via rumors actually turn out to be true. Are you excited about the new iPhone 5? Based on all that you’ve read about the new iPhone will you be upgrading your phone? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

With just less than two hours left for Apple’s iPad 3 media event to go live we are hearing about new features that could be included in the third-gen tablet. The latest rumor which has hit the web suggests that iPad 3 will feature Senseg’s technology to deliver ‘tactile sensations’ when the screen is touched.

When Pocket-Lint contacted Senseg to inquire about their technology being used in iPad 3 a company spokesperson responded saying, “We won’t be making any statements until after Apple’s announcement,”. While this does not confirm anything however, if we keep in mind that Apple’s iPad invite had words which read, “We have something you really have to see. And touch.” it’s not difficult to speculate that the word “touch” may have something to do with the haptic feedback technology.

Senseg’s technology will allow Apple’s iPad to “come alive with textures, contours and edges that users can feel.”

Using Senseg technology, makers of tablet computers, smart phones, and any touch interface device can deliver revolutionary user experiences with high fidelity tactile sensations. Your customers will Feel the Difference with Senseg,

The technology if featured in Apple’s iPad could open new possibilities for application developers and would certainly add the “wow” factor to the new iPad. With haptic feedback users will be able to feel different textures being displayed on their device and thus making tasks like typing, playing games or using navigation apps while driving a whole lot more fun and easier.

Apple has used accelerometer and gyroscope in iOS devices to open new possibilities. For example, in GarageBand for iPad 2 when playing the keyboard the pitch of the sound varied depending on how hard you press your finger. So, it won’t be surprising for Apple to add yet another technology to enhance the overall experience and make it feel like “magic”.

Roodie Noodie and the Slippery Pole is a fun family game where you try to keep the Roodie Noodies balanced on a slippery pole. This is a game of balance that utilizes iPhone’s gyroscope to control the lean of your character on the slippery pole. While trying to balance your character you also have to collect the sparkly nurdles that float by. This forces you to lean further and further and threatens to make your lose your balance.

The control system as I mentioned before, is extremely easy. This game is of course made for kids and it certainly caters to their control abilities. The use of the gyroscope is very easy for kids to grasp, especially in this day and age when kids are so accustomed to video games. There really aren’t any more controls and that is the beauty of this game. It possesses a small learning curve and doesn’t get too complex.

Perhaps the best aspect about Roodie Noodie and The Slippery Pole is the fun loving and exciting environment that the characters and the world that you are in create. The characters are unique and interesting and they go great with this game for kids. The entire environment is upbeat and exudes fun. You have the “crafty crabs” trying to move the pole to make you fall and the “clapping clams” and “synchronized shrimps” are there to cheer you along the way. It is a great family competition that all ages can enjoy. If you are able to complete all of the levels you get the Sand Dollar Shield that is presented by Flip Flop the Seagull.

Overall the game is not overly robust but does cater well to its audience, kids. I think the characters will excite kids and the competition will give them something to strive for. It’s always nice to have something to strive for and after beating the game you can also unlock exclusive video clips. This along with everything else this game has to offer to the kids, I think it’s worth a shot.

Pros

• Great Characters
• Great Atmosphere

Cons

• Short
• One Style of Gameplay

$0.99
Category: Games
Updated: Mar 29, 2011
Current Version: 1.1
1.1 (iOS 4.0 Tested)
Size: 170 MB
Language: English
Seller: Complete Control (UK) Ltd
© 2011 Complete Control (UK) Ltd
Rated 4+
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later

AstroStar for iPhone 4

Get ready for some intergalactic action in AstroStar for iPhone. The game combines use of a jetpack, laser gun and the gyroscope from your iPhone to navigate through four levels on different planets. You play as a character that is outfitted with a space suit in a low gravity atmosphere while trying to obtain stars and shoot the asteroids that damage you if you collide.

The game uses a very simple control system that consists of tapping an icon in either bottom corner of the screen or by tapping the asteroids to shoot them with your laser gun. The other aspect of the control system is the gyroscope. It controls the direction you go when you jump and use your jetpack which is very important because you lose life each time you hit an asteroid. The games have a life meter that is lowered by running into asteroids. You can regain health by grabbing hearts that pop up randomly throughout the game. The guide provided at the beginning of the game is very useful in giving you an idea of what everything is and what exactly it does. It is fairly simple to understand what you have to do after seeing this guide.

AstroStar for iPhone 4 Tips

The gameplay is very simple yet addictive. From the beginning you have two weapons at your disposal, bombs and a laser gun. The bomb blows up all of the asteroids on the screen which you get points for. This comes in very handy when the screen starts getting crowded and it gets difficult to move around and avoid the asteroids. The laser gun is pretty cool as it allows you to shoot the asteroids instead of having to always rely on the gyroscope to avoid them. A word to the wise though, you will have to shoot the larger asteroids more than the smaller ones so be sure it explodes before you bump it and it takes your life away.

AstroStar OpenFeint

This game is all about multitasking and making sure you take advantage of what is given to you. Throughout the game you will see different things that will aid in your journey. Fuel for your jetpack will randomly appear which becomes a necessity to stay alive. Bombs will also be floating around up for grabs to aid in the destruction. You can’t overstate the importance of fuel for your jetpack as gravity is one of your biggest enemies in this game.

The visual and audio aspects of AstroStar are impressive. The images look good but are not overdone. It’s got a sort of cartoony feel but it is very suitable for this type of game and actually meshes quite well. The audio is solid. Nothing overly impressive but certainly sufficient to go along with a fun game.

AstroStar Level Cleared

Overall the game has addictive gameplay and plenty of variables that change the experience to keep you coming back for more. It also supports OpenFeint which is a social gaming network that allows for recording your high scores and comparing them with friends and people everywhere. The fast paced gameplay makes for an addictive game experience.

Pros

• Addictive Gameplay
• Intuitive Control System
• Multiple Usable Weapons

Cons

• Needs more levels

$0.99 (View in iTunes)
Category: Games
Updated: Mar 08, 2011
Current Version: 1.2
1.2 (iOS 4.0 Tested)
Size: 21.1 MB
Language: English
Seller: codegent ltd
© codegent ltd.
Rated 4+
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1 or later

Steve Jobs just announced Apple’s second-generation iPad at a media keynote in San Francisco, and here’s everything you need to know about the iPad 2 before its release on March 11th:

The processor has been upgraded from Apple’s A4 chip to its new dual-core A5, which runs at 1.2GHz as opposed to the 1GHz of the current iPad, but still maintains the same low power consumption of the previous processor and also maintains its 10-hour battery life. Apple claims the iPad 2 is the first dual-core tablet to ship in volume, and it also boasts a whopping 9x faster graphics performance!

On the outside, the iPad 2 is 33% thinner than the original Apple tablet, measuring just 8.8mm in depth as opposed to 13.44mm. It also features both front- and rear-facing cameras and finally introduces FaceTime and video conferencing to the device. Just like the iPhone 4, the iPad 2 also features a gyroscope, which will improve gaming and augmented reality just like it did for the iPhone.

You now have two choices to decide between when you buy your shinny new iPad; as well as the original black device, Apple is offering the iPad 2 in white, and there’s no mention of a delay in release just yet!

The price of the new iPad 2 remains frozen at the current iPad prices, starting at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model, increasing to $839 for the 64GB 3G device. The 3G device will be compatible with both AT&T and Verizon, but surprisingly, there will be both CDMA and GSM versions – not one-model-fits-all as we expected.

Look out for our next post on the awesome new iPad 2 accessories!

I am a pinball and retro arcade game fanatic! I almost paid an ungodly sum for a real pinball table the other day at a local market in Thailand. That table had been imported about 15 years ago, and even so was being offered for sale at the price of a cheap second hand car. Then my wife caught me! So for my fix of retro and pinball gaming I still have to turn to my computer or my iPhone.

Consequently I was very excited to hear that the developers behind “ZEN Pinball Rollercoaster” had re-released their pinball title for the iOS. For some reason, perhaps to do with OS upgrades, they had pulled it from the App Store a while ago, and I had managed to miss it the first time around.

I have been putting it through its paces today.

ZEN Pinball Rollercoaster has been popular on XBox Live for a while also. But frankly playing pinball on a big TV screen stuck on the wall just isn’t quite as good as looking down at a table in your hands. In a very minor way holding your iPhone is more akin to the stance you take when resting against a physical pinball table. And of course you have it with you at all times for a quick game on the bus, back of your limo!, or when waiting for a meeting.

The first thing you notice about ZEN Pinball is that its very pretty. With bright garish colours, exactly like you expect from a real pinball machine.

The second thing you notice is that the sounds of the ball rolling and flippers clacking are very well synced with the action, and emulate real world sounds of a big steel ball bearing rolling on wood, smashing into flippers and shooting through channels exceptionally well.

The third thing you notice is the funky false 3D effect that gives the table depth, and with clever, but subtle use of the iPhone’s gyroscope / accelerometer allows you to peer around the edges of bits of the table, and look underneath the sections of the table that are raised above the rest. Like, for instance the actual ‘roller-coaster’ tube that you can fire the pinball through. It’s very reminiscent of the springboard hack for iPhone’s coming to Cydia soon, where the icons appear to float over the desktop, and you can tilt your device to peer underneath them. But like that on steroids! A Neat effect. Which you can also turn off if it messes with your mind too much.

Even without this effect the table really has a depth to it, so that you really feel like the game is being played inside your iPhone on a mini pinball table.

Control is simple. You simply tap the left or right of the screen to activate the respective flippers. And you can “Tilt” the table by shaking it. If you don’t know what that is, you’ll soon find out!

You tend to learn a pinball table after a while, but you certainly can get a lot more fun out of a single table in the corner of your local pub for years, over that of a video game, if only because the laws of physics have a lot to do with your score – not learning patterns. No two games of pinball are ever alike. And whilst this is not 100% the case on digital emulations – it can get pretty close with good implementations. And ZEN Pinball is one of those. Even so it would be nice on a digital pinball game to have more than one table – even as complete and well polished as the single table in ZEN Pinball Rollercoaster is.

The table in this case has a bunch of elevated slides for the ball, bumpers, ramps, towers, kick-backs, lights, escape routes etc. etc., and some side slots, which depending on how lucky or unlucky you are, or how long you’ve had a ball out on the table will either kick your lost ball back into play, or take it from you.

In short, there are all the “bells and whistles” or rather lights and bumpers you’d expect from a modern pinball table, as well as a side flipper half way up the table.

There is also a pixel LED style score table overlaid on the top of the screen, with your typical zany pinball animations for when you unlock challenges and high scores. So it’s very feature complete. So far I have not been able to activate a true multi-ball though. Which is a shame, because that is the holy grail of all pinball table bonuses – and a feature I miss on any table that does not have it. They say they have it in the blurb, so perhaps I’ve just been unlucky. If I manage to in the next few hours – because I will be playing a lot more – I’ll post in the comments!!

Great fun, and a fair price at $4.99. But I expect some might like it a little cheaper as it has only the one table.

Pros

• Solid Pinball simulation.
• Realistic Sound Effects.
• Pseudo 3D effect is cool!

Cons

• Frame Rate can stutter.
• Not able to activate a true multi-ball.
• Only one table.
• Music is best left off!

$4.99 (View in iTunes)
Category: Games
Released: Jan 25, 2011
Version: 2.1
2.1
Size: 11.0 MB
Language: English
Seller: ZEN Studios Ltd.
© 2008-2010 ZEN Studios Ltd.
Rated 4+
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.2 or later.

During WWDC 2010 when Steve Jobs unveiled the new iPhone 4 Facetime video calling features he mentioned that Apple will ship “10’s of millions FaceTime devices is 2010″ It was very clear from that statement that we’ll see the iPod touch and iPad include Facetime too.

There have been numerous rumors about the second gen iPad and if one studies Apple’s product cycle then it would be easy to guess the upcoming features of the new iPad. Digitimes earlier reported that Apple will have an ARM Cortex-A9 based SoC for the next iPad, boost the RAM, include retina display and feature gyroscope.

Appleinsider is reporting that “Apple’s iPad is unlikely to endure the company’s traditional 12-month product cycle for iOS device refreshes before seeing its first major enhancements” They further added that Facetime video call features for iPad have “already progressed to the advanced testing stages”

Even though their source claimed that Apple could possibly launch the new tablet device “ahead of this year’s holiday shopping season” it will be interesting to see if Apple will hold another special event in spite of continuing strong iPad sales.

Newsy.com has posted a great video which summarizes the rumors very well. Check it out!

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

..if you wait a few weeks to buy the Touch, you’ll get one with a Retina Display and dual cameras.

Whether he has heard something specifically, or is simply chancing his arm to gain credit for a 50 / 50 call on what we all know may be coming, he did not say.

But there you have it… iPod Touch, Retina Display and two cameras. Apparently.

A problem with 2 cameras on the iPod Touch is that fitting the iPhone 4’s 5 Mega-Pixel camera into the existing iPod Touch case is going to be challenging. To say the least!

So it seems more likely that if there is a stills camera on the back of the iPod Touch it will be 3MP, or less. A wild, but unlikely possibility, is that Apple are going with a more iPhone 4 style iPod case design.

What Gruber did not mention was a Gyroscope. Something we think is more certain to show up in the new iPod Touch than dual cameras. Apple has made a big thing of gaming on the iDevice eco-system. And repeatedly said that they see the gyroscope as an important facet in their push into gaming on mobile devices. So to leave it out seems a little silly.

What’s your guess on the new iPod Touch specification? Let us know in the comments…

In an interesting piece in EE Times they relate that when UBM Insights completed their teardown of the iPad they found an unpopulated area on the PCB next to the accelerometer which would fit a similar design of gyroscope to that found in the iPhone 4.

They even went so far as to trace the circuits from the empty space on the PCB back to the iPad’s Apple A4 processor and found that it closely resembled the wiring in the iPhone 4’s gyroscope setup.

The actual layout on the iPad PCB is for a different gyro than that used in the iPhone 4. But it matches what was probably the only unit available to Apple at the time they were prototyping the iPad.

This all seems to point to a gyro definitely being a feature of any iPad revision, and makes me think that we will most likely see an iPad with a gyro and RAM bump before we see a real version 2 iPad with a higher resolution display and cameras…

Does an iPad with a gyro make you glad you waited to buy and iPad? Or perhaps sad that you jumped the gun on a first gen iPad? Or will you just buy another? Do let us know in the comments.

It is important to remember that this figure is simply to buy a bag of iPhone 4 bits. It does not include, R&D, Patent Licensing, Software / OS, Manufacturing, Shipping or Packaging.

The most expensive component in the iPhone 4 is unsurprisingly the 960×640 pixel touch sensitive LCD display assembly from LG. That comes in at around $28.50.

After that the Apple A4 SoC (the iPhone 4’s brain) is estimated to cost around $10.75.

Most other components, such as the gyroscope and accelerometers really only cost a few dollars each. But there are a number of these kinds of components in the new iPhone 4!

$188 is in line with the cost of the iPhone 3GS, which was rumoured to have a Bill of Materials of $179 when it was introduced. The “BOM” for the 3GS has now dropped to around $134.

Do you think the iPhone 4 is too expensive now you know how much its bits cost? Let us know your view in the comments.

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