So Apple just previewed the next version of iOS and its coming this fall for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. According to Apple there are more than 200 new features of iOS6. The beta version of iOS has already been seeded to the iOS Developers Program members and its going to be a free software update for the rest of us once it is released. Key features of iOS 6 that we all should look forward to include: - an all new Map apps with Apple-designed cartography, turn-by-turn navigation and an new Flyover view
- new SIRI features including support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendation
- Facebook integration for contacts and calendar with the ability to post directly from Notification Center
- SIRI and Facebook -enabled apps like Photos, Safari, and Maps
- Shared Photo Stream via iCloud and Passbook
- enhancements to Safari including iCloud tabs, offline reading lists, photo uploads and full screen view
- Facetime over cellular networks
- VIP mailbox to make it easier to quickly view messages from important people designated as VIP
- decline incoming calls with quick message, set a callback reminder and enable a new do not disturb option
- improved services specifically for iOS users in China including improved text input and built-in support for popular Chinese services including Baidu, Sina, Weibo, Youku and Toudu
Overall, most of these new features are geared towards pleasing current iOS fans and users and make them stick to iOS. It seems like Apple is not going to offer something interesting enough for loyal Android fans to switch over to iOS. What do you think? Are these features enough to take iOS to new directions? Via [Apple]  
For those currently eligible to upgrade on T-Mobile, or simply looking to sign with the carrier, then you may want to wait until this weekend to sign or renew a two year contract. Simply put, T-Mobile will sell literally all of their 4G smartphones for free following a mail-in-rebate. The two day promotion on June 15 and June 16 is to commemorate Father’s day. Smartphones such as the HTC One S, Nokia Lumia 710, Samsung Galaxy S II, BlackBerry Bold 9900, and the Springboard tablet will each be free. Other less notable 4G smartphones will also be free, but customers may as well purchase the high-end devices since the end price remains zero on a qualifying classic or value plan. The price you pay in store for these devices may be expensive, but remember, T-Mobile will refund the entire price following the submission of the mail-in-rebate. Via [BusinessWire]  Directed Electronics’ Viper SmartStart security and remote-start system, with its accompanying app, is no standard remote-start product. It does so much more than heat your car on a cold winter morning. The Viper SmartStart remote system comes with a two-way key fob as well as a one-way fob (I was given the 5704 Responder LC3 2-Way). The two-way fob features a small LCD screen with gives you a visual of the actions you’ve taken. So, if you press the “lock” icon, the screen will display a lock graphic and will flash the word “Armed” in confirmation. The one-way fob does not have the screen, but includes the same push buttons for lock, unlock, remote start and door-opening button (for vehicles like mini-vans). What is so simple about the fob, yet so valuable, are the alerts. It let me know when one of my doors was not latched properly when I tried to “arm” the system. The fob vibrates and flashes the message “Door Open.” Also, if you start the car (via fob or your phone) when the car is unlocked, it automatically locks the car. The remote start also has a feature, which will disable the car once the break pedal has been pushed to further safeguard the car from being moved once you have started it. If your car is violated while armed, not only does the familiar car alarm sound, you receive a text message alerting you that it has been triggered. By downloading the Directed Electronics SmartStart app (available for Apple, Android and Blackberry devices), the lock/unlock/remote-start functions are available via your smartphone in addition to truck-opening and panic options. I was outfitted with the SmartStart GPS model, which includes a host of cool features in the GPS Basic Service Plan, including vehicle location/speed; speed alert; and movement alert. Additional amenities like SmartFence, HotSpot and Curfew Monitoring are available with a Premium Plan subscription. Using the app, you can locate your vehicle at any time and have the peace of mind of knowing it is exactly where you left it. And if you are in a strange area, you can use the SmartPark feature to “Park Your Car,” which will allow you to take a photo so you can remember where it is. There is also the “Find My Car” option if you forget to take the pic. SmartFence allows the user to create a secure zone around the vehicle and send alerts when the vehicle leaves the zone. HotPost allows you to add a virtual fence around selected locations and send alerts if your vehicle goes there. Curfew restricts the speed alert and movement settings to the day and time you select. I set this up to send me a message when the car went above 50 mph. I received the message telling me exactly when and where this occurred. Other interesting features include the SmartStart Motor Club, which can aid drivers who need help on the road. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on this portion of the product without ever having a real emergency. And the other is the Home Control feature, which will allow users to sync their home security systems with the app. What I found most beneficial was the GPS function of locating the vehicle at all times, in addition knowing that if anything happened to my car, I would be notified immediately. If it was stolen, I would be able to track it at all times. Also, the ability to lock/unlock, etc., from my smartphone is a very useful tool (as I am always forgetting to lock the doors!). And, for parents of teenagers who frequently borrow the car, this product would give them incredible insight into how fast they are driving and how far away they are going. Poor kids. There are various SmartStart Modules to choose from (which can be viewed at http://www.viper.com/SmartStart/Pricing.aspx). Service plans also start at $49.99. Also remember that you will need to have it installed. The pricing will vary for these dealers, but according to Directed Electronics, there are dealers that have advertised installation for the Viper SmartStart for as low as $199. I would suggest finding a reputable place. My installation was not quick—about five hours—but I received a thorough explanation/tutorial following the installation and I have not had one problem with my car or product (and I personally saw my car completely dismantled during installation). Some things Directed Electronics says to keep in mind about remote-start installation pricing include: • Most installations require additional vehicle-specific parts and labor to customize and integrate the remote start properly with your individual car's systems. • Many of today's modern remote-start systems are safely compatible with diesel- and manual-transmission vehicles. The company also has just released the Viper SmartStart 3.0, which includes cloud-connected features. More info on this version can be found at viper.com/SmartStart.  Directed Electronics Viper SmartStart Model 5704 Responder LC3 2-Way Security and Remote-Start System  
Just a short while back Sprint announced that they would be killing off the iDEN network no later than June 30, 2013. And well, it looks like they are continuing to move forward with releasing additional non-iDEN powered direct connect devices. In fact, the latest has been announced just this morning. The handset is the Kyocera DuraXT, which will arrive as a clamshell handset with a rugged design. The DuraXT is available as of today and priced at $69.99. And just to clarify that price, that comes along with a two-year agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate. Moving over to the handset itself, the DuraXT will bring features to include a 2.0-inch internal display with 240 x 320 resolution and a 1.0-inch external monochrome (96 x 64) display. Other features will include Sprint 3G connectivity, a 1360 mAh battery, Stereo Bluetooth, a 2.5mm headphone jack, 3.2 megapixel camera with flash and ships with a 1GB microSD card. In terms of the rugged design, that breaks down as follows; “Military Standard 810G for Dust, Shock, Vibration, Blowing rain, Temp Extremes, Low Pressure, Solar Radiation, Salt Fog, Humidity and Immersion (up to 30 minutes in up to one meter/3.28ft. of water)”
And lastly, the Sprint Direct Connect support arrives as a “portfolio of push-to-talk services” and includes the following; - Sprint Direct Connect – Instant, one-to-one push-to-talk calling nationwide on the Sprint network, with any other Direct Connect subscriber. Direct Connect is the core push-to-talk feature and is designed for interoperability across Sprint and Nextel network platforms.
- Guaranteed Talk Permit – The assurance that when you hear the push-to-talk "chirp," your call was successfully transmitted.
- Call Alert with Text – Send an audio alert with an optional text message to let another Direct Connect subscriber know you are trying to reach them and why.
- Group Connect® – Communicate with up to 20 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers all at once – nationwide, at the push of one button.
- TeamDCSM – Communicate with up to 200 other Sprint Direct Connect subscribers at the same time nationwide.
- NextMail® – Send a recorded message to any email worldwide or mobile handset via text message by using the Direct Connect button.
- Availability Notification – Request the availability status of another push-to-talk member and, if they are busy, request a notification when they are free.
- One-Touch Direct Connect – Allows quick access to multiple direct connect options.
Via [Sprint]  
If you happen to be in the US and have been overly excited about getting the Asus Padfone, well, now may be a good time to shell out some money. The smartphone tablet combo device has come available for those in the US. Well, more specifically, it is currently being shipped to those in the US by way of Negri Electronics. The Padfone is priced at $859.50. The model being sold is brown in color and will arrive as an unlocked device with support for 42Mbps HSPA+ connectivity. According to the specs listed, the Padfone will have support for 3G on the WCDMA 900 / 2100 bands and 2G on the GSM 850 / 900 / 1800/ 1900 bands. Otherwise, the tablet will have a 10.1 inch display which is powered by the phone, when docked in the back. In terms of the phone, that will bring goodies to include a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor with Adreno 225 graphics, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth and an 8 megapixel camera with auto-focus and LED flash. The handset will be running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Of course, while the Padfone can be purchased now, we suspect the price tag will keep many from moving forward. And on that note, we say this — the wait for the Padfone in the US continues. Via [Negri Electronics] and [Phandroid]  
If you were already a backer of the Chameleon Kickstarter project you may already be aware, however for those who were waiting and hoping to hop on towards the end — you missed your opportunity. Well, truth be told, everyone missed the opportunity because the Chameleon Kickstarter project has officially been cancelled. The project had reached the goal amount. In fact, they had $50,334 of the requested $50,000 in funding already pledged. And for those curious, that came from 5,132 backers. While those details may have been interesting enough, it looks like it will be re-born. Details posted on the project home page state that the cancellation was due to issues with an Amazon Payments account. “While this campaign has been very successful due to everyone’s support, due to unforseen problems with our Amazon Payments account we cannot accept any new pledges and all existing pledges will be cancelled. We have spoken with Kickstarter, who have told us the best way to resolve the situation is to close the current project, and create a new Chameleon backing page, where you can re-pledge to receive your Chameleon App. We are grateful for all your support and have upgraded all rewards $5 and above with 5 Bonus Chameleon backgrounds. People who have existing credit card authorizations from this project will be cancelled when this project is closed – and thus no charges will be applied to your credit card. We appreciate your patience, we are very excited to deliver world class software to everyone!”
Finally, those still excited about Chameleon will be able to re-pledge their support sometime “early next week.” And given this was originally posted over the weekend, we suspect we should hear some details about a new campaign sooner rather than later. Via [Kickstarter]  
Sony seems to have taken to Facebook in an effort to promote their latest Xperia. Or mor accurately, their latest Xperia announcement. You see, Sony was planning to announce the next Xperia device on June 22nd, however they are moving that date up based on the amount of likes fast forwarding they are getting for the page on Facebook. “Every time you and your friends click "Fast Forward", you will change the future and bring the next Xperia announcement that little bit closer! Come back tomorrow and you can do it again – remember to share and get your friends involved too!”
The announcement was originally scheduled for June 22nd, however the likes that have been received thus far have already moved that date up by one. As of now the announcement will come on June 21st. Bottom line, if you are excited about the upcoming Xperia device, click the link at the bottom of this post and like the page. You can visit once per day and we suppose you can also encourage your friends to do the same. Well, that is as long as you do not mind bugging your friends. Of course, either way, you can rest assured in knowing that the crew here at GadgeTell will cover the news. Via [Sony on Facebook]  
Image credit: gdgt We saw the details on the new Apple notebook hardware and it looks like some new software will also be included. Coming out of WWDC is news that Mountain Lion will begin shipping next month — in July. The upgrade price (for Lion and Snow Leopard users) will be $19.99 and that will be “for all your personal Macs.” The final developer preview is available as of today and those who purchase a Mac between now and July will get a free upgrade once Mountain Lion begins shipping.  
Image credit: gdgt Following up on the updated MacBook Air lineup, the MacBook Pro lineup has also been refreshed and expanded upon. Similar to the MBA notebooks, this updated MacBook Pro lineup will begin shipping today. However unlike the MBA refresh, the MacBook Pro has gotten a bit of a Retina display update. Yup, the Retina display rumors have come true and it will arrive in the form of the “next-generation MacBook Pro.” In fact, Apple is touting this next-generation MBP as having the highest-resolution notebook display in the world. According to the numbers, the MBP will have a resolution of up to 2880 x 1880 with 220 pixels per inch and a total of 5,184,000 pixels. Other points worth noting, this new MBP model is thinner, measuring in at 0.71 inches thick and weighing in at 4.46 pounds. And while that is not as light as the Air, it is almost as thin. This model will have a 15.4-inch display, a quad-core 2.3GHz i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, 1GB of GeForce GT 650M graphics, 256GB SSD and up to 7 hours of battery life. The price will start at $2199. Other goodies for this model includes an SD card slot, HDMI, two USB 3/2 ports, two Thunderbolt ports and MagSafe 2.0. The 13-inch models will bring features to include a 1280 x 800 display resolution, dual-core 2.5GHz i5 processors, 4GB of RAM, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 500GB of hard drive space and up to 7 hours of battery life for $1199. The higher end 13-inch MBP will bring a 2.9GHz dual-core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive for $1499. Finally, the 15-inch models. These will start with a $1799 price tag with features to include a 1440 x 900 display resolution, a 2.3GHz quad-core i7 processor, 4GB of RAM, GeForce GT 650M graphics, 500GB hard drive and 7 hours of battery life. The higher end 15-inch MBP will have a $2199 price tag and add in a 2.6GHz quad-core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, 1GB for graphics and a 750GB hard drive.  
Image credit: gdgt Coming as a part of the WDC 2012 hardware refresh, the MacBook Air lineup has been updated. And nicely done, the new models are available and shipping as of today. As to the changes — the big one — Ivy Bridge processors. More specifically, the new MBA models will feature (up to) dual-core 2.0GHz i7 processors with Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz. Some of the other goodies include graphics that are said to be up to 60 percent faster, an option to pack in a 512GB SSD and up to 8GB of RAM. There will also be two USB 3.0 ports. The 13-inch MBA will feature a 1440 x 900 display resolution and the smaller 11-inch model will arrive sporting Intel HD Graphics 4000 with a 1366 x 768 resolution and a Facetime camera that is now 720p HD. Lastly, despite both MBA models getting a refresh — the price is also going to come in a bit lower. The 11-inch models will be priced from $999 and $1099 and the 13-inch models will be priced from $1199 and $1499.  | |
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