BlackBerry 10 launches in Dubai!! Here's my initial hands on review-

Sometime last month I got an invitation to check out a sneak peak of the BlackBerry 10 Operating System. I don't usually go for product launches but I knew this one would be one to not miss, especially if the NDA they made us sign was anything to go by. There was already enough of a preview of the features of the BB10 online so I was wondering what on earth they would show us that required such secrecy- turns out a few of the features weren't yet official, one of the biggies being video chat over BBM.
So the 30th January rolls around and I get another invite for the official launch of the phone, and again I was too curious to see what exactly would happen as I was promised for it to be quite a show. Only on reaching the venue did I realize that the phone was being launched live in NYC with a giant screen that spread the room showing us the goings on- and we were joined with such a launch taking place in a few other cities including New Delhi, Paris, Toronto and Johannesburg. I won't get into too much about the event, although it was very well organized, and instead I'll focus straight on the phone. Every one in attendance got to take home the new BlackBerry Z10 (the flagship device with the onscreen keyboard) so I've had around 24 hours to play with it and put it through its paces.

The BlackBerry 10 launch in Dubai

2 phones announced- the flagship Z10 and the Q10 with physical keyboard (availability date TBA)

Apologies for the blurry image! This is what the Z10 looks like held

So about the device- It looks very similar to the iPhone 5 being just a tad bit longer and wider but feels approximately to be the same weight. I actually like the feel of the Z10 a bit better as it has a rubberized back which gives it a better "grip" while you're holding and typing on the device. The device runs smoothly and feels as fast as an iPhone or top of the line Android device. The keyboard is great and works very well, much better than the stock Android keyboard but perhaps not as good as SwiftKey, my favourite app on my Samsung Note 2 which allows me to customize the keyboard. All in all, I liked it better than an iPhone keyboard too so that's saying a lot. Also, if you are multilingual you will probably love the phones ability to switch between two languages without any particular "switching" to take place. You can now go between English to French with ease!
BlackBerry (the company, formerly known as RIM) has also made sure to go out there and secure some big names for their App store. Right now I was able to download the Facebook and Twitter app which integrates very well into the phone, but others will soon be available including WhatsApp and Skype, although the latter may not be available in Dubai.

Let me highlight a few of the changes that makes the BB10 different from the other iPhone and Android devices out there-
- BBM is now much more useful as it integrates voice calling AND video chat. I've heard that video chat via BBM is available in the UAE for now (although I haven't tested it out as I don't know anyone else who has the new device yet) neither have I been able to try out voice chat as I don't know how to operate it yet. Will post further comments as and when I have more info on that front.
- Since BlackBerry has always been all about security, BBM has another great feature that the working folk may appreciate. Users of the BB10 have a way of sharing their screen with the person they are chatting to via BBM to show them pictures, documents and whatever else they have on their phone without actually sending them the device. That works brilliantly as you can imagine, when sharing information with someone without actually having to share it.
- To do this and not have people be able to glance into your crazy weekend photographs and Angry Bird game downloads, the phone allows you to have 2 modes- a work mode and a play one. I haven't played around with this too much, but I do know from the demos that this is possible.
- Another cool app is something called "Remember" which allows you to create a folder where you can put it all sorts of information that you may need to, well, remember later. The example they gave was quite useful- lets say you planning a holiday. It allows you to store contact details of the person you need to speak to regarding the holiday, any photographs you may have saved, website info, Evernote notes on the subject, all to be jointly kept in one place for future reference. Earth shattering app? No. Bloody useful? For sure.
- Ever tried to use the browser on an old BlackBerry device? You'll know how painfully slow the damn thing can be. One of the first things they made us do in the preview session is to clock the speeds of our current devices to showcase it in comparison to the new BB. Even on the test device, websites were blazing fast and I'm happy to report that the same is true of the final device. Big phew!
- The Camera is an 8 megapixel shooter that is actually quite sharp although I'm yet to review it in dim lighting conditions. The cool thing about the camera is the "Time Shift" function which when activated takes a burst of a few pictures in one shot. As the phone detects faces, what this means is if there are a bunch of people taking pictures together, the camera allows you to literally pick the best shot of the face of each person involved. If you have your eyes closed in the perfect shot of someone else? Easy, just swap it out to the second right before where your eyes are open. Very cool, and very useful.

Image taken from Rogers.com website

- Since we're talking about the camera, a very cool app that comes built in is the "Story Maker" app which is very similar to "iMovie" on the iPhone (although this is free)- It quickly takes snippets of video, still pictures and music and turns it into a funky video clip/slideshow. Again, I just saw this on the demo and am yet to play around with it. Video review to follow!
- The BlackBerry guys talk about the "Blackberry Hub" a lot- which is just a place where all the msgs- be they from twitter, facebook, BBM, SMS or email all show up together, so you can access all your info from one place. I found this to be slightly more confusing than simple, and hopefully I'll just get used to that soon. Clearly there is a slight learning curve there.

Overall, despite mixed reviews published by tech blogs, I'm personally a huge fan of the BlackBerry 10. I have always been a fan of BBM and despite the bells and whistles of other smartphones, I've still kept my BlackBerry, albeit as a second phone, to do what it does best- Communicate.. that too securely.
BBM has always just worked for me. I'm able to keep in touch with the ppl in my life that matter, and while yes, WhatsApp and iMessage are available on other platforms, they just haven't been as easy, or moreover RELIABLE to use as BBM. I've never had a message not get delivered despite the phone showing it has, or other confusions I've faced on the other options.
The second biggest reason I love my BlackBerry is my ability to travel with it outside the UAE. No matter where in the world I am, I can always count on my BB to keep me in touch with my work, family and friends. That has more to do with the carriers offering special packages for the BB, and I'm hoping Etisalat and Du will have the good sense to offer reasonable rates for the BB10 as well. I'm also excited that the frustration I used to experience with ridiculously slow browsing speeds while traveling may also be a thing of the past. Add voice and (hopefully!!!) video chat to this and BAM- you've got a dream device!!

For all those writing the BlackBerry's obituary after the launch, I'd like to point out that the same could have been said about Android only a few years earlier. The difference between the two is that the BB still already has a loyal fan base in the UAE and all they need to do is make sure the phone is able to continue to cheaply and securely provide data to their customers. The device itself is a gorgeous one and I think BlackBerry has gotten more right than they have wrong. With a rapidly growing app store and promise of many more popular Apps, I think a lot of people will love their new device and not feel like they are carrying a dinosaur anymore. I dare say we might see people shift back to the BB as their sole device as well. For those who think I'm paying lip service to the brand as I sell them in my stores, there have been a slew of products I've tested out recently and not bothered doing a review as, well, I just didn't want to lie about wanting to own them myself (ahem, BB Porsche design or Surface anyone?) As of now, am loving my BlackBerry Z10 and I can't wait to see the next generation of phones the company comes out with. As they stressed repeatedly in their launch, I too think this is just the beginning for them. 

This is just my initial review after 24 hours of use and in a few days hopefully I'll be back with a video review and a few more tips and tricks about the device and operating system. Stay tuned!
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The BlackBerry 10 is out everywhere in the UAE on February 10th. Due to the high demand of the product, I'd advise you to go into any of the Jumbo Stores to pre-order the device to ensure you get it on the day itself!
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Camera comparison between the Galaxy Note2 and iPhone5

In my previous blog post I'd done a quick review of the Galaxy Note 2 and I assumed I'd use it for a while and then go back to my trusted iPhone 5.. that has not been the case. I'm actually shocked by how much I love the phone despite a few shortcomings. There are a few things I really miss about the iPhone5 and the stunning image quality from the cameras is one of them. I promised to take a few pictures from both cameras and am actually pretty amazed as to how well the iPhone 5 has performed. Here are some test shots taken in different lighting conditions that my gorgeous model Chintu posed for me in-

Taken with the Note 2 in a dimly lit room

Taken with the iPhone 5 in a few minutes of the earlier one in exact same lighting

Same lighting conditions- with flash taken with the Note 2

Same lighting conditions- taken with flash on an iPhone5. The top part is blurry as I think he realized in time to avert his gaze so as not to get blinded again!

Taken with the Note 2 in a well lit room with lots of natural sunlight

Same picture taken with an iPhone5

And it's in direct sunlight where this is very little difference between the 2- This is taken with the Note2

And this one with an iPhone5.

As you can tell, the iPhone 5 could very easily replace someone's digital camera and its quality in darker conditions really is phenomenal. It's not that the Note2 has a bad camera at all. It's just that the iPhone5 is, well, much much better. There was another picture that I took which shows the seat number in a dark movie theater that just came out as a black screen on the Note2. Maybe it's unfair to require your phone camera to take perfectly decent pictures in horribly lit conditions but Apple and Nokia have pushed the bar just that high so that is the benchmark that other phone manufacturers will now get compared to.
I'm actually contemplating buying the new iPod Touch to carry around with me for the 2 reasons I miss the iPhone most- the camera and the iPod functionality. I have been carrying the 5 in my handbag for the gym anyway (while not using it as a phone) and would appreciate something thinner and lighter, occupying less space. Having said that, the new Touch has a 5 megapixel camera as opposed to the 8 in the iPhone5 so I need to have another shootout to compare the two. Watch this space!
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Both the iPhone5 and the Note2 are available at Jumbo Electronics outlets in the UAE

My Galaxy Note 2 review-

While the iPhone5 was one of the most awaited phones on the market, I had secretly yearned for the Galaxy Note 2 for a few months already. Having used, and been surprised by the first Galaxy Note last year, I was quite curious to see exactly what Samsung would come up with next, given that the S3 was a phone almost every Android user raved about and that the Note 2 would not only have the newest Android software (Jellybean) but also a faster processor and better camera.

So as I focus my reviews on the non-techies, let me try to keep things simple- this phone is FAST (techies note- quadcore Exynor and twice the RAM fast) and bloody cool. Yes, it still is incredibly big and Samsung is the pioneer with the predecessor of this device to serve up a complete separate line of devices to lust after- the phablet (phone+tablet). If you're reading this review and already think the new iPhone 5 is way too big for your handbag/pocket, stop reading this review right here. This thing is large and will look a bit comical if held up to your ear. Over the past few days every single person who has asked me about whether they should get this phone has been met with two questions by me- "Do you use a headset to speak on your phone a lot? And do you read a lot on your device?" If the answers to both are yes, this may just be your dream phone.

As mentioned earlier, this device is a bit too large to hold up to your ear, although I have quite a bit I must admit, not having had my headset on a handful of times. So if you use a bluetooth or wired headset to talk, you're good to go. Secondly, if you are in the habit of reading a lot on your phone- be it emails, Facebook, Twitter, or just random articles from Zite/Pulse while away from your computer, your eyes will thank you for being able to read on the gorgeous screen. Playing games, watching movies, it's all really great to do on the device. Being able to watch moving on a pop up window while working in the background is even better! The Note 2 allows you to do just that.

While most people will like this phone just to be able to have a bigger screen, the stylus (called S Pen) is also really great to use. You can download a whole bunch of sketching applications or can just use the "S Note" app that came pre-installed in the phone which allows you to let your creative/artistic style run wild. Of course, you could just use it to hand write notes in a meeting, and maybe this is a good time to add, the handwriting recognition on this thing too works like a dream. Anyhow, back to using S Note, I made the following "drawing" in under 2 minutes .Please excuse the childlike artwork.. was just playing around on the phone to demonstrate and email to a friend what the phone could do and used the illustrations that are a part of a huge selection of images available for the S Note app-

While "S Pen" has dozens of uses and shortcuts that you can read about in a detailed review of the phone posted up on Engadget today (I'll link to that at the end of this review) the most useful one is the S Note app popping up each time the stylus is removed from the device. This also works while one is one the phone and a tiny post-it sized note pad pops up which will allow you to easily jot notes or phone numbers while on an existing call. Very, VERY handy. The camera on the Note2 is an 8 megapixel one and is quite good. I'm planning to have a separate post on that comparing it to the iPhone5 in various lighting conditions. (I'll give you a hint here- the iPhone5 can't be beat in low light conditions)

It is only fair for me to mention the hiccups I've had with this phone though... On two separate occasions I was unable to call or text a particular contact on my phone. Meaning that on those occasions (these are 2 separate people) I was able to call and text other people except for the person I was trying to get in touch with. Texts wouldn't go through and calls would just say "call ended" without any attempt to reach the other party. I do think though this was the fault of a buggy software and check back in a few days to see an update on whether its happened again. I also do think at worst its just that I had a faulty device, but as I said, I'd like to give a full disclosure on my experience so am mentioning it anyway. Also the buttom buttons are too closely placed to the edge of the device which is great as it means more screen space, but be ready to get annoyed with yourself for accidentally pressing them a lot!Also "S Voice" the Siri type "assistant" is beyond rubbish on the phone. Complete waste of time and memory (on the device that is).

Having said that I really enjoyed being able to surf, watch video clips, read and play games all day (basically I'm a heavy user) while at the end of the day glancing at my phone and only seeing 50 to max 60% of the battery used up! The battery on this device is INCREDIBLE.. the best I've seen on a mobile device! My iPhone4S (and iPhone5 for that matter) starts showing signs of death at around 6 or 7.. usually before I get home, if that's any indication. The million dollar question I seem to get asked- iPhone5 or Note 2? Not an easy question at all as both have their pros and cons and I promise to do a separate comparison post soon and maybe show some videos of the device side by side. In the meantime check it out at your nearest Jumbo store why don't you? (Shameless plug for the day: DONE!) ;)

 Here is an in depth video of the Note2 on Samsung's YouTube channel-

You can also check out Engadget's detailed review here
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My iPhone 5 review!

Photo taken from CNET

I waited with bated breath three days ago to finally receive the box of my favourite toy- the highly anticipated iPhone 5. Nothing gets me more excited than new gadget days and obviously a toy like this which is a hot commodity worldwide, is one to be especially excited for, and I was no exception. I've put the phone through it's paces and instead of just giving it a rave review based on its looks and the fact that I'm the epitome of an Apple fangirl, I wanted to really test it out to give it a fair assessment.

Difference in size between the 4S and the 5 (photo taken from CNET)

There are a few things that I love, and a few things I am not particularly thrilled about on the iPhone 5. Let me get into the obvious ones that people have been raving after- it's light (noticeably so! in fact shockingly so!) and the extra screen space is a most welcome addition. The camera is supposed to be better but honestly I haven't used it enough to see the difference. However, I recently tweeted some links to articles (this is one of them) that shows the camera in action and it really looks amazing. The body of the iPhone as well is absolutely gorgeous, especially in black. I must advice those who are looking to get it in white before they have a look at the device- I had a white 4S and ordered a white iPhone 5 and when I held it, it didn't look or feel "new" enough for me. The black with it's brushed metal back and black sides looks much sleeker and different and hence I swapped my phone in for that one, and I'm so glad I did.

Now here come the bits I'm not really liking- There is no LTE on Etisalat at the moment. I have the phone and hence can confirm I'm still surfing on old 3G speeds. Speed on the phone is one of the key selling points of it worldwide and unfortunately we are as of yet unable to take advantage of that. I was also not thrilled to have to experiment and cut up my nano SIM card for it. I understand that it takes up space and was a necessary move for the phone, but for someone who swaps out phones constantly, it is an inconvenience to say the least. I still carry in my wallet an outer shell cover to turn a micro SIM into a regular one, just in case I have an urge to swap phones somewhere. You can then understand my frustration. One more thing I didn't realize till I actually cut my SIM and had the phone functioning properly- despite having a factory unlocked device from the UK, I was unable to activate FaceTime on it at all. So while OS6 allows for FaceTime over 3G as well as WiFi, Apple/TRA have figured out a way so that even devices not sold here have a block put on them. If you're one of those like me, who had a factory unlocked unit from elsewhere and had FaceTime on your 4S, please note: As of now, I have not figured out a way to activate it on my iPhone 5! Big bummer. Huge. Don't even get my started about the new adapter. In these 2 days already I've had two situations where I needed to charge my iPhone and realized, neither my office nor my friend's home (places I was) had a charger for the new iPhone. Painful and inconvenient and unnecessarily so. Another huge gripe I have with the new phone is it's headset placement at the bottom. I'm very used to, while driving in my car, holding the iphone the right way up and swiping to take a call without looking at the screen... that is no more the case. Also, since I use a wired headset to talk on said call, I usually have it always plugged in to my phone. With it placed at the bottom, I didn't realize how difficult it would be to hold the phone and type properly, hence leading me to constantly have to yank out the headset and put it back in. Again, unnecessarily inconvenient.

To add to my woes it doesn't help that my particular unit is a bit buggy at the moment. The first night I plugged it into my computer to charge as I always did my old iPhone 4S and in the morning, the battery had actually drained through the night. This is with it actually showing up the charging symbol on the phone so it's not like I hadn't plugged it the right way in. A quick reboot though solved the situation and it charges fine, but after reading some reports that people have been having trouble charging it through the computer, I've stuck to it being plugged into a wall socket. This morning I tried to type some things into the screen and it actually wasn't responding to my touch for a few seconds as well... something I'm hoping was a one off. Please let me point out that it is not uncommon for certain handsets to have glitches and I'm sure thousands of others using the iPhone 5 have no problems doing so. I'm mentioning this for full disclosure on my experience as well as an issue of a warning for those who don't want to wait for those who buy the phone from the official channel once its launched. No warranty can be a pain.

I know it sounds like I have only negative points to talk about and I really don't... the device is great and as I said, I love the look and feel of it. There are LOADS of reviews online from people who are absolutely crazy about the device and all the features it offers. I really wish LTE (or what everyone I've been speaking to is terming "4G") was available from the start for me to really tell a difference in operation as most of those reviews are raving about the blazing fast internet speeds. I have heard however, that both Du and Etisalat have confirmed it in the future. The look of the phone can't be beat and is an absolutely gorgeous GORGEOUS device and really, FaceTime wasn't available to most phones in the UAE anyway.. it was just a matter of time they caught up to the rest of us. As for the nano SIM, Apple are trendsetters and after they went Micro in the 4, didn't like everyone follow suit? As for the adapter, almost everyone I know who has a 4S now is looking to upgrade and very soon charger problems will be a thing of the past.
Yet, there is one small question keeps niggling at me and I can't quite find the answer. Why am I missing my 4S so damn much?
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UPDATE!!!- Just to let you know, both FaceTime and iMessage on my UK-originated device are now working just fine on the Etisalat network!

Microsoft Surface- a sneak peak..

As the release of Microsoft's Surface inches closer, there is a certain buzz taking place in tech blogs about this little device. For those who don't know what it is, it is Microsoft's entry into the tablet space, a space that is obviously mostly taken over my Apple, with Samsung and Amazon gunning for the iPad's market share. Apple however has plans to invade their territory instead with a highly rumoured iPad Mini to be released before the end of the year that will compete with the lower priced Android devices currently on offer. I read a story earlier today that Microsoft will be giving all its full time employees with a Surface which I think would be great not only for employee morale, but will improve visibility of the product and promote the product through word of mouth. Microsoft after all, isn't exactly a small company! The nifty little device is going to be launched on 26th with a previously rumoured price of 199USD with Steve Ballmer recently going on record with the Seattle Times suggesting it will cost somewhere between 300 to 700 or 800 USD.
If you haven't already seen pictures of one, the device has a 10.6 inch screen, a kickstand and will run Windows 8. The USP of the device of course remains its tactile multi-touch keyboard, which seemingly has left a lot of tech critics very impressed. We will see details in a month when the device is actually available, but in the meantime here is a video to whet your appetite.

I'm super excited to get my hands on one of these! Probably even more so than the iPad Mini! If this functions well, it will be quite revolutionary indeed!
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Sony Tablet- Video and Review!!

On Diwali I went over to my sister's house when my nephew came running out with a slick Sony Tablet that made my jaw drop. The device was shiny, utterly gorgeous and totally Sony- which in my language means, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I begged for him to let me keep it for a few days so I could review it and hand it back. Unfortunately I have been swamped for a few weeks now, and only when he called me requesting that I send back his device, did I remember to finally do a short video and get my act together and review it.
First of all let me talk about it's shape. It looks very different in comparison to all the other tablets out there, and resembles a magazine that's been folded over. You may think that's strange till you start to use it. It's a joy to type on and view content on as it sits the device at a slight angle that avoids a lot of glare. It's also much easier to hold with one hand, which makes it perfect for watching movies or reading books.
The device itself has a 9.4 inch 1280x800 screen that's great and not as reflective as the shiny device might suggest. It has a 5 megapixel camera that's actually quite good, as well as a front facing camera for video chats or self portraits.
While the outside of the tablet is gorgeous, it's insides are also quite impressive with a dual-core Tegra 2 processor that works very well on the screen (check my video review to see the smoothness of the interface for yourself).
I'm also so happy that Sony decided to not get caught up in trying to re-create an Operating System for themselves, but used the existing Android OS to run on the device. While I couldn't fidget around on the device too much and download too many apps (it wasn't my tablet after all) I did check out the Android Market and was quite surprised to see a lot of my favorite apps for my iPad had been ported over into the Android store too. I couldn't resist and downloaded Pulse, one of my favorite and most used apps and was quite amazed that it worked as smoothly as it would on my iPad. Cheekily, I added my blog and left it on there, so hopefully my nephew will get curious and start reading Kiran's Corner soon too... Hey, here's hoping!

Of course, a Sony device wouldn't be a Sony device without a bit of PlayStation action thrown in, and the device has access to a whole bunch of exclusive titles, with Crash Bandicoot pre-installed (again, a demo of which is in my video review below). There are also a whole bunch of Sony proprietary apps, including a Universal Remote that can be used to access all Sony devices.

Here's a quick video review I did on the device before I had to hand it back over-


Overall I think it's an absolutely amazing device and for me would be a no-brainer, especially after seeing it and holding it in person.
I can't wait now till the Sony P series tablet gets launched so I can get my hands on that and decide which one to get!
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The Guide to customized Gizmos and Gadgets!

Did you guys happen to check out my article in Gulf News yesterday?? My column has been finally christened with a picture!

So my latest article for Gulf News was about customizations. Most of you have seen pictures of the products I've customized, but for those that haven't, I'm going to stick in pictures of some of the stuff mentioned so you get a better idea of what they look like. Do check out the companies I've talked about.. they do some fantastic stuff!!


Recently a friend of mine took a look at a personalised toiletry bag I had with my name custom-embroidered on it and joked that I should make a collage of all the things in my life I had personalised. I didn't realise how bad my obsession for customised items was until she pointed it out! I had the (what I consider) basics, like my towels at home and custom letterheads, to the bit more extravagant, like my zippy sports car having my name engraved on its side step that can only be seen when the door is ajar. I've always liked to have things that stand out and are different, and my love for gadgets obviously means that almost every product I have is customised in some way to make it unique and "mine".

It all started off with one of the first computers I ever bought— The Apple Power PC laptop that came with what I consider an ingenious USP — changeable covers. The laptop itself came with probably half a dozen designs that you could swap out, but I chose to customise it further with cut-out pictures, and christen it "Gianni" after my then favourite designer. Embarrassing in hindsight, but forgivable since I was probably 15 then! A lot of people, especially women, like to differentiate their products by buying a particular laptop over the other because of the colour, or having special cases and or trinkets tied to their mobile phones to make them stand out. Recent years have seen high end fashion houses make special accessories targeted towards these fashionistas with Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs et al, all making covers for the iPad and cases for several smartphones.

There are other companies that I've used over the years to customise my products further, depending on the look that I'm going for and the amount I'm willing to spend to make that particular item stand out.

When JLo became a chart sensation and bling was "in" I'd found a company called Crystal Icing (www.crystalicing.com) online that I'd used to add some sparkle to my phone. I was using a windows-based phone back then, and had sent in the physical device to be covered up with rhinestones with a face of Marilyn Monroe on it. Since BlackBerry and iPhones seem to be the most popular device of choice these days, the company no longer requires you to send in your phone to be crystallised, but has the option for you to purchase covers for the devices. I recently purchased an iPhone 4 cover from them and am pleased with their quality of work, as they have the option to use the tiniest of crystals on the device.

Colour and glitter
Another company that successfully transforms your gadgets (among other things) into stunning jewellery-like objects is the UAE-based Jake and Gigi (www.jakeandgigi.com). Michelle Roberts, the owner of the brand, has a knack of putting together Swarovski crystals along with larger vintage embellishments to create items that are a smorgasbord of colour and glitter. With styles ranging from the Audrey Hepburn-inspired to the more muted angelic theme to dozens more, Michelle designs to suit almost every palette. If however you don't find what you're looking for, she is able to work with you or use items that you may already have to custom create an item that suits your mood. I had sent in a Tarina Tarantino "pink head" pendant to her some time back, which Michelle pulled apart and incorporated into a Blackberry cover she did for me. 

Sorry about the picture quality.. is a very old photograph!

A few years ago a friend of mine gifted me a BlackBerry Curve in a bright orange, as was customised by another company based out of America called Colorware (www.colorwarepc.com). Not only did the phone look suitably funky, it looked like it was a limited edition piece and I used to literally have strangers coming up to me to ask me where I got it from. While Colorware isn't cheap (my friend was very generous) they are to gadgets what the company Fab Design is to cars. I recently used them to customize a Macbook Air for myself that I knew I would use for a few years to come. While ordering from them, you have the ability to either send in the item (for US customers only), have them ship you the parts (available for certain products) or buying a new item custom done. With a computer, you're able to colourise each part of the computer separately and have a rainbow of colours on the item if you so choose. Since they are, in essence, pulling apart the machine and replacing its outer facade, I was quite nervous to see how my laptop would turn out, but I was absolutely thrilled with the end result, especially the colours used which are as bright and vibrant as promised.

 Ever since I started my blog and had a custom Avatar created for it, I've had an obsession of trying to get that image on absolutely everything I possibly can. It was only natural then that I'd try to get it onto all the gadgets that I surround myself with every day, and since I change them so often, needed to find a cost effective way to do it. After a bit of researching I found the company GelaSkins online (www.gelaskins.com), which allows you to buy gorgeous skins for a host of devices, or even customize your own. They allowed me to make custom decals very inexpensively for all my gadgets, and I can honestly say I've been blown away by the results! They're very easy to apply without any bubbles coming in during the application process, they don't leave a sticky film behind upon removal, and neither do they start to peel off after time. I even customised a skin for my Macbook Air that I'd bought from Colorware, to be able to customise it one step further. The skins can be even personalised with a photograph or a whole collage of them, or you can choose one from the literally hundreds of designs available.

 I feel that just like clothes, the gadgets I use are a reflection of who I am and I absolutely abhor the idea of being just like every one else. If you like to stand out from the crowd too, hopefully this will give you some ideas to make the every day things you use stand out- just like your personality.
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You can check out the article on the Gulf News website here
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First iPhone 4S review in Dubai!!

So yes, the iPhone 4S is finally out, and being a gadget lover I just figured that everyone knew about the phone and everything it entailed till my friend Nadia told me the other day she saw a video of what the iPhone 5 could do. "Erm," I said to her, "there is no iPhone 5??" "But I saw a video of the laser keypad that the guy used to type on his desk!" she insisted. "My Lebanese hairdresser downstairs showed it to me!" Oh dear. For those who still haven't heard, the iPhone 5 does not exist yet and the video circulating is a concept video of what some guy wishes the phone would be like! Now that I've got that sorted, let me tell you more about the iPhone 4S.

 

The new phone looks pretty identical to iPhone 4 and I have not been able to tell any differences between the two. Apparently there is a bit of difference in weight and thickness, but both are quite marginal and none that I've been able to detect. I've had the phone for 2 days now and I'm really impressed with it! As I'd already upgraded my iPhone 4 to a white device, I don't really have the thrill of feeling like I have a new phone as it looks identical to my previous one. A huge difference is that my new one is 64GB which means a lot more music for me to carry around! 

The main difference between the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S is the camera and of course, Siri, the voice operated personal assistant that is ONLY available on the 4S and not the 4. The new iOS5 is pretty fantastic and fixes a lot of problems that I used to have with the old device like pop up notifications that were ridiculously annoying. That has now been fixed and makes the phone a lot simpler to use. The new iOS (which is the operating system of the device.. or in even simpler terms, the base software that the phone runs) can be installed on the 4S so a lot of people might choose to just use that on their iPhone 4's and might choose not to upgrade. 

The iOS5 has the new iMessage app that allows people from Mac devices to be able to message each other for free. Upon it's announcement a lot of people figured that it would be a competitor to BBM or Whatsapp and it's a question quite a few people have been asking me the past few days. Honestly upon receiving my new phone (I had chosen to not download iOS5 on my old phone till I received the 4S) I was searching for the iMessage app and was wondering why I didn't have it. It's only upon a quick google search that I realized that it only worked until after I sent a friend a message did it let me know that the message had been sent and received via the app and therefor SMS rates would not apply. I don't quite understand why Apple decided to do that and not show the user which of their friends had that application on their phone. Overall, while it worked flawlessly, I just wish it worked a little.. well.. more like BBM or Whatsapp.

Ok back to the 4S device itself. I don't have any pictures on the camera yet to be able to demonstrate the picture quality and I will upload some soon. In the meantime, I've done a video review to show you a bit of what Siri functions like and to show you guys the actual device. Hope you like the video! I ran off in the middle to meet my friend for coffee hence the break. Also, the video was shot using my iPhone4 and edited on that phone before loading it up, so I do apologize about the lack of editing and the shakiness. The 4S has image stabilization by the way, so if I use my new device to shoot the iPhone 5 next year, hopefully I won't have the same issues!

So yes, Siri is a complete hoot and my friend and I have had hours of fun playing with her over the past few days. Nadia is convinced that poor Siri is just going to spontaneously combust due to our stupid questions and constant chatter with it! Anyhow, I haven't had any problems as such with the phone but today it did give me the wrong caller ID with it showing somebody's name and somebody completely different calling... Maybe Siri is getting back at me playing pranks? Who knows! I will update this post if that continues or if it was just a one off situation. Overall, the phone is great and since I'd managed my expectations on what the phone was and wasn't, I was quite pleased with it. Whether it is worth the upgrade over the iPhone 4 is entirely your call, whereas for me it was a no-brainer.

I decided to play some more with Siri and show her off to you guys, so check out the video below to be truly impressed. Additionally, here's a great post I found online on all the things Siri can respond to. But sadly enough, the thing I enjoy most is swearing at her... And yes, she comes up with different responses each time, which is why I continue! :) 

And if you're wondering how one can pass hours chatting with Siri, watch me and Nadia in all our silliness below! We tried convincing her that she was a boy (apparently Siri is genderless) and that her name was really Sebastian. I had another video with us going all out and asking her all sorts of random questions, but I deleted that one by mistake. Just as well!!! Skip the video unless you really have nothing to do (don't tell me I didn't warn you)...

Hope you enjoyed the review. For those upgrading from a 3GS or from another platform, check out my review of the iPhone 4 here which shows off FaceTime and  talks about the phone in general. 

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The iPhone 4S will be available in Jumbo stores very, very soon!

iPhone 4S and all other Apple announcements...

Wow.. So Tim Cook took the stage for the first time ever as CEO of Apple and delivered the Keynote speech for the "Lets talk iPhone" event taking place today. The iPhone has, as he announced, seen a year on year increase of a whopping 125%!!! Wowza! Well it's still only 5% of the mobile phone market, so there is lots of room to grow.
iOS 5 updates again-
-The new Operating System will have iMessage, which will allow messages to be sent between 2 iOS devices.
-Reminders are location based reminders that will clue you in to do certain tasks in certain areas as well as added Twitter integration all over the OS.
-Newsstand allows for periodicals to be downloaded straight on to the device in the background
- The Apple Camera will now have in-app editing
iOS5 will be available for free on October 12th!

image courtesy of gdgt

"Find my friends" allow me to track the location of family and friends on my iPhone. Cool and all, but I REALLY don't want my family or my friends knowing where the hell I am!!! That's like my worst nightmare come true!!

iTunes Match: Allows iTunes to match your current library in the cloud. Cool feature. Available "end of October" for $24.99

Updates on 2 iPods-

Some very cool clock faces that now officially lets the iPod Nano be used as a watch! It also has bigger icons and now built in support for Nike+
The iPod Touch is also available in White now and here are the prices for all of them-

And now... The iPhone 4S!! That's right guys, there is no iPhone 5.
- The iPhone 4S will have the A5 chip and will be 7 TIMES FASTER than the iPhone 4! That's nuts!
- Increased battery life with 8 hours of talk time in 3G.  Damn now I can't even lie and say that my phone died which is why people couldn't reach me with the "Find my Friend" feature (yes, I'm still emotionally scarred by that)
- Has some new system that allows for antenna switch to download and receive
-Download speeds that are twice as fast as the iPhone 4
- Now both CDMA and GSM!!!
- The camera looks amazing!! It has an 8 megapixel camera!! 30 percent more sharpness in image quality
- Records 1080p HD video recording.

And as I had predicted on Twitter earlier today, "Assistant" was the show stopper at the announcement today. The idea behind it being that you can TALK to your iPhone and have it talk back to you. Asking it whether you will need the umbrella today, what time it is in Paris, and what Greek restaurants are around Palo Alto will all have it speak back responses, and show you appropriate data matching with your question. I can't WAIT to see the video of the event to just see how well this actually works on the live demo on stage.
- If you receive a message while driving, just hold down the button on the headset and say "read my message" and Siri (the software) does so
- You can ask Siri how many days are left until Christmas and she replies
- Set up a wake up call
- Look up stock and weather data
And of course, here is the catch- Siri will only work on iPhone 4S and will need data connection to work
When asked, "Who are You?" Siri responds, "I am your humble Personal Assistant." Ha! Cute.

And although this doesn't quite apply to us, for those in America the above is what the pricing of the iPhone 4S will look like. It will be available in the US on all the big carriers as Sprint is now included as well.
And as Apple Japan had already confirmed to us, the iPhone 4S will be available on October 14th in 7 countries including the US, 22 more countries on October 28th, and 70 countries by the end of the year.
And no, the UAE didn't make the list of those 22 countries, hence, as of now, no fixed date is known for it's availability... YET.
Watch this space.
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iPhone 4S confirmed?? No iPhone 5?

Ok guys, I'm waiting for the Apple announcements to kick off and am glued to my computer waiting for the Apple iPhone event to start. The reason I'm telling you guys this now, is that I'm probably not going to be able to write coherent sentences once the event actually begins. I'll be one of those sweaty dorks sitting hunchbacked over my laptop, hitting refresh like a crazy person even though I've got autorefresh switched on on the multiple websites open and yes I know refreshing the damn site isn't going to make a difference and is akin to hitting the floor number repeatedly in an elevator but I want to keep refreshing it ok?? Wow, I think I'm going loopy already.
Well the event hasn't even started and it looks like Apple Japan's online Ginza store has let the cat out of the bag and has announced a 14th October launch date for what seems to be the Apple iPhone 4S. And that's ONLY 4S, as in there is no iPhone 5 at all. That's unless it's Jobs' "One More thing"... oh wait, there is no Steve Jobs either.

Ok the event is almost about to start.. let's hope there is an actual iPhone 5 that shows up or else I'm going to be pissed. Real pissed!! Check back in for a post on what goes down during the event as soon as it's over! Oh and sorry for the language! And all the exclamation points!!
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Amazon's Kindle sets the house on "Fire"

Post the launch of the iPad, there have been numerous products that have been touted as the next "iPad killer." People sat up and took notice when the Blackberry Playbook was announced, and were very excited when HP decided to get into the game. Samsung as well has had success with their Galaxy Tablet, which according to recent news, has a higher market share than the iPad in a huge territory like India. Sony also has announced plans to come out with their own Tablet which will be launched by the end of the year. There was always speculation that maybe Amazon would follow in the footsteps of Barnes and Nobles that launched a "Nook" tablet device recently, and that speculation came to fruition yesterday when Amazon launched the Kindle Fire device as seen above (Picture taken from Gizmodo.com)
So what makes the Fire worth even talking about? Well, the price tag for one. This seems to be the first thing people mention when talking about the device, as at it's given 199 USD price tag, it is 300 USD cheaper than the cheapest iPad.
Amazon built the Fire with the concept of building a perfect device to receive information from. Apple's iPad has tried to market itself as a machine that could be a laptop replacement, but anyone who has used one has seen how difficult it is to actually input any information into it. The on screen keyboard isn't the easiest to type on and the idea that one will actually use the iPad to take pictures is quite ludicrous and moreover as a blogger I find it quite irritating that the absence of Flash means I can't post on my blog with ease. The Kindle Fire on the other hand, is the exact same size as the Blackberry Playbook, which means it's much smaller and easier to tote around than the iPad. In fact, the similarity with the Playbook doesn't stop there- the Fire actually runs off the same processor as found on the Blackberry device.
Amazon is also set to take on content-provider Netflix head-on as the Amazon Prime service, which gives users access to 100,000 movies and TV shows, will become increasingly important in the digital field as users will be able to stream content wirelessly. Just as with the Amazon Kindle books app, that allows bookmarks to be shared within devices, similarly the Movies app will allow for content to be played on other devices from when it was last paused on the Fire, or vice versa.
To check out the Kindle Fire in action, check out a video of the demo as shot by the folks at Engadget. I can't wait to get my hands on one!
For those who still want to use the device for reading purposes only, new Kindle devices using the previous E-Ink technology have been launched at excellent price points. Amazon also launched a 79 USD Kindle as well as two Touch enabled Kindles, at 99 and 149 USD respectively.
I see the death of the Barnes and Nobles Nook Player very soon... Death by Fire.
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My review of the Blackberry Playbook in Dubai

My review of the iPhone 4 and the iPad were probably 2 of my most popular posts on my blog last year, and this year when I got my iPad2, I figured it was so similar to the original iPad that I didn't even bother posting on it. I was eager to get my hands on the Blackberry Playbook but knew of quite a few people in Dubai who'd already managed to get their hands on one from other countries so didn't quite think people would be that curious to see what I had to say about the product... that is, till I got my piece to review. I hooked it up with my Blackberry phone (more on that later) and in a few minutes, I was good to go! I got on my BBM (Blackberry Messenger) on the Playbook and changed my status to "On the Playbook" and within MINUTES got bombarded my messages asking what I thought of the device, whether I liked it and most importantly, whether it deserved to be bought or not. "Wait for the review"I said in response to the queries and for the past week, have been playing with the Playbook, gearing up this review.

I'm going to go first with the assumption that you've heard very little about the Playbook, or not at all, and will get into this review that way rather than trying to dispel the rumours that surround the device. The Playbook is a small and cute device which is a lot smaller than the Apple iPad. I turned on my device (which is a prototype and on loan to me) and saw the basic apps I would expect like Browser, Pictures, Music, Camera, YouTube, etc, and a few others that I didn't expect like Video Chat, Word To Go (as well as Sheet and Slideshow To Go), Slacker Radio, Twitter and a few others. Ok, you're thinking, this is a Blackberry Device, let's talk about Email and BBM. Here is where I assume you've heard nothing of the device- Unless you're using Email on your Browser (like Gmail for example) the Blackberry Playbook does NOT allow for Push Email coming directly onto your device, neither does it support BBM... UNLESS you own a Blackberry Phone that the device is hooked up to via an App called "Blackberry Bridge." There are a few reasons why RIM have chosen to set up their Tablet this way and I'm guessing Security is probably on the top of that list! A lot of companies will choose to let their executives have the PlayBook and not have to worry about security on yet another device, as email hooks up flawlessly on the Tablet given that it is in the connectivity range of your phone. Leave your phone in the other room? Your Tablet can't hook up to it and you can say Bye to your email connectivity too. The good news? Lose your Playbook and nobody else can connect to your email without your phone or your contact list on BBM. This has lead to nasty rumours about the Playbook being useless to those without a BB phone. There is a very interesting article that I'd read when I was researching the device that does a fabulous job of dispelling this myth that can be found here which I urge you to read. It does a fab job of explaining exactly WHY lack of email connectivity is really not such a big deal! The Playbook does come with WiFi and it's performance on that is great. Another reason that makes the Blackberry such a popular device with Executives is the Global Roaming packages that are available with all the BB Service providers world over. I haven't tried this (I'm leaving town tomorrow but unfortunately the Playbook was only on loan to me for a week) but I do believe that a huge advantage of using the Playbook if you already own a BB phone is the ability to hook it up and be able to surf on it while traveling. Yes the iPad has 3G, but I really don't know anyone crazy enough to try to use the 3G and pay crazy roaming rates while out of the country.. do you? I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure the Playbook allows for that connectivity at no extra charge.

So you're thinking of getting the Playbook and want to know the pros and cons of the actual device. The keyboard is very quick and responsive and I actually probably like it better than the iPad keyboard. Maybe it's because the device is smaller and thus easier to type on.. I'm not too sure.
Also the advantages it has over the iPad.. it has Flash! It handles Flash heavy websites with ease and also does Multitasking very well. I think the poor device has received a lot of flak for what it CAN'T do that very little focus is put on what it CAN. Ok instead of trying to explain a lot of the stuff to you, I figured I'd just do a very short video review and show you guys the basics of running the device-


Hope you liked it and it helped give you an idea of what the Playbook is like! I'm holing the device and filming on my iPhone which is kinda hard, and it's 11 at night and I'm in my room which is dark so please excuse the light overhead! I'm leaving town early tomorrow and need to send the Playbook back so am trying my best to show you as much of the device before I go. I actually do love it and wish I was able to travel with it to see how it handles, but hopefully after it launches I can get my own and take it for a full spin.
Let me know if you have any more questions. Ooh and do let me know if you enjoy my video review as I can then start doing some more of them too!
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Introducing the PSP Vita!!

So you may have probably heard that a new PSP (PlayStation Portable- the handheld gaming device from Sony) has been announced and people were, for a while, calling it an NGP and you didn't quite know whether it was out yet, what the difference was between the current one and the new version and most importantly, whether it's worth buying (yourself or your kids) one especially with so many other gaming consoles out in the market. Nintendo has the 3D portable console that they say does 3D without glasses and then there is the whole Xbox vs PS3 vs Wii thing going on.. and you're probably wondering whether you even need a console especially when "Angry Birds" keeps you entertained on your phone for HOURS.
Well, the NGP is finally now called the "PSP Vita" and instead of it just being a concept, the PlayStation boys allowed the press to touch, feel and play with the device at the E3 gaming expo in LA yesterday. The device was announced back in January so if you are confused of whether this is yet another device launch, it isn't... it's just been now given an official name and will have official reviews once the tech writers and bloggers and done playing with it.
Instead of making you read a lot of stuff about the features of the device, I think it might be more interesting for you guys to check out the video that gives you an idea of what this baby can do-


If you're not drooling yet and think this video just shows of clever angles and is an example of great marketing, let's see what the press has to say-
Gizmodo says that "the five-inch, 960x544 OLED display screen is uh-mazing. Super duper rich. And clear" It also goes on to say, "the claims of their amazingness and how they touch your eyeballs in special ways are not hyperbole, for the most part. It's easily a generation or two ahead of anything on iOS, and like half a gen or so ahead of most of the 3DS stuff I've played."
(Read the rest of the review here)


Engadget said in it's hands on review, "and how about the dual analog sticks? We're glad you asked -- they completely blow away the original PSP's analog nub, and we don't think first-person combat (or most any PS3 port) will be much of an issue"
(Read the rest of the review here)

USA Today started off the review with the line, "One word comes to mind when seeing the PlayStation Vita and some of its titles: gorgeous."
(Read the rest of the review here)


CNet summed up their time spent with the device with this to say- "From my time with the Vita, I was surprised at how crisp and large the screen was, how good the analog sticks felt (they're actual sticks as opposed to the PSP's stiff pad), and how lightweight the unit was to hold, although that's probably more because these dev units don't have batteries inside. Having all the control schemes and inputs that the PS Vita contains seems daunting, but the games I looked at did a decent job of picking the tools available and offering a variety of experiences. It still remains to be seen whether first-time players will be intimidated by all the buttons and touch panels, or feel liberated."

(Read the rest of the review here)

Since I haven't seen the device personally nor have I held it or played with it, I thought I'd give you a summation as to what the most popular gadget reviewers had to say. There is a lot of hype about this device and after all these amazing reviews, people are bound to be excited about its launch, that happens to be right at the end of the year, in time for the holiday sales. One complaint that I know users were posting about on the blog (just so you don't think I'm posting all the good stuff!) is that the people in the US were upset that PlayStation had chosen AT&T as their wireless carrier for the 3G version of the device, especially since the XPeria Go (the Sony Ericsson PlayStation phone) is on Verizon in the US. If you don't live in the States or don't really care about a 3G version of the Vita, this doesn't really apply to you. 

I can't WAIT to hold this device in my hands! I'll keep you posted as to when it's close to launching in the UAE and will be sure to snag a demo unit to give you guys a full review closer to time!

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Apple OS5 and what all the buzz is about!

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Whether you're an Apple fanboy/girl (Fanperson??), it's possibly quite difficult that you would have missed all the buzz around the WWDC keynote speech that took place yesterday. You would have over the past 24 hours seen or heard words like OS5, iCloud and OS X Lion being thrown around with much excitement and maybe you're a little bit lost as to what they're talking about. I'm going to help simplify one of the topics for you right now, which out of all the things launched at WWDC yesterday is the most exciting for me- OS 5.
OS 5 refers to the 5th generation of Operating System (OS) for the iPhone and the iPad. People were hoping for a 5th generation iPhone to be released as well, but as I'd posted a few days back, Apple squashed those rumors with a press release on what would be announced.. and an iPhone just didn't figure amongst them. However as the saying goes, hope springs eternal and a lot of people, yours truly included, was hoping for a Knight in shining armor to ride out onto the stage on a pink unicorn holding a snazzy iPhone 5 in hand. Unfortunately, while we didn't get that, we got a taste of what the next Operating System for both devices would entail, and that was excitement enough for most people to handle. So if you own and iPad and/or an iPhone and/or iPod Touch, or ever thought of owning one, you're going to want to read on....
- So you own a Blackberry and would laugh at the poor schmucks with an iPhone who had to rely on the unreliable Whatsapp to be able to communicate with each other? Apple yesterday took on BBM head on with iMessage- a BBM like messenger system that allows you to communicate with other Apple devices, and is the feature I'm most eager to try out! It's better than BBM as in you can communicate with people on whatever iOS device they're using! You can see delivered and read messages and like BBM, even see when the other person is responding to your messages. You can send photos, videos and even do group chats.. again, just like BBM. I see a lot of users now considering to switch over to iPhones with this!
- "PC-Free" is another major feature that was announced yesterday. If you've ever bought an iPad or iPhone you'll know how annoying it is to have to connect with a computer to be able to get your phone activated and get all your data on the phone. Apple has changed this around so that you'll be able to activate your device right out of the box and be able to do most of the changes, including syncing your entire phone, without needing any cables required! New software downloads will also be done OTA (over the air) so that you really won't need a laptop to be able to seamlessly use your phone. I use Google contacts to sync my iPhone and Blackberry (as I use two devices at once) and I'm so happy that Apple has come out with a way for me to not have to go back and sync each of my devices to change a phone number of a contact for example! While I'll still be using Google Contacts (as it lets me switch between different platforms whether it be Android, iOS or Windows Phone 7) I'll still be using this to sync stuff between my iPad and iPhone.
- Notifications- Here Apple borrowed (read: STOLE) a page out of Android's book by incorporating a notification system very similar to that on Android devices. Gone (Thank GOD!) are annoying pop up boxes that allow everyone near your phone to be able to glance at your SMS's and emails and see what's being said, or worse, interrupt your Angry Birds session! Now, the notifications will show up on the top of the screen and just like on an Android device, you'll be able to swipe it down to see who your missed calls and texts. Another cool feature is that these notifications all show up on your Home screen if you're not using your phone, and all you have to do is swipe on the particular notification to open the App that deals with that particular notification. Have a Facebook Message you received while you're away? Swiping that particular notification with open up the Facebook App for you! Now is that cool or what?

(Image taken from Engadget.com)
- Twitter integration- Like to tweet? Now you can send a picture to Twitter right from your Camera App or a photoshopped one right out of your Photo roll. Similarly, Twitter integration is done throughout the phone for those obsessed with Tweeting. (Speaking of which, I hope you guys are following me?)
- Newstand is another very cool feature that I can't wait to test out, and is one that I think is "borrowed" from the Kindle. If you subscribe to any newspaper or magazine on the Kindle, it syncs wirelessly and automatically onto your device. Newsstand is a standalone app which will be there on iOS5 that allows for the same thing- all your periodicals in one place that get downloaded while you are sleeping.

There are a whole boatload of other features that Apple have included in this OS. Other notable ones are a special "Reminders" app to remind you to head to the gym or read "Kiran's Corner" (just saying!)
There is a new Camera and Photos app and you can now "pinch to zoom" your camera and have it finally work (I know I instinctively have been trying to do that for a while now!) and now you can finally use your volume up button to take pictures (another one that I've been trying to do!). Also if you want to take a picture in a hurry but are tired of turning on the phone, entering your password if you have one, then ignoring all the notification pop-ups only THEN to be able to click on the camera app, Apple's changed all that with allowing camera to be operated on start up. There is a new Safari with tabs for easier syncing. Their is a dictionary for those who can't sepll, (Trying to be funny here.. just go with it!) a new Mail app, new gestures that let you do cool stuff.... basically iOS5 is PACKED with features you might have seen your buds on Android or Blackberry use and hoped that Apple would get its act together and incorporate. They've managed to fill all those gaps and then some!!

Hope you found this post useful.. was aiming to give you guys a more simplistic version as I'm sure the hardcore techies will be following the gadget blogs. I'll try to post another one soon on iCloud to explain what's going on there, but in the meantime do leave me any Questions that you may need clarified on this front!
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Upcoming Apple Products

As WWDC 2011 inches closer, Apple announced a couple of things that they would be launching on the 6th of June, when Steve Jobs takes time out of his hiatus to return to Apple and give the keynote address. In spite of recent speculation that had all but confirmed that Apple would NOT be announcing an iPhone 5, I can't help but be bummed by that. Yes, for those who haven't been following tech news, there will be no new iPhone 5 for you to look forward to getting, so those who have their iPhone 3G's and 3GS's, go out and buy yourself the 4 now as there is no word on when the next generation phone will be launched. My guess is this is a direct result of the situation in Japan which caused a slow down in production for  a lot of consumer electronics and IT companies world over, and though Apple is not a Japanese company, it would have bought a lot of parts and components for it's products from there.

Back to announcements- what WILL be announced is iCloud, Apple's new music streaming device. Over the past week, Amazon.com has been rumoured to lose close to 3.5 Million USD for selling Lady Gaga's new album, "Born this Way" for only 99 cents, the idea being to promote it's own cloud based music software. Apple, not one for being left behind, will no doubt take on Amazon head to head and announce something new for it's devices, and probably add some bells and whistles to it's seriously lagging MobileMe platform. The press release also confirmed sneak peaks for the Mac OS X Lion as well as the iPad and iPhone's operating system, OS 5.
For those who are used to following Apple news, it will be surprising to note that the company decided to issue a press release at all. It is not like them to give away any news about any of their upcoming products, unless of course, they don't really have any to show off. I think this was done deliberately to manage fan expectation as well as take care of that ever volatile stock market that sends APPL stock into a tizzy right around the time of announcements. Smart move.. I just wish I had an iPhone 5 to impatiently look forward to.
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