Apple iPad's, iPhone 5 resolution

Apple's newest iPad has arrived right on schedule. It may not be the huge leap forward that some Apple fans were hoping for, but it delivers some modest updates, particularly in display resolution and connectivity. And as CNET's Donald Bell said in his First Take of the device, even these "housekeeping" improvements show that Apple can raise the tablet stakes again. If we slice through the changes, what can they tell us about the next generation of the Apple iPhone? Apple barely mentioned its smart phone during yesterday's media event, but the question of what the Apple iPhone 5 (or whatever Apple chooses to call it) will bring has been on my mind ever since the marginally improved Apple iPhone 4S went on sale in October. When the new handset finally lands this summer (or later in the year), I suspect that it will offer some substantial upgrades. And now we have a couple of clues as to what may come.

Display

The new iPad's QXGA display now has a resolution of 2,048x1,536 pixels. That's an important change given that it exceeds any current tablet or laptop currently on the market. Indeed, Donald warns that you may start muttering "My precious" once you get the new Apple iPad in your hands. Sure, the new resolution is substantially higher than the current Retina Display on the iPhone 4 and 4S (960x640 pixels), but that's largely to be expected given the Apple iPad's larger screen size (9.7 inches versus 3.5 inches). Yet, if Apple does what it should and increases the display size in the Apple iPhone 5, I'd look for the resolution to improve, as well. It likely won't be a big jump, and I wager that Apple will stick with the Retina Display concept, but a change would be in order. Apple, after all, continues to bank its mobile devices partly on display resolution so there's no reason to expect that it's going to stand still.

Design

Some people may gripe that the new Apple iPad sports the same design as its predecessors, but that's fine with me. And outside of adding the aforementioned larger display, I'd say the same about the iPhone. We've heard a lot of rumors about a thinner Apple iPhone or handset with a tapered profile, but I'm not aching for either. A thinner Apple iPhone is a possibility, I guess, but Apple will trim it down only if it can still fit a long-lasting battery (see below).

LTE

By all accounts, the presence of LTE in the new Apple iPad foretells real 4G in the next iPhone. That will mean, of course, significantly faster data speeds beyond what current Apple iPhones offer (and that includes the HSPA+ network on AT&T's "4G" iPhone 4S). Though it's not surprising that Apple is late to the LTE party--typically, the company waits to implement a new technology until it can offer the user experience it really wants--but given the flood of LTE handsets over the last few months it is lagging quite behind its rivals. So in other words, it's overdue. A big question, though, is whether all carriers will get an LTE Apple iPhone. Verizon Wireless and AT&T will have it for sure, but Sprint is uncertain at this point. The carrier is moving to LTE, but it may not be ready in time. And given that Sprint is not getting a new LTE iPad, all signs don't point to yes.

More battery life

Apple made a pretty bold promise when it said that the new Apple iPads will deliver 9 hours of battery life on 4G. As any LTE smartphone owner can tell you, the faster data networks don't do wonders for battery life. The Motorola Razr Maxx, however, changed that equation so Apple will have to keep up. Hopefully, the LTE iPad is a sign of long LTE battery life to come.

Processor

The new Apple iPad's processor remains dual-core, but Apple upgraded it to an A5X and ramped up the graphics processor to quad-core. The iPhone 4S already has a dual-core CPU so I don't expect a big change there. Yes, we just saw a slew of new quad-core phones at Mobile World Congress, but for the reason stated above (Apple wanting the "right" experience before adding a new technology), I don't see a quad-core chip ending up in the Apple iPhone 5. On the other hand, better graphics are a possibility so that may follow. As with any Apple device, we'll have to wait until the actual unveiling to see what wonders the next Apple iPhone will hold. But after this week's news we we can tell that the company is heading for a faster, longer, and more vibrant iPhone future.

international Internet links could

South Africans should brace themselves for intermittent communication problems over the next few days as more solar flares hit the planet. This morning, the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory picked up a flare, with more expected over the next few days, until the 11-year cycle hits its peak in the middle of next year. Solar flares can temporarily alter the upper atmosphere, which creates disruptions to signal transmission from, for example, a GPS satellite to Earth, causing it to be off by many metres, explains the US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “Another phenomenon produced by the sun could be even more disruptive. Known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), these solar explosions propel bursts of particles and electromagnetic fluctuations into Earth's atmosphere. “Those fluctuations could induce electric fluctuations at ground level that could blow out transformers in power grids. The CME's particles can also collide with crucial electronics onboard a satellite and disrupt its systems,” says the US agency. National Aeronautics and Space Administration said on Wednesday that a CME reached earth, causing a minor geomagnetic storm.

Up and down

“In an increasingly technological world, where almost everyone relies on cell phones and GPS controls not just your in-car map system, but also airplane navigation and the extremely accurate clocks that govern financial transactions, space weather is a serious matter,” says National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Dr Pierre Cilliers, a research physicist with the Space Science Directorate of the South African National Space Agency, says there has been GPS and cell phone instability recently, which will continue as more flares are expected over the next few days. Cilliers says a range of technology is affected by space weather, although the degree differs depending on the intensity. He says flares are expected to increase in frequency. Cilliers explains that the sun is entering its active phase and is emitting bursts that cover the entire spectrum of radio waves, microwave, x-rays, gamma rays, as well as UV. These bursts reach the earth about eight minutes after leaving the sun, he says. In addition, satellites would be affected by proton storms, which take about four hours to reach the dishes after leaving the sun, says Cilliers. He adds that an ion cloud, if it reaches the earth, would affect communication to airplanes. Every time there is a solar flare, noise levels across all communication systems increases, notes Cilliers. He explains that cell phone handsets do not have enough power to override the noise and this leads to dropped calls. Both Vodacom and Cell C say they have not had any issues on the network as a result of the flares. Cilliers explains that base stations have enough power to override the noise. While communication will not come to a grinding halt, there will be intermittent disruptions, says Cilliers. He explains satellites may need to be put into safe mode or reset, and international Internet links could go up and down.

Samsung - Apple iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPad

Samsung Electronics company Electronics company is showing no signs of compromising with Apple in their patent dispute; rather, the company appears ready to go for broke in what it increasingly sees as a do-or-die battle. “No compromise!’’ Shin Jongkyun, the head of the firm’s telecommunication division, told The Korea Times Wednesday after a meeting of senior company officials. Shin’s comment followed reports that Apple offered Samsung Electronics company a cross-licensing deal to end their patent dispute. The report said Apple offered a licensing deal ranging from $5 to $15 per device sold as a means of settling the pending litigation. The devices include the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPad. Shin’s confirmation if Samsung’s stance came as a surprise because the company has been pushed into a corner in a string of unfavorable rulings, although signs of it are easy to find. Its budget for the patent fight has been increased to over $260 million this year from $200 million, according to sources familiar with the matter. However, Shin didn’t comment on whether the two engaged in talks for an out-of-court settlement. ``The Samsung Electronics company leadership has concluded that its fight with Apple, ironically, is helping it,” an industry expert said, noting that the company owes user awareness to the U.S. company. Samsung Electronics company became the world’s biggest smartphone maker in terms of global sales last year after passing Apple and is aiming to overtake Nokia to become the world’s top manufacturer of handsets.

However, it is facing a new threat. The European Union has already started an investigation into Samsung’s competitive practices, believing that it may be in violation of a promise made more than a decade ago. Back in 1998, the Korean tech giant said it would license essential telephonic patents to competing manufacturers under terms outlined in FRAND, or fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms, agreements. ``We are studying the Apple-Qualcomm relationship to set up new legal strategies,’’ said a Samsung Electronics company official. Qualcomm received a great deal of royalties from Samsung Electronics company for special chips. Samsung Electronics company recently made a formal request with the U.S. District Court in California for Apple to reveal the details of its contract with wireless chipmaker Qualcomm, which currently supplies chips for the iPhone 4S, CDMA iPhone 4, and iPad 2. Qualcomm is currently in a cross-licensing agreement with Samsung, bringing up the question of whether ``Apple’s buying Qualcomm chips is as good as paying for the patents.’’ Specifically, Samsung Electronics company defense lawyer Dylan Ruga wants to know if Apple is considered a ``Qualcomm Customer,’’ a term that is “defined in certain licensing agreements between Samsung Electronics company and Qualcomm.”

Europe's youngest application designer

Europe's youngest application designer computer whiz kid, who was crowned Europe's youngest application designer, has been expelled for hacking into his school's computer system. Aaron Bond, 14, was expelled from King Edward VI College in Totnes, Devon for trying to access confidential information about staff and students and even the vice-principal's financial information. He managed to access details about his peers and edited the Information Technology room booking system and school newsletter before the security breach came to school management's knowledge. The school's principal, Kate Mason, confirmed Aaron admitted accessing the school's Information Technology system without permission on several occasions. "Aaron was excluded from the college in accordance with the serious nature of the offence and the college's behaviour policy and acceptable user policy, which he had signed," she added.

"I am very sorry and if I had known the consequences I never would have done it," The Telegraph quoted Bond, as saying. He claimed that he hacked computers after seeing a list of passwords displayed on a white board in the school's Information Technology room, but the school stressed nobody has access to them. His mother Kate, 36, said Aaron was curious "like any school boy would have been." "I think the security of the school computer system should be a lot better. A 14-year-old boy should not have been able to get into the system.I don't see why they can't give Aaron a second chance," she added. Bond, who has designed six applications used on smartphones and is the managing director of his own web design company. He was among hand-picked delegates at the 2011 Apple conference.

Mobile Services provider

Telecom Services provider as Telenor and Etisalat may be able to make a comeback even if they do not getting spectrum during the forthcoming licensee auctions. The Planning Commission has suggested that a mechanism should be put in place whereby companies without spectrum should be able to utilise unused airwaves belonging to licensed operators. Called dynamic spectrum access, the technology determines locally unused spectrum in real time and then makes it available for re-use by another operator. For example, if Airtel has 10 Mhz of spectrum in Delhi and part of this is not being used during off-peak hours, then it can allow another player to utilise this for a fee. “I understand that modern cognitive radio technologies now available make it possible for service providers other than the Telecom licensee, to utilise those parts of the spectrum currently unutilised by the customers of the licensee,” Mr.MontekSingh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission of Country, He added in a note to the Telecom Ministry.

He added that this mechanism ensures efficient utilization of a scarce resource and it would also improve the value of spectrum in the auction. “Some mechanism can be devised wherein such usage can be paid for,” Mr.MontekSingh Ahluwalia said in his note. For implementing this proposal, the Telecom Ministry will have to shift its position on spectrum sharing. At present it is in favour of allowing spectrum sharing between two licensed operators who have airwaves in the same circle. The Planning Commission's view is that even operators without spectrum in a circle should be allowed to take bandwidth from those who have. According to Government sources, Mr.MontekSingh Ahluwalia has discussed this with the Secretary of the Department of Telecom. “The the Department of Telecom is looking at this suggestion because it is in line with the new telecom policy objectives. But details of this will have to be spelt out ahead of the 2G auction for the benefit of the bidders,” He added a top the Department of Telecom official.