Pre Release iPhone 5 Love, Where is it? Not In The Markets!

iPhone 5 http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
With ever increasing Android phones, looking and doing better or equal to what iPhone does, there are so much that iPhone 5 can bring us.
Just without thinking much deeper, two enhancements that iPhone 5 could bring are NFC and a Front facing camera. But those to have existed on Android phones for ages. So only thing Apple could do is to make enhancements like those two more sexier. But how sexier could NFC on iPhone be? Front facing camera, that can certainly be done by not doing what Apple did with iPad 2
Yes I halted a purchase of a new phone in anticipation of iPhone 5 but if Apple cannot show that it is worth my money, I would turn to an Android phone in a blink. Perhaps I might even think of an iPhone 4, or iPhone 4S that is circulating around rumor mills.
It seems it is not only me but investors too have changed their tunes towards iPhone launch. According to WSJ, the traders are not making money in the pre release market of iPhone 5 like they did in the previous iPhone releases;

Money is Usually Made Leading Up to iPhone Event but Not in 2011. WithApple set to announce the iPhone 5 this Tuesday (October 4), we analyzed the stock price performance around prior iPhone launches.
Looking overApple's stock price performance surrounding the past four iPhone launches,the real money was made leading up to the iPhone event. In each of the pastfour years, Apple stock has always moved higher in the two weeks prior to theiPhone event, however, this year appears to be the exception with an 8%decline in Apple's stock price (vs. down 6% for S&P 500) registered ahead ofthe October 4 event.

How Apple is doing in the market (Also you will notice everybody else is also in the same boat.)
WSJ

Kindle Fire Set Ablaze With Rumors About Kindle Fire 2!

Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire 2! http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
With all the Kindle fire from Amazon rumors, I found this to be most amusing. Gdgt has received some news from a reliable source, which some commenters thought some one from Apple's PR department, the real Kindle fire tablet will come in the first quarter of 2012.
If that the case, I would have named the tablet, Aztec, keeping with the Amazon like theme and 2012, where the Mayan calendar ends. Perhaps Aztec can do something to the Apple empire.
In any case 7" playbook look alike Android Tablet, can eat in to some of the iPad profit, which some sources say already in a slump.
You can read all about Kindle fire 2 on GDGT

iOS 4.3 Update (Direct Download Links) For iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad, iPad 2 and iPod touch 4G, 3G.

Apple releases iOS 4.3 http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Apple has released iOS 4.3 for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad, iPad 2 and iPod touch 4G, 3G. Download the free iOS 4.3 Software Update and get new features that let you do even more with your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. You can download the update through your iTunes or directly from the links below.
The iOS 4.3 brings many features to the iDevices and some on the most noticeable are;

iPhone Hotspot
- Share iPhone 4 cellular data (iPhone Tethering)with up to 5 devices (combination of up to 3 Wi-Fi, 3 Bluetooth, and 1 USB)

iTunes Home Sharing - Play music, movies, and TV shows from a shared iTunes library on a Mac or PC (requires iTunes 10.2)

New AirPlay features - Play videos from the Photos app including the Camera Roll album, iTunes previews, enabled third-party apps and websites on Apple TV
- Play slideshows from Photos on Apple TV using transitions available on Apple TV

Faster Safari performance with Apple Nitro JavaScript engine 

 speeds up the browser as much as 2 times that of iOS 4.2

HD video out using the Apple Digital AV Adapter - View 720p HD videos from Videos apps like Photos, YouTube, Keynote, and enabled third-party apps on an HDMI display

The direct download links:
iPhone 4
iPhone 3GS
iPad 2
iPad
iPod touch 3G
iPod touch 4G

Learn more about iOS 4.3 at Apple

iOS 4.3 Tethering, Only 3 Devices Can Connect To iPhone 4, iPad 2!

iOS Tethering http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
I use a MiFi device to tether my WiFi only devices when I am out of the range. For the life of device, which is like 6 months now, I had only once connected the MiFi to five people. It was painfully slow but as we all were waiting for important emails, we had to share. At all other times, I have had no more than two devices at a time.

So the iOS limitation of iPhone, iPad 2 tethering will not bother me much should I go in the Apple's direction. (Only for iPad 2 as I have decided to drop my iPhone and take on an Android phone for my next phone.) The decision on iPad 2 is purely price. I also know how Apple operates. I have not had much experience with Motorola other than a simple phone a few years ago. So I do not know how Motorola will tread it's tablet customers and the XOOM it self. But if they price the Motorola XOOM right, I will still go that way. Let us see.

The three device limitation is not from AT&T but actually a limitation of iOS 4.3 so it might be a limit on Verizon as well, we will have to wait and see;

....and the next time you find yourself without access to Wi-Fi but in 3G territory, enable Personal Hotspot and share your cellular data connection with your Mac, PC, iPad, or other Wi-Fi-capable device. You can share your connection with up to five devices at once over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB — with up to three of those connections using Wi-Fi.⁴ Every connection is password protected and secure. And it’s power friendly, too. iPhone detects when your Personal Hotspot is no longer in use and turns it off to save battery life.

But again If you are planing to do any heavy handed data exchange work, better think about mobile data plans (As I write Diordna is writing a post on Verizon /AT&T data plan comparison, we don't want you to pay at the rate of $60 a GB (as with AT&T.$15/250MB)
Via Engadget

Apple Keeping Up With Androids, Adds NFC Chips To iPhone 5 And iPad.2

#NFC Chips On #iPhone5 And #iPad2 http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Paying with the phone is very common in countries like Japan. You can pay for bus, train tickets or stuff from vending machines with the cell phone. In US the practice is very rare but merchants like Starbucks is finding a way to use phone to pay for coffee.
Android phones like Google Nexus S already carries NFC ( Near Field Communication) chip, which is the main ingredient needed for using the phone to pay for your daily needs, just like a credit or debit card, or becoming an e-wallet. NFC chips transmit and receive information, in short range, like four to five inches.
So the word on street is that Apple will have these chips on iPhone 5 and iPad 2, which people expect to see in the mid 2011. So the experts assume the NFC application will soon follow.
Be it Android or iPhone, the $6.2 trillion, Americans spend with their credit cards, has lot of companies showing interest on NFC enabled phones. From credit card companies like VISA, Master Card and e-payment companies like Paypal has a lot to gain and so are the advertising companies like Apple with iADs and Google with AdWords / AdSense. NFC chips will allows all sort of wonders with phones. But in the case of Paypal, you don't want your phone frozen by Paypal, at least not me! But in some shops in Palo Alto, CA, you can buy your lunch with your Android Phone, and Bling Nation's NFC-chipped BlingTag coupled with Paypal.

Credit CNet

Apple has already hired Benjamin Vigier, who worked on the technology at mobile-payment provider MFoundry and prepping a prototype payment terminal for merchants, ranging from hair dressers to mom and pop shops, where iPhone carrying crowd most like to linger.
Either way, e-wallets will be a feature we all will be using soon and Apple could be the one to promote the trend, unless Google jumps the bus.
Bloomberg

iPad 2, iPhone 5 Say Hello To Qualcomm Bye To Infineon

#iPad2,# iPhone5 Say Hello To #Qualcomm Bye To #Infineon http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
With all the buzz about the Verizon iPhone, many failed to think about the new wireless chipset it will be carrying. We did too, until we read the Engadget post on the subject.
With varied markets, Apple need to supply wireless communication means to CDMA / GSM / UMTS and it will be better if it was done with a single processor. Yes Qualcomm has that!
With the new wireless chipset, Apple will be able to supply both Verizon and AT&T with the same, iPad 2 or iPhone 5.
Engadget also has some new information on iPad 2, like SD card slot, something like iPhone 4's Retina Display carrying a high resolution on the same 10" screen.
The iPhone 5 which is being tested (strictly inside the Apple campus, so no chance for iPhone 4 Gizmodo drama,) also will be carrying the Qualcomm chips along with Apples new A5 CPU (a Cortex A9-based, multi-core chip). Read more at Engadget