What to expect at Apple's Sepember 9 event

Apple's mystery unveiling on Tuesday is expected to be a watershed moment for the California giant - and the entire tech industry. Here are key things to watch for:

9 SEPTEMBER'S  APPLE EVENT CAN BRING MAJOR CHANGES IN TECH WORLD

1.Can Tim Cook step up?

Chief executive Tim Cook will seek to vanquish the notion that Apple lost its magic when its famed co-founder Steve Jobs died.

Cook could help APPLE establish its dominance in a new category with an "iWatch" at the event set in the very location where Jobs introduced the Macintosh computer 30 years ago.

Since Jobs died in late 2011, pressure has been on his successor Cook to show the world that Apple can shine just as brightly without the iconic pitchman known for perfection in design and mastery in marketing.

Apple lovers have been eager for the company to seize a new gadget category the way it dominated smartphones, tablets, and MP3 players with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod respectively.

"I don't believe this project is a knee-jerk reaction to other smartwatches," said Creative Strategies president Tim Bajarin.

"While the roots go back to Steve Jobs, this product is Tim Cook and Jony Ive."

The genesis of what is being referred to in the media as "iWatch" stemmed from Jobs and his frustration with health care matters while battling illness that took his life, according to the analyst.

Bajarin spoke of sources telling him the Apple wearable computer has been in the works for seven years.

Cook would fittingly be putting his stamp on the first "next big thing" launched by Apple without Jobs. While an iWatch will wirelessly tap into capabilities of iPhones or iPads, managing health is expected to be a strong theme.

Bolstering that likelihood is Cook's reputation as a fitness fanatic who was among the early users of Nike Fuel activity tracking wristbands.

2.Can Apple shake off security fears?

Another thing to watch for will be how Apple addresses the elephant in the room - security of photos, videos and other data stored on devices or online in servers at iCloud or iTunes.

Cook told The Wall Street Journal this week that Apple is stepping up its iCloud security by sending people alerts when attempts are made to change passwords, restore iCloud data to new devices, or when someone logs in from a new gadget.

His comments came after Apple took a bruising over a "targeted attack" that led to the release of nude photos of celebrities including Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence.

Apple has insisted there was no breach of its cloud storage system and that the celebrities had their accounts hacked by using easy-to-guess passwords, or by giving up their personal data to clever cybercriminals.

Security could play into the off-chance that Apple will announce iPad enhancements such as adding fingerprint scanning, in a break from its practice of keeping smartphone and tablet events separate.

3.How big will the iPhone go?

While the unveiling of new-generation iPhones with larger screens is considered a sure bet, people will be watching to see how big Apple will go and when models will make it to market.

Apple has remained consistently tight-lipped, but analysts are expecting the iPhone screen to be boosted to at least 4.7 inches, and a 5.5-inch screen is also likely, allowing Apple to compete in the new "phablet" segment.

4.A payments company?

Watch also to see how aggressively Apple moves into mobile money with near-field-communication chips built into iPhone 6 models letting them be used as Internet age wallets.

There are reported to be 800 million accounts at Apple's online iTunes shop, where people's credit card data could be easily synched to mobile wallets, quickly creating a vast sea of users.

With this, Apple could jump-start the effort to use mobile devices for payments.

5.What else is coming?

Some reports speculate that Apple may also unveil an upgrade to its iPad Air, which would be a departure from its tradition of a separate announcement for tablets.

The new mobile platform iOS 8 will have capabilities that go beyond health and payments, say some analysts. This could involve smart-home technology or other systems that put Apple at the center of the ecosystem.

"Ultimately, we believe the pivot toward software and services and the rise of a more comprehensive enterprise strategy could help Apple become much more than just a hardware company," said Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes.

iPhone 6 official: 4.7-inch retina HD screen and has A8 processor

After rumors and customer demand, Apple has finally given the people what they want: an iPhone 6 with a larger-than-4.5-inch screen. In fact, customers will have a choice of two phone to consider, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.

APPLE LAUNCHED IPHONE  IN TWO VARIANT IPHONE 6 AND IPHONE 6 PLUS

Bigger screen

The smaller iPhone 6 breaks away from the 4-inch screen of models past and into larger territory, though at 4.7-inches, the iPhone 6 is still small by today's standards.

Apple is still giving the phone a Retina display (they're calling it Retina HD) with a 326ppi, by imbuing the iPhone 6 with a 1,334 x 750 HD pixel resolution.

Apple doesn't want to just give customers a larger screen without doing anything useful with it. To that end, the company touts a new horizontal view (that really reminds us of the iPad) to see messages, weather, email, and so on. The keyboard pops up with new dedicated keys as well.

Although it's bigger, Apple still wants to enable one-handed access, and it's doing this with app drop-drowns.

The phone is also slim, at 6.9-millimeters thin.

The iPhone 6's A8 processor boasts 50 percent faster graphics and a 25 percent faster CPU that should make the phone more power efficient.

Apple never gives battery specifics in mAh, but the iPhone 6 is rated to last through 11 hours of video, and 14 hours on Wi-Fi. There's Wi-Fi calling at long last, and Voice over LTE (aka VoLTE).

Look and feel

Sleek Design 

How does the iPhone 6 feel to hold? Its larger body and more rounded edges make the slim form feel even thinner. While both sizes feel good, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 fits more securely into the palm. Luckily, even if it does feel massive compared to a 4-inch model, iOS 8 does allow a one-handed way to pop to the top of apps and touch parts of the screen that might normally be out of reach.

Here's another interesting phone feature: glass that curves around the edges of the phone. It isn't the sapphire screen we were hearing about, but it is a slightly different design element. The phone is also slim, at 0.27-inch, or 6.9-millimeters thin, and it comes in three colors: gold, silver, and space gray.

Camera and video

Apple's 8-megapixel iPhone 6 iSight camera may not have had the pixel boost that fans might want, but it gets a refresh with a new sensor all the same. Focus time is down, Apple says, colors look more lifelike when the flash is engaged, and the imaging chip has better ways to battle noise. HDR is now automatically applied as well, something we're starting to see on other phones, too.

Panorama mode will capture up to 43 megapixels in its five-element lens, and there's face detection, as well as blink and smile detection. As with some rival phones, the burst mode auto-pick feature uses algorithms to select the best from a string of similar photos.

Pricing and availability

In the US, the 16GB version will sell for $199 on contract, but $100 more will get you a whopping 64GB for $299. Another $100 on top of that supersizes your storage to 128GB for $399. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and US Cellular will be among the first US carriers to sell the two new iPhones. T-Mobile and other carriers have not yet announced the off-contract price.

Apple Pay is the new Pay System Introduces in U.S Only

Apple Pay and NFC

Apple Pay, a US-only system at launch, works with the Passbook app on your phone, and independently as well, to let you buy goods and services with a single touch of the phone. Like other mobile-payment systems, the merchant never sees your credit card details, and a handy feature incorporating the camera will add new credit card details to Passbook, which saves you some typing.

Starting in US with Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, Apple Pay is backed by six major banks, with more to come. Right out of the gate, you'll be able to use the service at 220,000 merchants that accept it, including Macy's, Walgreens and Duane Reed drug stores, Whole Foods, and McDonald's at all their store locations, drive-throughs included.

UPDATED ON 9/11/14

New Era: Apple iWatch Preview

Apple's iWatch may not be the most-hyped gadget of all the time, but it's certainly one of the most-anticipated products of recent years. Now it's here and Apple's simply calling it Apple Watch.

PRICE IS UNAVAILABLE RIGHT NOW

Apple's first wearable device will come in a variety of colors.

Several mobile companies have already released or announced their own smartwatches, including Sony's SmartWatch 2, Motorola's Moto 360, Samsung's Gear Live and Gear S, and LG's G Watch and G Watch R. However, those devices have struggled to catch on with mainstream consumers. Part of the reason for that is a killer app for the category has failed to emerge. It also hasn't helped that the world has been waiting to see what Apple would bring to market.

How to get iPhone6 Easily without wasting your time

If you haven't pre-ordered an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus and still want to be among the first to own the device, there's a good chance you'll be facing a long line at the Apple Store today or this weekend.

Most Apple stores get pretty big shipments of new iPhones; that's the obvious choice, but not the only one. In fact, you can get the iPhone 6 (16GB) for below the recommended price at Walmart ($179, instead of $199), and you'll probably have to wait less, too.Now, on to other options: Retailers like Best Buy, Walmart and Staples have a healthy supply of devices. Best Buy is among the more popular retail spots to pick up an iPhone, so in some cases, be prepared to wait on line for awhile too.Best Buy has a ticketing process to help the lines run smoothly, but it only offers one ticket for each customer, so if you want to upgrade your whole family, they will all need to be present. (Note: Apple lets each person in line buy two phones).

line in front of apple store at the time of iPhone5

Not all Best Buy stores were packed this morning, though. According to a Best Buy employee in a message posted to Reddit, the store was practically empty for the launch. The user didn't disclose the location, but included a picture of the "crowd."

Walmart is another option that people might not consider for picking up an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, and the company is giving customers a nice incentive to choose them over others by discounting the devices. In addition to an iPhone 6 price cut (with a two-year Verizon, AT&T or Sprint contract), the iPhone 6 Plus is priced at $279 ($20 cheaper than what you'll find at the Apple store).an addition to select retailers, you'll of course be able to find some at the carrier stores, too. Be choosy about which store location you go to — for example, the AT&T location in Union Square in New York City had a line halfway down the block before doors opened at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. But uptown, a location on East 86th Street had just about 15 people queued up — which sure beats the hundreds of people waiting at the Apple Store just 30 blocks south. Meanwhile, the T-Mobile store (also in Union Square) had no line at all.

Apple finally confirms it's buying Beats for $3B

Apple is buying Beats.

Apple on Wednesday confirmed it's buying Beats for $3 billion, giving the electronics giant a popular headphones business and subscription streaming music.

The company said Beats co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre will join Apple.

"Music is such an important part of all of our lives and holds a special place within our hearts at Apple," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. "That's why we have kept investing in music and are bringing together these extraordinary teams so we can continue to create the most innovative music products and services in the world."

SOURCE:- CNET

3 Reasons You Shouldn't Buy an iPhone 5C From Walmart for 97 Cents

To be fair, Walmart is far from the only retailer trying to trap you into a mobile phone contract with low prices. It's just one of the most pervasive. Walmart, along with Costco and Target, account for 12% of all cellphone sales in the U.S. Walmart is particularly popular with families, which is why Sprint recently chose the retailer as the launchpad for its family-oriented Custom plans.

A free (or nearly free) iPhone — one of the current models — sounds like a great deal, and it would be... if this were 2013. Or even early 2014. But right now, you're way better off skipping Walmart's cheapo iPhone. Here's why:

1. You can already get it for $0.

Yep, 97 cents is a great deal. You know what's a better deal? No cents. You can buy the iPhone 5C right now — with no contract — from T-Mobile for $0 down. In fact, you can do the same at AT&T, Verizon and Sprint under their various programs.

The big catch? To get those deals, you have to pay for the phone with incremental payments every month, which are usually about $25 to $35. But at least those payments stop after two years, whereas a new contract — which the Walmart deal requires — would mean your phone's true cost ($549 for the iPhone 5C) is built into the rates you pay, which don't automatically cease when the contract expires.

Either way, they get your money. And if you really want the iPhone 5C with a contract, Sprint actually already offers it for $0. At least you'll save nearly a buck.

2. It's really just a colorful iPhone 5.

The reason the iPhone 5C exists at all is because Apple wanted to offer the previous year's model (as it always does) as a "step-down" version of the iPhone for budget-conscious consumers, but it also wanted to build it cheaper so it would still produce decent profit margins.It might not have been the most impactful part of Apple's iPhone strategy, but it did succeed in packaging "last year's tech" — namely the iPhone 5.

You may be thinking "I don't need the latest and greatest," and you're right, you don't. But you also don't want to be too far behind either, and two years is a dog's age in mobile. Both platform makers and app developers design for the most recent hardware, and adapt their experiences for older models.

Just ask anyone running iOS 7 on an iPhone 4 what the experience is like. Even the iPhone 4S struggles to deal with an iOS 7 world, and that, in terms of the "tech gap," is basically the equivalent of what you'll have if you settle for the iPhone 5C now. For two years.

3. Everyone is going to discount it in a couple of weeks.

If you haven't heard, Apple is planning an event for early September. Even absent the report about the unconfirmed Sept. 9 event, Apple is always poised to unveil a new iPhone in the fall. When the new models arrive, it changes pricing for the previous models.

The Walmart discount is really just a harbinger of what's going to happen to all iPhones right then. When the iPhone 6, iPhone 6L or whatever the new models are called get here, you won't be able to throw a Bluetooth earpiece in a wireless store without hitting a discounted iPhone 5C. Apple and its retail partners need to clear out inventory to make room for the new models, and the most surefire way to do that is to cut prices.

If you're dead-set on signing a wireless contract to buy a two-year-old phone (see No. 2 above) for no money down, then just hold out a couple of weeks and you won't need to do it at Walmart.

Comparison: Apple Watch, Moto 360 And Samsung Gear S

2014 is the year of the smartwatch. First, Samsung debuted its Gear devices, then LG and Motorola open their cards on with their Android Wear wearables, and now that Apple has joined the LEAGUE.
So to make easier to you .We hereby present the comparison between Apple Watch, Moto 360 and Samsung Gear S. 

SPECS	MOTO 360	SAMSUNG GEAR S	APPLE WATCH
Compatible with	Android	Android	iOS
Shape	Round	Square	Rounded square
Material	Stainless steel	Plastic	Steel, Aluminum, or 18K Gold
Default strap	Leather	Rubber	Varies by model
Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.0 LE	Bluetooth 4.1 LE, 3G, and Wi-Fi	Bluetooth 4.0 LE
Water resistance	IP67 (30 minutes, 3 feet)	IP67 (30 minutes, 3 feet)	Yes, details TBA
Extras	Pedometer, heart-rate monitor	3G, Wi-Fi, heart-rate monitor	Heart-rate monitor, accelerometer, remote camera
Colors	Black, silver	Black, white	Stainless steel silver, yellow gold, rose gold, black, grey, and aluminim silver
Price	$250	N/A	Starts at $350

MOTO 360

APPLE WATCH

SAMSUNG GEAR S

iOS 8: 13 important features

As expected, Apple unveiled iOS 8, the latest version of its mobile operating system at the WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) last night in Cupertino. At the conference, Apple execs such as CEO Tim Cook and Senior VP Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, revealed new features such as actionable notifications, improvements to messaging and the keyboard and a greater focus on developers. While there was no word on an exact date when iOS 8 would come to iPhones and iPads, it is expected to go live in August or September of this year. Apple has also revealed that iOS 8 will come to the iPhone 4S and all iPhones that were launched thereafter, the iPad 2 and all iPads launched thereafter (including the iPad Mini) and the iPod Touch 5th generation.

Let's take a look at the most important features of iOS 8 that were talked about at WWDC:

Interactive Notifications or Widgets

Widgets have finally come to iOS. In iOS 8, you can now perform actions on notifications directly without exiting the app you're currently in. For example, if you're using the Facebook app and you get a notification about a message, you will be able to reply to the message from the notification pop-up itself. Currently, actionable notifications will be available for messages, calendar, reminders, mail and certain third party apps like Facebook. Other third-party developers will also be able to add actionable notifications for their apps.

Shortcut to Contacts

You will now see photos of your recent and favourite contacts on the multi-tasking screen (accessed by pressing the home button twice). You can tap on each contact to make a call or send a message.

New features in Mail

Apple has taken pointers from popular third-party email apps like Mailbox and Triage, and introduced a new set of features in its default mail app. These include the introduction of swipe gestures to mark an email as read or flag it for later action. The app will also automatically recognise dates, addresses, phone numbers and flight reservation details in emails so that you can add them to your calendar/phone book with a single tap.

New features in Messages

iOS 8 will enable you to add voice and video messages and location details from within the Messages app itself. You can also create groups within the Messages app and add or remove contacts from the groups.

New keyboard

The iOS 8 keyboard will predict your next word as you type based on your previous usage, and offers suggestions. You will also be able to install and use third-party keyboards, a feature that is very popular among Android users. Adaptxt, a keyboard app for Android that offers contextual predictions, from Keypoint Technologies of India, is one of the third party apps that is already scheduled to launch for iOS 8.  

iOS 8 Jailbreak Good to Go, Patches Need Minor Adjustments

Well-known hacker Stefan Esser has announced plans to jailbreak Apple’s iOS 8 using existing exploits that he developed on iOS 7.1.1. Not wanting to burn the vulnerabilities, the security expert will likely refrain from releasing the jailbreak until iOS 8 Final debuts this fall.

A series of tweets from the renowned security expert indicate that the iOS 8 jailbreak is pretty much a go. Esser says all he needs is to spend a few hours with the beta and find some relocated codeto apply existing vulnerabilities.

“Download finished. Initial tests show that iOS 8 beta does not fix anything. Dumped kernel fine, but code changed and patches are not found. [...] I guess tomorrow I need a few hours in the office to fix the code and then the JB should be iOS 8 beta compatible. [...] Only question is if Cydia runs at all in iOS 8,” he said.

Esser recently discovered new holes in Apple’s mobile softwareallowing him to compromise the latest firmware, iOS 7.1.1. He showed off the feat on YouTube but refrained from releasing the actual jailbreak to the public. As avid jailbreakers will remember, Apple patched existing exploits with the release of iOS 7.1, making the newly-discovered bugs very precious indeed.

The good news is that these newly-found vulnerabilities also seem applicable to iOS 8, meaning Esser and his hacking buds know about them while Apple doesn’t. When iOS 8 is released this fall, it will basically be vulnerable-on-arrival (VOA). We’re coining the term right here, right now.

Jokes aside, iOS 8 seems poised to receive its much deserved jailbreak, as the firmware versions before it. The popularity of these hacks has diminished substantially in recent times, but the hackers are still at it and many people out there still use jailbreaking as a way to download unapproved software, such as icon sets and themes.

With iOS 8 slated to launch this fall, it could well be at least three to four months before jailbreak fans can get their hands on Esser’s work.

OMG!!! Walmart Slashes iPhone 5C Price to 97 Cents

Walmart has drastically cut the prices of the iPhone 5C and 5S, suggesting an upcoming debut of the iPhone 6 (which, granted, Apple hasn't even announced yet).

The iPhone 5S (16GB) has been reduced from $99 to $79, and the iPhone 5C (16GB, in any color) has been reduced from $29 to just 97 cents. The new prices are available with the purchase a two-year contract from AT&T, U.S. Cellular, Sprint or Verizon; the offer is good only in stores, not on online orders.

Stores tend to slash the prices of their existing iPhone stock before a new model is released; this price drop adds credibility to rumors that the new iPhone 6 will launch Sept. 9.

Still, sales on Apple products are rare, in part because the company limits how its retail partners can price its products. Walmart is one of the only retailers that can get away with selling Apple products below Apple's manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP).

Public excitement about the iPhone 6 has reached fever pitch. The new smartphone is rumored to have a reversible USB lightning cable as well as alarger screen.

Best Budget SmartPhones for Indian.

5 COOL PHONES THAT DON’T COST your pocket

Sony Xperia T3  
Cost: Rs 25,999
We've been impressed with Sony’s 2014 flagship – the Xperia Z2. The T3 brings the same cool design DNA in a slimmer avatar (just 7 mm thick) and the 5.3 inch touch screen also sports Sony’s ‘Triluminos’ display. 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard memory might be underwhelming but the energetic 2500 mAh battery and the 8MP shooter make amends.  The device currently comes bundled with Sony’s SWR10 smartband in the box just in case you want to experiment with a fitness tracker.  

Asus Zenfone 6  
Cost: Rs 16,999
The 6-inch screen is just what you need to catch a movie on the go – at 245 pixels per inch, the screen resolution won't blow your mind but the large screen real estate helps. Powered by an Intel Processor (dual core, 2GHz) and with an Energizer bunny-like battery (33000 mAh), the device also looks premium with its matte back finish.

Apple iPhone 5c  
Cost: Rs 30,000
If you're a faithful Android user looking for a brief flirtation, take a bite of the ‘Apple’ with the iPhone 5C. You might be able to snag the 8GB variant at half the price (a touch under Rs 30,000 online) of the pricier 5S versions. It won't carry a lifetime of images and music but with Apple’s iOS 7 and amazing 8MP shooter, it's good enough to check out if the grass is really greener on the other side.   

HTC Desire 816  

Cost: Rs 23,990
HTC’s One M8 might be winning all the design accolades but the Desire 816 could well be the brand's dark horse this season. Aside from the iPhone 5C, this is one of the sexiest all-plastic devices (it also comes in a vibrant palette of colours) with an elegant form factor. The ‘Boomsound’ speakers are perfect for an impromptu house party while the 2600 mAh battery has enough juice for your average day at work. 

Panasonic Eluga U  

Cost: Rs 18,990
We still can’t figure out why Panasonic refuses to unleash its top-of-the-line smartphones in the Indian market. The Eluga U feels really good in your hand despite its not-so-premium price tag – it sports a 5-inch touch screen but weighs just 115 gms. The all-glass textured back is a welcome relief from all the plastic that usually dominates this segment. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon (1.2 GHz, Quad core processor) coupled with 2GB of RAM and features a 13MP shooter that is par for the course.