Following up on yesterday's report about T-Mobile USA already having 1.9 million iPhones operating on its network as it moves toward a launch of official sales later this year, Reuters reports that the carrier should begin selling the device within the next 3-4 months. T-Mobile is planning a similar timeframe for its move to end device subsidies in favor of installment plans and lower monthly plan costs.
"They're all, I would call them, in three to four months as opposed to six to nine months, [T-Mobile USA CEO John] Legere told Reuters in an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
T-Mobile is also remaining aggressive on the acquisition and partnership front, with Legere noting that the carrier is looking to close its pending acquisition of MetroPCS in the second quarter of this year and is exploring deals with satellite TV provider Dish Network and prepaid carrier Cricket's parent company Leap Wireless.
As for T-Mobile's plans to end subsidies, it may not be the only major U.S. carrier to make the shift, as The Wall Street Journal reports that both AT&T and Verizon will be watching how things play out. Both carriers do, however, acknowledge that customers are so conditioned to low upfront device costs that it may prove a significant hurdle to overcome.
CES 2013 saw the introduction of quite a few new portable Bluetooth speakers, some sporting innovative designs like Qube's ultra tiny golfball sized speaker and Zagg's 2-in–1 speaker design. Here are a few of the more notable offerings:
Zagg Origin
The Origin speaker from Zagg is a dual Bluetooth speaker system that comes equipped with a small, portable speaker that can be taken on the go, and a larger desktop speaker.
Origin's smaller speaker seamlessly docks with the larger speaker, providing an uninterrupted listening experience. The docking speaker charges the portable speaker, which has a 10 hour battery life, and both speakers work in conjunction when fit together. It will be released in the Spring of 2013 and will retail for $249.99.
FELT Pulse and FELTaudio
FELT Audio's FELT Pulse Bluetooth speaker is small enough to fit into a pocket. It can also snap onto the back of the company's FELTaudio cases, and with an integrated speaker phone, it can be used to make conference calls.
The Pulse comes with a built-in stand and clip, so it can be set up on tables and desks or clipped to pockets and car visors, and it sports an eight hour battery life. It will be available in the Spring of 2013 for $99.
Matrix Audio Qube
Matrix Audio's Qube is 1.5 inches by 1.5 inches, and small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. The current version works with a 3.5mm headphone jack, but the company plans to ship a Bluetooth version in March.
The Qube comes in black, silver, and red, with additional colors planned for release at a later date. Despite being smaller than a golfball, the Qube sports 3 watts of output and an eight hour battery. The Qube will retail for $49.99.
Braven BRV-1
Braven's new BRV–1 is a rugged, rubber covered speaker that is water resistant, making it ideal for outdoor use. The company also announced the larger 850 Bluetooth aluminum speaker, which is similar in size to a Big Jambox, but able to charge iPads and iPhones.
The BRV–1 will retail for $170 in February 2013, while the 850 will be available for $300 at a later date.
Mozilla today released version 18 of Firefox, adding Retina support for Apple's line of Retina MacBook Pros.
Safari, Opera, and Google Chrome implemented Retina months ago, leaving Firefox as the last of the major browsers to receive a Retina update. Without Retina support, both website text and images on Firefox appeared fuzzy and hard to read.
Walmart and Straight Talk Wireless are now carrying the iPhone 5, offering a $45 unlimited talk, text and data plan with no contract. It was previously reported by That's It Guys. Straight Talk is a subsidiary of TracFone, and its iPhone customers will use AT&T's network. There is no indication of whether the phones will support AT&T's LTE network or not.
Like other prepaid plans such as Virgin Mobile, users must pay full price for their iPhones without having them subsidized by the carrier. Unlike Virgin Mobile, Walmart is offering holders of the Walmart credit card a no-interest fixed payment plan for $25/month. This allows customers to have a unlimited talk, text and data plan for a total of $70/month before taxes and fees.
Walmart and Straight Talk Wireless, America’s largest and top rated no-contract cell phone provider, today put the power back in the hands of customers with an industry game changing offer. Starting on January 11, 2013 in more than 2,000 Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com, customers now have access to the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4 on Straight Talk’s $45 no contract unlimited talk, text and data plan. To make this offer even more affordable, Walmart will be offering customers who purchase the phone in the store, a no interest fixed-monthly payments special financing offer for only $25 a month with a Walmart Credit Card.
The Straight Talk wireless no contract plan, exclusive to Walmart, saves consumers on average $950 a year when they switch from conventional contract plans with similar unlimited plans. To learn more about how Straight Talk Wireless saves consumers $950 a year, please visit: www.straighttalk.com.
The iPhone 5 is available in black or white for $649 for the 16GB model only, and the iPhone 4 is available in black or white for $449 for the 8GB model.
Apple today seeded build 12D50 of OS X 10.8.3 Mountain Lion to developers, the fifth beta release reports 9to5Mac. The first 10.8.3 beta was seeded back in November, and the third and fourth releases were released in December.
Though the update comes with no known issues or new features, as before Apple has asked developers to focus on AirPlay, AirPort, Game Center, Graphics Drivers, and Safari in their testing. Registered developers can download it via the Apple Developer Page.
The translucent iPhone case for the iPhone 5, from iPhone5mod
While Apple has explored such a device for years, the plan has been progressing and a less expensive version of the flagship device could launch as soon as later this year, one of the people said.
The cheaper phone could resemble the standard iPhone, with a different, less-expensive body, one of the people said. One possibility Apple has considered is lowering the cost of the device by using a different shell made of polycarbonate plastic. Many other parts could remain the same or be recycled from older iPhone models.
The WSJ reported that Apple was working on a cheaper, smaller iPhone two years ago, which the paper does note. Of course, Apple already does offer cheaper models than the flagship iPhone -- currently the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S.
The device could be aimed at emerging markets like India where postpaid plans are scarce, and users typically pay in full for their phones up front.
Update: Bloombergechoes the WSJ, saying Apple "plans to sell a smaller, cheaper version of the iPhone as soon as this year" and the device will be aimed at customers in developing countries. Bloomberg says that the device could sell for $99 or $149.
Aiming to compete with waterproof but usable iPhone cases like the Lifeproof, Otterbox has announced its Armor Series of cases. The case is designed to protect the phone from submersion for up to 30 minutes as well as 10 foot drops.
Innovative design elements make the OtterBox Armor Series best in class when it comes to protection. Watertight latches, an o-ring seal, port covers and mesh coverings keep water out and allow the Armor Series to tolerate submersions for 30 minutes in up to 6.6 ft. of water. Vents and port covers are made of a non-permeable membrane and protective mesh layer that allows sound to move through while keeping harmful elements out.
The interior and exterior of the case features advanced materials that protect the device from 10 ft. drops. Over-molded bumpers in each corner of the case absorb shock and the high-strength reinforced plastic of the Armor Series can withstand up to two tons of force. Soft interior foam provides a cushioned, custom fit for the device, while the built-in screen protector prevents scratches and damage to the glass display.
The case will ship on February 22 for the iPhone 4/4S and "soon" for the iPhone 5. Otterbox is taking sign-ups for customers who wish to be notified when the case goes on sale.
Ahead of its previously announced plans to begin officially offering Apple mobile devices such as the iPhone sometime this year, T-Mobile USA has have already seen its customers bring 1.9 million iPhones onto the carrier's network. The number, which was noted by TmoNews, is growing by 100,000 devices per month.
With the numbers [T-Mobile CEO John] Legere mentioned, it’s easy to imagine that T-Mobile is eager to get their “Apple Product” deal rolled out as soon as possible. Legere further mentioned that the company currently serves 1.9 million iPhone devices and is adding 100k new devices every month. Mind you, it was back on December 6th that T-Mobile mentioned they were currently serving 1.7 million iPhone devices.
T-Mobile will be the last of the four major U.S. carriers to begin officially offering the iPhone, as it has been hampered by spectrum incompatibilities that prevented the iPhone and a number of other popular devices from running at the fastest data speeds on its network. But T-Mobile has been working hard to refarm its spectrum to move its high-speed HSPA+ network over to the 1900 MHz band that is supported by the iPhone, and the carrier has met its target of making its network iPhone-ready by the end of 2012.
T-Mobile has been stepping up its efforts to attract iPhone customers, launching a "Bring Your Own iPhone" campaign late last year. Mobile virtual network operator Solavei, which operates on T-Mobile's network, has also begun targeting iPhone users on the strength of T-Mobile's improved 4G coverage.
We've closely covered the emerging class of Bluetooth Smart (4.0) low energy devices that have been slowly coming to market.
Hippih was showing off Hipkey at CES 2013. Hipkey is their version of the digital leash application that allows you to keep your iPhone from getting left behind. The device was already put on sale in the European Online Apple Store in December and quickly sold out. The device will make its debut in the U.S. Apple Online store on January 15th.
Hipkey comes as a small aluminum device that you are meant to attach to your keychain or other personal item. The device will pair up with your iPhone and then provide a digital leash for your device. You can set it to detect between small (2-5m), medium (15-20m) and long (30-50m) distances between the devices and then trigger a sound and vibration alarm. The primary intent is to avoid leaving your iPhone behind. The free to download software seems very well designed and also offers other related functionality.
- Alarm Mode: Warns you if you forget your iPhone or iPad or if someone attempts to steal it. - Child mode: Alerts you if your child wanders too far away from you. - Motion Mode: Put hipKey in your bag and you are alerted if someone moves it. - Find Me Mode: Quickly find your iPhone, iPad or your keys at any time.
Additionally, a "Safe Zone" can be established at any location which prevents the device from triggering automatically at any of the shorter proximities. The device will still trigger if you exceed the longest range. Hipkey incorporates a rechargeable battery that lasts 2-4 weeks and recharges in 4 hours. It will be available on the Online Apple Store on January 15th for $89.99.
Scosche today unveiled its weatherproof boomBOTTLE, an omnidirectional outdoor speaker that is designed to fit in standard bicycle bottle cages, providing streaming music while biking, hiking, camping, and participating in other outdoor activities.
The boomBOTTLE incorporates 40mm drivers along with a passive subwoofer, and a built-in lithium-ion battery offers 10 hours of playback per charge.
Scosche's speaker has a durable TPU exterior that is designed to withstand vibrations from rough terrain riding and a splash proof casing makes it usable even when exposed to rain and sweat. Charging and audio ports remain accessible through a top flap.
With its built-in microphone, the boomBOTTLE can be used as a speakerphone, and it features Bluetooth connectivity with a range of 33 feet.
Scosche has also debuted RH1060 Reference Grade Bluetooth Headphones, a new wireless option for its line of reference grade headphones. The over-ear headphones use 40mm neodymium magnet drivers and feature ear cups made from viscoelastic memory foam.
The boomBOTTLE and the RH1060 Headphones are currently on display at CES, which lasts from January 8 to January 11. Pricing and release date have yet to be announced.
The Consumer Electronics Show can get a bad rap from bloggers and journalists who have become jaded by seeing the same products over and over. So, it can be particularly satisfying to see new classes of products that haven't quite hit the mainstream, even if there may be some practical limitations to their ultimate success.
Two of those type of products that I saw at this year's CES include Lenovo's 27" table-top tablet and Nectar Power's fuel cell charger.
Lenovo 27" Table PC
It seems absurd when you first hear about it -- a 27" Table PC from Lenovo -- essentially a 27" tablet that you place on your tabletop. It runs Windows 8 and can also stand up to be used as a more traditional computer.
It doesn't sound particularly practical, but standing in front of it at CES, I was intrigued. When we saw Jeff Han's first multi-touch demos in 2006 or Microsoft's Surface Table for $10,000, our first reaction was that these multi-touch tables were the future, and we wanted one for our house. Now, you will be able to get one for approximately $1699 this summer.
There are some practical issues with a device of this type. Lenovo had to add their own custom interface layer on top of Windows 8 to accommodate the flat-table multi-touch action. They've also partnered with a number of companies such as EA to provide table-top multi-touch versions of their games, so software selection to start will be limited.
Given the relatively high costs of ownership, it's hard to imagine that this will grow beyond a niche product. As a result, it's also hard to believe that Apple would be ever interested in pursuing this market themselves.
Still, I'm glad this product exist and will be curious to see how it evolves over time.
Nectar Power Fuel Cell Charger
It feels like fuel cell technology has been on the cusp for the past decade. We even reported back in 2003 that Apple was actively pursuing the technology for future PowerBook designs. Nine years later, and we haven't seen much in the way of practical fuel cell usage in our consumer electronics. Fuel cells promise a high density of energy using some form of replenishable fuel supply.
Lilliputian Systems is a 12 year old company that has been working on commercializing its fuel cell system. The company has raised over $100 million dollars over that time from investors. At CES, it has launched its first product called Nectar Power, which is available for pre-order at Brookstone.
Nectar Power is a fuel cell charger for your iPhone or any other USB-powered device. It comes in two parts: the charger itself and the disposable fuel pods filled with butane. Each pod provides your iPhone with 10 full recharges (55,000mW), which the company estimates could last you two weeks.
The initial cost for the charger itself is $299 and comes with an initial fuel pod. Replacement fuel pods cost $9.99 each.
That's where the numbers could get tricky. Despite the high energy density, the recurring cost of pod-replacements will make it hard to adopt it as your standard charging solution, while the high initial cost for the system will make it hard to buy to keep around just as a backup charging system. One notable advantage of the system, however, is that the Nectar Power system is said to retain its power far more effectively than a battery. An unattended Nectar would only be expected to lose about 10% of its charging ability over the course of year.
Overall, the product is fascinating and a taste of what's to come down the line as the product gets smaller/cheaper and expands into other devices.
iPhone5mod continues to launch both unofficial Lightning accessories and other interesting products for iPhone owners, and the company today has announced its Translucent Mod Kit for the iPhone 5.
The kit includes an entire set of parts to turn an iPhone 5 translucent on the rear and sides, offering users willing to disassemble their devices a rather unique look. Due to high cost and complexities involving the LCD on the iPhone 5 display, the mod kit does not change the front of the device.
The set includes a translucent rear body panel, as well as translucent micro-SIM card slot, mute/power buttons and a translucent Lightning port. The rear body panel is available in seven different translucent colors: white, black, blue, green, yellow, red, and pink.
The kit also includes color-matched top and bottom antenna windows on the rear of the device. For the first 48 hours of availability, customers will receive all seven sets of top and bottom windows in the various colors, allowing users to mix and match as they see fit. After the limited time offer, users will have to select one color of top and bottom window panels for their orders.
Pricing is set at $39.90 for the entire kit, although customers interested in purchasing all seven color variations of the main back body panel can do so for a kit price of $169.
Panasonic yesterday announced a new line of Smart Viera plasma HDTVs at CES. The company's 2013 lineup ranges from 42 to 65 inches and includes 16 models in five separate series of TVs. The TVs are compatible with iOS devices that let users share content between their iPhones or iPads and their TVs.
Swipe & Share 2.0 – a connectivity enhancement that transforms the TV into a hub for streaming and sharing photo and video content seamlessly with Smartphone and Tablet devices. Through Panasonic's proprietary VIERA Connect platform, users can transfer personal photos and videos from their Android or iOS devices directly to the large screen with a simple swipe of the finger and transfer them back to their smart devices the same way. Swipe & Share also enables sharing of user-generated photos and videos that are on the large screen with other Android or iOS devices. (2013 VIERA ZT60, VT60, and ST60 Series)
Image courtesy of NBC Tech
The features resemble Apple TV and AirPlay, but NBC notes that Panasonic's TV allows users to share an image to the TV, edit it using an option Electronic Touch Pen accessory, and swipe it back to their iOS device.
Panasonic's lineup starts with the full HD 3D ZT60 with what Panasonic calls a "Beyond the Reference" level of picture quality, then moves to the lower-end VT60 and ST60 series and ends with the non-3D S60 and X60 series. There doesn't seem to be pricing information as of yet, but the line is planned to launch in February 2013.
Digitimes reports that Apple is planning to launch a new low-cost iPhone during the second half of this year, targeting emerging markets such as China with a new design and larger display.
Apple will roll out a low-cost version of the iPhone for China and other emerging markets in the second half of 2013, according to supply-chain sources.
Some sources claimed that they have seen the sample of the low-cost iPhone, which will come with a larger display, meeting the prevailing trend for the adoption of 5-inch displays for high-end models. They added that the low-priced iPhone will also have a brand new exterior design.
5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note II vs. iPhone 5 (Source: phoneArena.com)
Rumors of a low-cost iPhone for such markets have circulated for years, although they have generally focused on a smaller "iPhone nano".
Just last week, analyst Brian White claimed that Apple could be looking to launch multiple sizes of the next iPhone to address different markets. We did, however, note some of the obstacles to further increasing the iPhone's display size given that Apple has just gone through such a transition with the iPhone 5.
Ahead of its official earnings release for the fourth quarter of 2012 later this month, AT&T today announced that it sold over 10 million smartphones during the quarter, including "best-ever" sales of both iPhone and Android devices.
“We had another incredible quarter of smartphone sales as the mobile Internet continues to drive strong growth in wireless,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive officer for AT&T Mobility. “These are the industry’s most valuable postpaid subscribers with average revenues twice that of non-smartphone subscribers. During the quarter, we averaged more than 110,000 smartphone sales a day as customers flocked to our leading portfolio of the latest Android, Apple and Windows devices.
AT&T's previous best quarter came in the fourth quarter of 2011, when the carrier activated a total of 9.4 million smartphones with 7.6 million of them being iPhones.
Apple is expected to report a strong holiday quarter when it releases its earnings on January 23, buoyed by a full quarter's worth of iPhone 5 sales and fresh updates across much of the rest of its product lineup.
Bloomberg reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook is in the midst of a return trip to China, some ten months after his last trip to meet with government and business leaders.
Cook today met Miao Wei, head of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, to talk about the development of China’s information technology industry, global mobile communications and Apple’s business in China, according to a statement posted on the ministry’s website.
The report notes that Apple has nearly doubled the number of its retail stores in China and Hong Kong since Cook's last visit, having opened five new stores for a total of 11 company-owned stores in the region.
Apple's new Wangfujing retail store in Beijing
Cook's schedule for the remainder of his visit has not been released, although The Next Web notes that U.S. embassy Chief of Staff Jim Scuitto posted a Tweet revealing that Cook had met with U.S. ambassador Gary Locke.
There will also undoubtedly be speculation that Cook may be seeking to finalize an iPhone deal with China Mobile, the world's largest carrier and the only one of China's three major state-owned carrier to not officially offer the device. Cook had visited the carrier's headquarters in June 2011, but no deal has yet been announced amid continuing negotiations.
China Mobile is reportedly losing traction with 3G customers as rivals China Telecom and China Unicom have made inroads, with many believing that China Mobile's lack of the iPhone is a major weakness for the carrier.
Intel demoed low power versions of its 4th Generation Intel Core Processor family (Haswell) that should make its way into Apple's next generation of MacBooks. The chips were first previewed in September 2011 and low power chips should be available in late 2013 or 2014, while desktop models are expected this spring.
Intel also announced its intention to promote new Intel-powered touch-enabled Ultrabook devices using these new processors. Intel demonstrated one Ultrabook with a 13-hour battery life and said that these Ultrabooks with touch would start as low as $599, while units with a removable keyboard to convert to a tablet (like the Microsoft Surface) would start at around $799.
The company says the chips will provide a significant increase in both power and battery life and that devices using them should experience "true all-day battery life."
The 4th generation Intel Core processor family enables true all-day battery life -- representing the most significant battery life capability improvement in Intel history. Skaugen disclosed that new systems are expected to deliver up to 9 hours of continuous battery life, freeing people from some of the wires and bulky power bricks typically toted around.
"The 4th generation Core processors are the first Intel chips built from the ground up with the Ultrabook in mind," Skaugen said. "We expect the tremendous advancements in lower-power Core processors, and the significant ramp of touch-based systems will lead to a significant new wave of convertible Ultrabooks and tablets that are thinner, lighter and, at the same time, have the performance required for more human-like interaction such as touch, voice and gesture controls."
Intel has previously said that power efficiency is one of its top priorities in chip design going forward. Versions of these chips will eventually make their way to the MacBook Air, iMac, and the MacBook Pro.
Canopy's Sensus iPhone case (via Engadget) is touch-enabled, with 10 different touch input points across the back and the right side of the case. The touch input allows for users to interact with apps without blocking the screen with a finger, a useful function for iOS gaming. It is similar in design to the rear trackpad of Sony's PlayStation Vita.
The Sensus, which resembles a slightly thicker than average iPhone case, has integrated apps that are designed for the visually impaired, along with Braille entry on its touch panels. The company is working on additional apps and has released a software development kit for developers.
It is constructed from durable polycarbonate with rubber corners to protect the iPhone from bumps and falls. It comes equipped with a built-in processor that monitors touch input, and it is powered through the charging port of the iPhone.
At this point in time there is only a version for the iPhone 4/4S on display at CES, but the company is working on a version for Apple's iPhone 5.
Canopy's Sensus case will be available during the Summer of 2013, at a cost between $59 and $99.
Following up on yesterday's report about T-Mobile USA already having 1.9 million iPhones operating on its network as it moves toward a launch of official sales later this year, Reuters reports that the carrier should begin selling the device within the next 3-4 months. T-Mobile is planning a similar timeframe for its move to end device subsidies in favor of installment plans and lower monthly plan costs.
Zagg Origin
FELT Pulse and FELTaudio
Matrix Audio Qube
Mozilla 
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The initial cost for the charger itself is 
Ahead of its official earnings release for the fourth quarter of 2012 later this month, AT&T today 
Image courtesy 
