Crunchy Logistics has demonstrated its latest innovation designed for the iPad, the Padzilla Too Interactive Case which lets you use your new iPad together with a Microsoft Kinect and a huge high definition display.

This is the largest interactive reproduction of an iPad in the world spanning 24 feet wide and 12 feet tall. The giant iPad display is constructed through the newest 3.5mm LED wall matrix display technology. 3.5mm is the thinnest LED separation currently possible for this type of LED matrix display which increases pixel density to possible “Retina” display quality at typical viewing distances. Padzilla now enables the user to interact on a large scale from a multitouch reproduction platform and is now multi-input gesture capable. This gives a great deal of flexibility on an already popular platform with thousands of apps for entertainment and business presentation purposes.

However, it would be a very impressive presentation tool or interactive advertising billboard. Of course if moneys no object, it could also be a way to impress all of your friends when you fire up a game of Fruit Ninja on that huge screen!

Source: Crunchy Logistics

Apple is reportedly working on a new audio format that's supposedly all about enabling a better streaming and downloading for users of Apple's iTunes Match service. The new format should hopefully enable Apple to increase the quality of audio being delivered without increasing its file size. The same format could also be an adaptive streaming format so a lower quality audio stream could also be delivered in times of low bandwidth availability. According to UK newspaper The Guardian:

It is believed that Apple will use the new file type to upgrade its iTunes Match service, which allows users to re-download music from iCloud to their Apple devices. A source with inside knowledge of the process says Apple has asked a London studio to prepare audio files for a new streaming format that will adapt to bandwidth or hardware capabilities. "All of a sudden, all your audio from iTunes is in HD rather than AAC. Users wouldn't have to touch a thing – their library will improve in an instant," said the source, who requested to remain anonymous.

Musician Neil Young claimed back in January that modern digital music was so highly compressed that 95 percent of the audio content was lost. He believed that Steve Jobs was working on a solution to the problem. The recent Mastered for iTunes seems like the first steps towards that. Maybe this new audio format is another?

Source: The Guardian

UK satellite TV broadcaster Sky has announced that it will be launching a dedicated app for the iPad to compliment its coverage of the 2012 Formula 1 season. Sky has recently secured the rights to show the Formula 1 racing which was previously shown exclusively in the UK on the BBC channels. Sky told T3 that not only would the live video stream of each race be available on its dedicated Sky Sports F1 HD channel but also on the iPad too. A dedicated iPad app would also deliver a whole host of additional content too.

Bolstering the broadcaster’s Formula 1 coverage that, combined with the televised and website content, will come under the header of ‘Sky Race Control’, the Sky F1 application is currently under development ahead of release in time for the season’s opening F1 GP on March 18th. “There will be apps,” said Martin Turner, Executive Producer on the upcoming Sky Sports F1 HD channel in reference to the company’s planned motor racing coverage. He tantalisingly added: “One of the things that is being developed for the app is the four-way split.” Remaining somewhat cagey on the matter, Owen Williams Head of Projects in Sky Sport’s Digital Media division said “There are certain things going on at the moment that will happen.” He added: “The aim of Sky Race Control is to replicate the offering across all of our platforms."

Source: T3

Randomly accurate rumor site Digitimes suggests that, according to industry sources out of Taiwan, Apple will release a Retina display iPad 3 in March, then turn around and ship a more significant iPad 4 in October.

The 9.7-inch iPad 4 is expected to come with much upgraded hardware specifications and integrated applications so as to compete with an array of Android-, Wintel- or WoA (Windows on ARM)-based tablet PCs to be released in the fourth quarter, said the sources.

They also reaffirm the rumor that Apple will keep the iPad 2 on sale at a lower $399 price.

This is an almost identical rumor to one that made the rounds last year, with numerous sources -- including iMore -- hearing that Apple was at least toying with the idea of releasing iPad 3 in October of 2011. Whether those rumors were ultimate inaccurate, or display constraints required Apple change plans and revert to a spring 2012 release is unknown.

Likewise, whether or not there's any substance to these rumor rehashes, or an attempt to suppress iPad 3 sales with early chatter of an iPad 4 is impossible to say at this point. It does seem unlikely that Apple would release two iPads in the same retail year, given the enormous success of their current strategy.

Source: Digitimes

The iPhone, iPad and  iPod touch are pretty much the perfect mobile gaming platform and chances are you might be shopping for someone who just loves their iOS gaming. So what to get them? Luckily, there are lots and lots of gifts for gamers to choose from! Here are a few of my favorites, both for the hottest hardware and greatest games!

Don’t need anything for a gamer? Check out the recommendations anyway, something great might still catch your eye. If not, no worries, check out one of our other 2011 holiday gift guides!

iOS device gifts

Does you gamer in your life not have an iPhone, Pod touch or iPad yet? Not sure which one you should get? Not a problem! Start here:

• iOS device gift guide

Accessory gifts

If your gamer already has their device, there are some great accessories out there to help them take their gaming to another level.

iCade

The iCade is a magical gift for the retro gamer. The iCade arcade cabinet is an accessory for your iPad which turns it into a retro arcade machine complete with joystick, six buttons and a glowing coin slot.

More and more games are being released that work with the iCade; including the Atari's Greatest Hits app. The iCade is designed to work with the iPad and iPad 2.

The iPad slots into the arcade cabinet and the controls are done over Bluetooth. Buying a gamer one of these should keep them happy not just over the holiday period but for the rest of their life too!

• Get iCade at ThinkGeek.com

Fling and Fling Mini

What if you are watching your favorite gamer and they are constantly struggling with their game and can't achieve even the simplest tasks due to their finger and thumb fumblings on the shiny iPhone or iPad touchscreen? Fear not, there is a solution for that too, Ten One Design have come up with a well designed joystick for the iPad and a mini version for the iPhone and iPod touch too. Called the "Fling", it sticks to your screen with some small suction cups and claims to offer a console type gaming experience.

As you control a game with Fling, it pushes gently back towards the center position.  This haptic feedback guides and stabilizes your gameplay, making every action more accurate. Any gamer would love to get their hands on one of these, me included!

• Get Fling and Fling mini at Amazon.com

mophie juice pack plus

It is pointless having the latest games and accessories for your iPhone if the battery on your device is not up to the task. Thankfully we have just the thing to buy for the gamer to keep their iPhone fully charged and ready to play.

The mophie juice pack is a hard shell case which fits the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Built into the case is a 2000 mAh capacity battery. mophie claims that the juice pack plus will double your iPhone's battery life which gives you double the time to play your favorite games.

The mophie juice pack is the ideal gift for the iPhone gamer, it not only protects your iPhone but also doubles its battery life, a perfect gaming combination!

• Get mophie juice pack plus on store.imore.com

Motorola MOTOROKR S10HD Bluetooth Stereo Headphones

It's a classic story, they love to game, you'd dearly love some peace and quiet. Luckily, there's a gift that can keep on giving to the both of you -- stereo headphones! They get deep base and immersive sound, and the freedom of a cable-free experience, and you get blissful, well deserved silence.

While there are a ton of headphones to choose from, wire and unwired alike, the MOTOROKR looks and sounds great, and has just a touch of that futuristic feel to it.

• Get the Motorola MOTOROKR S10HD Bluetooth Stereo Headphones on store.imore.com

App gifts

What better gift for a gamer than more great games to play? The App Store is chock full of them, and iTunes allows you to gift them straight to your special gamer. (If you're not sure how, here's quick guide to gifting apps)

First person shooter (FPS) games: Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation

Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation is the ultimate First Person Shooter for the iOS platform. If you want to treat the gamer in your life with a great game then this may be the one to go for. You can play a solo mission with over 13 different levels each with fantastic graphics and enemy AI.

Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation also offers a highly polished online multiplayer game experience. You can battle up to twelve players in six maps with seven different modes of play. A word of warning, you can accelerate your gaming abilities in this game via in app purchase of weapons and health kits; some find this an unfair advantage!

It is also a universal binary so this particular game will look stunning on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

• $6.99 - App Store link

Also check out:

• Dead Space is a gorgeous, terrifying shooter set in the depth of space. $6.99 - App Store link
• N.O.V.A. 2 is the closest thing to HALO on the iPhone. $6.99 - App Store link
• RAGE HD comes from John Carmack and while it's on rails, it's also off the hook. $1.99 - App Store link
• Call of Duty: Zombies is all the undead you can empty a clip at. $4.99 App Store link

Arcade games: Real Racing 2

If the gamer on your gift hit list is into driving games then they don't get any better than Firemint's Real Racing 2. Real Racing 2 lets you take the wheel of 30 officially licensed cars and each has its own characteristics too. You can race against 16 other cars all at the same time.

Real Racing 2 also offers 15 locations to race in with over 40 miles of highly detailed race tracks, speedways and city center circuits. You can also choose to race in the daytime, twilight hours or evening.

If you are lucky enough to own an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 and an Apple TV (Black) you can even play wirelessly on your HDTV. Friends can join in too with split screen multiplayer and Party Play.

• $9.99 - App Store link

Also check out:

• Infinity Blade brings the Epic Unreal 3 engine to iOS. 'Nuff said. $2.99 - App Store link]
• Street Fighter IV Volt puts the classic fighter in the palm of your hands. $0.99 - App Store link
• Extraction: Project Outbreak is a fresh take on the top-down 3D shooter. $0.99 - App Store Link
• Atari's Greatest Hits brings the oldest of old school to your brand new advice. Free - App Store link

Casual Games: Amazing Breaker

Amazing Breaker is a game for the more casual gamer. It involves ice sculptures; you remember them, popular at high class parties but nowhere else. Anyway, the aim of the game is to destroy the ice sculptures with bombs, and try not to leave any shards of ice behind.

Amazing Breaker is a highly addictive puzzle game with over 80 levels to keep you busy. Designed for the Retina display, it offers high resolution graphics, easy to learn game play and Game Center achievements. The bombs you use to destroy the ice sculptures come in many different flavors too with Spike Bombs, Ghost Bombs, Helicopter Bombs and even Split Bombs. The game is a lot of fun and once you start it, you will struggle to put it down. A great gift for the gamer in your life!

• $0.99 - App Store link]

Also check out:

• Catan is a great version of a great strategy game. $4.99 - App Store link
• Words with Friends isn't Scrabble but it is an all out, all online spelling war. $0.99 - App Store link
• Carcassone is a beautiful rendition of the medieval strategy game. $9.99 - App Store link
• Poker by Zynga let's you get your Texus Hold'em on your iPhone. Free - App Store link

More great games for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

Every day, TiPb covers the best new games and best new game updates, so if you're looking for more great game gift ideas, check out our gaming section! Likewise, the iTunes App Store has a games section with lots of great choices.

• TiPb Games
• iTunes App Store games

And if you're still not sure what to get, consider an iTunes Gift Card, that way the special gamer in your life can pick their very own gift!

• Get iTunes Gift Cards

Your picks?

Remember, you’re part of Team TiPb too, so if you’ve already picked the perfect gift for your iPhone or iPad gamer, or have the perfect idea for one, let us know in comments!

One of the many features announced on the iPhone 4S is 1080p HD video recording. This is a nice improvement over the iPhone 4's 720p HD video recording. The goodness does not stop there, however. In addition to 1080p, the iPhone 4S is equipped with video stabilization to help steady those non-professional, bouncy video recording skills.

Since the iPhone 4S video camera is the same 8MP camera used for stills, it will benefit from the larger aperture and improved illumination sensor, bringing you more accurate colors and better low-light videos.

You can see examples of the camera and stabilization on Apple's website. I encourage you to check them out, it really shows off how great video recording on the iPhone 4S will be.

Source: Apple

Apple has apparently started testing display panels made by Samsung and LG for its next generation iPad 3 according to The Korea Times. The article claims that both companies are close to signing a deal with Apple.  The screens are thought to have a huge resolution increase over the current iPad 2 display which is 1024 x 768. The new panels are believed to be “Retina” displays at a resolution of 2048 x 1536; with the same 4:3 aspect ratio.

Apple’s upcoming iPad 3 will feature an improved display to support quad extended graphics (QXGA), a display resolution of 2048×1536 pixels with a 4:3 aspect ratio to provide full high definition (HD) viewing experience,’’ said a source close to the talks.

The display panels are said to be going through various tests at laboratories in China and should be complete in the third quarter of this year.

Now when you put this rumor alongside the recent story of a second iPad release this year; with a retina display, it all starts to make a little sense. If the panels pass all of Apples tests in the third quarter, we may well see the rumored release in October. Of course you never know anything for sure until it is officially announced. I still think it is a bit of a long shot and really don't think it's going to happen this year!

[The Korea Times]

From the Forums is a great way to see what all of the current hot topics are on the TiPb forums. In order to create any new threads of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is a simple process that will only take a few minutes out of your day, so if you have not already already done so, head on over and register now!

New personalizations!

You may have noticed our new and improved forums, we've gone and added yet another little feature many of you have asked for, postbits. In your user control panel simply go "edit your details" and you now have the ability to add your carrier, devices and so on so it is shown for all users to see.

New threads

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• iOS 5 beta 3

• How many new iPhones do you think we will see this fall?

• Fall will be here before you know it along with a possible iPad HD?

Is there something you'd like to see added to the forums? Jump in the Feedback Forum and let us know!

See you in the forums!

iPhone 4 and iPod touch (2010), with iOS 4.1, can now upload HD video directly to YouTube. Previously, under iOS 4.0, iPhone 4 videos would be compressed down to SD when uploaded to YouTube. 4.1 fixes that. Just tap the action button at the bottom right and share HD straight up to YouTube.

The process is as simple as checking the HD option on the YouTube upload screen. Note, however, due to file sizes a Wi-Fi connection is required on iPhone 4. (No 3G HD uploads).

If you've tried it out, let us know how it works for you. For more, check out our complete iOS 4.1 walkthrough.

The new iPhone 4 is equipped with a much improved 5 megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording capabilities. In addition, there is a built-in LED flash to help in low light situations. We have put the camera and the flash to the test in almost every way except when using the flash to illuminate a poorly lit room while recording HD video. That is, until now!

I have recorded a quick video to see just how well LED flash works in combination with the video camera. As expected, the light does not make much of a difference on items more than a few feet away; but for objects that are close, the little light does an excellent job.

Have you tried your iPhone 4 LED flash out yet? How's it working for you?

iMovie for iPhone 4 is a video editing application designed by Apple. iMovie is also the name of the video editing software included in iLife, which is bundled with every Mac. iMovie is only available for iPhone 4. (Don't be sad, it needs the extra RAM and Apple A4 processing power).

As with most Apple products, iMovie is very easy to use and is fairly intuitive. If a tap doesn't do what you want, a double tap will. iMovie can be used in either portrait or landscape, but landscape seems more natural for me.

While in editing mode, the top center of the screen shows your movies, the bottom of the screen has the timeline, and the sides of the screen have options: projects, upload media, upload media directly from camera, and play. When choosing media to add to your project, there are three tabs: video, photos, and music. Videos are listed in reverse chronological order, but photos are listed in chronological order. I find this annoying because it's very likely that the photo I want to choose was recently taken and scrolling through hundreds a photos every time gets tedious. Not to mention, scrolling through photos is very laggy. This needs to be fixed.

Editing your movie is a breeze. You can drag clips around, trim the edges of clips, add titles, quickly switch between themes, and make minor edits to transitions. If there is a clip or photo you want to remove, just drag it off the timeline. There is one thing I want to mention about titles, however. They are very nice, but you cannot edit their length. Titles are automatically the same length as the clip you have the title attached to. Another simple feature that is missing is the ability to add plain text against a colored background.

Although there are a few little things missing from iMovie, I found it to be an excellent and quick way to edit a video. This is the first release of this app and I look forward to the changes that Apple may bring to it in the future. For only $4.99, iMovie is worth every penny.

Video and screenshots after the break! (To see a completed movie that was created with iMovie, check out my quick review of the iPhone 4's camera)

Pros

• Very easy to use
• Comes with 5 themes: Modern, Bright, Travel, Playful, News
• Can add your own music or chose from Apple's theme music
• Export as, medium (360p), large (540p), or HD (720p)

Cons

• Titles last the entire duration of clip, with no option to set the length.
• Cannot add more than one audio track
• Cannot split clips
• Must pan over images. Cannot have entire photo displayed in video.
• Searching through photo library has major lag
• Photos are listed in chronological order instead of reverse chronological order
• Cannot add a text slide

[$4.99 - iTunes link]

The iPhone 4 was officially launched today and after picking mine up, I was eager to test out the new cameras. The rear camera is 5 megapixels and features 5x digital zoom and 16:9, 720p HD video recording. It also has a built-in LED flash that can be used for photos or video. The front-facing camera is VGA quality and can be used for both 1.4 megapixel stills and 360p video as well.

So how do the iPhone 4 cameras perform? Find out after the break!

Photos

Photos taken with the rear camera are beautiful. They are very crisp and the iPhone 4 does an excellent job with exposure and focus. As with the 3GS, I am extremely impressed with the macro ability of the lens. Here's a few pictures I took with the 5 megapixel camera.

The quality of the VGA front-facing camera also impressed me. The photos are, as expected, not as good as those taken with the 5 megapixel camera, but they are still very nice. This self-portrait was taken with the front-facing VGA-quality camera:

The LED flash is much better than expected. I have not been able to test it while recording video because it's still daylight, but photos taken with the flash look great. Here's a sample of a photo taken with and without flash.

I will admit to being a skeptic about the 5x digital zoom. Optical zoom is so superior to digital zoom that I expected it to look horrible. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that software behind the digital zoom does a great job with the photos. Clearly, they are not as good as they would be without the the zoom, but not too bad. Here's a series of photos I took in increments of 1/4 of the full 5x digital zoom.

Video

HD video recording on the iPhone 4 is a dream come true. The ability to record 720p video with my iPhone feels like such a luxury. The video comes out crisp and beautiful and is so easy to edit with iMovie directly on the device. My only complaint is that the tap to focus feature can be a bit touchy (pun intended!). When standing still while recording, tap to focus works wonderfully. However, if you've walked around for a bit and then decided to tap to focus, the iPhone sometimes struggles to grab a good focus. I demonstrate this in the the video below.

The VGA-quality front-facing camera also captures video, and although it's not HD, the quality is still pretty good.

Here's a video I put together with iMovie for iPhone with video and photo samples. What do you think? If you've put your iPhone 4's video recording to the test, we want to know your experience and thoughts as well. Sound off in the comments below!

Another iPhone 4 has been found roaming around; this time in the Czech Republic. We are already familiar with the external design of the iPhone 4, but this source provides us with photos taken with the rear camera and a video recorded in HD. The person using this iPhone also reports that after playing games, surfing the web, watching YouTube, and using Google maps for an hour, there was only a 10% hit to the battery.

Check out the photo links and sample video after the break and let us know what you think!

[MacRumors via Jablíčkář.cz]

• Photo 1
• Photo 2
• Photo 3
• Photo 4
• Photo 5

When Steve Jobs announced 720p, 30fps video recording on the iPhone 4 during the WWDC 2010 keynote, the first thing that popped into my head was: "Wow, now I don't have any use for my Flip MinoHD video camera!" I have since then done some thinking and researching about this very topic to determine if this is really case.

In order for the iPhone 4 to replace my Flip, it must do close to everything just as well as the Flip. By everything, I mean video and audio quality, storage capacity, battery life, portability, convenience, and ease of use. Let's take a look after the break.

Ease of use and convenience

Both the iPhone and Flip are very portable and easy to use. However, even though the Flip is small, it would be much more convenient to carry only an iPhone with me.

Lens quality

In the same category as video quality, we must also consider the lenses of both these devices. The Flip offers a fixed focus of 1.5m to infinity, f/2.4 aperture, and 2x digital zoom. Unfortunately, Apple hasn't provided us with the specifications of the lens on the iPhone 4. However, we do know that the tap to focus feature will be available when recording video. This is a huge advantage over the Flip because it allows for creativity. Apple has said that 5x digital zoom is available when taking photos, but it does not seem as though this feature is available when recording video.

Audio quality

One thing the Flip has been praised for is its sound quality. Quiet voices and sounds are easily picked up by the Flip and boosting volume in post editing is rarely a necessity. Will the iPhone 4 offer the same? I suspect it will be efficient enough. It may not be quite as good as the Flip, but it's a compromise I'm willing to make in order to carry one less device in my purse.

Storage capacity

The most storage available on the iPhone 4 is 32 GB and Flip's newest camera, the SlideHD, is available in 16 GB, which is approximately 4 hours of video. Even though the iPhone has more available space, it is safe to say that there is never a time when all 32 gigabytes are free to use. Basically, storage space is going to vary by user; for me, I have about 16 GB of free space on my iPhone now, so the two devices are comparable.

Battery life

But what about battery? Flip claims to get 2 hours of battery life between charges. Once again, Apple has not provided us with this information. However, I remember that Dieter, our Editor in Chief, let his iPhone 3GS record video for about an hour during an iPhone live! episode and had battery life to spare. With the bigger battery in the iPhone 4, I expect to be able to record video for about 2 hours as well. However, draining the battery on the Flip is better than on the iPhone because it only renders the video camera useless, not an entire phone.

On-device editing

The last thing I want to mention is editing. The Flip does not offer any way of editing on the device itself. It does come with free software for your computer, but it's clunky to say the least. With the iPhone, I can trim clips immediately after capturing footage and for under $5, I should be able to do some impressive editing with the upcoming iMovie for iPhone. I can then upload my finished project directly to YouTube. The ability to do this all with my iPhone is very impressive and a compelling argument to ditch the Flip. (No word yet on whether or not iPhone 4 will support the Camera Kit USB reader that shipped alongside the iPad, but that would certainly be even more interesting...)

Conclusion

So what's the verdict? Will the iPhone 4 replace my Flip MinoHD? My answer is: usually. For day to day use of capturing quick memories of my dogs (and soon, my child) and other random instances, the iPhone 4 will easily replace my Flip and I look forward to removing the Flip from my purse. However, if I know I'm going to capture a lot of footage, I will make sure my Flip is with me so that I don't waste precious battery life on my iPhone. Also, if I'm planning to make a nicely edited video, I will use the Flip because of the 16:9 aspect ratio (unless and until Apple proves 16:9 on the iPhone 4).

Once the iPhone 4 is in my hand, I will be putting the unknowns (battery life, audio quality, lens quality) to the test and perform side-by-side comparisons. In the meantime, I can only base my conclusion on the facts we know and dream about about what video recording on the iPhone 4 will really be like.

What about you? Do you expect the iPhone 4 to replace your Flip video camera (or similar device)? Why or why not?

If you haven't checked your AT&T eligibility date, you may want to. We noticed a couple weeks ago that AT&T was starting to roll back eligibility dates for some users, so here's another reminder.

I picked up my 3GS on launch day and until yesterday, my upgrade eligibility date said 6/20/2010.  I didn't expect mine to change if the next iPhone would appear after that date.  Well this morning, looks like I'm eligible right now.  As we all know, iPhone releases are typically done on a Friday. If the iPhone G4 was set to release on the 25th of this month or the 2nd of July, why would they be pushing back those who would already be eligible on that day?

Interesting indeed.  Could this mean an iPhone G4 could land on either the 11th or 18th of this month?  We are thinking that could be the case. What do you guys think?

You can check your AT&T eligibility at any time by either logging into your AT&T account and going to "Check Upgrade Options" on your account overview screen, or you can dial * NEW # (* 639 #) from your phone and you'll get an automated text.  Check your eligibility and let us know if you see any changes!

The 4th generation iPhone looks like it will be able to do some high definition (HD) video recording according to the iPhone 4 Beta SDK. A little digging into the code reveals that there are two presets for recording resolution, the current 640x480 (VGA) and a 1280x720 (720p).

• AVCaptureSessionPreset640x480
• AVCaptureSessionPreset1280x720

It is looking more and more like Rene will finally get that iPhone HD he has been craving for the past two years. If you were on the fence about upgrading your iPhone does HD video recording sway you to make the purchase?

[MacRumors]

Huge internet content backbone Akamai is introducing their new on-demand, streaming HD Network, along with support for... the iPhone. Says Macworld:

Akamai worked with Apple to make HD Network video run on the iPhone using the standard H.264 format. The iPhone 3.0 software upgrade, introduced in June, added support for live video. Content providers can use the HD Network to deliver programs for the iPhone through the Safari Web browser or an application offered on the App Store. The videos can play on the phone’s video player, as YouTube videos do now.

We've heard about iPhone 3.0's HTTP Live Streaming capabilities before, and if this uptake is real, we're getting increasingly excited about our iPhone media future...

Can the iPhone 3GS play back 720p and even 1080p source videos, perhaps even output them to an HDTV? Looks like it might, according to WeiPhone.com who claim to have gotten just such functionality working via the FileAid app.

Of course, we've heard the iPhone 3GS chipset was capable of recording in 720p before. Hey, this time last year we even heard the older, less-powerful iPhone 3G might be able to handle 1080p.

So, while not surprising, it's important to remember that the iPhone 3GS has a 320p (480x320 to be exact) display, so actually playing the files on the device -- aside from heat and battery life concerns -- would result in downscaling to such an extent that it's pretty much pointless (perhaps why Apple doesn't surface it as a feature at this point?)

It is interesting to consider, however, that Apple has another music event just a couple weeks away, and that Microsoft is making noise about the Zune HD outputting 720p to an external display. If Apple could flip a switch in iPhone 3.1 and enable 720p or 1080p overkill out via AV cables (better yet -- HDMI cable!) then that's one less checkbox in competitors' corner, and one more feature for iPhone and iPod touch users to enjoy.

(Of course, bigger video means more storage, like 32GB in an iPhone and 64GB in a presumed third-gen iPhone touch... Hmm... Maybe I was only partially crazy to predict an iPhone HD last year?)

[via iLounge]

Engadget reports -- based on the tear-downs we've seen -- that the iPhone 3G S' ARM Cortex A8 processor is capable of a wee bit more than Apple has thus far enabled.

Currently running at 600MHz, it actually supports a top clock speed of 833MHz and here are the kickers: 720p video recording and real-time video conferencing.

We'll likely not see the clock speed ramped up for power-saving reasons, nor the video conferencing due to the lack of front-facing camera. But the 720p video recording?

Apple, flip the switch!

Not sure when they -- finally -- flipped this switch, but this morning when I fired up iTunes I was greeted with a full on content party -- US TV productions from ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and Warner Brothers are now available for Canadians to download in both standard and high definition.

Prices are $3.49 for HD (which includes an SD copy for your iPhone or iPod) and/or $2.49 for SD all by its lonesome.

So, if you don't mind paying for a-la-carte programming a day later but sans commercials, loves you the HD option, and you live in the True North Strong and Free-ish, apparently this week is Canada Day come early!

Yesterday, Dieter told us Apple had finally pulled the trigger on HD downloads for iTunes. Today, the internets (led by iLounge, via Gizmodo) are up in arms because said downloads are infected with Big Media-enforced DRM to such a degree that they can't even play on older, non-HDCP (high definition copy protection) compatible devices.

What does this mean? Even if you forked over $2K for a ginormous Apple 30" Cinema Display, that "cinema" part of the branding will be just plain useless to you except for the very helpful popup you'll get reading:

This movie cannot be played because a display that is not authorized to play protected movies is connected.

Lovely. We understand Hollywood wants to protect their movies from pirates. We also understand that this type of nonsense doesn't stop pirates (who run at pretty much a commercial scale nowadays) one bit -- it only makes life extremely difficult and financially draining for actual consumers. (Poetically, pirated content plays just fine on older displays, making us wonder if someone deep inside Big Media secretly owns license to the torrents and is actually trying to drive traffic that way...)

Seriously, in what other industries can you get away with this? Sorry, your home is not copy protected, please back your car out and try burning down any non compliant houses before parking again. Sorry, food 2007 is not compatible with fridge 2009, please upgrade your fridge and then try eating again.

Sheesh.

The word has gone out: Apple is now allowing you to do more than just rent movies in HD, they're letting you buy them. You're looking at spending a bit extra for the HD version - $19.99 to be precise. They're pushing preorders for a few movies (Quantum of Solace and Twilight) but there are also a few you can buy right now (Saw V, for example. Sadists rejoice!).

The movies also come with an SD version bundled in for your iPhone and iPod. Which is great and all, but how's-about Apple provide us with an iPhone that doesn't need such primitive down-scaled resolutions. iPhone HD looking more likely to anyone? If it comes, we're still doubting it would be the 720p that these videos come in (our money's on iPhone HD with 480p), but it would be a sight better. We're still hoping against hope here, but maybe 2009 could be the true "Year of HD," ...4 years late, but still very welcome.

Without fail, the moment Apple launches a great product or new revision, within moments talk quickly shifts back to "what's next?!" Last month it was the iPod and iTunes. This month it's the MacBook. But with Macworld slowly ramping up, and competitors slowly turning iClones into specced out SuperClones, the blogsphere spotlight will inevitably turn back to the iPhone, and just what device they'll dent our universe with next.

What if it's an iPhone HD?

The Next Big Thing. The Paradigm Shift. The Mobile Computing Platform. All of these monickers have been applied to the iPhone, it's multi-touch interface and it's mobile OS X implementation. Rightly so. While other companies have fragmented their mobile strategies among many different form factors, from different manufacturers, some even running different versions of the OS itself, Apple has remained remarkably consistent and ingeniously integrated.

The result? What worked on the original iPhone 2G and iPod Touch also works flawlessly on the second generation iPhone 3G and iPod Touch. Four devices spanning tens of millions of users, all with unprecedented unity and utility.

Apple accomplished this via 2008 revisions that were relatively minor in terms of the platform, yet simultaneously crucial in terms of the feature set. The iPhone really needed 3G and GPS to be competitive internationally, and to a lesser extent the iPod Touch really needed external volume and speakers to cross over into serious entertainment and gaming.

This gave consumers an utterly painless upgrade path, and removed from developers the burden of having to worry about whether any specific device might have a touchscreen or not, a keyboard or not, a trackball or not, etc. If you have an iPhone 2G as opposed to 3G, your internet experience is the same, just slower. If you don't have GPS, your location services are the same, just less precise. This is one of the less discussed but most important advantages of the current iPhone roadmap.

But what's next? What similar revision can Apple do in 2009 to further expand the iPhone platform without breaking compatibility at the same time?

Simple. HD. High Definition video.

The current iPhone and iPod Touch line features what was a very impressive 480x320 screen, and Apple has shown they can deliver that screen at a whopping 202dpi on the last generation iPod Nano.

back at Macworld 2008 (one year after introducing the original iPhone 2G), Apple announced HD movie rentals for the Apple TV and this September, they announced HD TV Shows. The world is moving inexorably towards HD and Apple and iTunes are pretty much keeping pace with it. Not only that, they're laying the pipes. Gizmodo even revealed that the exiting iPhone can already handle HD signals "just fine".

Competitively speaking, RIM is launching a slightly higher resolution screen on their Blackberry Storm, at 480x360, and at the small sizes of handset displays, every pixel matters.

Meanwhile, the HTC Touch HD is flaunting a massive 800x480p screen, and though it may not be hitting North American shores any time soon, HTC is clearly readying even more high density handsets, likely for both Windows Mobile and Google's Android.

Of course, these devices are plagued with either outdated OS or fragmented hardware, which will be limiting factors going forward, but they serve to send Apple a powerful message as to where the technology is going, and what Apple can do to continue leading the way.

Announced with pre-requisite BOOM! by Steve Jobs on stage at Macworld 2009 -- or WWDC in June -- with an 800x480p display at 202dpi-like density would move the platform forward an could do so in the same, unified way as the iPhone 3G.

Resolution independence in the iPhone SDK -- the same type talked about for years in Mac OS X -- and simple things like using vector/PDF icons, buttons, and other GUI elements, rather than non-scalable bitmaps could keep development focused and users from worrying which device what App might work on. If you have an iPhone 3G (or 2G) your visual experience is the same, just lower resolution than the HD. (i.e. the same icon takes up the same physical space on your Home screen, just isn't rendered with as many physical pixels on the screen).

The only problem? HD is BIG. It takes up space. Even with H.264 compression, the size quickly adds up and the storage space rapidly disappears. The solution to this is one many people expect to see anyway: 32GB. The iPod Touch already has this option by virtue of having twice the NAND chip slots as the iPhone (since the iPod Touch doesn't need to save space for cellular or Blue Tooth radios). Double capacity NAND chips exist, however, and Apple will switch to them as soon as pricing and availability make it reasonable to do so. (Yes, that would also mean a 64GB iPod Touch -- more capacity than the original Apple TV shipped with!)

Add to this a better spatial speaker system and some form of virtualized surround sound out, combined with 720p video out through the already existing component cables available from Apple, and you have a compelling, and amazingly portable, HD offering as well. Scratch that. Add 802.11n WiFi and streaming to and from iTunes and the Apple TV, and you have a KILLER HD offering. (One that wouldn't even be bound by on-device storage any more.)

Along with the necessary 3.0 firmware update to enable all this HD goodness, 2009 could be another spectacular -- if evolutionary -- year for the iPhone.

It makes sense technological, and it's becoming increasingly important competitively. Just imagine, 802.11n streaming, 32GB iPhone HD, running firmware 3.0, in 2009.

Confession: My secret, innermost desire for the iPhone 3G was a 420p display. I knew Apple wouldn't do it yet -- there was nothing in their simultaneously released SDK to support any other resolutions -- but still... I wants-ded it!

Imagine my fanboy chagrin, then, when HTC goes and not only makes a device in exactly the same dimensions as the iPhone 3G (obvious much?), but slaps a monstrous 800x480 display on the beast! (Not to mention a 5(!) megapixel camera)

The HTC Touch HD (which we're pretty sure means "Hi Dieter!" -- see the afore-linked WMExperts for why...) represents the next expansion of HTC's Touch brand -- something spread so thin Asus' Eee marketeers are wincing. It may seem questionable to show the HD off this early (it's not expected to land until 2009, and doesn't even seem to support US 3G frequencies yet) since, frankly, who's not gonna put off Osbourne-ing a Touch, Touch Duo, Touch Diamond, Touch Pro, etc. when this baby's around the bend, but we're guessing the announcement was aimed more at Apple's gut than any potential customers' wallet.

And in that regard -- ouch!

Sure, it doesn't have the Apple/iPod ecosystem behind it and it's still using TouchFLo 3D to try to hide the UE (user exasperation) that is Windows Mobile 6.1, and multiple layers of OS are never a Good Thing, but this is the first iClone that's actually got us worried.

Apple, you've got almost four months until Macworld 09, and we've got three newly urgent words for you: iPhone HD, b'okay?

As we mentioned earlier, when you purchase an HD TV show from iTunes you're actually getting two copies of the show -- one version in HD and another in standard definition for your iPhone. They're two separate files and, well, apparently they don't always go great together. Ars Technica is reporting that when iTunes gets around to downloading the SD version, some users are finding that it's overwriting the HD file.

They recommend turning on "Allow simultaneous downloads" and also offer a sneaky quit-and-restart iTunes trick. If that doesn't appeal to you, just sit tight, Apple's aware of the issue and will likely manage to fix it up (here's a hint, Apple, just append the resolution of the video to the end of the filename).

How about it: are you downloading HD content yet?

We greeted the arrival of HD TV shows for iTunes with as much joy as we greeted the return of the previously nixed NBC content: with great joy.

Part of our joy was a secret hope that since the iPhone can (technically) handle HD content natively, it meant we might someday be able to play HD video direct from the iPhone -- albeit through a dreamy-future-video-out capability since playing HD on the iPhone's screen seems a little pointless. Sure, HD takes up radically more space, but hey, we like options.

Well Gizmodo [via] threw some cold water on all that by pointing out that the HD iTunes streams up might not be all that HD. The issue is roughly that not all HD is created equal -- you need to check the resolution (720p or 1080i or whatnot), but you also need to give some thought to the bitrate. It's basically a function of compression and, well, the more you compress the worse it's going to look. So while iTunes is offering up HD content, that content is compressed into a size that's reasonable for most people to download.

AppleInsider points out that Apple's h.264 encoding is better than most at getting quality video into a compact package. Still, don't expect your iTunes HD to look like BluRay.

One nice tidbit: When you download HD content from iTunes, it includes a Standard-Def version, which is what gets transferred to your iPhone. Apple probably took a look at the 'options' we mentioned we liked and figured we were better off with the SD on our portables. We tend to agree.

Last week Rene reported on the upcoming iTunes 8 release and how HD content may be included. According to a source over at Gizmodo, the iPhone handles full 1080p screen resolution "just fine".

My guess is that if this does indeed turn out to be true, we will more than likely start seeing video clips in 720p right on the iPhone. I say 720p simply because that happens to be Apple TV's native HD resolution. In my opinion, 1080p is a little too much. Actually it is complete overkill for such a small screen.

While this may sound great, there is a flip side to this coin. Processing power would be huge, which may have a negative effect on battery life. Also, if you think syncing apps takes a while now, just wait until you have to sync HD content.

We can only hope, if this is the route Apple is going to take, they have it perfected before we become their beta testers again.

Anyone remember the 2.0 firmware?

[Via Gizmodo]

Monday we asked you "What's the iPhone 3G Chip and When Will it Ship?". Tuesday it was "What is the iPhone 3G Going to Look Like?". Wednesday brought "What Surprises Will There Be in the iPhone 2.0 Software & Services?". Thursday questioned "What 3rd Party iPhone SDK Apps Will Be Available Launch Day?" Today we want to know what else the iPhone 3G will feature, both now and into the future?

GPS is the biggie (right after 3G!). What about a front-facing camera? VGA screen? Stereo Bluetooth? Wireless N? Full-sized querty keyboard? ... (Ha!) What do YOU think?

To give you some help, here's a HUGE roundup of all the iPhone SDK 3rd party apps rumors. Epic-style. Because let's face it, roughly 0.01 seconds after Steve Jobs pulled the first iPhone from his pocket back at Macworld 2007, and someone, somewhere, put aside their childlike sense of wonder long enough think: "Nice! What's the next gen going to be like?"

Complementary, contradictory, obvious, confusing, all but confirmed or from left field via outer space, the rumors have flooded the internet ever since. It's become almost impossible to keep track of them all.

Three days from today Steve Jobs takes Moscone Center stage for the sold-out WWDC keynote, and according to everyone and their newsfeed, announces the iPhone 3G. In eager anticipation, every day this week, TiPb wil be asking you to tell us what you think the next generation iPhone will be, from 3G to GPS, release dates to price points, colors to casings, 2.0 software to .Mac .Me services, and this weekend we'll wrap it all up with a look into the WWDC/iPhone 3G Crystal Ball, and a roundup of the very best of YOUR predictions.

So come on, let's get in on!

WWDC -3 and Counting: Hardware Features

As we mentioned before for purely cosmetic reasons, the first generation iPhone boasts a 3.5″ 320×480 display at 163dpi, a rear-facing 2.0 megapixel camera, 3.5mm recessed headphone minijack, 30-pin dock connector, speakers at the top and base, microphone at the base, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor, top-mounted SIM slot, on/off button, mute switch, volume button, and home button. It's also packing internals like quad-band GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), EDGE data, and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.

But that's all soooo 2007 now, isn't it? What will Apple bring to the table for 2008? How will they not only surpass their own previous efforts, but tackle the plethora of feature-spouting iPhone-like devices their competition has been releasing as of late?

Let’s start at the beginning and work our way forward:

March 4, 2008: RBC Capital analyst Mike Abramsky predicted an iPhone 3G with higher def (HD?) video, voice capture, streaming HD video, and real-time GPS.

March 25, 2008: Digg founder Kevin Rose used his popular Diggnation internet video show to claim that the iPhone 3G would sport 2 cameras: one on back like the current version, and another on the front expressly for iChat video conferencing. Rose, however, had been spectacularly wrong with his predictions about the first generation iPhone...

March 27, 2008: Kevin Rose was back, back again, this time on Twitter where he claimed a source close to Apple told him the iPhone 3G would be released in June with GPS. Although not at the time, this one looked more and more credible as WWDC approached...

March 31, 2008: While claiming they would'a had'a need'a time machine to have emulated the iPhone's design, RIM's latest release, the Blackberry 9000 Bold, did raise the bar on some specs. According to Crackberry.com, who scored the first pre-release hands-on, it included UMTS: 2100 / 1900 / 850MHz, GSM: 1900 / 1800 / 900 / 850 MHz, GPRS, EDGE and HDSPA networks, GPS, and Bluetooth Stereo Audio.

For a company that makes its dough on email, offering BT stereo before media giant Apple was clearly a backatcha-for-ActiveSync challenge. And while Steve Jobs is notorious for not offering technology that doesn't (yet?) meet his perfectionistic standards, will the iPhone be able to avoid A2DP any longer?

April 2, 2008: With an eventual -- and unbelievable -- $100,000,000 in advertising behind it, Sprint aimed (both in terms of design and market!) Samsung's Instinct squarely at the iPhone, with some challenging specs like EVDO Rev A speed, GPS, Stereo Bluetooth, and mobile TV.

April 8, 2008: In one of the most obvious iPhone derived competitive offerings to date, Nokia promised the world the "Tube". While feature specs were not discussed, Nokia already shipped smartphones like the N95 with whopping big 5.0 megapixel Carl Zeiss-lensed cameras, the ability to shoot near DVD-quality video, and vblogger-pleasing compatibility with mobile streaming video capture services.

Can Apple, which owns everything from Final Cut and Aperture to iMovie and iPhoto, afford to fall behind in the mobile production space? And if not, how far will they be willing to bump their own 2.0mp, non-video capturing camera?

April 10, 2008: iPhoneBuzz reported that they found strings in the iPhone 2.0 beta that revealed support for A2DP stereo Bluetooth, Bluetooth remote control, GPS (though not whether it was internal or via Bluetooth to dongle), and something to do with printers. If true, it was a gold mine of discoveries.

April 25, 2008: Engadget claimed a source with hands-on info that the iPhone 3G would include GPS, and a flush headset jack.

May 7, 2008: The iPhone turned out to be the most popular camera phone on Flickr, despite its relatively poor 2.0 megapixel implementation. Imagine what it could do with a lens bump and a better software set?

May 9, 2008: In what might have been one of the most feature-packed competitors to square off against the iPhone, HTC announced their Touch Diamond, which according to WMExperts came spec'd out with an ultra-sharp 2.8", 640x480 VGA screen, tri-band (aka non-US friendly) HSPA 3G data, A-GPS, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and FM radio.

The iPod Nano already had a 202dpi screen, but would Apple go that high-end with the iPhone 3G?

May 14, 2008: Swisscome announced they would be selling the iPhone in Switzerland, and rumor had it it would feature video iChat, mobile TV, and GPS.

May 22, 2008: Gizmodo revealed that Apple had job postings up for both a camera engineer:

[W]ith responsibilities for evaluation, qualification, implementation and tuning of camera subsystems in iPhone products.

And an RF engineer:

Familiar with RF fundamentals and RF test equipments (spectrum analyzer, network analyzer, signal generator), hands on for wireless system validation automation. Familiar with PC and network architecture. [...] Design and qualification expertise with IEEE 802.11 [...] Knowledge about Bluetooth, 3G, UWB, WiMAX, GPS, Mobile TV and similar wireless technologies and/or experience with wireless module integration into PC system or consumer products is a strong plus. The system integration issues include: radio coexistence, platform noise, module and system power consumption.

Et tu, WiMAX?

At the same time, Apple Insider broke word on a "private" firmware update for "select developers" that included Geo-Tagging software, which often depends on GPS to add location data to photographs.

May 28, 2008: While still in beta, Google demonstrated their much-anticipated Android OS on an HTC Dream. iPhone inspired, Google advances the multi-touch UI and sensor interactions in many ways Apple will have to not only match, but surpass. And as everyone knows (and Microsoft has often used to their advantage), its almost impossible to market a shipping product against a vaporous competitor.

May 30, 2008: Apple Insider revealed a patent filing that could allow an iPhone with GPS and an accelerometer to predict when signal loss would occur and alert both the user, and anyone the user was communicating with at the time, with distance and speed specific cues.

In a separate filing, Apple detailed how improved Bluetooth functionality could allow the iPhone to help find other BT enabled devices, or even everyday BT tagged items such as your keys. (Not that it's unwanted, but how about some BT stereo and peripheral -- keyboard -- support?)

June 1, 2008: Battle of the biggie blogs as Om Malik of GigaOm said GPS was a go:

[T]here is one thing that’s for sure: The new iPhone has Global Positioning System (GPS) built into it, thanks to legal requirements put in place by the FCC.

And Brian Lam of Gizmodo responded with a thanks but...:

No thanks. Don’t need it. I’m fine with the current location technology. It works for walking and that’s all I need it for.

June 3, 2008: Samsung's SGH-i900 is detailed by WMExperts. Modeled after the iPhone but sporting an FM Radio. While very last century, it is a feature last centurions still request...

Your Turn!

So there you go, now it's your turn. Tell us what features you think the iPhone 3G will pack. FM Radio? HD Video? Better Bluetooth support? Espresso brewer?!

And after you're done telling us, don't forget to head over to our iPhone Blog's super Wait-a-Thon spectacular where you could win an iPhone 3G of your very own, whatever it looks like, on the very day it's released!

Go back and read Part 1: What's the iPhone's 3G Chip and When Will it Ship?
Go back and read Part 2: What’s the iPhone 3G Going to Look Like?
Go back and read Part 3: What Surprises Will Be in iPhone 2.0 Software & Services?
Go back and read Part 4: What 3rd Party iPhone SDK Apps Will Be Available Launch Day?

Monday was analyst prediction day, as RBC Capital analyst Mike Abramsky and Banc of American analyst Scott Craig separately provided the following guestimates on Apple's next gen iPhone:

Abramsky predicts him some amped up CPU, more memory, and the faster 3G speeds that allow for higher def (HD?) video, voice capture, streaming HD video, real-time GPS, and other Trekkie goodness. All this would, coupled with a mid-2008 release, would let Apple blow past 10 million, and hit a potential 11 million unites sold by year end.

For his part, Craig skipped features and stuck to the money: "We believe that demand in the U.S. may have been impacted by the anticipation of a new 3G phone..." (Perhaps because of continued analyst bombardment of same?) Craig also sees a 3G handset in 2008 as necessary to complete the 10 million handset march.

Check out AppleInsider for more.