Waiting for the Apple iWatch? Here are some existing smartwatches

Suddenly, the buzzword in the tech industry seems to be “smartwatches”, and we think the only reason for this is the series of speculations and rumours surfacing about the iWatch by Apple. This reminds us of the pre-iPad launch period, when rumours about the Apple tablet were rife and all of a sudden, several renowned manufacturers also started prepping their own version of tablets. Today, tablets are arguably the most celebrated mobile computing devices. However, this isn't the same for  smartwatches. Moreover, we already have a few smartwatches in the market, which makes us wonder what new or different Apple plans to do. We don't know how long we would have to wait for the iWatch, but here are a few smartwatches already available in the market.
A perfect blend of tech and style
Explicitly named I’m Watch, this smartwatch lets you combine superior tech specs with style. It is available in aluminium, titanium and elegant gold/silver options, and straps in different colours to go along with it. Whether you are an iOS or Android user, this smartwatch connects with both to let you use functions like call, SMS, emails and so on.  It runs on a customised Android version dubbed I’m Droid and is compatible with smartphones running on Android 4.0 or above as well as iOS 4.0 or above.  The device has a 1.54-inch display with 240 x 240 resolution (220 ppi) and brings access to a slew of  apps from its I’m Market store. On connecting it via Bluetooth, the watch will allow you to access your phone functions from the watch instead of pulling out the smartphone from your bag. It has a rechargeable battery; the generic usage time is about 5 hours while the standby time is up to 24 hours. One can use its 4GB of internal memory to stock up apps along with the "I'm Cloud" cloud service that the watch supports. The I’m watch is currently being sold for Rs 17,990 as a promotional offer until early next month, after which the price is expected to shoot up to Rs 24,990.

I'm Watch is a blend of style and tech

Sony’s Smartwatch for Android smartphones
Sony already has its Smartwatch on store shelves, which is not limited to use only with Sony smartphones. The Sony Smartwatch – yes, that’s its name too – is compatible with most Android phones from other manufacturers too. The square smooth aluminium body can be paired with straps in multiple colour choice. Using the smartwatch, you can read your messages, social updates from Facebook and Twitter, calendar updates and other notifications from your Android device. Android users have to follow three simple steps to get started with the Sony Smartwatch. You need to download the Liveware manager, connect the watch to the phone via Bluetooth and then download the Smartwatch app. Furthermore, users will be able to use several other apps available on Google Play – by downloading them from within the Smartwatch app or Live manager. All this can be displayed on its 1.3-inch OLED display. Moreover, you can also accept, reject or mute calls from the watch. The smartphone battery will squeeze through a day with heavy usage and 3-4 days on light usage. The Sony Smartwatch is available through online retailers for a price tag of around Rs 7,800.

Smart watch from Sony

Affordable and non-branded
Chinese device makers never cease to surprise or disappoint us. Owing to the hoard of cheaper clones and lookalikes these markets churn out, we have a handful of affordable smartwatches in the market too. One such device is the Watch Mobile Q8 selling for Rs 4,999, a standalone smartwatch that you don't have to connect to any smartphone. This GSM smartwatch supports dual SIM and features a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0, 1.2-inch display, FM Radio and support for MP3, MP4. We also came across the XElectron M998 watch cum mobile phone, a standalone smartwatch priced at Rs 3,999. Sporting a 1.3-inch touchscreen display with 640 x 480 resolution, it comes with a meagre in-built memory of 45KB and the expandable memory via microSD card is also limited to 4GB. Its 450 mAh battery allows 2-3 hours of talktime and 2-3 days of standby time. A similar product is the Multimedia watch cum mobile.

Making it affordable

A trendy and successful Kickstarter project
This successful Kickstarter campaign managed to attract several investors and is seemingly going down well with consumers as well. The Pebble is a stylish looking smartwatch that is compatible with devices running Android (v4.0 and above) and iOS (5.0 and above). It's not a standalone smartphone, sadly, but we don't think people are even ready to compromise the superior features of a smartphone or a large screen display for extreme portability. Nevertheless, the Pebble still makes heads turns with its cool looks and set of features. The smartwatch connects with your smartphone via Bluetooth and displays incoming calls, emails, SMS, iMessage for iOS devices, calendar and weather alerts, Facebook and Twitter messages and so on.  The Pebble smartwatch is currently available for pre-order for approximately Rs 7500 (excluding shipping charges).

The successful Kickstarter campaign

With an athletic streak
Motorola also has its smartwatch targeting fitness and sports freaks. The company has limited it as a fitness tracker and smart MP3 player. Now, we know there are several other sports watches which use sensor-based technology to track your exercise and sports routine.  However, this smartwatch is Wi-Fi enabled to sync with Motorola MotoActv portal and also connects to Motorola smartphones using the MotoActv app. It uses the Accusense technology along with GPS to track your workout data like time, distance, speed, calories burned and heart rate; it also monitors your performance while you engage in different sports activities. Available in 8GB and 16GB options, it has a 1.6-inch display with a scratchproof Gorilla glass. The 8GB model is available online for Rs 14,999.

The sporty one

Besides, there’s the Neptune Pine, a standalone smartwatch with a 2.5-inch display and a 1GHz single-core ARM Cortex A9 processor. It has a decent spec sheet with support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3G and 5MP camera. Another company offering smartwatch is Meta Watch, which was previously a division of Fossil. It is prepping up the Metawatch smartwatch, which compatible with iOS and Android.

A standalone, feature-loaded smartwatch

Even Samsung has confirmed that it is working on a smartwatch, not surprising us by an inkling. However, it hasn't divulged any information about the features, launch time or price. Meanwhile, ateam of 100 members is working on the Apple iWatch. This means, very  soon there will be a slew of smartwatches from every nook and corner of the tech stream, and lets not forget the cheaper Chinese markets. Do you believe smartwatches are the next hot trend in technology?

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Spotted: iPhone 6 And iOS 7 In App Usage Logs

App developer usage logs are already showing the first signs of iPhone 6 and iOS 7; the iPhone 5 was launched only as recently as September 2012.  The Next Web, quoting unnamed sources, reports that the new hardware currently being tested by Apple appears in the app usage logs with the "iPhone 6,1" identifier. Earlier, the iPhone 5 had an identifier of "iPhone 5,1" and "iPhone 5,2" in similar such logs. The platform on which the device is being tested is marked as iOS 7.

The developer logs show that the app requests originate from Apple's Cupertino campus, hinting that Apple's software development team is testing existing apps for compatibility issues on the new hardware and mobile OS. The report also mentions that while the logs can be faked, the unique IP footprint means that they are probably genuine.

Apple generally launches a new version of iOS every year at its WWDC event in San Francisco and is likely to repeat the same this year with the iOS 7. The iPhone 6 is likely to be launched in the third quarter of 2013, keeping in sync with Apple's yearly production cycle for a new version of the device. Nothing is known about hardware specifics of the new devices as of now.

The iPhone 3GS appeared identical to the iPhone 3G, while the iPhone 4S looked very much the same as the iPhone 4, thus retaining the same design, but changing the hardware within. If Apple is indeed going to bring out the iPhone 6 instead of the iPhone 5S, then looking at the historical trend, this will indicate a major design change as compared to the iPhone 5.

Could Apple be heading towards a phablet with a larger iPhone? It seems very unlikely at this stage. With the iOS 7 Apple would attempt to set right where it erred with iOS 6: The infamous Apple Maps, privacy issues related to targeted ads, and a unexpectedly large data usage that may be related to ads. Of course, these are all just speculations, so take them with a pinch of salt.

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Apple iTV may be launched in first half of 2013

One of the biggest topics to keep the rumour mills churning this week is the possibility of the iPhone 5S being launched in the first half of 2013. Alongside it, we could see another device make an appearance, the mythical iTV.

China Times reports on the possibility of the iPhone 5S being launched in the first half of next year, and also sheds lights on the launch of an iTV, which could take place before the year’s second quarter ends.

Over the past couple of years, it has been rumoured that Apple is preparing an HDTV deeply integrated with Apple’s voice recognition assistant, Siri, and that it would be launched by late this year or early next year. However, the possibility of it being launched this year appears to be slim, and now, in all likelihood, this full-fledged television set may make its debut next year.

Apple HDTV may come out next year (Image mock up)

The rumours went as far as stating that the Apple branded HDTV was in production, and an analyst Peter Misek, in a research note, stated that the television would show up in stores by the end of this year.

In a related report, commenting on the report by Jeffereies, 9to5Mac states, “While referring to the platform as iTV, Jefferies added Apple is planning to partner with Verizon and AT&T in addition to selling set-top-boxes for cable providers such as Comcast. According to the report, Apple will offer a “premium Apple television” offering content from Verizon and AT&T, as well as giving users an option for just a cable box for Comcast and possibly other cable operators. Content for users outside of the US was not discussed in the report. Jefferies is now including 2 million iTVs in its model for early 2013 with an average sale price of $1,250”.

Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, in his biography, had told author Walter Isaacson that he had ‘cracked it’, while referring to an integrated HDTV. However, there has been no concrete information regarding an Apple HDTV, also known as, Apple iTV. Isaacson did not wish to divulge information he had about any of Apple’s forthcoming products. With Foxconn CEO Terry Gou letting it slip that his company is getting ready to begin producing the Apple iTV, we may expect to see some official information soon.

An earlier report stated that Gou said Foxconn is making preparations for iTV, Apple Inc's rumoured upcoming high-definition television, although development or manufacturing has yet to begin. iTV reportedly features an aluminium construction, Siri, and FaceTime video calling.

To get a better idea on what the iTV would entail, anonymous sources have revealed in the past that one could start watching a movie on the television set, pick up an iOS device such as an iPhone, and continue watching from where one last watched. Reports have emerged that the television would resemble Apple’s Cinema Displays, but it would be a lot larger. Like the report by China Daily, previous reports too have indicated that the iTV would be Siri-enabled, and have an iSight camera that enables making FaceTime calls.

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Apple Unveils iPad mini With 7.9" Screen, Prices Start From $330

After months of rumours and leaks, Apple has finally pulled the curtains off its iPad mini. As the name suggests, the tablet is smaller than all previous iPads. The mini sports a 7.9" screen with pixel dimensions of 1024x768. No prizes for guessing that the newly announced tablet will compete with a horde of 7" Android slates from multiple manufacturers! The iOS slate is powered by the previous-generation A5 chipset, and has 5 mp camera.

Here's the list of specs:

• 7.8" LED backlit IPS panel with 1024x768 pixels, Pixel density of 163 ppi.
• Apple A5 chipset, 1 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU, PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU, 512 MB of RAM.
• 5 mp rear auto-focus camera.
• 1.2 mp front facing camera for FaceTime.
• 16 GB \ 32 GB \ 64 GB internal storage, No expansion slot.
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, LTE connectivity (optional).
• Proprietary Lightning connector, 3.5 mm jack, microphone.
• Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor.
• 7.9" (l) x 5.3" (w) x 0.3" (7.2 mm).
• Available Colours: Black & slate, White & silver.
• Package Contents: Lightning to USB Cable, USB Power Adapter.

Thanks largely to its metal body and elegant design, the iPad mini will find many takers. That said,Google's Nexus 7 will still be on tablet buyers' wish list because of the price factor. The iPad mini (Wi-Fi) will be made available in the US from 2nd November; the LTE models will hit the market a couple of weeks later. Here are the pricing details:

• Wi-Fi Version - $330 (16 GB); $430 (32 GB); $530 (64 GB).
• Wi-Fi + 4G Version - $460 (16 GB); $560 (32 GB); $660 (64 GB).

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Apple MacBook Pro Launched With 13" Retina Display; Starts At Rs 115,000

Apple has announced the new MacBook Pro sporting a 13" Retina Display with pixel dimensions of 2560x1600, yielding 227 ppi. This is four times as many pixels as found on the non-Retina predecessor. The IPS panel claims to have a viewing angle of 178 degrees, is 75% less reflective, has a brightness of 300 nits and a 29% higher contrast ratio. The chassis is said to be 20% thinner with a thickness of 0.75" and weighs 1.6 kg, thus becoming the lightest MacBook Pro ever.

The device runs Mountain Lion and is powered by an Intel Core i5or i7 dual-core CPU with 8 GB of RAM. Up to 768 GB of SSD storage is built inside. Asymmetric Li-ion batteries are used to provide up to 7-hour backup. The bezel sports a FaceTime HD camera and there are stereo speakers. The keypad is backlit and there is a glass multi-touch trackpad. Some of the other specs include two Thunderbolt ports, a USB 3 port, headphone jack, and dual microphones. Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11n is present for wireless connectivity. On the downside, there is no optical drive and it still doesn't feature discrete graphics, going for integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 instead, possibly to conserve battery power. However, this may not be a good thing as the ultra-high resolution may be hard to handle for graphics intensive applications such as Photoshop.

The base model of the 13" MacBook Pro with a 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB SSD is now available in India for Rs 115,000 (as againt the US pricing of $1700 or approx Rs 86,000).. If a 256 GB SSD is chosen instead, other specifications remaining the same, the price goes up to Rs 135,000. There will also be a 2.9 GHz Core i7 variant with 768 GB SSD that will surely cost a lot more. With Intel Ultrabooks making their presence felt, it will be difficult for these Apple computing devices to prevail if the excessively high pricing is not kept in check.

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Apple Launches 4th Generation iPad With Faster A6X CPU

Apple has announced the 4th generation iPad, which, they claim, is faster than the previous version. The new iPad is esentially just the3rd generation iPad on steroids, with an A6X CPU in place of theA5X — meaning graphics performance will be up to twice as fast. Only one more feature distinguishes it from the earlier version — the smaller 30-pin Lightning connector dock. The company has stated that despite the faster performance, battery life will still be 10 hours.

The rest of the specs are the same as those of the 3rd generation product. The slate sports a 9.7" Retina display with pixel dimensions of 2048x1536. The camera is a 5 mpiSight with FaceTime HD, and in addition to Wi-Fi, there is LTE connectivity. The 16 GB Wi-Fi model will be available for pre-order in the US and a few other countries starting this Friday for $500 (approx Rs 27,000), while the LTE model with the same capacity will cost $630 (Rs 34,000). The Wi-Fi only model will ship on 2nd November, while the LTE variant will retail a few weeks later. Availability in India is not known yet.

If you remember, the 3rd generation iPad had issues with overheating, and it was reported that a modified version would be launched — with tweaks aimed at addressing the overheating. We don't know if that has been taken care of in the 4th generation iPad, but we do hope it has — especially considering that the more powerful A6X CPU will generate more heat than the A5X.

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iPad Mini could be branded as 'iPad Air'

The announcement of Apple’s iPad Mini is right around the corner. Speculations are rife about the device, especially regarding its hardware and price-range. According to iMore, the Cupertino-based company may go the way of the MacBook Air, and introduce an ‘iPad Air’ that is smaller, more portable, lighter, and features a screen that doesn’t have retina display.

John Gruber from Daring Fireball said, “You know what other Apple product’s primary attributes are thinness, weight, and price? The MacBook Air. And, no coincidence, the latest revisions to the Air lineup debuted on stage at WWDC without retina displays. We’re a couple of years away from Apple going retina across the board.”

Could be cold the iPad Air

Earlier today, it was revealed that Apple may discontinue the iPad 2 to make way for the new iPad Mini, or ‘Air’ as we earlier speculated. According to AppleInsider, Rob Cihra with Evercore Partners has said in a note to investors that Apple may phase out the iPad 2. The reason stated mentions Apple's visions of "clearer product tiers." This could point to Apple's aims of lowering the entry-bar of iPad products.

So if one wants to purchase an iPad 2, now would be a good time as the product may be not available when the next line-up of Apple devices hit the shelves.

Apple may launch the iPad mini as soon as November 2, 2012, which is roughly 10 days after its announcement taking place on October 23. Apple has sent out media invites for an event slated for October 23 with the caption, ‘We’ve got a little more to show you.’

The invite could mean that Apple has more gadgets in the offing for the year 2012. This invite also confirms a recent report, which stated that Apple would be hosting an event on October 23.

As far as the rumours of the iPad mini go, it appears that the Cupertino-based company is not holding back any punches with this smaller iPad, and launching it in various storage capacities such as 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, and the top-of-the-line model at 64GB of internal storage. The top of the line iPad mini is expected to be sold at approximately €649 for the 64GB Wi-Fi plus cellular version. The cheapest model, an 8GB Wi-Fi only version is believed to retail for approximately €249. 

Rumours claim that Apple will introduce a redesigned version of the iPad which was launched earlier this year and the new model is expected to come with the Lightning connector as well as making it lighter.

It is also believed that the Apple event will also play host to a number of other announcements, which include the updated line up of Macs and on the software front, iBooks.

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13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display may be priced at $1,699

At an event hosted by Apple scheduled to be held on October 23, the company is expected to unveil the iPad mini tablet. As per a recent report by 9to5Mac, we can expect the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display to make its first appearance at the event, with a likely price tag of $1,699.

As per the report, along with the new mini iPads, Mac Minis, and iMacs, Apple will reveal a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display on October 23. The website also has now received pricing information on the base model and the best model. According to the sources of 9to5Mac the entry-level model of the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro will cost roughly $1,699 at launch, while the model with higher specifications will cost $200 to $300 more. These prices are based on wholesale prices known to 9to5Mac's sources.

It may not sell at the same price in India

By the current conversion rate between the US dollar and the Indian rupee, the price of this notebook roughly translates to Rs 91,150. However, with the 15-inch variant launched much earlier, there was a huge difference between the converted US price and the Indian price. The 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro notebooks are available in India at a starting price of Rs 1,52,900.

A recent report by Cnet has indicated that a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display was on track for production, according to an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch. The analyst Richard Shim told Cnet that a 13.3-inch Retina version of the MacBook Pro (MBP) was slated for production in the fourth quarter of this year. Shim reiterated that he saw no change in those production plans, and also confirmed that the MBP 13.3-incher will have a 2,560 x 1,600 pixel density display. That compares with the 2880 x 1800, 15.4-inch Retina MacBook Pro announced in June.

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display notebook:

• 15.4-inch LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2880 x 1800 resolution at 220ppi
• 2.3GHz  or 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with 6MB shared L3 cache
• 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L onboard memory
• 256GB or 512GB Flash Storage
• Intel HD Graphics 4000
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching
• 720p FaceTime HD camera
• MagSafe 2 power port
• Two Thunderbolt ports (up to 10Gbps)
• Two USB 3 ports (up to 5Gbps)
• HDMI port
• Headphone port
• SDXC card slot
• Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (sold separately)
• Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter
• 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
• Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
• Stereo speakers
• Dual microphones
• Headphone port

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Apple dismisses rumours of iPhone 5 India launch

It was speculated that Apple will launch the iPhone 5 in India on October 26, 2012. This news was first broken by BGR that had cited multiple sources to support it. However, a report by FirstPost now states that an Apple spokesperson FirstPost contacted said that e iPhone5 is not scheduled to launch in India yet.

As per the report, the authors at Firstpost contacted Apple asking if the launch date was accurate. They then received an email response which stated, “We have no announcement to make at the moment on a launch or price of the iPhone 5 in India. There is speculation in media and we don’t comment on speculation”.

Apple refuses to comment on the iPhone 5 launch in India

However, this response should come as no surprise. Apple has never commented on rumours or speculations the world over. So this could still mean that the iPhone 5 launch may take place on October 26, and Apple will comment on it only after it makes an official announcement.

The report by BGR states that its sources have confirmed that Apple is preparing to launch the iPhone 5 in India on the last Friday of this month, which is October 26. BGR adds that Apple will distribute the iPhone 5 in India on its own rather than rely on its carrier partners. 

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the iPhone 5:

• 4-inch, 326ppi Retina display at 1136 x 640 pixels,
• GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, LTE and Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth
• 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, 720p front-facing camera
• 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions

Made entirely out of aluminium and glass, the iPhone 5 weighs 112 grams, and is 20 percent lighter than the iPhone 4S, and is the thinnest iPhone yet at 7.6mm. Apple has chosen to debut iOS 6 with the iPhone 5. The new OS includes Apple's own Maps app, an updated version of Siri and lots more. Overall, the new iPhone has been upgraded in almost all respects.

One of the biggest changes to iOS is the addition of Apple’s own Maps app in the place of Google Maps. The new Maps app has a built-in search for local points of interest, with over 100 million possible suggestions. Other features of the Maps app include navigation, routing, 3D maps, satellite imagery – that wraps around the 3D maps – and the ability to get directions directly through Siri. Most of the standard features of the Maps app, including satellite view, are available in almost all countries the iPhone ships to.

Siri has also been updated and new features include support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings; Siri and Facebook-enabled apps like Photos, Safari and Maps; and Shared Photo Streams via iCloud.

Safari has also received a major update – the ability to go full screen on the device by touching the arrows on the corners. Another major feature of the new Safari app is the ability to sync tabs between the desktop and iOS versions of Safari. This new feature is called iCloud Tabs. The new Mail app has also received some updates, including the ability to mark people as VIPs and the ability to flag certain mails for follow-ups.

The handset is already selling quite freely in the grey market in India, but at a premium. According to our sources, the 16GB version of the iPhone 5 is available for Rs 58,000, the 32GB model for Rs 64,000, and the 64GB one for Rs 71,000, in the grey market.

One can expect the iPhone5 to retail at the same price at which the iPhone 4S was launched, if or when it is officially launched here.

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Apple starts shipping new iPod touch, iPod nano

When Apple revealed the new fifth-generation iPod Touch and the seventh-generation iPod nano at the widely-covered event in San Francisco last month, it mentioned that the iPods would be available for sale sometime in October, but didn’t mention when. Well, it turns out that day was yesterday. International Business Times reports that users who had pre-ordered the iPod Touch and iPod nano have received email notifications from Apple that their orders have been shipped and deliveries are expected by October 15. It appears Apple has also started selling the new iPod touch and iPod nano at some of its retail stores. People have beentweeting pictures of the new iPods at Apple Stores. 

The Apple US site’s iPod page, which previously showed the iPod touch and iPod nano as “Coming Soon”, now has changed to the “Buy Now” option. The site’s store section still shows the devices’ “Available to ship” as October, though. Unfortunately, the Apple India site still states that the new devices are “Coming Soon”.

Apple's new iPod Touch pre-orders start shipping.

The new iPod touch is the thinnest iPod touch ever and features a 4-inch Retina display, Apple’s A5 chip, and Siri. Housed in an anodised aluminium body, it’s even slimmer than the iPhone 5 at just 6 mm thick, and weighs just 88 gm. With Apple’s dual-core A5 chip inside, iPod touch is touted to deliver up to twice the processing power and up to seven times faster graphics than the fourth generation iPod touch. Apple states that the device has a battery life of up to 40 hours of music playback and up to eight hours of video playback. 

While most components of the device have been upgraded, the new iPod touch’s 5-megapixel camera is a downgrade from its predecessor’s 8-megapixel camera. The camera has autofocus, support for 1080p video recording with video image stabilisation, face detection and an LED flash. It also has a new panorama feature that lets you capture panoramic photos by simply moving the camera across a scene. It also features Siri, Apple’s voice-based intelligent assistant. Siri arrives on the new iPod touch with support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings. The new iPod touch also includes built-in Facebook integration with ability to post directly from Siri, Shared Photo Streams via iCloud and other key iOS features like iMessage, FaceTime, Mail and Game Center. 

The reinvented iPod nano is quite slim at just 5 mm in depth, and features a large, 2.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display, a home button, and buttons to control volume and play, pause or change songs. The new iPod nano has built-in Bluetooth for wireless listening with Bluetooth-enabled headphones, speakers and cars. Apple claims the iPod nano will give you 30 hours of music playback. Other features include a pedometer and support for Nike+. The new iPod nano comes in seven colours.

The US website states that the iPod touch is available for $299 (approx. Rs 15,900) for the 32GB version and $399 (approx. Rs 21,200) for the 64GB version. The Apple India website shows the iPod touch 32GB version priced at Rs 23,900 and the 64GB version at Rs 30,900. Keeping in mind the fact that the iPod touch is a portable media player minus the connectivity offered by a phone, the price for India could have been a bit lower.

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Watch The Most Hilarious iPhone 5 Spoof Available On The Web

With the iPhone 5, Apple increased the iPhone's screen size from 3.5" to 4" diagonally, over its previous iteration. The handset's width has, however, remained the same. According to Apple, it is designed that way to keep the iPhone 5 operable with one hand. Based on this, the guys at Satire have taken a jab at Apple with a spoof video — where Apple executives explain the advantages of an unusually elongated iPhone. The creators of this clip (below) don't miss out on anything — Panorama mode, the improvedFaceTime (which becomes BottomTime), and a solution for weak network reception. If you need one more reason to check out the video, there's NASA Mohawk Guy at 0:39.

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iPhone 5 Review

I 've had the chance to use the iPhone 5 for nearly a week, and have been using it for nearly anything I can think of. Is it as futuristic or as exciting as the iPhone 4 or the original iPhone? No. Does this change the smartphone game? No. Other smartphones beat it on features here and there: if you want a larger screen, go with a Samsung Galaxy S3. If you want better battery life, go with a Droid Razr Maxx.

But, if you want a great, all-around, beautifully engineered smartphone that covers all bases, here it is. Just like the MacBook is to the world of laptops, the new iPhone is one of the top three, if not the best-designed, smartphone around. It's better in all the important ways.

What's different?
Look at our review of last year's iPhone 4S, where we said, "Even without 4G and a giant screen, this phone's smart(ass) voice assistant, Siri, the benefits of iOS 5, and its spectacular camera make it a top choice for anyone ready to upgrade."

Well, guess what? Now it has 4G LTE and...well, maybe not a giant screen, but a larger screen. That's not all, though: the already great camera's been subtly improved, speakerphone and noise-canceling quality has been tweaked, and -- as always -- iOS 6 brings a host of other improvements, including baked-in turn-by-turn navigation, a smarter Siri, and Passbook, a location-aware digital wallet app for storing documents like gift cards, boarding passes, and tickets.

The question is: a full year later, is that enough? For me, it is. I don't want much more in my smartphone. Sure, I'd love a new magical technology to sink my teeth into, but not at the expense of being useful. Right now, I'm not sure what that technology would even be.

(Credit: CNET)

Like every year in the iPhone's life cycle, a handful of important new features take the spotlight. This time, 4G, screen size, and redesign step to the top.

You've gotten the full rundown already, most likely, on the various ins and outs of this phone, or if you haven't, I'll tell you about them below in greater detail. Here's what I noticed right away, and what made the biggest impression on me.

(Credit: CNET)

First off, you're going to be shocked at how light this phone is. It's the lightest iPhone, even though it's longer and has a bigger screen. After a few days with it, the iPhone 4S will feel as dense as lead.

Secondly, the screen size lengthening is subtle, but, like the Retina Display, you're going to have a hard time going back once you've used it. The extra space adds a lot to document viewing areas above the keyboard, landscape-oriented video playback (larger size and less letterboxing), and home-page organizing (an extra row of icons/folders). Who knows what game developers will dream up, but odds are that extra space on the sides in landscape mode will be handily used by virtual buttons and controls.

Third, this phone will make your home Wi-Fi look bad. Or at least, it did that to mine. Owners of other 4G LTE phones won't be shocked, but iPhone owners making the switch will start noticing that staying on LTE versus Wi-Fi might actually produce faster results...of course, at the expense of expensive data rates. I hopped off my work Wi-Fi and used AT&T LTE in midtown Manhattan to make a FaceTime call to my wife because the former was slowing down. LTE, in my tests, ran anywhere from 10 to 20MBps, which is up to twice as fast as my wireless router's connection at home.

Using your iPhone 5 as a personal hot spot for a laptop or other device produces some of the same strong results as the third-gen iPad...and it's smaller. Of course, make sure you check on your tethering charges and data usage fees, but my MacBook Air did a fine job running off the LTE data connection at mid-day.

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The look: Thin, metal, light as heck
You know its look, even if the look has been subtly transformed over the years: circular Home button, pocketable rectangle, familiarly sized screen. Can that design be toyed with, transformed a little, changed?

From left: The Lumia 900, iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3.

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The newest iPhone has a wide metal body that stretches above previous iPhones, but is also thinner; still, this isn't a massive phone like the Samsung Galaxy Note or HTC One X. The iPhone 5 rises above the iPhone 4 and 4S, but subtly.

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From the front and sides, it looks very similar to the iPhone 4 and 4S. The same rounded metal volume buttons, sleep/wake button on top, and silence switch remain. The headphone jack has moved to the bottom of the phone, just on like the iPod Touch. Some will like it, some won't; it makes standing the iPhone upright and using headphones a virtual impossibility. Actually, the entire bottom is all new: the headphone jack, the larger, redesigned speakers, a different type of perforated grille, and a much tinier Lightning connector port.

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The Gorilla Glass back of the last iPhone is gone, replaced with metal. The two-tone look might seem new, but it's a bit of a reference to the silver-and-black back of the original iPhone. The very top and bottom of the rear is still glass. That anodized aluminum -- which Apple claims is the same as that on its MacBook laptops -- feels exactly the same, and is even shaded the same on the white model. So far, it's held up without scratches. I'd say it'll do about as well as the aluminum finish on your 2008-and-later MacBook. On the black iPhone, the aluminum matches in a slate gray tone. On my white review model, it's MacBook-color silver. That aluminum covers most of the back and also the sides, replacing the iPhone 4 and 4S steel band, and lending to its lighter weight. The front glass sits slightly above the aluminum, which is cut to a mirrored angled edge on the front and back, eliminating sharp corners.

Why the move away from a glass back? Is it about creating a better, more durable finish, or is it about weight reduction? Apple's proud of its claims of how light the iPhone 5 is, and the new aluminum back is part of that. So is the move to a Nano-SIM card (making SIM swaps once again impossible and requiring a visit to your carrier's store). So is the thinner screen and the smaller dock connector. You get the picture.

Hold an iPhone 4S up to the new iPhone, and I could see the difference in thickness. It's not huge, but it feels even slimmer considering its expanded width and length. What I really noticed is how light it is. I still feel weirded out by it. The iPhone 5's 3.95-ounce weight is the lightest an iPhone's ever been. The iPhone 4S is nearly a full ounce heavier at 4.9 ounces. The iPhone 3Gwas 4.7 ounces. The original iPhone and iPhone 4 were 4.8 ounces. This is a phase-change in the nearly constant weight of the iPhone -- it's iPhone Air.

Yet, the iPhone 5 doesn't look dramatically different like the iPhone 4 once did. Actually, it seems more like a fusion of the iPhone with the iPad and MacBook design.

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And, of course, there's the new, larger screen. You may not notice it from a distance -- the screen's still not as edge-to-edge on the top and bottom as many Android phones, but extra empty space has been shaved away to accommodate the display. There's a little less room around the Home Button and below the earpiece. The iPhone 5 screen is just as tall as the screen on the Samsung Galaxy S 2, but it's not as wide. That thinner body design gives the iPhone the same hand feel, and what I think is an easier grip. The extra length covers a bit more of your face on phone calls.

Over the last week with the iPhone 5, I started to forget that the phone was any larger. That seems to be the point. And, the iPhone fit just fine in my pants, too: the extra length has been traded out for less girth, so there's little bulge. And, with that awkward statement having been uttered, I'll move on.

That 4-inch screen: Going longer
The iPhone 5 finally extends the 3.5-inch screen that's been the same size on the iPhone for five years, but it does so by going longer, not wider. A move from the iPhone 4 and 4S' 3.5-inch, 960x640-pixel display to a 4-inch, 1,136x640-pixel display effectively means the same Retina Display (326 pixels per inch), but with extra pixel real estate versus a magnified screen. All the icons and app buttons are the same size, but there's more room for other features, or more space for videos and photos to be displayed.

The iPhone's interface is the same as always: you have app icons greeting you in a grid, and a dock of up to four apps at the bottom. Instead of a grid of four rows of four apps, the longer screen accommodates five rows of four apps. More apps can fit on the home screen, but that's about it as far as user interface innovation. Extra screen height means pop-up notification banners are less intrusive at the top or bottom.

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It's odd at first going longer versus also adding width, and it means a shift away from the iPad's more paperlike 4:3 display ratio. Pages of e-books could feel more stretched. In portrait mode, document text may not seem larger, but you'll see more of it in a list.

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In landscape mode, text actually seems bigger because page width stretches out (so, you can fit more words on a line). The virtual keyboard in landscape mode also ends up a bit more spread out, too, with a little extra space on the sides, which took some getting used to.

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I preferred portrait typing because the keyboard size and width remains the same, while the extra length allows more visible text above the virtual keys.

The screen difference isn't always dramatic, especially compared with some ultra-expansive Android devices: the Samsung Galaxy S3 beats it both on overall screen size (4.8 inches) and pixel resolution (1,280x720). In the iOS 6 Mail app, with one line of preview text, I fit six and a half messages on the screen at the same time on the iPhone 5 versus five and a third on the iPhone 4 and 4S. Other apps toy with the layout more; I fit eight tasks on one screen in the new iOS 6 version of Reminders, versus five on the iPhone 4S with iOS 5.1.1.

Infinity Blade II, before iPhone 5 optimization. Note the black bars.

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Of course, you'll need new apps to take advantage of the longer screen, and at the time I tested the iPhone 5, those weren't available because iOS 6 hadn't formally launched. Older apps run in a letterboxed type of mode at the same size as existing phones, with little black bars on the top and bottom. Apps work perfectly fine this way, especially in portrait mode, but you definitely notice the difference. App-makers will be scrambling to make their apps take advantage of the extra screen space, and my guess is it won't take long at all for most to be iPhone 5 (and iPod Touch) ready.

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I tried iMovie, iPhoto, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, GarageBand, iCards, and all of the iPhone 5's built-in apps (Maps, Reminders, Messages, Photos, Camera, Videos, Weather, Passbook, Notes, Stocks, Newsstand, iTunes, the App Store, Game Center, Contacts, Calculator, Compass, Voice Memos, Mail, Safari, Music, and, of course, Phone), and they all take advantage of the extra space in a variety of useful ways. How others will adopt the extra real estate remains to be seen.

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I'm looking forward to killer apps that will take advantage of the larger screen. So far, I haven't found any that do it in surprising ways. My guess is that games will benefit the most, along with video and photo apps, and, to some degree, reading/news apps.

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Video playback, of course, has a lot more punch because the new 16:9 aspect ratio reduces or removes letterboxing across the board in landscape mode. An HD episode of "Planet Earth" filled the entire screen, while the available viewing space shrank down even more on the iPhone 4S because of letterboxing. YouTube videos looked great. Some movies, of course, like Pixar's "Wall-E," still have letterboxing because they're shot in the superwide CinemaScope aspect ratio (21:9), but they look a lot larger than before -- and you can still zoom in with a tap on the screen.

I think that, much like the Retina Display, you'll miss the iPhone 5's new screen more when you try to go back to an older phone. The new display feels like a natural, so much so that to the casual eye, the iPhone 5 doesn't look entirely different with the screen turned off. The iPhone 4 and 4S screens feel small and hemmed-in by comparison.

iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S video playback of the same 1080p nature video.

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The new iPhone 5's display also has a layer removed from the screen, creating a display that acts as its own capacitive surface. I didn't notice that difference using it; it feels as crisp and fast-responding as before. Apple promises 44 percent extra color saturation on this new display, much like the third-gen iPad's improved color saturation. The difference wasn't as dramatic in a side-by-side playback of a 1080p episode of "Planet Earth," but the iPhone 5 seemed to have a slight edge. It was a little too close to call in game-playing, photo-viewing, and everyday experience with the phone, even held side-by-side with the iPhone 4S. The real difference, again, is the size. Autobrightness adjustments have also been tweaked a little, and I found on average that the iPhone 5 found more-appropriate brightness levels for the room I was in.

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This seems like a good time to discuss thumbs. As in, your thumb size and the iPhone 5. Going back to the iPhone 4S, I realized that the phone's design has been perfectly aligned to allow a comfortable bridge between thumbing the Home button and stretching all the way to the top icon on the iPhone's 3.5-inch display. That's not entirely the case, now. I could, with some positioning, still thumb the Home button and make my way around the taller screen, but the iPhone 5's a little more of a two-hander. It might encourage more people and app developers to switch to landscape orientation, where the extra length and pixel space provide finger room on both sides without cramming the middle.

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Game developers are likely to lean toward the landscape 16:9 orientation, because it more closely matches a standard HDTV's dimensions, and most console games. The extra width allows useful virtual button space, too.

4G LTE: Faster, at last
Last year's iPhone 4S had a subtle network bump to 3.5G (listed as "4G" on the iPhone 4S following iOS 5.1), offering faster data speeds on AT&T. The iPhone 5 finally adopts faster LTE, joining most other smartphones on the market and even the third-gen iPad, with the leap to LTE back in March. (On the top corner of the iPhone, the service indicator reads "LTE" when it's up and running.) However, the presence of LTE doesn't mean a world LTE phone; currently, LTE roaming between carriers overseas is impossible.

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There's also support, depending on the iPhone 5 version you buy, for slower GSM (including EDGE and UMTS/HSPA) and CDMA/EV-DO networks. The iPhone 5's LTE uses a single chip for voice and data, a single radio chip, and a "dynamic antenna" that will switch connections between different networks automatically.

In the United States, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless will carry the iPhone 5. T-Mobile loses out. In Canada, it's Rogers, Bell, Telus, Fido, Virgin, and Koodo. In Asia, the providers will be SoftBank, SmarTone, SingTel, and SK Telecom. For Australia there's Telstra, Optus, and Virgin Mobile, and in Europe it will go to Deutsche Telekom and EE. On carriers without LTE, the iPhone 5 will run on dual-band 3.5G HDPA+. I didn't notice any problems when switching between LTE and 4G, but I tended to find myself stationary in a place that had LTE service or a place that didn't, without much time to test the transition midcall.

There's a catch, though: there are now two versions of iPhone 5 in the U.S., one GSM model and another version for the CDMA carriers. You may not have your dream of a universal LTE phone, but international roaming is possible between 2G and 3G. Also, get ready to accept that Verizon and Sprint iPhone 5s still won't be able to make calls and access data simultaneously, even though many other Verizon/Sprint LTE phones can pull this off. That's because those other phones use a two-antenna system for LTE/voice (voice doesn't run over LTE yet), while the iPhone 5 only uses one plus a dynamic antenna for what Apple says is more connection stability.

Nevertheless, data access via 4G LTE is stunningly fast. This is no gentle upgrade. In my home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, I tested both my AT&T iPhone 4S and the AT&T iPhone 5 at the same time. The iPhone 4S averaged a 2.4MBps download speeds over "4G," whereas the iPhone 5 averaged 20.31MBps. In comparison, my home wireless Internet via Time Warner averaged 9.02MBps at the hour I tested (1:30 a.m.).

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The difference can be felt loading Web pages: the mobile version of CNET took 5.3 seconds over LTE, versus 8.5 seconds on the iPhone 4S. A graphically intensive Web site like the desktop version of Huffington Post took 16 seconds to load via LTE, versus 23.3 seconds on the iPhone 4S in 4G.

Those who already use 4G LTE may simply be nodding their heads, but to iPhone owners looking to upgrade, this is major news. For many people, LTE will be faster than their own home broadband.

Of course, that's a dangerous seduction: with fast LTE comes expensive rates and data caps. AT&T also requires a specific plan to even enable FaceTime over cellular. Make sure you don't fall down the rabbit hole of overusing your LTE, because believe me, you're going to want to. I tried setting it up a wireless hot spot for my MacBook Air, and the result was generally excellent.

Outside major cities, it's not quite as exciting if you don't have LTE coverage. Using the AT&T iPhone 5 out in East Setauket, Long Island, data download speed was merely 3.5Mbps because of a lack of AT&T LTE service. Verizon's LTE coverage map is larger, but Sprint's LTE network is small as well. My experience with AT&T and LTE may not necessarily be yours.

Wi-Fi has also gotten a bit of a boost via dual-band 802.11n support over both 2.5GHz and 5GHz. It should help in the event of interference with other Wi-Fi devices, although I never encountered that problem before, even with tons of Wi-Fi gadgets scattered about my apartment.

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The camera
Something on the iPhone 5 has to not be new, right? Well, even the rear iSight camera's been tweaked, but not quite as much as other features. It's still an 8-megapixel camera, but there's a new sapphire-crystal lens, and improved hardware enabling features like dynamic low-lighting adjustment, image stabilization on the 1080p video camera, and the capability to take still shots while shooting video.

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The camera takes excellent pictures, a bit more so now than before. The iPhone 5 takes far clearer low-light pictures, but the result, while more coherent, is grainier and lower resolution than the wonderfully detailed images taken in bright, direct light. I ran around in semi-darkness in my son's room taking pictures of his toys, and found that the iPhone 5 was able to make things out in places where the iPhone 4S couldn't.

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