There are several premium smartphone’s currently available all competing to become the most popular device with consumers. The iPhone 4S from Apple and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus are two such models that are very evenly matched in terms of performance and specification. We take a look at the camera features that are on offer with these phones and see how they compare.

Samsung has opted to install a 5 mega pixel camera in their Galaxy Nexus device. Although this facility offers a high quality of image it is a lower resolution than what many rival phones offer. Samsung compensates for the lower resolution by fitting the camera with an excellent sensor chip which helps the model produce better results than many other supposedly better models. The model gives the user a simple interface with many of the more advanced camera functions hidden away until you need them. The handset does not feature a dedicated shutter key so you do have to tap the icon that is displayed on screen in order to capture your image. One thing we did notice about this model is that the shutter speed is incredibly fast so images are captured the moment you tap the screen. This is where many camera phones disappoint as there is often a delay between pressing the shutter and the photograph being captured. A number of additional features accompany the camera including manual controls for white balance and exposure compensation. There are also a number of preset scene modes that can be selected for different shooting conditions.

The new iPhone 4S offers numerous improvements over the iPhone 4 and the updated camera facility is one of the most noticeable. The phone now sports an 8 mega pixel camera which is a 3 million pixel improvement over its predecessor. Apple have also updated the lens and sensor that are used on this model making it one of the very best photography phones available. Unlike the Galaxy nexus the phone does boast a physical shutter key which is the volume up button. This is a great addition as it keeps your fingers away from the screen when you are trying to perfectly frame a photograph. The iPhone does not offer as many extra settings as the Galaxy Nexus but there is an excellent HDR mode available. When this mode is activated it takes three identical snaps at different exposure levels and combines these to give an excellent final result. This latest model also offers some basic editing features which allow you to perform simple tasks such as removing red eye and cropping the size of the image.

Both of these models offer great camera facilities and are two of the very best models available for still photography. The Galaxy Nexus boasts more optional settings than the iPhone 4S but ultimately the Apple device produces the higher standard of final image.

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Apple has warned App Store developers against using promotional services that seek to increase the visibility of their titles by automating sales to inflate their apps’ apparent popularity or by posting phony reviews, threatening to terminate their accounts if they do.

In a message posted to Apple’s Developer site today titled “Adhering to Guidelines on Third-Party Marketing Services,” the company noted:

“Once you build a great app, you want everyone to know about it. However, when you promote your app, you should avoid using services that advertise or guarantee top placement in App Store charts. Even if you are not personally engaged in manipulating App Store chart rankings or user reviews, employing services that do so on your behalf may result in the loss of your Apple Developer Program membership. Get helpful tips and resources on marketing your apps the right way from the App Store Resource Center.”

The message links to an internal page that outlines advice for App Store developers ranging from submitting apps to navigating the approval process to managing and marketing apps, including a section titled “Tips for Creating a Great Presence on the App Store” and instructions for how to participate in the App Store Affiliate Program and the App Store Volume Purchase Program for businesses and education institutions.

Phony promotion

Apple’s comments appear to be a reaction to a forum posting to touch arcade yesterday, where a developer reported, “I came across this ad network which guaranteed to get my app into the Top 25 in the app store at a relatively cheap price ($5000).”

The poster, identified as “walterkaman,” noted that the service claimed to have promoted 8 of the top 25 free iPhone App Store titles to their position by hiring “someone to build him a bot farm” to “automatically download his clients’ apps and drive up their rankings.”

Despite the warning posted by Apple today, the apps implicated by the post as allegedly using the service, including Crowdstar’s Social Girl, Booyah’s Pet Town, Funzio’s Crime City, Breaktime Studio’s Sweet Shop, SGN’s Fluff Friends and TinyCo’s VIP Poker are all still listed in the App Store and remain top ranking free apps (all are monetized via In-App Purchases).

The poster did however note that the company promoting the service said that Apple already knew about the issue and had taken action to ban a developer named Dream Cortex for “botting.” The user complained, “I am very disappointed to know that these 8 other apps are getting insane exposure on the app store by paying a mere $5000.”

Apple has continually worked to shut down fraud in the App Store, a difficult task given the allure of hundreds of thousands of dollars that can be made by gaming the market. In January, Apple cracked down on a piracy service set up to facilitate the theft of apps, while two days ago it kicked a number of copycat apps out of the App Store that all appeared to be blatant efforts to rip off popular titles.

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The first app developed for Apple’s iOS using the now open-source Enyo 2.0 framework has hit the App Store, while Apple seeks to bar the trademarking of a mobile device case called the “driPhone” in New Zealand.

First Enyo 2.0 iOS app

Developer James Harris has launched his FlashCards To Go iPad app on Monday, and is the first iOS program written in the Enyo 2.0 framework following HP’s decision to make webOS available to open-source projects, reports The Verge.

In failing to find a licensee for its webOS mobile platform, HP announced in December that it would be contributing the operating system and its Enyo framework to the open source community. A major selling point for the software is its cross-platform coding ability, and developers like Harris are beginning to take advantage of the JavaScript framework.

Apple’s iOS is the sixth mobile platform to support the FlashCards To Go learning tool, and Harris hopes to leverage Enyo’s flexibility to bring the app to Mac and BlackBerry sometime soon.

The $3.99 app currently runs on any iPad with iOS 5, with support for older versions of iOS coming in the future.

driPhone trademark dispute

Apple is opposing the plans of New Zealand-based mobile phone case maker Hayden Crowther to trademark the name “driPhone,” and offers the suggestion that the letter “i” be switched with “y” to avoid confusion with the company’s iPhone monicker, according to Stuff.co.nz.

The iPhone maker claims that the driPhone trademark “would be likely to deceive or cause confusion” and that the proposed trademark is not in line with New Zealand law.

“The applicant’s trademark, or an essential element of it, is identical or similar to a trademark that is well-known in New Zealand,” said law firm Henry Hughes, Apple’s Wellington-based legal representation, in reference to the iPhone.

The currently-named driPhone is a waterproof case that fits an assortment of smartphones, including the iPhone as well as some Android models. According to the company’s website, similar cases for the iPad and other tablets are coming soon.

Crowther refuses to rename his invention, saying that the “driPhone” logo takes up less space than the proposed “dryPhone,” and estimates that fighting a possible Apple suit would be cheaper than rebranding. He goes on to say that he will continue with plans to register the trademark worldwide.

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Apple’s third-generation iPad is expected by one market watcher to soon arrive during an advantageous “window of opportunity,” in which competitors have nothing significant to offer, that will further increase the company’s lead in the mobile computing market.

Analyst Chris Whitmore with Deutsche Bank said in a note to investors on Monday that the line between tablets and notebook computers is rapidly blurring as devices like the iPad become more powerful. He noted that uses for the iPad have rapidly expanded to include textbooks, medical diagnostic tools, and pilot flight bags.

With a third-generation iPad expected to arrive in March, Whitmore sees Apple announcing a new model with a high-resolution display, a quad-core CPU, graphics performance four to five times faster than the iPad 2, and Siri voice control. Additional power in the so-called “iPad 3″ will only expand the potential uses for the device and leave competitors further in the dust, the analyst believes.

“With other tablet vendors in disarray (shifting from Android to Win8), we expect the iPad 3 introduction to drive additional share gains in the mobile computer market,” he said.

Estimates from Deutsche Bank, combined with data from IDC, suggest that Apple currently has a 25 percent share of the combined notebook and tablet market. The next closest competitor is HP, which had a 12 percent combined total in the fourth quarter of calendar 2011, followed by Lenovo and Acer, both with 10 percent.

Whitmore said none of the iPad competitors introduced in the last 12 months have come close to the iPad, as most of the products have been “me-too” offerings with little differentiation with one another. He believes the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Asus’s Transformer Prime are “more relevant” products as iPad competitors than Amazon’s Kindle Fire.

But as Android-based iPad competitors have fallen short, Whitmore believes many device makers are shifting away from Android and are now looking toward the launch of Windows 8, which will feature support for low-power ARM chips found in tablets. But with a three-year head start and about 170,000 applications already available for the iPad, he doesn’t see Microsoft’s Windows 8 catching up in tablets anytime soon.

“Win8 based hardware is unlikely to ramp in earnest until 2013,” he wrote. “This leaves the window wide open for Apple to extend its lead in the market and drive substantial growth and profits going forward.”

Deutsche Bank sees “phenomenal product momentum” from Apple going forward, particularly with the iPhone and iPad, driving healthy growth into 2013. The investment firm has reiterated its “buy” rating for AAPL stock with a price target of $600.

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Apple’s third-generation iPad is expected by one market watcher to soon arrive during an advantageous “window of opportunity,” in which competitors have nothing significant to offer, that will further increase the company’s lead in the mobile computing market.

Analyst Chris Whitmore with Deutsche Bank said in a note to investors on Monday that the line between tablets and notebook computers is rapidly blurring as devices like the iPad become more powerful. He noted that uses for the iPad have rapidly expanded to include textbooks, medical diagnostic tools, and pilot flight bags.

With a third-generation iPad expected to arrive in March, Whitmore sees Apple announcing a new model with a high-resolution display, a quad-core CPU, graphics performance four to five times faster than the iPad 2, and Siri voice control. Additional power in the so-called “iPad 3″ will only expand the potential uses for the device and leave competitors further in the dust, the analyst believes.

“With other tablet vendors in disarray (shifting from Android to Win8), we expect the iPad 3 introduction to drive additional share gains in the mobile computer market,” he said.

Estimates from Deutsche Bank, combined with data from IDC, suggest that Apple currently has a 25 percent share of the combined notebook and tablet market. The next closest competitor is HP, which had a 12 percent combined total in the fourth quarter of calendar 2011, followed by Lenovo and Acer, both with 10 percent.

Whitmore said none of the iPad competitors introduced in the last 12 months have come close to the iPad, as most of the products have been “me-too” offerings with little differentiation with one another. He believes the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Asus’s Transformer Prime are “more relevant” products as iPad competitors than Amazon’s Kindle Fire.

But as Android-based iPad competitors have fallen short, Whitmore believes many device makers are shifting away from Android and are now looking toward the launch of Windows 8, which will feature support for low-power ARM chips found in tablets. But with a three-year head start and about 170,000 applications already available for the iPad, he doesn’t see Microsoft’s Windows 8 catching up in tablets anytime soon.

“Win8 based hardware is unlikely to ramp in earnest until 2013,” he wrote. “This leaves the window wide open for Apple to extend its lead in the market and drive substantial growth and profits going forward.”

Deutsche Bank sees “phenomenal product momentum” from Apple going forward, particularly with the iPhone and iPad, driving healthy growth into 2013. The investment firm has reiterated its “buy” rating for AAPL stock with a price target of $600.

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The discovery of newly-upgraded high-DPI UI elements in Mac OS X 10.7.3 has led to some speculation that Apple is continuing to lay the groundwork for high-resolution Mac displays that approach the pixel density of its Retina Displays.

John Gruber of Daring Fireball on Monday pointed to a series of Twitter posts (1, 2) outing UI resources that scale to larger sizes in the latest release of Mac OS X Lion, which arrived last week.

The new elements include the pointing-finger cursor in Safari, the “grabby hand” in Mail, and the camera cursor for taking screenshots and a few others. One straightforward reason for the change could be that Apple wanted to improve the look of the Universal Access zoom feature. But, reports from some Mac Mini users outputting to HDTVs over HDMI that upgrading to 10.7.3 caused their system to reboot into HiDPI mode have added to the mounting evidence that Apple is planning for high-definition Mac displays.

Apple added HiDPI modes to Mac OS X Lion last year, but they were previously only accessible by installing Xcode. HiDPI is modeled after the UI resolution doubling that takes place on Retina Display iPhones.

Gruber went on to wonder “whether we may be on the cusp of Apple releasing HiDPI Mac displays and/or HiDPI MacBooks. I.e.: retina display Macs.” He did, however, add that he has been anticipating “super-high-resolution Mac displays” for over five years, so his speculation should be taken with “a grain of wishful-thinking salt.”

Late last year, a rumor emerged that Apple was preparing new versions of its MacBook Pro lineup with double the resolution. The resulting display for a 15-inch MacBook Pro would be 2,880 by 1,800 pixels and is expected to set off “a new round of competition for panel specifications.”

Chipmaker Intel has indicated that its next-generation Ivy Bridge processors will support resolutions up to 4K, or 4,096 by 4,096 pixels per monitor. Multiple reports have suggested that the company will launch its Ivy Bridge Processors in the second quarter of 2012, and Apple is expected to begin adding Ivy Bridge chips to its Macs in soon after. Wallpapers as large as 3,200 by 2,000 pixels were also discovered in a developer preview of Mac OS X Lion last year.

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A new report claims Canadian telecoms Rogers and Bell Canada have an early version of a much-rumored Apple television set in their labs and are in negotiations with the company to enter into a partnership for the device.

An anonymous source disclosed to The Globe and Mail that both Rogers and Bell “already have the product in their labs,” the newspaper reported on Monday.

Another source familiar with the negotiations said Apple is open to working with multiple companies for its connected TV project, which some have dubbed the “iTV.” The tipster indicated that Rogers and Bell had been approached by Apple during its search for partners.

?They?re not closed to doing it with one [company] or doing it with two,? the source said. ?They?re looking for a partner. They?re looking for someone with wireless and broadband capabilities.?

All of the companies involved declined to comment when contacted by the publication. Both Rogers and Bell already have an existing agreement with Apple to offer its iPhone device on their wireless networks.

The report characterized Apple’s TV project as a “large-screen iPad” for living rooms, adding that the Siri voice-recognition assistant that debuted in the iPhone 4S will likely make its way into the rumored television. It also mentioned the use of “hand gestures” to control the device, though it didn’t go into further detail on what exactly that would entail.

Insider tips that Rogers and Bell have working prototypes of the Apple television come quickly on the heels of an analyst report that specifically mentioned the two companies as likely to be on board with the project. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said on Monday that Apple’s best option may be to cooperate with existing cable operators.

?We believe it is likely to be offered by AT&T and Verizon in the U.S. and Bell and Rogers in Canada,? Misek said.

The as-yet-unconfirmed Apple television project also recently made headlines when it was revealed that Best Buy made mention in a recent survey of a “concept” 42-inch iOS-powered TV from Apple. The questionnaire said the device “finally reinvents what a TV can do” and suggested it would be priced at $1,499, support iCloud, feature remote control via iPad or iPhone, and sport an “iSight” camera and microphone.

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The new iPhone 4S has many great features that make the handset one of the very best available. Among the list of features is the excellent Airplay facility which enables you to stream audio files to a compatible product. This system enables you to use your phone as a music player which can be listened to in other rooms in your property. We take a look at Airplay and what additional products are available to help you get the very best from this service.

Airplay on the iPhone 4S works in a similar manner to DNLA services on Microsoft devices. All audio files that you have stored on your phone can be accessed by additional products. These products can be music systems, speakers or AV receivers and help you to convert your phone into the centre of a multi room home audio system. Airplay takes advantage of the WiFi connection that is available to connect to other products although the majority of these can also be connected with an Ethernet connection. Music can be streamed to multiple rooms at the same time which is ideal if you are hosting a party or you can choose to simply have your music in a single room. It is not only the music that is streamed with Airplay but a host of other information is also transmitted along with the audio track. This means that song names, artist names and other information can be displayed on the additional equipment providing it has a display and album artwork can also be sent.

Owning a iPhone 4S is just part of running the Airplay service. There are numerous products that you can connect to help you enjoy your music in the best possible quality and the pick of all of these is undoubtedly the B&W Zepplin Air. This iconic speaker boasts an unusual yet modern design and also delivers the best possible audio performance. There are a pair of 25mm tweeters included and these are coupled with a pair of 75mm mid range drivers. Each pair of these speakers is driven by a 25 watt amplifier and there is also a 50 watt amplifier that is solely used for driving a powerful sub woofer. If you prefer a more traditional design then the Denon CEOL is the unit for you. Comprising of a pair of speakers and a main unit this excellent system is available in a black or a white finish. The amplifier section pushes out 65 watts to each speaker and the quality of sound that is produced makes this one of the best units available.

Airplay is one of the features that helps the iPhone 4S stand out from its competitors. The feature helps deliver high audio quality to additional products and the two that we have highlighted are the very best currently available.

The iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy Note are available now.

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The iPhone 5 has not yet been released in the market. However the predictions about iPhone 5 features seem to have taken the world by storm. It is believed that this latest gadget will change the way smartphones were perceived till date. Almost all the cell phone and Apple sites are ablaze with features that this new entrant can be expected to have.

All that can possibly find entry into the yet to be launched iPhone 5 are as follows:

· The phone is supposed to have an all metal body. The back panel too might be metallic making iPhone 5 a completely different experience from iPhone 4. This new upgrade might do away with square edges and go for curved surfaces. It would also have a larger display area of about 4 inches.

· The next expectation is about the curved 3D glass display. Although the 3D glass display might be a farfetched idea, Apple has bought 300 special glass cutting machines. If that is true, Apple’s surely up to something new in the making.

· People are also hopeful that the iPhone 5 features will include an 8 MP camera, with dual flash on the rear. This will enable the users to click good quality picture, with high-resolution even in low light situations.

· Of all the anticipated iPhone 5 features, the most awaited is without a doubt the A5 processor. Apple had introduced the dual core processor in iPad 2, and hence it is quite logical to expect that the same would be used for iPhone 5 as well.

· One of the most glaring things to do would be to do away with the home button. It is expected that Apple is moving towards a more gesture based interface with the help of its iOS 5.

· The featured enhancement in IOS is supposed to have an increased RAM too. The RAM is supposed to increase from 512 MB to 1 GB. This will also fit in better with the dual core processor.

· The phone is also rumored to be fire-proof. Although stunning, the company has reportedly applied for a patent. The material used will be a halogen-free flame retardant. This will ensure that your phone always stays fire-proof.

· Again, according to features which are expected in the new iPhone is an extended battery life. This will support all the additional features that the new phone will boast of.

These are some of the anticipated features of the 5th generation Apple smartphone.

To Stay Updated About The Latest iPhone 5 Features Keep Visiting Us.

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One of the most exciting mobile phones releases of 2011 is set to face some fresh competition in the shape of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The iPhone 4S has delighted consumers since it was released in October but the new Samsung handset is poised to become the most desirable phone currently available. We look at the web browser facilities on both of these models.

The iPhone 4S uses the familiar Safari browser that we have seen included on previous versions of the phone. Things are however a little different on this new model as the new iOS5 operating system has made some significant improvements to the browser. Tabbed browsing is quite a common feature so it is no great surprise to find it included on the 4S. The phone allows you to run up to 8 different web pages at the same time enabling you to flick backwards and forwards between different websites. If you find a site that is of particular interest you now have the option to not only bookmark the page but also add it to your Reading List so you can access it easily at a later time. Many modern websites are rich with advertisements and multi media content and the new Reader mode is perfect for such sites. When you click the icon at the top of the screen the phone strips away all of the unnecessary content on the page leaving you with a simple text document which is much easier to read than the original. The one disadvantage of the Safari browser on the 4S is that is does not support Adobe Flash files meaning that some video content cannot be viewed when browsing the web.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus makes use of the basic Android web browser and this looks superb on the phones large 4.65 inch display. In addition to the obvious benefits gained from the large screen size the browser is also very fast thanks to the dual core processor that the model uses. If you find yourself wanting to zoom into a particular segment of a web page then the Nexus enables you to use a pinch to zoom method or simply double tap the area that you wish to be enlarged. This zoom feature works very well although the handset does not let you zoom in as far as the iPhone 4S does. When viewing multiple sites on this model the pages are shown in a vertical list on the display. This does not feel as natural as the Apple phone which lets you perform a horizontal swiping motion to read other pages that you have open. This system is more similar to what we are used to on desktop systems such as Internet Explorer and Google Chrome and therefore instantly feels more familiar than the vertical arrangement. Adobe Flash is not supported on this version of the Android browser however a software update will soon be made available that will change this.

There is very little to choose in quality between the web browsers used on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the iPhone 4S. Both models offer an excellent online experience and are perfect devices for surfing the web whilst on the move.

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