• Sony CEO Reveals Apple’s Plans for 8MP iPhone 5 Camera

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, iPhone, Rants & Raves, Rumors, Tech. 1 Response

    Reports emerged on late Friday that, during an interview with The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg, Sony CEO Howard Stringer had accidentally confirmed that a Sony camera sensor plant in Japan had been damaged by last month’s earthquake, delaying shipments of sensors to Apple. which sets the idea of plans to supply an eight-megapixel camera for Apple’s next-generation iPhone.

    However, Sony does not currently provide image sensors to Apple, prompting speculation that the electronics giant could be set to provide a higher-resolution camera for the next iPhone. OmniVision has been Apple’s camera supplier for the 5-megapixel camera on the iPhone 4 and the 3.2-megapixel sensor for the iPhone 3GS.

    In February, an analyst claimed that OmniVision would be unable to produce an eight-megapixel sensor in time for the launch of the next iPhone and that Sony would step in to for at least the first wave of orders.

    According to the report, Sony’s eight-megapixel sensor, which is used in the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo, would suit Apple’s needs because it has a CMOS sensor for low light situations.

  • Transformers: Dark Of The Moon To Receive Dolby 7.1 Treatment

    // Gradly // blog, Movies, News, Rants & Raves, Tech. No Responses

    For a 3D movie, 3D Surround Sound is equally important. With the introduction of Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound, the 3D experience is boosted.

    Transformers: Dark of the Moon is being benefited with the latest sound technology from Dolby Laboratories. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was released in Dolby 5.1 which was the technology back then. But on Showest 2010, Dolby Laboratories explained how their Dolby Surround 7.1 can help the visuals of “3D” movies.

    Hollywood Reporter says “Paramount’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon are among the upcoming movies that will use Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound, which will be highlighted this week at CinemaCon.“

    Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 2, Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 and Paramount’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon are among the upcoming movies that will use Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound, which will be highlighted this week at CinemaCon.

    Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 was the first Dolby 7.1 release. Since the June 2010 launch, more than 1,300 global installations of Dolby Surround 7.1 have been conducted. Disney’s Tron: Legacy was a recent Dolby 7.1 release.

    Dolby Surround 7.1 brings a more exciting sensory experience to audiences for 2D and gives content creators control over audio placement in a theater when mixing 3D movies. The ability to compose audio with visual elements of 3D allows content creators to immerse the audience deeper into the movie with dramatic realism.

    Selected theaters may play Transformers 3 with the latest sound technology. You can locate your nearest theater with Dolby Surround by visiting Dolby.com

  • A Simple Hack Lets Original iPad Owners Enjoy Smart Covers Too

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Gadgets, iPad, Rants & Raves, Tech. No Responses

    Original iPad owners can also use Apple’s revolutionary Smart Cover on their tablet. This news comes directly from the hack’s developer, Dan Provost, who posted directions on The Russians Used A Pencil blog.

    The Smart Cover line, like the iPad 2 itself, is fast becoming one of the top tech stories of 2011. Simple in design, the Cover protects the tablet’s glass front, while also serving as something of an on/off switch, thanks to its inclusion of 31 magnets.

    Out of the box, a Smart Cover will not work on an original iPad, since the first generation iDevice doesn’t come with magnets. However, using $.20 block magnets, 3/8” x 3/16” x 1/32” (found here), Provost was able to create a perfect fix.

    Here are the directions:

    To place the magnets, I stuck them first to the magnetized hinge of the Smart Cover. I slid them around until they became locked into a position. This ended being asymmetrical, but I didn’t mind. I then lined up the cover with the iPad and used masking tape to mark where the magnets should be placed. I wanted this to be a somewhat permanent solution, so I used super glue to affix the magnets to the iPad. If you are not so daring, or want to test it out to make sure you like it, just use transparent tape. Even though the super glue keeps the magnets secure and in place, they are actually pretty easy to remove by just “chipping” them off with a flathead screwdriver and a very light tap of the hammer.

    Here is the finished product:

    [via AppAdvice]

  • Japan Disaster Will Affect Five Key iPad 2 Components

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, iPad, News, Rants & Raves, Tech. No Responses

    The effect the recent Japanese earthquake will have on Apple and its capacity to manufacture its top-selling products, with the latest report identifying five core iPad 2 components likely sourced from the region.

    In particular, iSuppli is reporting that its teardown analysis of the iPad 2 so far has been able to identify the following parts sourced from Japanese suppliers:

    • NAND flash from Toshiba Corp.;
    • dynamic random access memory (DRAM) made by Elpida Memory Inc.;
    • an electronic compass from AKM Semiconductor;
    • the touch screen overlay glass likely from Asahi Glass Co;
    • and the system battery from Apple Japan Inc.

    “While some of these suppliers reported that their facilities were undamaged, delivery of components from all of these companies is likely to be impacted at least to some degree by logistical issues now plaguing most Japanese industries in the quake zone,” said iSuppli’s analyst Andrew Rassweiler.

    Apple can get NAND and DRAM from other sources, notably Samsung and Micron. The battery, compass and glass are not so easily replaced.

    The batteries manufactured in Apple’s Japanese factories are unusually thin, the compass was selected to work closely with the iPad’s accelerometer and gyroscope, and the glass seems to use the new Dragontrail technology that only Asahi can supply.

    Hon Hai (Foxconn), which assembles iPads for Apple in China, is reported to have plenty of parts in hand, which helped Hon Hai’s shares rebound more than 1% in the Taiwan stock exchange Friday. Longer-term, the rate at which Hon Hai can build — and Apple can deliver — iPads may depend on how long Japan’s aftershocks and logistical problems persist.

    Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster pointed out Wednesday that because Apple tends to buy its components in large pre-payment deals that guarantee supply and pricing, it is probably in a better position than any of its competitors to weather the storm.