“If you recently picked up a new Mac, iPhone, iPod, or iPad, you may have seen mention of something called iCloud when setting up your device. If you don’t already know, iCloud is a free syncing and backup service from Apple that aims to keep all of your devices—mobile devices running iOS 5 or later and desktop computers running OS X Lion or later, or Windows Vista or later—on the same page, with the same data, no matter which one you’re using at any given moment.

The iPad mini is here. Finally. The mini has been rumoured since 2010 and was always something Apple was going to do. It is priced starting at €339 to €669 for the top end model. So what does it look like? Well as you would expect very similar to its big brother. The screen size is 7.9 inches while the full iPad is 9.7 inches.  Pre-order in Ireland  starts on the 26 October. With shipping of the WiFi version on the 2nd of November for Ireland.  The 3g version will ship 2 weeks after this. See below for full specs and price comparison’s.

The Specs (iPad Mini Wifi Model)

Size & Weight

• Height:200 mm (7.87 inches)
• Width:134.7 mm (5.3 inches)
• Depth:7.2 mm (0.28 inches)
• Weight:308 g (0.68 pounds)

Storage

• 16GB
• 32GB
• 64GB

Wireless

• 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
• Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology

Display

• 7.9-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
• 1024×768 resolution at 163 pixels per inch (ppi)
• Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating

Chip

• Dual-core A5

Cameras, Photos and Video recording

FaceTime HD Camera

• 1.2MP photos
• 720p HD video
• FaceTime video calling over Wi-Fi or a mobile network⁴
• Face detection
• Backside illumination
• Tap to control exposure for video or still images
• Photo and video geotagging

Video Recording

• 1080p HD video recording
• Video stabilisation
• Face detection
• Tap to focus while recording
• Backside illumination

Power & Battery

• Built-in 16.3-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
• Up to 10 hours of surfing the web onWi-Fi, watching video or listening to music
• Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system

Input/Output

• Lightning connector
• 3.5-mm stereo headphone mini-jack
• Built-in speaker
• Microphone

Sensors

• Three-axis gyro
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light sensor

Location

• Wi-Fi
• Digital compass

This pretty much breaks every rule in the book, not to mention it’s just wrong to mislead consumers with fake reviews. To combat this, we’ve put on our detective hats, tracked down these rogue solicitations and are now giving you a heads up. Starting today, when we’ve determined that there have been significant attempts to pay for reviews, you may see a warning (like the one below) that some shady practices may be at play.

The alert will be removed from the business’s Yelp page after 90 days (unless we uncover any renewed efforts to mislead consumers). Initially, nine businesses will have the consumer alert message posted on their profile page, but the company will be posting alerts like these on an on-going basis, as warranted.

Why are we doing this? We want to make sure consumers are making informed decisions. Yelp’s automated review filter is working around the clock to flag these types of biased reviews, and we believe that you deserve the right to know when this type of activity is taking place behind the scenes.

As efforts to game the system continuously evolve, so do our methods for combating it. An independent Businessweek report confirmed the success of Yelp’s efforts to protect consumers. The article details the efforts of a Texan business owner who purchased 200 online reviews in an attempt to artificially bolster his business’s online reputation. The report found that Yelp’s review filter returned “impressive results” catching every purchased review, while the shill reviews remained up on seven other review sites.

Beyond alerting consumers to attempts to purchase reviews, the next step will be to let consumers know if a business has had a large number of reviews submitted from the same Internet Protocol (IP) address, which can be a helpful indicator that they lack authenticity. While the review filter already takes this type of information into account, we believe that consumers also have a right to know if this activity is going on.

To help put this in perspective, the large majority of businesses on Yelp play by the rules and work tirelessly to provide the best customer service and products to their clients. We salute their efforts and entrepreneurship. They inspire us to work even harder to protect the site from faux reviews, so that they have a fair opportunity to bask in the glow of their shining stars.

Rest assured we are not going to let a few bad apples spoil the bunch.

The new website will serve as a single source of relevant, up-to-date and quality information on the latest HTML5, CSS3, and other Web standards, offering tips on web development and best practises for the technologies.

According to the W3C, the website will also display the status of a particular technology’s standardisation and cross-browser implementation.

The site exists as a Wiki, allowing employees representing each of the member companies to add their own updates and to contribute to the site. The project has been funded and has a team dedicated to ensuring it is well maintained (the W3C serves as the website’s curator).

Users can interact on the forums or discuss their projects and coding tips on the site’s dedicated IRC channel.

All documents posted to the Web Platform website are licensed under creative commons. While the initial content is provided by the member companies, website visitors are encouraged to share code examples, tips and tricks or any other relevant information using the Wiki.

As Adobe puts it: “It is now up to the web community to help create and maintain the most comprehensive and authoritative reference for web technologies. So, go check it out and start contributing. Document the web!”

Check them out below.

http://comingsoon.vodafone.ie/register/iphone-5/

http://shop.three.ie/catalogue/products/iphone

http://www.o2online.ie/o2/stuff-we-like/?p=7322

http://www.meteor.ie/apple-iphone-5-pre-sale/

Are you getting the iPhone 5. let me know below.

“Pairing HTC’s beautiful new Windows Phone 8X and 8S with our brand is a big milestone for both companies,” said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. “Together we are offering customers a clear choice and a truly unique experience. I’m thrilled to take our longstanding partnership to the next level.”

“We’ve been inspired by Windows Phone 8 to create new smartphones that give the platform the iconic design and personality it deserves,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “Windows Phone has clearly emerged as one of the top mobile ecosystems and is competitive against any other smartphone platform in the world.”

New Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC to be available through more than 150 mobile operators globally

Iconic Design
The only phone with Live Tiles, Windows Phone has a clear, differentiated vision and the consumer experience has been widely recognized as being groundbreaking, innovative and fresh. HTC created the Windows Phone 8X and 8S to blend the virtual and the physical utilizing a three dimensional, pure uni-body design based on the Windows Phone Live Tiles. The Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC are perfectly sculpted with a dramatic taper making them feel magically thin in your hand.

Because color is such an integral part of the Windows Phone experience, HTC is bringing bold, sophisticated and adventurous colors in a premium matte finish to these devices. The Windows Phone 8X will come in a variety of colors including California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red and Limelight Yellow. The Windows Phone 8S by HTC will be available in Domino, Fiesta Red, Atlantic Blue and High-Rise Gray.

Capture and share your world
For the first time, HTC is introducing a 2.1mp, f/2.0 aperture, 88° ultra-wide angle front-facing camera that allows up to four people and more to be captured at once. It also supports 1080p video capture. The rear camera sports an 8mp CMOS sensor with backside-illumination (BSI) for improved low-light performance, along with an f/2.0 aperture, 28mm lens and a dedicated imaging chip. A physical shutter button makes it quick and easy to capture spontaneous action, even if the phone is locked.

Spectacular Sound with Beats Audio
Exclusively available on HTC smartphones, Beats Audio provides authentic, studio-quality sound that delivers the spirit of the original recording. The Windows Phone 8X by HTC featuring Beats Audio also offers a unique audio amplifier powering the 3.5mm audio jack and the speaker, boosting the audio signal for even better sound no matter if you’re listening to music, playing a game or watching a video.

Brilliant Display
The Windows Phone 8X by HTC features a beautiful, 4.3″ HD-resolution super LCD 2 screen protected from everyday bumps and scrapes by lightweight Gorilla® Glass 2, while optical lamination reduces reflections and glare, ensuring you see every detail. The Windows Phone 8S by HTC boasts a bright super LCD 4″ screen with Gorilla® Glass, allowing users to see the Windows Phone Live Tiles, and every message and photo, with crystal clarity and sparkling color.

Entertainment
With the Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC people can carry their favorite music, movies and photos with them wherever they go. With the Windows Phone Store and Xbox Live, it is easier than ever to enjoy the latest video, music and games on the move.

Availability
The Windows Phone 8X and 8S by HTC will be available beginning in November. Available through more than 150 carriers in 50+ countries, the Windows Phone 8X or 8S by HTC will be available from the world’s top carriers including: United States: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. Europe: Orange, O2 Telefonica, MTS, Three UK, T-Mobile, and Vodafone Asia-Pacific: Chunghwa Telecom, Optus, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel), Smartone, PCCW,3HK,Telstra and Vodafone Australia.

About HTC
Founded in 1997, HTC Corp. (HTC) is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. HTC’s portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by HTC Sense®, a multilayered graphical user interface that vastly improves user experience. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). For more information, please www.htc.com.

The update should be available around 6pm Irish time, You have to give the yanks a chance to get out of bed.

The other app which is removed is Google maps which is replaced by Apple’s own maps app which has turn by turn navigation. The Data comes from Tom Tom and other sources. I have been using this now for a while and can say it is a giant leap forward from the Google maps app. If like me you used your phone as your car GPS and downloaded one of the many navigation apps, You can now remove it and free up some space.

Safety and security by design.

iOS is highly secure from the moment you turn on your device. All apps run in a safe environment, so a website or app can’t access data from other apps. iOS also supports encrypted network communication to protect your sensitive information. To guard your privacy, apps requesting location information are required to get your permission first. You can set a passcode lock to prevent unauthorized access to your device and configure it to delete all your data after too many unsuccessful passcode attempts. And in case your device is lost or stolen, Find My iPhone allows you to locate it on a map and remotely delete all your data. When you get it back, you can restore everything from your last backup.

Accessibility built in.

Accessibility features like Guided Access, VoiceOver, and AssistiveTouch help people with disabilities experience more of what an iOS device has to offer. For example, the built-in VoiceOver screen-reading technology allows those who are blind or have low vision to hear a description of the item they’re touching on the screen. iOS also offers out-of-the-box support for over 30 wireless braille displays and many other award-winning accessibility features, such as dynamic screen magnification, playback of closed-captioned video, mono audio, white on black text, and more.

Ready for business.

Businesses around the world are choosing iOS devices for their enterprise-ready features and powerful security. iOS works with Microsoft Exchange and standards-based servers to deliver over-the-air push email, calendar, and contacts. iOS protects your data by encrypting information in three separate areas: in transmission, at rest on the device, and when backed up to iTunes. You can securely access private corporate networks through industry-standard VPN protocols. And companies can easily deploy iPhone across
an enterprise using configuration profiles.

Ready to learn.

With iOS, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch become incredible learning tools. Keep track of all your classes and activities using Calendar. Be on time for appointments and study groups thanks to alerts from Reminders. Jot down or dictate lists and ideas with the Notes app. Do research on the web or write an email — even attach a photo or document — with built-in Wi-Fi. Record interviews, reading samples, study guides, or class lectures with Voice Memos. Or find help defining a word, locating the lumbar spine, or practicing French vocabulary from any number of education apps in
the App Store. Learn more about Apple in Education

• Made Of: Glass and Aluminium
• Colours: Black and White
• Size: 7.6mm Thin, 123.8mm Height  , 58.5mm Width.
• Weight: 112 grams
• Display – Retina Display, 4 Inch, 1136×640, 326 pi,
• Chip: A6
• Connector: Lighting connector
• OS: iOS 6
• Camera: New panorama feature but pretty much the same as the 4s
• Wifi: 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Battery: Talktime 8 hours, Standby 225 hours, WiFi Browsing 10 Hours

Release Date for ipHone 5 in Ireland 28th September

iOS 6 will be released 19th September

For more information visit Apple Ireland