So, plenty of iPad 3 rumours are knocking about stating that the tablet will be sporting a super-high resolution Retina display, comparable to that found in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. The proposed resolution by many gadget bloggers and anaylsts would be somewhere in the region of 2048x1536.

But what would that actually look like compared to the Apple gear we already have? The iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 sit only at the 960x640 mark, while the first two iPads are 1024x768. The iPhone 1, 3G and 3GS models are a paltry 480x320.

In otherwords, a 2048x1536 resolution display (squeezed into a ten-inch screen, remember) would look IMMENSE. It dwarfs even the resolution of a Full HD Blu-ray viewing, the current consumer high-water mark.

To illustrate the point, Chris Koerner put together a handy comparison chart. If you weren't excited about the potential of the iPad 3 before, you probably should be now.

Click the image above to see a full-size comparison.

Apple may be gearing up for a big launch event in the first week of March for the iPad 3, if a new report by AllThingsD is to be believed.

According to the site's sources, they're stating that at the very least an event will be hold detailing the product, even if its actual release sits a little longer away.

No time or place was revealed by the source, but the blog hazards a guess at "presumably [...] the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts" as the venue with the tablet itself released following "the same schedule as that of the iPad 2: available for purchase a week or so after the event".

By that estimation, it'd make it pretty much a year-on-year refresh for the line since March 2010, when the first iPad was released following its unveiling in January.

As for what to expect from the iPad 3, the rumour mill has certainly been churning of late. Reports of a 2048x1536 Retina display, a quad-core A6 chip, larger battery and a more comprehensive camera offering than the iPad 2's pitiful showing have all been suggested.

Via: AllThingsD

Ready for some more iPad 3 rumour-goodness? Of course you are! BGR are the latest gang claiming to have been made privy to details concerning the latest Apple tablet's innards, and if they've got their facts straight it makes for some very exciting news.

Getting their info from a source that claims to have actually gotten its mitts onto a prototype iPad 3, the source claims that the next-gen slate will have LTE connectivity and a quad-core processor.

Posting screenshots from a debug tool called iBoot, the source also reveals two model numbers J1 and J2, or iPad3,1 and iPad3,2 as they've been listed elsewhere. These likely correspond to the Wi-Fi only version of the tablet and the GSM/CDMA/LTE variant too.

Some processor model number juggling also seemingly confirms the quad-core update; Apple's A4 chip is called the S5L8930X and the A5 is the S5L8940X. The protype is said to sport a S5L8945X, which is now thought to be the model number of the quad-core A6 processor.

Calling it "the fastest iOS device ever", Apple better hope the rest of the world see the iPad 3 as positively; Samsung are apparently preparing to launch some very tasty tablets of their own at this month's MWC 2012 show.

Motorola Mobility are bringing a new lawsuit to Apple's lawyers, claiming the iPhone makers have infringed on a number of the company's key technology patents.

Filed in a Florida federal court, the patent suit sees Motorola claim that between both the iPhone 4S and iCloud service, Apple have infringed upon six Motorola patents. These include patents relating to wireless antennae, data filtering and messaging. Apple have yet to respond to the claims.

It's also worth noting that the suit filed cites the same patents as a separate Motorola vs. Apple case that has also been filed in Florida.

Interestingly, Motorola's latest bout of legal action has had to have come with the full backing of Google. After being bought out by the search giants last year, Motorola had to agree to a contract clause that they would not proceed with any legal action without prior approval from Google first. With Google and Apple almost constantly at loggerheads over patent disputes relating to Android and iOS, it's no wonder Google have agreed to back Motorola here.

There's a long history of court cases between Motorola and Apple. In recent times, the courts have tended to side with Motorola; in the US the ITC recently sided with Motorola in a case where Apple claimed Motorola had infringed upon three patents, while a similar story played out in German courts that saw an injunction taken out against Apple.

Via: Reuters

Apple may be preparing to line up the iPhone 5 smartphone for a summer launch, according to a new rumour originating from a Foxconn manufacturing plant employee.

The worker at the factory that has a long track record of building Apple goods claims that production has started on the iPhone 5. Given the 6-month production schedule given the iPhone 4S from April 2011 to October 2011, that would put the new handset on track for a June/July 2012 launch.

The worker also claims that four possible handset designs have been touted, each slightly different, but all having a display at least 4 inches in size. None are said to look like the iPhone 4 or 4S, which have shared a design over the past two generations of Apple smartphones.

However, with no finalised handset design in place, how can the plant be preparing for production? It detracts from the validity of the rumour; Apple can't green-light production if they haven't settled on a final look for the iPhone 5.

Also, while it's believable that Apple would up the screen size on the handset, I can't imagine them doing so if that means the handset itself would have to be dramatically larger, which makes the claims that 4 new prototypes are circulating a little hard to believe.

Via: 9to5 Mac

Will there ever come a time when Apple do not post record sales figures? The Cupertino company have just revealed their results from the fiscal 2012 first quarter (the 14 weeks leading up to December 31st), revealing stupendous sales of iPhones, iPads and iMacs.

Sales from these areas amounted to a record quarterly revenue of $46.33 billion, with a net profit of $13.06 billion. Compare this with the same period last year (with revenue of $26.74 billion and a net quarterly profit of $6 billion) and the takings have more than doubled. That net profit is more than all of Google's revenue across the same period.

It's all mostly thanks to the iPhone 4S, which, thanks to a late release which saw it pushed into October 2011 from its expected June window, helped push the record quarter. Including older models, Apple are thought to have sold some 37.04 million iPhones in the quarter, a 128% increase over the same quarter a year ago.

iPad and Mac sales were up to shifting 15.43 million and 5.2 million units respectively. That's an 111% growth in iPad sales over the same quarter and a 26% growth in Mac sales too.

The only product now in sharp decline is the iPod, which despite selling a giant 15.4 million units, saw a 21% year-on-year slide.

"We're thrilled with our outstanding results and record-breaking sales of iPhones, iPads and Macs," said CEO Tim Cook.

"Apple's momentum is incredibly strong, and we have some amazing new products in the pipeline."

We don't need no education.

Er... sorry Mr Floyd. I think we do actually . And it seems the recent launch of iBooks 2 is already proving it. Just 3 days after Apple's education-orientated eBook store update, Global Equities Research believe that 350,000 textbooks have already been downloaded through the platform.

The update seems to be inspiring content creation too, with AllThingsD reporting that the eBook authoring Mac app iBooks Author has already been downloaded a whopping 90,000 times too.

It's a strong start for Apple's push into digital education, and also acts to highlight just how popular and widespread iPad tablet take-up has been.

Pearson, McGraw-Hill and Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt are among the educational publishers using iBooks 2 to deliver media-rich textbooks to iPad owners. The three publishers represent 90% of the US textbook market for high school students.

Click here for more on iBooks 2.

Apple have launched iBooks 2, a new version of their eBook reading app for iOS devices that adds extra features specifically for textbooks and education purposes, described by Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing Philip Schiller as "a new textbook experience for iPad."

"We try to bring the same energy and passion we've put into every product we make into our education business as well," he said at the product's unveiling at the Guggenheim Museum in New York today.

"There's something really profound starting to happen, it's remarkable. We're seeing that, as students are introduced to iPad, remarkable things are happening."

Among iBooks 2's new features is the ability to browse real-time glossary definitions, embed 3D animated models into books, and enhanced interactive gallery features, all of which would be welcome in specialist medical fields, for instance.

iBooks 2 also allows users to take in-app notes with the "My Notes" feature, as well as linking directly to the iBooks store to keep Apple's coffers full of your money.

Those looking to create their own iBooks tomes also get new software. iBooks Author for OSX also launches today, letting anyone create textbooks and eBooks.

iBooks 2 will hit the App Store now and is free. The books themselves, obviously, are not. Likewise, iBooks Author is now available on the Mac App Store, and is also free.

Did you upgrade from one smartphone to another over the Christmas period? Maybe you jumped from one operating system, like Google's Android, to Windows Phone 7 from Microsoft or iOS with the iPhone?

But it doesn't have to be that way! Follow a few simple steps, and your new smartphone will up and running with all the info you need from your last one in double-quick time. Today, we bring you a How-To guide from gadget helpline specialists the Geek Squad, who list five simple steps for an easy smartphone switchover.

1. Email and Calendars
If using your phone to access your email and calendar then the last thing you want is to see messages and appointments dropping out of your inbox. Transferring onto a commonly used system like Gmail could help you seamlessly transfer not only your email, but also your calendar and phone directory from one phone to another, because the system is compatible with both Google's Android and Apple's iOS software platforms. Apple's iCloud service is also a useful tool, as it allows iPhone users to access third party systems like Google's Calendar and Mail services, meaning you won't miss out on your appointment or message.

2. Messaging services
Many phones offer access to social messaging services such as Twitter or Facebook - it's relatively simple to switch over your account onto a new device, but do make sure it's been disabled on your old phone to stop any 'friends' accessing your feed! The only exception to this rule is Blackberry Messenger which is a service that only Blackberry supports, so if you're leaving the RIM world to join Android or Apple, you won't be able to take your BB friends with you. Consider alternative instant messengers like Twitter and Windows Live Messenger, both of which are supported across multiple platforms beyond mobile alone.

3. Text Messages
Text messages often hold some of our closest memories these days - from organising a first date to a heartfelt message from family, so the last thing you want to do is throw away those memories when you make the switch. Unfortunately transferring your old SMS text messages to your new phone can be a bit tricky. There is some nifty third-party software out there, which does the job for a small premium. Try SMS Export, available through the App Store. The App allows you to export your SMS messages in text format, which can then be transferred onto the MicroSD card in your new Android phone. Finally, download an App from the Android market like SMS Migrator to complete the process.

4. Music
Smart phones are being used more and more as our portable music players, and with downloads available direct to the handset it's important you don't lose any of your collection when you switch phones. The best way to do this is to use a music library on your computer - iTunes or Window's Media Player are the easiest to set up and use. It's simply a case of plugging in your old phone, transferring the music to your library, and then transferring your collection over to your new phone - you can always edit out any musical mistakes when you make the transition!

5. Data
Users tend to particularly worry about losing their data when switching or upgrading their phone, but it's important to remember that things can go wrong at any point, even with a tried and tested handset that you've owned for months, which is why it's a good idea to regularly back up. You can change your preferred settings so that your phone is automatically backed-up to a Cloud service, which means you can forget about needing to sync using your handset USB cable or any potential data loss.

For more gadget help from the Geek Squad, check their site here.

Apple are now offering a "Reuse and Recycling Programme" that gives gadget fans the chance to swap their unwanted tech for cold-hard cash.

Operated by Dataserv GmbH, the service will take larger items like desktop computers and monitors, something that rival services like Mazuma Mobile and Envirofone do not offer.

"Apple's commitment to the environment includes finding the most efficient ways to reuse or recycle electronic equipment at the end of its useful life, including iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC computers, and displays from any manufacturer. You may even get some money for your old equipment," reads the statement on the programme's website.

It's a simple process; head on over to the Reuse and Recyling Programme page, fill out a few details about the product your looking to trade and then you'll be given a shipping label to print off. Stick your gadget in a box with the label attached, send it to the recycling team and, providing you haven't lied about crusty notebook being a brand spanking new ultrabook beast, you'll get a wad of cash sent to your coffers.

Apple already offer an iPod and Mobile Phone Recycling Programme. They do not give cash in exhcange for this service however.

Apple are thought to be planning to launch a new eBook standard at an educational event this coming Thursday, set to revolutionise the ways in which textbooks are distributed and children learn.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple have been working with leading educational publisher McGraw-Hill for over a year on developing a new platform tied into the iTunes ecosystem.

The new platform will also implement the EPUB 3 standard in order to make rich eBook content, using a new software tool described by Ars Technica as "Garageband for eBooks". This would replace the current clunky method of using iWork to build eBooks, but could also make sharing the eBook content across non-Apple devices difficult, something Apple obviously have no qualms about.

The proposed announcement seems something of a double-edged sword; on the one hand, it looks to offer a unique and, by all accounts, highly engaging way of presenting information in the classroom and grabbing kids' attentions, which is obviously great.

However, locking into Apple's ecosystem with a standard not often used elsewhere pushes children (and cash-strapped schools) into Apple's usually-expensive order. It could deny as many children the chance to follow up on the in-class activities at home as many as it enables, particularly if the new textbooks are only compatible with Apple products.

All will be revealed on Thursday. Head back here for all the news on the announcements then.

Now that all the fanfare surrounding the annual CES show is beginning to die down, it's time for the iPad-refresh rumours to crash through the floodgates once more. The latest loose-lipped source "in-the-know" has been talking to Bloomberg, who believe they've got their hands on a few rough specifications for the new tablet.

Top of the list of new features is a quad-core processor, a reasonably safe-bet for inclusion with the rise of quad-core Android tablets, and the core-doubling jump that the iPad 2 made over its preprocessor. The extra processing grunt will allow videos to "begin playing almost instantly", according to Bloomberg's source.

That's particularly impressive considering these videos are expected to be full-HD, running on an iPad 3 screen that is said to offer a higher pixel density than some HDTVs. Again, it's a decent claim; we'd expected the iPhone's Retina display to hit the iPad 2, and would likely rile many Apple fans were it not to feature this time around.

Lastly, Bloomberg's source claims the iPad will be LTE-ready for super-fast mobile download speeds. It's apparently hitting the iPad ahead of the iPhone due to the tablet's more substantial battery. Again, it's a decent rumour-shout, but with LTE still not widely available in the UK and much of Europe, it puts this feature into question. Apple don't like to fragment their device ecosystem, and offering a feature in one territory and not another seems a very un-Apple-like thing to do.

All pretty rudimentary then as far as rumours go. We'll expect to hear plenty more like this in the coming weeks and months, right up to a Spring launch, should the current Apple release schedule be anything to go by.

And here's us thinking that the UK's usual gang of Apple fanboys queuing days for the latest iDevice were crazy; get a load of the rabid crowds scrambling for a piece of iPhone 4S action at the handset's launch in Beijing, China.

Going on sale earlier this morning, reports of thousands of gadget fans swelling towards the Beijing store have been noted.

With Apple employees fearing the situation was becoming a danger to staff and the growing crowds, they decided to halt the sale of the latest Jesus phone.

Big mistake.

What reportedly followed were scenes just short of a riot, with disgruntled Apple fans taking to hurling eggs at the store front.

Apple continue to sell the iPhone to customers in China through their online store, but will be letting the rowdiness die down by halting instore sales "for the time being".

Via: PC World

Those looking for a glimpse at the future of Apple's products should take a look at this recently uncovered patent from the Cupertino team.

Describing a 3D UI, it would see Apple's touchscreen devices rendering 3D environments, using a "sensor based display environment" and readings from the gyroscope to detect hand-movements in front of the screen.

Basically, it means that you wouldn't necessarily have to touch the screen to interact with the smartphone. Instead, you'd be able to manipulate 3D shapes that would appear to hover outside of the phone.

While it's incredibly unlikely to make it into any iPad 3 or iPhone 5 device, it's a tantalising glimpse at what Apple are considering for iOS updates in the future. Let's hope the hardware needed to make these designs a reality land sooner rather than later!

Via: Patently Apple

I worry about dropping my iPad from about waist height, so I'd have had a heart attack watching the makers of the G-Form Extreme iPad 2 Sleeve drop their Apple tablet from OUTER SPACE.

It's all been done to prove that their G-Form Extreme iPad 2 Sleeve is really as rugged as it sounds. Strapping an iPad 2, nestled snugly in the case, to a weather balloon with a camera also attached, it rises to above 100,000 feet before plummeting towards the Nevada desert, hitting the ground.

AND SURVIVING THE FALL.

Is it the real deal? Is it fake? It's hard to tell. The case is made of a composite blend of PORON XRD and utilises Reactive Protection Technology to keep the iPad safe, which sounds so full of BS that it might actually be true that it can protect the tablet from such a fall.

Either way, the iPad was lucky not to land with the screen facing down onto all those jagged rocks, as that would certainly have smashed it.

If the video has done enough to impress you, you can pre-order one of the G-Form Extreme iPad 2 sleeves from Firebox now, priced £69.99.

Did you annoyingly pick up an iPod/iPhone dock recently, only later to realise it didn't have Apple's AirPlay wireless streaming technology onboard? Not to worry; Griffin have just unveiled their new Twenty add-on, which adds AirPlay functionality to practically any old speaker system.

The Griffin Twenty makes use of an Apple Airport Express to decode and deliver the wireless AirPlay streaming code, pushing out lossless, amplified sound through whichever speakers you connect to it.

Suitable for use with 2.1 channel sound systems, capable of 20W output per channel and hooking up an active subwoofer with automatic active crossover of 80Hz, the Twenty packs a port on which to mount the AirPort Express too.

Connecting your speakers via the AirPort Express, you can use either S/PIDF optical output with the included fiber optic cable, or spring-loaded right and left channel connectors. Subwoofers can be hooked up over an RCA connection.

No pricing news available yet, but Griffin say the Twenty will hit the UK very soon.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Have you been outside today, British Tech Digest readers??? It's like walking down Hurricane Alley with a parachute trailing behind you!

To help you better battle the elements, we've put together this handy little list of apps that make braving the freak weather a little easier.

Main Image © David Killock - Flickr

The long-awaited Apple TV seemed a dead-cert to make an appearance at some point in 2012, rumoured to be putting iOS and it's famous App Store front and centre in the living room. However, a new report from USA Today puts a substantial hurdle in the way of the project, as they claim the Cupertino tech firm are struggling to secure valuable TV rights.

Calling it a "major roadblock", US Today believe it puts the whole device in jeopardy, with consumers potentially seeing no reason to stump up the cash for TV apps were they not easily able to access the shows they wanted to.

Though Apple are still thought to be sourcing panels for the eventual displays, head designer Jonathan Ive is said to already have a working prototype in his office.

"Apple is said to be looking at a 42-inch or larger LCD TV with built-in Wi-Fi. Inside the locked-down studio of Jonathan Ive, senior vice president of industrial design at Apple, there's a slick 50-inch TV, according to the source who worked at Apple," reads the report.

So far we've only heard word of Apple TVs up to about the 37 inch size, meaning the company could be hoping to go really high-end with a 50 inch set.

Yesterday we brought you news that Apple, alongside Google, were looking to secure the rights for Premier League Football coverage for their Apple TV sets.

Apple and Google are each expected to be planning to buy the rights to Premier League football coverage in the UK, taking on the might of broadcasters like Sky and ESPN for the priviledge.

According to the Daily Mail, Apple will be looking to boost their rumoured Apple TV revamp and iPad live offerings with the footie coverage, as will Google be looking to bring more attention to their Google TV platform when it launches in the UK later this year.

"The involvement of Apple - and their great multimedia rivals Google are also expected to make similar soundings - would give the PL a hugely competitive market at a time when the price of other TV sports rights are in decline," reads the Daily Mail's report.

In the US Apple already has deals in place with the NHL, MLB and NBA, (with HD coverage and season tickets available) but in the UK its sports coverage is more than a little lacking. Premier League football would be a great boon to their catalogue, especially if the Apple HDTV finally is launched this year.

Sky currently hold the majority of Premier League coverage rights in the UK, picking up 5 of the available 6 package for a gigantic £1.6 billion. ESPN have the remaining package, thought to have cost around £90 million.

Quick out of the 2012 starting blocks, Apple are rumoured to be planning a media event for late in the month of January, to be held in New York.

Before you get your hopes up for an iPad 3 or revamped Apple TV however, it seems that this event will be reserved for announcements concerning digital publishing and advertising across the iOS devices.

In other words, more interactive publishing content, improved delivery methods and finely tuned advertising techniques will be likely hitting your iPads, iPods and iPhones in the near future.

Apple's Eddy Cue, SVP of Internet Software and Services, is thought to be helming the event, further suggesting a focus on iTunes, the App Store and the iCloud service than on new hardware.

Last year Cue was on hand to reveal The Daily digital newspaper from News Corporation, so expect similar announcements when the event kicks off.

Via: All Things D