iPhone 5 Update

We recently posted a leaked picture of an iPhone 5 backplate, but upon closer inspection we have concluded that there (Potentially) is already a working iPhone 5 model based on the reflection off the backplate. Take a look and see for yourself. (Click image to enlarge)

[image via iFans]

iPhone 5 Backplate Pictures Surface

This comes by way of Chinese site tw.apple.pro, which has actually a decent track record in recent Apple product releases (they leaked parts of the iPad 2). This photo supposedly shows a white iPhone 5′s backplate with even more evidence of the separation of the camera and the flash components.

The page is in Chinese, so you’ll have to use Google Translate to read it (unless, that is, you speak it). Apparently, this component was from the Beijing Fengtai district.

[via iFans]

[tw.apple.pro]

iPod Nano with camera pictures leaked

Next in the long line of iPod leaks is the next generation iPod Nano, which seems to be receiving that which was taken from it in the previous update: a camera!

The tiny touchscreen MP3 player will also be going clipless, which might take away some of the value for the more active music aficionados out there. This leak comes courtesy of www.apple.pro, which gave us another photo of the next generation iPod Nano last month. However, due to the proximity to April Fools’, the photo was disregarded. 

[apple.pro via iPTF]

Note: The apple.pro website is written in Chinese so translation may be required.

UPDATE: Microsoft to buy Skype for 7+ Billion

The rumors are true, Microsoft is purchasing Skype for a whopping 8.5 billion US dollars. Microsoft states that the iOS and Mac Skype clients will continue to be updated and supported as usual. Microsoft has made no comments on what they're actually planning, though.

Google Music Beta

Google has released their cloud-based music service for Android dubbed "Google Music". Google Music is very similar to Amazon's Cloud Player in that users can upload their media to Google using Google's music managing sync application. (Which is able to connect to your iTunes libraries) Once uploaded, music can be listened to over the air via Google's webapp or an Android device, this is convenient (Especially for older Android devices with little internal storage) because no local storage is required; all your music will be held on Google's servers. Fortunately, Google's music player stores cached copies of recent songs in the even that you lose your connection while listening to your music. Another great feature is that users can manually select songs and albums to be downloaded to their device for offline listening. Another cool feature is the "Instant Mix" that allows for iTunes' Genius-like music mixing.
 

Playlists are automatically synced across all platforms so no wires are needed. At the moment there is no iOS app, but Apple should be releasing their streaming service sometime soon. But with both Amazon and Google's cloud-based music services, Apple needs to get a move on it to keep up.

[Google]

Microsoft to buy Skype for 7+ Billion

Here’s an interesting move by Microsoft: the usual “people familiar with the matter” are stating that the software gargantuan is nearing a deal that would end up costing them more than 7 billion USD, but would get them one of the most ubiquitous VoIP solutions available: Skype.

Negotiations were supposedly just wrapping up on Monday, and that an official announcement could be made as early as tomorrow (Tuesday). However, the same “familiar” people cautioned that the deal could still fall through.

The Wall Street Journal sees the move as giving Microsoft a positive, stable presence in the future of the internet:

Buying Skype would give Microsoft a recognized brand name on the Internet at a time when it is struggling to get more traction in the consumer market.

With the story still developing, it seems as if an announcement could be made at any time in the near future.

Developing…

[WSJ & iPTF]

Microsoft on why Windows Phone 7's keyboard is great

Microsoft hit at least one aspect of Windows Phone 7 out of the park: the virtual keyboard. The virtual keyboard is one aspect that Apple has held since the release of the original iPhone, and Google has struggled to compete with. Even RIM, renown for their phenomenal BlackBerry keyboard, can’t build a virtual keyboard that is up to snuff. Then comes Windows Phone 7, and suddenly Apple has a competitor.

It’s no accident, as Microsoft points out in this month’s issue of R&D Magazine. The Windows Phone 7 product group and Microsoft Research team combined their talent, and implemented the principles of machine learning. It’s an interesting combination of mathematics and linguistics that helps to develop such an accurate text prediction service. Language has a pattern, and programming Windows Phone 7 to take advantage of that also helps to provide accurate predictions, sometimes even before you start typing the next word.

It’s an interesting look not only into the development of soft keyboards such as these, but also into the whole Microsoft bureaucratic scheme. Two totally different and almost unrelated departments had to come together to make the best possible product; if that hadn’t happened, there’s no telling how the keyboard would be.

via [R&D]