Let’s do.  As usual, I put what I wish/think will be released.  There are new rumors coming out every day flip-flopping back and forth on what is going to be released.

The iPhone 4S/5, and what I wish and/or think it will have:

• Larger screen - I am fine with the 3.5 inch screen of the current phones, but there are many who would like for Apple to bump the size up to 4 inches.  If they do this, I think they might keep the same 960 x 640 screen dimensions.  Those dimensions have yet to be topped by any phone in the US.  Only just now are some Korean phones, in Korea, being released with 1280 x 720 screens.  I’m not sure how they would be able to keep the “Retina” name, but they could surprise us with a different screen size.  Many supposed iPhone 4S/5 cases have been shown to be larger than the iPhone 4.
• Different form factor – There have been 3 different form factors for the 4 different iPhone’s.  I think this phone will be more in line with Apple’s two other mobile offerings, and have curves like the iPod Touch and iPad 2.  Like the larger screen shown on supposed iPhone 4S/5 cases, curves are another thing they are showing.
• HSDPA+ – I don’t think it gets the full LTE treatment this time around.  LTE technology is still too young and it is not in enough places for them to warrant putting it in the newest iPhone.  Remember back to when the iPhone first came out.  It was only on Edge, not on 3G even though other companies were jumping onto the 3G wagon.  This will still be the 21 Mbit/s variety, so it will be faster than the current 7.2 Mbit/s, but still not full 4G on LTE.
• Camera upgrades – Sony’s CEO talked about their 8MP optics being used for a future iPhone months ago.  The 5MP camera in the iPhone 4 was a drastic upgrade from the 3G and 3GS.  This along with the increased speed (see below) will allow it to record 1080p video.
• Increased speed – This was an easy one.  The iPad 2 is a speedy device with it’s dual-core A5 chip.  This chip will feel even speedier on such a little device.
• Increased RAM – The iPad 2 has 512MB of RAM and does not ever feel like it’s lacking.  They could continue with just 512MB or RAM, or they could increase it to 768MB or 1GB just because RAM prices are so low.
• Longer battery life – Rarely does an Apple device come out and it not have better battery life.  The battery on the iPhone 4 is leaps and bounds better than the 3G and 3GS.  If the screen is larger and it is running a dual-core processor, a bump in battery size might be needed to keep things the same or improve.
• iPod Nano communication – This is more a wish, but how cool would it be if there was low-level Bluetooth connection with that iPod Nano you are wearing as a watch.  You get a call on your new iPhone 4S/5 and you look down at your watch to see who’s calling.  Just press ignore on your watch, and you don’t even need to get it out of your pocket.  Get a text during a meeting?  Take a glance at your watch to see if it is worth pulling your phone out of your pocket to answer.  The iPod Nano would sky rocket in popularity as a watch, and we would be one step closer to the world Dick Tracy imagined!
• Welcome Sprint – This has been rumored for years.  I think this is the time that they finally get it.  I was with Sprint for 7 years and left because of the iPhone.  I wish them nothing but the best, and hope they keep the unlimited data plans.  I think many people would move just because of that.

One more thing…

I believe Apple will release or announce two phones today.  The iPhone 4S/5, and an iPhone 4 that is modified and/or neutered.  The iPhone 4 will be the phone that will compete with all the Android phones that are on the medium to lower end.  This will allow Apple to compete in the high end market and in the mid-to-low end market.  Because of economies of scale, the modified iPhone 4 will be able to be very cheap or free with a 2-year agreement.  Apple is interested in getting people hooked on the iOS platform and start pulling in money from the App Store, iBook Store, and Music from iTunes.

All or none of the things above could come to fruition.  They would still sell tens of millions of iPhones.  The competition is increasing.  Google’s Android and Windows Phone would love to be your platform of choice.  I’ve said this before, but I love competition.  Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the ride.

What do you hope to see in the next iPhone?

So March 2nd is the day we will all find out about the iPad 2.  Since the iPad was such a commercial success, there has been much hype and anticipation for the 2nd generation iPad.  There have been many rumors flying around and many people voicing their opinion about what features it should and shouldn’t have.

I still believe they have a demanding lead as far as brand recognition, ease of use, a low entry barrier, and so forth.  The iPad was the device that created a new computing/gadget segment.  I think this is why Apple will be taking a more evolutionary approach to iPad 2.  There are certain things I would like to see in an iPad.  I am not expecting these will make it to production on this generation of iPad, but I do hope to see this from Apple’s iPad 2:

• Retina Display – Apple made such a big deal about this with the iPhone 4 and spoiled all of us.  We expect this to be in all of it’s flagship products.  There have been multiple articles online saying this will not happen in this iPad, but it will in the next iPad.
• Front and back camera – This is pretty much a given.  Even the lowly iPod Touch has these features.  Again, Apple made a big deal about FaceTime with the iPhone 4, iPod Touch, and the iMac’s and Macbook’s just received the non-beta version of Facetime, that not having front and back camera’s would be a deal breaker for some.
• Increased speed –  Another given.  Rumor has it the A5 chip is ready to go in the iPad and that it is much faster than the A4 that is in the current iPad and iPhone.  The A5 will be shared with the iPhone 5 and the next version of AppleTV.
• Increased RAM – This is also a given this will happen.  The iPhone 4 has 512MB of RAM which makes the much larger iPad seem anemic with only 256MB.
• iOS/OSX OS Hybrid – This would be for people who want more control of the files that are on their iPad.  This would be something for the power users.  I don’t think this will be released in this iPad, but possibly the next as Android’s Honeycomb and HP’s WebOS offer more and more of this.
• Lighter – Many people complained about the weight while using the iPad for extended amounts of time.  Amazon’s Kindle spoiled everyone with it’s lightweight reading.  Since Apple is still trying to push the iPad as a replacement for print media, they will be working to put the iPad on a quick weight loss plan.
• Longer battery life – Rarely does an Apple product come out without it having a longer battery life.  Mark this as a given.

Apple could choose one or two of the items above and sell tens of millions of iPad 2′s.  However, the tablet competition is quickly approaching a point where it will be on par with the iPad’s quality, and perhaps offer more flexibility.  Only time will tell if any company can knock off the tablet leader, but one thing is for sure, as a consumer I love competition!  Let the games begin.

All WWDC events draw attention, but this seems like one of the more anticipated ones recently.  Of course everyone is excited to hear about the latest iPhone, but what else will be released and what else will surprise us.

iPhone

We all know a new one is coming.  I’ve seen every angle of this phone inside and out, thanks to Gizmodo and a Vietnamese person. Since we know it is coming out, here is what I would like it to have.  Anything less than this, and it would be a disappointment in my eyes.

• Two words: A4.
• OLED Screen with higher resolution.  AMOLED would be a plus.
• 8MP camera with a flash.  This is not to be confused with Adobe’s Flash.
• 720P video recording.  1080i or 1080p would be a plus.
• Upgraded GPS sensor.

Bonus want:

• 4G

The iPhone used to be a marvel each time it came out.  There was nothing that was close to it.  Those times have changed.  The stats above are for the most part the stats of the HTC EVO 4G.  This is a phone that was just released, but is currently and arguably the fastest and most advanced phone on the market today.  Will Steve allow the EVO 4G to stay the current beast, or will Apple surprise us and build a phone that will even trump those stats?

Multitouch Trackpad

This has been a late breaking story from Engadget.  It will be interesting to see what all this can be used for.  This could have been the one last thing that has been missing for a few years.  It probably won’t be, but I want to see what all this is capable of.

iTunes/ iTunes Subscription

This seems likely given the recent lala.com purchase and shutdown, but this would be a great bonus for everyone.  I am also hoping that iTunes will be rewritten in Cocoa to make it faster.  It seems like iTunes has transformed into a beast of a software and could use a 64-bit code refresh.

AppleTV

If the rumors are true, this would be a wonderful gift to myself at the LL Cool C casa (that is Spanish for “house”).  If it is only $99, does 1080p, and you can store things elsewhere, this sounds like it would be an immediate winner.  There is another small box called the Roku that does tons of video things like that, so it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility.

There are so many things that can be speculated about today’s WWDC and I’m sure there will be many write ups about what was good and bad about it, but one thing is for sure, I will be glued to my computer come 12pm CST.

When Steve Jobs was first showing off the iPad I wanted a little more. I knew he was going to get to the end and show us something that would blow us away and make us want to start camping out for 60 days until it came out. But it never happened. I came away less than impressed based upon what I wanted it to be.

Having the chance now to step back and re-evaluate all of what the iPad is and isn’t, I see that the iPad was not meant for me. It wasn’t even meant for you. It’s meant for the person you know who is scared of computers. It’s made for my grandparents who have a Quad-Core computer with 6GB of RAM to send emails, and most of them are spam forwards. It’s made for the person who has a computer just so they can get on Facebook, send email, and browse the internet.

They don’t need shell access. They don’t need to edit videos. Heck, they don’t even need to manipulate the photos they get because Flickr does this for them.

This is also for the person that are scared of a full blown iMac. They don’t know OSX and heard that it is very different from the Windows PC they know. This helps bridge the gap. Although this was looked at as the middle pillar for Apple between the iPhone and the iMac, this could be the entry “computer” that people need in order to make the next step. Apple says, “Oh, you like how easy the iPad makes things? Do you know it is running the same operating system as the iPhone?” Or they might say, “You say you like what the iPad does, but you need to edit videos? The iMac is just as easy to get up and running.”

This is just the first generation iPad. When has any Apple product done everything you wanted it to on the first iteration? Yeah, I can’t think of one either. It’s easier to accept the iPad as what it is if you remember that the iPad is not for you. It’s for the person you know that uses a computer for email and web surfing.

You’ve got that fingerprinted shiny new iPhone 3G and you are all ready to do everything “Twice as Fast,” except that you are stuck trying to activate it.  So now your phone is doing nothing as you wait around.  Here are some things to do with it while you are waiting.

1. Use it as a see-saw for your fingers.
2. Polish the back to get the fingerprints off.
3. Check out the new app store on your original iPhone you gave to your wife.  Oh wait, it is bricked too.
4. Talk to someone in person.  I know, weird huh?
5. Tell your friends that despite what they have witness so far, it is an awesome phone and worth the wait.
6. Listen to music on your 3rd Generation (3G) iPod.
7. Write a blog post about how mad you are about your iPhone 3G not activating.
8. Polish the back to get the fingerprints off.
9. Ask someone with a Samsung Instinct for directions using their GPS.
10. Read reviews of how awesome it is on your computer.

I am all for the 3G iPhone.  I’m getting one right when they come out, but did you want something more like I did?  Is it because I was fed so many “official” specs and so many spyshots on various sites that I “knew” what was coming out?  The things that I knew because of all of the “official” info was 3G and GPS.  After that I thought anything else would be icing on the cake.  Don’t get me wrong the improved battery life and the new apps that were demoed, especially games, got me excited, but nothing like another feature that I didn’t expect.

Recording video on the camera would have been nice.  Cut and paste would have been a much needed and expected feature.  More storage would have helped with the increasing media needs, but the one feature that would have been worthy of the “one more thing” Jobism would be Video conferencing.  Just think over a newly minted 3G iPhone talking to your peeps like they were there in front of you, well if your friends were 3.5 inches tall.  This would have been a killer app for the iPhone.

Am I expecting too much?  Possibly so, but with so many information leaks about the features that it already had, the video conferencing would have truly made my day.  What other features were you expecting or wanting?

For many an Apple fan, tomorrow is a national holiday. Tomorrow is the beginning of the Apple World Wide Developer Conference, WWDC and Steve Jobs is the headlining speaker. What is so special about this conference you say? Well this one is special because the iPhone SDK will be shown and everyone is speculating a 3G version of the iPhone will be coming out. I’m going to make some predictions as well just so I can fit in with everyone else.

1. The 3G iPhone will be announced with GPS and other goodies.  It would almost be more surprising if it is not announced.
2. A smaller version of the iPhone will be announced.  I still think it will have a touch screen and many other goodies, but I don’t think it will have all of the goodies of the 3G iPhone.

I also think that other things will be announced, but I think the smaller iPhone version is what everyone will be excited about because it will compete head on with Nokia, Sony and Motorola.  I don’t have the iPhone yet, but I am looking forward to this new version.  I used to be a lot cooler before the iPhone came out.  When I didn’t get it, I lost major cool points.  Anyone else taking off time to follow the coverage?