In the market for a new case for the brand new iPhone 4S that you just pick up today? A fan of all things Jack White? If so, Griffin and Third Man records have teamed up to put a vinyl spin on your next Apple-friendly smartphone case. The pair has introduced a set of accessories that make use of a legit 7-inch record die-cut to protect the back of your mobile device, blending analog and digital without making a sound. Each case is comprised of a two-part frame that wraps those precious edges — with openings for controls and jacks, of course — and a piece of genuine vinyl, pressed right in Nashville. You’ll have your choice of three color variants that come with a Third Man-branded vinyl. If that’s not enough, you can spring for a set of three inserts, one from each of Mr. White’s musical projects. Protip: If you happen to opt for the extras and snag The Racounteur’s insert, this collaboration marks the first pressing of “Steady, As She Goes.” Each case is $30 and the set of extra inserts will set you back another Jackson.

Did you want in on iOS 5′s hidden panorama feature, but weren’t down with the whole jailbreak shindig? You’re in luck, because RedmondPie found a roundabout solution. All interested parties need is an iTunes backup, a little elbow grease and a program called iBackupBot. That last item will allow you to bust open your device backup, where you’ll find a preference file that needs an “EnableFirebreak” value changed from “false” to “true.” Once that’s done, a quick restore is all that stands between you and some epic panoramic vistas, bro. A full step-by-step guide awaits you at the source, just triple check that backup’s recent before you obliterate and restore, okay?

SOURCE via Redmondpie

Anecdotal reports have been pouring in since iOS 5 landed that battery life had suddenly dropped off on some people’s iPhones. A full 15-percent of you who responded to our poll reported suffering from the issue. Now Apple has officially confirmed that several bugs are negatively affecting battery life. In a statement given to All Things D the Cupertino company acknowledged the problem and said it would “release a software update to address those [bugs] in a few weeks.” In recent days the complaints in both the Apple forums and our own tips box have reached a deafening volume but, sadly, Apple isn’t offering any temporary work arounds or advice for those constantly attached to a charger.

SOURCE via All Things D

The Bluetooth 4.0 specification may have been finalized in July of last year, but smartphones supporting the standard are just starting to hit the market. In fact, the first such handset is the iPhone 4S. That the 4S is the first to deliver its 4.0 wares to the American public is something that got lost in the entire hubbub surrounding its launch. One of the biggest selling points of the latest version of the PAN standard is its low-power mode, though that won’t have much of an impact on Apple’s device. What it will enable the latest iGadget to do however, is act as a hub — collecting data from multiple sensors and accessories simultaneously, such as heart rate monitors and cats. Don’t expect this to be alone on the market for long though, as other manufacturers will most certainly be squeezing support for the specification into their next flagship device.

Mark your calendars, boys and girls. Scott Forstall gave a hard date for iOS 5′s arrival during the iPhone event: expect it to hit next week, on October 12th, with Apple’s iCloud service launching that same day. Though developers have been playing with it for four months now, this will be the first time the general, non-tinkering public gets to taste its 200-plus new features — a list that includes Newsstand, Reminders, iMessage, WiFi sync, Find My Friends, split keyboards, AirPlay mirroring for the iPad 2 (and iPhone 4S!) and the Notification Center. (And, you know, greeting cards, if you’re into that sort of thing.) iOS 5 will be free for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches, while iCloud’s standard 5GB of email / storage will come gratis to folks already using iOS 5 and Lion. Take note that if it’s iTunes Match you’re after (and you live in the states), you’ll have to sit tight a few more weeks yet.

Every retailers involved are preparing themselves for the massive sales that will hit them once Apple announce their new iPhone(s), and it seemed that in US, almost all carriers will have the new iPhone in their lineup, unlike last year’s launch where we see only AT&T had the iPhone 4 (followed few months later by Verizon).

If this screenshot, apparently culled from Radio Shack’s inventory system, is any indication, Sprint will indeed be among the carriers offering the iPhone 5. That lines up just right with previous reports from Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal, slating the phone to hit the Now Network in mid-October. There’s no indication of actual dates at this point, but if Sprint’s getting Apple’s next-gen iPhone, we’re guessing we’ll hear more about it on Tuesday.

SOURCE via 9to5mac

The truth about Apple’s next generation will be unveiled in less than 48 hours, but that’s not stopping the speculation train from churning out its last steam to its final destination. Here’s a screenshot of Apple’s iPhone 4 placeholder at the website of Cincinnati Bell’s pre-paid service, i-Wireless, accompanied by a $639.99 price tag and a handful of specs: 32GB, 4-inch screen and 4G data speeds. Our friends over at TUAW have also procured a screenshot (after the break) from the same site, displaying a $99.99 16GB iPhone 4S, sporting a 5MP camera, 3.5-inch screen and an A5 processor. Of course, there’s also a chance these are just placeholders, but we’re hoping Tuesday’s announcement will bear dual fruits, nonetheless.

SOURCE via TUAW

Indeed, a red curtain that seemed to be covering a cage that contains a white parrot, or is it a white phone with a logo that resembles a fruit? Frankly speaking, the tagline “End the rumors” is strong enough to conclude that this would most probably be the launching of Apple’s next iPhone, but who knows; maybe it’ll be exactly the opposite, something from the opposite camp?

SOURCE via Vodafone

Earlier this year, Verizon CEO Dan Mead all but confirmed that an LTE Apple device would be making its way to Verizon. Eventually. And no 2011 Apple rumor spattering would be complete without at least a casual mention of the high-speed 4G network. Now, BGR claims to have received an internal iOS test build from a major carrier, revealing a property list file for LTE. This of course doesn’t guarantee that Apple will be shipping an LTE iPhone flavour later this year, but that it at least remains a possibility. Still, an October iPhone launch would fall nicely in line with recent confirmation that AT&T will be releasing an LTE smartphone in “late 2011,” and 4G compatibility could definitely explain Cupertino’s holdup in announcing the iPhone 4′s successor. So, will you be flying through the wireless web at lightning-fast speed later this year? Hopefully we need not wait much longer to find out.

SOURCE via BGR

We’ve had enough rumors of the next iPhone, be it iPhone 4G, iPhone 4S, or even iPhone 5 or 6, what we need is a stronger reference to the launch date, and it seemed that we’re granted another one.

Beginning August 22nd, Telefonica will begin scaling back its current iPhone stock through September 12th. According to Engadget, this three week program is a move that “will of course prepare us for the launch of a new smart phone.” While the date next month should sound familiar, we’ve heard recently that the launch will actually take place sometime in October.

Either way, a move like this is usually a telling sign that points directly to a new model launch. Keep your eyes pinned here, and prepare yourself, as it appears Mr. Jobs may have something planned for the fall.

SOURCE via Engadget