Apart from the manufacturing details of the latest XBOX 720 which is touted to become Microsoft’s next-gen console, the Redmond company is also rumored to be building a brand new gaming experience called the XBOX Surface. This is, in essence a stripped down Windows 8 tablet sized into a 7-inch housing for touch enabled gaming. This move makes a lot of sense and seems more to be the real deal rather than vaporware. Windows 8 already supports XBOX heavily as music, video and Gamertags are already synced up with the tablets.
I believe Microsoft is building an even more portable and dedicated gaming experience as they currently do not have a formidable portable gaming ecosystem that ties to their console hardware unlike their competitor Sony that has the PS Vita and PS3 cross-compatibility.
More than the news about the coming iPhone 5 (which should be completely redesigned to support a bigger 4.3″ screen), I’m more interested in two Apple rumors namely the iPad 3 allegedly going to be released the day before Steve Jobs’ birthday on the 24th of February 2012 and the Siri app being ported as a wearable device to communicate with your iDevices. So for those asking about the mythical 3rd iPad, Q1 is the safe bet and yeah it’s actually due for a refresh. Some of my predictions would include:
– full screen “natural” 16:9 viewing (with sides of the app leaving space for thumbs in App view)
– virtual middle button
– Siri integration
– better camera
There’s rumor of an “iPad mini” going round as well and in its current vaporware form should be something like the Samsung Galaxy Note. If more of these configs get introduced there is no doubt Apple may bump iCloud storage up for free. Well, they’re rumors. So whatev.
Then there’s Siri. More than being a piece of software embedded in a phone or tablet, the iRumor is that it’s going full blown wearable hardware albeit more elegant than those Bluetooth headsets people wear on their ears. Maybe watches. Maybe. But then again, I’d be more excited to see Siri support more locations as its pretty limited in geo-services in the Philippines.
A third rumor, though not happening anytime in 2012 is the switch to hydrogen cells for powering the iPhone and iPad. This will enable iDevices to run for weeks on a single charge. It’s no secret that battery technology is one of the most archaic in today’s age as lithium ion is a really a thing of the past. Smartphones need that added power to stay alive and li-ion just doesn’t cut it anymore. The move to more efficient power was supposed to be through a sweet little item called Graphene but it looks like Apple is going through a completely different direction. Again, rumors.
