So Wired.com broke a story about the possible new specs for the Next-Gen iPhone. Apparently its a source closely connected to Apple’s hardware team… I wonder why this person is getting this information from someone within the hardware team?

Apparently the launch date is the 17th July according to this source who told iPhone fan blog Apple iPhone Apps – this is sounding more and more dodge to me, maybe we all should just stop speculating and wait for Apple to make the announcement. They usually don’t disappoint when they make these announcements.

Anyway, here are the specs according to this source:

* 32GB and 16GB storage (up from the current 16GB and 8GB models)
* $199 and $299 price points to be maintained
* 3.2-megapixel camera (up from the current 2-megapixel camera)
* Video-recording and editing capabilities
* Ability to send a picture & video via MMS
* Discontinuation of the metal band surrounding the edge of the device
* OLED screen
* 1.5 times the battery life of the current models
* Double the RAM and processing power
* Built-in FM transmitter
* Apple logo on back will glow
* Rubber-tread backing
* Sleeker design
* Built-in compass
* The camera, GPS, compass and Google map combined will identify photo and inform about photo locations
* Turn-by-turn directions

According to Wired.com these are small upgrades, not sure what they were expecting – I think the built in FM Transmitter is awesome! Just think you won’t have to plug in that bulky iTrip anymore and all those car manufacturers who were building iPhone connectors will only have to build a recharger into their cars now!

Currently I’ve had the same Nokia 6280 for a long long time now, almost 2 and a 1/2 years I think and the reason in the delay in getting a new one is because of my new baby I’m trying to release to the world – AllThingsMobile.co.za a site that compares cellphone contracts and broadband prices from South African providers.

Currently I’ve always followed the hype about the iPhone and the massive amount of Applications available to download from its App Center but I’ve always been unsure.

This iPhone is a phone that came out a long time ago, granted the iPhone 3G is a bit newer but still it only has a 2MP camera – my dam brick of Nokia has that. When ever I get a new phone I always wonder about what my next phone will be like and what cool features it will have, I don’t want to move sideways… though moving from a Nokia 6280 to an iPhone is not quite sideways.

Mean while Nokia released the 5800 XpressMusic at the beginning of this year I think and boomed with over a million orders for in the UK pretty quickly, the key for me with this phone is that its a lot cheaper than the iPhone with very similar features

I was going to go with the iPhone but then back in March the 8GB version ran out after the prices had dropped drastically on it… good news its now back in stock if you want it. In the mean time the Nokia 5800 has launched and is currently the most popular phone on AllThingsMobile which must mean something if thats what everyone is looking for.

The Nokia 5800 has 8GB of memory which matches the 8GB iPhone and also this year Nokia has released the Ovi store which is Nokia’s own little App Store. I think with the amount of Nokia users in the world there are going to be some pretty nifty apps soon, maybe I should start developing some apps and make some quick cash – who said you couldn’t make quick cash anyway!

This is the question Microsoft posed in their latest ad promoting their PC’s. They got a waitress and told her if she can find the laptop she wants under $1000 they’ll buy it for her – she goes shopping, take a look.

Video: Laptop Hunters $1000 – Lauren Gets an HP Pavilion

For me I’ll definitely be getting a new Windows laptop when Windows 7 comes out and the closest I’ll come to a MAC is possibly getting an iPhone.

Facebook, just the word is been used everything to suddenly make everything online hip and cool or at least that is what the big corporates are thinking as they slowly wake up to the Web 2.0 social scene.

And in order to appear that they are with it they are starting to try make everything work with Facebook and especially with your mobile phone. Apparently Nokia and Facebook are in heavy talks with creating more interactivity between Nokia users and Facebook.

Nokia has to face the decision to we try use our vast user base and create our own social network or do we jump on board with Facebook?

I certainly don’t think they should create another new social network and that they should use Facebook like Apple and Blackberry are doing. Soon when going through your contacts on your phone you’ll be able to see who is online etc. and start a chat with them – I like that idea.

BUT and for me this is a big BUT:

Is Facebook going to be the new Microsoft?

And this question is with reference to how Microsoft was so ‘cool’ back in the early nineties and started to bundle everything together and eventually got slapped with law suits and paid millions and millions in fines.

If I was from My Space or Orkut I would be upset and cry FOWL when all these cellphones start coming out working so closely with Facebook. This time it won’t be Facebook/Microsoft that could get fined but rather the cellular companies like Nokia and Apple.

If they don’t give their users the option of selecting which Social Engine they would like to connect to when using their phone it could be seen as creating a monopoly for Facebook. If I was Facebook I would be pushing hard to strike up these deals with the phone companies as fast as possible.

They way its going it certainly looks like it… I wonder where the common sense is in these big corporations when they just don’t get together and launch one common App store? Do they really think that developers will create and maintain Apps for each different store – what a nightmare!

So far the following have or are indicating that they will launch an App store soon:

The Apple App marketplace which was the first I reckon

Blackberry is releasing one soon

Nokia has mentioned one (though a bit quiet on it at the mo)

Google’s android market

Palm with their App Catalog

Samsung

The one problem with Samsung’s App store is that they don’t control the platform it will be launched on like Apple, Google, RIM and Palm. So in the near future everything could be a big messy market.

I just received a text on my phone with the following text:

I keep you entertained! I keep u informed! Surf! I react to your touch! Join us from 9pm tonight 25 Sept at Vodaworld. I make my appearance @ midnight!

For those of us lucky enough to be in Cape Town we won’t be able to attend… Is Vodacom trying to be like Apple and have some hype and ‘fans’ avidly waiting for it to arrive?

We’ll soon see how succussful their launch of the Apple iPhone is…