To the surprise of most, the current gen iPhone didn't hit the market as the best hardware in  its category.  If anything, though, Apple has made a fortune in proving that the "biggest, fastest and most powerful" hardware doesn't always make for the most compelling product.  Does the iPhone 4S continue that trend?

Physically, it's indistinguishable from its predecessor.  As such, it's smaller in dimensions and bulkier than today's crop of premium handsets.    That means, it retains the 3.5-inch display size that the iPhone has had since 2007 -- a far smaller screen than the seemingly standard 4 inches of today's high-end smartphones.  To me, that's the biggest gripe.  While the Retina Display remains stunning, so do those Super AMOLED Plus on Samsung's new phones and they're on much larger  panels, too.  Oh yeah, the design now incorporates two antennas, so even if your hands are blocking one (as with the iPhone 4), the other antenna can pick up the slack.

As a phone, the iPhone 4S makes for great calls (tests done on the Sprint network), with excellent quality and volume.  There is occasional buzzing in the background, but it's hardly noticeable.  Those on the other end reported equally good call performance.  Speakerphone is good with plenty of volume, although you'll have to stand a bit close when taking calls in loud places or the mic will struggle to pick you up clearly.  Battery is rated at up to 8 hours of talk time.

There are several notable new features in this next-gen upgrade.  One is the faster, dual-core chipset, which makes for notable bumps in speed performance compared to the iPhone 4.  Next is the 8.0 megapixel optics, which doesn't just bring sharper resolution, but pumps out noticeably better photos, too.  Overall, shots showed brighter colors, sharper focus and better performance even in low light.   And, of course, there is Siri, the electronic voice assistant that's both useful and amusing.

The 4S, of course, brings all the standard features of the previous model, from robust messaging to a wide range of connectivity options.  Bluetooth has been upgraded to 4.0, although Apple still chose to do with neither 4G nor NFC.  And there's still no HDMI port.    You can check our iOS 5 review for the phone's software-centric features.

Everything Android fanboys say about the iPhone 4S is true -- it's no longer the most drool-worthy hardware in the market.  Despite that, we doubt sales will slack and we doubt folks will feel any less satisfied using it.  The phone is available now from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, with prices starting at $199.99 for the 16GB model.

Apple finally made the new iPhone official.  Proving most of the predictions wrong, the iPhone 4S doesn't prove to be a great departure from the last generation of the handset.  Heck, it doesn't even get a new number next to the name.

The revamped handset bears what can best be described as incremental hardware upgrade to the popular iPhone 4.  While the specs bump don't sound all that impressive, the performance numbers should, making for a beefy, albeit non-flashy, upgrade all the same.

The iPhone 4S doesn't change much in the design and general feature set.  Here are the major changes, though:

• A new processor.  It upgrades to Cupertino's latest A5, the same dual-core chip delivering muscle to the iPad 2.  According to Apple, this will account for 7x faster graphics processing, speedier iOS performance and significantly enhanced results on the gaming front.
• HSPA+.  No 4G radio on the iPhone 4S, but it does support HSPA+ on AT&T's network.  Those getting it on Sprint and Verizon, however, are stuck with the same 3G speeds as the phone's previous iteration.
• World phone.  It will have both CDMA and GSM antennas, allowing frequent travelers to use their iPhone 4S anywhere in the world.
• New camera.  The new iPhone gets a beefier 8 megapixel camera, a notable upgrade from the previous version's 5 megapixel shooter.  The module comes with a backside-illuminated sensor, five Apple-designed lenses (compared to the iPhone 4's four), and full 1080p video recording.
• Siri.  One of the most heavily-rumored features during the lead-up to the announcement is Apple's new voice-activated digital assistant.  Called Siri, the software is exactly what it sounds -- a kind of voice-activated search feature that can understand human questions and pull out answers from various data sources.  Beyond search, it can do other "assistant-like" things, such as read your SMS messages.

The iPhone 4S will launch October 14 under three carriers: AT&T, Verizon and Sprint.  Price is $199.99, $299.99 and $399.99 for the 1GB, 32GB and 64GB versions, respectively.

[Apple]

A $100 credit would have been even better but AT&T wants to thanks its customers (Hmmm...I wonder f it has anything to do with Verizon getting the iPhone also) by offering no strings attached 1000 roll over minutes. Apparently this should would work not just on iPhone but other phones also.

Just text the word "Yes" to 11113020 and you should receive a reply like above within a few minutes. Let us know your experience.

Too much have been written about the Verizon iPhone, as of late, for it not to have any real significance.  A recent TechCrunch story, for instance, revealed an enormous CDMA chipset order from Apple, which only serves to further speculations about an upcoming phone. For all intents and purposes, the prospect of Verizon releasing an iPhone is sounding more and more like a guaranteed happening, rather than wishful thinking.

According to an article from tech site Dvice, a source has come forward claiming first-hand knowledge of the handset.  Not only did the person confirm the iPhone's imminent arrival on Verizon's network, it will be an entirely different device than the iPhone 4 too.

Most notably, Verizon's iPhone will sport an internal antenna, effectively ditching the signal loss issues that has plagued the last release from AT&T.  Other improvements include a faster 1.2GHz processor and a larger 3.7-inch screen.

In many ways, this "new iPhone" sounds more like wishful thinking than anything.  While a change in antenna design may be plausible, a larger screen and a faster processor both sound like a next-generation update for a device that isn't even due for a change.

One thing I know, though: if this upgraded iPhone was true, AT&T should be seething mad.

[Dvice]

Arguably the first real reboot of the platform, the iPhone 4 easily makes a case for itself as the best of the line.  However, it remains plagued by several problems.  Despite that, the beefy features, striking design and the strength of the App Store  still makes it the real smartphone to beat.

Physically, it's an all new phone.  Boasting a revamped design, it looks sleeker than all of its predecessors, despite taking on boxier lines.  One of Apple's most suspect decisions, however, is the glass panel on the back, which leaves it easier to smudge and in greater danger of actually breaking.  Judging from other user's experiences, all that glass makes for a more fragile device than the ones before it.

The big shocker here is the handset's 940 x 640 pixel display, which easily makes it sharper than any other screen in the market today. Yes, the quality easily lines up with other smartphone's AMOLED displays too.  As you're probably aware, the phone's antennas are slotted around the edge, which some have blamed for ongoing reception problems (aside from the bane that is AT&T, of course).

As a phone, the iPhone 4's call quality is actually pretty good, provided the signal is strong. In that situation, voices sound sharp, natural and sufficiently loud - it sits right up there with the best of them.  It seems to turn up more spotty areas compared to the 3GS, though.  Speakerphone is the same - it's good, provided the signal is good.  Battery performance seems improved from previous generations.  If you're a moderate user, expect to go up to a day and a half (or more) before recharging.

Feature-heavy, it makes the 3GS look lacking when it comes to new capabilities.  We'll just rattle off our favorites to give you an idea:

• Multitasking
• Unified inbox
• Front-facing camera for video calls
• Persistent WiFi (it will stay connected even in standby mode)
• Home screen folders
• Three-axis gyroscope for gaming
• Tethering (extra $20, but worth it)

All the previous version's best features are here too, so you get the same robust functionalities as before.  Running on a 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM, performance is easily faster than older generations too.

The camera has been bumped up to 5 megapixels (with 720p video recording), complete with flash and digital zoom.  Both photo and video quality are exceptional, with almost zero shutter lag.   Simply put, the camera is a truly solid feature, producing better results than even some of the higher-resolution camera phones around.

Overall, the iPhone 4 squarely places itself as one of the most compelling offerings on the market, especially given the continued growth of the App Store.  While the antenna issues and AT&T's woes continue to be a source of worry, it remains arguably the best player on the block.

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Apple unveiled details of its next-gen iPhone OS yesterday and, as expected, it definitely shook some boots.  The new operating system, released to developers this week and scheduled for public use in the Summer (for the iPhone and iPod Touch, with the iPad getting it in the Fall), draws a hefty list of new features. Here's a rundown:

Multi-tasking. Yep, the one feature everyone's been whining about forever. Not only will the iPhone (and, consequently, the iPad) get multi-tasking, Steve Jobs claims they're "going to be the best" at it. He adds, “It’s really easy to implement multitasking in a way that drains battery life...We’ve figured out how to implement multitasking of third-party apps and avoid those things.”

The feature will be handled using a simple task switcher, available via a double click on the home button. Once the list of running apps is displayed, you simply select one and switch to it. They're putting a limit, though, restricting it to apps that actually do need to run in the background, such as audio streaming, VoIP and GPS.

Freezing apps. What about all the other apps that aren't allowed to multi-task? You don't have to close them either. Instead, you can toss them to the background in frozen state, so that you can switch later at exactly the same point you left off.

Local notifications. Apps can now send notifications directly among each other, eliminating the extra work of having to go to a remote server, such that if the GPS app in the background needs to be attended to, it will notify you through whatever app is running in the foreground. Very smart.

New Mail app. Barely changed from the first generation, Mail is getting a makeover, to the tune of unified inboxes, multiple Exchange accounts, threaded messages and more.

Folders. Yes, you can now group apps in folders, instead of cluttering your homescreen needlessly.

Those don't even cover all the major changes. Other notable updates for the coming version include iBooks for the iPhone and iPod Touch, Game Center (an Xbox Live-style multiplayer network), iAd (Apple's own mobile advertising network), enhanced enterprise features (VPN support and better encryption, among others) and literally hundreds more.

Capcom's amazingly popular fighting game, Street Fighter IV, has made its long-awaited iPhone debut. To every button masher's joy, the game didn't disappoint, turning out an exciting beat-em-up that's bound to subject your poor handset's touchscreen to relentless abuse.

Graphically, the game has more in common with older versions of the franchise, rather than the 3D Street Fighter IV you will find on current-gen home consoles. They're not bad, far from it. In fact, this is one of the most attractive-looking fighting games I've seen on a mobile platform to date, even on an iPhone 3G (where I played it).

How about the buttons? Surprisingly enough, they work well. There will likely be some getting used to, especially if you're a hardcore player, but it's not as bad as I originally imagined. In fact, I was pulling off mildly difficult combos in well under 30 minutes - a feat considering everyone I know kicks my ass on SF4. You get an onscreen joystick for movements, plus four buttons - punch, kick, special move and charge. Yes, Capcom decided to leave out the low and medium strikes, which sucks a little. Regardless, there's still plenty here to waste entire days on (not hours, but days).

The special move button, by the way, is kind of a cheat, but you can turn it off in the preferences, as well as rearrange the button placements if you so wish. You also get "revenge" and "super" meters that charge as you get beat up or pile on the hurt, respectively. Once either is full, you can simply touch them to perform a special attack. The ease by which you can do that is a bit of a turn-off, but it's a minor annoyance on what's an otherwise excellent implementation.

You can play as one of eight familiar characters in seven different environments. Game modes include Tournament (where you fight multiple matches), Dojo (a training mode for your character), Free-Sparring (for testing out an opponent), Training Room (where you can practice your combos) and Versus (against a human opponent over Bluetooth).

If I had any real complaints, it would be the common iPhone problem of my fingers getting in the way of the action. It can get irritating, especially for a fast-paced horizontal game such as Street Fighter 4. While I do think the price is a bit steep at $9.99, it is one of the greatest action games of all time on your iPhone, so that should count for something.

Does your kid have an iPhone?  My nine-year old nephew has one - a hand-me-down from his mom when she got her shiny new 3GS.  While kids will most likely use it to play games, you have to keep in mind that they can also use it to surf the web.

As on the PC, you'd like to keep them off from objectionable areas of the internet.  Problem is, Safari offers zero parental controls on that end.  As such, they're pretty much free to wander about cyberspace unrestricted.

The Mobicip Safe Browser fills this gap, giving you options to block out unsavory websites from being accessed on your kids' iPhones.  Yep, it's an alternative browser that's actually approved by the App Store, because it does offer something that the native Safari client doesn't - a child-safe surfing environment.

Before you can force your kid to use it instead of Safari, you'll have to disable the latter manually: Settings -> General -> Restrictions.  It would have been better if this could be handled right from the app itself, although being a one-time change, it's no biggie.

Its main strength is that it functions and looks nearly like Safari, making the transition from using one to the other seamless, with no required learning curve.  The lack of a facility to import bookmarks is  bit of a letdown, though.

Mobicip itself costs $4.99, which gets you the child-safe browser plus a free account for their filtering service.  Any URL accessed from the app gets filtered through the company's servers, which decides whether to either allow or block it.  Free accounts get three levels of filtering: elementary, middle and high school.

If you want more detailed control of your child's surfing habits, you can also sign up for a Premium account for $9.99 per year.  This gets you plenty of latitude, including the ability to blacklist and whitelist specific pages and categories, download activity reports and manage multiple devices from a single dashboard.

[Mobicip for iPhone]

Aspiring guitar players can now get a new free Gibson app on their iPhone.  No, it won't turn your handset into a Les Paul as other apps are inclined to do.  Instead, it just bundles a number of free tools that six-string instrumentalists of all levels may find of value.

It comes with five different sections - tuner, metronome, chords, lessons and Gibson.com.  The tuner is a chromatic software that can track whatever note you're currently playing (which it receives via your iPhone's mic) and indicates whether you're flat, sharp or in tune.  It starts in "All Notes" mode, but gives options to allow for alternate tunings.  Very useful, especially if you've got a bad ear for sound.

The metronome is just a regular metronome app, which allows you to choose a specific BPM rate.   Tapping the screen three times will adjust the tempo according to your speed.   The chord area, on the other hand, gives you access to 30 chord charts, a great resource if you need help figuring out which finger goes where on the fretboard.

Need guitar lessons?  The app comes with very useful ones, drawn off the award-winning Learn and Master series from Legacy Learning Systems.  It comes with a variety of instructions for new licks, riffs and sequences - a definite value for new and struggling players.  Gibson also promises plenty of updates for this section, with more video lessons slated to come.  Finally, Gibson.com is the app's news area, where they list Gibson-related products and special events.

Overall, the free Gibson app is a definite download if you're at all planning to learn the guitar.  Even intermediate and slightly more advanced players might find it of value, too.

[Gibson App]

Originally available for other mobile platforms back in 2008, the Transformers G1 Awakening has finally found its way into the App Store.  Mixing turn-based strategy gameplay with shape-shifting robots of the legendary franchise and the iPhone's power, it's only natural to be expectant.

Based on the original TV series rather than the movie, it includes a cast of characters that should make hardcore Transformers fans giggle with delight.  The storyline follows the show faithfully as well.

Like the non-iPhone version, gameplay is a regular turn-based strategy.  You wait your turn, move a certain number of squares, effect an attack, capture structures and all that.  There's really little deviation from the old formula, except for the fact that your characters can transform.  Naturally, being either a vehicle or a robot brings its own set of advantages and disadvantages.  Because each Transformer has special abilities, the game becomes heavy on the strategy too - a fact that should delight true fans of the genre.

Transformers G1 has three game modes - Campaign, Showdown and Multiplayer.  The campaign mode comes with a total of 17 missions, good for about four hours worth of play.  Showdown is a special challenge mode that puts Autobots versus Decepticons on a number of difficult situations.  The multiplayer sucks, however, as it's strictly as pass-and-play affair.

Ported directly from the 2008 version, graphics hardly take advantage of the iPhone's talents at all.  In fact, the visuals can be downright silly at times, although the battle scenes are gratuitously entertaining.

Overall, Transformers G1 Awakening is a must for any old-school Transformers fan.  For other gamers, it offers enough of a challenge to be a worthy contender, especially if you're a fan of turn-based strategy titles.  Despite the graphics complaint, it's totally worth the $4.99 price.

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