The OtterBox Defender Series case for the iPhone 4 is now available at Otterbox.com. The Defender Series is ideal for those who work or play outdoors or in harsh environments. It’s also a good choice for those that are clumsy or hand off their iPhone 4s to their children.

As you can see in the photos, the OtterBox Defender case is much more protective than Apple’s Bumper case and other cases that are made of a single layer of plastic, metal or silicone. The OtterBox Defender Series case consists of a hard polycarbonate shatter-resistant shell, a clear screen protector and a soft silicone skin wraps around the shell. A swiveling belt clip is also included for convenience and acts as yet another shock absorber when the iPhone 4 is dropped.

The OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone 4 is available at OtterBox.com and select retailers.

The silicone skin has flaps so you can access the iPhone 4′s mute switch, headphone jack and docking/charging port. There are cutouts for the iPhone 4′s cameras, flash, proximity sensor, and logo.  The Defender Series case  is also available for the iPhone 3G/3Gs and will soon be available for the HTC EVO 4G, HTC Incredible and HTC Desire.

iPhone 4 Case: OtterBox Defender Series Belt Clip

iPhone 4 OtterBox Defender Series Case Now Available is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

Apple held a press conference today to address antenna issues of it latest device, the iPhone 4. After many complaints, Apple will be offering iPhone 4 customers a free case or a full refund with no restocking fee.

Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs, began the press conference by stating “We’re not perfect, Phones aren’t perfect. We want to make all our users happy.” They have been “working [their] butts off” for the past 22 days, trying to figure out a real solution to the antenna problem.

Other Phones Experience Similar Issues

After pointing out the fact that the same drop in bars exists in many other smartphones, including the BlackBerry Bold 9700, HTC Droid Eris, and the Samsung Omnia II, Jobs again highlights the fact that “Phones aren’t perfect” and that it is a “challenge for the entire industry.” Apple has recognized that the spot on the bottom left side of the iPhone 4 is the problem area. Below is a chart with the loss in bars by holding the phones the wrong way.

Software Update

Apple claims that they originally screwed up an algorithm which shows signal strength. With the latest iPhone update ( iOS4.0.1 ), this algorithm has been fixed, but they still “haven’t figured out a way around the laws of physics,” meaning users will still see a drop in signal strength when gripping the iPhone 4 without a case.

Research

Apple has been diligently researching the issue. Using its $100 million dollar state of the art testing facility, the company discovered, before the iPhone 4 was released, that the number of bars would decrease when the phone is held a certain way. However, Jobs points yet again to the fact that “phones aren’t perfect.” Despite this issue, Apple has received reports that people are getting better reception with the new antenna system than they have ever experienced before.

Statistics

Jobs then pointed to statistics regarding how many people called AppleCare with antenna/reception related issues. Only 0.55% of iPhone 4 customers contacted Apple regarding this issue. Also, AT&T only saw a 1.7% return rate of early shipments, which is extremely low when compared to the iPhone 3GS, which saw a 6% return rate. Finally, Jobs points to the fact that the iPhone 4 only drops 1 more call per 100 calls than the iPhone 3GS.

The Solution

Transitioning to Apple’s solution to the antenna/reception issue, Jobs states:

“Now when we look at this data, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that there is a problem, but that problem is affecting a very small number of users. I get emails saying the phone works perfectly, and they can’t understand what this is all about. So we think it’s affecting a small batch, but it has to do with inherent problems in smartphones. But we want all of our users to be happy.”

The first part of the solution is already available, in the iOS 4 update. This update fixes the way that the bars are reported, as well as other bugs. Then, citing Consumer Report’s statement that “the Bumper solves the signal-strength problem”, Apple will be providing a free case to all iPhone 4 customers. Because they cannot produce enough Apple iPhone 4 Bumpers this quarter for every iPhone 4, Apple will compile a list of alternative cases for customers to choose from. This list will be up on Apple’s website later next week.  Also, for everyone who purchased a Bumper case, Apple will be offering a refund. These offers will be available for every iPhone 4 purchased through September 30th. The final part of the solution is a full refund for all undamaged iPhone 4s returned within 30 days of purchase.

Other News

Jobs covered the Proximity sensor issue, which should be remedied with the next software. The white iPhone 4 will begin shipping at the end of this month.

There is no recall, as some people speculated. However, Apple is planning on taking care of its customers, despite the fact that many other phone exhibit the same reception issues as the iPhone 4.

Via Images via Engadget

Apple Offers Free iPhone 4 Cases, Refunds is a post by Carter Sprunger from Notebooks.com.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple will not announce an iPhone 4 recall during a press conference Friday. Complaints of iPhone 4 reception problems began as soon as consumers began receiving them. Thus far, Apple has not admitted to a design flaw, insisting that software updates and user habits can correct the issue.

Apple’s called a press conference for Friday morning at its Cupertino headquarters, presumably to address the iPhone 4 reception issues. While many are speculating that Apple will issue a complete recall of the iPhone 4, this is not a likely scenario. Approximately three million iPhone 4s have been sold since the device went on sale and some reports peg the cost of such a recall at $1.5 billion. That’s simply too expensive considering many iPhone users aren’t experience reception problems, especially if they’re using an iPhone Bumper or other iPhone case.

Criticism of the device has only grown since Consumer Reports researched the issue and published why it can’t recommend the iPhone 4.

Apple may resolve the reception issues by offering complimentary Bumper Cases, vouchers for a case from its retail or online stores, or offer hardware fixes upon request. Apple almost never holds press conferences outside of official product launches and normally comments on issues via press releases and open letters. We are fairly confident the company will offer a solution of some kind that will not cost consumers a dime.

Those dissatisfied with their iPhone 4 have 30 days from the date of purchase to return the device without a restocking fee.

iPhone 4 Recall: Not Happening According to WSJ is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

Apple’s earlier announcement of the new iPhone 4 has generated so much interest that ATTwireless.com was knocked offline Monday evening. Millions of current AT&T subscribers rushed to check their iPhone eligibility following Steve Job’s announcement of the fourth generation iPhone.

As of 8:10pm PST, visiting ATTWireless.com resulted in a mostly blank web page that read:

“Maineneance in Progress:AT&T is continually working to improve our internet site for our customers. As part of this ongoing effort, we are currently doing maintenance. We apologize for this inconvenience and ask that you please try back again later.”

AT&T is offering some iPhone owners early upgrade options, well before the end of their current two year contracts. Many iPhone users received a text message today notifying them of their early-upgrade eligibility.

The upgrade eligibility is a welcome surprise for many iPhone owners, but it is causing some confusion. AT&T has not stated publicly cutoff dates and other rules for early upgrade eligibility. Some iPhone 3GS owners on family plans are reporting that the primary line is eligible for an early upgrade, but the other lines are not. The text messages from AT&T pointed to an upgrade that waived the customary $18 upgrade fee. The discounted price of the iPhone 4 is $199 (16GB) or $299 (32GB).

Those hoping to access ATTWireless.com before deciding whether or not to purchase an iPhone 4 shouldn’t worry about this outage. The iPhone 4 does not go on sale until June 15, which leaves a week to access the site and figure things out.

You can learn more about the iPhone 4 here and the total cost of buying an iPhone 4 here.

UPDATE: As of 11pm PST, ATTWireless.com is back online and account information is accessible.

AT&T Wireless Site Crashes Under iPhone 4 Interest is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

iBooks is now available as a free download for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Geared for the iPhone 4 with its new Retina display, the pages are produced with vivid illustrations and sharp, easy to read text. It attempts to give users a sense of reading a real book, giving you the power to “grab” the bottom corner of the page and flip to the next page.

Here’s a video of Steve Jobs introducing iBooks for iPhone and iPod Touch.

One really useful feature is that when you are done with your book for the day, it automatically bookmarks where you left off. Then, for those lucky enough to have an iPad as well, iBooks automatically updates the bookmark on the iPad as well. This makes it possible to pick up right where you left off, from either device. Your probably asking, “but don’t I have to purchase the book twice to have it on both devices?” If you purchase a book on your iPhone, it will automatically sync with your iPad, free of charge.

The iBooks app allows iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users to browse tens of thousands of books. On the iBook Store, you can also read reviews, see more details about the book, and even read a sample from it. Search is as seamless as it is on iTunes, though you won’t find everything you’re looking for. Some publishers have not signed distribution deals with Apple yet.  Once the book is purchased, it appears on your virtual bookshelf within the iBooks app. Another feature, which will be attractive to those in the business world, is the ability to view PDF files in iBooks.

iBooks allows for some customization of the reading experience. The iBook app allows users to toggle between white and sepia paper, adjust the brightness and text size, as well as look up a specific words in the built-in dictionary and Wikipedia. Users can also search for specific words throughout the book, which can be really really useful for students. The iBook app has a feature called VoiceOver that can actually read the contents of any page out loud.

iBooks for iPhone, iPod Touch Announced is a post by Carter Sprunger from Notebooks.com.

Apple officially introduced the iPhone 4, its fourth generation iPhone today at WWDC in San Francisco. The iPhone 4 has an an all-new design and 100 new features. The iPhone 4 is 25% thinner than the iPhone 3GS, making it the thinnest smarphone according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

The iPhone 4 comes with dual cameras for video chat, a revamped operating system and improved battery life.

Steve Jobs took the stage for well over 90 minutes to discuss the iPad, iPhone applications and iPhone 3.

iPhone 4 Pricing and Availability

The new iPhone 4 will cost $199 or $299 for new AT&T customers and existing customers who are eligible for upgrades. The 16GB version will be available for $199 and the 32GB will cost $299. The new iPhone 4 will be available on June 24.

The iPhone 4 will initially be available in the United States, France, Germany, U.K. and Japan. It will be available in 18 additional countries in July and 24 more in August.

Apple and AT&T will begin taking pre-orders on June 15.

iPhone 4 Cameras

The iPhone 4 will have dual cameras. The primary camera is on the back of the camera and is capable of taking 5MP still images and HD video. The iPhone will feature an LED flash for the first time, making it possible to take images in dim rooms for the first time.

The camera ont he front of the phone can be used to snap pictures of yourself or for video chat. The new video chat application is called FaceTime. The video calling service works between iPhone 4 users.  FaceTime is a WiFi only feature until at least next year, which means you can’t make video calls on the go.

iPhone 4 Display

Apple’s calling the iPhone 4′s new screen the ‘Retina Display.’

There are four times the number of pixles in the iPhone 4 display compare to previous models.The 3.5″ display has 960×640 pixels, a 800:1 contrast ratio and IPS technology for a wider viewing angle. This means text will be much sharper. The iPhone 4′s display packs 326 pixels per inch. According to Steve Jobs, 300 pixels per inch is the limit of what the human retina can decipher at approximately 10-12 inches away. The high resolution display will make it easier to read small text and make curves in graphics appear smoother.

iPhone tethering- In many countries, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS owners have long been able to connect their phones to their laptops to get online while on the go. This feature is finally coming to U.S. iPhone owners. This is a feature enabled in software and does not require the purchase of a new iPhone (explain upgrade).

iPhone 4 Processor

Apple’s new A4 processor is speedier than its predecessor and more energy efficient. The new processor will allow the phone to deal with multimedia apps, such as iMovie for iPhone. The iPhone 4′s new processor should make it as snappy as the recently introduced iPad. The iPad is significantly faster than the iPhone 3GS.

iPhone 4 Battery

The iPhone 4 has a larger battery that will help it last significantly longer than the one found in previous iPhones. According to Apple, the iPhone 4 users can talk up to 40% longer on a single charge compared to the iPhone 3GS.

The iPhone 4 is rated to provide the following on a single charge:

• Up to 10 hours of video
• 40 hours of music
• 300 hours of standby time
• Between 5 and 7 hours of talk time
• Up to 6 hours of 3G browsing
• Up to 10 hours of WiFi browsing

iPhone 4 Gyroscope

The new iPhone 4 is the first iPhone to feature a gyroscope. This feature will improve the accuracy of applications that rely on direction, movement and location. Previous iPhones included an accelerometer that allowed for automatic screen rotation and relatively simple movements in games and apps.

There are a total of  five sensors  that allow the iPhone 4 to sense its environment including a Gyrosocope, accelerometer, compass proximity sensor and ambient light sensor.

Improved Mobile Reception

Stainless steel band runs across the side of the phone. The integrated antennae are designed to improve Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, UMTS and GSM signals. Combined with AT&T’s ongoing network improvements, this should reduce the number of dropped calls and network time outs.

iMovie for iPhone

Apple introduced a new video editing application for the iPhone. The application will allow users to trim clips, join video clips, add effects, add audio and share the results. Previously, iPhone 3GS users could simply trim the beginning and end off of video clips, but could not perform more advanced edits.The new application will allow iPhone users to edit multiple clips into one movie . iMovie for iPhone will cost $4.99.

Bing for iPhone

Microsoft’s Bing search is now available on the iPhone. Google will still be the default search provider, but users may select Bing search. This is the first time Apple’s offered more than one search solution on the iPhone.

iOS4

Apple’s mobile operating is now named iOS4. It was previously called iPhone OS 4.0. The new operating system has more than 1500 developer APIs and 100 new user features.

The new iPhone 4.0 will allow applications to run in the background. For example, this will allow streaming music applications, such as Pandora, to run in the background while using other applications.

iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch owners can upgrade to the new operating system starting on June 21. There is no fee for the iOS4 upgrade, but devices other than the iPhone 4 will not have all of the features enabled. The new operating system will not immediately be available for the iPad.

iPhone 4 SIM Card

The iPhone 4 will utilize a micro SIM card, which is much smaller than the one found in the previous iPhone models and most smartphones. It is the same size as the one found in the iPad 3G. This will likely reduce the number of people using iPhone on non-authorized networks, such as T-Mobile in the U.S.

More info on Apple.com

Apple’s posted a promo video on Apple.com that shows several of the features announced at WWDC.

iPhone 4: New iPhone Details, Pricing and Availability is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

Here’s another Apple rumor the day WWDC 2010 kicks off. What may be called the “Magic Trackpad” could negate the need for a typical computer mouse. The trackpad peripheral seems to have the classic anodized aluminum look that Apple loves so much, which closely resembles the current Apple bluetooth keyboard. There are more rumors claiming handwriting recognition as well, which would make it a sort of poor man’s graphics tablet.

Though this rumor has not really been discussed until now, it seems to be a pretty legitimate possibility. Steve Jobs has demonstrated his distaste for buttons, such as doing away with the keyboard and mouse to create the iPad. I think that it is a definite possibility in this year’s WWDC.

Magic Trackpad an Alternative to the Mouse? is a post by Carter Sprunger from Notebooks.com.

WWDC is Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference. It’s a gathering of developers who author programs and services for Apple computers, servers, iPhones, iPods and iPads. Apple’s WWDC 2010 draws several thousand developers who are eager to network with others in the development community, attend sessions and technical labs. The WWDC is kicked off with Apple’s keynote, which is usually led by Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

WWDC is a technical conference, which means many of the items discussed who are professionally involved in the Apple ecosystem. Over the years, WWDC has evolved as a mid-year launching pad for Apple’s consumer products and services.

The WWDC keynote, which begins at 10AM PST today,  is only the beginning of the conference. A full conference schedule can be found at Apple’s developer web site.

This year’s WWDC is seen as especially important as Apple is releasing its revamped iPhone operating system. In past years, WWDC focused primarily on Apple’s desktop operating system OSX. This year the WWDC is expected to all but ignore OSX if GDGT’s photos are any indication.

Apple will likely introduce a new iPhone and other products today.

Notebooks.com is covering the WWDC in real time today. Here is a list of WWDC live blogs and streams.

What is WWDC? is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

You can’t buy an iPad in China yet, but you can buy an iPed. The iPed is an iPad knockoff that blatantly rips off the iPad’s design, packaging and user interface.

A Japanese newscast detailed the iPed (below) and it’s pretty clear that the device could pass as an iPad at first glance. The iPed has a larger bezel since its display only measures 7″ diagonally. It runs on an Intel atom processor, 128MB of RAM and has a 16GB memory module.

The iPad is on store shelves for the equivalent of $105, which is a heck of a lot cheaper than a real iPad, but still out of reach for most Chinese consumers.

via Tom’s Guide

iPed: $105 iPad Knockoff Sports Android is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

I love my iPad. I couldn’t imagine a day without my iPhone. My kids love their iPod Touches. We don’t own a single Mac desktop or notebook, but I have friends who love their MacBooks.

Since getting my iPad one of the question often asked is How much did that cost?” I respond by quietly saying telling them the price of my 16 GB Wi-Fi Apple iPad, which I bought for $499 plus shipping. I suppose I could also add up all the apps I’ve purchased and throw in the value of the cases I’ve used to carry it around. But when I never think about is the intangible cost of my iPad, that is until I read the article at Gizmodo about a young man who went undercover in the Shenzhen Foxconn factory to learn about the pressures of assembling our gadgets.

Liu Zhi Yi was placed in the factory, the primary manufacturer for Apple, by one of China’s most progressive newspapers. Southern Weekly (site in Chinese). He spent 28 days inside the factory and learned about almost slave-like conditions. Workers spend long hours getting only brief breaks for food. The newspaper sent him in after six suicides were reported in only a few months. There have been 30 attempts and a total of 9 suicides now. The reporter said that he thinks that the people must have believed that killing themselves was their only outlet from the grind, according to Gizmodo’s account. The workers are paid the equivalent of only $130 per month, meaning they cannot even afford to buy the gadgets they put together.

As an Apple customer, I like the fact that I was able to buy my iPad for only $499. But I don’t like what I read in the Gizmodo article. It is time for Apple to do something about this. They are a wealthy company with $23.16 Billion on hand according to Yahoo finance. I believe it is time for Apple to spend some of that money to help these people, if indeed the reports are accurate.

The Intangible Cost of Our Apple Fascination is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.