photo credit: Japanese Factories at Risk

A devastating earthquake and tsunami earlier this month in Japan caused shortages of electronic components. It will also result in increased prices. Currently, Apple has to find alternative manufacturers for components of their new iPad2. While Apple may be able to find substitute manufacturers, those same manufacturers realize they have Apple in a desperate situation, and are charging more for those parts. In addition to Apple finding itself in a bind, consumer electronics as a whole are finding shortages of components. And of course, the old “supply and demand” axiom is pushing prices up.

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photo credit: iPhone 5

The new iPhone from Apple is due out sometime this summer. Rumors are flying about just what the new iPhone will include. First of all, will it be called the iPhone 5? For simplicity, that’s what I will call it. Notable sites like PC World Report, iPhonereleasedate.org, and the UK’s The Independent are reporting “reliable rumors” (if there are such things.) Speculation about what will and won’t be included in the new iPhone differs, but most agree there will be a new case design. The back will be made from aluminum rather than glass, and the phone itself will be thinner. It is rumored that the screen will be shatterproof and scratch resistant. Other rumors include an HD audio system and a better “all the time” GPS mode.

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photo credit: Grey Market iPhone 64GB

An iPhone 64GB prototype has surfaced in the ‘grey’ market in Hong Kong. According to an article by Sara Yin, PCMagazine.com, the rumor was first announced on Chinese-language blog Unwire.hk and later ‘confirmed’ by MIC Gadget. The 64GB model appears to be unlocked and running iOS 4.1. MIC Gadget’s photos of the model found are much like the iPhone 4 model that Gizmodo found last spring in a bar. The model shows lots of XX’s on its case. The model number states ‘XXXXX’, FCC ID number is ‘BCG- XXXXXX,’ and printed capacity is ‘XXGB.’

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What is SEXTING? It is a coined word for sending text messages with sexual content, be it text or images, that will soon be showing up in the dictionary. Sexting is a sign of the technology affecting our society, for good or bad. Without being judgmental, technology affects all of our daily lives. Sexting is just one more example of how technology permeates our awareness.

photo credit: Safe Sexting

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photo credit: BABY FOR SALE

China Global reported that a young Chinese couple sold their 6 day old son for $366. Then they used the money to buy a new cell phone. If that wasn’t bad enough, the father then tried to re-sell the boy for four times the original price. Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: dainsandoval

On my way home from work today, I opted to switch from music to NPR (National Public Radio). I do this from time to time to check up on news, and to see if there is an interesting topic being discussed. Today’s topic was about traffic. I paid particular attention to the portion about talking on a cell phone while driving. Read the rest of this entry »

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guder/

This afternoon, I went to the ARCO station around the corner from my house to fill up my tank. As I was filling up I noticed the man next to me talking on his cell phone while he pumped gas. I’ve heard that you’re not supposed to talk on a cell phone at a gas station so this made me pretty nervous. I was worried the whole gas station would go up in flames or something, but nothing happened. Read the rest of this entry »