It’s been a while since Google has update Gmail’s feature, with only the storage space growing for the product for a long time, as well as periodic upgrades to the interface. The popular email web service offered by Google saw an update to the search of its contact info field today as announced on the Gmail blog. Gmail has been given more interactivity with Google Plus, this was bound to happen as Google integrates its social network into more of its products.

The way that Google has done this integration is by when you type a name into the search bar at the top of the page it brings up not only their email address but all their contact info and a photo which is linked to their G+ account, like below;

The other major new feature is the deeper integration of Google Plus Circles into the emailing process which I think is a great idea… it would be better if more people were on Google Plus but a great idea none the less. As you can see in the image below when you’re sending an email you can choose to send it to all the members of a certain circle.

When Intel bring out an upgraded to their processors the upgrade to the MacBook Pro is never far behind and it looks like it will be a big one this time. The MacBook Pro has had the same form factor for a couple of years now so it is in need of an update with competition from the companies like HP and Acer biting at their heels. Since Apple has state of the art technology on their tablet and their ultra thing laptop the MacBook Air it will only be a matter of time before this is integrated into their flagship laptop. 9to5Mac has sources within Apples supply chain that have apparently been reliably informed that in summer Apple will bring out the latest version of its MacBook Pro range. According to the source this laptop will be thinner than the previous MacBook Pros, as well as including a USB 3.0 and the famous Apple retina display.

WWDC would be the perfect time for this apparent release to happen as its just at the start of the summer. If it does happen Intel’s latest Ivy Bridge chip designs will be for certain and a design upgrade will be more than likely as the unibody design has not seen a major upgrade since 2008.

Mobile bingo has achieved rapid popularity with young players. There is a bingo generation gap. At this year’s online bingo summit, most of the members of the player’s panel expressed little interest in playing bingo on mobile devices. A market survey taken earlier in the year indicates that a relatively small percentage of all bingo players use mobile devices. Studies have clearly shown that mobile bingo is a game for the young. Online bingo operators are struggling to keep up with the latest mobile technology, and there are still some challenges to be overcome.  Challenges include small screen sizes and mobile devices that don’t support flash platforms.

There are a number of factors working in favor of mobile bingo. These include affordable mobile phones, increased smart phone capabilities and more affordable mobile phone plans by telecommunications companies. Most bingo apps are easily downloaded and players can easily find games that are compatible with their smart phones. Here are a few things to consider when selecting a mobile bingo game.

Players should make sure that all bank card information and private information are secure. Make sure that the bingo site uses established reputable security programs. If possible make sure the site uses 128bit security behind several fire walls. Unfortunately malware developers have been busy creating new malware capable of stealing financial information and disrupting the phone’s operational capabilities.

Players should consider what customer support services are available to mobile players. Some will only offer email assistance, while others will offer 24/7 phone assistance and text support. Email assistance varies from site to site. Some sites will have very fast email response times, while others may take up to 24 hours for a reply. Make sure telephone assistance is available in your area. In some countries, phone assistance is not possible. As a rule of thumb: the more support services available, the better.

Make sure the site’s software is compatible with your mobile device. For example some sites may use Android which may not work in an iPad. Make sure the application works well.

Be sure to check out all of the bonuses, jackpots and promotions. If you want to play bingo online with your mobile phone, you should have the same access to all of the player perks as those using desktop or laptop computers. Mobile players should also receive all of the deposit bonuses advertised by the site.

Make sure the chat rooms are accessible. On some phones this can be a problem. Small screen sized can limit access to side games.

Players should never play more cards than they can observe on their mobile phones. Again small screen sizes may be an issue.

Most online bingo operators are working very hard and are investing substantial amounts of money to provide mobile players with the same high quality bingo games available to players on computers.

It is getting more and more apparent that the release of the iPhone 5 is coming round sooner than we think with lots of rumours now circulating about the device. The part shown in the image below is a little different from the one in the iPhone 4 and 4S. If the device is going to be a little taller as many rumours have suggested then it will need to have slightly different components. The part has been said to have been leaked from the manufacturer SW-BOX.com. With only a few months not till the release of the device more parts are being to surface on the Internet, it will be interesting to see which of these are the real parts when the product comes to market. The image of the headphone jack is below:

(Image via Flickr, Creative Commons)

Here is a step by step guide to selling your laptop online:

1. Rejuvenate Your Laptop

Make sure you clean your laptop thoroughly before taking pictures. Use a wet wipe and further moisten it with soap to clean your keyboard, laptop surface as well as the display screen thoroughly.

Once you are done cleaning the outside, reinstall the operating system whether it is MacOS operating system on a MacBook, or a Windows operating system on a Notebook. Load the software that the British use most often including Microsoft Office and Skype. It is highly probable that your customers will need these software programs.

2. Go to Alexa Web Analytics

The Alexa web analytic company strives to provide the top websites in the UK, and you can research which UK classified sites receive the most traffic. EBay UK is the top merchandise trading site in the UK and it is ranked at number six, right behind sites such as Google, YouTube and BBC.

3. Open Account at Classified Sites

After you have identified the three classified sites you want to advertise on, open your account on each of those sites. For example, if you already have an account on eBay simply go ahead and prepare to advertise your laptop.

If you do not have a pre-existing account, you can open a fresh account in less than 15 minutes by registering yourself with a new username, password and some personal information. Once you have your account, simply fill out all the details of your laptops for sale and make sure you take a few pretty pictures of your laptop and all its accessories and upload them to tag with your classified.

4. PayPal

You will also need a payment account which you can share with your potential buyer. This will enable them to transfer their funds in British Pounds or Euros depending upon your preferences, before you ship them your laptop.

5. Attractive Advertising and Sale Price

If you are asking for above market value for your laptop, it will be very difficult to sell. To sell your laptop at the maximum desirable price, make sure the pictures you have loaded are high quality and accurately depict the current state of your laptop.

Make sure you provide detailed specifications information, including display screen size, hard drive capacity, RAM, processor type and speed, cache memory, a list of all the inlets and outlets and all the software and accessories that accompany your laptop. Ask for a fair price. Typically a well-kept laptop after four years of use should fetch 20 percent of the original price listed. A newer laptop less than an year old may fetch up to 50 percent of the original price.

Conclusion

Do not haggle over a few pounds. Close the sale quickly as you have to tend to your other affairs.

There aren’t just hardware rumours for Apple products doing the rounds at the moment there are software ones too. The Macrumours site is reporting that Apple is thinking of moving its mapping software in house, it currently uses Google maps for the maps on iOS. This wasn’t really going to last as they have too competing products with iOS and Android and although it doesn’t look like Google would stop them using their mapping software it leaves them in an uneasy position.

Last year Apple brought several mapping technologies including 3D mapping software from C3. It was clear at that point that Apple was going to make the move it was just a matter of when not if. It seems that iOS 6 is when they are going to make the jump, iOS 6 is likely to be previewed at WWDC next month.

All thingsD has a quote from a source claiming to confirm that Apple’s mapping solution will be in the next iOS update.

We’ve independently confirmed that this is indeed the case. Sources describe the new Maps app as a forthcoming tent-pole feature of iOS that will, in the words of one, “blow your head off.” I’m not quite sure what that means, and the source in question declined to elaborate, but it’s likely a reference to the photorealistic 3-D mapping tech Apple acquired when it purchased C3 Technologies.

9to5Mac also have an article on the matter where the did a mock of the current Google maps (left) compared to what they think the C3 maps will look like on iOS (right)

iLounge have been pretty good with the rumours as of late and it seems that they have hit another one on the head. Their recent article on the new features in the iPhone 5 which is reported out around September time has been backed up by another source. According to the site iMore there will be no significant change in screen size and there will be no change in aspect ratio. However the change to the dock connector according to their sources has been finalised and it is in the current design prototypes. The smaller connector with fewer pins will more than likely be spread across all the Apple devices once they bring out newer model.

The article also reported that iMore had been told that Apple is playing to release a 7 inch iPad at the same time as the next iPhone which presumably will also have this new dock connector.

iLife, iPhoto, iMovie, iWork, there’s an “i” for everything these days. For Apple, the word “limitation” is non-existent and thus it is putting its stamp on everything that its hands could get to. It just goes to show that technology for this company is unlimited, indefinite.

So Apple extended everybody’s agony in waiting for iTV, but it’s just for another year or two and I bet Apple will make the wait all worth it as the company is known for laudable product launches rather than hasty takeoffs to a competitive market. Besides, the company has thought of more devices to put an “i” into so I do think that Apple supporters should just relax and watch i-domination take place.

Moreover, Apple has so many technologies and innovations in its portfolio already (well, aside from the thousands of apps that it developed for its iPhone and iPad. It’s also in the last phase of development for iPay – a mobile payment system that uses NFC (New Field Communication) technology. This technology will allow Apple’s iPhone and iPad users to purchase goods and services wirelessly and yes, more conveniently. Thus, the company is planning to integrate this technology to its upcoming iPhone 5 release in the not so distant future.

Analysts and technology-enthusiasts are actually more optimistic with iPay than iTV and I can really see why. Apple is finally having its own mobile payment solution and using the already familiar and stable NFC technology makes it easier for the company to deliver.

And then there’s iCarrier. Apple is planning to give AT&T and Verizon a run for their money by offering its iPhones and iPads through an in-house system. This will give Apple the chance to directly serve millions of its customers worldwide. Though some people are expressing dislikes and unfavorable responses to iCarrier, Apple is still optimistic about it and is actually building distribution channels to make the needed shift from “just” a phone maker to a much bolder and more hands-on network carrier.

Obviously, network carriers like AT&T and Verizon are not happy with this news especially that these companies carry and market Apple products as well. But once Apple gets a clearance from the regulators, I think there’s no stopping the mobile giant. These network carriers can stay angry or even start boycotting Apple’s products but I don’t think it will help rev up their numbers in any way.

Well, at least these plans can actually help keep Apple customers busy until the company can have the opportunity to bring out its own television set. Let’s just face it, Apple needs to do a lot of studying and revving up before they can release its own TV especially with the fact that other television brands are already producing big and beautiful televisions and that the market has shown that more and more people value mobility these days. This means that they would rather watch movies and videos on the go and a big television cannot really make that happen.

Well, Apple is on for a challenge and knowing the company, it’s going to take the challenge seriously and it will deliver the way it is expected to. Apple customers seem to be happy and contented already with what the company has to offer but Apple is not done yet. There are still lots of room for innovations and improvements and as PC optimization tools like PC Speed Up enhances computers to optimize it to its full ability, the company is also enhancing all facets of its products and services to optimize its consumers’ experience

iLounge have been at it again, those guys really do get all the best rumours. They have apparently got the latest rumours from their undisclosed source about the release of the next iPhone the iPhone 5, this was actually published on the 3rd but I was a little slow on the uptake.

Now iLounge have been a little hit and miss as of late with their rumours ranging from  quite accurate to unimaginable. This is what their source has to say about the rumours of the new iPhone model:

“What we’ve learned: the new iPhone will indeed be longer and thinner than the iPhone 4 and 4S. Approximate measurements are 125mm by 58.5mm by 7.4mm—a 10mm jump in height, nearly 2mm reduction in thickness, and virtually identical width. According to our source, Apple will make one major change to the rear casing, adding a metal panel to the central back of the new iPhone. This panel will be flat, not curved, and metal, not ceramic. Our artist’s rendition provides a rough idea of what this change will look like; it echoes the current-generation iMac design, to be sure.”

The  other changes that the phone might see according to these rumours are that the dock connector will be smaller than the original 30 pin dock connector that Apple has used in all it’s products. If they do this it will only be a matter of time before the iPods and the iPad follows suit. It will be interesting t see if these rumours are true as Apple have not done a big shake up of the iPhone for a while now so it is long overdue.

After quarter after quarter of profit gains for Apple they are quickly becoming one of the largest companies in the world. They are now another step closer to being the best of the best with the 17th position on the fortune 500 list a list that lists the largest companies in America by their revenue.

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