iPhone 5 rumors trigger highest Apple stock price ever

It appears that more than just the tip-addicted iOS fans out there are getting their fair share of iPhone 5 madness as Apple stock this week hits an all-time high. This is a big change compared to the week surrounding Apple’s recent quarterly earnings call where their slightly less-than-projected device sales numbers had investors “disappointed.” Now that we’re edging ever closer to what several independent sources have tipped as the announcement date for the new iPhone, investors are prepping for the biggest launch the company has ever seen with ever-increasing prices on Apple’s public offering.

One of the most indicative factors here is the move by Jefferies & Co. in raising their price target for the stock from $800 to $900 USD, while Apple’s valuation hits $600 billion in all. With Apple’s notoriously secret ways denying the public a perfect vision for the next-generation handheld smart device, the iPhone 5′s new cycle dominance is somewhat of a phenomenon. It’s no new hat though to Apple.
The Jeffries analyst responsible for the price upgrade earlier today, Peter Misek, described the product launch coming up quick as “the biggest handset launch in history.” With the supposed actual product launch landing before the end of September and each and every single rumor, tip, and supposed leak post here on SlashGear getting massive attention from readers, we can’t say we disagree. No matter what Apple reveals in the next-generation iPhone, it’s bound to make waves.

Apple analyst Gene Munster contributed to the fervor earlier this week with a projection that should Apple release a new iPhone 10 days before the end of September, they’d see sales to the tune of 26 million to 28 million devices sold by the end of the month. At the moment, Apple sits at the current numbers that are sure to make those who are currently holding stock in the company rather joyous:
• Profit margin: 26.97 percent
• Operating margin: 35.62 percent
• Return on equity: 44.32 percent
• Quarterly revenue growth (year-to-year): 22.6 percent
• Gross profit: $43.82 billion
Check the timeline below to see more information on the iPhone 5 – or whatever Apple ends up calling it – and also check out our portals for the iPad and the Apple TV to see what other rumors on Apple devices have been cropping up. With massive cults of rumor spreaders like Apple has now, it’s no wonder they need such heavy defenses, and no wonder why there’s such great anticipation for final product launches, too!

the Samsung Galaxy S3 is what the iPhone 4S should have been

Is Samsung's rate of innovation outpacing Apple? And if it is, is Apple's position at the top of the smartphone tree tenable?

Samsung had a point to make at its Galaxy S3 launch, namely that its new phone wasn’t about breaking the spec barrier. Instead, it insisted, the latest Galaxy phone was “designed for humans.”
That’s something the Koreans (and everyone else) have learned at least in part from Apple’s uniquely intuitive user interfaces. Alarmingly complicated sequences (press two buttons, release, hold another button for more than two seconds, etc) have largely been relegated to the world of programmable microwave ovens and car manufacturers’ satnav.
Meanwhile, Apple – like Aesop’s fabulous tortoise – has been caught napping on the side of the information superhighway. The iPhone 4S launched to consternation that bordered on revolt. Where was the iPhone 5 for a start? And the iPad 3 turned up fatter than its previous incarnation, bearing an admittedly glorious screen but little else that could be accused of much more than keeping up with the Samsungs.
Undoubtedly, its iPhone and iPad are still at the top of their respective categories. Only a fool would claim that any other devices had access to such a rich catalogue of apps. And Apple’s aluminium and glass design still feels somehow more grown-up than even the weightiest plastic constructions of competitors.
Meanwhile, Samsung has launched a phone that knows when you’re looking at it and recognises your mates. It charges wirelessly a la Palm Pre. And it’s got the two things Apple really needed to bake into its iPhone 5 recipe – a bigger screen and NFC.
Samsung made another point at its S3 launch – that it had listened to what its customers wanted. They wanted a bigger screen, a less cluttered UI and a more intuitive control system. They wanted to be ready for the long-promised NFC revolution. They wanted new features to explore.
Apple’s fans have been calling out for changes, too. Yet Apple – so far – seems to be only half listening. That’s why in many ways the Samsung Galaxy S3 feels like the launch the iPhone 4S should have been.

Majestic Rainbow Photographs to Inspire You with Hope

Rainbow photography is a challenging subject for photographers, simply because of the relative rarity of rainbows and the requirement for proper lighting, which makes it difficult for photographers to capture rainbows when they come around.  Rainbows are often a sign of hope, and are mentioned in a variety of historical and religious texts, and have had a large impact on culture, mythology, art and literature.  Scientifically, however, rainbows occur when light is refracted when entering a raindrop, reflected off the back of the raindrop, and then refracted again when exiting the drop, resulting in white light being split into its spectrum of colors.

Amazing Photographs of Waterfalls

here is something irresistibly attractive about the sight of a waterfall, the drama of water crashing from height onto rocks and rapids. Impressive waterfalls are found all over the world, often in wildly remote locations and areas of stunning natural beauty, so are enticing subject matter for photographers.
This post brings together a selection of amazing waterfall photographs,  examples of these extraordinary sights.  Each photograph is accompanied by a location and a description of the waterfall, to help you learn more about each waterfall.