Apple will be holding their much awaited iPhone 5 launch event today (September 12) at 10AM PDT/ 1PM EDT, at Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco. Rumors are Apple will announce the new iPod lineup along with the much-awaited iPhone 5. We will be doing a live coverage of the Apple media event on live.TechzTalk.com, starting at 10 AM PDT/ 1 PM EDT / 6:00 PM London / 2:00 AM Tokyo. Please join us to get the latest Apple news on live.TechzTalk.com.

Sprint today announced availability of the first 4G LTE enabled smartphone from Sprint with a full QWERTY keyboard, Motorola PHOTON Q 4G LTE will be available on August 19 priced $199.99. PHOTON Q is available today for preorder on Sprint’s website. Main features on Motorola PHOTON Q are:

• 1.5GHz dual-core processor?
• 4.3-inch ColorBoost LCD display
• 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video
• Android 4.0.4, Ice Cream Sandwich
• Sprint SMARTACTIONS, the free Motorola app that helps extend battery life
• Mirror mode when connected with HDMI cable (sold separately) to view images, files and movies on a larger screen, like your TV at home
• NFC support to share links, apps, YouTube clips and more with Android Beam

Among over 200 new features in iOS 6, Apple has added one very simple but interesting and useful feature that will allow users to set a song as their alarm tone. AppleInsider has discovered the new feature that was first introduced in iOS 6 Beta 1. Slash Lane wrote on AppleInsider:

While the current version of iOS 5 restricts alarm sounds to Apple's pre-defined ringtones or those purchased via the company's iTunes Store, the release of iOS 6.0 will offer the option for users to designate any song in their iTunes playlist as their custom wake up tune at no additional cost.

The option is available under the "Sound" selector when setting a new alarm or editing an existing alarm under the latest iOS beta. When the software makes its debut in a few weeks, you'll have the option to "Pick a song" from your iTunes playlist or quickly select a previously chosen song before confirming each alarm.

Even though it’s a very simple feature it will be one of my favorite iOS 6 features, as I use my iPhone as an Alarm clock on daily bases.

iMore is reporting that not only the new iPhone 5, but all the iOS devices will receive the new mini Dock connector this year. Rene Ritchie wrote on iMore:

iMore has learned that Apple intends to update their entire lineup of iOS device products to support the new, miniaturized Dock connector, and to do it as early the rumored September 12 special event this fall. This would include the new iPhone 5, the the new iPod nano and iPod touch, the rumored 7-inch iPad mini, and an updated version of the current 9.7-inch iPad.

We have also been hearing that Apple will move all its iOS devices to the new mini Dock connector, but we haven’t heard anything about the 9.7-inch iPad. However, Q4 will be right time for Apple to update the 9.7-inch iPad with IGZO LCD display from Sharp and faster A6 processor just before holidays.

In other iPhone 5 related news, 9to5mac has found proof in the new iOS 6 beta release that the next generation iPhone will have 1136 x 640 resolution. Mark Gurman wrote on 9to5mac:

Thanks to some tweaks to the iOS Simulator application that is included in the iOS development tools, we were able to run the simulator at the rumored next-generation iPhone display resolution of 640 x 1136. We did this running both the current public release of iOS 5.1 and the upcoming iOS 6.0 The iOS 5.1 simulator displayed the home screen with a stretched set of four rows of icons. On the other hand, iOS 6 displayed five complete rows – as our sources said Apple was testing for taller iPhone displays.

This proves that the upcoming release of iOS 6, which will obviously come pre-loaded on the new iPhone, is well-aware of taller iPhone displays. It scales perfectly to the taller resolution.

We have already heard that Apple is going with a bigger screen in iPhone 5 and this news fits perfectly with the rumors that iPhone 5 will have taller, but not wider 4-inch screen.

Apple recently launched the completely redesigned MacBook Pro featuring Retina display with 2880 x 1800 resolution, third generation Intel quad-core processors and all flash storage. The new 15-inch laptop is just 0.71 inches thick and weighs only 4.46 pounds. Two configurations of 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display are available – with 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB flash storage for $2,199; and with 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB RAM and 512GB flash storage for $2,799.

Reviews of the new MacBook Pro with Retina display have been very positive with most reviewers giving the laptop Editors’ Choice award. Almost every reviewer was amazed by how good the Retina display looked in real life and most claimed it was the best display they had ever seen on a computer. Overall, everyone was impressed by the beautiful design of the laptop and powerful performance, but some reviewers had issues with lack of upgradability caused by the ultrathin design. ABC News Joanna Stern wrote in her review:

And there's the rub. It's pretty clear that the MacBook Pro with Retina Display is one of the finest laptops ever to grace this Earth; it's beautiful to look at in more ways than one. But you do have to pay a premium for what is all around the most premium laptop now on shelves.

But do yourself a favor: if you don't have any intention of buying the MacBook Pro with Retina Display, avoid looking at its screen at all costs -- all that practical advice might just seem, well, very blurry.

Below we have added links to 12 most comprehensive reviews of MacBook Pro with Retina display:

• The New York Times – Review By: David Pogue
• PC Mag – Review By: Joel Santo Domingo
• USA Today – Review By: Edward Baig
• Laptop Mag – Review By: Mark Spoonauer
• ABC News – Review By: Joanna Stern
• CNET – Review By: Dan Ackerman
• SlashGear – Review By: Vincent Nguyen
• The Verge – Review By: Ross Miller
• Macworld – Review By: Roman Loyola
• Computer Shopper – Review By: Eric Grevstad
• Ars Technica – Review By: Chris Foresman
• AnandTech – Review By: Anand Lal Shimpi

Also checkout the detailed video review of the new MacBook Pro with Retina display posted by AnandTech below:

For past two days iPad Mini (smaller iPad) rumors have been gaining steam. The recent iPad Mini rumors started yesterday, when Unwired View posted that various analysts are claiming Apple is preparing to launch a smaller iPad model, which will cost $249-$299. Unwired View also reported that the new tablet will use IGZO display panel made by Sharp.

After the above rumor started spreading like wildfire, Bloomberg posted that they have heard from two people with knowledge about Apple’s plans that Apple will debut a smaller, cheaper iPad by year-end. Peter Burrows wrote:

The new model will have a screen that’s 7 inches to 8 inches diagonally, less than the current 9.7-inch version, said the people, who asked not to be identified because Apple hasn’t made its plans public. The product, which Apple may announce by October, won’t have the high-definition screen featured on the iPad that was released in March, one of the people said.

After this vague report from Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal also posted a report with bit more information about iPad Mini claiming that component suppliers are preparing for mass production of iPad with a smaller screen. Lorraine Luk wrote on WSJ:

Apple Inc.’s component suppliers in Asia are preparing for mass production in September of a tablet computer with a smaller screen than the iPad, people familiar with the situation said, suggesting a launch for the device is near.

Two of the people said that the tablet's screen will likely be smaller than eight inches. The iPad's screen measures 9.7 inches, unchanged since the first model was released in 2010.

Officials at the component suppliers, who declined to be named, said this week that Apple has told them to prepare for mass production of the smaller tablet. The Wall Street Journal reported in February that Apple was testing such a device but hadn't yet decided whether to proceed with production.

One person said the screen makers Apple is working with include LG Display Co. of South Korea and Taiwan-based AU Optronics Co.

Even though most of these rumors are pointing to a Q3 launch on iPad Mini, none actually gave any information about the hardware. WSJ did say that LG and AU Optronics will produce the LCD displays, which would indicate that talks about iPad Mini using IGZO display are wrong, but we can’t be sure.

However, NPD DisplaySearch analyst claims that Apple will use a 7.85-inch screen and his claims are based on talks with companies in “display supply chain”.

“For the 7.85-inch panel, there’s a business plan for it, there’s a mass production target for it. And we Know that it’s for Apple,” said Richard Shim, an NPD DisplaySearch analyst to CNET. “I don’t know the name of the product, but I know it’s going to be a tablet.”

Overall, from the above rumors we believe that the upcoming smaller iPad will have 7.85-inch display, which won’t be based on IGZO technology and the smaller iPad or iPad mini will ship in September or October.

DigiTimes is reporting that Apple is working with component suppliers to start production of the new iMac by July end and an official launch around October. Aaron Lee posted in DigiTimes:

Apple's supply chain reportedly will start supplying components for the mass production of Apple's upcoming new iMac all-in-one PC in July with the device's official launch possibly around October, according to sources from upstream supply chain.

The sources also noted that Apple plans to expand Retina Display into all the product lines, meaning that the new iMac will have a high chance of featuring Retina Display; however, the rumors are not confirmed by Apple.

The sources pointed out that Apple is pushing Retina Display for its products in hoping to surpass its competitors in terms of screen resolution since most other notebook and tablet PC vendors are still adopting Full HD display for their products; however, since there are only limited contents that are capable of supporting Retina Display, while Retina Display is a lot expensive than a Full HD panel, most PC vendors currently still have no plan to follow suit and launch product with high resolution panel.

We have also heard similar plans for iMac launch. However, our sources say that Apple will start shipping the new iMac before Q3 2012. New iMac production ramp up will begin in August with manufacturing reaching full capacity by October end to meet holiday demand.

Verizon has announced that the new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE from HTC will be available in stores and online starting July 5th. The Android 4.0 based handset features HTC sense 4 UI and 4G LTE support. Main features of the new handset are:

• 4-inch super LCD qHD display
• 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus, LED flash, BSI, f/2.2 and 28 mm lens
• Front-facing camera for video chatting with friends and family
• 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor
• Mobile Hotspot-capable to share a 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices
• Support for up to 32 GB microSD memory card

The DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC will be available beginning July 5 in Verizon Stores and on Verizon’s website for 149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

Mozilla today confirmed details about their upcoming open source mobile operating system aimed at lower end smartphone market. The OS will use Mozilla’s Firefox brand and will support HTML 5 applications. Operators like Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Smart, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefonica and Telenor will partner up with Mozilla to launch the new Firefox OS.

Also, device manufacturers TCL Communication Technology (under the Alcatel One Touch brand) and ZTE today announced their intentions to manufacture the first devices to feature the new Firefox OS, using Snapdragon(TM) processors from Qualcomm.

The Firefox OS for mobile devices is built on Mozilla's "Boot to Gecko project" which unlocks many of the current limitations of web development on mobile, allowing HTML5 applications to access the underlying capabilities of a phone, previously only available to native applications. Telefonica's Digital unit joined forces with Mozilla earlier this year to take this work and showcase a new phone architecture where every phone feature (calling, messaging, games, etc.) is an HTML5 application.

The first Firefox OS powered devices are expected to launch commercially in Brazil in early 2013 through Telefonica's commercial brand, Vivo.

Sony today introduced two new superfast S-Series memory cards – the 64GB QD-S64 and 32GB QD-S32 featuring PCI Express Gen interface, which allows these cards to read and write at 168MB/s making them the world’s fastest memory card.

Sony says that the new memory cards could transfer 32GB data in about 3.8 minutes and its designed for HD video and high-resolution photographers. According to SlashGear, it also means photographers would be able to shoot multiple frames in continuous shooting mode without hitting data transfer wall. Sony tested the new card with Nikon D4 DSLR camera and was able to shoot 108 shots in just ten seconds.

Sony XQD S-Series memory cards will go on sale in Japan on July 11th, priced 40,000 yen (about $500) for 32GB model and 60,000 yen (about $750) for 64GB model.