The size of the new iPhone 5 will rival its Android competition

Wish that iPhone in the palm of your hand was a little bigger? According to the Wall Street Journal, your prayers are about to be answered: The new iPhone 5 will feature a 4-inch display, a half inch larger than current iPhone 4 models — and closer to 4″ or larger Android phones that are now commonplace.

Sources suggest that Apple is ordering large numbers of the larger screens from a number of suppliers, including LG, Sharp, and Japan Display Inc. The same reports suggest that production of the new iPhone 5 will begin in June.

Any news about the iPhone 5 is welcome, of course — there’s little doubt that the device is already the most awaited smartphone of 2012. The report lacks information about other features the phone may have, but its been suggested elsewhere that the iPhone 5 will also feature 4G wireless speeds, a long-awaited upgrade. The iPhone 5 is also expected to use Apple’s own military-grade 3D mapping software instead of Google Maps.

[Image credit: _zbowling]

[WSJ via Ars Technica]

This article was written by Fox Van Allen and originally appears on Tecca

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If only perfecting your golf swing was as simple as playing Angry Birds. Well, while the idea of developing a PGA-quality swing will never be that easy, a growing array of mobile apps, now enhanced by cloud technology, really could help take a stroke or two off your game.

Apps for golf enthusiasts are nothing new, being among the first tools available for the iPhone. But as smart phones have evolved in performance, app developers have taken advantage of the new capabilities, doing their best to one-up each other. Now, with the growth of cloud computing and data storage for smart phones, the ability to analyze your round, your club selection, and even your swing has become much more precise. In a real way, the sort of focused coaching and analytics employed by professionals is now available to everyone for about half the cost of an average lesson.

“It has been said that Jack Nicklaus began tracking his performance on an individual basis,” said Craig Prichard, creator of Shotzoom “He converted that knowledge to give him a tremendous advantage to take to the course.”

Prichard’s offering is one of several apps that aim to create a professional caddy in your pocket. Using your smartphone’s GPS capability, Golfshot allows you to track where your shots land and – with a little help from you – creates a log of how many fairways you hit, how many strokes it takes you to reach the greens, or the number of putts it takes you to finally sink that little ball in the hole, The app calculates distance averages for each of your clubs, so it can recommend club selection for any shot on any course in its database. Finally, by analyzing your game, Golfshot can even help golf shops better understand what you need help with and what type of equipment you should look for. As if shops need much help recommending that golfers need more gear.

“Equipment manufacturers make all sorts of claims, but truth is all golfers are different,” said Prichard. “This type of data, actually allows users to present this real world information to figure out which [club] is best for your skill level.” 

Some equipment manufactures have embraced that view, offering apps that help golfers find the right club. Ping, for example, offers iPing, which measures your putting stroke, tracking tempo, consistency and strike angle. Of course, it’s also meant to sell putters, so the app also matches you to the right Ping putter.

Still, the biggest difference between the pros and the rest of us is rarely just club selection or shot-by-shot data. So can apps really help fix the hitch in your swing? The newest offerings promise to do just that.

With the advent of cloud computing for smartphones, more apps are able to store and draw on huge volumes of data. That means more video capabilities and much better data analysis.

If you really want to punish yourself while getting a glimpse of what those new capabilities mean, you can choose an app that compares your swing to that of a professional. The iSwing app by Keuminotti is one such tool, letting you analyze how your swing differs from professional Adam Scott’s swing. Shotzoom lets you compare your game to Tiger Woods – what better way to motivate you while on the driving range? You can slow the video down and make marks on the screen to see how your club goes back, and whether you have the near-perfect swing plane most professionals employ.

Cloud-enabled apps can also help golfers fine-tune their game. Imagine taking a lesson and hitting 45 perfect shots as the instructor offers pointers and advice. Just capture one of those swings, and you can now use that as a guide when you’re practicing by yourself. If the ball starts heading right, just record another video and analyze it side-by-side with your perfect swing you experienced with the coach. One new app, SwingReader from Ubersense, allows you to do just that. With SwingReader, you can also overlay the two videos on top of one another to see the difference in the stroke, so you know exactly where your swing went sideways.

“Memory isn’t always a great way to measure” your swing performance says Prichard. And thanks to unlimited real memory of the cloud, your own often-faulty memory becomes a non-issue.

Still, even the best new apps can’t immediately tell you if your club is going back too shallow, which is leading to that massive hook that left you in the trees. In time, though, they will. In the “next two years,” advances in object recognition could give your phone the ability to track and alert you to an incorrect movement, says iSwing creator Charles Keum. Imagine: You ask your phone to track your hips, and it tells you in real time if you’re sliding instead of twisting.

“The technology in the mobile space of the apps is going to grow, and a slew of new technologies will be surfacing as these devices improve,” said Keum.
 
Looking at the newest crop of golf apps, it’s clear to understand Keum’s optimistic outlook. Still, even with the best and most detailed advice coming from every smartphone on the planet, golfers may never want to forget Arnold Palmer’s timeless advice: “I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone’s golf game:  it’s called an eraser.”

Seven apps for your golf bag:

Avengers AR

The Avengers are headed to theaters soon, but a new mobile game has already hit iTunes and Google Play. Marvel and Walmart partnered up on the Super Hero AR which is both a game and in-store experience. To unlock different levels of the game, you have to visit your local Walmart and point your phone at different placards throughout the store.

Click here to view this gallery.

[More from Mashable: The iPhone Almost Had a Physical Keyboard [REPORT]]

Keeping up with all the new apps to hit the scene is a tough job. But you’re in luck: You don’t have to, because each week we round up our favorite apps and app updates from the week in this handy roundup.

This week was a big one for some of our favorite services on the web, with big names such as LinkedIn, Skype, Klout, and Twitter launching new apps or updating their current offerings.

[More from Mashable: FaceVault App Brings Facial Recognition to iOS [VIDEO]]

iPhone owners with face-unlock envy will love a new app that brings facial recognition technology similar to Android’s Ice Cream Sandwich feature to iOS.

If you’ve always wanted to be a superhero, a new augmented reality app lets you start your crime-fighting career. If you want to be a superhero for nature, another app takes a look at how the earth is changing over time. The app shows dramatic before-and-after shots of places affected by changes in climate, urbanization or just the power of nature.

Once you’re done fighting crime, a updated last-minute hotel app will make sure you find the perfect place to nap before you’re off to your next adventure.

Check out our favorite picks from the week in the world of apps in the gallery above. Have your own favorites from the week? Let us know in the comments.

Miss out on last week’s picks? Check out what made the list last week for more great apps worth checking out.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Mona Abdel-Halim is the co-founder of Resunate, the makers of the Apply widget for startups. You can start attracting top talent free by getting an Apply widget for your company at Resunate.com/employers. Connect with Resunate on Facebook and Twitter.

If you’ve been on the job search for a while, it’s likely you have a good idea of things you should be doing to land a new job, such as optimizing your resume or building your personal brand online. Of course, you can’t get the job if you don’t make a great impression on your interviewer or potential employer.

[More from Mashable: Celebrate Spring With 10 Blooming iPhone Photos [PICS]]

But there are also plenty of ways you can ruin your chances of getting a new job. It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people kill their chances before they’ve even left their interview. If you’re hoping to land your dream job, here’s what not to do during the job hunt.

1. Blow Off the Phone Interview

If your resume makes it past an employer’s applicant tracking system and impresses the hiring manager, it’s likely you’ll be invited for a phone interview. This is how employers whittle down their list of applicants to decide who they want to bring in for an in-person interview — so you need to be prepared and take the opportunity seriously.

[More from Mashable: Happy Earth Day! Celebrate With Google Doodles [PICS]]

Here’s a great example of what not to do (courtesy of an anonymous employer via MyCrappyResume):

“[I] had a couple of phone screens with clearly drunken candidates. Also had a candidate sweating profusely through interviews and going to the bathroom every 5 minutes. (Word to the wise — if you’re THAT sick, reschedule!) Needless to say, none of them were hired!”

It’s also vital that you’re properly prepared for the interview. Sit in a quiet room without distractions, do your research beforehand and ensure you’re actually able to speak on the phone for the allotted time. One job candidate learned this the hard way:

“I was asked to participate in a second phone interview while I was on vacation, and because I was very interested in the job, I obliged. Before I started to answer the first question, my phone completely died. I had no way of retrieving the phone number. Needless to say, I did not get the job.”

2. Talk About Other Job Opportunities

It may sound like common sense, but some job seekers feel the need to be overly honest when interacting with potential employers. There’s always the chance that one opportunity might fall through, so don’t jeopardize one position because you think you might get another.

Obviously, employers don’t like being rebuffed, particularly when they’ve spent a lot of time reviewing your material and preparing for the interview. Here are two real stories that are almost hard to believe:

“Someone once started an interview with me by saying ‘Okay. So, just to set this straight, I did interview for another job that I’m probably going to take if I receive an offer.’”

“During the interview, an alarm clock went off from a candidate’s briefcase. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for another interview.”

3. Provide TMI

Unfortunately, there are a lot of jobseekers who have had a tough time landing a new job. Whether you’re a new graduate, an older job seeker or one of the long-term unemployed, it’s likely that you’ve had your fair share of challenges on the hunt for a new position. Sharing these sob stories with employers, however, is not going to get you the job.

One employer tells of an awkward interview situation that illustrates the point:

“I once interviewed a woman and asked her standard interview questions, such as ‘What do you need from a boss?’ To this question, she replied: ‘I need my boss to be my best friend. I’m so lonely. We just moved here a few months ago, and I haven’t made any friends. I need a friend.’”

4. Talk Negatively About Former Supervisors or Positions

It’s easy to blame your former supervisor for issues you faced in the workplace. Sure, venting to a friend or family member can make you feel less angry, but do not bring it into a new job. Applicants who speak negatively about former positions, management or colleagues are not perceived positively by employers — it can often raise a red flag in their eyes if you’re so quick to dish the dirt. In one instance, a candidate spoke badly of customers to his interviewer and ruined his chances of landing the job:

“I was interviewing a young man for a customer service position. He had worked at a hair salon, and in describing his experience there, he said, ‘I had to deal with a lot of old biddies.’ Needless to say, that’s where his candidacy ended.”

5. Act Cocky

Confidence is key on the job search, but cockiness is less than appealing. You certainly don’t want to sound like this jobseeker:

“One time a candidate said he was so well-qualified that if he didn’t get the job, it would prove that the company’s management was incompetent.”

What’s your biggest interview “don’t”? Let us know in the comments.

Social Media Job Listings

Every week we post a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we publish a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting!

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, PinkTag, gulfix

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Mona Abdel-Halim is the co-founder of Resunate, the makers of the Apply widget for startups. You can start attracting top talent free by getting an Apply widget for your company at Resunate.com/employers. Connect with Resunate on Facebook and Twitter.

If you’ve been on the job search for a while, it’s likely you have a good idea of things you should be doing to land a new job, such as optimizing your resume or building your personal brand online. Of course, you can’t get the job if you don’t make a great impression on your interviewer or potential employer.

[More from Mashable: Celebrate Spring With 10 Blooming iPhone Photos [PICS]]

But there are also plenty of ways you can ruin your chances of getting a new job. It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people kill their chances before they’ve even left their interview. If you’re hoping to land your dream job, here’s what not to do during the job hunt.

1. Blow Off the Phone Interview

If your resume makes it past an employer’s applicant tracking system and impresses the hiring manager, it’s likely you’ll be invited for a phone interview. This is how employers whittle down their list of applicants to decide who they want to bring in for an in-person interview — so you need to be prepared and take the opportunity seriously.

[More from Mashable: Happy Earth Day! Celebrate With Google Doodles [PICS]]

Here’s a great example of what not to do (courtesy of an anonymous employer via MyCrappyResume):

“[I] had a couple of phone screens with clearly drunken candidates. Also had a candidate sweating profusely through interviews and going to the bathroom every 5 minutes. (Word to the wise — if you’re THAT sick, reschedule!) Needless to say, none of them were hired!”

It’s also vital that you’re properly prepared for the interview. Sit in a quiet room without distractions, do your research beforehand and ensure you’re actually able to speak on the phone for the allotted time. One job candidate learned this the hard way:

“I was asked to participate in a second phone interview while I was on vacation, and because I was very interested in the job, I obliged. Before I started to answer the first question, my phone completely died. I had no way of retrieving the phone number. Needless to say, I did not get the job.”

2. Talk About Other Job Opportunities

It may sound like common sense, but some job seekers feel the need to be overly honest when interacting with potential employers. There’s always the chance that one opportunity might fall through, so don’t jeopardize one position because you think you might get another.

Obviously, employers don’t like being rebuffed, particularly when they’ve spent a lot of time reviewing your material and preparing for the interview. Here are two real stories that are almost hard to believe:

“Someone once started an interview with me by saying ‘Okay. So, just to set this straight, I did interview for another job that I’m probably going to take if I receive an offer.’”

“During the interview, an alarm clock went off from a candidate’s briefcase. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for another interview.”

3. Provide TMI

Unfortunately, there are a lot of jobseekers who have had a tough time landing a new job. Whether you’re a new graduate, an older job seeker or one of the long-term unemployed, it’s likely that you’ve had your fair share of challenges on the hunt for a new position. Sharing these sob stories with employers, however, is not going to get you the job.

One employer tells of an awkward interview situation that illustrates the point:

“I once interviewed a woman and asked her standard interview questions, such as ‘What do you need from a boss?’ To this question, she replied: ‘I need my boss to be my best friend. I’m so lonely. We just moved here a few months ago, and I haven’t made any friends. I need a friend.’”

4. Talk Negatively About Former Supervisors or Positions

It’s easy to blame your former supervisor for issues you faced in the workplace. Sure, venting to a friend or family member can make you feel less angry, but do not bring it into a new job. Applicants who speak negatively about former positions, management or colleagues are not perceived positively by employers — it can often raise a red flag in their eyes if you’re so quick to dish the dirt. In one instance, a candidate spoke badly of customers to his interviewer and ruined his chances of landing the job:

“I was interviewing a young man for a customer service position. He had worked at a hair salon, and in describing his experience there, he said, ‘I had to deal with a lot of old biddies.’ Needless to say, that’s where his candidacy ended.”

5. Act Cocky

Confidence is key on the job search, but cockiness is less than appealing. You certainly don’t want to sound like this jobseeker:

“One time a candidate said he was so well-qualified that if he didn’t get the job, it would prove that the company’s management was incompetent.”

What’s your biggest interview “don’t”? Let us know in the comments.

Social Media Job Listings

Every week we post a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we publish a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting!

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, PinkTag, gulfix

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Want your phone’s graphics to match those of top gaming systems such as the Xbox 360? Just wait until about 2014 when graphics hardware giant NVIDIA estimates that smartphone graphics might whip those of the popular gaming console.

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According to a chart showing yearly graphic performance of console, PC, and mobile devices, it looks like your smartphone could soon host the same type of graphics processing unit (GPU) as the Xbox 360.

Apple’s new iPad, with its stunning Retina display, makes games such as Infinity Blade Dungeons look even crisper. But could your smartphone replace your Xbox gaming system? Maybe not yet — at the moment this is just speculation. Plus it’s been six years since Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have updated their consoles. It’s possible sharper graphics are on everyone’s “to-do” list.

[More from Mashable: How Green Is Your iPad? [INFOGRAPHIC]]

Would you prefer to play games on your smartphone, console or both, if the graphics were both top-notch? Tell us in the comments.

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, TommL

This story originally published on Mashable here.

HELSINKI (Reuters) – Rovio is working on getting its new Angry Birds Space game to Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform (WP7), its chief executive said on Friday, putting Nokia and other Windows phones more on a par with the iPhone.

“We are working towards getting Angry Birds Space to WP7,” Rovio Chief Executive Mikael Hed told Reuters, dismissing earlier media reports that the top gaming firm was dumping the platform.

Hed, however, said the launch date was not set.

Rovio’s games are topping sales charts on all key platforms and reports that the gaming company was shying away from the Windows Phone was seen as a major blow to Nokia’s strategy to shift to use it in all its smartphones.

After Hed’s comments to Reuters, Nokia shares were 0.6 percent higher at 3.97 euros by 1516 GMT.

“We are working closely together with Nokia to bring our games to their platforms,” Hed said. “Our mutual goal is to bring the best possible experience to our fans, including all fans using Windows Phone devices.”

The Finnish start-up behind the world’s most downloaded mobile game has been valued at up to $9 billion little more than two years after it first launched Angry Birds for Apple’s iPhone.

The game has been downloaded more than 700 million times, and is the fastest-growing game on Facebook.

(Reporting By Tarmo Virki. Editing by Jane Merriman)