IPhone4

That’s right: after a missed availability date in July and another delay after that, Cupertino has once again pushed back the manufacture of the palest iPhone 4 — this time clear into spring of 2011. It won’t say why, but in all likelihood, they’re still dealing with the same manufacturing woes they’ve had from the start. By the time mid-2011 rolls around, it seems probable that the release will be butting up against news of the iPhone 4′s successor — or at the very least, a CDMA version of the phone — so it’ll be fascinating to see how this timeline unfolds. In the meantime, yeah… might want to give up the wait and go for black.

Dealer: EG

If you are one of the people who misses the days when all smartphones had physical keyboard then you will love the new TK-421 iPhone Case with Flip-Out Keyboard. ThinkGeek will be releasing this new keyboard case for iPhone 3GS and 4 users in November for $49.99. The case connects to the iPhone via Bluetooth so it doesn’t block the dock connector. Unfortunately the case is not compatible with the iPhone 3G as Apple chose not to include Bluetooth support for this model due to speed concerns. If you are a fan of the T-Mobile Sidekick flip around keyboard, then you’ll love the the way this new keyboard case flips around.

This is a nice accessory for those who rather not purchase an iPhone since they do not like the touch screen only capability ( or their fingers are just too darn big for the small touch screen buttons ). Will you be purchasing the TK-421 iPhone Case ?

Spotted: mygadgetnews.com

Apple Invites reporters on short notice to Cupertino for an extraordinary press conference

After three weeks of mixed reviews, user complaints, short-tempered e-mails, falling share prices and ribbing from late-night comedians, Apple (AAPL) seems to have woken up to the fact that it has a problem.

On Wednesday afternoon its PR staff began calling reporters to invite them to a special event Friday at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT) in its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters.

Topic: The iPhone 4.

No other details were forthcoming. But that was enough to launch a flurry of speculation that the company — and perhaps Steve Jobs himself — was finally going to get in front of a controversy that threatened to spin out of control.

It started as simple and relatively minor technological glitch.

It turns out that the steel bands that surround the new iPhone and serve as the device’s antennas have the radio equivalent of an Achilles Heel. If you make contact with the gap that separates the antenna’s two halves, the phone can lose signal strength and, in certain circumstances, drop calls and data connections.

Apple might have defused the issue if it had addressed it immediately. (more…)