Engadget is now standing firm behind those images of an “iPhone 4G” they posted yesterday, claiming pictures they nabbed right before the iPad launch as proof it’s not just a knock-off. And what’s more:

a source — who confirms this is the next Apple iPhone — also tells us that the device apparently does have a higher res screen on-board, a front-facing camera, a higher resolution camera with flash, and takes MicroSIM cards.

Not only that, MacRumor’s forums claim to have pictures from a Chinese website showing the guts of the device.

We’re still saying it can’t be called an iPhone 4G, since Apple used iPhone 3G for the 2nd generation due to its 3G radio, and likely would do the same for an iPhone 4G, signifying a 4G LTE radio — which won’t be supported in the US until 2011 at the earliest. iPhone HD is still a candidate, however, due to the higher resolution screen.

Now this still looks so different, so cobbled together that, if it does indeed come from Apple’s labs, it’s more likely prototype hardware than finished design — a way to test the guts of the machine and how it works with new software features.

UPDATE: Daring Fireball claims to have called “around” (read: into Apple contacts) and now believes:

this is an actual unit from Apple — a unit Apple is very interested in getting back. I am not certain that this is the actual production unit Apple intends to ship to consumers. I think it's a testbed frame — thicker, with visible (un-Apple-like) seams, meant to fit in 3GS cases so as to disguise units out in the wild. It's hard to tell from the photos. But I think it is the real deal in terms of the internals and display being next-gen iPhone hardware, and the new glass back. A front-facing camera and 960 × 640 display are two things I know are slated for the next iPhone. (The "80 GB" of storage sounds like a mistake to me, but who knows? SSD storage typically comes only in even power-of-two increments.)

Given the differences between it and current iPhone models, do you hope this is the direction they’re actually going, or that the final iPhone 4G looks nothing like it?

So is this Apple’s next iPhone (iPhone 4G)? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Asphalt 5 HD [$6.99 - iTunes Link] for iPad from Gameloft is a game that does not take the speed limit into consideration. Just the opposite. Nitro bursting, vehicle demolishing street racing combined with great graphics and smooth controls is what makes this game a joy to play.

Just hold the iPad in your hands as you would a steering wheel and turn it in the direction you want to move. I love using the accelerometer, but if for some reason you don’t, Asphalt 5 HD also offer a virtual steering wheel and touch screen controls. Nitro is a tap away and gives you a speed boost. Oh, and you can break (I think, never used it).

There are over 30 cars for you to enjoy including a Ferrari 599 XX, Lambourghini and Ducati, and there are also 12 locations to play. Gaming options include straight up races, or if you are one of the more aggressive drivers (can someone say road rage) you can try to eliminate the other drivers by side-swiping them off the road. If doing a regular race bores you, Gameloft has also added a whole bunch of different modes of play: drift, cop chase, time attack, duel mode, last man standing and escape. Want to play against your friends? Multiplayer modes can be accessed through bluetooth or online.

Stay with us after the break for picture and video proof of why you would never want me to drive your car!

YouTube link

Quick review: Asphalt 5 HD for iPad is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

UDPATE: Engadget initially updated their story on the iPhone G4 (not iPhone 4G!) to include the information below, then removed the update, their editor-in-chief stating on Twitter that a “major update is coming”. So, we’ll file this under “developing” for now…

ORIGINAL: Those pictures we linked to last night of an iPhone 4G/iPhone HD turn out to be what most of our readers claimed it to be in the comments – just a knock-off.

According to Applesfera, the phone in the pictures never came from Apple or Cupertino at all, but is simply a cheap Chinese clone. One of their readers posted a picture (above) of the same identical phone that they recently purchased in Japan.

So whether you were excited or not so excited, move along as there is nothing to see here.

[Via Macrumors via Applefera]

UPDATED: Images of iPhone 4G/iPhone HD turn out to be a knock-off is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Just the other day iPhone Dev Team member, MuscleNerd, announced the release of iPhone 4.0 redsn0w 0.9.5 beta for developers and now he has announced beta number 2 0 [download link].

Since most jailbroken apps are currently busted in the iPhone OS 4 (iPhone 4.0) beta, this particular version of redsn0w is meant to be used solely by developers to fix their jailbreak apps and should not be used by anyone else.

Are you are considering to jailbreak when iPhone OS 4 is released? Tell us why or why not in the comments below!

iPhone OS 4 beta 1 redsn0w 0.9.5 jailbreak tool for devs now available is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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It isn’t uncommon for parents to allow their small children to play with their iPhone and iPad, but it turns out the iPad can also be an effective (albeit, expensive) cat toy.

Watch Iggy the cat play his favorite iPad games, Noby Noby Boy [$1.99 - iTunes link] and Magic Piano [$0.99 - iTunes link] after the break!

Sunday Fun Video: Cat Plays With iPad is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog