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At long last, the iPhone 5. We just got our hands on Apple’s latest smartphone following its unveiling in San Francisco, and suffice it to say, it’s a beautiful thing. Some might say we’ve been waiting for this moment since October 4th of last year, but another crowd may say that the real next-gen iPhone has been on the burner for much longer. Indeed, this is the first iPhone since June of 2010 to showcase an entirely new design, but it’s obvious that Apple’s not going to deviate far when it comes to aesthetics.

Apple followers will aptly recall Steve Jobs’ quote in July of 2010 — you know, that one about “no one” wanting a big phone, with current CEO Tim Cook seated just feet from Steve as the phrase was uttered. Now, however, Apple’s inching ever closer to that very realm, with an elongated 4-inch display that enables new apps to take advantage of more pixels (1136 x 640), while legacy apps can still operate within a familiar space. The phone itself doesn’t feel too much different than the iPhone 4 and 4S; yes, it’s a bit taller, but by keeping the width the same, you’ll utilize a very familiar grasp to hold it.

via iPhone 5 hands-on! — Engadget.

Today at its iPhone launch event, Apple announced yet another piece of hardware: the fifth-generation iPod touch. As rumored, it has a 4-inch display, the same 326 ppi panel used on the new iPhone 5. As you might have guessed, this is also the thinnest iPod touch to date, measuring in at 6.1mm and weighing 88 grams (3.1 ounces). On the inside, it packs an A5 chip promising seven times the graphics performance of the last-gen model. The battery is rated for 40 hours of music playback, or eight hours of video.

The rear camera has also gotten an upgrade: it’s now built on a 5-megapixel sensor, paired with a backside-illuminated f/2.4 lens. It also now shoots 1080p video, and Apple has also added image stabilization. And yes, it supports the same panorama shooting feature as the iPhone 5. The front camera, meanwhile, is 720p and supports FaceTime (over WiFi only, of course — no 4G models here).

If that image stabilization feature doesn’t do it for you, there’s also a protruding button on the back, to which you can attach a wrist strap — you know, so that if the shakes get really bad you at least won’t drop the thing. Perhaps the biggest news, though, is that the new iPod touch has Siri built in, making it the first non-iPhone device from Apple to get this feature. Finally, it comes loaded with iO6 and if you don’t know what that entails, well, we’ve got your feature summary right here.

The iPod touch will be available in two flavors: a 32GB model ($299) and a 64GB number ($399). It will be sold in five colors: “raw aluminum,” black, blue, yellow and red, and a (PRODUCT) RED version will also be available. Three hundred bucks too pricey for your next PMP? The last-generation touch will remain on the market, with the 16GB one going for $199 and the 32GB version selling for $249.

via Apple announces fifth-generation iPod touch: 4-inch screen, 6.1mm thick, Siri included — Engadget.

It’s gone through quite a few minor revisions as of late, but Apple has today taken the wraps off a fairly big redesign of not just iTunes for OS X and Windows, but iOS devices as well. The latter will be making its debut with iOS 6 on the 19th, and you can expect a simpler interface in all incarnations — “dramatically simpler,” according to Apple’s Eddie Cue — with a carousel up top paired with a flattened grid of icons below. The desktop version also sports a new mini player, which now boasts search functionality while staying decidedly minimalistic, and a new “Up Next” feature lets you cue up songs and see what’s coming at a glance. Those UI changes naturally extend to the store component as well, and Apple is also promising improved performance throughout. No firm release date for the desktop version just yet, but Apple says we can expect it sometime in “late October.”

via Apple announces redesigned iTunes for Mac, Windows and iOS devices — Engadget.

Not sure if you want to splurge for that newfangled iPhone 5 just yet? Well, the folks in Cupertino are now offering a handsome discount on the previous model. Thats right, the iPhone 4S will now set you back $99 with a requisite agreement, of course and the iPhone 4 is free on contract. In the midst of the all the excitement, Apple also announced that the 3GS will be discontinued.

via Apple discounts iPhone 4S to $99 in the wake of the iPhone 5, iPhone 4 is now free on contract — Engadget.