Jinx wishes you all a very merry Jinx-mas 2009!

There have been a lot of celebrity deaths this year. Notably Brittany Murphy just the other day, and of course the Prince of Pop – Michael Jackson.

Click Here for a comprehensive list of 2009′s Celebrity Deaths

1. Up – Pixar make me laugh and cry again.
2. Zombieland – Bill Murray is in it. ‘Nuff said.
3. Inglorious Basterds – Alternate ending to WW2.
4. District 9 – Genius.
5. Pandorum – Space genius.
6. ‘9’ & Coraline 3D – (Tied)
7. Moon – Crazy space genius.
8. Terminator 4 – Interesting direction for the franchise to move in.
9. The Hangover – Gloriously funny.
10. Watchmen (Directors Cut) – Long but great.

Every time I look at this list I think about changing the order. I’m sure I’ve missed some films out completely… oh well.

It has been a great year for film and I really look forward to 2010. Treats such as Avatar (James Cameron’s opus), Alice in Wonderland (Depp and Burton team up again for twisted stab at the Lewis Carroll classic), and Green Zone (the 4th ‘Bourne’ film that never was) have me dribbling with anticipation.

Cinema rocks!

So yet again Telefonica O2 get exclusive rights to another high profile handset in the UK, presumably setting its competitors even further back in the dust. How will they combat O2 this time? One can only guess. In the mean time O2 will undoubtedly prosper even further from an ever increasing market share of customers flocking for the handsets that everyone wants, the Apple iPhone range and now Palm’s very own Pre. Coming to a store near you on the 16th October 2009, only 2 days after O2 Germany launch their own exclusive on the handset. 

With the continuing rumours of O2 losing the older 8GB iPhone to other networks later this year, will O2 even care? With their portfolio now so strong that whichever network do pick up the lower model, they will only to be seen to be picking up the scraps that O2 left behind?

Handset Comparison – Palm Pre Vs Apple iPhone 3Gs

o2.com

o2.co.uk

Remember, boys and girls, that the WWDC Keynote for Apple is tomorrow (Monday 8th June) at 6pm GMT. The best place to get live updates on what is announced – iPhone V3? – will be Engadget.

For all other parts of the world, you should click over to them at:

07:00AM – Hawaii
10:00AM – Pacific
11:00AM – Mountain 
12:00PM – Central 
01:00PM – Eastern
06:00PM – London
07:00PM – Paris
02:00AM – Tokyo (June 9th)

Apple has just announced that its Worldwide Developers Conference will take place June 8-12 in San Francisco. Last year’s WWDC was where a little gadget called the iPhone 3G made its appearance, and we’d say chances are good we’ll see new hardware this year as well — especially since there’d be no bigger way for Steve Jobs to make his planned June return to the company.

At this point there’s little doubt that a new iPhone model (possibly two) will at least be announced in June. Now the Commercial Times have chimed in with a report saying that components from Taiwan-based suppliers have begun shipments as Apple (or its China-based assemblers, rather) readies for a "June launch" pegged by said suppliers to reach about 2-3 million units per quarter. Assuming all the firmware sleuthing and rumours are true, of course.

A set of specs for a next-gen iPhone have leaked out along with the above screenshot, and they’re not entirely far-fetched. According to the alleged leak, iPhone model MB717LL 9 will have a 600MHz processor (up from the current 400MHz unit), 256MB of RAM (from the current 128MB), 32GB of storage, a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, as well as a digital compass and FM radio, all while retaining the same battery, basic shape, and screen size. Do you believe it? Well, if I was to conservatively guess at specs for a next-gen Apple phone that’s pretty much what I’d come up with — with the exception of FM – so its mostly believable. Plus we’ve definitely seen evidence that a compass will figure into the equation, and there are endless whispers that the camera will see an upgrade.

<edit> Even more info leaked today: There’s also apparently going to be some sort of “U-Verse” app that will work with your home entertainment system. IR remote? That would be über cool! <edit>