Rumor: iPhone 5 will be in very short supply when it launches

The iPhone 5 is one elusive smartphone. It'll either be very similar to the iPhone 4, with just a spec-bump or come with a completely redesigned body. Our bet is Apple will take the wraps off both models, but it seems the iPhone 5 might see a shortage.

9to5Mac is reporting that it's heard the iPhone 5 — the slightly taller, wider and thinner version "is seeing continued design and production delays, at least on one assembly line (Apple has multiple production sources - Pegatron, Foxconn, etc).  We therefore think that iPhone 5 will be delayed slightly at the very least and may see shortages all the way into 2012."

A shortage? Is that really a surprise? Not really. Whether it's a production problem or a consumer one, Apple's mobile devices hve historically managed to sell out — as was the case with the iPhone 4 and iPad 2. Shortages are to be expected. The problem is, Apple just won't be able to meet demand.

Meanwhile, Case-Mate who "accidentally" posted pics (since removed) of cases for the iPhone 5 online also backs claims that the device will sport a new form factor, going as far as to say that the screen will be 4-inches, the home button will elongated, camera will jump up to 8-megapixels, and will feature wireless charging.

Case-Mate claims both an iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 model will be launching in early October. The New York Times also says an iPhone 5 is on its way in the next few weeks.

For sure, iPhones are en route — two of them — but what's the hold up? We've heard nothing about Apple's annual September music event, that usually brings with it redesigned iPods. Maybe those production problems are real. The only way to guarantee you get an iPhone 5 will be to pre-order one as soon as Apple and its wireless carrier partners all buyers to do so.

Details emerge of woman's jailhouse call as media pursue Strauss-Kahn

One day after a stunning court revelation about an accuser's lack of honesty in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn sexual assault case, media across New York descended on the freed financier with a renewed sense of vigor.
On Saturday, the former head of the International Monetary Fund was pursued by photographers and news teams across Manhattan. After emerging from his posh Tribecca townhouse, Strauss-Kahn and his security detail blazed through downtown city streets in a black Mercedes sedan, darting in and out of roadways in an

attempt to outrun camera crews in pursuit.
Ten vehicles from an array of different news teams gave chase, including at least three photographers perched atop motorcycles, according to CNN producer Raelyn Johnson.
Interest surrounding the scandal reached a fever-pitch Friday when a New York judge released Strauss-Kahn from house arrest after prosecutors presented evidence questioning the credibility of his accuser.
Also, less than two days after the alleged victim said the attack occurred, she spoke over the phone with a boyfriend in an Arizona jail in a recorded conversation.
A source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that she said that "she's fine and this person is rich and there's money to be made," as originally reported by The New York Times.
The source also said the alleged victim had bank accounts in multiple states.
"She was getting deposits of several thousands of dollars at a time from people she knew, potentially involved in drug dealing," the source told CNN.
The 32-year-old immigrant admitted to prosecutors that she lied about the specifics of her whereabouts following the alleged attack, the details of an asylum application and information she put on tax forms, according to documents filed in court Friday by prosecutors.
Meanwhile, in her native Guinea, residents in the nation's capital expressed their support for the alleged victim, despite her tainted testimony.
"Really, you should have sympathy on her," said Mabity Boungoura in the Guinean capital of Conakry. "When you do something bad to a woman, you need to recognize and accept it."
While the case has taken a dramatic turn, it has not been dismissed, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said Friday.
The indictment and charges -- including criminal sexual acts and sexual abuse -- against Strauss-Kahn, 62, still stand, he said.
Strauss-Kahn's lawyers said the alleged victim told "substantial lies about her own background and the facts of this case."
The development is particularly stunning given prior statements by New York authorities, who spoke forcefully about the accuser's credibility. It appears to leaves the felony case against Strauss-Kahn seriously undermined, despite DNA evidence of sexual contact recovered from the hotel suite.
The judge said authorities will continue to withhold the French financier's passport, but that he is free to travel in the United States.
Prosecutors said Friday that the woman admitted to lying in her application for asylum in the United States, claiming she had been a victim of a gang rape. She cried when she first told prosecutors about the rape, but in a subsequent interview admitted it never occurred.
In angry remarks delivered outside the courthouse, the woman's attorney, Kenneth Thompson, admitted problems with his client's credibility, but the bottom line, he said, is that she was attacked.
"That was true the day it happened and it is true today," he said, describing in chilling detail the account the woman gave of her attack and the bruising on her body.
"She has described that sexual assault many times to the prosecutors and to me. And she has never once changed a single thing about that account."

Presidentially, Perry urges U.S. to halt Gaza flotilla (Photo-Video)

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry, highlighting his affinity for Israeli causes as he contemplates a presidential run, has urged U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to aggressively work against a planned pro-Palestinian flotilla aimed at Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.
"As an American citizen and governor of one of its largest states, I write to applaud your recent efforts to warn and discourage those who have supported or plan to support a flotilla intended to interfere with Israel's

maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip," Perry wrote in a June 28 letter released on Wednesday.
"More importantly, I write to encourage you to aggressively pursue all available legal remedies to enjoin and prevent these illegal actions, and to prosecute any who may elect to engage in them in spite of your preemptive efforts," Perry wrote.
Perry asked that the Justice Department "take immediate steps" against those found to be violating U.S. law, including bans on participating in a naval expedition against people with whom the United States is at peace and providing "material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization."
Perry long has shown an interest in Israel, but the letter sparked fresh attention in light of his possible White House aspirations.
"Fundamentalist Christians have Israel as one of their central concepts, so anything that a presidential candidate could do to identify with Israel would pay dividends with the fundamentalists who comprise 60 percent of the Iowa caucus," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.
Support for Israel
In his letter, Perry noted media reports of American citizens and organizations working with others to organize the breach of Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
He said the reports - along with information from a lawsuit and from Shurat HaDin, which describes itself as an Israeli-based civil rights organization - indicate that at least two participating ships are registered in Delaware, and that U.S. organizations have raised or channeled money for the effort using U.S.-based Web sites.
A 2010 flotilla was intercepted by Israel, resulting in nine deaths.
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, Shurat HaDin director, said by email that her group requested Perry's assistance. A New York Times story from Athens on Wednesday cited the group's work against the planned flotilla.
"We knew of his strong support for the State of Israel and his powerful opposition to terrorism and believed that if he was provided the details of all this criminal activity being perpetrated against the citizens of Israel in the United States by Hamas supporters, he would be moved to take action against it," Darshan-Leitner said in the email.
Those promoting the flotilla have said they only intend to assist the "civil population" in Gaza, according to the New York Times story.
Perry has more than once visited Israel and has touted what he calls its "special kinship" with Texas.
Sincere? Political?
State Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, said she and Perry have had many conversations about Israel and that she's convinced of Perry's "commitment and his deep passion for the Israeli people, and for the country itself."
"I really do think this is sincere," she said. "Is it political? Probably. Is it sincere? Absolutely."
Dean Boyd, spokesman for the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, said the agency is reviewing Perry's letter.
" ... The department generally does not comment publicly on whether an investigation has been or will be launched into a particular matter,"

Facebook's iPad App Is Almost Ready To Go

More than a year after Apple introduced the iPad, Facebook is finally getting around to releasing an app for it. Nick Bilton at the New York Times reports that the app has been in development for almost a year, with Mark Zuckerberg taking a personal interest in its design. The Chat and Groups features have apparently been tweaked for the iPad, and it users will be able to upload photos and videos from the iPad's camera directly to Facebook. It all sounds very similar to the Facebook app for Android tablets -- and the Facebook

iPhone app, for that matter -- but it's nice to see this glaring gap finally filled. Bilton also reports that Facebook is redesigning its Web site for the iPad as well. That redesigned Web site might be part of Facebook's reported plan to redesign itself as a full Web-based mobile platform, where users can download other apps, buy items with Facebook Credits, and so on. Facebook is also reportedly getting some sort of new photo-sharing feature as well. Looks like a busy summer down in Palo Alto.

Critical Mass: 'Battle: Los Angeles'(Gallery Photos)

There's nothing like a terrible science-fiction action flick to bring out the creative writing skills in a film critic. Whether they hated it or merely tolerated it, the paper-thin plot and familiar images of "Battle: Los Angeles" gave critics plenty to laugh at, tear down or otherwise sneer at. Bad it is. Boring it is not. The movie is about an invading alien force destroying the City of Angels, something we've seen countless times in everything from "War of the Worlds" to "Independence Day" to last fall's "Skyline."
The Times' Betsy Sharkey opens her tepid review calling for a moment of silence for "for all the brick and mortar that made the ultimate sacrifice for 'Battle: Los Angeles.' Sob. Let me just grab a tissue. Sorry."
It's so bad it even inspires some decidedly impure thoughts in the mind of Christianity Today reviewer Brett McCracken, who admits, "It's not a good sign when, at the end of an alien invasion movie, you're disappointed that the aliens have not emerged victorious."
Director Jonathan Liebesman's wall-to-wall blow-'em-up (which was actually filmed mostly in Louisiana) is getting such rancid reviews that some critics are finding themselves writing things they never would have dreamed of saying. Such as Detroit Metro Times reviewer Jeff Meyers, who writes, "Director Jonathan Liebesman is gunning for his Lord of the Action Movie title, even if he does lack Bay's (God, I can't believe I'm writing this) compositional prowess."
New York Times critic A.O. Scott tolerated the film for two-thirds of its running time but finally had to cut it loose with the detritus of every other lousy explodarama. As he writes, "Considered as an alien-invasion science-fiction allegory, it’s about as deep as the dimple on [Aaron] Eckhart’s chin, and as lean and square as his jaw."
With all this bile being shot toward "Battle: Los Angeles," it's shocking that anyone would enjoy it. But there are people out there. People like "Nordling" at Ain't It Cool News, whose review sounds like "Nordling" may be a pseudonym for Johnathan Liebesman's mother: "But Jonathan Liebesman pulls this straight out of the fire by giving us action sequences that had me riveted for the entire film.... They say you can't polish a turd but Liebesman by God did and the result is a good two hours of quality action cinema."
And leave it to Flick Filosopher Maryann Johanson to take a step back from the carnage and try to take a more ... philosophical approach to her review. "Look: 'Battle: Los Angeles' is a metaphor. When it’s our cities looking like Baghdad, now we care. When it’s our kids being terrorized by invaders with guns, now we care. Santa Monica is behind enemy lines, for Christ’s sake." (The italics are hers.)
If you want to get really philosophical about it, it's two hours in a (probably) climate-controlled theater with (probably) comfortable seats and maybe even a sugary soda. How bad could anything be?