IBM has banned employees from using Apple's Siri personal assistant on their corporate networks, fearing that speech-to-text logs from the app might give away corporate secrets.

To be allowed on an IBM network, a device first has to be configured with remote data wipe capabilities and have any file-transfer apps -- like Apple's iCloud -- disabled and replaced with IBM's own MyMobileHub. Because Siri voice queries are sent to Apple's servers to be converted from speech to text, and also analyzed to help improve Siri's accuracy, IBM is worried that employees who use it might be revealing more information than they realize.

Sure, it seems unlikely that some guy at IBM is asking "Siri, can you give me driving directions to the skunkworks lab?" but it's better to be safe than sorry.

[dvice.]

Several news sources (including the Wall Street Journal and Reuters) have reported that the next iPhone will feature a 4-inch display, but what does that mean for the iOS experience?

9to5Mac says the 3.95" display will have a resolution of 1136x640, up from the iPhone 4S's 960x640. Those new pixels will reportedly make room for a fifth row of icons on the home screen, but they could also make trouble for developers who will have optimize their apps for the new phone's aspect ratio.

As far as the device's form factor, it's not expected to change. The dock connector, however, may shrink, making current sync cables obsolete.

The new iPhone is believed to be in testing right now, with Apple employees carrying it in a nondescript shell that hides the new design.

[dvice.]

Rumors are circulating that the next major version of Apple's iOS, iOS 6, will do away with the Google Maps app that has been preloaded on iPhones since 2007.

Over the past year, Apple has acquired companies like 3D mapping specialists C3 and started using Open Street Maps instead of Google Maps in iPhoto, hinting at the eventual launch of a proprietary Google Maps replacement in iOS. Now it appears that app might show up sooner than previously anticipated.

9to5Mac reports:

According to trusted sources, Apple has an incredible headline feature in development for iOS 6: a completely in-house maps application. Apple will drop the Google Maps program running on iOS since 2007 in favor for a new Maps app with an Apple backend. The application design is said to be fairly similar to the current Google Maps program on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, but it is described as a much cleaner, faster, and more reliable experience.

Can Apple's new maps app replace a product Google has been evolving for close to a decade?

[dvice.]

The JoeyBra, designed by two students from the University of Washington, includes a discreet holster for storing valuable things like credit cards, extra cash or, say, an iPhone.

Certainly, carrying a bag or wearing something with pockets isn't always possible, but this might not be the most convenient way to store something you're going to be taking out every 5 minutes (unless you're wearing a strapless dress like one of JoeyBra's co-founders does in the demo video).

JoeyBra is currently seeking Kickstarter funding, and you can get your hands on one for a pledge of $30.

[technabob.]

The JuiceTank is a combination iPhone case and charger with a built-in electrical plug that eliminates the need to carry a charging cable.

Its two prongs lay flat on the back of the case, minimizing any extra bulk, and then pop out when needed using a spring-loaded mechanism.

Granted, a cable can be nice when you want to use your phone while you're charging it, but cables are easy to lose or forget. It's a lot easier to remember to bring your charger with you when it's attached to your phone.

The JuiceTank is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, and has raised $25,000 toward its $125,000 goal with 54 days to go. If it gets funded, the case will be released this summer and retail for around $70 (although backers can get one at a discount).

[gizmag]