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Apple has blacked out employee vacations from October 9th through 12th and October 14th through 15th. A tipster told Apple Insider the first blackouts will coincide with the release of iOS 5, and the second block of dates are for the launch of Apple's fifth-generation iPhone.

"The first block of dates -- the 9th through the 12 -- could pertain to the release of iOS 5 for existing iOS device owners on Monday the 10th. As AppleInsider reported last week, certain segments of the company's AppleCare divisions have been told to prepare for an influx of iOS-related inquiries on that same day."

Up until now the iPhone 5 rumors have been pleasant and hopeful, but as we draw closer to the rumored Apple announcement in October, various sources are reporting things may not be as cheery as they seem.

John Paczkowski's announcement about an Apple media event on October 4th, made fans hopeful that the wait for the iPhone 5 would finally be over. However, 9to5Mac reported earlier the iPhone 5 could suffer shortages in 2011 due to a manufacturing problem. More bad news came from DigiTimes who reinforced 9to5's claim, adding that a bubble defect in the touch panels could be the cause for the delay.

Those unnamed "sources close to the situation" are at it once again, this time telling John Paczkowski of All Things Digital that new Apple CEO Tim Cook, will be announcing the iPhone 5 on October 4th.

Actually... They told him Apple will be holding a big media event on October 4th, we all just assume it will be to unveil the iPhone 5.

Sorry if I can't get excited about an unconfirmed report about the iPhone 5 possibly being announced, but after so many months of misleading rumors, and such a long wait, I rather skip the press conference and just know an actual release date. Apple fans are hoping that the lag time between the big event and the iPhone 5 launch will be short, but I'm not getting my hopes up just in case. However, it would be kind of crappy on Apple's part to throw Cook to the wolves by forcing him to announce the iPhone 5 won't be ready until 2012. I'm guessing if Apple plans to hold a spectacle for their next generation device, they also plan to release it soon.

T-Mobile Chief Marketing Officer Cole Brodman confirmed that they would not be getting the iPhone 5 "this year." However, his statement could mean a lot of things.

According to one sales associate, Sprint will be offering the iPhone 4 to their subscribers in 2011, not the iPhone 5. This could be a mistake on the employee's part, or maybe both Sprint and T-Mobile customers will have to wait longer for the next generation device.

J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz thinks Apple is going to have a great year by offering the "iPhone 4-plus", a low-end replacement for the iPhone 3GS, on more carriers. Apple doesn't seem to be in a hurry to launch the iPhone 5, and could have decided to expand its customer base by only offering the revamped iPhone 4 to T-Mobile and Sprint. This could also be due to the iPhone 5 production delays mentioned by 9to5Mac a few days ago. If Apple is expecting iPhone 5 shortages in 2011, they could be limiting the amount going to new carriers until production picks up in 2012. According to 9to5's report, the iPhone 4-plus is flying off the production line, and Apple should have plenty available for the upcoming holiday season, but the iPhone 5 might be limited in numbers.

Etón's iPhone 4 Rechargeable Battery Case went on sale today. The case features an 1800 mAh rechargeable lithium ion battery with recharging solar panel, and microUSB to charge and sync with iTunes.

It also includes a battery/solar charge indicator and a standby switch to turn off the charge dump to iPhone. The case retails for around $78.00. One hour of solar charge provides you with 25 minutes of extra talk time, 20 minutes of internet time and 35 minutes of video time. Check the chart below for complete charge time breakdowns.