Apple Exploring Eliminating Home Button on iPhones & iPads

Posted: June 22, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

They have several patents relating to this, but macrumors.com picked up a report from DigiTimes out of Taiwan indicating that Apple is working on an in-house single-chip solution to integrate touchscreen and display drivers onto one chip. It would also include fingerprint sensors, which would allow Apple to lose the home button, and build phones and tablets with edge to edge screens. They could either make smaller devices with the same sized screens as now, or make them bigger… and of course make them thinner than ever! Synaptics has a chip that has most of this functionality out now, but it looks like Apple is going to roll their own solution.

It’s not a whole new box, but Sony will roll out an upgraded PlayStation 4 next month with a 1 TB drive…double the storage of the previous edition. Theverge.com says the Ultimate Player Edition will also be 10% lighter and suck up 8% less power that the present model. They have not announced pricing yet, advising to check with retailers. Besides the PS 4 announcement, Sony also made changes to the app…available now on Android and iOS.

Apple Watch Clones and Knock Offs Already On Sale

Posted: March 15, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Last week, Apple rolled out the Apple Watch, and within a day, counterfeit versions were on the streets in China. Now, zdnet.com says there are knockoffs in stores and online. One shown on Alibaba is the Airwatch A8 smart wearable watch. It’s a dead ringer, but runs Android, shoots photos and video, and uses a SIM card for independent calling. It’s $76.

There’s not much more frustrating than lines at the airport. Theverge.com reports that Cincinnati International Airport is using a tracking system that picks up the MAC addresses of smartphones anonymously, and has allowed them to cut time in security lines by a third. 20 other airports around the world are using the tech from Blip Systems.

Microsoft cut prices on the Xbox One and beat out Sony during the Christmas season, but now Sony has come roaring back, with the Playstation 4 outselling the Xbox in both January and February. According to Geekwire.com, those two new generation game systems have outsold their predecessors by 60% so far.

A ‘Sinister’ Version of the Galaxy Edge

Posted: February 9, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

More pictures have leaked out of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6, and they show 3 different models. 9to5google.com reports that besides the ‘regular’ S6, there appear to be two Galaxy Edge models. Earlier reports had an Edge with two side screens, but it appears that actually there will be both right and left handed models. Using the edge screen by leftys would otherwise require using the phone upside down! Of course, we won’t really know until Samsung releases them. The phones are still expected to roll out March 1st at Mobile World Congress.

Microsoft just dropped the first big update of the year to the Xbox One. Geekwire.com says it includes a Game Hubs feature, that pulls together game clips, playing tips, leaderboards, and info about friends. Redmond’s idea is to basically create a social network around individual games on the Xbox, with the hope that adding this plus their price cut will help them catch up to the Playstation 4 in sales.

While the venerable keyboard and mouse still rule computer inputs, and voice control is still not ready for prime time, there’s a new app at the Apple App Store that lets you use fingers in thin air. Engadget.com reports that ControlAir works with media apps like iTunes, Spotify, and more. You still have to open the app and start the music or video, but you can stop, start, and mute from across the room. The app uses your EyeSight camera.

New Bluetooth Standard Helps Privacy & the Internet of Things

Posted: December 3, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The new Bluetooth 4.2 specification is out. Engadget.com says It even further reduces power use, bulks up on privacy, and for the growing internet of things…can connect with your router directly to the internet without needing wifi. Look for it to show up on devices in 2015.

Venturebeat.com reports that Google Drive now lets you edit Microsoft Office document attachments right from Gmail. Click an icon, and you can convert them to Google’s formats.

Sony has announced a gray Limited Edition, 20th Anniversary Playstation 4. Geek.com says it is on sale today in Japan, with US preorders starting the 6th. 12,300 will be made, and it’s $499.