Pinterest’s mobile site now matches the look of its apps
To some, looks are everything. To others, it’s all about what’s inside. To Pinterest, it’s a mixture of both. As such, don’t be surprised to see a different look from the social discovery network the next time you use your smartphone’s browser. In an effort to bring a one-design-for-all of sorts to handsets, Pinterest has redesigned its mobile website with a layout similar to the one found on the iOS and Android applications. Thanks to these changes, the site now displays a more polished design and a layout that’s meant to highlight your most useful pins. If you’re looking for quick access, the native apps will still be the way to go, but this should be a fine option to the pin-loving people who prefer to use the mobile browser.
Filed under: Misc, Internet, Mobile
Source: Pinterest
Comcast is bringing its online Olympics coverage to Xfinity TV subscribers
By its nature, conventional TV offers limited coverage of large sports events like the Olympics — much to the chagrin of fans. Comcast’s Xfinity TV subscribers won’t have that problem with the Sochi Olympics, though. The cable giant is bringing its NBC Sports Live Extra app to X1 set-top box owners for the first time, giving them 1,000 hours of live Olympics video streams that would previously have required a desktop browser or a mobile app. Comcast is augmenting its regular coverage with recent technology as well. X1 users in some regions will get to watch primetime coverage through Xfinity On Demand as soon as the programming begins, and all Xfinity TV customers can use SeeIt to switch to an Olympics broadcast when it’s mentioned on Twitter. While we’d like to see the NBC app available through other TV providers, it’s still good news for athletics enthusiasts who insist on big-screen viewing.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Via: ABC News
Source: Comcast
Steve Wozniak thinks Apple should build an Android smartphone
Yes, folks, this is real life. In an interview with Wired, at the Apps World North America conference, Steve Wozniak revealed his belief that Apple should create a phone using Google’s Android operating system. According to him, “There’s nothing that would keep Apple out of the Android market as a secondary phone market.” “We could play in two arenas at the same time.” As Wired’s Mat Honan notes, the idea of such a handset wouldn’t be technically impossible, but anyone who’s familiar with the Apple of today knows that the chances of this actually happening are slim to none.
“We [Apple] could compete very well. People like the precious looks of stylings and manufacturing that we do in our product compared to the other Android offerings,” Wozniak stated during the interview. Of course, this isn’t the first time (and very likely won’t be the last) in which the great, legendary Woz has spoken openly about his thoughts on Apple- and Android-related affairs — still, it’s always interesting to hear his perspective on the tech industry. Steve also spoke to Wired about the film Her, Moore’s Law and even why he thinks the Cupertino company has yet to release a smartwatch or TV. You can check out the full interview right here.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Google
Source: Wired
Apple Preparing for Massive Production of Devices with Sapphire Displays
GT Advanced, the company that has partnered with Apple to open a sapphire plant in Mesa Arizona, has purchased and received a total of 518 sapphire furnace and chamber systems with another 420 machines on order, according to analyst Matt Margolis (via 9to5Mac). The company has also purchased multiple “Sapphire Display Inspection Tools” from Intego.
The sheer amount of equipment purchased indicates that a massive sapphire production operation is being installed at the Arizona factory, and as rumors have hinted, the large amounts of sapphire being produced, along with the tools ordered, could hint at a future ultra-durable iPhone display.
Matt Margolis believes that with the current equipment the factory has, it could produce between 103 and 116 million displays per year, with an additional 84 to 94 million possible when taking into account the 420 furnaces on order. Apple could, in total, produce 100 to 200 million ~5-inch sapphire displays, enough for its entire line of devices. In 2013, Apple sold approximately 150 million iPhones.
In documentation, GT Advanced itself suggests the aforementioned Sapphire Inspection Tools are aimed at device displays.
Lowering manufacturing and fabrication costs of sapphire is a key driver for accelerating the adoption of its use in new market segments such as cover screens for smartphones and mobile devices. GT Advanced Technologies is working with key downstream technology providers to optimize fabrication processes and technologies to lower the cost of sapphire cover screen material.
GT is partnering with Intego GmbH to develop a series of automated sapphire inspection tools that will increase the yield of high quality sapphire material from each boule and ensure that only high quality material enters the value stream. The SIRIUS Slab automated sapphire inspection tool begins a new level of repeatability and performance throughput to the production of sapphire material intended for high volume markets such as mobile and touch screen devices.
In November, shortly after the partnership between GT Advanced and Apple was announced, it became clear that GT Advanced, with Apple’s help, was aiming to drastically increase its sapphire production.
A recent patent pointed to Apple’s interest in using sapphire as a display cover on future iPhones and shortly after, a report suggested Apple partner Foxconn had already began a small trial production of 100 devices with a sapphire display.
Those rumors, along with today’s report, indicate that Apple is almost certainly aiming to use sapphire as a major component in an upcoming product such as the next-generation iPhone or the company’s much-rumored iWatch. Currently, the company uses limited quantities of sapphire to protect the camera on recent iPhones and to cover the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5.
Sapphire, as the second hardest mineral after diamond, is incredibly durable and scratch resistant, as can be seen in the video below. An iPhone with a sapphire display would be almost impossible to scratch in day-to-day use.
Video courtesy of Pocketnow
Apple and GT Advanced are said to be aiming to take the Mesa, Arizona plant live by February in order to begin immediate production of a “critical new sub-component” for iOS devices.
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Android 4.4 KitKat Update for the HTC One Gets Approval from Verizon
Verizon HTC One users…your Android 4.4 is almost here. The Android 4.4 and Sense 5.5 update has just been approved by Verizon, and the update roll out should be anytime now. It is pretty surprising that Verizon has beaten AT&T and T-Mobile to the punch, given their track record with device updates. Sprint already released a manual update for Android 4.4, so if the OTA update for Verizon has a manual method to get it on your HTC One, then we will post it up. Other than that, keep a lookout for the update.
Source: Droid-Life
LG Patent Shows “Slap-Bracelet” Stylus with Smartwatch Built-In.
A new pantent filing has surfaced showing off what LG has been upto lately. The recent filing shows how they are attempting to reinvent, and modernize, the slap bracelet. You remember those, right? They layout flat and you can”slap” them on your wrist for a fast, cool looking accessory. Well, maybe they weren’t so fashionable, but LG is looking to change that.
The new filing depicts a slap-bracelet that has a stylus tip on one end and a flat block on the other. Next to the block, which I assume houses a battery and some other electronics, is a small display. It is described in the USPTO filing as being touch sensitive.
It is an interesting patent. We actually saw a slap bracelet stylus at CES. Obviously it didn’t incorporate a screen of any kind or potential smartwatch/fitness tracking capabilities.
This could very well be the future of the LG Life Touch band. LG does have the ability to create flexible screens. I do worry about how well it would hold up if you were to “slap” it on your wrist in the typical fashion that we used to do when we were kids. The LG patent filing doesn’t mean they will be releasing anything like this soon though. It just means they want the patent rights to it so someone else doesn’t copy it. It would be king of cool to see though. What do you think? Is a slap-bracelet smartwatch / activity fitness tracker with a stylus something worth looking for?
Source: USPTO via UnwiredView
HTC to Jump into the Wearable Technology Game by the End of the Year
HTC needs to start taking that quiet brilliance they have and make it loud. That is simply because we haven’t really seen the brilliance they declare in their slogan they don’t really use anymore. After designing a phone that most tech sites deem as the best smartphone ever designed, they still couldn’t manage to make it sell as well as it could have. Instead, they threw $12 million at Robert Downey Jr. for an ad campaign that lasted about, what…2 or 3 months? Time for a change HTC; and HTC’s Cher Wang chimed in on those changes when interviewing with Bloomberg.
Cher Wang first talks about HTC diving into the wearable technology swimming pool, and how HTC has been considering smartwatches since 2011. “Many years ago we started looking at smartwatches and wearables, but we believe that we really have to solve the battery problems and the LCD light problems,” said Wang. “These are customer-centric problems.” That is the problem plaguing smartwatches, but it would be kind of great if HTC decided to just make a fancy designed watch that wasn’t full touchscreen. Challenge those designers who created the beauty of the HTC One and design a watch that not only nerd boys will where, but the general public.
HTC is very optimistic about 2014, and their marketing strategies are priority one. They are hoping for their first piece of wearable technology by Christmas time, so we will see if they accomplish that goal.
Source: The Verge
Game Insight Releases More Details on Upcoming ‘Running Shadow’ Game
I am not huge gamer by any means. I really don’t have much time for it personally. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some games out there that I am looking forward to taking for a run. The upcoming running game from Game Insight is one of those games that just seems like it could be a real hit and a lot of fun. Today they have revealed a few more bits and pieces about the game that weren’t previously released when they teased it back in the middle of December.
Moscow and San Francisco – February 6, 2013 – Game Insight, a global leader in mobile and social games, proudly presents all-new information and assets for the next generation of running games, Running Shadow. The company has revealed new information and artwork on Hadrion, the mysterious metropolis in which the game takes place. Running Shadow will be released in the near future for Android devices and other platforms later.
Running Shadow represents an evolutionary leap forward that combines the easy-to-learn, intuitive gameplay of running games with deep role-playing game elements, a dark, gothic art style, and an intricate plot full of twists and turns. The game’s majestic city of Hadrion was built upon the ruins of the now-submerged Old Town. Beneath the city lie the Dwarven Caves and the eerie Dungeon of the Old Ones. The city has survived the ruinous reign of the Old Gods, who were callous and indifferent to their people, as well as the massive disaster known as the Flood, and the conflict known as the Rebellion.
Long ago, Hadrion was split into two parts: the Upper City and the Lower City. An unscalable wall was erected between the two partitions, and guarded day and night by the Royal Guard. The Upper City belongs to rich and powerful clans, whose clandestine operations are steeped in vice and decadence. Life in this area has long been characterized by inhuman cruelty, treachery, and murder. Meanwhile, the sprawling Lower City is a home to vagabonds, beggars, and thieves. The power players here are the Fraternity of Shadows, an elite society of master thieves, ruthless assassins, and other mercenaries free of pity and principle.
Running Shadow will offer a deep story with unexpected plot twists and a dark, gothic fantasy world. The game will also include a variety of unique environments to explore, including bright landscapes and grim dungeons, as well as a varied cast of characters. The game will be released in early 2014 for Android devices and appear on additional platforms in the future. The future of running games is coming soon—stay tuned for more updates on Running Shadow.
What good is an updated press release without some new images. While they didn’t send over any new screenshots or upload a new video, they did send over a few concept art images of Running Shadow.
I am pretty excited for this one to come out. I am sure it will be free with in-app purchases much like many of the other Game Insight games are. They have a chance to make a killing if they don’t over do it though, keep it simple like Temple Run or Despicable Me, where you CAN play all day, but if you spend a little money you get some good perks. Check out the video from back in December.
Game Insight is still sticking to an “early 2014″ release time frame and won’t give us a more narrowed down time frame. In my eyes, early is between January 1st and March 31st. So they have some time to meet my personal idea of an early 2014 release. Anyone else keeping their eyes open for this one?
Olympic Athletes May Use iPhones Without Restriction During Opening Ceremony Says IOC
The International Olympic Committee confirmed today that Olympic athletes are free to use any device they wish during the Opening Ceremonies, including iPhones. They are also not required to cover any logos on their devices.
Yesterday, it was reported that Samsung had asked athletes to cover the logos on devices made by competitors during the opening ceremonies as a condition for receiving a free Galaxy Note 3 smartphone in the gift bags given to all athletes.
In an email exchange with MacRumors today, an IOC spokesperson was asked about athletes being asked to cover non-Samsung logos on mobile devices. She responded saying the report was “not true”:
No it is not true. Athletes can use any device they wish during the Opening Ceremony. The normal rules apply just as per previous Games.
The Samsung Note 3 that were distributed are a gift to the athletes, so they can capture and share their experiences at the Games, and the phones also contain important competition and logistical information for competing athletes.
Olympic athletes are controversially banned from mentioning any non-sponsor products during their time at the Olympics, including on social media and clothing. Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter, the rule covering the mention of non-sponsors, does have a specific exemption for sponsor logos on clothing or equipment that cover less than 10% of the surface area of the product in question.
It is possible that Samsung requested that logos be covered, but it is not an official IOC request and athletes will not be penalized for using or displaying non-Samsung phones.
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iOS 7 Bug Allows Disabling of ‘Find My iPhone’ Without Password
A bug in the current version of iOS 7 appears to allow users to disable Find my iPhone on a device without typing in a password, which effectively hides it from being located on iCloud.com.
Deactivating Find My iPhone takes just a few simple steps and it can be easily repeated on devices running the current version of iOS (7.0.4). The exploit involves making a few simple changes to the iCloud account section of the Settings app.
Video via Bradley Williams
MacRumors has been able to successfully replicate this bug on an iPhone and an iPad running iOS 7.0.4, but could not get it to work on a device running iOS 7.1, so the flaw will likely be fixed with the upcoming update.
This is a potentially serious bug as Find My iPhone is a useful method of locating a lost device. While this exploit does disable Find My iPhone and allow for an iOS device to be erased, it does not remove Apple’s Activation Lock theft deterrent system. After being erased, the device will remain locked to the original account and continue to ask for that Apple ID and password during the setup process to resume functionality.
The bypass only works on a device that does not have Touch ID or a Passcode enabled, as the exploit requires access to the Settings menu. To avoid having Find My iPhone disabled, users should update their phones with a Passcode and install iOS 7.1 when Apple releases the software.
MacRumors has contacted Apple for comment on the exploit and we will update if we receive new information.
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