What?! iOS apps running on Android
Been thinking of making that switch from iOS to Android but can’t break away from those core Apple apps? Well, thanks to some students from Columbia University that may become a reality. Using their Cider compatibility layer they have successfully demonstrated many iOS running on a Nexus 7.
Although the apps run dreadfully slow it shows promise for those who just can’t let go of there idevices. This is still very experimental but has real advantages for users of multiple platforms. The layer tricks the app into thinking is running in it native environment and adapts the code to work with the Android kernel.
There is still much to work on as some features are not available like GPS. Speed is another obvious issue but if the project is worked on further hopeful these will be worked out. Below is a video of Cider being used on a Nexus 7.
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Mac Pro Shipping Estimates Begin Improving to 1-2 Weeks [Mac Blog]
Shipping estimates for the Mac Pro through Apple’s online store continue to rapidly improve, with the company’s European stores such as the UK now showing 1-2 weeks for new orders. Online stores for other regions are still listing estimates of 2-3 weeks, but they should be seeing a similar improvement shortly.
After months of shortages for the completely revamped Mac Pro following its December launch, shipping estimates have improved rapidly in recent weeks, although it is unclear how much is due to improved supplies as any kinks have been worked out of Apple’s new U.S. production line and how much is due to a slowing of demand after the initial order surge.
(Thanks, Paul!)
Graphene May Be Next Area of Innovation for Apple and Samsung
In a world where mobile devices are becoming thinner and thinner and in some cases being worn on the wrist or other parts of the body, graphene may be the wonder material of the future, with properties that make it stronger than steel, more flexible than rubber and more conductive than most metals. As a result, the material could initiate a new wave of innovation in hardware design and manufacturing that may lead to incredibly thin and flexible devices. According to Bloomberg, it also may become the next battlefield for Apple and Samsung.
Graphene is graphite, the material in pencils, arranged in a layer that is one atom thick. The arrangement of the carbon molecules makes the material stronger than steel and even diamonds. It also is flexible, conductive and so transparent that is nearly invisible to the naked eye. It can be applied to other materials, potentially allowing for the creation of flexible displays and bendable devices.
Apple, Samsung and Google are allegedly in an arms race to acquire patents and other intellectual property to cover the design and use of the material in both mobile and wearable devices. With global mobile device sales predicted to reach $847 billion by 2016 and wearable technology to explode to a $19 billion business in the next five years, the development of graphene may be critical to a company’s ability to compete in the future electronics marketplace.
The biggest hurdle for the widespread adoption of graphene is the high cost of production. These technological and manufacturing issues are being addressed by Seoul National University professor Hong Byung Hee, who owns a patent for mass-producing graphene-based displays.
To unlock that potential, the world’s biggest electronics makers are turning to researchers such as Hong Byung Hee, a professor at Seoul National University, who’s developed a patent for mass-producing graphene-based displays.
“Global technology companies are facing innovation limits in hardware and design, and in order to step over to the next level, they need to adopt new materials like graphene,” Hong said in an interview. “Our key graphene technology is receiving considerable interest from firms including Apple, Samsung and even Google.”
Apple has been silent on its own research into the use of graphene, with Apple spokesperson Kristin Huguet declining to comment to Bloomberg on Hong’s patent and the company’s interest in the material. Unlike Samsung, Apple’s own publicly available patents and applications addressing graphene are scant, but it seems the company is at least exploring what the material might be used for.
Two more companies sign up to build Windows Phone handsets
Microsoft may have its own phone business now, but that doesn’t mean that other companies can’t still produce Windows Phone handsets under their own flags. Redmond’s China VP Zhang Yongli has announced that both China’s K-Touch and Florida’s Blu Products have signed up to produce mobile devices using Microsoft’s operating system. Given that both companies skew towards the cheaper end of the market, we can expect a slew of low end devices hitting the market later in the year. Hopefully, the move will help to bolster the platform in both the US and China, two places where Microsoft’s market share remains well behind closest rival Android.
[Image credit: Livesino]
Source: Livesino.net
LittleBits’ Arduino module puts the focus on programming, not wiring
Getting your feet wet with programmable hardware can be tricky; even if you’re comfortable with coding, you may not want to break out the soldering iron just to build a usable device. LittleBits is aware of just how intimidating these make-it-yourself gadgets can be, so it has just launched its first software-programmable module, the Arduino at Heart. As the name implies, it’s an Arduino core (the same as the Leonardo) designed to fit into LittleBits’ simple, building block approach to circuit boards. If you want to attach a light, motor or sensor to the Arduino board, you just snap it on — you can spend more of your time coding rather than dealing with wiring and other hardware hassles.
The programmable part gives you much more control over LittleBits’ existing modules, such as the oscillators in the Synth Kit. People have been asking for this flexibility since the “beginning of the company,” product head Paul Rothman tells us. However, it also opens the door to interaction with your computer. Since the Arduino module has USB support built-in, you can create Etch-A-Sketches, Pong games and other programs that have LittleBits and your PC working in harmony. Rothman adds that many existing Arduino projects should work with only a few slight tweaks to pin assignments.
The code-friendly kit is available online today, and you should also find it at the Maker Faire in San Mateo on May 17th and 18th. You can buy the Arduino module by itself for $36, although beginners may be best off with the $89 Starter Bundle; the pack includes both the programmable core as well as eight additional parts you may want early on, such as controllers and a battery. It may still be a while before you’re cooking up completely new ways to use LittleBits’ gear, but you won’t need electrical engineering skills just to reach that point.
Filed under: Household, Peripherals
Source: LittleBits
Square Register for iOS now works even without an internet connection
Jack Dorsey’s little credit card machine that could only really had one major flaw: it only worked with an internet connection. That’s not an issue any more, thanks to an update to the Square Register iOS app which now lets you accept payments offline, as long as you upload them within 72 hours. You can set a limit on the value of each transaction, automatically set yo $100, since you’ll lose out on any declined sales that weren’t verified at the time. Still, if you trust your customers and have spotty WiFi, then it’s probably worth checking out.
Filed under: Peripherals, Tablets, Internet
Via: TUAW
Source: Square (App Store)
Nintendo being sued over motion patents in the Wii and Wii U
Nintendo’s not having a great 2014. Between lackluster financial results, an accidental controversy, and now a lawsuit from Philips, life could be better. The Dutch electronics company Koninklijke Philips (better known as just Philips, for obvious reasons) is suing Nintendo over motion patents that span the entire Wii line: “Wii video gaming systems and related software and accessories including, for example, the Wii console, Wii Remote Plus Controller, Wii Remote Controller, Wii U console, Wii U GamePad, and Wii Mini,” the lawsuit filing reads. Worse for Nintendo, Philips is looking to halt the sales of those products while the court case proceeds, which could turn the Wii U’s poor sales into an even more dire situation.
For its part, Nintendo isn’t issuing a formal statement. Philips’ formal statement is written all over the legal documents. The electronics company alleges that Nintendo intentionally infringed on patents owned by Philips, that Nintendo was warned about said infringing patents in late 2011, and that Nintendo continued to voluntarily violate said patents. Beyond the creation of devices, Nintendo allegedly infringed Philips’ patents, “by making, using, selling, offering for sale, andimporting interactive virtual modeling products within the United States.” As such, Philips is suing Nintendo in the United States district court (specifically in Delaware, where many companies register for tax reasons).
Should the case go to trial, Philips is requesting one by jury. Also, Nintendo will have to stop selling its Wii and Wii U game consoles in the US during the trial. All that said, it’s very likely this will be settled out of court so Nintendo can avoid that situation.
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Software, HD, Nintendo
Via: Game Informer
Source: Scribd
The HTC One Mini 2 is now official, a mid-range smartphone for the selfie Lover
We’ve been seeing the rumours for some time and now the HTC One Mini 2 has been official announced. The specs are pretty much as we expected for a mini version of the HTC One M8; a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, 1GB RAM, 16GB storage, a 4.5-inch 720p display, and a 2,100mAh battery. One of the more intriguing characteristics of the One Mini 2 is the fact that it actually possesses a microSD slot, something that has always been a major criticism of HTC flagship smartphones.
As we also expected, the One Mini 2 will have Sense 6.0 themed Android 4.4, though it’s definitely the cameras that deserve an additional look. While the HTC One M8 had the HTC Duo Camera configuration, the One Mini 2 is ditching that and the UltraPixel technology to simply have a 13MP camera on the rear and a 5MP wide-angle camera on the front. While it’s definitely interesting that HTC actually left its beloved UltraPixel camera out of the One Mini 2, this makes it a genuinely viable device for people who want decent camera and selfie performance. The HTC One Mini 2 is going to be available in three colours to start with including Gunmetal Gray, Glacial Silver and Amber Gold, and is expected to be released in EMEA regions and Asia sometime in June; availability in other regions has not yet been specified and prices have not been divulged.
What do you think about the HTC One Mini 2 now that it has been fully revealed? How do you think it shapes up to the Motorola Moto G? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Source: Phone Arena
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Sony’s $700 4K streaming box gets a much needed pre-order discount
4K TVs are still quite expensive and there’s still not a lot of stuff to watch on ‘em. If neither of those things deterred you from buying one, however, then Sony’s FMP-X10 Ultra HD Media Player is probably a good investment. The Roku-esque hardware lets you pull down 4K content like American Hustle and The Blacklist from Sony’s Video Unlimited store, as well as House of Cards and Breaking Bad from Netflix. Having already launched in Europe, it’ll arrive on these shores in July for $700 — unless, that is, you pre-order between today and July 15th, since Sony is offering a $200 discount for even earlier early adopters.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Sony
T-Mobile launching Spanish-language mobile network with Univision
Move over Jennifer Lopez and Verizon, as Univision has just partnered with T-Mobile to create a new Spanish-language cellphone service called Univision Mobile. Underpinned by T-Mo’s network, the new partnership will target the 56 million strong Hispanic American market with “custom-built” plans. Like its parent carrier, those will be contract-free starting at $30 for unlimited texts and calls and $45 for a 2.5GB web plan. Both will get unlimited international texting and 100 minutes of free calls to mobile phones or landlines in Mexico and seven other Latin American countries. The new company may not have J-Lo fronting it like Viva Movil, but users will no doubt be able to catch her on their phones — Univision will offer “insights and programming content” for the new venture.
Filed under: Wireless, Mobile, T-Mobile
Source: Univision
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