Third-Party Chargers May Damage iPhone 5 Charging Circuitry
Apple has warned consumers against using third-party power adapters with their iOS devices as they can cause safety issues such as burns and electrocutions, but as it turns out, third-party chargers may also be responsible for causing damage to one of the chips in the iPhone 5.
According to UK repair company mendmyi and first reported by iMore, cheap third-party iPhone chargers and USB cables can possibly damage the U2 IC chip on the logic board of the iPhone 5, which might the device to fail to boot up or charge past 1% battery life after the battery drains.
The U2 IC chip controls the charge to the battery, the sleep/wake button, some USB functions, and regulates the charging power to the power IC that actually charges the phone. When damaged, the chip can fail to work properly, which prevents an iPhone 5 from turning back on. While a fresh replacement battery will power the iPhone, once the battery is depleted, the issue resurfaces.
Mendmyi says that it has seen multiple iPhone 5 devices with a damaged U2 IC chip and has narrowed the problem down to third-party chargers and USB cables, which do not properly regulate voltage.
The cause of this component becoming faulty is really quite simple — third party chargers and USB leads!
The original Apple chargers and USB leads regulate the voltage and current to a level that protects your valuable iPhone and prevents it from damage.
Charging your iPhone using a third party charger or USB lead that does not regulate this as much allows for larger variables in voltage and current, this then damages the U2 IC and can leave you with a seemingly dead iPhone 5.
It is not clear if the issue is limited to the iPhone 5 as some users have also reported third-party charger issues with the iPhone 5c, which may use the same component, but the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5 use different U2 IC components. Users with an iPhone 5 experiencing charging issues that have used a third-party cable may have damaged their devices, which will need to be repaired by Apple or another repair outlet.
Apple has regularly recommended against using third-party chargers and cables. In mid-2013, the company even launched a third-party power adapter recycling program, following the electrocution of a Chinese woman allegedly caused by a counterfeit charger. Apple ran the recycling program from August to October of 2013, recycling counterfeit adapters and providing customers with a $10 credit towards an Apple-branded charger.
As of iOS 7, Apple also warns customers when they are using unauthorized cables or accessories with their devices. The company’s Lightning connector, introduced with the iPhone 5, fourth generation iPad, and original iPad mini, utilizes several different chips to manage dynamic pin assignment and to recognize whether connectors came from authorized channels.
Apple’s own chargers “undergo rigorous testing for safety and reliability,” according to the company, and are designed to be safe and work properly with iOS devices.
See more of Android Wear, Google’s wrist-borne OS
Google pretty much divulged the most important things about Android Wear when it launched the OS, but this new video lays out all the details complete with visual aid. Timothy Jordan, the company’s developer advocate, shows off a number of user interface elements in the video and explains how it doesn’t make sense putting phone icons on a smartwatch. As mentioned before, you can issue voice commands by saying “OK, Google,” and the OS uses Google Now-like cards to show you various information (weather, flight details, etc. — the usual things available on regular Android).
Jordan also details how apps made for the platform can use different types of notification, like Stacks, which, well, stacks several for easier viewing. There’s also the Pages format that shows one lengthy notification in several cards, and the Replies format, which gives you the option to respond through the watch itself using voice commands. Bottom line is that Android Wear, according to Jordan, is “glance-able” and reduces the time you need to interact with your smartwatch. The point of the video is to show you all these features before the LG G Watch and the Moto 360 come out, though, so press play below to see it all for yourself.
Filed under: Wearables, Google
Via: Android Beat
The next version of Android will enhance battery life, speed up apps
Several months ago, Google added an experimental runtime option to speed up apps in Android 4.4 KitKat. A runtime, for the record, supports the apps running on your device — without it they’d be nothing but piles of useless code. Called ART (short for Android Runtime), that same mode will become the default when Mountain View releases the next version of its operating system. Developers spotted tweaks to Android’s open-source code indicating the upcoming change, and the update looks to be a positive one. Without getting bogged down in details, ART essentially makes apps run faster and more efficiently, with the downside being that they’ll take up slightly more space on your phone, as well as lengthier install times.
ART will likely replace the current app-running software Dalvik as the default on Android, though the latter option could still be available. In addition to enhancing app performance, ART is said to slightly increase battery life. Even if the gains are small, that’s good news for anyone using the most popular mobile OS in the world. And with Google I/O just a week away, we may hear about the next version of Android very soon.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google
Via: Phone Arena, Android Authority
Source: XDA Developers
Yes, Nokia has released an Android launcher
The Android launcher scene might be getting a little out of control — even Nokia (whose X phones are now under Microsoft’s wing) is getting into the game. The Finnish firm has just released Z Launcher, a home screen replacement that gets you to frequently-used apps, contacts and sites as quickly as possible. The software learns your habits and surfaces the content you’re most likely to use based on where you are, what you’re doing and the time of day. It might put your calendar app at the top when you’re in the middle of the workday, or highlight Instagram when you’re out on the town. You also don’t have to dive into the app tray if you’re looking for something specific; you can draw an item’s first letter to bring up a narrow set of results.
Z Launcher’s interface may be simple, but getting a copy may prove tricky. It’s currently available only to a limited number of users in a rough alpha release. And while the alpha should run on many Android phones, Nokia has only tested on the Nexus 5 and recent Galaxy S models — don’t be surprised if other devices throw a fit. We’ve also noticed that the launcher download process is hit-or-miss, so you may have to be patient. Still, this is your big chance at seeing how Nokia designs an interface for other companies’ handsets.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia
Source: Z Launcher
Extremely small and wireless earbuds? Kickstarter all the way
So, here’s the thing, I hate wires and I bet there are lots of you like me out there. Wires are just so annoying and not practical at all, they get tangled up all the time. There are some solutions for this as far as earbuds go, like Jaybird Bluebuds X which are great, but they’re also not exactly wire-free. Earbuds are connected via cable in order to extend battery life and you don’t misplace them by accident.
Enter Earin, the smallest wireless earbuds in the world measuring at 14x20mm which connect to your device via bluetooth. With these earbuds you won’t have to worry about tangled wires and such, although you might be a bit concerned when it comes to battery, considering these earbuds will give you only about 3 hours of audio before you’ll have to charge them. This is to be expected though, considering the size, but there’s an upside to all this as well. With Earin earbuds you’ll also get a metal capsule in which you’ll store them when you’re not using them. This capsule is also a keychain and a wireless charger for the earbuds.
Earin had a £179,000 goal and it now has over 3,500 backers and has gathered around £400,000, which is approximately 3 times more than what they were looking for. This doesn’t surprise us though, considering this has been a long time coming. If you want to contribute you can do that via the link below, there’s still plenty of time.
SOURCE: Kickstarter
The post Extremely small and wireless earbuds? Kickstarter all the way appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google releases Android Wear intro video ahead of Google I/O
With Google I/O next week and Android Wear expected to make up a very significant amount of the conference, Google has released an introduction video of the smartwatch platform previewing some of its features. It seems Android Wear is focused on reducing the time it takes to interact with the information contained on the platform,… Read more »
The post Google releases Android Wear intro video ahead of Google I/O appeared first on SmarterWatching.
Read the rest at the source, SmarterWatching.com
The post Google releases Android Wear intro video ahead of Google I/O appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Harley-Davidson’s first electric motorcycle is Project LiveWire and you can ride it
Legendary motorcycle builder Harley-Davidson teased an electric motorcycle with a video yesterday and now here it is. Project LiveWire is a part of Harley’s attempt to expand its relevance beyond current riders and show off its new tech, with a not-in-production bike that it says is much more than just a trade-show prototype. Project LiveWire packs its electric motor into a polished case underneath the bike, and clearly the manufacturer is concerned about how customers may feel about losing signature touches like the V-twin engines and chrome pipes. The press release and video trailer promise “an unmistakeable new sound” like a jet on an aircraft carrier and tire shredding acceleration but don’t have any specs to offer (according to Wired, it has 74hp, 92mph top speed, 53 miles of range and charges in 3.5 hours). Built on a one-piece frame with dual-sided rear swing arm suspension, it has LED lighting all over and even a colorful touchscreen display for its rider. Of course, the best way to figure out if its customers want an electric motorcycle is to put them on one, and the company is doing just that with a demo tour this year.
Innovation, meet Heritage. Tell us what you think. #ProjectLiveWire http://t.co/oE3ik1383m
– Harley-Davidson (@harleydavidson) June 19, 2014
Fans will actually be able to ride the thing this year at any of 30 stops for “The Experience Tour” at Harley-Davidson dealerships along Route 66, or next year at other locations in the US, Canada and Europe. Even if you’re not ready (or licensed) to take a motorcycle out on the road, it will have simulators for people to try out safely. The three stops announced so far include: New York June 24th- 25th, Boston 27th-29th and Philadelphia from July 17th – 19th. A few have already climbed on and report impressions that sound similar to our experiences with electric bikes like those from Zero Motorcycles and even Tesla’s cars, with “amazing” torque and acceleration.
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Project Livewire, Harley-Davidson (1), (2)
The Passport is BlackBerry’s newest, oddest-looking smartphone
Turns out BlackBerry’s stronger-than-expected financial performance wasn’t the only surprise the company had for us today. CEO John Chen took a few moments during this morning’s earnings call to mention its newest phone: it’s called the BlackBerry Passport and it’s, well… just look at it. Bizarre.
BlackBerry teased the existence of a new device with a square, high-resolution screen before, but the Passport’s design isn’t exactly what we were expecting. Unlike other BlackBerrys with squared-off displays, the folks in Waterloo didn’t feel the need to craft a more traditional (some would say more hand-friendly) chassis. Nope, the Passport seems to bask in its angular tendencies, and that 4.5-inch display running at 1,440 x 1,440 — which works out to a pixel density of 452 pixels per inch — is clearly the star of the show. If reports hold true, you’ll also be able to trace out gestures directly on the (now cramped) keyboard, though why you’d do that instead of paw at a touchscreen is still unclear.
The company implored us all to “be bold” a few years back, and it’s definitely taking its own advice this time. Then again, squarish phones don’t have a particularly stellar track record. Remember the Pantech Pocket? The Motorola Flipout? LG’s Optimus Vu? We didn’t think so. The Passport is expected to make its official debut at a September launch event in London, so we’ll soon see if there’s something special lurking in within the Passport’s kooky frame.
Filed under: Mobile
Via: MobileSyrup
iOS Interface Depicted on a Hypothetical 2.5″ iWatch Screen
Since news of Apple’s iWatch development first surfaced in 2012, supply chain rumors and analyst speculation have all pegged its display size at a modest 1.3 to 1.7 inches. Earlier today, Reuters released a report suggesting the display will be much larger than anyone expected, coming in at 2.5-inches diagonally.
MacRumors forum member Lewis Dorigo has previously speculated that the iWatch would have a 2.45-inch display with a 480×640 display, and has even created a crude mockup depicting what an iWatch of that size would look like on a wrist.
On his blog, Dorigo goes deeper into his predictions for the iWatch, explaining that a 2.45-inch iWatch with a Retina display of 480×640 would have same pixel density (326 ppi) as the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 5c, and the Retina iPad mini. He’s speculates on what a 2.45-inch iWatch’s UI might look like, with the creation of several mockups with an iOS 7-style design.
While several rumors have suggested the iWatch will indeed run iOS, it is still possible that Apple could go in an entirely different direction with the device, creating a standalone interface or an iOS-based interface that deviates from the iPhone’s interface.
Dorigo suggests that 80 pixels of the screen might be reserved for a CarPlay-style digital home button, leaving a 240 pixel space for apps, but that’s pure speculation — Apple could also choose to place a physical home button on the side of the device.
Along with a home button built into the screen, Dorigo imagines a largely touch-based interface, where Siri is activated via a press on the screen and individual apps have large, easy-to-press buttons. He also speculates on what the interface might look like when connected to an iPhone, as the iWatch is rumored to be heavily integrated with existing iOS devices.
The status bar shows the current connectivity of the device that the watch is connected to. If it’s connected to an iPhone, it shows the iPhone’s cellular and wifi signal strengths. If it’s not connected to a device, it just says “iWatch”, much like iPods (and iPads without cellular) do.
While Dorigo’s speculation gives a look at what a larger iWatch might look like, the device’s screen resolution and prospective user interface remain a mystery at this time.
According to rumors, the iWatch is expected to include a range of health sensors, such as a pulse monitor, along with wireless charging capabilities. The iWatch is expected to make its debut in the fall, possibly at an October event.
More of Dorigo’s predictions on Apple’s iWatch can be found on his blog.
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