4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Front Panel Subjected to More Rigorous Scratch Tests, May Not Be Sapphire
Last week, a video posted by YouTube user Marques Brownlee showed the alleged front panel of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 being put through a number of scratch tests and significant bending. Now, Brownlee has released another video putting the same display through more rigorous scratch tests, this time with two different types of sandpaper.
Brownlee cites the Mohs scale of mineral hardness in his testing, which is a scale rating mineral hardness from 1-10. The iPhone 5s’ Gorilla Glass display is rated at a 6.8, while sapphire crystal, which Apple uses for the iPhone 5s Touch ID home button, is rated at 9. The two sandpapers used for the test include garnet, which is rated at a 7 on the Mohs scale, and emery, rated slightly above an 8.
Upon testing, both types of sandpapers were able to scratch the iPhone 6′s front panel, but it did show better resistance than the Gorilla Glass display for the iPhone 5s. Notably, the sapphire Touch ID home button on the iPhone 5s did not display any marks after being scratched by the sandpaper. This would indicate that the alleged front panel from the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is not sapphire crystal, but instead perhaps a next-generation version of Gorilla Glass. It is also possible that the panel could be a hybrid sapphire coated display, which was patented by Apple last year.
A report last month claimed that Apple would only be using a sapphire display in the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 over concerns about high cost and limited supply. Earlier rumors had indicated that Apple would have enough sapphire glass for production of both iPhone 6 models and the iWatch in 2014.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 in early September with a release coming a few weeks later. It is unclear whether the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions of the device will launch at the same time, with recent reports claiming that the larger iPhone 6 will be released later this year or in early 2015. In addition to a larger display, both models of the iPhone are expected to include a faster A8 processor, a thinner profile, an improved camera, and Apple’s new iOS 8 mobile operating system.
HTC Smartwatch Leaked?! Nokia X is No More! – The ManDroid Show
Happy Friday my Android friends. Time to talk some Android news with you. Evleaks has a couple of leaked images to show us today. One being the new Nvidia Shield Tablet, and one that is an apparent HTC Smartwatch render. Odds are the smartwatch render is a fake, but you never know, it could be real. Microsoft has decided that the Nokia X is no more, which shouldn’t be a shock to anyone. Enjoy the show!
Android News
Nokia X is no more
Nvidia Shield Tablet
Android Wear API
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Hello there: NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet and SHIELD Controller get a thorough leak, prices and All
Looks like that render from yesterday was the real deal. Just a day after seeing a a possible render of NVIDIA‘s latest gaming hardware (and info about a possible controller), today we get a very detailed leak regarding what is expected to be called the NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet and SHIELD Controller.
Like the render we saw yesterday, the SHIELD Tablet looks a lot like the the Tegra Note 7 except that the SHIELD Tablet will instead be slightly larger at a Full HD 8-inches. Also different is the fact that the SHIELD Tablet will carry NVIDIA’s lauded Tegra K1 processor, which, with its 192 CUDA cores, can output some very un-mobile graphics. Rounding out the hardware of the SHIELD Tablet are 2GB RAM, 5MP cameras on the front and back, and come in 16GB Wi-Fi only or 32GB Wi-Fi + LTE models. The price for these variants will run you $299 and $399, which compared to other high powered tablets seem like pretty good prices.
Like we suspected yesterday, the SHIELD Controller is going to be a bespoke wireless controller for the SHIELD Tablet. Instead of the standard Bluetooth connectivity, the SHIELD Controller will instead use Wi-Fi to connect to the Tablet, which will reduce any noticeable lag, however means it will only be usable with NVIDIA products. Interestingly, the controller itself also has a headphone jack and microphone which suggests it might be best used in a lounge room setting (Chromecast mirroring, anyone?) and looks similarly designed to the original SHIELD handheld. Most impressively, the SHIELD Controller is allegedly going to cost just $59, which makes a bundle of the high performing SHIELD Tablet paired with the SHIELD Controller a very affordable prospect.
What do you think about the NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet and SHIELD Controller? Are you enticed? Let us know your opinion in the comments below.
Source: VideoCardz via Droid-life
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Amazon UK rep says an Android version of its video app is ‘imminent’
Amazon’s video service is well-rounded, with both video-on-demand selection and Prime all you can eat viewing, but there’s one big hole — Android. Even though Amazon has apps for its Android-based Kindle family of devices (along with iOS, game consoles, Roku and other TV boxes), the rest of the Android family tree is left out of the party. That could change soon however, as PC Advisor reports Amazon UK Marketing & Merchandising Director said that an app for the platform is “imminent.” The news came at the firm’s Christmas show (yes, in July, just go with it), however it’s unclear if it will apply to both phones and tablets. He also indicated that work on 4K content is progressing, confirming what we’d heard at CES, but there’s no word on when the high-res video will hit Amazon’s service. Despite repeated attempts to contact Amazon PR in the US and UK we have not received a response concerning the report, but if an app arrives soon it would help make Amazon a much better competitor against the likes of Netflix and Hulu.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Mobile, Amazon
Via: Droid-Life
Source: PC Advisor
Modern Combat 5: Blackout launch trailer goes big. Really, really Big
First-person shooters on mobile have been synonymous with Gameloft‘s Modern Combat franchise for many years now with unparallelled action and graphical prowess to set bar very high for other mobile FPS games to follow. The next chapter of the series, Modern Combat 5: Blackout, just got a new trailer that shows alot more of that over-the-top carnage and action that we have come to expect from games like this. You can check out the Modern Combat 5: Blackout launch trailer below:
A cacophony of first person action and dialogue that vaguely alludes to an epic storyline punctuate a very loud, action heavy trailer, which is arguably what we want from the most anticipated mobile shooter of the year. Make sure to watch the trailer in 1080p, and you’ll start to see exactly how far mobile games in general have come over the last few years; Modern Combat 5 looks fantastic and hopefully that translates even better to the smaller, mobile screens. Modern Combat 5: Blackout is due out on Android, iOS and Windows 8 on July 24th, so get ready do get your first-person shooter on.
Are you excited by the Modern Combat 5: Blackout launch trailer? Are you a fan of the franchise? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: YouTube
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Apple May Push Back Launch of Rumored 12-inch Retina MacBook Due to Broadwell Delays
Intel’s continued Broadwell delays may cause Apple to push back the release of its rumored 12-inch MacBook, reports Taiwan’s Economic Daily News [Google Translate].
According to the site, the device will not ship until late 2014 or early 2015 as it is expected to use Intel’s 14-nanometer Broadwell chips, which have been delayed numerous times. The most recent rumors have suggested the U series Broadwell chips designed for use in Apple’s MacBooks may not ship until February of 2015.
Apple’s 12-inch MacBook, which is said to include a Retina display, has been described as a successor to the MacBook Air. Rumors originally pointed towards a fall 2014 launch date with mass production beginning in the third quarter.
News of the 12-inch MacBook first surfaced in October of 2013, with KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo describing the device as a MacBook with the portability of the 11-inch MacBook Air but the productivity of the larger 13-inch model, with a high-resolution display.
Rumors have also suggested the 12-inch MacBook will have a redesigned ultrathin chassis with a revamped trackpad design that doesn’t incorporate a mechanical button as well as no fan assembly for quieter operation.
Along with the 12-inch MacBook, Intel’s Broadwell delays are likely having an impact on several of Apple’s planned product releases. The first chips designed for Apple products are not expected to begin shipping until early 2015, and the chips designed for the Retina MacBook Pro and the iMac may not ship until mid-2015, meaning Apple will be unable to launch significant product updates until the chips are ready.
Though the 12-inch MacBook is delayed, a separate report from Economic Daily News [Google Translate], suggests new 11 and 13-inch MacBook Air models are set to enter production next month.
Engadget Daily: Top cellphones, Kindle Unlimited and more!
Check out the top smartphones you can buy right now, read to your heart’s content with Kindle Unlimited, our review of the Samsung ATIV Book 9 2014 Edition and find out how to live off vending machines in Tokyo. All that and more inside Engadget’s news highlights from the last 24 hours.
The top 15 smartphones you can buy right now
What are the top smartphones on the market today? Our new buyer’s guide has you covered. Boom! You’re welcome.
Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited offers all-you-can-eat e-books for $10 a month
Good news for you bookworms, Amazon announced an all-you-can-eat subscription plan for Kindle devices. For just $10 a month, you can get all e-books you want!
Samsung ATIV Book 9 2014 Edition review: big screen, even bigger price
Samsung’s latest ultrabook is here. How does the ATIV Book 9 2014 Edition hold up to the competition? Check out Dana’s review for all the details.
Surviving on Tokyo’s vending machines
Japan has more vending machines per capita than anywhere else on Earth. Follow along as Mat Smith tries to live off nothing but vending machines as he travels around Tokyo.
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Twitter will finally let you see — and delete — all of your direct messages
If you’ve been on Twitter long enough, chances are that you’ve sent at least one or two direct messages (DMs) that you’d rather not see again. Deleting any regretful conversations in one fell swoop should you use the service across multiple devices isn’t as simple as it should be, though, and as of now, destroying a private-picture thread from your phone might not mean it’ll be missing when you load Twitter.com from your laptop. Well, the microblogging giant knows how much of a pain this is and is working to address it. The company issued a tweet (naturally) saying that it’s rolling out an update to make deleting DMs “more consistent” across web and mobile over the next few weeks. What’s more, Twitter says that it’s working on an update to bring your entire DM history to the Android and iOS apps as well. Whether or not that’s a good thing depends on your messaging habits, we’d imagine.
[Image credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Over the next few weeks, we’re rolling out an update that makes deleting DMs more consistent across web and mobile. http://t.co/VNtDXzwuvp
– Twitter Support (@Support) July 18, 2014
We’re also making an update to the Twitter iPhone and Android apps that will allow you to access your entire DM history.
– Twitter Support (@Support) July 18, 2014
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile
Source: Twitter (1), (2)
Analysts Predict Flat iPad Sales for Q3 2014, Slight Increase in iPhone Sales
Six months after the launch of the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPad Air and Retina iPad mini, analysts are expecting a slight rise in iPhone sales from last year, with little growth in sales of the iPad, according to new reports from Philip Elmer-Dewitt of Fortune.
Q3 2014 iPhone sales estimates from 15 Wall Street professionals and 11 amateurs range from 31.8 million to 42 million, averaging 35.88 million. During the year-ago quarter, Apple saw 31.24 million iPhone sales, and the estimated year-over-year change is 4.64 million or 14.85 percent growth.
Q3 2014 iPad sales estimates from the 26 analysts range from 12.3 million to 16 million, averaging 14.43 million. During the year-ago quarter, Apple saw 14.62 million iPad sales, and the estimated year-over-year change is -0.19 million, or a slight -1.27 percent decline, which may not be as dramatic as the dip in sales during Q2 2014.
Did sales bounce back in Q3? The 26 analysts Fortune polled are almost evenly divided on the question, with slightly more expecting iPad sales to be lower this quarter than they were the same quarter last year.
The average estimate — 14.35 million — suggests that iPad sales were down sequentially and flat year over year. But behind that average is a rather wide range, from a high of 16 million (submitted by Asymco’s Horace Dediu and Hilliard’s Stephen Turner) to a low of 12.26 million (from Canaccord’s T. Michael Walkley).
Thus far in 2014, Apple has not released new iPad or iPhone models. The company is expected to launch several new devices in the fall, however, including the iPhone 6 and updated models of the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina Display, which will lead to much stronger sales later in the year.
Apple will announce its earnings for the third fiscal quarter (second calendar quarter) of 2014 on Tuesday, July 22. The earnings release is posted just after 4:30 PM ET following the close of regular stock trading, and the conference call is scheduled to follow at 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific.
Buyer’s Guide Accessory Discounts: Mini Jambox, Sony QX10, Apple Smart Covers, and More [iOS Blog]
Along with several Mac deals and an array of iPhone discounts from Best Buy, multiple companies are offering discounts on various iOS accessories, including the Mini Jambox, Griffin Survivor cases, the Sony QX10 iPhone camera accessory, and Apple Smart Covers and cables.
Jawbone’s newest Mini Jambox can be purchased for $99 via Groupon, which is $30 off the standard price from Jawbone. It’s available in Blue Diamond, Silver Dot, and Graphite Facet. The standard sized Jambox is also available at a discounted price of $89 on Groupon.
Apple Smart Covers for the iPad 2, 3, and 4 can be purchased for $19.99 via Groupon, a discount of $20 off the standard price.
Sony’s DSC-QX10 18-megapixel camera lens that connects to an iPhone via Bluetooth can be purchased through Dealtek on Ebay for $169.99, a discount of $28.
CableJive, a site that sells cables and adapters for iOS devices, is currently offering a 20% discount site-wide with the code “Neverwinter.” The sale will last through July 21. Lifeproof is also offering a 25% discount on several products on the Lifeproof website.
Scosche’s retractable strikeLine Pro Lightning cable can also be purchased for half off through Woot, with a single cable available for $12.99 or two for $19.99.
Standard Apple adapters are on sale at Walmart, with the retailer offering the Lightning to 30-pin adapter for $35 and the Lightning to Digital AV adapter for $43.37. Walmart is also selling the World Travel adapter kit for $33.
Groupon is offering a deal on Griffin Survivor Justice League cases for the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5s, selling them for $15.99, a significant discount off the regular $60 price tag.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors.
AIVAnet 