BlackBerry tries to justify the square shape of its next big smartphone
If you’re anything like us, your reaction to the unveiling of BlackBerry’s upcoming Passport smartphone probably involved a few choice expletives — why the hell would you ship such a blocky device in 2014? Thankfully, the company is more than happy to explain in a new blog post. It argues that the rectangular shape of most smartphones is fine for video and quick chats, but lousy for work. The Passport’s square screen may look odd, but it’s supposedly ideal for reading documents; you won’t have to scroll quite so much when checking out a spreadsheet or writing a magnum opus. Logically, that hardware keyboard also keeps the interface out of the way as much as possible.
They’re interesting ideas, and the unusual form factor might just work for BlackBerry’s suit-and-tie audience. Having said this, extra-wide smartphones have rarely fared well in a market that currently favors tall designs; LG’s Vu series (aka Intuition) hasn’t had much of an audience outside of its native South Korea, and the Pantech Pocket quickly fizzled out. The crew in Waterloo may have to do a lot more than write a brief explainer to get people ditching rival devices that are gentler on their hands and pockets.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Blackberry
Source: Inside BlackBerry
Engadget Daily: the deal with DARPA, get paid to watch Netflix, and more!
Today, we dive into the world of DARPA, interview two people who cut ties with technology, take a look at the Mercedes Future Truck 2025 and imagine getting paid to watch Netflix. Read on for Engadget’s news highlights from the last 24 hours.
What you need to know about DARPA, the Pentagon’s mad science division
You probably know DARPA for its fleet of super-powered machines, but this agency’s reach extends far beyond military robotics. Read on as Mariella Moon breaks down everything you need to know about one of the Department of Defense’s most interesting operations.
How to Disappear (almost) Completely: living off the grid
Ditching social media is hard enough, but how about technology itself? In the final installment of How to Disappear, Dan Cooper interviews two people who cut their ties with the modern world and took up meager existences off the grid.
Netflix is looking to pay someone to watch Netflix all day
What’s better than binge-watching your favorite shows? Binge-watching them and getting paid for it, that’s what. Netflix is looking for “taggers” to view and analyze content all day long, and you could be one of them — so long as you live in the UK, anyway.
Mercedes’ semi-autonomous truck lets its driver relax on the highway
Forget smart cars: Smart trucks are where it’s at. With the semi-autonomous Future Truck 2025, Merecedes wants to empower long-haul drivers with tools to make better use of their time. And drive more safely, of course.
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Apple’s ‘Health’ App Gains Ability to Track Steps With M7 Motion Coprocessor in New iOS 8 Beta
iOS 8 beta 3, which was released to developers earlier today, allows Apple’s Health app to access the iPhone’s M7 motion coprocessor, letting the app natively track movement like steps taken.
Available in newer devices like the iPhone 5s, the iPad Air, and the Retina iPad mini, the M7 “motion coprocessor” functions alongside the A7 chip in those devices, measuring accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass data for enhanced fitness tracking capabilities.
As noted by 9to5Mac the Health app’s “Steps” section now tallies the number of steps a user has taken as measured by the iPhone 5s. Users accessing the Health app today will be able to access a full week’s worth of data on their devices.
The M7 has been leveraged by several third-party app developers, such as Nike and Strava, but this is the first time the data has been made available directly via Apple’s own Health app and it is also the first real data the Health app is able to display.
Along with M7 integration, the Health app also has a new “Caffeine” section in the Nutrition portion of the Health Data tab. This appears to track how much caffeine is consumed and will likely integrate with third-party caffeine tracking apps such as UP Coffee from Jawbone, which lets users track the amount of coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages that are consumed on a daily basis.
At the current point in time, the Health app is rather limited, but by the time iOS 8 is released, dozens of device manufacturers and app developers will likely have built HealthKit into their apps, allowing the Health app to aggregate data from multiple sources into one easy-to-access spot. Health is also rumored to be heavily tied to Apple’s upcoming health-tracking wearable device, the iWatch.
As described by Apple, Health aims to be a one-stop dashboard for health and fitness data, tracking metrics measured by various devices and apps, including heart rate, food consumed, cholesterol, sleep quality, and more. Apple’s iOS 8 Health page says “It might just be the beginning of a health revolution.”
iOS 8 is currently available only to registered developers and will likely be released to the public in the fall, after several more beta iterations to refine the look and feel of the operating system.
iPhone 6 Front Panel Subjected to Scratch Test, Significant Bending [iOS Blog]
Earlier today, we shared a video of what appeared to be the front panel of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 subjected to a limited bending stress test, but YouTube user Marques Brownlee has now acquired the same front panel and subjected it to additional stress tests, including more significant bending and scratching.
In the video, Brownlee scratches and stabs at the panel with a set of keys and a knife, but is unable to cause any discernible damage to the display. He then goes on to bend it quite forcefully, both with his hands and under a shoe, but the panel does not break.
Though Brownlee describes the front panel as being made of sapphire crystal in his video, there is no way to confirm that the panel, which has been seen in previous videos and images, is indeed made of sapphire. Corning’s Gorilla Glass, which is currently used in iOS devices, also has many of the same properties — it is both highly scratch resistant and somewhat flexible.
Rumors have suggested Apple plans to utilize a sapphire display in the iPhone 6 for increased durability and scratch resistance, but it has also been suggested that sapphire could be limited to the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 due to supply constraints. In that case, the front panel of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 would likely continue to use Gorilla Glass.
Apple’s 4.7-inch iPhone is expected to be released this fall, likely in September. A larger 5.5-inch iPhone is also in the works, but it is unknown whether the device will launch alongside the 4.7-inch version or later in the year. Both devices are said to include an A8 processor and camera improvements.
MIUI joins list of ROMS ported to OnePlus One
With the new OnePlus One running CyanogenMod out of the box, you can be sure the startup is open to its “flagship killer” supporting other custom ROMs as well. There are already ports of Paranoid Android, OmniROM and MoKee and now a video has been released of the device running MIUI V5 (Android 4.4.2 KitKat).
MIUI, pronounced “Me You I,” a version of Android from Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi, is usually described as a mashup of the best of iOS and Android styling and relies on looks and stability more so than added features, compared to other custom ROMS.
In the video from Anexonel, it shows that the ROM is running smoothly and looking fairly stable for a beta version. It supports seven languages, of which English is one. The only issue that Anexonel notes is that HSPA+ isn’t working on his Chinese version of the OnePlus One, but gives a way to get it working. Other than that, if you’ve used MIUI before, you will be very familiar with this ROM.
I haven’t found a link to the ROM yet, but I’ll update the post once I find it. According to GizChina, the ROM comes from a Chinese modder and a video of it can also be found on the Chinese video hosting site Youku.
Be sure to check out both videos below.
VIA: @AnexonelHPLA, MIUI forum, OnePlus forum, GizChina
The post MIUI joins list of ROMS ported to OnePlus One appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Thule Atmos X3 Case for Samsung Galaxy S5: Review
Overall your looking at a case with no extras like a kickstand or blast proof protection, but a quality, simple all around protection package. My only gripe is that the case is not the most stylish, not in a bad way I just don’t think the Atmos X3 was meant to make a fashion statement. The Atmos X3 is a great option at 39.99 and we rate it a solid 4.5/5. If this sounds like the case for you you can place an order at Thule as the Atmos X3 is available now.
The post Thule Atmos X3 Case for Samsung Galaxy S5: Review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
What’s on your HDTV: World Cup final, The Raid 2, The Strain, Hemlock Grove
This is it. This week the World Cup comes to an end (assuming you’re still paying attention after the USMNT was knocked out) with semifinals, 3rd place game and the final match Sunday afternoon before Brazil, Germany, Netherlands or Argentina takes the trophy. Of course, that’s not all there is to watch this week, as CBS premieres its new summer show Extant. That show stars Halle Berry as an astronaut who, after a year of isolation in space, returns home to her husband and robot son to find out that she’s pregnant. Another new entry for the summer is The Strain on FX, which looks to continue a string of excellent TV shows(Fargo, Louie, The Americans) with a horror series from filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. On Blu-ray, we’re looking forward to The Raid 2, highlighting Indonesian martial arts once again in an incredible action movie, while Netflix is ready with season two of Hemlock Grove. Check after the break for a list of what’s new this week plus a few trailers, and drop a note in the comments if you see any highlights we’ve missed.
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Blu-ray, Streaming movies & Games
- The Raid 2
- The Time Machine
- Bad Words
- Point Blank
- Southern Comfort
- Lake Placid (Collector’s Edition)
- Kid Cannabis
- Jodorowsky’s Dune
- Bad Grandpa .5
- Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition (PS3, PS4)
Monday
- Switched at Birth, ABC Family,8PM
- WWE Raw, USA, 8PM
- Dangerous Acts Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus, HBO, 9PM
- 24: Live Another Day, Fox, 9PM
- Beauty and the Beast (season finale), CW, 9PM
- The Fosters, ABC Family, 9PM
- Major Crimes, TNT, 9PM
- Under the Dome, CBS, 10PM
- Murder in the First, TNT, 10PM
- Teen Wolf, MTV, 10PM
- Longmire, A&E, 10PM
- Mistresses, ABC, 10PM
- Cee Lo Green’s The Good Life, TBS, 10:30PM
Tuesday
- FIFA World Cup Semifinals: Brazil vs. Germany, ESPN, 3PM
- America’s Got Talent, NBC, 8PM
- Pretty Little Liars, ABC Family, 8PM
- Time Scanners, PBS, 8PM
- History Detectives Special Investigations, PBS, 9PM
- Rizzoli & Isles, TNT, 9PM
- Chasing Life, ABC Family, 9PM
- Royal Pains , USA, 9PM
- Deadliest Catch, Discovery, 9PM
- Top Gear (US), History, 9PM
- The Wil Wheaton Project, Syfy, 9PM
- Finding Carter (series premiere), MTV, 10PM
- Inside The Walking Dead, AMC, 10PM
- Drunk History, Comedy Central, 10PM
- Perception, TNT, 10PM
- The Night Shift, NBC, 10PM
- Tyrant, FX, 10PM
- Covert Affairs, USA, 10PM
- Nathan for You, Comedy Central, 10:30PM
- Sullivan & Son, TBS, 10PM
Wednesday
- FIFA World Cup Semifinals: Netherlands vs. Argentina, ESPN, 3PM
- Big Brother, CBS, 8PM
- Rogue, DirecTV 101, 8 & 9PM
- Young & Hungry, ABC Family, 8PM
- So You Think You Can Dance, Fox, 8PM
- Mystery Girls, ABC Family, 8:30PM
- Extant (series premiere), CBS, 9PM
- 60 Minutes Sports, Showtime, 9PM
- Suits, USA, 9PM
- Dual Survival, Discovery, 9PM
- The Bridge (season premiere), FX, 10PM
- Wilfred, FXX, 10PM
- Taxi Brooklyn, NBC, 10PM
- Motive, ABC, 10PM
- Catfish (season finale), MTV, 10PM
Thursday
- Black Box, ABC, 8PM
- Defiance, Syfy, 8PM
- E! True Hollywood Story: Duck Dynasty, E!, 8PM
- Mythbusters (summer premiere), Discovery, 9PM
- Welcome to Sweden (series premiere), NBC, 9PM
- Rectify, Sundance TV, 9PM
- Big Brother, CBS, 9PM
- Rookie Blue, ABC, 9PM
- Dominion, Syfy, 9PM
- The Sixties, CNN, 9PM
- Working the Engels (series premiere), NBC, 9:30PM
- Gang Related, Fox, 9PM
- Ridiculousness (season premiere), MTV, 10P<
- NY Med, ABC, 10PM
- Last Comic Standing, NBC, 10PM
- Maron, IFC, 10PM
- Comedy Bang! Bang! (summer finale), IFC, 10:30PM
Friday
- Hemlock Grove S2, Netflix, 3AM
- WWE SmackDown, Syfy, 8PM
- Cold Justice, TNT, 9PM
- Almighty Johnsons (series premiere), Syfy, 10PM
- Crossbones, NBC, 10PM
- Kurt Metzger: White Precious, Comedy Central, 11PM
Saturday
- FIFA World Cup 3rd Place game, ESPN, 3:30PM
- Bad Teacher, CBS, 8 & 8:30PM
- Presumed Dead in Paradise, Lifetime, 8PM
- Bet On Your Baby, ABC, 8PM
- IndyCar Series @ Iowa, NBC Sports, 8PM
- Power, Starz, 9PM
- Boxing: Canelo vs. Lara, Showtime PPV, 9PM
- Almost Royal , BBC America, 10PM
Sunday
- NASCAR Sprint Cup Series @ New Hampshire, TNT, 1PM
- FIFA World Cup Final, ESPN, 2:30PM
- Wipeout, ABC, 8PM
- Yankees/Orioles, ESPN, 8PM
- Big Brother, CBS, 8PM
- Last Tango in Halifax, PBS, 8PM
- Ray Donovan (season premiere), Showtime, 9PM
- Reckless, CBS, 9PM
- Endeavour, PBS, 9PM
- Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, CNN, 9PM
- True Blood, HBO, 9PM
- The Last Ship, TNT, 9PM
- The Musketeers, BBC America, 9PM
- Rising Star, ABC, 9PM
- Catching Hell, Weather Channel, 9PM
- MLS: Sounders vs. Timbers, ESPN, 10PM
- The Strain (series premiere), FX, 10PM
- Masters of Sex (season premiere), Showtime, 10PM
- The Leftovers, HBO, 10PM
- Falling Skies, TNT, 10PM
- The Hunt, History, 10PM
- Halt and Catch Fire, AMC, 10PM
- Unforgettable, CBS, 10PM
- Vicious, PBS, 10:30PM
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO, 11PM
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Build your own Game Boy with a Raspberry Pi, SNES pad and 3D printer
What’s a maker to do when they don’t have access to a classic Game Boy but happen to have a 3D printer and a few other parts laying around? Craft their own, no Legos required, of course. With some patience, you too can build a copy of Nintendo’s 25 year-old handheld using an Raspberry Pi, Super NES controller (for its buttons and circuit board) and a few other bits and bobs. Adafruit has print-files for the iconic portable’s case as well as step-by-step instructions for how it all goes together, but, as 3DPrint points out, it likely won’t be easy and the project requires a decent grasp on soldering and circuitry. Emulated games run off of an SD card, and the DIY-Game Boy can even play any classic Nintendo ROMs you might find online too. We’ll leave wading through the legalities of that whole process up to you, though.
Via: 3DPrint
Source: Adafruit
The US is getting Hollywood’s help building a real Iron Man battle suit
The US hasn’t had much success building mechanized battle suits that move quickly and stop bullets, but Hollywood has been dreaming up these concepts for years. Don’t they already know a thing or two about designing high-tech armor? Apparently, the US military thinks so — it’s enlisting the help of Legacy Effects, which has built suits for Iron Man and RoboCop, to shape its TALOS (Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit) project. The company is both designing and 3D printing prototype pieces that will give a feel for what the armor is like in the real world.
Of course, the result won’t be anywhere near as slick as what Alex Murphy or Tony Stark wears in the movies. Legacy Effects is bound by the limitations of modern technology, which will likely make this early suit very clunky; think of the makeshift suit near the start of the original Iron Man. Ekso Bionics is hoping to develop a powered exoskeleton, but it could be both heavy (around 400 pounds) and power-hungry. It may end up using a drone engine for power rather than an array of batteries. A Canadian firm, Mawashi Protective Clothing, is developing an unpowered substitute inspired by the natural protection of armadillos and insects.
The US doesn’t expect a fully functioning, independent suit until July 2018, and that’s assuming there are no big setbacks. However, it believes that the time and expense (estimated at $80 million) will be worth the effort. Soldiers only have so much protection with current armor, and they frequently shoulder heavy loads that slow them down. TALOS may never have sci-fi features like flight or repulsor weapons, but it could both save lives and help troops get around war zones with more agility than a vehicle allows.
Filed under: Wearables
Source: Wall Street Journal
The Big List of Android Wear Apps
So you’ve got yourself an Android Wear device and now you’re looking for apps and games. Where to go to find them? Well, as of right now Google isn’t doing anything all that formal to track apps with Wear in mind. Sure, there’s the “Apps for Android Wear” category tucked away in the Google Play Store,… Read more »
The post The Big List of Android Wear Apps appeared first on SmarterWatching.
Read the rest at the source, SmarterWatching.com
The post The Big List of Android Wear Apps appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 