Booq announces the Taipan Shock, another professional’s ‘on-the-go’ bag
I have this seemingly odd affinity toward bags. There are just so many uses for a good bag that not only looks good, but also offers up plenty of pockets, zippers and pouches to keep things organized. The tech junkie in my needs a lot of organizational additions. No one likes to dig through the bottom of a bag for cords, battery packs, headphone cables or USB sticks. Booq has a pretty good selection of bags, and other accessories
The Taipan Shock uses a 210D nylon material for the interior lining and a 1680D tri-weave polyester exterior fabric that also has a water-repellent coating. The separate laptop compartment offers up thick padding to protect your laptop and uses a genuine YKK water-repellent zipper as well. Internal measurements are 17.3 x 13 x 1 inch and will carry around a 13 – 15 inch Macbook or up to a 16.4-inch laptop. The bag empty weighs in at just over 2 pounds.
“Our goal for the Taipan shock was to create a good-looking everyday bag that can handle the wear-and-tear that comes with frequent use,” says booq’s lead designer S. Kema Subsomboon. “We designed the bag’s exterior so it transitions well from a commute to the office, and we also made sure the interior organization and storage can house a wide array of professional items.
In the video of the bag you can see the gentleman change out the zipper puller from black to red. Booq includes a red, orange and blue with the bag so you can add a dash of color. The Taipan Shock also features Booq’s Terraling service. Terraling is a simple 3-step registration process that uses each bags unique serial number found on each bag. Toss in the reflective logos on the back, padded shoulder straps, and it looks like a breathable mesh back with the price tag of $95 and you have a pretty good looking bag.
Interested in the Booq Taipan Shock? Feel free to pick one up through Amazon.
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The post Booq announces the Taipan Shock, another professional’s ‘on-the-go’ bag appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
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Apple Said to Plan October 21 Media Event to Launch New iPads, OS X Yosemite
With its iPhone 6 announcement completed, Apple reportedly is preparing a second announcement event that will will launch new iPad models, claims AppleInsider, citing a trusted insider familiar with the company’s pre-launch logistics. The report points to the second half of October for the event, but The Daily Dot has gone a step further and predicted an October 21 event based on its own sources.
A person familiar with the company’s pre-launch logistics says Apple has set internal project and marketing deadlines of mid-October, ahead of the planned unveiling of major new products during the second half of the month. That would align with an anticipated media event previously rumored to be held at some point during October. The same source who spoke to AppleInsider has shared reliable information on product introduction and timing in the past.
If true, the schedule would align with Apple’s pattern for the last several years, which last year saw the company unveil its new iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display in October with an availability date in early November. This year’s event may introduce updated iPad models that include a faster A8 processor, anti-reflective display and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, although one report suggests most of the upgrades will be limited to the larger iPad Air model.
iPad Air 2 mockup
Aside from new iPads, Apple is also expected to use the October event to finalize the details and availability date for OS X Yosemite, which was initially introduced at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June. According to The Daily Dot, Yosemite will be released immediately following the October event, similar to the release of OS X Mavericks just after the conclusion of last year’s October event.
Other Apple devices in need of upgrades include the Mac mini, MacBook Air, iMac, and the Apple TV, but few details suggest updated these models will be updated before the end of 2014, particularly given Intel’s delays with its next-generation Broadwell processors. One recent rumor has, however, claimed Apple may release a new ultra-high definition 27-inch monitor with 5120 x 2880 resolution in 2014, but details on this desktop accessory remain sparse.
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Apple Apparently Finds Last-Minute HealthKit Problems, Pulls Compatible Third-Party Apps
Apple appears to have discovered a significant last-minute issue with its HealthKit services for iOS 8, a problem that will result in a delay for the launch of new and updated apps that include HealthKit functionality. Apple reportedly has pulled HealthKit-compatible apps from the App Store and is confirming this issue to affected developers. As highlighted by MacStories‘ Federico Viticci, both CARROT Fit and MyFitnessPal have disappeared from the App Store after being updated with HealthKit support earlier today.
Well that’s a relief. Just got a call from Apple, there’s nothing wrong with CARROT Fit. HealthKit is just broken and isn’t ready to launch.
— Brian Mueller (@BrianMueller333) September 17, 2014
While the exact issue is unclear, it is certainly significant that one of the key features of iOS 8 does not appear to be ready to launch on time and that it is having a significant effect on third-party developers who have prepared their apps to take advantage of the new feature.
Sounds like HealthKit won’t be working at all this week. And there’s no ETA for when a bug fix will go live.
— Brian Mueller (@BrianMueller333) September 17, 2014
Apple introduced HealthKit alongside its new iOS 8 Health app as part of a new initiative into the health and fitness marketplace. The feature taps into data from sensors within the iPhone, as well as from accessories and manual data input. HealthKit will also be key for the launch of the heart rate sensor-enabled Apple Watch early next year.
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iPhone 4s Users May Want to Avoid iOS 8 Due to Performance and Screen Size Issues [iOS Blog]
Apple’s public launch of iOS 8 is happening today, but there is one group of iPhone owners who may want pass on the upgrade for now. According to Ars Technica, the overall experience of iOS 8 on the iPhone 4s is degraded enough that owners of this device may want to consider bypassing the update and remaining on iOS 7, despite the new features offered in Apple’s latest iOS version.
Apple’s iPhone 4s was launched in 2011 and is falling quickly behind the times. It includes a much slower A5 processor, doesn’t have an option for LTE connectivity, lacks Touch ID, and ships with 2.4GHz-only 802.11n Wi-Fi support. To maintain compatibility with the device, Apple has removed some features from iOS 8, including AirDrop and Handoff for apps. iOS 8 on the iPhone 4s also drops underlying support for OpenGL ES 3.0, the Metal graphics API, and 64-bit ARMv8 apps. As a result, overall app performance is slower and animations often are choppy.
The iPhone 4s suffers not only from the expected feature loss and slower performance, it also is hindered by its 3.5-inch screen. With iOS 8, Apple is designing the OS with a larger screen in mind and this limitation is apparent throughout the OS. Apps appear cramped, and those such as Mail that require text input provide very little space to compose a message.
Apple faced a similar challenge with the iPhone 4 and iOS 7 last year and managed to improve performance on older devices with its iOS 7.1 update. As a result, there is reason to hope the company can do the same this year for iPhone 4s owners looking to take advantage of iOS 8 and address some of the issues in a future update. iOS 8 will be available today and includes interactive notifications, third-party keyboard support, a new QuickType keyboard, extensions and more.
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Apple Releases iOS 8 With Continuity, Third Party Access to Keyboards/Touch ID, Family Sharing, and ‘Health’ App
Apple today released iOS 8 to the public, making the download available to all users who have an iPhone 4s or later, iPad 2 or later, 5th-generation iPod touch, or iPad mini. The update can be downloaded via iTunes or through an over-the-air update accessible by going to the Settings app and tapping General —> Software Update.
While iOS 8 is currently available for download, it may take a few minutes for the update to propagate to all users due to demand. In past years, Apple’s servers have been overwhelmed with traffic.
iOS 8 includes the same general design elements introduced with iOS 7, but introduces several under-the-hood improvements. Improved integration between Apple devices, both mobile and desktop, is a major focal point of iOS 8, with Apple introducing several new “Continuity” features designed to connect the iPhone, iPad, and Mac “like never before.”
The operating system also includes interactive notifications, app widgets in the Notification Center, and Messages improvements that let users manage group conversations for the first time.
Third-party access to both the keyboard and Touch ID has been enabled, and Apple has implemented its own keyboard improvements, in the form of its QuickType predictive keyboard. A new Health app is included with iOS 8, aggregating health and fitness data from a variety of apps and devices, and a new Family Sharing feature lets families of up to six people share apps, music, books, and more.
Our iOS 8 roundup has a complete rundown of all of the major new features introduced in iOS 8, and our separate features roundup showcases all of the smaller changes and additions made to the operating system throughout the beta testing period.
In addition to being released to the public today, iOS 8 will also come pre-installed on the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, which will be available beginning on Friday, September 19.
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EE updates its SIM-only plans with some cheaper options
It’s been a busy month for EE already, with updated pay-as-you-go tariffs and a break-up with Phones4u that’s forced the latter to shut-up shop. The bustle continues, however, and today the 4G network’s announced revamped SIM-only plans for those who don’t need no subsidized handset. On a one-year contract, pricing starts at £10 per month for 250MB of data and goes all the way to £28 per month for 10GB. Committing to only a 30-day plan makes it all a little more expensive at £13 for 250MB and £31 for 10 gigs. The top three data allowances of 2GB, 5GB and 10GB also get access to EE’s “double-speed” network, as well as free calls to 080 numbers. They are only transient deals, though, and for new customers those caps will be reduced to 1GB, 3GB and 5GB, respectively, come the end of January next year. We know how much you love tables, so there’s a handy one after the break that lays out all the new plans and their prices.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Source: EE
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Apple wants to wean you from Android with its new iPhone guide
Apple is clearly hoping that its bigger iPhones will tempt you to switch from Android. It just launched a migration guide that helps move your stuff into the iOS universe, whether it’s a contact list, internet account or media collection. Some of the advice is fairly self-evident; email and social networks should come across without a hitch, and you’ll usually find App Store equivalents to any given Android program. You may find a few useful pointers, however, such as using iCloud as a go-between for your important documents.
There’s a degree of irony to the guide’s frequent use of drag-and-drop file transfers on Android, which isn’t strictly possible on iOS; you’re taking advantage of a feature that you’re ultimately giving up. There’s also no mention that the copy-protected content you buy in iTunes (namely books and videos) can’t come back to Android if you ever have second thoughts. Still, Apple’s tips are proof that you’re not locked into any one mobile platform — it just requires a little elbow grease to make the transition.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
Via: SlashGear
Source: Apple
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What you need to know about the future of paying for stuff
We’ve virtualized much of the rest of the modern life — why not payments? Plane tickets, banking and many other aspects of our lives now live on our phones. Payments still exist in the world of paper and plastic.
Google has Google Wallet; Visa has payWave; MasterCard has PayPass; and American Express has ExpressPay. Apple just announced its own, with Apple Pay. If you’ve heard of any of these credit card services other than Apple’s recently announced system and maybe Google’s long-running program, we’re impressed. You’re in the minority; heck, one quarter of US citizens don’t even own a standard credit card, nonetheless a virtualized one. But virtual payments are more prevalent by the year, and Apple Pay is giving the concept a much-needed publicity boost. So, all that said, let’s talk about the future of payment.
Don’t throw away your wallet just yet.
WHAT IS IT?
When it comes to virtualized payment systems, we’re not talking about paying with your credit card number online, or even services like PayPal. We’re talking about the act of paying at a physical store with virtual means: your phone, for instance, or some forms of credit card. Perhaps you’ve got a special key for use at the gas pump, where you wave it near a part of the pump and you’re good to go? Same concept, except this is all payment scenarios (at major retail chains, anyway).
Google and Apple are using NFC — “Near-Field Communication” — to make this work. That means exactly what it sounds like: You put your phone or card near a reader and the reader accepts payment. We’ve got a video of Apple Pay in action right here!
http://www.engadget.com/embed-5min/?sid=577&playList=518408292&responsive=false
Pretty simple, right? What’s actually going on behind the scenes is a bit more complex, of course, but the implementation is meant to be painless. Ideally, even more painless than pulling out your credit card. And more secure, too.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Here’s where things get technical, so bear with us for a moment. There are two main standards being used: NFC and ISO/IEC 14443. We already know that NFC stands for “near-field communication,” but it’s worth also knowing that NFC devices produce a very weak radio frequency. This radio frequency is what allows them to communicate with payment systems, and it’s that same radio frequency that the ISO/IEC 14443 uses: 13.56 MHz.
Technical junk aside, what matters here is that both systems play nice with each other. And that’s good, because a variety of credit card companies use the non-NFC system. Since those companies already outfitted retailers with their systems, no major change needs to be made for NFC-enabled phones to simply work as payment all over the USA. The list of vendors signed up for Apple Pay thus far is testament to that: Bloomingdale’s, Disney Store and Walt Disney World Resort, Duane Reade, Macy’s, McDonald’s, Sephora, Staples, Subway, Walgreens and Whole Foods Market.
Google Wallet similarly offers a stand-in for credit and debit cards; enter debit/credit information to the app, then use the phone as your payment device at participating retailers. And all those retailers where Apple Pay works? Google Wallet nows works there too, thanks to the fact that there are established standards for how these payment systems work, and those standards aren’t governed by a single company.
IS IT SECURE?
As you likely expect, this is a sticky situation. Let’s break it down, piece-by-piece:
- Do Google and Apple keep my credit card information? The short answer is no. The longer answer still starts with no, but also points out that your debit/credit information is probably on file with both companies anyway through Google Play and iTunes. There’s no reason to believe that either company can’t be trusted with keeping that data safe, but Target customers and PlayStation Network users may feel differently.
- Could my phone be stolen and used as payment? Also no, at least not easily. In the case of Apple Pay, you need a fingerprint ID to use it. In the case of Google Pay, a PIN is required.
- Could my phone be stolen and debit/credit card info removed? Still no. Part of NFC’s standardization is an aspect called the “secure element.” This is the chip where personal information is stored, securely and encrypted.
The question that really matters here is one of comparative security. Is virtualized payment more secure than traditional means? We’d argue yes, it is. Retailers in the US rarely check identification for debit/credit card use, and matching signatures is a remnant of the past. There are inconveniences that come with the new method — the inability to lend a family member a credit card, for instance — but those issues will assuredly work out in time.
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
Much of the world outside of the US has adopted a newer form of credit card which uses a built-in microchip and a PIN (sometimes called “Chip and PIN technology”). This “smartcard” has vastly reduced card fraud, but it never caught on in the US. It’s certainly an alternative, but not one that’s very effective if you don’t live in Europe. Smartphones, however, are worldwide.
A similar concept exists in the US, though it uses technology similar to NFC. It’s this technology, in fact, that led the charge for virtualized payment in retail stores. It’s no surprise that Visa, Mastercard, American Express and a mess of major US banks are on board with the new NFC tech from the likes of Apple and Google — it’s an evolution of technology they’re already using.
WANT EVEN MORE?
If statistics are your kinda thing, a great resource for this piece was the CreditCards.com. Perhaps you think this whole virtualized payment thing is a solution to a non-existent problem? The New York Times‘ Upshot section agrees. For the standards built into NFC tech, the Smart Card Alliance has you covered. Maybe you just want to watch Tim Cook excitedly introduce Apple Pay? CNET‘s got that.
[Image credit: Google (Google Wallet), AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez (Apple Pay), Alamy (Chip and PIN card)]
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Internet, Software, Mobile, Apple, Google
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Accessory of the Day: Samsung Galaxy S4 Wallet Case $39.99
Combine the your wallet, S4, and leather case into one portable solution with this Wallet Case. Easily fitting 3 credit cards or ID’s along with cash, this case features a soft-touch finish to help you comfortably retrieve it from your pocket. Plus, your screen is protected by the built-in Lay-flat Screen Guard. The reviews for this case are phenomenal and can be yours for $39.99 (Prime eligible).
Deals, Discounts, Freebies, and More! Click here to save today!
The post Accessory of the Day: Samsung Galaxy S4 Wallet Case $39.99 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
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Foxconn Facing Display Shortages as it Struggles to Meet iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Demand
Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus supplies may continue to be constrained as Foxconn reportedly is struggling to keep up with demand for the handsets, reports the Wall Street Journal. Unlike previous years that saw Foxconn handling the launch of one flagship handset, the manufacturer is now tasked with producing two iPhone models that are in high demand.
The Taiwan-based manufacturer, which has more than one million workers in China, is operating about 100 production lines around the clock in Zhengzhou. The challenge is to manufacture two complicated new iPhones on a large scale at the same time because Foxconn is the sole assembler of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. It also makes the majority of the iPhone 6 that comes with a 4.7-inch display, the people said.
Foxconn reportedly has hired more than 200,000 workers at its Zhengzhou site to work on Apple’s new iPhone. Even with this large labor force and daily output volumes of 140,000 iPhone 6 Plus units and 400,000 iPhone 6 units, the company is still not able to meet pre-order demand.
One issue reportedly facing the manufacturer is a shortage of 5.5-inch displays, which are still only at being produced at a 50-60 percent output rate, leading suppliers to reject almost half of the display units that come off the production line.
Apple has faced similar shortages with previous iPhone models and has been able to gradually ramp up supply to meet demand. Apple will begin selling its new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus starting Friday, September 19th in a handful of launch countries. A larger global rollout is planned the following week with sales beginning on September 26th.
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AIVAnet 