NASA crashes a third airplane for science on live TV
If you’ve ever wanted to see a “severe but survivable plane accident” (without worrying about actual lives at stake), tune into NASA TV today between 1 and 2pm ET. The site will be broadcasting live coverage of a simulated crash conducted by the agency’s Search and Rescue Mission Office.
The crash test, which involves dropping a 1974 Cessna 172 tail-down from 100 feet onto soil, is intended to test emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) used by search and rescue teams. The ELTs installed in commercial planes and general aviation need to work even in the extreme conditions of an accident, which can include excessive vibrations, fire and impact. ELTs that survive a crash can send signals to orbiting satellites, which relay the data to search and rescue teams on the ground.
The Cessna 172 being dropped in today’s test is fitted with five ELTs, two crash test dummies (mmm mmm mmm), cameras and sensors to collect data which will be used to improve the ELT system. This will be the third Cessna that NASA has crashed; the first was dropped from 80 feet at nose level on concrete, and the second was dropped at 100 feet at nose level on soil. Visit NASA TV or this Ustream link to watch live.
Source:
PR Newswire
Tags: accident, aircraft, airplane, cessna, Cessna 172, ELT, nasa, NasaTv, planes, space
Amazon Underground gives you really, truly free apps
Free apps sometimes try to rope you into in-app purchases to make a profit. Not so with Amazon’s new approach to free software, though, as the online retailer is offering over $10,000 in apps, games and even those in-app add-ons at no cost. Yes, it sounds too good to be true on the surface, but Bezos & Co. will compensate developers based on how long you use their apps. Amazon will shell out per-minute payments in exchange for developers nixing any fees, which means for the software is free to download and use. GdgtSpot reports that the company’s “Free App of the Day” promotion is no more, so it looks like Underground will replace it. Since Google Play’s rules don’t allow for apps that serve up other apps or games, you’ll have to download the Underground app directly from Amazon. And when you do, look for the “Actually Free” designation for items that are included in the new initiative.
Filed under:
Software, Mobile, Amazon
Source:
Amazon
Tags: amazon, amazonunderground, app, apps, mobilepostcross, software, underground
Squeeze more juice from your battery with DU Battery Saver (app review)
Before reviewing this app, I have never used a battery saving app. In the early days of Android, I used task managers, but that eventually went to the wayside as Android eventually became fairly efficient at managing the phones memory. I ended up in the school of thought that Android itself was better at managing its memory than a 3rd party app. Battery savers have generally been in that same category for me until now.
Sometimes you have to give something a try before you can change your mind. DU Battery Saver was that shot for me.
DU Battery Saver overview
DU Battery Saver is a free app on Google Play. It has one mission and one mission only, to save your battery life. When you fire up the app you are greeted by a screen that displays some battery stats and a single button that says “OPTIMIZE”. When you select optimize it will go through and kill apps that are draining your battery.
There are three saving modes that you can utilize free of charge, Phone Cooler, Advanced Saving, and Notification Saving. There are other modes that you can unlock with coins. The coins are awarded by installing other free apps. You can also unlock them by purchasing the PRO version of the app for $2.99.
| Unlockable Features | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Lock Auto-Clear | Automatically clears apps when the screen is locked | 380 |
| Auto-Clear Apps | Clears out apps that drain your battery in the background | 360 |
| Schedule by Time | Allows power saving modes to be changed automatically on a schedule | 340 |
| Schedule by Power | Allows power saving modes to be changed automatically when power is low | 320 |
| Network Control | Automatically disables the network when the screen is turned off | 300 |
| Lower CPU Frequency | Lowers the CPU frequency when the screen is locked (root) | 400 |
Phone Cooler will allow you to isolate apps that are causing your phone’s CPU to heat up. One identified the app will close the apps that are heating up your phone.
Advanced Saving will allow you to kill apps that are running in the background that you don’t need.
Notification Saving will close out apps and notifications that are draining your battery.
DU Battery Saver also has the ability to whitelist apps. So if you’re waiting for that important email, you don’t have to worry about it getting closed by the app.
There is also a game booster feature that allows you to speed up your game loading times. I noticed that this worked marginally better. In fact, I didn’t notice a very big difference at all.
DU Battery Saver setup
The setup on this app starts off easy. Just download the app from Google Play and install it on your device. After that, it’s pretty easy if you know what you’re doing. If you watch the embedded video in the previous section, you’ll see just about everything that you need to see with this app.
Who will enjoy DU Battery Saver
Anyone with battery life issues will enjoy this app. Not only does it have some great features, it has some beautiful animations and transitions. This gives it a very high end feel. it’s obvious that this app was professionally done.
What we liked
- Slick UI and animations
- It actually works
- Price
What could use some work
- Ads can be a little obnoxious
- Tablet UI
DU Battery Saver summary
In short, I came into this a skeptic and leave a believer. I have a 1st generation Moto G that I initially installed the app on. During the day and all day, I use the Moto G to stream audio. Usually by the time 6pm rolls around the battery is in the red. However, after installing the app I was able to have over 50% charge left at the same time. I was thoroughly impressed and would recommend the app to anyone.
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Pad & Quill Review: Classic Apple Watch Band Is Attractive and Affordable
Those looking for a classic leather look on their Apple Watch can find a few options ranging in price from $149 to $249 in the Apple store. With a handful of third-party manufacturers getting into the Apple Watch band game, quality accessory designer Pad & Quill has introduced its own line of Classic Apple Watch Bands for a cheaper entry cost of $89.95 that hews most closely to Apple’s Classic Buckle.
The big difference with Pad & Quill’s option is an array of color options — Galloper Black, Chocolate, Whiskey, and British Tan — that let customers keep a traditional watch aesthetic with added customization. The company provides the option to purchase any color with either stainless steel or polished black finishes, to successfully match each user’s Apple Watch face (Sport editions will support the accessory, but the same visual and corrosive warnings from Apple’s own bands still apply).
Design
The Pad & Quill bands are created in an Italian leather tannery using a “soft-tumble method” that results in what the company aims to be a comfortable watch band with added durability. Designed in both the 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch sizes, the Classic Apple Watch Band will fit wrist sizes from 130mm to 210mm in diameter.
Unlike some other third-party companies, and Apple itself, Pad & Quill is making every leather color option of its band line available in both Apple Watch sizes, lending each band a unisex universality that looks good on any wrist. The company even lets users mix-and-match the color of the leather with the metal finishing in such a way that ranges from traditional (British Tan with stainless steel) to bordering on unattractive (Chocolate with polished black).
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Stagefright patches now rolling out to the AT&T HTC One M9 and One M8
Many smartphone manufacturers have been working hard to push out patches for the Stagefright vulnerability to their smartphones, and today we can add two more devices to that list. AT&T has just issued small updates to both the HTC One M9 and One M8 that bring patches for the Stagefright exploit. These updates only range in size from 28MB to around 55MB, so security fixes are likely the only changes present in these updates.
If you need a refresher, a new vulnerability has been recently uncovered by researchers that exploits the Stagefright media playback engine in Android. This can allow attackers to access your device through a simple multimedia message. Various OEMs, including LG, Samsung, Motorola and more have announced their plans to release monthly security-focused updates to their devices in wake of this exploit.
Don’t miss: Worried about Stagefright? Here’s what you can do for now
As per usual, the update may take a few days to make its way to your smartphone. You can also check for the update manually through your phone’s Settings menu. Once it makes its way to your device, be sure to let us know in the comment section below!
YouTube Gaming now available in the Google Play Store
We first heard about YouTube Gaming back in June, and we were even lucky enough to go hands-on with the new game streaming service at E3 2015. If you’ve been waiting to see what it’s all about, the time has finally come. YouTube Gaming has officially launched on Android!
YouTube Gaming already contains over 25,000 dedicated game pages. It’s designed to not only support static videos, but also features the ability to stream video games live. The new application makes it easy to find channels you might be interested in, as well as popular titles that are being streamed right now.
To get a better look at the application before you download, be sure to check out our initial hands-on at E3!
At this point we’re not entirely sure if YouTube Gaming will be a viable Twitch competitor, but Google has clearly made an effort to make this service as accessible and as convenient as possible for users. For right now, YouTube Gaming is only available in the U.S. and U.K., though we can expect to see it roll out to more regions in the near future.
Head to the Play Store link below to try it for yourself!
[Deal] Google Chromecast only $20 via Groupon for a limited time
Normally selling for $35, Google’s Chromecast is on sale for a mere $20 through Groupon for a limited time.
There’s a limited quantity available, and so far, over 10,000 people have bought one. There’s no telling how fast this deal could end, so interested buyers will need to act fast.
Keep in mind that these units Groupon is selling are refurbished, and shipping will cost you an additional $4, which makes this deal only about $10 off. It’s still money saved, though.
Anyone picking one up?
source: Groupon
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Google Chromecast only $20 via Groupon for a limited time
ARCHOS announces pair of budget smartphones just in time for IFA 2015
ARCHOS announced two Android smartphones they will be making available this fall and that will be on display at IFA 2015 this year. The two devices include the ARCHOS Diamond S, described as a “superlative” smartphone “that the average person can afford” according to Loic Poirier, CEO of ARCHOS. The other smartphone announced is the ARCHOS 50e Helium.
Both devices come with 5-inch displays running at 1280 x 720 resolution. However, the Diamond S gets a Super AMOLED display covered with Gorilla Glass 3 while the 50e Helium IPS screen. ARCHOS opted for a Mediatek 6753 processor running at 1.5GHz and backed by 2GB of RAM for the Diamond S. The 50e Helium will be powered by a Snapdragon 210 processor and gets 1GB of RAM. Another difference between the devices is in the cameras where the 50e Helium only gets an 8MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing combination while the Diamond S is upgraded to a 16MP, 8MP combination of cameras. The Diamond S also has a slightly larger 2300mAh battery versus the 50e Helium’s 2100mAh battery. Both devices will come with Android 5.1 Lollipop installed.
When the devices go on sale in November 2015, the Diamond S is expected to retail for £159.99 ($248 USD) while the 50e Helium will only set buyers back £99 ($153 USD).
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Qualcomm agrees to sell UK spectrum to Vodafone and H3G
Qualcomm has announced that they have reached two separate deals to sell UK L-Band spectrum to Vodafone and Hutchinson 3G (H3G). Each of the buyers has agreed to purchase a 20 MHz block of the total 40 MHz of L-Band spectrum that Qualcomm owns. Terms of the deals have not been announced and both transactions are subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.
L-Band spectrum in the European Union is targeted at providing Supplemental Downlink (SDL) service for Mobile Network Operators. SDL can help them meet demand for downlink-centric services like streaming video on-demand over the cellular network.
source: Qualcomm (PR)
Come comment on this article: Qualcomm agrees to sell UK spectrum to Vodafone and H3G
AT&T to begin selling the Galaxy Tab S2 on September 4th
If you’re eager to pick up Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2 with LTE connectivity, you’ll be able to order one through AT&T starting September 4th. Like all other carrier enabled tablets, hardware will be identical to the WiFi-only model, but it will be able to be activated on a carrier’s network as well.
The Tab S2 will be available on AT&T’s tablet installment plan for $30 a month, or $499 with a two-year contract.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2 sports a 9.7-inch Super AMOLED display, an octa-core Exynos processor, and 32 GB of internal storage, plus a microSD card slot. It’s shaping up to be one of the best tablets Samsung has ever made, once it’s made widely available.
source: AT&T
Come comment on this article: AT&T to begin selling the Galaxy Tab S2 on September 4th
AIVAnet 