This super-thin OLED desk lamp will also charge your phone
Do you take your desk lighting seriously? Really seriously? You’ll want to look at Aerelight’s just-shipped A1 desk lamp, then. The eye-catching design uses an OLED panel to illuminate your room, which both makes it wafer-thin and produces a natural-looking, energy-efficient glow that should last as long as the lamp itself. You shouldn’t have to touch anything but the controls for the next 20 years, according to Aerelight. And did we mention that it’ll wirelessly charge your phone? In a seeming bid to one-up IKEA, the A1 can top up mobile devices using either the Qi or PMA charging standards.
You’re going to pay a premium for this ultimate light, mind you. It’s available in both the US and Canada for $299, which could easily make it more expensive than the furniture it’s sitting on. Look it this way, though: if you work from home or otherwise spend hours at a time in poorly-lit spaces, this could be considered an investment in your eyes.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Household, Mobile
Source:
Aerelight
Tags: aerelight, lamp, lighting, mobilepostcross, oled, pma, qi, smartphone, wirelesscharging
Shure wants dedicated spectrum for wireless audio gear in the UK
The proliferation of mobile phones is great, and so is the availability of 4G in the UK. However, dwindling spectrum available for wireless audio gear could cause problems at your local music venue or playhouse — especially in the UK. Shure, the pro audio company, wants a dedicated radio spectrum for wireless microphones, in-ear monitors and other tech. As the company puts it, the best area for the audio gadgets to work is UHF bands IV and V or 470 – 854MHz. In the UK specifically, the 800MHz band has been approved for use by 4G networks and 700MHz is next. Those bands were made available after television service switched from analog to digital a few years back.
In order to ensure that pro audio gear for concerts, stage productions and other live events is able to operate properly, Shure wants dedicated spectrum for wireless audio gear to operate that’s off limits to mobile companies. “Electromagnetic spectrum is a national resource, just like gold or oil, there is only so much of it,” the company says. “And, if the Government continues to clear more UHF spectrum, we will eventually run out.”
[Image credit: Joey Foley/Getty Images]
Filed under:
Misc
Source:
Shure
Tags: audio, interference, mic, microphone, proaudio, radio, shure, spectrum, wireless
Microsoft OneNote introduces Floatie feature – like chat heads for notes
Facebook’s introduction of the floating chat heads has been a game-changing move from the social network. Being able to message your Facebook friends without having to switch apps is simply genius, and it benefits both the user and the service. Why is it no other company has joined the floating content bandwagon? We can complain more another day, but today we are here to introduce Microsoft OneNote’s new tool, which applies very similar elements.
OneNote’s added feature is called Floatie, and despite its cute name, it will likely be among the most powerful attributes the note-taking app now has. Floatie makes it possible to easily take notes while doing other things in your phone. A OneNote icon simply floats on the side of your device, making sure it’s out of the way by only showing half the circle. Once ready to take a note, the user can simply pull out the Floatie and start jotting down all the details.
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Floatie is also amazingly easy to manage. One can simply go into the OneNote app and hit the menu button. After that, select the “Start floatie” option and you will be ready to go. Tap and hold on the bubble to drag it to the “X” on the bottom and get rid of it, if you no longer want it around. It’s that simple!
This will be very helpful if you want to take notes while browsing the web, or maybe when you want to transfer information from a separate app without switching too much. I almost wish Google’s Keep app had something like this. Regardless, those of you who like Microsoft’s OneNote will love this update.
The update is rolling out to the Google Play Store. As always, it can take some time for you to get your own improvements, so sit tight and be patient!
Samsung files patent for smartphone that can display holographic images
The USPTO (U.S. Patent & Trademark Office) is full of patents from every manufacturer out there. Some make it to the market, other’s don’t, and a select few of them are simply insane. We are not sure under which category this one fits under, but what we know is many of you will be interested in what Samsung has under its sleeve.
A Samsung filing from Q3 2014 has recently been published, showcasing technology that would allow a device to display holograms. These would not be the full-on holographic videos you see in movies and other high-tech products, though.
So here’s how it will work. This patented device would have a normal body and a screen. A light emission device would be placed right above the screen, and another thicker material right above that image source. As a result, you will be able to visualize your icons and content within that piece of glass (or whatever material is used).
Sure, it may not be what you were expecting, but remember smartphones are limited in space and resources, which is why Samsung’s implementation of this technology seems to be reserved for small holograms and icons. Regardless, it will be a cool feature that future Samsung handsets may sport. Gimmick or not, it will definitely be a conversation starter.
As it goes with all patent filings, we are not sure when, or if, this technology is being taken to production. Samsung is pretty adventurous when it comes to adopting new applications, though. They were among the first to use flexible displays and introduce curved smartphones. Sammy was also the first to take super-sized displays to the mainstream market. The list goes on, so I say we have high chances of something coming down the road. Just don’t quote me on that yet!
What do you think? Would you like to see a phone that creates tiny, cute holograms on top of your phone? Hit the comments and let us know if you think this is a total gimmick or an awesome feature!
iPad Mini 4 Likely to Support Split View Multitasking
Files within OS X El Capitan indicate the upcoming iPad mini 4 will support full Split View multitasking, suggesting its internal specs will be on par with the iPad Air 2. An OS X El Capitan resource file first located by developer Hamza Sood and 9to5Mac from the Safari 9 browser depicts an iPad mini with two apps side-by-side, which is how the Split View feature works.
Responsive design mode, which gives developers a way to test different layouts in Safari 9, also allows developers to simulate a Split View layout on an iPad mini 3. The iPad mini 3 does not support Split View, offering further proof that the iPad mini 4 is likely to be the tablet that uses Split View multitasking.
iOS 9 introduces multitasking for the iPad, and while two of the features, Picture-in-Picture and Slide Over, are available on the iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, and iPad mini 3, the true Split View multitasking feature is only available on the iPad Air 2 because it has 2GB of RAM and a robust A8X processor.
To support Split View, the upcoming iPad mini 4 will need to have internal specs that match or exceed those of the iPad Air 2. It’s likely the device will include Apple’s A8X processor or the A9 processor that’s being used in its 2015 iOS devices, with 2GB of RAM also being a strong possibility.
Multitasking on the iPad in iOS 9
Specs for the iPad mini 4 have not yet been confirmed, as rumors have focused primarily on the external design of the device. It’s expected to look like a smaller version of the iPad Air 2, with a much slimmer 6.1mm body and iPad Air 2-style design features.
Apple Store App Updated With Support for Gift Card Purchases
Apple today updated its Apple Store app for iOS with a minor but important change, adding the ability to make purchases using an Apple Store Gift Card. Prior to today’s update, customers who wanted to purchase an iOS device or an accessory using an Apple Store gift card had to use the Apple website.
The app previously had no way to enter a gift card at checkout, so the only available option was to use a credit or debit card. Following the update to version 3.4, users can tap “Buy with other payment options,” which has a new section for entering a gift card.
Gift cards can be scanned with the camera on an iPhone or iPad or imported from the Passbook app, with the gift card total then applied to the order total.
What’s New in Version 3.4
You can now make purchases with an Apple Store Gift Card. Use the built-in Camera to scan new Gift Cards or import existing Gift Cards from Passbook.
The Apple Store app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Facebook is reportedly building a breaking news notification app
Right now, the easiest way to read breaking news on your smartphone is to download a dedicated news reader app, something like Paper or Flipboard — but rumor has it that Facebook is working on something different. According to Business Insider, Facebook is developing a decentralized news app that simply pushes breaking news notifications and links to your mobile device. The app is reportedly in its early stages, but could be a way for Facebook to displace Twitter as a favorite place to look for breaking news.
The app sounds relatively simple: users will subscribe to various news feeds from a curated list and wait. When breaking news hits, those publications will be able to push short alerts to their subscriber’s phones, complete with a 100-character blurb and a link to the coverage on the publication’s website. That’s about it. By reducing the news app to nothing but notifications and links, Facebook doesn’t force publications into formatting their breaking news content for a stylized reader app or its Instant Articles.
On the other hand, you could probably just set up mobile notifications for your favorite news website’s Twitter account, or install their app (you have ours — with breaking news push notifications enabled — right?).
[Image Credit: Getty Images/Tetra images RF]
Filed under:
Misc, Mobile, Facebook
Source:
Business Insider
Tags: apps, facebook, mobilepostcross, news, newsreader, rumor
An electropop band used fax machines to promote its new album
Always looking for a reason to dust off your office’s sad, unused fax machine? Here’s one: The band YACHT used faxes to initially distribute its new album’s artwork. No, really. It’s part of a weird, multimedia promotion that defies all expectations: the album was announced as a set of coordinates that led to a billboard bearing its name, reading “I thought the future would be cooler.” The track list was unveiled as a Buzzfeed listicle. Now the band held its cover art ransom until at least 300 people requested it via fax. With the 300 requests in, you can check out a high res version after the break (no landline phone required) or on Google Photos.
HELLO WORLD. We made a new album & this is the cover photo by Luke Gilford. Now high-res on @GooglePhotos📷: https://t.co/IsOXmE9QbD #ITTFWBC
— ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ (@YACHT) August 11, 2015
Fortunately, the group made it relatively easy to take part in this marketing experiment — it’s created a web app called Fax.Ink that automatically sends a fax to your nearest Staples or FedEx store. If you have your own fax machine, you can simply enter the number. “We’re doing this because there are 17 million fax machines in the U.S. and they’re not having any fun,” explained the app’s preface. Okay then. The fact that the promotion still took a few hours should tell you something about how commonplace fax machines are these days.
[Image Credit: CSA Images]
Filed under:
Misc
Via:
The Verge
Source:
ittfwbc
Tags: fax, faxmachines, music, yacht, yachtmusic
Blizzard’s ‘Compete’ trademark hints at an eSports service
There’s no question that Blizzard is a cornerstone of the eSports world. StarCraft is so big in South Korea that it’s virtually an institution, and Heroes of the Storm was the first game to get a live ESPN2 broadcast. It only makes sense that the developer would create an eSports service of its own, then — and there’s a fresh hint that it might do just that. Blizzard has filed for a trademark on “Compete,” an online service that would help you “organize and promote” eSports tournaments and ladders. From the sounds of it, this would take the drudgery out of getting a competition off the ground. You’d focus more on the matches themselves, and less on finding out who’s on top.
Whether or not Compete becomes a reality isn’t certain. A trademark only confirms that Blizzard has been thinking about an eSports offering, not that it’s actively working on that kind of product. However, it’s hard to imagine the gaming giant willingly sitting by the wayside as eSports take off. A tournament platform could boost the popularity of Blizzard titles at smaller-scale events, and give it an edge over rival game studios that still make the organizers do most of the hard work.
[Image credit: AP Photo/David Goldman]
Filed under:
Gaming, Internet, Software
Source:
USPTO
Tags: blizzard, compete, esports, gaming, internet, software, trademark
LastPass now offers free subscription for Android devices
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Password management is becoming increasingly important in recent times with the advent of cybersecurity concerns, and one of the best apps that you can use in this regard is LastPass. For those who have yet to sign up for its service, it has just been announced that LastPass now offers free subscription on any device, be it mobile, tablet or desktop. The only catch (and it could be a big one) is that once signed up, you’ll only be able to sync your passwords across devices of the same category – i.e. mobile, tablet, or desktop. For individual users, this has limited benefit, but for those who have many devices or families who share accounts, this is a great time to see if LastPass suits your lifestyle.
Of course, if the free subscription isn’t enough for you, LastPass offers two paid subscription models, LastPass Premium and LastPass Enterprise which cost $12/year and $24/year/user respectively. If you’re not quite sure whether a Premium account is right for you, LastPass also provides a 14-day trial of LastPass Premium with every sign-up to help you decide if syncing across your various device types is what you need. If you want to take advantage of LastPass’ new free subscription, hit the Play Store link below to download the app:
What do you think about the news that LastPass now offers free subscription? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: LastPass via Droid-life
The post LastPass now offers free subscription for Android devices appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
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