New USB-C Batteries to Charge Retina MacBooks at Full Speed
Apple’s Retina MacBook uses a brand new USB-C connector for power, which means that it’s able to be charged by external USB battery packs much like an iPhone or an iPad. But because of its higher 29 watt power requirements, there aren’t any current battery packs that pump out enough power to charge the MacBook at full speed. Instead, most USB battery packs used with the MacBook today just keep the battery steady, without adding additional power. That’s set to change, however, as companies are starting to debut accessories and battery packs that will let the Retina MacBook charge at its full 29 watt rate.
As of today, Hyper, known for its line of external battery packs designed for Apple’s notebooks, is launching a Indiegogo project for the HyperJuice Magic Box. Available in two varieties, the Magic Box is an adapter that allows the 12-inch Retina MacBook to be charged at a full 29W speed using HyperJuice battery packs, or up to 12W using regular USB battery packs.
The 29W Magic Box adapter cable, which converts the DC output of a HyperJuice battery pack to a USB-C connection, uses a smart IC to enable “fast and safe” 29W charging, refilling the MacBook’s battery just as its 29W Power Adapter would. The 12W Magic Box is a USB to USB-C adapter that will let any existing USB battery pack work with the new MacBook, but it won’t be as powerful as a HyperJuice battery pack paired with the 29W adapter.
If you need faster charging at the same 29W speed as the original Apple USB-C Power Adapter, use Magic Box 29W adapter together with HyperJuice batteries. Only HyperJuice can safely and efficiently provide up to 29W (or even 100W) power via USB-C. This is something that regular USB battery packs cannot do.
The 29W Magic Box will be available for $35 while the 12W version is available for $25. Both can be ordered through Hyper’s Indiegogo page, which also includes other purchasing options for Magic Box and external battery back combos at discounted prices, plus options that will make HyperJuice battery packs compatible with both MagSafe-based Macs and the Retina MacBook.
Hyper’s existing HyperJuice battery packs can also be ordered from the Hyper website, with prices that range from $169.95 to $449.95. Ranging from 16,000 mAh to 61,000 mAh, the HyperJuice external batteries can add anywhere from 14 to 53 additional hours of battery life to a MacBook.
In the near future, there will also be other USB-C external battery pack options for the MacBook. At the end of this month, Maximas will introduce a crowdfunding campaign for the XTRON, a 13,400 mAh power bank (for 8 hours of extra battery life) designed specifically for USB-C devices like the MacBook.
The XTRON external battery pack, coming soon from Maximas
It includes 4.2A USB charging ports that are compatible with both USB-C and USB-A so it can be used to charge multiple types of devices simultaneously, and though it’s 13,400 mAh, it’s able to fit in the palm of a hand. It will be available for $69 when the Indiegogo project launches.
Another company previously announced a similar product, the Reach Go battery pack. The Reach Go’s original specs claim to have 15,000 mAh, offer two standard USB ports, and a single USB-C port, and cost $99. This battery has also not yet shipped, but the website claims an October, 2015 arrival.
How to set up Android Pay
Android Pay is here. Well, actually, it’s always been here but just under a different moniker: Google Wallet.
Google Wallet has been slimmed down, simplified, and given a overall design face-lift for the rebranding. In all actuality, though, it’s still the Google Wallet app you knew and loved.
I have enjoyed using Google Wallet for years. There are some die-hard Android fans out there that may mock others for only being interested in Google’s mobile payment system utilizing NFC technology now that Apple has Apple Pay, but I say that this is actually Google’s fault. The marketing and support from Google itself for its Wallet app was dismal.
Maybe Google didn’t put its full support behind it because it wasn’t sure if it was worth it until they saw the excitement generated by Apple users? Who knows what the thinking was in Mountain View, but if they had made an effort two years ago, there definitely wouldn’t be this false perception that Google is only now releasing such an app.
All of that prologue aside, let’s get you up and running with Android Pay.
The first thing you’ll see if you already have Google Wallet is a new app in your drawer called (you guessed it) Android Pay. Open!
You’ll now be greeted by a screen that may be different based on whether or not you just downloaded Android Pay directly from the Play Store or if you had Google Wallet already downloaded. As I had Google Wallet already downloaded, this screenshot shows what I saw when first opening Android Pay.
“Your old Google Wallet app has updated to Android Pay,” the app informs you. The top card will ask you if you want to get things set up. Yes, yes you do.
Even if you have cards loaded into Google Wallet, they won’t show automatically, indicating that they’re not loaded into the app. Fear not, they are still in Google’s database. Next to where it says “Add a credit or debit card”, click the plus button.
And there are your old Google Wallet entries! Please note that you’ll need your cards on hand because it’ll ask you for those three little numbers on the back of your cards for security purposes. Now would also be a good time to get any other information current, such as your address, in case you’ve moved and have had that changed with your bank but forgot to update Google Wallet/Android Pay.
After you have your card(s) loaded in, clicking on the plus button after that will show you some new options like Add a store gift card and Add a loyalty program.
Once you’re finished will all of this, you’ll be ready to go! Just break out your phone, unlock it, tap it on a payment terminal, and follow the instructions on your phone.
At this moment in time, Android Pay will still be using a four-digit PIN for payments. With Android 6.0 Marshmallow right around the corner and offering native fingerprint scanning support, this will most likely move over to that format should you so choose.
Special note: If you did already have Google Wallet installed, you’ll notice that you still have the app icon in your drawer. This is the app icon for the old Google Wallet app, not that new one they’re using for banking transfers. To get rid of it, I suggest this solution: select the app and you’ll be greeted by that same screen you were at the start, but at the very bottom, it’ll ask you if you want to remove the old Google Wallet app icon from your tray.
There, that will take care of that!
Click here to view the embedded video.
Again, there’s nothing too new with this app. It’s a simplified Google Wallet. In a way, I actually miss the old Google Wallet app. I liked the side panel on the left that would show me categories of things and let me manage banking stuff. I don’t want two separate apps! Less is more, Google. And while you might have simplified the payments part of Google Wallet, you made an overall increase by making two separate apps… At least for me.
You also might have noticed I have a Google Wallet debit card. This is tied into the new Google Wallet app. You can pay with it using Android Pay, but you manage its funds from the new Google Wallet app. This, too, irritates me.
In the end, though, if you’re only interested in doing mobile payments, Android Pay is probably a much better app than the old Google Wallet. As I was heavily invested in utilizing all of the functions of the old Google Wallet, that’s probably why you might detect a negative tone about all of this. Android Pay will be my solution for mobile payments payments, though, so I better get used to it! I can’t use Samsung Pay because I decided to root my Galaxy S6 Edge early on in my ownership, which trips the Knox flag and will not allow you to use Samsung Pay. Android Pay does not have this roadblock.
Come comment on this article: How to set up Android Pay
Samsung offering €75 cashback on purchase of Galaxy S6 lineup in the Netherlands
It is not surprising that Samsung is now using “price adjustment” tactics to boost the slumping sales of its Galaxy S6 lineup. In addition to price cuts, the Korean electronic conglomerate is also offering various promotions and deals to make the purchase of Samsung mobiles as lucrative as possible. If you happen to live in the Netherlands, you can pick any current Galaxy flagship and get a whopping €75 cash back.
Just before the launch of the Galaxy S6 Edge+ and the Note 5 in August, Samsung had reported poor Q2 earnings and announced a new pricing strategy to keep the sales momentum going. The cash back offer is available on the Galaxy S6, the Galaxy S6 Edge as well as the Galaxy S6 Edge+. It means that you can buy the newest Galaxy flagship with an internal storage of 32GB for €724 instead of €799 if you apply the cash back offer. The basic model, the Galaxy S6 can be bought for just €430, while the Galaxy S6 Edge will only cost €545.
To avail the offer, you should first buy the device online or from any offline retailer. Then go to Samsung’s promotion and fill our the registration form mentioning your IMEI and EAN numbers, and attach the copy of the receipt. After verification, the discounted cash will be deposited to your bank account. The offer starts today and runs through 1st November, 2015.
Source: Samsung
Come comment on this article: Samsung offering €75 cashback on purchase of Galaxy S6 lineup in the Netherlands
Huawei Mate S goes up for pre-order for £469
Huawei’s latest flagship smartphone, the Mate S, has gone up for pre-order in Europe ahead of its launch in the coming weeks. Huawei’s own VMall store – which launched last month and bought the Honor 7 to Europe – is offering the Mate S unlocked at a cost of €649 in Europe (or £469 if you’re in the UK).
The store has listed the 32GB Mate S in two colours – Titanium Grey or Mystic Champagne – with a delivery date of 4-5 weeks and it doesn’t look like Europe will get any of the higher storage options. Neither the 64GB or the Force Touch-enabled 128GB Luxury Edition are listed on the website, suggesting that European customers will miss out.
To recap the specs, the Mate S comes equipped with a 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display, Kirin 935 octa-core SoC and 3GB RAM. On the back is a 13MP rear camera with optical image stabilisation and a one-touch fingerprint sensor beneath it, that has been updated with a range of new features, while the front snapper is an 8MP sensor and comes with an LED flash.
See also: Xperia Z5 and Mate S vs the competition
Huawei claim the Mate S is just 2.65mm thin at its thinnest point along the curved edges and rear back but at its thickest point, the handset measures 7.2mm and weighs in at a respectable 156 grams. Running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, the Mate S also comes with Huawei’s Emotion UI v3.1 and the latest updates addresses some of the software issues that affected the Huawei P8 and Honor 7.
The full metal handset comes with a tray that allows you to use either a microSD card to expand the storage or a secondary SIM to use two SIMs at once, while the handset also houses a non-removable 2,700 mAh battery and the Mate S is the first Huawei smartphone to come with quick charging.
Are you planning to buy the Mate S? Let us know your views in the comments below and for more information on Huawei’s latest smartphone, check out our Mate S unboxing and first impressions.
Cartridges for your smartphones? Yah, it’s a thing now
While some people truly enjoy the feeling of ownership that comes with having a physical disc or cartridge, most of us are more than happy with the extra convenience provided by software downloads. But for those that long for the bygone cartridge era, Japan-based Beatrobo has you covered with its unique new “cartridge technology”, designed for your phones and tablets.
Formally dubbed Pico Cassettes, these mini-Famicom cart look-alikes plug into a headphone jack. Unlike a real cartridge, there’s actually no local storage going on here, instead the Pico Cassette uses an inaudible sound as an authentication key that lets you successfully download the connected app. One (somewhat) unique aspect of the tech is that it can also be used to communicate instantly with Beatrobo’s servers to retrieve save data and other information associated with the unique identifier found in each cart. This means you could plug the Pico Cassette into three different mobile devices and instantly have access to all your save information, emulating the cartridge experience of yesteryear.
Of course, everything the Pico Cassette does can be done exclusively through software and cloud syncing. For nostalgia junkies, though, the Pico Cassette could be pretty cool, though honestly its usefulness is pretty much non-existent. Really the only ‘true’ use of these carts are as a DRM measure. Right now Beatrobo is still working to secure partners for its carts, though we highly doubt these things will ever officially see the light of day outside of Japan.
What do you think of the concept, would you actually use these for the nostalgia factor or nothing more than a cheap gimmick that isn’t worth the effort? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Deal: Get the Nexus Player for only $50 from Best Buy
When it comes to Android TV, the digital darling that leads the pack right now is none other than the Nvidia Shield Android TV. With great looks, a nice controller, and plenty of speed under the hood, there’s a lot to love about Nvidia’s media player. At $200 and up, it’s also far from the most affordable. Those who are interested in Android TV but want a lower entry-level option, the Nexus Player is still a fairly solid choice and, best of all, it can be had for as little as $50 from Best Buy.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the Nexus Player’s price go this low, but if you missed the earlier Groupon deal, now is your second chance to pick one up. Best of all, free shipping is included with the deal. For those that need the refresher, the Nexus Player is powered by a quad-core Intel Atom processor with 1GB RAM and 8G storage. If you are looking to get your game on, there is also an optional gamepad that can be had for around $39. Of course, the limited amount of space does make it a bit harder to take full advantage of the Nexus Player when it comes to bigger games.
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For more details on what to expect, be sure to check out our full review, just keep in mind that some of the quirks we talked about in the review have since been addressed through software updates. What do you think, is the Nexus Player worth picking up at this price?
OxygenOS 2.1 now rolling out to the OnePlus 2, brings some big camera improvements and bug fixes
OnePlus has just announced that it has begun an incremental rollout of OxygenOS 2.1.0 for the OnePlus 2. The OTA will reach a small percentage of users starting today, and if all goes well, a broader rollout will commence tomorrow.
This is a pretty big update. Most notably, version 2.1.0 of OxygenOS brings a manual camera mode to the stock camera application, which should definitely be a welcome addition among camera enthusiasts. OnePlus has also added Raw support for third-party camera apps. There’s also a new color balance slider under the phone’s Display settings, along with a good amount of bug fixes and various improvements throughout the OS.
Here’s the full changelog for the v2.1.0 update:
- We’ve added manual mode for all you photography enthusiasts. Hope this will give you more control for capturing that perfect moment.
- Raw support is now enabled for 3rd party camera apps that support this format
- There’s a new color balance slider in Display for adjusting the color tone of your screen. You can now go warmer or cooler as you please.
- Added Exchange support.
- We fixed some issues that were causing problems with popular 3rd party apps.
- Telephony service improvements so you no longer get the lag when you turn on/off airplane mode.
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If you’ve received OxygenOS 2.1.0, be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!
Apple Watch will be available at Sprint on September 25th
Now that Cupertino’s wearable has been on sale for a while, it’s making its way outside the confines of the company’s retail locations and online store. In addition hitting shelves at Currys and PC World in the UK, the Apple Watch will go on sale at Sprint this week in the States. T-Mobile CEO John Legere tweeted that his company would also begin selling the wearable device too, but the carrier has yet to announce any official availability info. However, MacRumors reports that Big Magenta will sell the gadget on the same day. In the US, the Sprint and T-Mobile will join Best Buy as places other than Apple’s own shopping spots that you can pick up the smartwatch. Internationally, there’s a sizable list of places to nab the Apple Watch as well, including department stores like France’s Galeries Lafayette.
Source: 9to5Mac, MacRumors (1), (2)
Jaunt gets a ton of real money to build cinematic VR
With all the buzz around VR hardware from folks like Oculus and HTC, we still need immersive content to make those gadgets worthwhile. That’s precisely what Jaunt is focused on with its “cinematic VR” platform, which consists of a 360-degree camera and tools for editing and creating VR experiences. Now, Jaunt is getting a vote of confidence from Disney and other investors to the tune of $65 million, Variety reports. While it’s not the only company focusing on creating cinema-like content for this new virtual medium — Oculus is also pushing ahead with its Story Studio — the extra infusion of cash should help Jaunt bring its platform to life quicker. Don’t be surprised if you hear more about VR content over the next year. This year it became clear that VR hardware could be viable for consumers — but come next year we’ll need more than just cool demos for VR to take off.
[Photo credit: Christopher Gregory/The Washington Post via Getty Images]
Source: Variety
NASA enlists student help with Mars mission design challenge
Are you a college student? Want to be a part of NASA’s mission to send astronauts to Mars? Well, you’re in luck. The space agency has announced the Breakthrough, Innovative, and Game-changing (BIG) Idea Challenge that aims to get design help from university students. The challenge is to create a solution for slowing NASA’s massive payload with inflatable spacecraft heat shields or hypersonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerator (HIAD) technology. While NASA managed to successfully land the Curiosity rover on Mars, a spacecraft with a crew on board would weigh between 15-30 tons — slightly heavier than the rover’s one-ton load. Couple that weight with the planet’s thin atmosphere and you can understand why NASA needs to develop a new system to slow the vehicle’s approach. What’s more, NASA hopes that the HIAD tech could be used on other missions, too.
Interested students have until November 15th to submit initial concepts. If chosen, they’ll hand in a detailed paper on their systems next spring, and based on those, four finalists will be selected to present to a panel of judges at Langley. Oh yeah, they’ll also be awarded a $6,000 stipend. The winners will be offered paid internships at Langley, where they’ll work with the Game Changing Development Program (GCD) folks. And there’s a possibility of putting the winning concept through its paces with a test flight.
Via: Geek
Source: NASA
AIVAnet 