Massive iPhone 7 photo leak teases design, as codenames leak
Apple is preparing to launch two new iPhone models this year and has been referring to them internally as Sonora and Dos Palos, according to well-known leaker Evan Blass. In his tweet, he doesn’t say which models those are, and even to us it’s unclear what Apple has planned for its 2016 smartphone lineup.
The 2 (two!) 2016 iPhone models are codenamed Sonora and Dos Palos.
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 19, 2016
While Blass, who is normally very reliable, believes only two iPhone 7 models are being released, a recent leak has shown three different iPhone 7 bodies side-by-side in a couple of photographs. These models are the regular and Plus versions, as well as the oft-rumoured “Pro”.
Like current iPhones, the Plus model looks to be just a larger version of the regular iPhone, while the Pro has some added features. Those include the frequently mentioned dual camera system as well as a smart connector near the base, which would enable it to attach to a number of bespoke accessories, just like the iPad Pro range. As you can see from the images, the iPhone 7 Pro is the same size as the Plus.
With Apple being an incredibly secretive company, it’s not unusual to get conflicting stories right up until the launch of new devices. The truth is that often Apple has been known to change its mind on features right at the last minute. This is all entirely speculative, but, there’s a possibility that Apple is toying with the idea of releasing three phones and that the third “Pro” model is still an uncertainty.
- Apple iPhone 7 in pictures: Renders and leaked photos gallery
- Apple iPhone 7: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know
- iPhone 7 could get super fast modem letting you download a HD movie in seconds
Because sales growth basically flatlined over the past year, it may well be time for the Cupertino-based company to experiment by launching an even higher-end product with major feature differences to the other two phones. And while we’re calling it the iPhone 7 range for convenience, it seems likely Apple won’t use that name.
If the casing/body leak is genuine, the “S” underneath the iPhone brand name strongly suggests Apple will be launching another S-series this year, just as many rumours have indicated. Looking at the design, and how similar it is to the current generation and last year’s models, that makes sense.
It wouldn’t be massively logical to have another 6S range name-wise, so we could be looking at iPhone S and iPhone S Plus to go along with the iPhone SE. This would tie all the brand names together quite nicely.
A launch isn’t expected until September/October, so there’s still a little time for the manufacturer decide what it wants before it has to start ramping up production to prepare for the inevitable influx of shoppers who want the latest Apple-stamped mobile devices.
29 weird and wonderful cars from Nissan’s Zama Heritage collection
There are some things in life that manage to put a little spring in your step. Whether that be the spectacular view from the top of a mountain, a new smartphone, or a collection of 280 heritage cars all under one roof.
If that last one has just made your eyes light up, then we might well be about to make your day. Nissan’s Zama Heritage Collection in Japan is the stuff of car lover’s fantasies.
The collection is worth over 8 million US Dollars and it features everything from the first electric car, released in 1947 with the ability to travel 65km on a fully charged battery, to the all the generations of the Skyline GT-R, which began as the Skyline GT-A.
We’ve whittled the 280 cars down to the 29 that caught our eye. Some have a story to tell, like the Sunny, which was the first car for regular people, costing 1.2-times their annual salary when it launched. The Gloria and Cedric, which are the same car and the first to feature turbo charge, and the Skyline, which pretty much speaks for itself, with every model just as exciting as the first. Japan’s first racing car, the Prince R380-I, is packed in there as well.
Others are just beautiful to look at, although they no doubt have some stories of their own too.
Click here to see some of our favourites from the Nissan Zama Heritage Collection and feel free to let us know in the comments which ones you love.
Deliveroo now offers booze-only drop-offs
Deliveroo has a made a name for itself delivering meals from restaurants that you wouldn’t normally find on Just Eat and Hungry House. The company isn’t content, however, so it’s launching a different but not entirely unrelated service today: booze deliveries. It’s teamed up wth Majestic Wines, BrewDog and other “top independent merchants” to offer the new option across the UK. Technically, it was possible to order alcohol before — you simply choose from the selection available at one of Deliveroo’s partnered restaurants. The options are usually limited, however, and offered on the basis that you’re also buying some grub. Now, you can forget the food and just order a crate of beer, wine or similar.
Once you’ve made an order, it’ll be sent to the nearest merchant with stock — Majestic Wines has eight London shops participating in the scheme, while BrewDog has 20 across the UK — before being picked up and delivered by a Deliveroo courier. The whole process should take “around 20 minutes,” the company boasts. To make good on that claim, it’s also working with some smaller business including Lea and Sandeman, Honest Brew, Mother Kellys and Vagabond Wines. They’re also helping Deliveroo to offer more specialised tipples, including craft beers and cocktails.
Such a scheme could easily be abused by underage drinkers. But Deliveroo has stressed that its couriers are trained to ID anyone that looks under 25. In addition, it’s adding new signage to all of its menu pages that contain alcohol, reinforcing the UK’s national drinking age of 18. It’s not a bulletproof defence, but should snuff out at least a few illegal orders.
Deliveroo is a popular choice in the English capital — it’s managed to differentiate by partnering with popular restaurant chains such as Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Wagamama and Nando’s. But the company is under enormous pressure. On one side, it’s competing with traditional food delivery companies such as Just Eat and Hungry House. On the other, it’s fending off broader and arguably more tech-savvy companies such as Uber and, soon, Postmates. Branching out into quick, on-demand booze deliveries — a largely untapped market in the UK — could give the company a new line of revenue and an image that’s even more distinct.
Via: Wired
BBC Announces New Personalized Content Portal With ‘BBC+’ App
The BBC released a new app today called BBC+ which aims to let users customize the content offered by the British broadcaster for a more relevant, personalized experience.
The idea behind the app is to work as a customized one-stop portal for all things BBC that corrals content from across the service, from TV and radio to exclusively online bitesize and longform content.
Users are prompted to sign in to the app on launch and begin choosing their content preferences. The app’s homepage for example offers a fully customizable content carousel that users populate by choosing from a list of editorial themes, including regional and national news, sports, gaming, science, music, business, politics, health, food, and more.
Pooled data collected by the app is then used by algorithms and human curators to work out what content formats are most popular and help identify trending themes to better serve up more relevant content.
“BBC+ is a key part of the journey towards achieving a much more personal BBC, and truly brings topical information from across the whole organization to your pocket, ready for you to access at your convenience,” said the head of BBC+ Paul Owen in a press release. “This is just the start for us, and over time the app will evolve and add new features based on user feedback.”
The app is a key aspect of the broadcaster’s vision for the BBC in the digital era – the “myBBC revolution”, as director general Tony Hall called it – which seeks to reinvent public service broadcasting by using viewers’ data and interests to put them in the driver’s seat.
According to the BBC, 7.2 million people have signed in to the BBC’s existing digital services to date, and consumed 44 percent more content than those not signed in.
In terms of the broadcaster’s data privacy policy, Hall made the following statement:
We believe your data is yours. Wherever we collect and use your data, we will only use it to bring you the things that matter to you, surface hidden gems that you might not otherwise have found, and improve the BBC’s services.
We’ll put you in control over how we use your data, and be open and transparent about what we’re using your data for. You will always be able to change or delete it.
We will not do anything with your data that isn’t clearly explained, or that you don’t agree to. We will never sell your data, let other organizations track what you do with the BBC for their own purposes, or spam you.
And we’ll guard and protect your data. The BBC is set up to serve the public, and to help everyone in the UK get the best out of digital technologies and the BBC. We have no reason to collect your data other than to serve you better.
BBC+ is a free download for iPad and iPhone available on the U.K. App Store. [Direct Link]
Tag: BBC+
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LG X Screen with dual display launched in India for ₹12,990
LG has announced the LG X Screen in India, which packs in a dual display – a 4.93-inch primary display with another 1.76-inch always-on Second Screen. The LG X Screen also features a panic button feature aligned with Government of India’s initiative.
The LG X Screen sports crystal-clear glass fiber material that covers the back along with curved edges on its sides for an elegant design with durable toughness. The X Screen boasts of Two Screens, a unique feature that allows the Always-on Display to show basic information such as time, date, and notifications to users without having to wake up the phone as well as keeps the recent used user applications for easy access. It also offers the facility to receive calls without interruptions on the main screen.
LG X Screen (LG K500) Specifications
| Operating System | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
| Display | 4.93-inch HD (1280 x 720) TFT LCD + 1.76-inch (520 x 80) LCD |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 1.2GHz Quad Core |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Internal Storage | 16GB; expandable up to 2TB via microSD card |
| Rear Camera | 13 MP autofocus with LED flash | f/2.2 |
| Front Camera | 8MP |
| Dimensions | 142.6 x 71.8 x 7.1 mm |
| Weight | 120 grams |
| Battery | 2300 mAh |
Adopting the growing trend in the country, the LG X Screen will be sold exclusively online, a first for the brand. Available in black and white colors, the LG X Screen will be available exclusively on Snapdeal for ₹12,990 ($194) starting from July 20, 2016.
LG Action Cam is a Snapdragon-powered LTE camera offering 4K video
LG has announced its latest Friend, this time it’s an action camera designed to be the perfect companion for your smartphone.
The imaginatively named LG Action Cam takes on the barrel-type design, like the TomTom Bandit, measuring 35 x 35 x 79.7mm and weighing 99g.
It comes offering IP67 protection from dust and water meaning it will handle just about anything you throw at it. It comes with a mounting cage, which appears to offer a standard GoPro attachment on the bottom, so will be compatible with a huge range of GoPro and third-party accessories.
As for the tech specs, the LG Action Cam has a 1/2.3-in type 12.3-megapixel sensor, with large 1.55µm pixels. There’s a wide-angle 150-degree lens on the front.
The camera will capture Ultra HD at 30fps, but action fans will probably be drawn to the Full HD 60fps option. There is live streaming over 3G and 4G networks at upto 720/30p, if you feel the need to show the world what you’re doing, as you do it.
LG
That wireless connection comes from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 chipset that sits inside the camera. There’s also an accelerometer and gyroscope and and Action Cam companion app (on Google Play), although there’s no mention of whether the app does anything other than control the camera.
Video is recorded to microSD card, supporting up to 2TB cards (on paper). The battery claims to offer up to 3 hours of Full HD footage.
The Action Cam was originally launched in Korea earlier in 2016, and its arrival in Europe and US is imminent. There’s no exact price or release date for the LG Action Cam, but we’ll update as soon as we hear more.
Original ‘Dead Rising’ will shamble on to PC, PS4 and Xbox One
Dead Rising 4 isn’t the only place folks with current-gen consoles will see photojournalist-turned-mall-savior Frank West (he’s covered wars, you know) this fall. A Eurogamer report notes that developer/publisher Capcom will be bringing revamped versions of its other zombie-slaying franchise to PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Capcom confirmed the write-up — previously based on a leaked set of PS4 trophies — but didn’t have much to offer by way of details.
“Capcom will be bringing Dead Rising to Xbox One, PS4 and PC. In addition, Dead Rising 2 and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record will make their way onto Xbox One and PS4. We will have more news to share soon,” a spokesperson told Eurogamer. Hopefully it isn’t just a bare bones port.
Dead Rising 2 proper didn’t feature Mr. West in its Las Vegas-themed climes, but the Off the Record expansion did, replacing protagonist Chuck Greene with him. Clearly, Capcom has some nostalgia to peddle this year in more ways than one.
Via: Eurogamer
Source: Exophase
BBC+ puts all the BBC’s best content in one personalised app
Between news, TV, radio programming and more, the BBC is constantly producing a vast array of content. There’s far too much for any one person to consume, and on top of that it’s all distributed across various websites, iPlayer and the like. As a public service broadcaster, the BBC is required to accommodate a broad range of interests, and BBC+ — a new iOS and Android app launching today — is all about highlighting what’s relevant to you, the licence fee payer that funds it all.
Load up the app and you’ll be greeted by the “At a glance” homepage, which offers you a quick look at the weather and a couple of big stories that are capturing the public’s attention. Beyond this, though, it’s a fully personalised experienced based on topics that interest you. You can add any of a long list of editorial themes to the simple horizontal carousel: From local and regional news, specific sports, science, gaming, music, business, politics, health, food, faith, and many, many more.
The idea isn’t just to surface news stories, though — the personalised section of the BBC News app does that already — but all kinds of content related to that topic. You might be interested in a specific sport, for example, but would never turn to Radio 5 Live on your morning commute. If, however, there was a particularly good interview or debate on said sport on the previous morning’s breakfast show, it’ll pop up in BBC+. It could be a news story, of course, or it could just as easily be a clip from a TV broadcast you may never have seen otherwise.
The concept (and look) will undoubtedly be familiar to regular visitors of the BBC homepage, since BBC+ does more or less the same thing, but in app format. In fact, the app requires you to sign in with a BBC iD, and if you’ve personalised your BBC homepage using an existing account, BBC+ will auto-populate with what it already knows to be your interests.
The BBC tells us there are other benefits to understanding the individual, signed-in user, too. The data generated tells the BBC what content formats are the most popular (and what aren’t), what’s trending, what themes people are engaging with, and so on. This isn’t simply being fed into algorithms, however, since BBC+ is also heavily curated by human hands.
Part of the reason BBC+ was created is to do with our constantly evolving consumption habits. While the app will host long-form content, there will be a ton of bitesized features also. It’s no secret that the vast majority of smartphone users dip in and out of apps for a few minutes during the day. A cursory scan of Instagram on the train to work, a couple of Facebook videos at lunchtime, a few brief glances at Twitter in between. And perhaps, on the walk home later today, a quick flick through the BBC+ app as well.
Source: BBC
Sea slug muscle powers this ‘biohybrid’ robot
Some scientists make robots inspired by sea slugs. But this team from Case Western Reserve University took a muscle from a real slug and used it to make a biohybrid robot. To be exact, the group took the muscle from around a California sea hare’s mouth and attached it to 3D-printed parts. When induced by electrical stimuli, the muscle contracts, causing the hybrid to crawl forward.
They chose sea slugs for this project, because the animals are known for being able to withstand sudden and substantial changes in temperature and salinity. Since the marine invertebrates are tough and can adapt to different conditions, the resulting robots are just as durable and can also operate in harsh environments.
A biohybrid robot can be more capable, perform more tasks and be cheaper to make than purely manmade ones. Someday, organizations could deploy swarms of robots like this to, say, locate the source of toxic leaks or to scour the ocean for a plane’s black box. The team has a lot to do before their creation’s capable of those tasks, though, such as finding a way to make the slug machine go just a wee bit faster — their 2-inch robot can only move at a rate of 0.4 centimeters per minute.
Via: PopSci
Source: Case Western Reserve University
LG’s 4K-enabled Action CAM LTE is now available in South Korea
After announcing the Action CAM LTE earlier this year, LG has commenced sales of the accessory in its home market. The camera has built-in LTE connectivity, letting you stream live video to YouTube without the need to pair with a smartphone.
Coming to the hardware on offer, the Action CAM LTE features a 12.3MP 150-degree wide-angle lens that can shoot 4K video at 30fps, Full HD at 30fps, and 60fps, and 720p video at 30fps, 60fps, and 120fps. It is powered by a Snapdragon 650 SoC, and offers 2GB of RAM, 4GB internal storage and a microSD slot that can accommodate cards up to 2TB in size.
The camera can shoot up to four hours of Full HD footage, and can also be used as a CCTV camera as well. It is certified IP67, allowing it to be submerged in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. The camera will retail for ₩399,300 ($350), and will make its way to other markets shortly.
Press release follows:
LG ACTION CAM MAKES LIVE STREAMING WHILE ON THE GO EASIER THAN EVER
Newest LG Friend Pushes the Boundaries of Personal Broadcasting
SEOUL, July 19, 2016 ― LG’s latest Friend smartphone companion device rolls out today in South Korea to be followed by other key markets in the weeks to come. LG Action CAM LTE offers robust features that allow for filming in dynamic environments and its built-in LTE connectivity, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 650 processor, means users can stream directly to sites such as YouTube Live via wireless 3G or 4G networks.
Rated IP67, LG Action CAM LTE is dust- and sand- proof allowing it to be immersed in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. In addition to the included mount, this rugged camera is compatible with various third party action camera mounts and accessories to capture smooth footage while attached to helmets or moving vehicles.
Images and videos shot with LG Action CAM LTE can be downloaded and saved on paired smartphones via the Action CAM LTE app available on Google Play. The camera can record up to three hours of Full HD video on smartphones running Android 5.0 or iOS 9 and higher. The durable camera can also function as a CCTV camera for home monitoring with images and videos saved to users’ smartphones
“LG and Qualcomm Technologies have worked closely together over the years, and we are delighted that LG is extending the Snapdragon relationship, adding the LG Action CAM LTE to the existing 360 CAM and of course the amazing G5 itself,” said Anthony Murray, senior vice president and general manager, IoT, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd.
“LG Action CAM LTE offers a new and exciting experience with unparalleled features and innovation,” said Juno Cho, president of LG Electronics and Mobile Communications Company. “We are committed to developing a range of new Friends for LG G5 as well as premium LG smartphones in the pipeline.”
Earlier this year, LG organized developer conferences in Korea and the United States and distributed an SDK to encourage development of LG Friends as well as sponsoring a competition to attract the best Friends ideas.
Price and exact date of availability will be announced locally.
AIVAnet 