‘Range’ iOS Food Thermometer Launches New Bluetooth LE Version on Kickstarter [iOS Blog]

Last year, the company behind the popular Twine Kickstarter project launched a new iOS-enabled food thermometer called Range. That thermometer raised more than $175,000 and now the team is back for more.

While not in time for this year’s Summer grilling season, Supermechanical has launched a new, an upgraded version of the Range on Kickstarter. The new Range Oven/Grill Intelligence adds Bluetooth LE wireless connectivity as well as a magnetic storage unit that acts as the thermometer’s base. The old Range needed to be physically connected to an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, but with the new wireless version, users won’t need to leave their iPad sitting next to the oven or outside by the grill.

The magnetic base of the Range OI includes additional temperature and vibration sensors — it’s designed to be attached to the front of an oven, detecting when the oven is in use, when it’s preheating and when it’s on normally. It runs for a year on a single AA battery and the thermometer can measure from -40F to 450F (-40C to 230C).

There are three Range OI models available:

Oven Intelligence ($98) – including a 3″ sharp thermometer
Chef Intelligence ($129) – including both a 3″ sharp thermometer and a 6″ round thermometer designed for candy making, home brewing and other needs, and both thermometers can be used simultaneously.
Grill Intelligence ($160) – including a 3″ sharp thermometer and an ambient temperature probe for slow cooking and smoking, as well as an upgraded fiberglass cable for durability even in direct flame.

The OI wirelessly connects to iOS and Android smartphone and tablets, as well as the Pebble smart watch. There are bundles available to purchase multiple versions of the Range OI as well as higher Kickstarter levels that include priority shipping or special grilling aprons. Shipping is anticipated to begin next Spring.

The Kickstarter campaign has raised more than $80,000 with a goal of $250,000 with just over two weeks to go.

TAG Heuer Sales Director Joins Apple in Run-Up to iWatch Launch

Apple appears to have made another important iWatch-related hire as the device’s rumored debut approaches, with CNBC reporting that the company has poached the sales director of luxury watch brand TAG Heuer.

The hiring was revealed by Jean-Claude Biver, head of Jewelry and Watches at TAG Heuer’s parent company LVMH. Biver had claimed earlier this year that Apple had been trying to hire some of his employees but at that point none of them had agreed to join Apple.

Biver said the watchmaker’s sales director left as recently as last week, “to take a contract with Apple” in order to launch the iWatch. LVMH owns Swiss watchmakers TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith. […]

Biver said he was happy for the employee as the new role represents a great opportunity for him.

“If it had been a direct competitor, I would have felt a bit betrayed, but if he goes to Apple I think it is a great experience for him,” he said.

Sixth-generation iPod nano in watch mode
With Apple reportedly looking toward an October introduction for the iWatch, the company is building a formidable team with experience in the fashion industry.

At the top of that list is new retail chief Angela Ahrendts, who officially joined the company two months ago. In another high-profile move, Apple last year hired Paul Deneve, CEO of French luxury label Yves Saint Laurent. Deneve reports directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook and is working on “special projects” for the company, with most speculation centering around the iWatch.

Apple Expected to Announce iPhone 6 in Early September, With Launch Later in the Month

Rumors and past release date info have thus far pointed towards a September launch date for the iPhone 6, which has now been confirmed by a reliable source that spoke to MacRumors.

Mass shipments of the iPhone 6 from China to the United States are expected to occur during the last two weeks of August and it is likely that Apple will announce the iPhone 6 during the first or second weeks of September. The first deliveries of the device will come later in the month on a corresponding Friday, roughly a week and a half after the event.

iPhone 6 render by Tomas Moyano and Nicolas Aichino
An early September event is in line with previous rumors and with the event dates of the last two iPhone generations. The iPhone 5 was announced on Wednesday, September 12 with availability occurring on September 21 and the iPhone 5s/5c was announced on Tuesday, September 10 with availability starting on September 20.

It remains unknown if the September iPhone 6 event will include just the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 or both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch variations. Early rumors pointed towards production issues that might delay the launch of the larger phone, but those problems appear to be solved and a recent rumor from Bloomberg has suggested both devices could launch at the same time.

A report from earlier today pointed towards a September 25 launch date for the iPhone 6, but Apple typically releases the iPhone on a Friday, making this prediction unlikely. September 12, 19, and 26 are all probable launch dates for the iPhone 6, based on production speed and available inventory.

Apple’s iPhone 6 is expected to include a larger display size along with a thinner iPod-touch style design, an A8 processor, and camera improvements. The 5.5-inch iPhone has thus far been positioned as the premium version and may include upgrades like optical image stabilization and a larger storage capacity, with a $100 price premium.

Samsung Bashes iPhone Battery Life, Calls Users ‘Wall Huggers’ in New Galaxy S5 Ad

Samsung today released a new ad for its Galaxy S5 smartphone, which mocks the iPhone for having both an unchangeable battery and a short battery life. The ad depicts forlorn iPhone users sitting along walls in an airport as they charge their iOS devices, while Galaxy S5 users eschew battery charging with Samsung’s power saving mode and the Galaxy S5′s replaceable battery.

“There they are. Clustered around power outlets, near the recycling bins, stained carpeting, and bathrooms. Tethered to the wall. Denied the freedom to enjoy even the most basic things, like grabbing a drink, or sharing a laugh with your co-workers. Or sitting with someone you know. You’re stuck here until your battery says so.”

An iPhone user charging his battery looks up enviously at a Samsung user, asking “Are you changing your battery? Is that the new Samsung?” While another Samsung user turns on power saving mode to save battery. “Don’t be a wall hugger,” says the ad.

Unveiled in February, Samsung’s 5.1-inch Galaxy S5 is its newest flagship device, with a fingerprint sensor, a water resistant casing, and a heart rate sensor. One of the device’s most highly-touted features is an Ultra Power Saving Mode, which activates a black and white display with limited app access when the phone’s battery is low.

In power saving mode, users only have access to basic phone functions, such as making and receiving calls, accessing email, and browsing the web. It limits cellular connectivity to 3G, turning off LTE, and it also disables WiFi and Bluetooth. According to Samsung, this provides an additional 24 hours of standby time with less than 10 percent of battery left.

Apple does not have a similar power saving feature on the iPhone, nor does it have a removable battery like the Galaxy S5, but users do have quick access to settings like WiFi and Bluetooth, along with options to disable battery draining features like background app usage and location services. iOS 8 also adds a function that lets users see which apps are draining the most battery.

Samsung often turns to iPhone bashing to promote its Galaxy line of smartphones, with its most well-known commercial series depicting iPhone owners waiting in long lines for new iPhones while enviously eyeing Samsung devices.

Apple Makes Gains in U.S. Smartphone Market Share

Apple continues to be the number one handset manufacturer among consumers in the United States and has also made small gains in operating system share, according to ComScore’s newest monthly survey of U.S. mobile phone users covering the February-May 2014 period.

Apple’s smartphone market share increased from 41.3 percent in February to 41.9 percent in May, allowing Apple to retain its position as the top handset manufacturer. Samsung also made small gains over the period, rising to 27.8 percent share. LG, Motorola, and HTC’s share fell slightly.

While Apple is the top handset maker, iOS has always fallen behind Android when it comes to operating system share, given the large number of Android-based phones on the market. Apple did make small gains during the period, however, rising to a new all time high of 41.9 percent, up from 41.3 percent in February. Android, in comparison, remained flat with a 52.1 percent share.

iOS continues to be the only platform to gain ground as Microsoft also experienced no growth and BlackBerry and Symbian each saw small drops in share.

ComScore’s data tracks installed user base rather than new handset sales, which means it is more reflective of real-world usage but slower to respond to shifting market trends than some other studies.

Apple Explores Auto-Adjusting Security and Other Settings Based on Device Location

Apple has applied for a patent that describes a method of adjusting security and other settings for mobile devices based on the location of the device (via AppleInsider). The location data gathered by the system also includes contextual information that helps to identify the phone’s position as a familiar or unfamiliar place.

The system described in the patent titled “Location-sensitive security levels and setting profiles based on detected location” uses at least two pieces of data such as a saved Wi-Fi network or an identifiable cellular tower to determine the location of the device. Once identified, the software can change security options to match the environment, enabling Touch ID and disabling the simple passcode entry when a user is away from home, for example.

The security level and/or other device behavior, configurations, or settings on a mobile device can be modified based on the location of the mobile device. The location of the mobile device can be determined by analyzing location aspects present at a location, where any parameters or attributes of a location that can assist in identifying a particular location may be used as location aspects. In a setup process, the mobile device identifies available aspects at a location and can use the available aspects to determine a location context associated with a location. In a use example, the device identifies available aspects at a location and determines whether the available aspects match a previously defined location context. If the available aspects match the previously defined location context, device behavior, configurations, or settings on a mobile device can be modified.

Besides security settings, the system may also adjust the user interface, automatically modifying the home screen apps based on location. For example, the method could display Mail and other productivity apps at work and entertainment apps and games at home.

This location-based security patent application was filed in December 2012 and published July 3, 2014. If implemented, it would provide iOS device owners with another level of protection beyond what Apple’ offers with its Touch ID fingerprint scanner. Touch ID was introduced last year with the iPhone 5s and is expected to expand to the iPad later this year. Apple also opened up an API for Touch ID in iOS 8 that will allow developers to use the fingerprint scanner for user authentication.

New Video Shows Closer Look at Purported 4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Front Panel

Earlier this week, new photos of the iPhone 6′s alleged front panel surfaced, which followed an earlier leak of the component in April. Now, a new video from Chinese blog iFanr (Google Translate, via Nowhereelse.fr) appears to show a closer look of the black front panel, featuring a comparison to the current iPhone 5s.

Like the previous leak, the video shows the front panel having a thinner bezel and rounded edges, in line with rumors that the iPhone 6 will feature a thinner profile and a curved design. The hole for the front-facing camera is once again depicted to be on the left side of the earpiece, which differs from the location of the front camera of the iPhone 5s. When shown over the iPhone 5s, the alleged panel of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 appears expectedly bigger, but still useable with one hand.

The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is expected to launch later this fall, with reports suggesting a release date of either September 19 or September 25. It is also likely that Apple will launch a larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6, although it is unclear if the device will be released alongside the 4.7-inch version. Some reports have suggested that production issues will force Apple to launch the 5.5-inch version later this year or early next year, while others say that both versions of the iPhone 6 will launch at the same time.

In addition to a larger display and thinner profile, both models of the iPhone 6 are expected to come with a faster A8 processor and an enhanced camera. The 5.5-inch version is rumored to come with a number of exclusive features, including an optical image stabilization system and a bigger storage capacity.