Best smartphone battery packs: Pokemon power and more
There is nothing worse than running out of battery on your phone. Well, there is, but when it happens it feels like the worst thing in the world.
Unfortunately, as advanced as smartphones have become in recent years, battery life is still something they haven’t quite nailed. Some will last most of the day, others might get you through most of the evening too, but that’s assuming you aren’t spending all your time on WhatsApp, or catching Pokemon.
Doing either of those, especially the latter will see that bar in deplete. Rapidly. The problem is, while you might be thrilled at having caught Pikachu, if you’ve missed your last train in doing so and your battery is on 2 per cent, that thrill will quickly disappear, no matter how cute he may be.
That’s where battery packs come in. They have been around for years so when it comes to your options, there are hundreds. You’ll find small ones that will fit in you pocket but only give you a small bit of extra juice, as well as larger ones that will charge your phone three times over. That’s a lot of extra Pokemon playing you could be doing.
We’ve rounded up a selection of the best battery pack options out there to make sure your phone keeps up with you.
Click here to see the best battery packs.
ICYMI: Microscopic seascapes and riding your luggage home
Today on In Case You Missed It: A motorized, rideable piece of luggage is hitting Indiegogo on Thursday that can convert from regular bag to lazy human scooter in a jiff. To cut out people altogether, you might be interested in the video of a robot made to flip sausages in Germany. Meanwhile ocean researchers captured the first microscopic videos of coral reefs out in the wild rather than in the lab, showing coral behavior that has not previously been captured on camera.
As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
NASA releases a year-long look at the sunlit face of the Earth
The DSCOVR satellite gave us a rare glimpse of the sunlit face of the Earth in 2015. Now that it’s been orbiting the planet for over a year, its EPIC camera has finally captured enough images for a year-long time-lapse video of our home. In the past, you had to be an astronaut to get a look at the side of the Earth that’s lit up by the sun. DSCOVR changed that when it started orbiting the planet from a million miles away and taking photos of its view every two hours. The satellite is stationed between the sun and the Earth in a location that’s known as the Lagrange point 1.
The NASA-NOAA collaboration was launched aboard a SpaceX flight in February 2015 to monitor solar wind condition. It can warn us about approaching coronal mass ejections, keep an eye on the ozone layer and the state of Earth’s vegetation, and, as you can see, take awesome photos of our home. It also once captured the moon — and its shadow during an eclipse — crossing our planet on cam.
Source: NASA Goddard
PSVR’s ‘cinematic mode’ boasts a virtual 226-inch screen
No matter how big your TV might be, a movie theater screen will likely always be bigger. But with PlayStation VR you can simulate up to a 226-inch display using the headset’s Cinematic Mode. Cinematic Mode, of course, is the feature that’ll allow you to play traditional PlayStation 4 games without taking the helmet off. It’s a bit like the virtual desktop apps we’ve seen with Oculus and Vive. A post on the Japanese PlayStation Blog outlines how it all works.
There are a trio of (simulated) viewing sizes: 117 inches, 163 inches and 226 inches. The translated post says that the default 163-inch size will encompass your entire field of view, while the gargantuan one will require you to move your head from side to side if you want to see everything at once. So, kind of like sitting in the front row of a movie theater. At the other end of the spectrum, the smallest size reorients the screen to your head movement. If you get tired while wearing the PSVR you can apparently lay down while wearing it and the display will match your horizontal perspective.
As UploadVR points out, however, there is a caveat to all this that might keep you from using the headset for any sort of critical movie viewing. That’d be the “screen-door effect” — seeing the gaps between a display’s pixels — inherent with current VR tech. However, if there isn’t a free TV in the house, this could sub in as a pinch-hitter display.
There’s no word of an actual movie theater setting like what’s available for movie watching apps on other VR platforms, but hopefully one of those will happen too. And if that doesn’t happen and you’re looking for a more immersive experience, well, hey, you can always use the helmet to check out 360-degree photos and videos.
Via: UploadVR
Source: PlayStation Blog (Japanese)
Scientists can build lab tools using these Lego-like blocks
A team of University of California, Riverside researchers designed a special set of 3D-printed Lego-like bricks. Unlike normal Lego that serves as building blocks for toys and gadgets, their bricks can be used to make custom instruments for labs, schools and hospitals. They call them Multifluidic Evolutionary Components (MECs), and just like a Lego set, they’re comprised of different parts that make it possible to build tools for different tasks, such as pumping fluids and taking measurements.
Lead researcher Douglas Hill was inspired by his time in the electronics industry, where components are designed to work with each other. Hill was apparently “shocked to find out that bioengineers build new instruments from scratch” and can take months or even years to finish. That’s why he created something that make it possible to build affordable apparatuses on the fly.
Select undergrad students in the university have been testing the system for a while. William Grover, a team member and assistant professor of bioengineering in UCR, said they’ve “had computer science students write the code that runs the blocks, bioengineering students culture cells using instruments built from the blocks, and even art students design the graphical interface for the software that controls the blocks.” The researchers plan to give two California school districts access to their creation as part of their pilot testing. Their long-term goal, however, is to make the blocks more affordable and accessible to any kind of organization or institute that needs them.
Via: Gizmodo
Source: University of California Riverside, PLOS One
Take a look at how ‘No Man’s Sky’ handles combat
In the almost three years since we first saw No Man’s Sky, gameplay videos and previews have focused mostly on its exploration and survival aspects. Now, mere weeks ahead of its PlayStation 4 launch, we’re getting a better look at how the game earns its “fantasy violence” descriptor from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. The clip embedded above focuses on combat not only in outer space against armadas of ships, but also the various procedurally generated (and dangerous) creatures on the planets you’ll galavant around.
It’s the second in a four-part series, with clips for the game’s trading and survival aspects coming next week and the following. Keeping the videos on repeat is certainly one way to make the wait for August 9th feel a little shorter, but I can’t say that I recommend doing so.
Source: PlayStation (YouTube)
Apple Watch Remains Nearly Three Times as Popular as Samsung Smartwatches
The latest data from market research firm IDC reveals that Apple Watch sales totaled an estimated 1.6 million units in the second quarter, for an industry leading 47 percent market share, compared to Samsung’s estimated 600,000 smartwatch sales and 16 percent market share during the March-June period.
The numbers suggest that the Apple Watch remains nearly three times as popular as Samsung Gear smartwatches, nearly fifteen months after launching in the U.S. and eight other countries. Nevertheless, Samsung did close the gap with strong 51 percent year-over-year growth and a 9 point rise in market share.
Apple, meanwhile, experienced a 55 percent year-over-year decline, but the year-ago quarter encompassed the Apple Watch’s launch and is thereby an unfair comparison. Apple Watch market share has dropped substantially, however, from an estimated peak of 72 to 75 percent following its launch quarter.
Despite a down quarter, Apple remains far and away the market leader in smartwatches. Apple faces the same challenges as other OEMs, but the pure exposure of the device and brand through tactical marketing gives it a leg up on the competition. Watch 2.0, along with updates to watchOS, could help drive existing user refresh and more importantly, a new wave of first-time buyers.
The overall smartwatch market experienced its first-ever decline as shipments fell 32 percent in the second quarter, totaling an estimated 3.5 million units compared to an estimated 5.1 million units in the year-ago quarter. Lenovo, LG, and Garmin rounded off the top five smartwatch vendors in the second quarter, but the trio combined to sell only 700,000 units. All other vendors sold a combined 600,000 units.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the so-called Apple Watch 2 will debut in the third quarter, setting the stage for a possible launch alongside the next iPhone in September. The next-generation Apple Watch could feature a FaceTime video camera, expanded Wi-Fi capabilities, cellular connectivity, and other internal upgrades, while new models and bands are always possibilities.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 2, watchOS 3
Tags: Samsung, IDC, smartwatch
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Square Enix Launches Teaser Website for RPG Apple Watch Game ‘Cosmos Rings’
Final Fantasy creator Square Enix has launched a teaser website for a game made exclusively for the Apple Watch, called Cosmos Rings (via CNET). The website calls the game an “RPG for Apple Watch,” but leaves any other details about its mechanics, story, and launch date completely up in the air.
The sole teaser image for the game shows a screenshot of gameplay, with some kind of time dilation counter at the bottom left of the screen, along with a marker at the top left reminding players of the number of presumably in-game days that have passed while playing. Otherwise, the image doesn’t show much of what might be coming to the Apple Watch app.
The games market on Apple’s wearable device has plenty of room for creators to make a noticeable impression, since most users have yet to find any kind of killer app — even a non-gaming one — since the Apple Watch launched last year. A few gaming apps have managed to surge in popularity, focusing on mechanics that encourage short play styles, with incentive to revisit often, which may hint at Cosmos Rings’ potential gameplay.
Check out Square Enix’s website for yourself to see if you can discover any more clues behind Cosmos Rings.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 2, watchOS 3
Tags: Square Enix, Final Fantasy
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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BBC Launches ‘iPlayer Radio’ App in the U.S. App Store
BBC today released its iPlayer Radio app stateside, so American users on both iOS and Android can now tune in to BBC radio stations airing content from the United Kingdom (via TechCrunch). The iOS app launched in its native territory in 2012, with today marking the first time the company has expanded its app-based radio content to users outside of the U.K.
The iPlayer Radio app supports offline listening for BBC podcasts, curated selections of radio highlights for each user, and a daily schedule that makes sifting through the service’s content quick and easy. The app can even serve as an alarm clock to wake users up to a specific radio show, and conversely allow them to fall asleep without the worry of the app playing all night with “night mode.”
– Listen live to BBC Radio stations from the World Service and across the UK
– Catch up or listen again to your favourite BBC Radio programmes
– Download podcasts to enjoy anywhere, even when offline
– Browse and listen to carefully curated BBC Radio highlights and collections
– View daily schedules and categories quickly and easily
– Discover audio and video clips, including many live performances
– See what tracks are playing on air as well as track lists for on demand programmes
– Wake up to and doze off to BBC Radio with a built-in alarm clock and night mode
Those interested can download the BBC iPlayer Radio app for free from the iOS App Store today. [Direct Link]
Tags: BBC Radio, BBC iPlayer
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Apple iPhone 7 Pro: Will it happen and what’s the story so far?
The rumour mill loves an Apple story. It doesn’t matter if it’s so far fetched it will never see the light of day, or whether it is something that might actually happen, it churns them all out anyway.
The latest claim isn’t for one iPhone to be announced in the latter half of this year, or even two, it’s for three. And no, we are not joking. These are all the rumours surrounding the iPhone 7 Pro.
We’ve separated them from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which you can read about in our separate feature, but for those who want to know about the mysterious third device, keep reading.
Apple iPhone 7 Pro: Release date
The Apple iPhone 7 Pro is expected to debut at the same time as the rumoured iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which, if tradition is anything to go by should be September.
Last year, Apple held its iPhone event on the last day of consumer electronics show IFA, which was 9 September. This year’s show takes place from 2 to 7 September, suggesting we might see an Apple event within the first couple of weeks of September.
A specific date has yet to be rumoured or officially announced but we will keep you posted as soon as we hear a peep.
Mac Fan
Apple iPhone 7 Pro: Design
Based on the rumours and the leaked images, it looks like the iPhone 7 Pro will sport a very similar design to the iPhone 7 Plus, but with the addition of a dual-camera setup and the Smart Connector found on the Pro line of iPads.
Japanese-site Mac Fan obtained some schematics for what it claims to be the iPhone 7 Pro, supporting the dual-camera setup and Smart Connector inclusion and a more recent image from Weibo showing all three devices also shows the claimed features.
The schematics show the device to measure 7.3mm, which is the same thickness as the iPhone 6S Plus, as well as what is reported for the iPhone 7 Plus. They also show a device with no headphone jack, which again is something rumoured for the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 7.
The image from Weibo showing the three rumoured iPhones side-by-side shows the iPhone 7 Pro and the iPhone 7 Plus to be the same size. All three devices have had their antenna strips moved to the top and bottom, revealing a more seamless metal body.
They also all have “S” underneath the iPhone at the bottom, supporting the rumours that their won’t be any significant design changes for the iPhone this year, including the retention of the protruding camera lens.
Apple iPhone 7 Pro: Display
The Apple iPhone 7 Pro should feature the same size display as the iPhone 7 Plus if it arrives at all, and if the leaks are accurate. It’s worth bearing in mind that the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 7 Pro could potentially be the same device.
Assuming for the sake of this feature that there will be a third iPhone model released in September however, rumours suggest it will be another 5.5-incher. That will put the 2016 iPhone line-up at four models, with a 4-inch, 4.7-inch and two 5.5-inch devices.
There haven’t been a great deal of rumours relating to the iPhone 7 Pro’s display specifically, but we can probably expect Apple’s force touch technology – 3D Touch – to be included again. The iPad Pro range offers added functionality in its display that allow them to work with the Apple Pencil but there has been nothing to suggest the iPhone 7 Pro will offer the same. If it did, we could be looking at a Note competitor.
Will Apple up the display resolution for the Pro model? Who knows. It’s not played the numbers game in the past but perhaps it will want to differentiate the Pro further than just the dual-camera and Smart Connector.
A 2K AMOLED display has been reported for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which would suggest it will also come to the iPhone 7 Pro if it appears at all. A Quad HD resolution on a 5.5-inch display would put its pixel density at 543ppi, compared to the iPhone 6S Plus’s current 401ppi. A switch to AMOLED would also deliver a greater contrast ratio for brighter, punchier colours.
MacRumours / Bastille Post
Apple iPhone 7 Pro: Camera
As we mentioned, the Apple iPhone 7 Pro is rumoured to be coming with dual-cameras on the rear. Currently, it is not clear how the setup will work though.
Apple could go down the same route as LG by featuring a standard lens coupled with a wide-angle lens, or it could go down Huawei’s route and add a monochrome sensor to the mix. Alternatively, it could do neither and do its own thing, which is probably more likely.
Either way, Apple’s iPhone cameras have always performed well so we’d expect no less from the iPhone 7 Pro whether it comes with one sensor on the rear, or two.
The front is likely to see at least a 5-megapixel camera, like the current iPhones, and no doubt the Retina Flash will also be on board, or something similar.
Apple iPhone 7 Pro: Hardware
Aside from the addition of the Smart Connector, which allows for the transfer of both data and power at the same time, there aren’t any specific rumours relating to the iPhone 7 Pro’s hardware.
It will no doubt come with at least the A10 processor if the device arrives at all. This is what is expected for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus too. Whether Apple will choose to put an even faster processor into the iPhone 7 Pro is unclear as we don’t even have details on the A10 but it would seem odd for the company to announce two new chips.
The Apple iPhone 7 Plus is reported to be coming with 3GB of RAM, so we would expect the same for the iPhone 7 Pro, if not more. Most competing flagship devices offer 4GB now, with talk of 6GB on its way, but Apple has always avoided the numbers game here too.
In terms of storage, it’s been claimed that Apple will ditch the 16GB model for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, suggesting the same will be the case for the iPhone 7 Pro. There has also been talk of a 256GB model, which can be found in the company’s iPad Pro range.
Apparently the iPhone 7 Plus will also be upping its battery capacity to 3100mAh, so we’d expect similar for the iPhone 7 Pro.
Apple iPhone 7 Pro: Software
If the iPhone 7 Pro becomes a reality, it will debut with iOS 10, like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Like every yearly software update, there are several new features and functions in iOS 10, including a revamp of Messages. You can read more about the new software and what to expect in our separate feature.
Apple iPhone 7 Pro: Will it happen?
This is the big question on everyone’s lips. We aren’t convinced at the moment but there are certainly arguments for both sides.
Apple currently offers four iPads and no one bats an eyelid so offering four iPhones wouldn’t be a completely ridiculous suggestion, not to mention cover most bases. Some of the rumours are also reasonably plausible.
We’ve seen dual-cameras on other flagship devices and the Smart Connector is a useful feature on the iPad so why not put both on the iPhone?
The only thing we would say is why not just make the Plus, the Pro? Having the option of two 5.5-inch devices with identical designs aside from a couple of extra features seems a little excessive. It will also be very confusing.
Then again, if the Pro model makes the iPhone appealing to those who currently aren’t excited by it, or it gives people a reason to upgrade even though it might look almost identical to the iPhone 6 and 6S, we suppose that’s business. Right?
