Friday, June 12, 2015
Apple Patent Hints At iPhones That Can Flip Themselves During A Fall To Protect Vulnerable Areas
You don’t know the true meaning of pain until you’ve dropped your shiny new iPhone on a hard surface. If you’re lucky, it will land on its back and your case will protect it, but if you’re not, it’ll land flat on its face and you’ll need a new display. But what if there was a way of ensuring it landed on its back every time?
A new Apple patent that covers a “Protective Mechanism for an Electronic Device” describes how future iPhones and other mobile devices could have built-in motors that automatically flip them over in mid-air after they’ve been dropped to protect vulnerable areas.
Here’s how it would work: Inside your iPhone there would be a special motor that was in communication with the processor. When your iPhone’s sensors detect that the device has been dropped, the sensors tell the processor which quickly determines the orientation of your device.
It can then trigger the motor “to alter the angular momentum of the device during the free fall to change the orientation of the device towards the orientation that would avoid impact at the vulnerable area.”
Apple describes a number of ways a device could be protected during a fall, and one of its more interesting ideas includes a fan or jet propulsion system that could change “slow or stop the impact of the device with a surface.” Think jets of air that would cause your iPhone to hover above the ground when you drop it.
It seems more likely, however, that Apple would employ a special motor that could flip the device onto a “safe zone” during free-fall. So, providing there is enough distance between the device and the hard surface when you drop it, and therefore plenty of time, your iPhone could ensure it always lands on its back to protect its display and other components.
With display manufacturers working on “unbreakable” panels, we may never need technology like this — in just a few years, our smartphones could be significantly more robust and less likely to break after a fall. But while we continue to use devices made of fragile glass and plastics, this kind of system could save a lot of smartphones from expensive repairs.
Data source: via CultofMac (By Killian Bell)
Origine source: FreshPatents
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Heres What Happened When 17 Ordinary People Met Steve Jobs
Everyone "knows" Steve Jobs, or thinks they do, in the sense that we saw him do those legendary on-stage product launches of the iPhone and the iPad. But what was Jobs like when he was off stage, when he wasnt changing history with Steve Wozniak, Bill Gates, Jony Ive and Tim Cook?
Theres an amazing thread on Quora, the question-and-answer site, for people to tell stories of the times they "randomly" met Steve Jobs.
Weve edited a few — there are many more on the thread, go look! — and excerpted them here.
This person told Jobs he would "ruin" Apple.
Michell Smith tells this story: Prior to his return to Apple, it was obvious that the company was in trouble. Larry Ellison had floated the idea of a hostile takeover of the company, but it seemed to some of us Apple watchers that then-CEO Gil Amelios turnaround plan might work.
I wrote an impassioned email to Steve at Pixar, pleading with him to find something else to do with his time. "Please," I implored him, "dont come back to Apple, youll ruin it."
… And then he wrote the words Ill never forget:
"You may be right. But if I succeed, remember to look in the mirror and call yourself an asshole for me."
Michell Smith tells this story: Prior to his return to Apple, it was obvious that the company was in trouble. Larry Ellison had floated the idea of a hostile takeover of the company, but it seemed to some of us Apple watchers that then-CEO Gil Amelios turnaround plan might work.
I wrote an impassioned email to Steve at Pixar, pleading with him to find something else to do with his time. "Please," I implored him, "dont come back to Apple, youll ruin it."
… And then he wrote the words Ill never forget:
"You may be right. But if I succeed, remember to look in the mirror and call yourself an asshole for me."
A childhood friend of Jobs pretended he didnt recognize him.
Jack Heringer was a childhood friend of Jobs from early 1960s, but they parted company when they went to different middle schools. Then, in 1976, they met in a store: He showed up, recognized me and called me over. "Arent you Jack Heringer from grammar school?" he asked. And, in that millisecond, my lifes single most regretful experience occurred. I replied, " Yes thats me...and WHO ARE YOU?" I pretended I didnt remember him at all.
I have been kicking myself forever since!!!!!!!!!
Jobs met this woman who was smoking at dinner and did not like it one bit.
William Matthies and five others had dinner with Jobs in the early 1980s in New York: Dinner was over and while we waited for desert, Ann lit up a cigarette (remember this was the early 80s in NYC), holding it away and blowing smoke away from the rest of us at the table. Steve, who was seated next to Ann, gave no indication that this bothered him. He simply went on talking animatedly as he had all dinner.
At one point Ann put her lit cigarette in an ashtray the opposite side of Steve. He never looked at it but must have seen her put it down because without so much as a glance toward her or the cigarette, without breaking from whatever topic he was currently holding forth on at that moment, he reached across her,picked the cigarette up from the ashtray, and dropped it in her half full water glass.
I can still see the stunned looks on everyones face except Steve who continued to educate the rest of us on...I have no idea.
The day Jobs argued at the checkout at Whole Foods
Roy Pereira bumped into Jobs while doing the groceries: I bumped into Steve at the Palo Alto Whole Foods near both of our homes. He was in front of me in line paying for his groceries. It was the express checkout and he was wearing his traditional black turtle-neck. This was back in the early 2000s.
Here was a very wealthy, smart guy arguing with the cashier about what the correct change was for his purchase. He was demanding that he got another quarter ($0.25) for his change. This discussion went on for several minutes and held up the line so much that everyone behind him (including us) were getting annoyed.
The time Jobs got excited by Excel in 1985.
Randall Edwards met Jobs at an IT conference: I had to get back to work so I headed out of the hotel into a nearby hotel where my car was parked. I pressed the button for the elevator, the doors opened and there was ... Steve Jobs!
I told him how much I enjoyed his presentation and shook his hand. He asked me what I did and I told him I was an IT Consultant. He told me about this amazing software that Microsoft was working on called "Excel". It is going to be phenomenal and that I should check it out. I told him I would.
"Boy, what a dick," I remember thinking, but ...
In the mid-1990s, after Jobs was kicked out of Apple and went to work at NeXT, Ramin Firoozye got a meeting with Jobs: He walked in 1/2 hour late, put his feet up on the table and asked me what I had. I introduced myself and mentioned that a couple of the engineers were ex-Apple people. ...
For the next half an hour he went on to rant pretty much non-stop... about the arrogance of Apple (!!!), the quality of their products, and anything unsavory you could think of. There were a lot of you Apple people in there. I tried to break in and mention that we werent really related to Apple (except the demo was running on a Mac Powerbook) but there was no stopping him.
"Boy, what a dick," I remember thinking. It went on and on.
… Then he comes back in. I was sitting down. He gets in front of the whiteboard and starts drawing notes. For the next I-dont-know-how-long he mapped out precisely how the product could be rolled out, the strategy for taking it to market, how it should be positioned, what other parts would be needed to fill in the gaps, all the way down to the features that should be taken out or added. It was the most amazing, useful, spot-on, and entertaining display of product management erudition Id ever seen. He completely understood the product, the space, and what it could be used for.
The day Jobs visited a rival electronics store across the street from Apple in 2007
Mark Young remembers Jobs appearance at the Helio store in 2007, located in Palo Alto across street from the Apple Store. Jobs had poked his head in once and the store staff did not recognize him: Two weeks later, the same manager was inside the store giving a demo of the amazing Helio smartphone to some prospective customers when he was interrupted by someone at the door. It was the same guy in the black turtleneck and blue jeans. “You guys STILL just dont get it, do you???” the guy said in an elevated voice from the entrance of the store. Then before the manager could respond, the guy was gone again.
The manager was visibly annoyed and said to his customers “Who is this guy and who the hell does he think he is???”
“Thats the founder of Apple,” replied the customers.
This guys car broke down outside Jobs house.
Tim Smith knew his car was in front of the Jobs family house but tried to play it cool: So Steve comes out. ... so Jobs actually sits down in the Alpine and tries to crank it – with his kid sitting behind him. To no avail.
... The car didn’t start. ... Steve said something like “piece of shit” as he got out, and walked back into the house. Classic Steve – he was right.
Jobs used this guys fan mail in an iPad product demo.
Chaitanya Pandit wrote jobs an email: I went home and before going to bed wrote a short email to Steve about how an iPad got a girl interested in me and almost forgot about it until. ... Days later, it was his WWDC keynote and I was following a few live blogs that night as I always do (I was GMT +5:30), then suddenly I saw something that was very familiar, it was my email that Steve displayed on the huge screen behind him. He said “It is magical, I know it because I got this email: I was sitting in a café with my iPad, and it got a girl interested in me!.” “So there’s proof.”
This guy got a customer service phone call from Jobs when his computer was broke.
Matt McCoy couldnt get any joy out of Apple customer service when his MacBook wouldnt work properly, so he randomly emailed Jobs: The next day I got a call from Palo Alto.
Me: "Hello?"
Caller: "Hey Matt. This is Steve Jobs. I just wanted to let you know that I got your email and we are going to do everything we can to recover your missing hard drive.
Me: "Whoa... thank you!"
Caller: "Im going to pass you on to my assistant, and hes going to take care of you from here. Well get you taken care of. Hold."
Then the call was transferred to a guy named "Tim". Im still not sure what Tims last name was... is it even possible that it was Tim Cook? I dont know what Tims history is at Apple.
The day Jobs ate unrecognized at an Indian restaurant.
Anurag Wadehra was at the restaurant: So, it was with great amusement, we watched Steve raise his hand several times to attract the attention of the waiter, who summarily ignored him. As the only white guy in the restaurant, we thought he would be instantly recognized and served with special attention. Instead, he had the worst table in the house. A bored waiter passed plastic menu cards at his family without giving a second glance. Eventually, he did get served with the mass efficiency of an overworked staff. And, no one bothered him during his dinner either.
My wife and I observed in awe as Steve and his family enjoyed a quiet meal in the riotous, inexpensive place in the heart of Silicon Valley. It dawned on us that no one in the restaurant had recognized Steve in his low key attire and a stubble. At the end, when no one came to his table to present the check, Steve rose up, dropped a few cash notes on the table and walked out, as the server wiped his table.
Just then, the manager walked by, and I asked him, "Did you know that was Steve Jobs?". He smiled and gave me the Indian head shake - a cross between yes and no. To this day, I dont know what he meant.
The day Jobs met a recruiter for Sun Microsystems.
Bill Lee: In 1988, I was self-employed as a recruiter and had referred a number of candidates to Steve at NeXT Computer, which he subsequently hired. I had also worked at Sun Microsystems as a contract recruiter. In September of that year, Steve invited me to his offices on Deer Creek Road in Palo Alto for an informal interview. He was 45 minutes late. As soon as Steve led me into his office and closed the door, he turned and said, "You recruited for Sun and Sun hires shitty people."
"Well," I retorted, "You hired the ones Sun didnt want."
At that point, Steve cracked a big smile and exclaimed, "Touché!"
This man discovered Jobs was on email as early as 1989.
Phillip Remaker recalls: When I was at the University of Pennsylvania in 1989, some sales folks from NeXT did a demo of the NeXT Cube to some students at the Distributed Systems Lab. I noted on their business cards that NeXT email addresses were of the form firtname_lastname@next.com. On a lark, I shot off a note to Steve_Jobs@next.com asking if he read his own email and expressing my fanboy sentiments.
Phil:
Yes, I do have an Internet address. Please help me by not spreading this fact around indiscriminately....
Thanks for the feedback.
Im glad you like our little machine.
Take care,
Steve Jobs.
Jobs goes to the repair store just like everyone else.
Andrew Gerber-Duffy remembers: I was in the Sony Style store at the Stanford Mall. I cant remember what it was I was buying.
As I was waiting in the checkout line, I realized that Steve was 2 people ahead of me. He was wearing his usual black turtleneck and faded blue jeans. He was holding a projector.
"So Id like to get this repaired," he said to the obviously bored cashier.
To my surprise, the man at the counter seemed totally oblivious to his identity.
"Okay," he responded, "what name do you want it under for pickup?"
"Just put it under Steve," he said.
The day Jobs explained why he improved the cafeteria food at Apple.
Gavin Cook worked at one of Apples biggest clients. At a formal meeting, he asked: "Hi Steve, So how did changing your company cafeteria effect the company culture?"
... and with that Steve was off...
"It.. It, had nothing to do with company culture! The stuff they were feeding us was slop!"
"And you know hardly any one was eating here, and when they go off campus they dont go for an hour, they are gone for an hour and a half or two hours, So less work is getting done. And when they are out in a restaurant talking about their projects, people overhear things."
"So I called my friend who was an executive chef and asked him what it would take for him to come work here and fix it. He said he wanted a wood burning pizza oven and I said Done! So now our cafe staff are company employees and when the engineers have to work late we can have the cafe stay open. Now we have vegetarian options and more variety. With better food people stay on campus and interact with each other more."
The day Jobs was nearly killed in the parking lot at Apple.
Anonymous: I may or may not have been a passenger in a car that may or may not have nearly hit a certain person who may or may not have been Steve Jobs as he walked across the parking lot of an Apple Campus in California. He may or may not have held up his hand, winced, then smiled and waved as those of us who may or may not have been Apple employees in the car looked on in complete shock, too terrified to wave back. He may or may not have jogged out of harms way at that point, while we may or may not have just sat there, stunned. We may or may not have switched drivers for the rest of our training week out there.
This couple asked Jobs to settle a bet over how the Macintosh was named.
Bill Sheppards wife had long maintained the name came from a contest for school students: We approached Steve and asked if he could settle a marital dispute for us. Without any hint of a smile he responded "if I can have one of your children" (which didnt come across at all creepy, though I see as I write this that it could be interpreted that way). We offered the dog (he wasnt interested), then my wife told the story of the naming contest. Steve said that Apple had a large marketing department to do things like pick names for their computers, and it was absurd to think theyd leave that to fifth graders.
Data source: via BI (By Jim Edwards)
 |
| Mike Nudelman/BI |
I have been kicking myself forever since!!!!!!!!!
Jobs met this woman who was smoking at dinner and did not like it one bit.
William Matthies and five others had dinner with Jobs in the early 1980s in New York: Dinner was over and while we waited for desert, Ann lit up a cigarette (remember this was the early 80s in NYC), holding it away and blowing smoke away from the rest of us at the table. Steve, who was seated next to Ann, gave no indication that this bothered him. He simply went on talking animatedly as he had all dinner.
At one point Ann put her lit cigarette in an ashtray the opposite side of Steve. He never looked at it but must have seen her put it down because without so much as a glance toward her or the cigarette, without breaking from whatever topic he was currently holding forth on at that moment, he reached across her,picked the cigarette up from the ashtray, and dropped it in her half full water glass.
I can still see the stunned looks on everyones face except Steve who continued to educate the rest of us on...I have no idea.
The day Jobs argued at the checkout at Whole Foods
 |
| Justin Sullivan/Getty Images |
Here was a very wealthy, smart guy arguing with the cashier about what the correct change was for his purchase. He was demanding that he got another quarter ($0.25) for his change. This discussion went on for several minutes and held up the line so much that everyone behind him (including us) were getting annoyed.
The time Jobs got excited by Excel in 1985.
Randall Edwards met Jobs at an IT conference: I had to get back to work so I headed out of the hotel into a nearby hotel where my car was parked. I pressed the button for the elevator, the doors opened and there was ... Steve Jobs!
I told him how much I enjoyed his presentation and shook his hand. He asked me what I did and I told him I was an IT Consultant. He told me about this amazing software that Microsoft was working on called "Excel". It is going to be phenomenal and that I should check it out. I told him I would.
"Boy, what a dick," I remember thinking, but ...
 |
| Legend Toys |
For the next half an hour he went on to rant pretty much non-stop... about the arrogance of Apple (!!!), the quality of their products, and anything unsavory you could think of. There were a lot of you Apple people in there. I tried to break in and mention that we werent really related to Apple (except the demo was running on a Mac Powerbook) but there was no stopping him.
"Boy, what a dick," I remember thinking. It went on and on.
… Then he comes back in. I was sitting down. He gets in front of the whiteboard and starts drawing notes. For the next I-dont-know-how-long he mapped out precisely how the product could be rolled out, the strategy for taking it to market, how it should be positioned, what other parts would be needed to fill in the gaps, all the way down to the features that should be taken out or added. It was the most amazing, useful, spot-on, and entertaining display of product management erudition Id ever seen. He completely understood the product, the space, and what it could be used for.
The day Jobs visited a rival electronics store across the street from Apple in 2007
Mark Young remembers Jobs appearance at the Helio store in 2007, located in Palo Alto across street from the Apple Store. Jobs had poked his head in once and the store staff did not recognize him: Two weeks later, the same manager was inside the store giving a demo of the amazing Helio smartphone to some prospective customers when he was interrupted by someone at the door. It was the same guy in the black turtleneck and blue jeans. “You guys STILL just dont get it, do you???” the guy said in an elevated voice from the entrance of the store. Then before the manager could respond, the guy was gone again.
The manager was visibly annoyed and said to his customers “Who is this guy and who the hell does he think he is???”
“Thats the founder of Apple,” replied the customers.
This guys car broke down outside Jobs house.
 |
| AP |
... The car didn’t start. ... Steve said something like “piece of shit” as he got out, and walked back into the house. Classic Steve – he was right.
Jobs used this guys fan mail in an iPad product demo.
Chaitanya Pandit wrote jobs an email: I went home and before going to bed wrote a short email to Steve about how an iPad got a girl interested in me and almost forgot about it until. ... Days later, it was his WWDC keynote and I was following a few live blogs that night as I always do (I was GMT +5:30), then suddenly I saw something that was very familiar, it was my email that Steve displayed on the huge screen behind him. He said “It is magical, I know it because I got this email: I was sitting in a café with my iPad, and it got a girl interested in me!.” “So there’s proof.”
This guy got a customer service phone call from Jobs when his computer was broke.
 |
| Legend Toys |
Me: "Hello?"
Caller: "Hey Matt. This is Steve Jobs. I just wanted to let you know that I got your email and we are going to do everything we can to recover your missing hard drive.
Me: "Whoa... thank you!"
Caller: "Im going to pass you on to my assistant, and hes going to take care of you from here. Well get you taken care of. Hold."
Then the call was transferred to a guy named "Tim". Im still not sure what Tims last name was... is it even possible that it was Tim Cook? I dont know what Tims history is at Apple.
The day Jobs ate unrecognized at an Indian restaurant.
Anurag Wadehra was at the restaurant: So, it was with great amusement, we watched Steve raise his hand several times to attract the attention of the waiter, who summarily ignored him. As the only white guy in the restaurant, we thought he would be instantly recognized and served with special attention. Instead, he had the worst table in the house. A bored waiter passed plastic menu cards at his family without giving a second glance. Eventually, he did get served with the mass efficiency of an overworked staff. And, no one bothered him during his dinner either.
My wife and I observed in awe as Steve and his family enjoyed a quiet meal in the riotous, inexpensive place in the heart of Silicon Valley. It dawned on us that no one in the restaurant had recognized Steve in his low key attire and a stubble. At the end, when no one came to his table to present the check, Steve rose up, dropped a few cash notes on the table and walked out, as the server wiped his table.
Just then, the manager walked by, and I asked him, "Did you know that was Steve Jobs?". He smiled and gave me the Indian head shake - a cross between yes and no. To this day, I dont know what he meant.
The day Jobs met a recruiter for Sun Microsystems.
 |
| REUTERS |
"Well," I retorted, "You hired the ones Sun didnt want."
At that point, Steve cracked a big smile and exclaimed, "Touché!"
This man discovered Jobs was on email as early as 1989.
Phillip Remaker recalls: When I was at the University of Pennsylvania in 1989, some sales folks from NeXT did a demo of the NeXT Cube to some students at the Distributed Systems Lab. I noted on their business cards that NeXT email addresses were of the form firtname_lastname@next.com. On a lark, I shot off a note to Steve_Jobs@next.com asking if he read his own email and expressing my fanboy sentiments.
Phil:
Yes, I do have an Internet address. Please help me by not spreading this fact around indiscriminately....
Thanks for the feedback.
Im glad you like our little machine.
Take care,
Steve Jobs.
Jobs goes to the repair store just like everyone else.
Andrew Gerber-Duffy remembers: I was in the Sony Style store at the Stanford Mall. I cant remember what it was I was buying.
 |
| Simon & Schuster |
"So Id like to get this repaired," he said to the obviously bored cashier.
To my surprise, the man at the counter seemed totally oblivious to his identity.
"Okay," he responded, "what name do you want it under for pickup?"
"Just put it under Steve," he said.
The day Jobs explained why he improved the cafeteria food at Apple.
Gavin Cook worked at one of Apples biggest clients. At a formal meeting, he asked: "Hi Steve, So how did changing your company cafeteria effect the company culture?"
... and with that Steve was off...
"It.. It, had nothing to do with company culture! The stuff they were feeding us was slop!"
"And you know hardly any one was eating here, and when they go off campus they dont go for an hour, they are gone for an hour and a half or two hours, So less work is getting done. And when they are out in a restaurant talking about their projects, people overhear things."
"So I called my friend who was an executive chef and asked him what it would take for him to come work here and fix it. He said he wanted a wood burning pizza oven and I said Done! So now our cafe staff are company employees and when the engineers have to work late we can have the cafe stay open. Now we have vegetarian options and more variety. With better food people stay on campus and interact with each other more."
The day Jobs was nearly killed in the parking lot at Apple.
Anonymous: I may or may not have been a passenger in a car that may or may not have nearly hit a certain person who may or may not have been Steve Jobs as he walked across the parking lot of an Apple Campus in California. He may or may not have held up his hand, winced, then smiled and waved as those of us who may or may not have been Apple employees in the car looked on in complete shock, too terrified to wave back. He may or may not have jogged out of harms way at that point, while we may or may not have just sat there, stunned. We may or may not have switched drivers for the rest of our training week out there.This couple asked Jobs to settle a bet over how the Macintosh was named.
Bill Sheppards wife had long maintained the name came from a contest for school students: We approached Steve and asked if he could settle a marital dispute for us. Without any hint of a smile he responded "if I can have one of your children" (which didnt come across at all creepy, though I see as I write this that it could be interpreted that way). We offered the dog (he wasnt interested), then my wife told the story of the naming contest. Steve said that Apple had a large marketing department to do things like pick names for their computers, and it was absurd to think theyd leave that to fifth graders.
Data source: via BI (By Jim Edwards)
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Supply Chain Sources Feed Speculation on Apples Display Plans for Future Devices
Apple is set to revamp the displays for the majority of its product lines within the next year, according to supply chain research done by NPD DisplaySearch (via CNET).
The new research corroborates an earlier some speculation on report that Apple is set to revamp its displays across multiple product lines and offers Apples plans rooted in the supply chain hints.
Based on supply chain research, we believe Apple is planning to revamp nearly all of the displays in its products over the next year. This would indicate that Apple, once again, intends to count on display technology for new product innovation. We can speculate about Apple’s new products as follows:
DisplaySearch speculates that Apple may launch both a 4.7-inch and a 5.7-inch iPhone next year, roughly in line with a Wall Street Journal report from September claiming Apple has been experimenting with iPhone models carrying displays of 4.8 inches to 6 inches, perhaps for a 2014 release.
DisplaySearchs report also covers the slimmer-bezeled iPad and Retina iPad mini, which will reportedly be unveiled on October 22. Unsurprisingly, the report indicates that both displays will carry the same 2048 x 1536 resolution as the current full-size iPad. DisplaySearch also suggests that a 12.9-inch iPad is set for debut next year, in line with the Wall Street Journals report that Apple is looking at larger iPad models.
The MacBook Air, which is unlikely to get an update at Apples October 22 event, is likely to see a new 12-inch Retina Display model launch next year, according to DisplaySearchs findings. This new low-power MacBook Air would likely feature a 2304 x 1440 display, although this would be the usable screen real estate at a non-Retina equivalent of just 1152 x 720, lower than that of the current 11-inch MacBook Air. Users would, however, be able to opt for higher-resolution non-Retina settings as seen on the Retina MacBook Pro. Mac display upgrade rumors also fall in line with earlier reports that Apple is set to move to IGZO displays, which allow for higher-resolution displays with lower power consumption.
DisplaySearch also claims there will be two Apple-branded 4Kx2K television sets in 55- and 65-inch sizes, feeding longstanding rumors of an Apple television set project that has yet to come to fruition. Finally, the report claims that 1.3- and 1.6-inch iWatch models could debut in late 2014 with flexible 320 x 320 AMOLED displays. This, too, falls in line with earlier rumors claiming Apple is set to adopt AMOLED display for its smart watch device.
The first of these rumored devices with all new displays is reportedly set for an unveiling at an iPad-centric event on October 22. Apple has yet to officially confirm the event, but should send out media invitations roughly one week ahead of time.
Data source: via MacRumors (By Husain Sumra)
Monday, May 25, 2015
Pebble Smart Watch Adds Support for All iOS 7 Notifications New Developer SDK and APIs video
Pebble today announced a significant update to its smart watch that allows any Notification Center alert to be pushed directly to the watch, a big improvement from the prior version which only allowed some notifications like calls and text messages to be sent.
Now, any iOS 7 notification -- whether from Facebook, Google Maps, Calendar or any other app -- will appear directly on the Pebble Smart Watch. The company also announced the next major version of the Pebble SDK for developers, including new APIs for Javascript, the accelerometer, data logging and persistent storage.
A new Pebble app for iOS will enable this functionality and is currently under review by Apple. Expect an update on the iTunes Store soon. Pebble is streaming the announcement live at 10AM Pacific so developers can see the latest updates.
First, were introducing a delightful user experience for Pebble customers using iOS. Pebble is now fully integrated with iOS 7 and works seamlessly with Notification Center. This means that any notifications that youve enabled in Notification Center on your iOS 7 device will appear on your Pebble -- just like that. Its easier than ever to pick and choose which updates you want to see on your watch. This includes notifications beyond calls, texts and emails, such as Calendar, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Flickr, Dropbox, WhatsApp, Flipboard and more.
Second, were launching Pebble SDK 2.0, which makes it even easier for developers to build awesome Pebble apps. SDK 2.0 opens up an entire universe of rich new watch apps thanks to four new APIs: Javascript, Accelerometer, Data Logging and Persistent Storage. These API allow developers to make Pebble apps that interface directly with the web (real-time weather, transit info, location check-in), access the accelerometer (health/fitness monitoring and gesture-based remote control), log data when disconnected from the phone (health/fitness tracking), and store info on the watch (high scores for games, settings).
The Pebble raised more than $10 million on Kickstarter, potentially proving the viability of the smart watch as a product. Apple is widely rumored to be working on its own iWatch and recently invested hundreds of millions of dollars in a new Arizona factory to make sapphire glass, perhaps for such a product.
Pebble says it has native apps from Foursquare, GoPro and Yelp on the way, with more to come. The Pebble smart watch is available for $150 in five colors from getpebble.com and at Best Buy and AT&T retail stores.
Data source: via MacRumors (By Jordan Golson)
Origine source: blog.getpebble
To get one: getpebble
Sunday, May 24, 2015
know These Six Settings to Enhance Your Privacy on an iPhone or iPad
Disable Passwords & Autofill in Safari
The empty fields that you have filled in the internet browsers, like your user names, passwords, E-mail ID, and also your credit card information, all these info usually were stored within your browser, -among its benefits in order not to be retype these info again,- thus the accessing to them will be within reach. Safari in your iPhone or iPad has an option to prevent that.
From Setting app move to Safari, then Passwords & Autofill, and turning off all the options in this section.
Use Private Browsing Mode
Safari browsing in iOS devices also includes a Private browsing mode, which empower you to browse your favorite websites, without leaving any trace. Safari in this case, won’t trac pages you are visited, it will disable autofill, and prevents websites from using cookies to track your browsing history. This feature has many advantages, like if you share your iPhone or iPad with other people at home or work, and if you want to open or browse a website with more than one account on the same device, for example if you would to open two Facebook or Twitter accounts.
To get a private browsing on your iPhone, open Safari, at the bottom right corner tap on the "Show Pages" icon. You will then see "Private" at the bottom left corner, tap on it to start a private browsing session, you will notice that the Safaris color turned to black.
Prevent apps to access your microphone
Apple in iOS devices allows third party apps to access your microphone, thus misuse by these app might be probable. If you dont like that, in the sense, you dont want apps listening to your conversations, you can disable this feature on a per-app basis.
To view a list of these app that have access to your microphone. From Settings app head to Privacy section then Microphone.
Enable Find My iPhone
Find My iPhone is the lonely feature, that give you a chance to retrieve your lost or stolen iPhone, as you give you the ability to erase your iPhones data remotely. iOS 7 has come with a new feature to Find My iPhone called "Activation Lock", which prevent anyone else from using your iPhone, so your Apple ID and password are required if a person attempt to turning off Find My iPhone, erasing your device, or reactivate it, to become you iPhone an useless device. This feature significantly contributed to reduction of the iPhones stealing proportion.
To enable Find My iPhone, head to Settings app then from iCloud section toggle Find My iPhone option to on.
Disable Frequent Locations
Frequent Location is an iOS 7 feature, which tracks where and when you go, to provide these location histories to various apps, that interested in this feature, and Apple introduce many services based on your location. For example, the feature will place "Next Destination" information like drive times on your Notification Center.
Create a lock screen passcode
Enable Touch ID (bonus on iPhone 5s)
To enable and setup Touch ID, go to Settings > General > Touch ID & Passcode or Passcode & Fingerprint (on iOS 7), and start adding fingerprints.
Read also:
- Heres How To Create Custom Vibration Patterns To Use As Ringtones In iOS 7
- 8 Cool Things You Never Knew Your iPhones Headphones Could Do
- How to Get Google Now on iPhone, and 8 Tips for Setup
- RoboRoach Lets Kids Turn Real Cockroaches Into iPhone-Controlled Cyborgs
- These Insane iPhone Cases Are More Expensive Than The iPhones Inside Them
Saturday, May 23, 2015
New Job Listings Point to Continued Work on Transit Options in Apple Maps
Apple today posted two new job listings on its website, seeking to fill engineering positions related to public transit. The company is looking for a Maps Public Transit Engineering Manager and a Public Transit Software Engineer, who will join the Maps team to work on building and improving a Transit Routing platform "at a massive scale."
As a member of the Transit Routing team, you will work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps. You will design and implement functionality that will be used by millions of users worldwide.
In addition to these job listings, Apple has posted other transit positions on its website over the past few months and has also acquired multiple mapping companies focused on transit, including HopStop and Embark, two companies with apps and tools developed to provide subway, bus, train, taxi, walking and biking directions.
As noted in the job listings, Apple is working to build these services into its own mapping service, incorporating accurate, real-time information on public transportation routes into the Maps apps for iOS and Mac.
Apples lack of public transit information was one of the major criticisms the company faced after its in-house mapping service debuted in 2012. Discontent with the lack of features and the inaccuracy of the Maps app prompted both a reorganization of the company and an apology letter from Tim Cook.
Alongside its work to introduce transit options to Maps, Apple has also aimed to improve the accuracy of the service. Over the past several months, Apple has hired a multitude of Ground Truth experts to fix location-based issues such as the error that caused Australian drivers to become stranded after receiving faulty directions.
Despite Apples efforts, problems with Maps are ongoing. Recently another location-based error caused Maps to direct drivers in Alaska onto an airport taxiway.
As noted in the job listings, Apple is working to build these services into its own mapping service, incorporating accurate, real-time information on public transportation routes into the Maps apps for iOS and Mac.
Apples lack of public transit information was one of the major criticisms the company faced after its in-house mapping service debuted in 2012. Discontent with the lack of features and the inaccuracy of the Maps app prompted both a reorganization of the company and an apology letter from Tim Cook.
Alongside its work to introduce transit options to Maps, Apple has also aimed to improve the accuracy of the service. Over the past several months, Apple has hired a multitude of Ground Truth experts to fix location-based issues such as the error that caused Australian drivers to become stranded after receiving faulty directions.
Despite Apples efforts, problems with Maps are ongoing. Recently another location-based error caused Maps to direct drivers in Alaska onto an airport taxiway.
Data source: via MacRumors (By Juli Clover)
Friday, May 22, 2015
Apple begins airing TV spot for gold iPhone 5s
Similar to the flow of the "plastic perfected" TV ad Apple launched last month for iPhone 5c, the new 5s spot depicts a phone materializing out of a liquid material.
For the iPhone 5s, that material is gold, portrayed from the start in a melting form that takes the shape of the device. The spot pauses to admire the camera and dual element True Tone flash (above) before being outfitted with a gold ring highlighting its Touch ID feature, which is immediately used by a finger to login to the newly formed device.
The spot, first noted by The Verge as appearing in U.S. football broadcasts on Fox, and cobranded by carrier Verizon, is a slightly shorter version of the original video Apple showed at its release.
Apples original spot lacked a similar soundtrack, instead presenting a creepier, orchestral accompaniment to the cracking sounds of molten metal. The video also presented the internals of the Home button and its Touch ID sensor in greater detail, and flipped the phone around to present it alongside the Silver and Space Grey versions.
Liquids and Goldfrapp have been used in ads before
Apples new "liquid" ads are reminiscent of an LG ad for its "Chocolate" phone, which presented the device erupting out of liquid chocolate. LGs 2006-era U.S. Chocolate phone was intentionally styled after Apples iPod and played up its ability to play music.
That ad, coincidentally, featured a different track "Strict Machine" from the same artist, Goldfrapp. Motorola later copied LGs flip version of the Chocolate to launch the Moto CRZR, and also used Goldfrapps "Ohh La La" to promote its ability to play music, although it failed to highlight the lyrics of the song, instead just presenting its catchy beat and chorus.
Both companies were hit hard by the launch of the iPhone, which not only played music like an iPod, but also surfed the web and accessed email like a Macintosh.
Data source: via AppleInsider (By Daniel Eran Dilger)
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Protect Your iPhone From Theft and Damages With Kenu Highline Case
Some of us love to take a picture or a video on a public places or on a public transportation, but the fear from the theft prevent him to achieve that.
Also the concern about the fall of the iPhone when we are practicing some hobbies such as rock climbing or riding a bike... could prevent us to carrying the Phone as well as to taking a picture.
The Highline case for iPhone 5 and 5S can help you to carry out these tasks so that is provide the protection for your iPhone.
Highline for iPhone 5/5s is a clever security leash and protective case system that provides peace of mind while capturing photos and video in the most precarious situations. Whether you are on a chairlift, whale watching, zip–lining, rock climbing, or entertaining your child, Highline will be there to provide the ultimate protection for your iPhone.The Highline case features a security leash. Attaching directly to the Lightning port, the connection can just be clicked in or out. The actual leash is reinforced with braided Kevlar that can go from fully extended and back in a snap. A Kevlar loop attachment can wrap around many items like belt loops, stroller straps, zippers, purse handles, and more.
- How to Use Find My iPhone Pre and After the Losing of Your iPhone
- Luxi light Meter: a Good Stocking Stuffer for Photographers
- Best iPhone 5S cases: Keeping it stylish
- RoboRoach Lets Kids Turn Real Cockroaches Into iPhone-Controlled Cyborgs
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Rumor The Public iOS 7 1 Release in March
This report indicated that iOS 7.1 will contain user-interface tweaks and bug fixes, without any "secret features".
While recent reports are pegging a launch sooner than later, reliable sources say that Apple is currently planning to ship iOS 7.1, the first significant update to iOS 7, in March. The iOS 7.1 update is said to not have any “secret features,” and it will basically be what we have been told to expect by the past five betas: some user-interface tweaks in the Phone app, an improved Calendar app, speed improvements, and numerous bug-fixes.The report ending by suggesting that Apple could unveil iOS 7.1 at media event “which would possibly be centered around the next-generation Apple TV.”
Back in Decembre a report from BGR claimed March release date for iOS 7.1, but last week a follow-up report retracts this intial date to "comming weeks".
The latest iOS 7.1 beta launched to developer last week, there are a number of the new feature and improvements have discovered so far in the five beta versions:
- iOS 7.1 beta 5
- iOS 7.1 beta 4
- iOS 7.1 beta 3
- iOS 7.1 beta 2
- iOS 7.1 beta 1
Monday, May 18, 2015
iPhone 5ses Are Bending In People’s Pockets
Back when the iPhone 5 first came out, there were a surprising number of reports of people whose iPhones suddenly bent themselves.
This did not seem to be an issue with accidental damage en masse: most of the people who reported the issue noted that their iPhones bent back at the volume button, and hadn’t been kept in a back pocket or sat on.
It seems with the iPhone 5s, this mysterious predilection towards bending has returned.
Over at French site Nowherelse.fr, our good friend Steve Hemmerstoffer points out that bent iPhone 5s devices already seem to be popping up. And boy, are they bent.
On one hand, you’d expect for the iPhone 5s — which shares the same chassis as the iPhone 5 — to have the same structural issues as its predecessor. But this is a big structural fault to leave unfixed between two generations. Even if you do keep your iPhone in your back pocket and sit on it regularly, an iPhone made out of metal and glass folding in on itself like a bent boner is an engineering issue.
Has your iPhone 5s bent in your pocket since you purchased it? Let us know in the comments.
Data source: via CultofMac (By John Brownlee)
Origine source: Nowherelse.fr
Friday, May 15, 2015
These Are The Secret Little Tools Apple Uses To Repair The iPhone 5s
A lot of fuss has been made about the iPhone’s lack of repairability ever since it debuted in 2007 without *gasp* a removeable battery. Six years of design updates later and the iPhone is still as hard to tinker with as ever, unless of course you work at Apple.
Yesterday, Cult of Mac revealed a few pictures of the new tools Apple created to make iPhone 5s and 5c repairs easier than ever for Geniuses. Now our tipster is back with a bunch of GIFs of Apple’s fancy new toys in action, straight from Apple’s official iPhone 5s and 5c repair training videos.
Along with detailed animations of the new iPhone 5s and 5c components, the exclusive shots below show the exact methods Apple staff use to repair broken iPhone 5s, thanks to an array of tools created to make the process more efficient, including a new Universal Display Removal Fixture and an iPhone Battery Fixture Apple keeps hidden in the back of Apple Stores.
Want to know how fix your iPhone the Apple way? Study the GIFs below and you’ll be swapping out batteries like a Genius in no time:
Universal Display Removal Fixture
Rather than use just a single suction cup and pry the display open, Apple created the Universal Display Removal Fixture to provide quicker access to the iPhone’s internals without putting components at risk in the process.
To open a device for repair Apple has mounted Universal Display Removal Fixtures with four suction cups to gently pry the display from the body.
Insert the iPhone. Plop the suction cups down. Pull the spring-loaded-lever up. Voilà! An open iPhone 5s, no prying required.
Battery Removal
iFixit’s teardown of the iPhone 5s recommends prying the battery right off its adhesive, but Apple’s official guide says you should cut the adhesive strip with scissors, and then slowly pull the adhesive out underneath the battery before using a black stick to lift it out.
Apple says to be patient when pulling out the adhesive stip, keep it tight, and just pull it all the way around the battery.
You only need to use a black stick to lift the battery out the iPhone case after the adhesive is gone. Prying the battery off the top before removing the adhesive could cause you to damage some of the internal components.
Once they remove the battery, Geniuses pick off an extra adhesive and then apply these simple adhesive strips to keep the iPhone battery in place.
Speaker Replacement
We’re told Geniuses can replace seven components on the iPhone 5s at the the store – the speaker, receiver, vibration motor, iSight camera module, battery, sim ejector tool, and the display.
Speaker replacements are pretty straightforward. Unscrew the broken component, then pop in a new one like so:
SIM Ejector Tool
You probably never think about your SIM Ejector, but it fails a lot. The fix is pretty quick though and only requires an extra set of tweezers.
iPhone Battery Fixture
To make sure Geniuses apply the perfect amount of pressure between the new battery and adhesive strips, Apple created the iPhone Battery Fixture.
The device lines up your iPhone in preparation for the pressure roller to be dropped.
Press the red lever down and the pressure roller lands gently on the new battery to make sure the adhesive keeps it firmly in place.
Slide the tray back through the vertical tower a couple times and the pressure roller secures the the battery to the new adhesive strip.
Image: Michael Tompert
Data source: via CultofMac (By Buster Heine)
Data source: via CultofMac (By Buster Heine)
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Best free iPhone games
It’s worth keeping in mind that just about all of these employ in-app purchases of some kind or another. We know there are lots of you that would willingly pay up-front for a quality game, but there are plenty of good free games out there too. We’re trying to avoid “lite” games, since you won’t get a lot of replay value by only having the first couple of levels and being pestered to upgrade (pay) for the rest. That said, if the freemium model is a dealbreaker, this probably isn’t the round-up for you. Developers gotta eat.
Without further ado, here’s our list of the best free iPhone games. Don’t be shy to sing out in the comments with your favorite free games for iPhone.
Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2 brings back rootin’-tootin’ first-person-shootin’ to the zombie apocalypse. Despite the altogether realistic visuals, Dead Trigger 2 remains chock-full of tongue-in-cheek humor. Controls now use a fast and natural auto-fire mechanism which keeps the focus on moving and aiming. More notably, there’s a robust hideout and crafting system where you get various assistants to build stuff for you, though it takes time. There is a premium currency in place, but it’s used almost exclusively to speed up building times; all weapons can be created and upgraded using the currency you earn throughout gameplay. Regular events bring players to new parts of the world, with collective rewards if goals are met.
If you’re looking for a high-quality shooter for your iPhone, you’ll have a hard time finding something better than Dead Trigger 2.
Download Dead Trigger 2 now for free
Dots
Dots is a light, casual, and addictive puzzle game where players need to line up same-colored dots as quickly as possible. You’ve got a limited number of time or moves to gather up these dots by matching them and get bonuses for tracing closed loops. Once you run out of time and tries, the dots you’ve matched can be spent on consumable power-ups. There’s also a local multiplayer mode if you want to see how your friends stack up.
Dots is fun, sharply designed and highly accessible - give it a shot!
Dots
Dots is a light, casual, and addictive puzzle game where players need to line up same-colored dots as quickly as possible. You’ve got a limited number of time or moves to gather up these dots by matching them and get bonuses for tracing closed loops. Once you run out of time and tries, the dots you’ve matched can be spent on consumable power-ups. There’s also a local multiplayer mode if you want to see how your friends stack up.
Dots is fun, sharply designed and highly accessible - give it a shot!
Download Dots now for free
Dungeon Hunter 4
Dungeon Hunter 4
Dungeon Hunter 4 is a fast-paced action-RPG that plays like butter. Players hack and slash their way through an extensive single-player campaign, gather loot and gear, level up their abilities, and eventually take the fight into online multiplayer, both co-operatively and competitively. The graphics, particularly during boss battles, are sure to suck you in to the world. For those that get particularly enamored, there’s a premium currency available if you want to pick up the swankiest gear.
Dungeon Hunter 4 brings some of the best action-RPG gameplay you’ll find on iOS.
Download Dungeon Hunter 4 now for free
Learn How You Too Can EARN MONEY by Playing NEWEST Video Games!
Galaxy on Fire 2 is a sci-fi RPG that has players blasting through a beautifully-rendered universe. Quests range from hunting down space pirates to mining asteroids — and everything in between. There’s plenty of trading to do, and you can always upgrade your ship and buy new rides with the riches you amass. There’s an in-depth storyline to enjoy, and expansions available through in-app purchases.
Galaxy on Fire 2 is a rich, exciting, wide-open RPG perfect for sci-fi fans.
Download Galaxy on Fire 2 now for free
Injustice: Gods Among Us
Injustice: Gods Among Us
Injustice: Gods Among Us pits all of the biggest heroes and villains of the DC universe against each other in a brutal 3-on-3 brawler. Taps and swipes get players to move around and throw basic attacks while certain gesture combinations execute devastating signature moves. Heroes gain levels over time, learn new abilities, and with the help of in-app purchases, you can unlock alternate costumes.
The selection of characters available in Injustice is boggling, and the exceptional graphics make this a great game for comic and fighting fans alike.
Download Injustice: Gods Among Us now for free
Plants vs. Zombies 2
Plants vs. Zombies 2
Plants vs. Zombies is a venerable iOS franchise for a good reason. The bizarre premise of protecting your back lawn from hordes of undead by using sunflowers and pea shooters (literally, pea plants) is certainly part of that, but there’s a lot of tactical thinking in terms of plant choices before the attack begins and placement once its under way. In Plants vs. Zombies 2, you’re taken back in time to defend against zombies dressed in era garb, and try out all sorts of new mechanics. The zombies are getting smarter, and challenge your reaction speed in a number of ways, though you also have a whole new complement of plants to use. Stages also have new terrain features to keep every round fresh. Plant food can be collected to super-charge any plant when things get especially hairy.
All in all, Plants vs. Zombies 2 presents deep strategic gameplay in a fun, colorful package.
Download Plants vs. Zombies 2 now for free
RAD Soldiers
RAD Soldiers
RAD Soldiers is our favorite turn-based strategy game thanks to its modern feel and deep customization options. Players build out a squad of deadly mercenaries and fight over missile crash sites at locales across the globe (for some reason), earn cash, and spend it on recruiting new members. Game maps are sectioned off as a grid, and are riddled with low cover and high cover locations which can mitigate incoming fire. Each character has a certain number of action points they can use in a turn, a selection of special abilities, and health bar that varies in size by character. You can chew on single-player challenges for awhile to earn rewards, or you can take the fight online against other players. Expansion packs can be bought through in-app purchases, or you can pick up the in-game currency to fast track your mercenary outfit’s gear.
RAD Soldiers is a fine mix of strategy and action, with plenty of progression and customizability to boot.
Download RAD Soldiers now for free
Learn How You Too Can EARN MONEY by Playing NEWEST Video Games!
Real Racing 3
Real Racing 3 is bound to keep gearheads entertained. It brings real brand-name cars to real-world tracks - hence the name. Though you won’t find live multiplayer races here, it features an interesting asynchronous multiplayer system whereby lap times are recorded from your friends, and you race against a bot that’s driving at that time. Of course you can bump them out and affect their track time, though there’s always a single-player career worth playing through too. Over time, players get new cars and upgrade various parts with their winnings.
Real Racing 3 is absolutely gorgeous, and the white-knuckled racing action will keep you coming back for more.
Download Real Racing 3 now for free
Spaceteam
Spaceteam
Spaceteam is a decidedly unique local multiplayer game. Players gather together with their various iOS devices and connect over either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. They’re then presented with ridiculously-labeled spaceship consoles, with all manner of sliders, knobs, switches, and buttons. Each player then has a message flashing telling them which control needs to be tweaked in order to save their ship from exploding. The thing is, that control could be on anybody’s device, so what ends up happening is everybody starts barking ludicrous orders at one another with straight-faced urgency. Random events can have players in a panic trying to wipe goop off their controls while going through these episodes.
Spaceteam will be one of the most fun party games you play, and thanks to cross-platform compatibility, everybody gets to join in the fun.
Download Spaceteam now for free
You Don’t Know Jack
You Don’t Know Jack is an amazingly-written trivia game with a long-standing tradition of bizarre wordplay and general smart-assery. Players compete against Facebook friends for the high scores in themed episodes. Many of the questions adopt a standard multiple-choice format, but there are also Dis or Dat questions where you have to categorize terms, and the harrowing Jack Attack in the final round. The tokens earned through gameplay can unlock new hilarious parody commercials in between rounds or be spent on consumable performance enhancers. In-app purchases can get rid of ads and give you all the tokens you could want. On top of the core Facebook-centric game, there’s a separate party version of You Don’t Know Jack with AirPlay support where multiple iOS devices can act as buzzers for local games displayed on your TV.
You Don’t Know Jack is an absolutely hilarious game, even for those of us that are way too dumb to do well with trivia titles.
You Don’t Know Jack
You Don’t Know Jack is an amazingly-written trivia game with a long-standing tradition of bizarre wordplay and general smart-assery. Players compete against Facebook friends for the high scores in themed episodes. Many of the questions adopt a standard multiple-choice format, but there are also Dis or Dat questions where you have to categorize terms, and the harrowing Jack Attack in the final round. The tokens earned through gameplay can unlock new hilarious parody commercials in between rounds or be spent on consumable performance enhancers. In-app purchases can get rid of ads and give you all the tokens you could want. On top of the core Facebook-centric game, there’s a separate party version of You Don’t Know Jack with AirPlay support where multiple iOS devices can act as buzzers for local games displayed on your TV.
You Don’t Know Jack is an absolutely hilarious game, even for those of us that are way too dumb to do well with trivia titles.
Download You Don’t Know Jack now for free
Download You Don’t Know Jack Party now for free
Honorable Mentions
FIFA 2014
- Read also: Top 10 best retro games for iPhone and iPad
Honorable Mentions
FIFA 2014
Absolutely gorgeous footie experience.
Into the Dead
Run endlessly with the zombies.
Learn How You Too Can EARN MONEY by Playing NEWEST Video Games!
Letterpress
A sharp multiplayer word game.
Major Mayhem
A fast and furious senseless shoot ‘em up.
Pocket Trains
Expand an 8-bit rail empire.
Those are our picks, but what are you really enjoying playing on your new iPhone? Do you prefer paid games, or are the free ones good enough for you?
- Read also: Top 10 best horror games for iPhone and iPad
Data source: via iMore (by Simon Sage)
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