Apple today announced it is releasing new versions of the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display with support for China's TD-LTE networks. The devices target China Mobile, which launched its TD-LTE network last year and started selling the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c for the 4G network earlier this year. Continue reading →
Images of what appear to be an iPhone 6 in development have been leaked on Chinese social network Weibo. The images show the iPhone 6 with a thinner, but taller and wider design, and a protruding camera, like the current-gen iPod touch. Continue reading →
Anandtech provides a detailed analysis of Apple's A7 (ARM-based) mobile processor which was introduced in the iPhone 5s. The latest information and analysis comes from Apple's own code changes to the LLVM Compiler project. "Not just us, but everyone, really. We were slack-jawed, and stunned, and unprepared. It's not that big a performance difference right now, since most current software won't benefit. But in Spinal Tap terms it's like, 32 more, and now everyone wants it."Any reference to "desktop class" Apple processors may remind readers that there have been recurring rumors that Apple has been testing ARM processor based MacBook Airs. Apple even threatened that they would stop using Intel chips due to concerns over power consumption. AMD or even ARM were speculated to be possible alternatives.
The iPhone remains one of the most popular "cameras" on the planet, and Apple's smartphone has indeed conquered consumer photography, but it wasn't the company's first attempt to do so. In the mid '90s, Apple was going through its "see what sticks"... A new app called BeHere aimed at teachers uses Apple's new Bluetooth LE iBeacon technology to recognize students and automatically take attendance as they enter a classroom.
With the BeHere app installed, the teacher's iPad acts as an iBeacon and students entering the classroom with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch will automatically appear in the app with a profile picture and name. Students will have to install the app on their device too, but thanks to recent iBeacon improvements in iOS 7.1, they won't have to even open the app or take the device out of their pocket to be recognized as they walk in.
The BeHere app also has a few other interesting features for the classroom environment. From within the app, students can tap a button to request help from a teacher. The teacher is then presented with an ordered queue of students waiting for assistance.
The company is currently testing the app with a number of partners at colleges, but the app is now available for all to download from the App Store.
iBeacon technology is quickly being adopted in many different settings since Apple first introduced it alongside iOS 7 last year. First rolling out in retail environments like the Apple Store and Macy's, the technology is also being used at events like the recent SXSW festival and professional sporting events to allow for speedy check-in features and relevant location-based notifications. More apps have also been hitting the App Store recently too. A new app called 'Placed' that we told you about recently allows users to setup context-aware app launching using iBeacons at home.
BeHere is available as a free download for iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad on the App Store.
Filed under: Apps
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One of our favourite concept designers, Martin Hajek, has been busy again – this time with an iPhone 6 concept reminiscent of the iPod Nano design, commissioned by Dutch site iPhoneclub.
The iPhone 6 is widely expected to be launched in two different sizes, with Bloomberg and Nikkei specifically suggesting 4.7- and 5.5-inch sizes. Hajek's design shows the 4.7-inch model, though thinner bezels and reduced casing top and bottom mean that the exterior dimensions don't increase too dramatically.
Three of the images contrast the new concept with the iPhone 5s, shown in the gallery below …
The concept is perhaps a little too thin to be realistic, but the larger dimensions would allow the battery to be longer and wider, and thus thinner, so we can likely expect something between the 7.6mm depth of the iPhone 5s and the 5.5mm depth depicted in Hajek's concept.
Check out the rest of the images over at iPhoneclub.
Meantime, Japanese magazine MacFan has posted what it claims are drawings of an iPhone 6c in both 4.7- and 5.7-inch sizes.
The claim doesn't appear to make a great deal of sense, suggesting that the larger of the two 6c models would be bigger than the larger flagship model, and that the 6c would get Touch ID but not the dual-flash camera, which seems a little random. It's also not entirely certain that Apple will continue with the Xs/Xc model approach after sales of the 5c appear to have been lower than expected.
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For music lovers on the go, Shazam is an invaluable discovery tool. With the simple press of a button, the app tells you the name and artist of any song currently playing around you. Today Shazam released a new update that throws a fresh coat of... Using our voice to control computers has never really taken off. For many of us, using voice recognition technology wasn't even a consideration until features like dictation and Siri arrived on our iPhones and iPads. There's good reason too: the voice recognition features built into our devices have always had the reputation of being half-baked. They simply aren't accurate and consistent enough to replace our tried and trusted mouse and keyboard or touchscreen. While half decent dictation features come with every Mac (and are powered by Nuance's technology), the voice recognition features you get with latest version of Nuance's Dragon Dictate for Mac go well beyond simply dictating speech to text.
When people think Nuance and Dragon Dictate they typically think speech to text dictation features. After reading a bit of text and walking through a brief tutorial (about 10 minutes total), the app is remarkably accurate at understanding your voice and dictating speech consistently. If you haven't tried full-blown dictation software like Dragon in recent years like myself, you'll truly be amazed at how precise the program is at dictating error-free text as you speak naturally. There's no need to speak slowly and carefully to make sure every word is recognized, and there's no waiting around for the software to catch up to what you're saying.
Of course, that process becomes much easier as you memorize and become more comfortable with the commands. While for me it won't be replacing my keyboard on a daily basis for writing, that doesn't mean with a little practice dictation in Dragon Dictate 4.0 can't be a powerful alternative if necessary. Dragon Dictate has long been a popular product among those with medical conditions like arthritis that limit the ability to type comfortably or at all.
Admittedly your mileage with accuracy might vary depending on your accent (I was using the U.S. setting since there is no Canadian accent preference), but there are also region settings for the UK, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada and India, as well as accent preferences for American, American- Inland Northern, American- Southern, American- Teens, Australian, British, Indian, Latino, and Southeast Asian.
For me, the real standout feature of Dragon Dictate 4.0 is the ability to control applications on your Mac using only your voice. Dragon Dictate comes with a number of built-in commands that allow you to control functions across apps like Finder, Mail, Messages, Notes and Safari, as well as commands for composing email or sharing status updates to Facebook and Twitter. It also has a powerful built-in command editor that lets you setup your own voice commands for just about anything you can think of. Launch, quit, or hide applications, search the web, open a file or folder, or create a new reminder using only your voice. I set up commands for opening new tabs and navigating to specific tabs in Chrome, switching between or launching my commonly used full-screen apps by simply saying the app's name, initiating playback in Logic Pro, as well as opening files and folders in Finder. The command editor is easy enough for anyone to setup commands for opening apps, bookmarks, files and folders, menu items, and any keystroke either system wide or within an app, but also has the ability to use AppleScript, Automator workflow, Shell script, and text macro for more complex voice commands. Once you get used to speaking to your Mac and asking it to do things, you'll wonder why you always haven't been searching the web, navigating Gmail, and launching and switching between apps and folders with your voice.
What's new in 4.0:
The new version also packs in a long list of commands specifically for controlling Gmail in Safari and Firefox with your voice, as well as some nice enhancements for dictating into Pages.
The biggest issue I ran into with Dragon Dictate 4.0 was background noise getting picked up. There are commands to mute the mic, put it to sleep, or have it auto sleep, but that doesn't do much to combat background noise when you have the mic on while dictating commands. On a few occasions background noise from either my devices, pets or the street would launch apps unexpectedly or begin dictating text when I wasn't speaking. This was mostly an issue when using my Macbook's built in mic and of course wouldn't be a concern in a perfectly quiet room. It's also partly your Mac's fault; using a standalone vocal mic positioned properly, a headset, or the Dragon Remote app that turns your iPhone into a mic for your Mac will minimize these issues.
Is it worth the cost?
Dictation might not be faster than typing, but that's not the point. The ability to transcribe voice memos and other audio files you've recorded on the go and control anything on your Mac with your voice would make Dragon Dictate an excellent value even without everything else it offers. And for those that for some reason can't type or just don't want to, the dictation features are worth every penny if Apple's built-in features simply aren't enough.
Dragon Dictate for Mac 4 usually sells for $199.99 but is currently on sale for $179. An upgrade from previous versions of Dictate is available for $149.
Another day, another report about Apple's 2014 iPhone plans. So far the company hasn't said exactly when its new smartphones are going to be unveiled, and if its going to launch two this year as well. We only have rumors to go on at this point in time. Today, Nikkei reports that Apple may release its new iPhones as early as September. Once again, two larger screen sizes are rumored.
Speaking at Re/Code's Code/Media conference, Roku's CEO and founder, Anthony Wood, was quoted as saying, "Apple TV is essentially an accessory for the iPad. They lose money, which is unusual for Apple. If you're losing money, why would you want to sell more?" This seems to go against Tim Cook's recent statement in which he claimed that the Apple TV could no longer be considered a hobby. (more…)
What makes this device particularly interesting is the fact that it comes with a 5,000mAh battery built into it. This means that you won't have to plug it into a power outlet if you wish to juice your phone or tablet while on the go. It also helps to eliminate the need for extra cables which you could lose or forget to bring with you. (more…)
However there is a drawback which is that if you wanted to access the USB ports on an iMac, you'd have to reach around. Sometimes the monitor might even be placed in such a way that longer USB sticks might have a hard time fitting. Thankfully there's an answer for that on Kickstarter. (more…)
The Bolt Battery Charger combines the "world's smallest portable iPhone USB wall charger" with a built-in 3000mAh rechargeable battery, so you'll be able to charge your phone whether you're near a power outlet or not. You won't have to keep up with a special cable to recharge your backup battery, because the Bolt has prongs that fold down until you need them. It's only 2.75″ x 1.33″ x 1.10″, but it packs enough reserve power to recharge a phone twice. It charges its own battery as it charges up your phone, so you'll always have backup power even for your longest days. It's $59.99 at REIGN|23.
Filed in categories: Cables, Batteries and Chargers, News
Tagged: Backup Battery, Charger
AC charger and backup battery – two great tastes that taste great together originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 28, 2014 at 9:00 am.
A new Apple patent application filed last year and published by the United States Patent & Trademark Office today adds more proof that Apple is preparing to use sapphire displays in upcoming devices (via AI). There has been no shortage of proof that Apple is preparing to do something— most likely next-generation iPhone screens— with the large Sapphire plant it recently picked up in Arizona. We already know that the sapphire material could make iPhone displays, for example, stronger and more scratch resistant, but today's patent details a method Apple will use to also make sure the sapphire repels fingerprints as well or better than the glass used on previous generation iPhones.
The patent details various methods of applying an oleophobic coating on sapphire material, "particularly where information is also displayed on the touch-sensitive surface (e.g., on a touch-sensitive display)." There's also mentions of using a hydrophobic coating for waterproofing properties in the patent. While Apple's patent shows the method of application of these coatings has to change when applied to sapphire, Apple has long used both oleophobic and hydrophobic coatings on its touch displays.
Analyst Matt Margolis pointed out some details on the new process of applying the coatings to sapphire as described in the patent:
What is interesting is that this patent allows for the oleophobic coating to be applied to a brick of sapphire and not having to apply it to each cut screen individually i.e. the patent allows for batch processing. The process used to coat sapphire screens is different from traditional glass screens. The patent mentions PVD and sintering as options. Apple and GT may be leveraging GT's SPS technology for sintering to get this job done in the most efficient way possible Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS)
The patent is rather new having been first filed in September of last year, but it's worth keeping in mind that Apple already uses sapphire on the iPhone camera lens and home button, both components that would typically get oleophobic and hydrophobic coatings. The patent does, however, seem to hint at using the coatings on larger touchscreen-sized areas.
Apple and its partners have already revealed that a new manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona will go towards producing sapphire. In February, we reported that Apple and its partners at the new plant had procured enough sapphire crystal furnaces to make approximately 100-200M 5-inch iPhone displays.
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Tim Cook's eyes might turn into big fat dollar signs once he sees new survey data published by Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt. Per Barron's, a new Raymond James survey conducted with the help of Surveymonkey has found that one-third of American iPhone owners would be willing to pay an extra $100 for an iPhone 6 if it had a bigger display than the iPhone 5s. This means that fully 33% of U.S. iPhone owners might be willing to pay $300 with a two-year contract to get an iPhone 6 if it has a display of between 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. And considering that Raymond James' latest survey found that 52.3% of all American smartphone owners use the iPhone, it looks like Apple could make a huge chunk of cash if it decided to make customers fork over more money for a bigger device.
繼續閱讀全文Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II 動手玩，表現比之前進步不少（影片）
繼續閱讀全文兩顆鏡頭的 Canon PowerShot N100 香港動手玩（影片）
Microsoft's Office suite of productivity apps has long been rumored to be in development for the iPad shortly after the tablet's debut in 2010. Most notably was The Daily (now defunct) reporting it had knowledge (and screenshots) of Microsoft's software for Apple's mobile platform in 2011, something Microsoft was quick to deny was legitimate. Three years and one CEO later, Microsoft is finally ready to play nice with the iPad.
Satya Nadella, Microsoft's new CEO following Steve Ballmer's retirement earlier this year, outlined Microsoft's new cloud and mobile strategy for the company today including full Office for iPad support. Unlike the Office 365 app Microsoft introduced early last year, Microsoft's new apps today include individual apps for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Microsoft's Office suite of apps will each be available as a free download, but will require an Office 365 subscription (which offers a 30-day trial) to create and edit documents. Users can still read and present documents with Office for iPad without a subscription. Office documents will rely on Microsoft's OneDrive service for syncing content.
Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are now available on the App Store.
"Microsoft is focused on delivering the cloud for everyone, on every device. It's a unique approach that centers on people — enabling the devices you love, work with the services you love, and in a way that works for IT and developers," said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer for Microsoft.
Microsoft debuted its Office for iPhone software last June for Office 365 subscribers and today updated it to version 1.1 saying it's now "free for home use."
Apple made changes to its iWork suite of productivity apps last fall including making the software available for free with purchases of new devices. Microsoft has previously ran a number of ads comparing its mobile hardware against the iPad using the lack of Office on Apple's platform as a point of contrast.
Earlier this month, reports surfaced that Microsoft is slated to release an update to its Office software for Mac later in the year. Microsoft also debuted its OneNote app for Mac earlier this month and currently have three apps in the top 20 free Mac App list.
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