Posts tagged iPad
Apple releases two new ads you should see today!
Feb 18th
Two new highly vivacious ads have just been released by Apple for the iPad that flaunts some of the 300,000+ apps tailored for its tablet lineup.
The first ad, “Alive”, skims through the adjectives “loud”, “deep” and “alive” to accent and emphasize interactive apps such as GarageBanad, TED and iMovie.
The second commercial, “Together”, accentuates the adjectives “wild”, “bright” and “together”.
The whole campaign is centered towards the fact that the iPad is intended to be used for creative and engaging activities, alternatively to be used just as a passive consumption of content. Despite the early criticism that was targeted at the original iPad; stating it was befitting consumers rather than creators, the versatility of apps in the App Store, including Apple’s very own titles – as iMovie and GarageBand- have proved the allegations wrong.
Apple declared in January that it had sold 22.9 million iPads just in the last quarter. However, its dominance in the tablet area has receded as rivals have soon caught up with their own offers.
Mind over matter; use mind-computing on your iPad!
Oct 22nd
InteraXon wants to get into our brains and get in on all the juicy details that go on there; well, maybe not all the details just certain signals they need to transform into actual data that benefit developers in creating new apps that you can control with your mind.
A little too Star Trek for your taste? Well, we thought so too until we comprehended the technology behind it. Apparently our neurons, the brain cells, have happy feet and like to keep on dancing with electrical potentials that spark, dwindle and drift. If these little neurons dance on their own, then they are very quiet, however if thousands or better yet millions join in on the performance in harmony, then the generated noise can be loud enough for sensors to detect. The humongous neuronal dance parties are yes you guessed it brain rave, ops no, they’re brain waves!
Day or night, awake or asleep; these waves of activity are generated by our brains every moment of our life. This is not new, for scientists have been implementing this technology for over a century, calling it EEG (electroencephalography).
Ostensibly, researchers have concluded that different mental states result in different wave patterns; relaxed states result in gentle, slow-moving alpha wave, while immense concentration results in generating quick jagged beta waves.
InteraXon employs this in their attempts to produce a refined new technology; their latest is a wearable headband called the Muse that works on algorithms that detect these subtle changes in our brain and then showcases them in real time.
All this sounds like rainbows and butterflies doesn’t it? Well, given that the technology can transcend to the point where it’s both compatible for both the developers and users alike. Nevertheless, users will have to undergo a learning procedure, so that “signaling” with their brain becomes second nature.
The company’s target is to raise $150.000 through IndieGoGo, a crowd financing website, through auctioning its head units at a discount rate. First ones to jump on the sci-fi ship will enjoy a preorder rate that will ship for $135, while the price will go up to $200 as a final retail price tag.
Apple made the touch mainstream, Microsoft made voice and motion control conventional with Kinect. What’s next? Squinting until you unlock your screen!
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Finger swiping passwords instead of passcodes?
Oct 17th
Apple enthusiasts probably already have their dates set for October 23rd, 10 am PST, San Jose. As the invitations state: “We’ve got a little more to show you”, indicating the rumored iPad mini release. We thought instead of covering a load of prospected features, we’d cover something a bit more interesting yet still iPad related.
Take a minute, meditate and imagine holding your hand open, touching your fingertips to the iPad’s surface, then drawing your fingers together until they meet in the center. Why would you do that you ask? Well, it might be a new method of unlocking your beloved iPad! Yes, according to a new iPad app developed by Napa computer science student Sae-Bae, the new app can analyze the method implemented to perform the gesture; the speed of the swipe, the angles between each fingertip, and then decided to let her use the tablet. If all of these are in cohesion, then a yellow smiley face turns up stating that you could access the app.
The new app is even more intelligent that one might think; if you thought of simply dragging your fingers along the same lines so as to gain access then you are mistaken. Even if two people do have similar hand sizes and speed, the paths will undoubtedly feel unnatural hence resulting in a green frowning face indicating you are locked out.
Sae-Bae, the doctorial student at the Polytechnic institute of New York University, after conducting two recent studies, has come to the resolution has apps like these could be considered as more secure, easier to memorize and more playful alternatives to passcodes as well as passwords. Even though Sae-Bae’s work is still in its infant stages, her adviser and her, dream of a future where gestures and swipes will prove to be a better crafter alternative tailor made for the touch screen age.
Explain to me; how does this work?
Individuals differ in the way they pinch, swipe and even turn, as Sae-Bae explains, so even if someone wanted to copy your gesture, they wouldn’t be able to due to the reasons aforementioned plus add to that the different fingertip distances and speed of swiping.
Another interesting finding was presented by Sae-Bae in May at an Association for Computing Machinery conference. For that particular study, Sae-Bae brought in volunteers who had to make 22 gestures on an iPad and then rate which was the most fun to make. Surprisingly, the most fun ones turned out to be the most secure as well; a finding that is quite the opposite of what happens when compared to text passwords.
Though these series of studies and findings are very interesting, the future is still a little hazy and a lot more test ought to be done. First of which is researching the difficulty of remembering the gestures that one chooses as a replacement to the passcode. What benefit would all of this be if we cannot actually remember what gesture we set?
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The iPad; did Steve Jobs start working on it in the 80s?
Oct 3rd
It’s almost been a year since Steve Jobs passed away and yet his legacy will surly live on for centuries to come, and debates over his unprecedented foresight will be the topic of many articles to come. One particular talk he gave back in 1983 at the Center for Design Innovation has received a lot of interest.
That specific talk compromised a ton variety of topics that ranged from wireless computing to the project that would become Google StreetView. Yet, an intriguing new discovery of an original cassette tape of that speech has added a spicy spin plus an additional 30 minutes or so of Q&A after the actual main talk.
The topics discussed are quite mesmerizing. One of which was computer networking; a notion that would lead to the App Store, and better yet, this notion would lead to the discovery that Apple has started creative work on the well-recognized iPad- yes 27 years prior to its release.
Steve was inquired as to how computers would all work together, and he gave glimpses of the inevitability of a universal networking standard that allows them all to communicate.
Here are a few of the most memorable things Steve mentioned in this amazing talk:
The personal computer is tackled as being a new medium of communication. Bear in mind, this was in a time when networking was not yet conventional nor was the Internet as widespread as it is now. Still, Steve talks in grave precision about early e-mail systems and how it reframes communication. He states, back in 1983, the idea of walking around anywhere and receiving e-mails; 20 years ahead of the mobile computing.
An experiment done by MIT is mentioned, one that resonates a lot like the Google StreetView application.
Early networking is discussed and the problems of different protocols that existed then. He gave predictions about solving the networking problems at the office and at home, giving an estimated of 5 years for the former and 10-15 years for the latter. He was spot on.
An early Apple strategy is put forth and discussed, stating that it is Apple’s mission to “put an incredibly great computer in a book that you can carry around with you that you can learn how to use in 20 minutes”. Oh, can you relate this to anything you are using today? We bet you do, and oh they also wanted to do so with a “radio link” to ensure people would not be required to hook it up to anything to communicate with “larger databases” and other computers. Insightful!
A question is raised, just at the end of the Q&A session, around the voice recognition, a notion that was about a decade away from realization. When linking Siri to his talk that day, it’s insightful to hear what Steve had to say about that technology then and there; he mentioned the difficulty he faced of recognizing language vs voice since language is contextually driven.
So finally, here is the recording of the talk from the 1983 IDCA. The formerly unavailable Q&A session begins at around 21:30 of the recording. Please be noted that the majority of the questions posed by the audience are incomprehensible, yet Jobs’ responses give meaning to them.
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Inspector gadget; What to get this season?
Sep 5th
The fall season is almost upon us, hence all the tech rumors flying around for the toy season of the year. Christmas is right around the corner, and it won’t take you long to spot some new shiny gadget from Apple, Amazon or Google, encouraging you to spend your hard-earned cash. Nevertheless we’ve decided to aid you in keeping your pocket happy, and your tech-savvy heart even happier.
1. The new iPhone
Yes, once again, Apple has been able to stir things up with rumors flying for months now around their next flagship device that is set to hit the market just a few days from now; September 12th shall be the announcement and it should hit the markets by September 21st, as reported first by iMore in July.
Now, with all the rumors flying around, the only things we can predict regarding the new iPhone are: a bigger screen, a smaller dock connector, and 4G connectivity.
2. Nokia Windows Phone 8
Microsoft has certainly made substantial enhancements from Windows Phone 7 to Windows Phone 8, and Nokia will be producing the flagship device for the Redmond-based company. Amazingly, the new device has managed to stay under wraps, which is becoming quite a scarcity in the world of tech, the announcement has been scheduled for September 5th.
Nokia is finally seeing more clear skies with more good news; Verizon will be carrying the Nokia Windows Phone 8 device this year, according to Bloomberg. This is a good jump for the Finnish company and Microsoft, since Verizon practically eschewed the Windows Phone platform carrying only one device since its initial release in 2010.
3. Amazon Kindle Fire 2
Just behind Apple’s flagship tablet, the iPad, comes in the original Kindle Fire as the second highest-selling tablet even though it lacks many of the features that its competitors had. Well, this will not be true for very long. Many tech websites are reporting that the Kindle Fire 2 will integrate a higher resolution of 1280 x800 and a built-in camera, all this while reducing its weight and thickness. These enhancements will definitely put the Kindle Fire 2 on par with the new competitors such as the Nexus 7. The kindle Fire 2 will definitely be a big seller this fall, with a price that is expected to stay at $199 and a release date sometime this fall.
4. iPad Mini
The rumor of all rumors might just come to realization this magic fall. The smaller tablet is being built this year, after confirmation by Bloomberg and WSJ. Soon after this, news of the iPad Mini’s alleged parts began to leak,
which gave even more merit to the rumor.
Here is what we can actually confirm: the size has been consistent coming in at 7.85 inches, which is considerably larger than the 7-inch tablets currently available. The screen resolution reports have also been consistent, coming in at 1024 x 768, which is the same as the original iPad and iPad 2. That’s where the consistency stops and speculations turn up. Reported prices range from $199 to $350, and just as the new iPhone, no one can confirm what the inside will look like. Yet, what we do know is that if the iPad Mini will be released, stay tuned for it will be very soon.
5. New Nexus device
Last but not least, is Google’s soon to be released Nexus this fall, with a few bonuses. Unlike the norm, Google will not be selecting one company to build its once-a-year flagship device. This fall; Google seems to be opening up to multiple entities. As The Wall Street Journal reported, Google will be working with up to five manufacturers to build a stable of Nexus device, the first of which were the Nexus 7 ( produced by Asus) and the Nexus Q.
The next Nexus device, with two down, may be built by Samsung yet again.
Enhancements include better rear and front cameras, faster processor, and a microSD card slot,we may be getting the next Nexus device very soon.
This fall will certainly be one to remember. We hope we made your Christmas list a little more tech friendly and helpful. Let us know what you end up buying!
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Top 7 gadgets to get your dad today!
Jun 17th
Since it is Father’s day today, we thought we should share some of the most appealing tech savvy gifts that will surely impress every dad.
1. Wear a watch, save a tree
A watch is always a classic gift, but this one comes with a spin. The WeWood Jupiter Watch is made of 100% natural wood, saved from scraps from the flooring industry that would otherwise be destroyed. The watch features a wood case, bracelet, and dial. It’s the perfect gift for someone who is environmentally conscious or who is allergic to other watch materials. Best of all, WeWood plants a tree for each watch purchased.
2. Three Man chess game
It is believed that Chess was invented somewhere in India around the 6th century. The game suffered some rule modifications around 1200 in southern Europe, and around 1475, making the game what it is today.
What’s cool about this set it that allows you to play against two opponents. The game pieces are colored black, gray, and ivory. As you can see in the image, the chess board is round, in order to fit all the pieces (48 pieces comprising 3 teams of 16 pieces each). So you, your father and another opponent can enjoy a game of good old chess!
3. Technology and Jacuzzi- The ultimate experience
As we gaze at this spectacular Jacuzzi, we say to ourselves; someday it shall be ours! Think of how happy your father would be if you got him this La Scalla T650 Entertainment Bath from Private Collection! We could not find a price for it, but considering its luxurious design, we bet it would not be cheap.
In case you were interested in finding out more about the specs, well we’ll start with the dimension; 84″ long x 74″ wide x 51″ high. You can brace yourself with a 43″ screen, a DVD system and a surround sound system. In case that was not enough, you can enjoy 6 fully adjustable PowerPro jets, 2 directionally adjustable body and side jets as well as 2 directionally adjustable foot jets. To top things off, you can enjoy underwater lighting, floating remote control, silent air induction system and do not worry all of this is energy efficient!
4. Leather Keyboard and mouse
If your old man is an avid leather enthusiast, then this is the gift from him!
Leather Keyboard is called Honkawa 2 and is currently produced in limited series. It has a volume of 10 copies per month, it’s fully covered in leather and it’s addressed to those who appreciate the padded leather texture finish. Honkawa 2 is the creation of the Japanese accessories manufacturer, Wagakura.
5. A complete music station for ipad
If your father owns an ipad and has a musical ear, this Rockmate would be a refreshing gift.
The Rock Studio for iPad – By Fingerlab bring us this 4 player app through which we can create our very own band. The app lets you play 2 guitars, drums and a keyboard at the same time.
6. Grippy Pad
If your father has a hard finding his keys or phone while driving then this grippy pad ought to aid! It sticks to the interior yet does not leave a single mark once removed. Everything you want can be put on the pad and it will not fall off, even keys and mobile phones are safe on the grippy pad. It is made out of high quality silicon and comes in a variety of colors. When the pad starts to lose its stickiness, just whip it with a wet towel and it is back as new.
7. Your Personal Theater
Finally, if your father is an avid movie theatre lover yet hates the hassle of going out and getting stuck in traffic, then these immersive 2 OLED screen and 5.1 surround sound will surly impress.
One screen per eye delivers the best possible 3D experience. Pair that with the two OLED screens and you’ll get a crosstalk-free, incredibly real display.
We hope we aided you in the search for the perfect gift, and we wish all fathers around the world, whether they are still with us or guarding us from above, a very happy day.
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Tech gift ideas for your mom
May 13th
“Hundreds if dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.”
~George Cooper
In celebration of Mothers’ day, we took it upon ourselves to give you a roundup of the best tech-related gifts that will surly brighten her day.
1. A tablet : A few years ago, a tablet may have merely meant a medicinal formulation made of a compressed powdered substance containing an active drug and excipients, i.e a pill. Yet, in this fast paced world of ours it has a different meaning, which most of us know as a kind of mobile computers, usually having a touchscreen or pen-enabled interface. Consider getting one of the many options out there ( Sony Tablet P, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, Amazon Kindle Fire and the iPad of course) and we’re pretty sure you’re mom will appreciate the much easier approach to watching videos/ playing games with the kids, manage calendars and discover new recipes. Add a beautiful bag to the purchase and you’re good to go. Here a review of the tablets by Cnet.
2. Belkin Chef Stand + Stylus: If your mom is already tech savvy and owns a tablet, this can come in handy, especially if she enjoys cooking and browsing for new recipes. The problem with this modern “recipe book” is that one might be too worried to ruin it by having it in the kitchen with all the mess and fuss. This is where Belkin Chef comes in handy; your mom can just adjust her tablet for easy viewing and navigate the page without getting messy fingerprints on the screen. The stylus is rubberized and designed to get messy and wiped clean again.
3. Fitbit Ultra activity tracker: We are all obsessed nowadays with our fitness level and daily walking/ running routines, hence the popularity of the pedometers. However, they are soon to be become obsolete with Fitbit Ultra since it takes a step further by tracking sleep patterns as well as the number of steps you climb each and every day. To make it a complete present, get the scale that goes with it; it will sync via Wi-Fi with the Fitbit Ultra.
4. The latest smartphone : Walking without a smartphone in this day and hour is like going to the beach without sun block, okay maybe not that drastic but still everyone seems to be obsessed to have their hands on the latest bit of mobile technology. We’ve conducted a comprehensive comparison chart earlier in April, which may help you choose the best one for your dear mom.
5. Clarisonic PLUS with Body Brush Head: Last but not least, our personal favorite is
The Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System; we all know how women enjoy their Spa experiences, and how rejuvenated they feel after each one. Well, treat your mom to a spa experience everyday with the oscillating brush.
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The Top 20 April pranks of 2012
Apr 1st
Don’t be a fool this April! After reading and checking out all the latest web pranks of 2012 that are circulating around, we’ve decided you have to have hands on exposure on the top 20 most hilarious ones!
Google’s collection of Fibs:
Hats off to Google this year, yet again they have out done themselves and entertained us with numerous April pranks. Here are 8 that cracked us up:
Chrome Multi Tasking Mode (Link)
Google Fiber (Link)
Teleport me (Link)
Google Nigeria (Link)
The whole of youtube on DVD (Link)
Gmail tap (Link)
Google maps goes 8 bit (Link)
Really Advanced Search (Link)
Tech/ Geeky Fibs:
Are you a tech savvy? Here are the top 7 pranks that will surely have you laughing your socks off:
Conan O’brian takes over Mashable (Link)
Reddit (Link)
Android 5.0 Jelly Bean build leaked for the Galaxy Nexus (Link)
imgur’s new mascot the imguraffe! (Link)
thinkgeek.com (Link)
Sony World’s Smallest Ultrabook™: The VAIO® Q(Link)
Toshiba introduces tablets that come in different shapes (Link)
Sports Fibs:
Even Arsenal fans can have a kick this April with this new fragrance ad
Arsenal launch new fragrance that smells of Emirates Stadium(Link)
Car lovers’ Fibs:
Car lovers are definitely not neglected this April with a collection of videos and ads. Here are our favorite two:
BMW invents car that follows you as you run (Link)
Peugeot; Paint changes colour with your mood (Link)
Miscellaneous Fibs:
From dreams to being a secret agent to flying to the moon, here are some pranks that will surly make your day:
Secret service agent for a week (Link)
Virgin Holidays and Sir Richard Branson launch new currency (Link)
Cheap flights to the moon (Link)
Well, we couldn’t resist but to stretch the list to fit 20 pranks, but apparently everyone’s playing along this April, so don’t miss out on the fun, play along and fool someone today and make sure to share with us some of your own pranks.
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Siri Cracked! Now can be used on any Android or iPad
Nov 15th
Since the iPhone 4s has been released, the guys over at Applidium have been trying to find out the inner workings of it. Today, they have managed to crack open Siri’s protocol, making it possible for anyone to write an Android application that can use Siri’s Voice recognition technology or port it to an Ipad.
The team explains how Siri works and provides examples and code on how to make use of it. We will be expecting lots of Siri Android apps really soon.
Learn More at: http://applidium.com/en/news/cracking_siri/
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Genie Timeline 2.1 Now Supports iPhone/iPad/iPod and BlackBerry Backups
Jun 28th
Genie Timeline 2.1 has been enhanced to continue to solve all of your backup needs, which now includes supporting the backups of iPhones/iPads/iPods and BlackBerry phones. Not only does it protect your entire computer, it also protects your portable devices all in one easy to use package.
Genie Timeline 2.1 was designed with the end-user’s needs in mind. It is the solution for those who are leading a fast paced life, juggling between duties with no time to worry about their data protection.
Genie Timeline 2.1 works on your machine without the need of any user intervention. It seamlessly backs up a wide variety of data types while running in the background; files can be retrieved easily with a simple right click. Developed with intelligent Continuous Data Protection (CDP), Genie Timeline shows frequent backups for the past 4 hours, hourly backups for the past week and weekly backups onwards.
Its support of iPhone/iPad/iPod and BlackBerry products allows you to keep versions of backups which are automatically updated after each sync of your device. This provides the option of going back in time and restoring your device from older backups. You are also able to transfer these backups to other machines and new devices. For example, if your iPhone gets lost and you purchase a new one, you can easily pick a version you would like to restore from without having to worry about losing anything.
Genie Timeline 2.1 allows you to store your backups to external media, keeping it safe from computer failure; this includes backups of iPhones/iPads/iPods and Blackberry phones. With the online version around the corner, backups will be stored safely on reliable servers such as Amazon S3 and Google IO storage. All of your valuable information will always be protected.