Forget the cloud, researchers are working on 1TB memory for smartphones

What if your smartphone shipped with 1TB of memory, which would be not only be able to store all the digital content you want to carry with you at all times, but would also be faster and more reliable? Researchers from Rice University are already working on such technology, MIT’s Technology Review reports, having discovered a more practical way to mass-produce it.

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Posted in 2014 at 11:31PM, July 24

Possible 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Volume/Power Flex Cable and SIM Card Tray Shown in New Images

We've seen several different parts for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, but parts for the larger 5.5-inch version have thus far been in short supply. Apple.club.tw [Google Translation] has shared some new images of what might be the first leaked internal parts for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6, offering up pictures of power/volume flex cables and SIM trays said to be for the device.



The two flex cables that separately house the left side volume buttons/mute switch and the top power button are similar in design to an earlier set of leaked flex cables said to be for one of the iPhone 6 models. There are, however, some design differences that suggest there are two distinct sets of flex cables designed for two different devices floating around the Asian supply chain. For example, the new set of flex cables depicts less space between the volume buttons and the mute buttons and the two flex cables for the power button have different shapes.




iPhone 6 volume/mute flex cable on top, power button flex cable on bottom


Like the earlier cables, the flex cables in the new images resemble parts from other devices and have an Apple-style part number.



As it is difficult to determine size based on images, it is unclear which set of leaked flex cables might be designed for the 4.7-inch iPhone and which is destined for the 5.5-inch iPhone, but as both cables are different than existing parts for the iPhone 5s, iPad Air, and iPad mini, they point towards two separate devices if legitimate.



Apple.club.tw has also shared images of a longer flex cable with an unknown purpose and a set of SIM card trays in a cobalt blue color. Blue is not expected to be a color for the iPhone 6, as current rumors have pointed towards a release in the existing silver, gold, and space gray for both models, so the blue SIM trays are somewhat questionable.





As we move closer to the September launch date of the iPhone 6, we expect part leaks to become more frequent. We may also see more parts designed for the larger iPhone 6 as it is expected to enter mass production in August or September. The 4.7-inch iPhone is said to have entered mass production in July.



Rumors have suggested that Apple may ship the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 ahead of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 due to supply constraints with the latter, so it remains unclear if we will see the bigger phone at Apple's prospective iPhone 6 launch event in September.

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Posted in 2014 at 10:14PM, July 24

Video: Want to see what happens when an iPhone 5s gets run over by a train? Of course you do

The iPhone 5s is amazingly solid for a smartphone made entirely of glass and ultra-thin aluminum. It looks great, it feels great and it can survive its fair share of drops as long as it doesn't hit a hard surface on its corner. But can it survive being run over by a speeding train?

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Posted in 2014 at 09:45PM, July 24

Apple Maintains Tablet Market Share Lead Despite iPad Sales Drop

Apple's recent earnings call revealed that iPad sales continue to decline, with the company shipping only 13.3 million iPads during the third fiscal quarter of 2014 (second calendar quarter), compared to 14.6 million in the year-ago quarter.



Despite the sales drop, Apple continues to be the world's leading tablet vendor, with a total 26.9 percent of the market, according to new numbers from research firm IDC. Samsung retains its number two spot with 8.5 million shipments and a 17.2 percent share, but both major companies have been losing significant ground to companies putting out more affordable tablet devices.





Lenovo, for example, saw its share of the tablet market rise from 3.3 percent to 4.9 percent, a 64.7 percent jump. ASUS saw 13.1 percent growth, and the "Others" category, which is comprised of vendors not quite in the top five list, has jumped from a 37 percent share to a 44.4 percent share, an increase of 33.4 percent.



Overall, the worldwide tablet market has grown 11 percent year-over-year, with total tablet shipments of 49.3 million, up from 44.4 million in 2013.

As we indicated last quarter, the market is still being impacted by the rise of large-screen smartphones and longer than anticipated ownership cycles," said Jean Philippe Bouchard, IDC Research Director for Tablets. "We can also attribute the market deceleration to slow commercial adoption of tablets. Despite this trend, we believe that stronger commercial demand for tablets in the second half of 2014 will help the market grow and that we will see more enterprise-specific offerings, as illustrated by the Apple and IBM partnership, come to market."

To date, Apple has sold 225 million iPads and according to Tim Cook, the company isn't worried about declining sales. Cook noted the tablet category is still "in its infancy," and Apple is planning to bring "significant innovation" to the iPad in the future.



iPad sales will likely pick up later this year with the introduction of a second-generation iPad Air and a second-generation Retina iPad mini. Both tablets are expected to include upgraded processors and Touch ID integration. Apple is also expanding its presence in the enterprise tablet market with a new partnership with IBM.

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Posted in 2014 at 08:21PM, July 24

BlackBerry stock is up 100% since Christmas, even as BBM grows weaker

BlackBerry is up more than 5% on Thursday, buoyed by the CEO's comments about partnerships that might mirror the recent Apple-IBM pact. That Apple-IBM alliance was seen by some as a fatal blow to BlackBerry, since it gives iOS another boost in the enterprise market. But BlackBerry has recently started resembling a mythical Canadian beast that absorbs fatal blows with polite disinterest, growing only stronger as its prospects weaken.

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Posted in 2014 at 07:37PM, July 24

Incredible new map is like Google Street View, but with drone footage

Google Street View is one of the greatest things about Google Maps. With it, users can see actual 3D imagery of locations they plan to visit, giving people a way to see exactly where they're headed before they trek out to a new destination. Beyond that, it gives users a way to explore places around the world, albeit virtually, that they might otherwise never have had the opportunity to see. A new website called TravelByDrone takes things a step further, however, providing users with videos containing drone-filmed aerial footage from all over the world that is just a click away.

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Posted in 2014 at 07:14PM, July 24

Gmail for iOS Updated With Improved Google Drive Integration [iOS Blog]

Google today updated its Gmail for iOS app to version 3.14159, adding improved integration with its Google Drive storage solution.



It's now possible to save email attachments directly to Google Drive, making them accessible everywhere and saving storage space. Users are also able to insert Google Drive files directly into messages. Google has also included new account management options and the ability to change a profile picture in the Settings menu.

- Save attachments directly to Google Drive so you can access them anywhere while saving space and bandwidth on your device

- Insert Google Drive files directly into messages

- New account management options to choose which accounts you want to have visible in Gmail without removing accounts from your device.

- Change your profile picture (in Settings)

Gmail is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

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Posted in 2014 at 06:53PM, July 24

GALAXY NOTE 4 LEAK: Note 4's release timeframe may have just been revealed!

Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 is primed to be one of the highest quality smartphones the company has ever produced, and now reports are coming in that it might see a release shortly before the iPhone 6. According to ET News , the Galaxy Note 4 was rushed into production after the Galaxy S5 underperformed during its launch window, forcing Samsung to rethink its strategy for the rest of the year.

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Posted in 2014 at 06:51PM, July 24

Apple's iWatch Already a Hit, Even When It's a $20 Casio Watch [iOS Blog]

Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel covered Apple's upcoming smart watch on last night's show, airing a humorous segment that featured the team showing pedestrians on Hollywood Boulevard a $20 Casio watch with an Apple sticker on the back.



The people were told the cheap watch was Apple's new smart watch and predictably, Kimmel's team received some hilarious reactions. "It's very lightweight and it's kind of like old school, but still in style, you know?" said one woman, and a man complimented its rubber wrist band and the big numbers, which are "easy to see."






Featured interviewees were all impressed with the watch's ability to show the time and the date, and several noted that they were willing to purchase anything Apple made. "I just like that it has an Apple insignia on the back," said one commenter. "If it's Apple it's good, right?" said another.



Kimmel also had some quips to share about the upcoming larger-screened iPhone 6, claiming Apple was introducing the larger device so it could debut a smaller "iPhone mini" in the future. "They make the bigger phones, and then in two years they'll release the iPhone mini, which is the size of the phones we have now," he joked. "And we'll wait in line for like three days for it because that's how we are."

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Posted in 2014 at 05:44PM, July 24