Month: July 2015

Qualcomm’s new technology could allow wireless charging through the iPhone’s metal body

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 14, 2016

Apple has patented a few wireless charging methods, but thus far it's only implemented inductive-based wireless charging on the Apple Watch. We're still required to connect our iPhones to chargers and Apple's top dogs have made it clear in the past that existing solutions aren't really the right answer to wireless charging.

But a new technology that Apple supplier Qualcomm unveiled earlier this week could pave the way for wireless charging on iPhones as it allows wireless charging for devices with metal exteriors.

Not only that, but Qualcomm's solution can simultaneously charge multiple devices with different power requirements, say your iPhone and Apple Watch.

Upcoming Multiplexer jailbreak tweak looks incredible

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated May 7, 2018

Multiplexer is an upcoming multitasking jailbreak tweak from Elijah Frederickson and Andrew Abosh, the same developers that brought us the high-regarding multitasking tweak, ReachApp.

Building on the success of ReachApp, Multiplexer is actually six tweaks built into one. In fact, each of Multiplexer's features could probably stand on their own two feet—for example, ReachApp is a part of Multiplexer.

It's still very much a work-in-progress, but Frederickson and Abosh have teased Multiplexer's feature-set over the last week. I've been around jailbreaking for a long time, and this looks like it could possibly be one of the biggest and most ambitious releases that we've seen in quite some time.

Reeder 3 gets a public beta for Mac

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated May 7, 2018

Renowned RSS feed reading app, Reeder, is one of the best feed reading experiences on the Mac. And so I was quite happy when I learned that Reeder 3 was finally entering public beta.

Reeder 3 will be a free update for Reeder 2 for Mac users. It comes with brand new themes and an OS X Yosemite-centric modern UI, among many other additions. Check out the full change log and download link in this post.

Samsung’s woes continue with yet another disappointing quarterly earnings

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 8, 2017

Surging iPhone demand on the high-end and plummeting sales of its feature phones that are getting squeezed out of the market by Chinese upstarts like Xiaomi are largely blamed for yet another disappointing quarterly earnings that Samsung posted Thursday.

The South Korean conglomerate reported an eight percent annual decline as profits decreased to 5.75 trillion Korean won, or approximately $4.9 billion, from 6.3 trillion won a year earlier. Analysts predicted 5.6 trillion won of net income. The results mark a fifth straight drop in quarterly earnings for the consumer electronics giant.

The bad news gets worse as Samsung's mobile division, its bread and butter, reported a huge 37.6 percent drop in mobile operating income which fell from 4.42 trillion won in 2014 to 2.76 trillion won during the April-June period.

Apple releases iOS 8.4.1 beta 2 to developers

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 7, 2024

A little over two weeks after the iOS 8.4.1 beta debuted, Apple has seeded the second iOS 8.4.1 beta to developers.

The previous iOS 8.4.1 beta contained no release notes, but many speculated that the update would contain the usual bug fixes, and perhaps even a fix for the exploits used in the iOS 8.4 jailbreak.

We'll be sure to update you if there are any findings with regard to what the release contains. At this point, it's still up in the air, but the minor release version indicates that it likely contains no new front-facing features.

Review: Inateck MercuryBox Bluetooth speaker

Jeff Benjamin ∙ July 30, 2015

One of my biggest beefs with the iPhone and iPad is the lack of love given to sound output quality. Neither device features speakers that face the user, and the speakers that are there produce sound that's just passable in my opinion. It's definitely one of the biggest opportunity areas for improvement when it comes to iOS hardware.

Other devices do a much better job with sound quality. For example, the HTC One M9 features front-facing speakers, as does the just-released Motorola G 3rd-gen. Even tablets like the Nexus 9 feature front-firing speakers that sound relatively good. The iPhone and iPad? Not so much.

But that's okay, because that's what external speakers were made for. In fact, I just got my hands on stylish-looking Bluetooth speaker called the MercuryBox (42.99 with Amazon discount code below). It's from a German company called Inateck, who sent us a sample unit for review.

Is this the perfect device to improve your iPhone's sound output?

Apple patents stylus that scans objects in 3D and simulates textures via haptic feedback

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is adamant that Apple is working on an advanced stylus accessory for a rumored 12-inch 'iPad Pro,' an assumption based in no small part on patent applications Apple has filed for in years past.

The latest indication that the iPhone maker is indeed researching styli technology comes in the form of a new patent application published Thursday by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) which proposes an advanced texture-sensing stylus design with a built-in camera.

The saga continues as Angry Birds 2 hits the App Store as a free-to-play download

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 30, 2015

As promised, Finnish mobile games maker Rovio today released Angry Birds 2, the official sequel to its original bird-flinging franchise. Available on a free-to-play basis, Angry Birds 2 for iPhone and iPad isn't a radical departure from the proven formula which made the original games such a rage.

In Angry Birds 2, your favorite feathered heroes embark on a brand new adventure as they storm Piggy Island to rescue their poor stolen eggs, all over again.

The sequel introduces some fun new elements to the gameplay experience such as all-new bird characters to choose from, spells, multi-stage levels, scheming boss piggies and much more.

Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition is so engaging you might forget to eat in real life

Lory Gil ∙ July 30, 2015

Sometimes, there are games that are so engrossing that you don't even realize that time has passed. They can sometimes get you into trouble, especially if you suddenly find yourself still at home in your slippers when you should have been at work 10 minutes ago.

Don't Starve is an action survival game for the iPad that might cause you to forget to eat dinner while trying to keep your character well fed and safe from things that go bump in the night. We've got a full game review of Don't Starve: Pocket Edition for you today.

Take your iPad Air 2 on extreme outings with the Unicorn Beetle PRO case

Lory Gil ∙ July 30, 2015

If you are an outdoor traveler, sports enthusiast, or just like to roughhouse with your iPad Air 2, you should probably give it a fighting chance with a rugged case to protect it from the inevitable drops, scrapes, and dirt.

The Unicorn Beetle Pro is a durable dual-layer case with a built in screen protector and shock-absorbing bumper to ensure that your iPad Air 2 is as safe as can be on those crazy adventures.

Review: Moto G 3rd-generation – an iPhone user’s take

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated May 7, 2018

The Moto G is a budget Android smartphone line from Motorola that has nurtured a very good reputation in the tech community. The latest 3rd-generation Moto G, which debuted on Tuesday, is now available in stores like Amazon and Best Buy.

We've made it our mission to review various Android smartphones over the year in order to provide you with a balanced look at what the so-called "competition" is offering. As most of you know, I'm a die-hard Apple fan, but I do have a soft spot in my heart from Android, even though I think that many of the decisions that Android OEMs make are borderline shameless.

That said, I've been extremely keen on testing out the latest and greatest version of the Moto G, because I think it's the perfect companion Android phone for iPhone users wishing to dabble into the "other side". At a mere $179.99 unlocked, the Moto G is an outstanding value. Yes, there are other Android phones that fall within this price range, but they're usually horrible specs-wise, or if they're decent, they're inundated with bloatware (I'm looking at you Asus ZenFone 2).

The Moto G is different. Not only is it factory unlocked, but it features decent specs for a phone this cheap. But most importantly, it lacks the bloatware so popular in other phones in this class, or even so-called flagship phones. True, it's not a Nexus device, which is 100% stock Android, but it's very close, and arguably, improves on stock Android with some of its unique offerings.

Apple offering behind-the-scenes look at Beats 1 studios via Snapchat

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 7, 2018

Apple on Wednesday launched an official AppleMusic Snapchat account. The company is promoting the venture on Instagram and other social networks, indicating that its first story offers an exclusive look at Beats 1 Radio.

You can find the story on Snapchat under the user name AppleMusic. The video is just over 200 seconds long, and it takes you on a quick tour of the three studios in Los Angeles, New York and London that keep Beats 1 going.