iPhone News

CES 2013: Canopy’s Sensus case adds touch controls to the back of your iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

As CES marches on, it's getting tougher and tougher to keep up with all of the different iOS accessory announcements. But we're trying. Earlier today we saw the Hapifork from Hapilabs, and Griffin's PowerDock, and now we've got an interesting case to show you.

The Sensus iPhone case, from Canopy, is very unique in that it has a 10-point touch sensor across the back, and built into the sides of it. This enables users to interact with applications and perform other tasks without actually touching the handset's display...

Quick review: Keycard unlocks your Mac when you’re nearby, but…

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

http://vimeo.com/52132178

Keycard from Appuous is a nifty new app which keeps your Mac secure by locking your OS X user account automatically when you're not around. It does this by using your Bluetooth connection to check for your iPhone or iPad's presence, thereby detecting when you've stepped away from your computer or returned to it. Of course, unless you remember to take the paired device with you, Keycard won't be up for the task.

On the surface, the idea seems pretty useful as the app turns your iOS device into a personal 'keycard' of sorts. However, it isn't without pitfalls and the flashy promo video doesn't mention the fine print. I installed the program and after spending a few minutes with it immediately noticed a couple issues you should be aware of...

Job ad indicates Gigabit Wi-Fi due on Apple gear

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

A report last week hinted Apple might be working with chip maker Broadcom to outfit upcoming Macs with faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi chips and now a new piece of evidence has surfaced supporting the claim. The new Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard, also known as Gigabit Wi-Fi, is currently undergoing revisions.

It promises to substantially boost data transfer speeds between compatible devices. Looks like Apple is on the lookout for a System Test Engineer in 802.11 Wi-Fi who is required to have technical knowledge of the new 802.11ac standard...

CES 2013: Griffin’s new PowerDock charges five devices simultaneously

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Griffin Technology is on a roll at CES 2013. Among the product announcements they made at the show is this ultimate charging station that I'd definitely make good use of, the PowerDock 5. As the name implies, the main advantage is its design which makes possible charging of up to five iPhones, iPods or iPads at once, an indispensable feature for families that mostly use Apple's mobile products (I know, filthy rich people).

Each of its five charging bays conveniently has a 10-watt, 2.1-amp power supply so you can store and charge, say, five power-hungry, full-size third and fourth generation iPads simultaneously. As if that weren't enough, the badass accessory even accommodates your iPads in their cases. What more could you ask from a charging station?

CES 2013: a ‘smart’ fork arrives, but will it help you eat less?

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 7, 2013

We already have smart TVs (Samsung leads the charge), as well as smart ovens, smart laundry and smart vacuum (all coming from LG in 2013). Heck, we're increasingly wearing app-enabled smart watches around our wrist (we're looking at you, Apple). It really is no surprise then that gadget makers now expect we'll monitor our eating habits using a 'smart' fork?

Enter the Hapifork from Hapilabs, an unusual app-enabled accessory coming this Spring to "greatly improve your digestion", up to the point where "you’ll likely start losing weight". I'm not entirely convinced science exists to back that claim...

CES 2013: Fitbit launches Bluetooth Smart-enabled Flex wristband life tracker

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 7, 2013

Looking to one-up Jawbone's Up wristband, Fitbit today at CES unveiled a new fitness-tracking accessory for your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, the Flex. This tiny tracker fits comfortably around your wrist and arrives as the first wristband on the market to sync with low-power Bluetooth Smart devices.

It has a built-in battery that last up to seven days and will track steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned and even figure your sleeping habits...

Adamant’s iPhone accessory can sniff bad breath

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 7, 2013

Remember how IBM predicted in its annual technology outlook that five years into the future we'll have sensors to measure the smell of any object?

Not content with waiting that long, Adamant Technologies, a San Francisco startup, has created a chip that uses tiny sensors which "take the sense of smell and taste and digitize them". They call it halitosis, or bad breath tracking.

Now, iPhone apps from Adamant are still some time away because the company is just getting ready to mass produce the silicon in a plant in Austin, Texas. The chips will go into a sub-$100 iPhone dongle that should take the standard hand-to-mouth sniff test to the next level...

CES 2013: Lego debuts iOS-friendly Mindstorms EV3 programmable robots

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 7, 2013

Toy maker Lego announced at CES 2013 a new line of iOS-compatible toys that let children and robotics hobbyists create and command robots "that do what you want". The kit turns your Lego creations into live robots that can be programmed without a computer. Previous Mindstorms incarnation dating as far back to the original model released in 1998 all required a PC. The Mindstorms EV3 kit comes with the EV3 Intelligent Brick, a programmable unit that un‐tethers robots from the computer and sports its own ARM9 CPU with 64GB of RAM and 16MB of flash storage...

App Store tops 40B downloads, 20B in 2012

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 7, 2013

Apple just announced that its application store for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch software, the App Store, has topped a whopping forty billion downloads so far, with almost twenty billion downloads added in the calendar 2012 alone. These are unique downloads that exclude re-downloads and updates. The iPhone maker has also confirmed that as of today the App Store is home to a total of 775,000 active apps for the iOS gadgets (though a million apps passed through the store so far), with 300,000 tailored specifically for iPads...

CES 2013: Hyundai to integrate Apple’s Siri into its vehicles

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 7, 2013

After General Motors announced in November it was going to be one of the first car companies to market its new Chevy Sonic and Spark vehicles with the new Siri Eyes Free feature, today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas car maker Hyundai Motor Company also confirmed it will integrate the feature into its vehicles, although the company did not specify which models will be part of the initiative. More information right past the fold...

Facebook mobile user stats: 192M on Android, 147M on iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

A few months ago, we passed along a report that Facebook was urging its employees to swap out their iPhones for Android devices. It knows Google's mobile OS has continued to be an afterthought to iOS, and it's looking to change that.

Well according to some newly-released data, that's probably a smart move. Enders analyst Benedict Evans has just published Facebook's mobile app user stats, and, as of November last year, Android users vastly outnumber those on iOS...

Posing as a chick, musician offers an iPhone thief a date

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 6, 2013

Apple's underappreciated Find My iPhone app (BTW, shouldn't it be called 'Find My iOS Device' instead?) has seen some clever uses that went a long way toward retrieving stolen iPhones and iPads. But punk trombonist Nadav Nirenberg took it to the next level when he posed as a women in order to lure an unsuspecting thief who stole his iPhone into a trap. According to media reports, holding a hammer in his hand, Nadav was patiently awaiting for the thief to arrive at his apartment to arrange an exchange...