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Apple’s new 12W power brick charges iPads up to 45 minutes faster

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 1, 2012

Apple's new 12W power brick enables faster charging of your iPads, iPods and iPhones. Apple stopped short of divulging specifics when asked to quantify the “fast, efficient charging” claim on its online store. "We don’t have an exact percentage of how much faster it would charge but you should see an increase in speed", the company told 9to5Mac.

Enter Mike Flaminio of Insanely Great Mac, who took it upon himself to figure out non-scientifically the exact difference. An interesting video he posted claims the new power brick is able to charge an iPad between 30 and 45 minutes faster compared to the old (now phased out) 10W adapter. Yes, two extra watts of power make a difference. Check out his clip right below...

The Cygnett SecondSkin softly protects your iPhone 5

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Cygnett ranges four continents and sells product in more than 45,000 worldwide retailers across 40 countries. According to Cygnett's description, the company tries to provide mobile protection solutions that are protective, fashionable, and functional. With a diverse line up of iPhone 5 options, they are doing well in their mission and I had the opportunity to give the SecondSkin a run for about a week.

In a crowded market, it is difficult to make a product truly stand-out, but many case companies continue to press forward, taking their stab at the latest and greatest. If you just nabbed your iPhone 5 or are planning to get one soon, start taking a look at the wide selection. We are here to give you a quick glimpse at the new SecondSkin...

AT&T and T-Mobile sharing networks in Sandy-affected areas

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2012

This is pretty cool: AT&T and T-Mobile have both announced that they will be temporarily combining their coverage in areas devastated by Hurricane Sandy on Monday night.

The deal will allow subscribers from the two carriers to roam on either network without incurring penalties, or affecting their rate plans, and it should greatly improve their service...

Apple puts a price tag on Motorola’s wireless patents: $1 per iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2012

In a response to Motorola's motion from yesterday seeking clarification on essential wireless patents (which include both cellular and WiFi standards), Apple has formally acknowledged its willingness to accept a license at a court-determined rate of up to $1 per iPhone through a license agreement on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.

The figure entails worldwide sales of covered products, the iPhone maker said. Apple's position on FRAND licensing is that the industry should set FRAND rates in order to prevent companies asserting wireless standards-essential patents against its rivals by jacking up prices.

Motorola, which is now a wholly-owned Google subsidiary, wrote in the filing that Microsoft's FRAND contract case had explicitly committed to the conclusion of a license agreement on court-ordered terms. Is there finally an end in sight to this patent mess?

2K Games unleashes Borderlands Legends on iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrdmZhswHkU

2K Games has released its first iOS game from the Borderlands Legends franchise. The game puts you in control of four characters named Control Mordecai, Lilith, Brick and Roland. Developed by Gearbox, this title is being released on tablets and borrows heavily from its console counterpart, though it's not quite the same. Nonetheless, it should appeal to fans of the series.

Expect the usual assortment of enemies and eye-candy high-definition graphics. Each character has their own set of unique skills and abilities and you can collect in-game cash by destroying enemies to purchase new weapons and upgrade your character with new unlockable skills and abilities...

Apple posts new iPhone 5 launch day video

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2012

As noted by some of our readers, Apple has quietly posted a new video to its iPhone 5 page entitled "The Launch Day video." The two-minute compilation clip, as you might have guessed, shows scenes from Apple Stores around the globe during last month's iPhone 5 launch day events...

iPhone 5 gets regulatory approval in China

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2012

According to a new report, the China State Radio Management agency, one of China's regulatory agencies, has just given Apple's iPhone 5 the go-ahead for sale in the country.

The news comes about a month after the handset received approval from the China Compulsory Certificate, and about a month ahead of its scheduled December launch...

Philips Hue Personal Wireless Lighting Unboxing

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated March 12, 2018

I know, I'm crazy like that, but I just couldn't pass up the chance to try something this cool. I bought a Philips Hue Starter Kit for $199.95. That's more than half the price of an iPad mini for a few lightbulbs. But these aren't any ordinary lightbulbs, as you read in our post yesterday.

The Philips Hue starter kit allows you to dynamically change the colors and lighting of a room using a handy iOS app. You can even turn on your lights while away from home all from your iPhone. Needless to say, my curiosity got the best of me, and I simply couldn't resist the chance to try something like that out. Check out my unboxing inside, and stay tuned for the full review...

Unofficial Lightning docks arrive

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 10, 2018

As Apple prepares to convene with accessory makers next month in order to lay out new rules pertaining to third-party Lightning gear, companies like iPhone5mod continue to exploit the supply-demand imbalance in order to produce unofficial accessories like cables and adapters that all use cracked Lightning chips.

iPhone5mod already has a few of these in its offering and they've just announced another accessory which could easily strike a chord with long-time Apple fans: a Lightning dock. Just like it removed the optical drive from the new iMac, Apple with the iPhone 5 stopped making docks for Lightning devices. Therefore, this opportunity has basically presented itself...

The iCade 8-Bitty Unboxing

Jeff Benjamin ∙ October 30, 2012

I recently got my hands on an iCade 8-Bitty Bluetooth controller from Think Geek. The controller harkens back to the 8-Bit days with its boxy design, hence its name.

The 8-Bitty plays nice with all iOS devices, and even works with Android phones and tablets as well. Take a look inside as I unbox the controller, and check back soon for a more in-depth review...

Google gives its iOS search app Siri-like voice magic

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 30, 2012

Google’s most advanced voice search has arrived on iOS! The company yesterday issued an update to its Voice search app for Android with new Google Now features for Android 4.1 devices. And today, the search Goliath has finally released a long-expected update to its iOS app. It brings a bit overdue iPhone 5 compatibility in addition to - and this is huge - the vastly improved voice search capability with artificial intelligence aspects akin to Google Now on Android Jelly Bean devices.

Give it a few more releases and this app is bound to compete with Apple's Siri. Also on tap are the usual bug fixes and a few other tweaks and enhancements. It's a free universal binary that supports all iOS form factors natively so make sure to update to the latest version. Jeff had a chance to take it for a spin, I've included his video hands-on right below...

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is here, get downloading

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 30, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGS1K9mLPQ

Electronic Arts today in North America released Need for Speed: Most Wanted on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Xbox 360 consoles, as well as on Windows PCs and Apple's iOS and Google's Android mobile platforms. The game is available now for seven bucks both over at the App Store and Play Store. Need for Speed: Most Wanted rolls out in Australia on November 1 and in Europe the following day.

A version for Nintendo's new Wii U console is slated to hit North American shores, Europe and Australia some time next year. The game invites you to drive "the world's hottest cars ripping through the open world, screwing with the cops and get away in style". In addition to the above launch trailer, I've also included several nice videos below the fold...