Device Makers Planning 'True VR Experiences' on Apple's Iphone This Fall

Virtual Reality Headset for iPhone – Fall of 2016

Piper Jaffray, investment firm held sequences of virtual reality panel recently comprising of 13 companies and one of them, IonVR, showed that they expected to have a VR headset for iPhone launching in the fall of 2016. These devices would be somewhat like the Samsung Gear VR headset that utilises Samsung smartphones as the display.

 IonVR, a privately held company that specializes in third-party VR hardware, hopes to have a headset in the fall which would enable the iPhone to be utilised for VR and according to Munster, would come at a price of $100 and $200. Gene Munster, analyst stated that the IonVR product is estimated to be very much advanced than the prevailing iPhone based VR accessories like Google Cardboard and Mattel View-Master.

He is of the belief that those basic products which tend to use IPhone’s Retina display for stimulating VR do not provide `true VR experiences’. However comments from IonVR at the recent panel, recommended that the iPhone could in fact do appropriate VR, with the help of third party hardware, according to Munster. He hopes that those kinds of iPhone connected accessories would start taking off later in the year.

MotionSync – Proprietary Optics System

The Idaho-based IonVR had developed a proprietary optics system known as `MotionSync’ which it claims would reduce motion sickness greatly when utilised with mobile devices like Apple’s iPhone. Unified hardware in its headset is also considered to offload some of the processing from the phone, enabling it to last longer as well as simplify the software development process.

IonVR products are also considered to be modular which means that parts could be replaced or changed out as technology progresses.Virtual reality is talked about much as a hot new technology with concerns that it could follow the boom and bust of 3D TV. Munster states that VR would not flop like 3D in part, due to the larger level of investment in VR with its augmented reality.

He adds that Facebook which owns Oculus VR is firmly dedicated to its success.He informed that, Apple, Google and Sony are expected to be making substantial investment in VR/AR for the next five years. He believes that these investments would lay the groundwork for VR/AR to be the next computing prototype.

Sony – Best Position to Capitalize on VR

Munster has commented that Sony is in one of the best position to capitalize on VR. It has the content, user base and distribution to enable VR to expand rapidly. He added that they have also been impressed with the demos of Sony on `London Heist’ and `Walk The Wire’ and the company is said to have a slate of around 80 games that would be made available at the time of the launch later this year. Oculus Rift is said to be shipped in 20 countries on March 28 including the U.S. It would also be made available at select retailers in April and would cost $599. It would need a high-end PC with graphic card. Bundles of Oculus Rift headset together with Oculus-ready PC is priced at $1,499. Samsung, in the meanwhile is endorsing its smartphone-based Gear VR that tends to use Oculus technology and the Gear VR will cost $99 which needs a new Samsung Galaxy phone.

Video Demo Shows Benefits of Dual-Camera Technology

iPhone 7 – Dual Camera System – Improvement in Overall Image Quality

The iPhone 7, with a dual camera system would not only help in improving the overall image quality but also be capable of capturing more accurate details while zooming in. Corephotonics an Israeli company having their own dual camera technology recently provided  with a video demonstration emphasizing the advantages of utilising their own dual camera system. Source which produced a video with Corephotonics’ dual lens camera technology at the Mobile world Congress seemed to be similar to Apple acquired LinX. The short video which showed off Corephotonics’ dual camera technology in action provides an insight on what we would be seeing with regards to camera on the next-gen iPhone of Apple.

With rumours that Apple had introduced a dual-lens camera on one of the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, the video provides an opportunity of seeing such a kind of technology with glimpses of how it could work in next iPhone of Apple. The technology tends to use software to combine the images of two different camera lenses in creating a detailed image comprising of the ability to optically zoom with no moving parts.

Waterproof Design/No Antenna Bands /Flush Rear Camera/Wireless Charging

Corephotonics, in 2014, was capable of using the tech to provide thrice optical zoon though since then had increased its potentials in offering 5 time optical zoom. The demo portrays how the dual-lens camera can effectively optically zoon in an object while holding crisp details.

Besides this, it also places a zoomed in image from individual lens camera next to a zoomed in image from a dual-lens camera opposing the sharp difference among the two. When they were tested on iPhone 6s Plus compared to the dual-lens cameras, the outcome were basically identical to the Corephotonics demo together with the dual-lens camera offering particularly sharper image.

LinX technology also tends to use numerous camera lenses in creating a single high quality image comprising of noise reduction, sharper details and better low-light quality. It is rumoured that besides a dual-lens camera using LinX’s technology, the iPhone 7 may have a more waterproof design, no antenna bands on the back, a flush rear camera and if ready, wireless charging. It is expected to be released this fall.

Apple Researching/Enhancing Camera Technology

Though Apple has always been researching and enhancing on camera technologies, they tend to have over 800 people working on it with plenty of evidence suggesting that the iPhone 7 cameras would be representing mostly an impressive step ahead.

One of the interesting rumours, specially surrounding the iPhone 7 is that it could incorporated a dual camera system with optical image stabilization as well as zoom functions depending on technology it developed from an Israeli company, LinX, several months ago. One can only anticipate that Apple does not intend to make its dual camera technology exclusive to the iPhone 7 Plus.

With several of the people finding Apple’s largest iPhone model somewhat awkward while using it, it would be inspirational to see that Apple gives its best camera technology all along its whole line-up of products.

Apple's iPhone 5se Due to be Revealed on March 15

Apple’s new iPhone 5se to be launched on March 15

As per reports, Apple’s new iPhone 5se is expected to be launched at an event on March 15. The 4-inch handset would be revealed at a spring event together with iPad Air as well as some new Apple Watch straps, according to sources. The iPhone 5se would come with new features comprising of an ungraded camera, Apple Pay and Live Photos providing customers who may be unconvinced by the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch displays which had been introduced in September 2014 with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

In the past, Apple was under stress in selling more affordable smartphone and had responded with the iPhone 5c that had a brightly coloured plastic case though did not feature fingerprint verification technology Touch ID. With the introduction of the latest iPhones, the 6s and 6s Plus last September, it had been quietly discontinued. 9to5Mac reporting the name informed that the employees had been referring to the `se’ as `special edition’ or as an `enhanced version of the 5s with the new model, possibly in order to avoid comparisons with the 5c and would be called the 5se instead of the 6c.

The phone was said to be revealed in March and would go on sale probably by the end of the month or in April.

Apple Watch Anticipated to be showcased with iPhone 7 in September

Apple had held a press conference to unveil officially the Apple Watch last year in early March and could use the springtime to revive the smartwatch again though reports have recommended that this could be delayed. The next generation of Apple Watch is anticipated to be showcased together with the iPhone 7 in September. According to sources the new device is basically the 2013 iPhone 5s with substantial internal hardware and software upgrades.

The case maker source informed that the product’s dimensions are vague from the iPhone 5s which means that the new device would fit inside the existing iPhone 5s cases. The systematics tends to show some changes for instance the sleep/wake/power button that has been relocated to the inside.

Apple is doubtful in offering pre-orders for the new devices as per sources who has cautioned that the plans could still change. 9to5Mac noted that it would be the first revamp to the iPad Air since October 2014, while the iPad mini got an improvement last autumn together with the unveiling of the iPad Pro.

March Event – First Event since September 2015

According to rumours the iPad Air 3 would be having a rear-facing LED flash wherein users would be capable of taking improved photos in low light as well as better speaker frills for enhanced audio.There is a possibility that the tablet would also work with the Apple Pencil that was initially intended to be working with the iPad Pro. The super-sized tablet that had been launched in November comes with a 12.9-inch screen together with 5.9 million pixels and tends to weight about 1.57 lbs – 712 grams and its thickness is 0.3 inch.The March event would be the first event of Apple since its September 2015 conference wherein the unveiling of the iPad Pro, the new TV of Apple together with the iPhone 6 and 6s Plus would take place.

Apple Pay Officially Launches in China

The Launch of Apple Pay in China

Apple Pay that offers great prospects though some substantial challenges has now landed in its fifth country. Apple has recently announced on its Developer page as well as through the Weibo account of CEO Tim Cook, the launch of Apple Pay in China. The Chinese consumers would now be capable of utilising the service in purchasing items at supported retailers by using their iPhones and Apple Watches.

The potential to pay for goods through a smartphone has been around for some years particularly in China. Apple Pay, launched in 2014, helped in arousing consumer interest in the concept. Apple had faced competition from Samsung Pay as well as Google’s Android Pay besides banks like JP Morgan and retailers like Walmart, who also intend to join in the mobile payment bandwagon.

Apple Pay is already being utilised in US, UK, Canada and Australia and in order to gain more foothold, the service is required to extend to additional countries. China tends to represent a main achievement since it is the largest smartphone market in the world and Apple’s second largest market with regards to revenue.

Encounter Key Challenges in Winning Chinese Consumers

Apple Pay seems to encounter key challenges in winning over Chinese consumers where several of them already pay for products through their phone by using services offered by one of the country’s two main online companies namely Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group.

Towards the end of last year, around 358 million Chinese paid for goods through their smartphones, according to Reuter’s reports that cited data from the Chinese Internet Network Information Centre. Moreover, Apple Pay needs retailers to furnish their point-of-sale terminals with NFC or near-field communication technology that tends to communicate with equally equipped iPhone of Apple Watch.

According to BBC News, Alipay system of Alibaba tends to conduct transaction by displaying quick response - QR codes that can be read by more phones and also supports both iOS as well as Android devices. One retailer who refrained from being named for fear of harming business prospects informed Reuters, that`with 100% saturation of local payment systems, none have been demanding for Apple Pay in China’.

Apple Pay – Solution in Need of a Problem

`Presently all have a local payment option on their phone and so Apple Pay is a solution in need of a problem’. In order to compete with Tencent’s Tenpay service as well as Alipay, Apple had been in partnership with UnionPay, which is a bankcard association, dominating the credit and debit card processing market of the country.

Apple Pay is presently supported by 19 various Chinese banks as well as lenders meaning that the service can work with about 80% of credit and debit cards of China, according to Vice President of Apple Pay Jennifer Bailey, who informed Reuters. To make in-store transactions, Apple Pay needs to work with the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus together with Apple Watch.

The service works with all those devices and with the iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4 and iPad Pro to make in-app purchases. No comments had been done by Apple to a request for comment.

GPS Tracking Down to the Centimeter

GPS Tracking with a new level of accuracy

GPS Tracking can be defined as the surveillance through the use of a GPS (Global Positioning System) in order to trace the location of an object or an entity in a remote way. The details that a GPS system can provide are the latitude, longitude, the ground speed and of course the direction of movement.

The basics of a GPS: The need for better accuracy

A GPS is basically a constellation of twenty four satellites placed at certain points in space orbiting the Earth. It enables people on the ground to pinpoint on a specific location that is picked up by the satellites. The accuracy of the location that is indicated is somewhere close to 10 – 100 meters for most of the GPS devices. In case it is military grade equipment, the accuracy of the spot increases to 1 metre or less. The use of GPS has increased and has become low cost as well. People who own a smartphone, tablet or a GPS navigation system has access to and can make use of this modern technology.

The GPS technology is very valuable for the police, fire brigade, defense units and transportation or courier businesses. Other uses of this system can be the GPS guns that can fire a GPS tracker to avoid a dangerous pursuit by shooting at an escaping or a moving target by law enforcers. Other variants of this domain could be GPS dust that again comprises of tiny trackers. This method has also been employed for tracking employee locations.

However, the common concern regarding the GPS technology irrespective of its use has always been the accuracy of the location. In this regard, researchers at the University of California have come up with a new data processing method that has led to an increase in the accuracy of the transmitted position. This new system can now provide data that would be within the range of a few centimetres. This new development will be incorporated in the aviation, automobile and the naval systems apart from other precision technologies. The same accuracy can be achieved on mobile devices as well and the best thing would be that it is not going to increase the power consumption rate.

How did it all happen?

This new breakthrough was achieved after a reformulation of a series of equations which is the core of the process that determines the location of the GPS implant. The main driving force that led to this progress was the strong need of a system that would be beyond the metre level accuracy, especially in the case of autonomous cars and precision farming that need a higher level of accuracy.

In the case of cars, the applications controlling the safety system not only needs to know in which lane is a car running, but it also needs to know where exactly it is in that lane. Also, the information has to refresh at very high speeds as well as high bandwidth. Hence, GPS data along with from an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) were combined using INS (Internal Navigation system).

Apple TV Is Getting Voice Dictation to End Your Typing Woes

Apple TV –Dictation/App Store Search for Siri

With the updated Apple TV, typing has been a strain; however text input could get a lot better with its next software update. Presently out for developers in beta form, the next tvOS 9.2 will add dictation as well as App Store search for Siri enabling users to contribute text through voice commands.

One can also spell passwords out loud instead of doing things the hard way with the remote. Voice search works the way one would expect on the App Store permitting users to ask Siri to access assured categories or apps. The update is said to introduce Live Photos as well as iCloud Photo Library support, enhanced folder organization together with a revamped App Switcher.

As per MacRumors, the next instalment of tvOS 9.2 would be released to all users in spring officially together with iOS 9.3 for iPhone and iPad. One of the biggest complaints at launch, with the fourth generation Apple TV was the text entry. Considering that the video streamer supported Siri, though did not support dictation for quick search box completion, user account entry became unusual and also seemed unavoidable.

Voice Dictation Feature

The Siri Remote which comes with the new Apple TV enables Siri based voice search and the company is attempting to bring Siri search support on the Apple TV for Apple Music. The tech giant company has sown tvOS 9.2 beta 3 to developers and besides other features it has a voice dictation feature.

On enabling dictation in Apple tvOS 9.2 beta 3, one can speak in the Siri remote and enter text in any field which earlier needed a slow and awkwardseries of swipes and clicks on a horizontal row of letters. Dictation tends to aid the spelling of user names as well as password, besides quick word entry in search boxes. The update has also introduced the potential of searching the App Store from anywhere in the Apple TV interface on holding the button of Siri and speaking commands such as `Search the App Store for Plex’ or What games are in the App Store?”

The update also remedies other complaints on adding support for Bluetooth keyboards, Live Photos, iCloud Photo Libraries as well as introduces the ability to group apps in folders on the home screen of Apple TV like iOS.

Feature Not Available for General Public

Apple TVs will probably receive the tvOS 9.2 update in spring with an official date is rumoured to be announced at the March 15thevent where it is also likely to launch the iPad Air 3, iPhone 5se as well as the new Apple Watch models and bands.

The feature has not been made available for the general public and Apple is expected to include all of the features to users with tvOS 9.2, public rollout. It is strange that Apple has taken sometime in bringing such features to its tvOS platform considering that the feature had been on iOS as well as OS X for quite a long time. Taking into account that tvOS tends to make good use of text input system, it leaves one to consider over its apparent reasons.

We would be seeing at least one more beta before tvOS 9.2 is rolled to all across the world. Considering the fact the Apple is adding new features with every release of pre-release software for Apple TV 4, there is probably likelihood that the final build would bring surprises not seen or heard earlier.

You can finally disable the iPhone's Default Apps

An Option for Disabling iPhone’s Default Apps

The latest versions of Apple iOS 9 enables users to delete over 30 stock apps built-in, on iPhone. It began with Stocks wherein Apple then added Maps, iBook, Watch, Health, Tips and much more. Presently there are 32 apps on the iPhone which the users are unable to erase.

Most of them seem to be necessary such as Settings, Phone and App Store while the others like Find Friends and Podcasts are seldom used by several users. For many years, user have been finding ways of deleting some of the default apps on the phone while others have accumulated them in a folder in the hope of ignoring them as much as they can.

However, there is now another option for disabling the iPhone’s default apps though it is only available to Apple developers and one may have to pay £79, together with a bit of technical confidence and a full reset of the phone. Being complicated, it recommends that Apple could eventually be ready to permit users in eliminating the default apps. Users who intend to have an easier option of removing the apps, could follow a method which enables them to do it by downloading any special software but the apps tends to return when the phone is turned off and on again,

How to Remove Default Apps

It has been revealed by Reddit user bfodder on how iPhone users who had downloaded the beta version of the new iOS 9.3 software by using a beta version of Apple’s Configurator program enabled businesses as well as school in managing the devices to get rid of stock apps. To remove the default apps one can:

•  Sign up for the iOS beta programme to enable the download of iOS 9.3 public beta, though the full release is not yet out. A full guide is provided on signing for the beta programme including backing of the device. 
•  Once done, then go to Settings > General > Software Update in order to download the iOS 9.3 beta 
•  Then download Apple Configurator 2.2 beta which needs an Apple developer membership cost of £79 
•  Users could then set up a configuration on selecting the option of `Do not allow some apps’ On entering the commands of these apps such as `com.apple.stocks’ for Stocks they can be detached from the iPhone.

System Removes Apps But Returns on Restart

This system which was introduced last year in iOS 9 tends to remove apps though they would return when the phone would restart. This is how it tends to work:

•  Put the app you intend to delete in a folder 
•  Press and hold on the apps till they begin jiggling as though you were to delete or move the app 
•  Drag the app towards the edge of the folder in order to move, so that it moves the next page of the folder, but keep the app in place when the page has been moved 
•  While holding the app, press the home button which should fly off the edge of the screen

Last year, Tim Cook, Chief executive of Apple had stated that the company had been looking for ways of allowing users to remove default apps, but some apps like Phone were linked to functions in iOS , which meant that deleting them could have resulted in problems or rendering the phone to be less capable. Though the latest iOS trick needs difficult work-around, it could be headway for the feature to be utilised more extensively

How to Secure the Notes App on iOS 9.3

iOS Update – Features Like Night Shift

A preview of the upcoming iOS update had been announced by Apple recently. Included in the forthcoming iOS 9.3 update, Apple has been adding features like Night Shift which it states would help you to fall asleep easily in spite of staring at the screen after sunset.

Apple is attempting in helping users to get better rest at night with Night Shift which is a setting that tends to change the colours on the screen at night. Researchers are of the belief that the blue light produced by LED screens tends to stop the production of melatonin, the hormones which informs our brain to sleep. Changing from bright white and blue undertones to warmer colours is considered to be easier on the eyes enabling the body to fall asleep naturally.

Other features comprise of enabling multiple users accounts on an individual iPad, CarPlay improvements together with the ability to password protect personal musings in the Notes app can be located in the update. With the option to protect a note, probably comprising of details of bank account number, health information of perhaps a daily diary, it feels like it should have been in the Notes app from the beginning.

Secure Note in the Notes App

Though it is not so, Apple intends fixing the same. Users need to be aware that in order to lock a note they would have to be using the developer or public beta preview of iOS 9.3. One could learn more on the risks of running a beta version of an iOS on their device and where to sign if one intends to do so, by visiting the beta page of Apple. Those already on iOS 9.3 or planning to do so, the following needs to be done in order to secure a note in the Notes app:

• At first, begin by selecting a note, if one would like to lock down using a password of Touch ID 
• Tap on the share button towards the upper-right hand area 
• Opt for Password Protect Note from the list of options

Presently available as Developer Preview

Should it be the first time of selecting this option, the password would be needed and a hint to the password. Observe the warning below the password unit.User would be unable to access any secured notes on non-iOS 9.3 or Mac OS S 10.11.4, also in beta devices. If one prefers to use Touch ID in addition to a password, the switch should be left in the `On’ position.

On the other hand, one could set up or change the Notes password by introducing the Setting app on the iOS device and go to Notes > Password Protection. Here you could also change the password for your Notes, if desired. Using the password set, the next time the Password Protect Note is selected from the share menu, the note would be placed behind your password and you will be able to identify which notes seem to be protected while viewing the list of notes in your account due to a lock icon seen below the title.

Presently the iOS 9.3 is made available as a developer preview which means that it is not fully completed. No information has been provided about its arrival on the iPhone or iPad, though Apple naturally releases a preview only a few months prior to the final version.

Apple Filed a Patent for Waterproof iPhone Ports

Apple’s Patent – Methods for Shielding Electronic Components from Moisture

Apple’s patent titled `Methods for shielding electronic components from moisture’ hints at the possibility of a patent which may lead to future weather-proof Apple devices such as the iPhones, iPad, Apple Watches and much more. Though the company had filed its paperwork in June 2014, it was only revealed publicly recently. The paperwork focuses on `self-healing elastomer’ or rubber which could lose and regain its shape in order to protect the delicate inner-workings of a device.

The patent clarifies that the rubber seal on the external jacks such as the ones for headphones or a power cord, tends to open up when a plug seems to be inserted. When it is removed, the covering then reshapes and goes back in protecting the opening of the device.

Some types of the elastomer can shield from debris, dust, gas and water, besides other things and soon we might be able to take a sick dust storm selfie without routing the iPhone. There are other companies who have already been using waterproof ports for their devices.

For instance, Sony’s Z5 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Active have both been using waterproof headphone and power ports which do not need special covers. Though the patent does not mean that users would get a fully water-resistant device, since Apple already holds a patent for a waterproof logic board, there is a spongy black material surrounding the circuitry for protection.

Phones Built with Logic Boards

The iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6S Plus are built with those logic boards, however, the devices are not completely waterproof though they are more resistant to water than the earlier iPhone.As per the patent filed by Apple on March 31 2014 and published on March 5, 2015, it states that `several electronic devices are susceptible to water damage since they are fully sealed and include various openings for charging, connecting peripherals, inputting and outputting audio’.

To overcome the risk of water, the patent explains that a hydrophobic or water-repelling coating having a thickness of one to ten microns, would be thin enough to preventthe intrusion with the operational opening in an electronic device. The hydrophobic coating can be applied to the printed circuit board of the device – PCB with plasma supported vapour deposition – PACVD process that charges the surface of the substrate in order to bond the coating to the charged surface.

Plasma Settles on & Adheres to Component

According to the patent, that addresses other approaches to waterproofing electronic devices, `the plasma settles on and adheres to the component, providing a robust, water-resistant, corrosion-resistant protective seal for the component’.

Apple CEO Tim Cook had mentioned last month that the Apple Watch could be worn in the shower, meaning that it is water resistant though not essentially waterproof. Though there are various cases of waterproof for iPhone 6, the patents records that if water tends to find its way through a protective case, it is game over for the phone.

Samsung had taken the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge with the water resistant Galaxy S5 as an opportunity to mock the lack of water resistance of iPhone, but had left the water resistance from the list of features for Galaxy S6 as well as the Galaxy S6 Edge phones.

Slow iPhone - This Hidden Trick Can Speed Up Your Handset

Tricks to Boost Speed on Slow iPhone

Older iPhones could tend to get clogged up with app updates which could slow down the performance and stop things from running efficiently. For those putting up with slow performance with their iPhone especially on the latest versions of the software, now have the option of an immediate speed boost by clearing up memory in the phone’s App Store.

Zachary Dryer, San Francisco developer has shared a hidden trick on Twitter, illuminating that on pressing a series of buttons in the iOS App Store could get rid of accumulation of stuck app updates. Users could go to the App Store and press ten times; on any one of the five buttons, towards the bottom of the app, in a row in order to clear the cached memory which is the data that is meant to be temporary though could take up valuable storage owing to the error of the software.

While the same button is pushed in succession, the screen should go white for a few seconds and return to the homepage of App Store and clear any of the app update backlogs. This seems to be a beneficial trick if one’s App Stores tends to get stuck which would mean that the app updates are not coming through but would also provide an improvement in speed. This trick could also work on the iPad.

Each year as the iPhone tends to get older and the apps claim additional processing power, the once lightning fast model could slow down extremely. The following options could help in boosting your old handset though several of them are likely to provide a limited speed boost:

Clearing browsing history

The browsing history of Safari does not only keep track of where the user has been and when but also stores cached pages as well as cookies from browsing. The caching pages enable the user to load up certain pages much quickly and plaguing up enough data could reduce the speed of the iPhone. Clearing the cached pages often could provide a small boost which can be done by going to Setting > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.

Turning off Background App Refresh

Several of the apps tend to run in the background when not in use, checking on data like the location or refreshing the content on them, for instance, a push notification seems to be ready to read when one is loaded. Best of the apps are created to limit the effect on battery life as well as performance by only refreshing at certain times such as when the iPhone seems to be idle or plugged in. But it is not often correctly implemented.

Disabling the capability of refreshing apps in the background would mean some of the app could be slower or spring to life when loaded back up though would recover the performance. You can go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh to change this. One could turn off all background refreshes or the one that are not needed. Skype and Facebook seems to be the ones which have been reported to be active in the background.

Using Apple’s Apps

The official apps of Apple – Mail, Camera, Maps, Safari and much more, tend to have special permission, which regularly enables them to run quicker and efficiently than third party apps. However, several of the users tend to prefer alternatives like Google Maps, Chrome or Outlook and if these tend to slow down, it is worth switching it.

Clearing up some of the space

Clearing of the files could be an easy option to speed up the computer and get rid of some of the apps and the related data which may take up space on the phone could streamline it, probably may improve battery life. To check which apps have been utilising the space, you could go to Settings > General > Storage & iCloud Usage > Manage Storage, which will indicate what apps have been taking up most of the data, In some of the cases, as with apps such as Twitter and Spotify, deleting and reinstalling them could free up most of the cached data. Another option of clearing space is to delete the old photos after they are backed up

Reduce Motion

Animations when flicked between apps tend to look good but they seem to be another process wherein the iPhone has to go through as one tends to use it. This could be turned off by going to Settings> General> Accessibility> Reduce Motion.

Resetting Settings

A little risky step enabling in keeping you apps as well as photos would be in resetting the iPhone setting like the Touch ID, app permissions, display settings and much more wherein several users have reported better performance with the reset. This is also another technique of spring cleaning the phone. But this would remove plenty of stored data like Wi-Fi networks, alarms as well as Siri and is only suggested if the need arises. You could go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Setting to go through the process. However user needs to be cautioned that this would delete everything on the phone and is only used as a last resort. It basically tends to rebuild the phone from scratch, just the way when it had been first taken out of the box, though a few years of usage would mean that it still will not function as well as, when it was first received. Backing up the phone in advance is worth it, though some of the speed advantage of a full reset are annulled by putting everything back on. This can be done by going to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings

One Thing to be avoided

It is a common misconception that on closing apps in the background, one could save the battery life or even speed up the iPhone. Closing of the apps would mean that a lot of power is being utilised in opening them up again while leaving them inactive in the background tend to have little effect.

LG Display, Samsung Display to supply OLED screens for iPhones

Apple’s iPhone OLED – Samsung/LG

Taking into consideration the increasing number of rumours claiming that iPhones would soon be integrating OLED display technology, a report from South Korea states that Apple will be soon finalizing a supply agreement which will see Samsung as well as LG Display with the necessary panels in the upcoming handsets.

Quoting unnamed industry sources, the Electronic Times the local Korea times recently reported that Apple would be reaching a decisive supply agreement with the display arms of Samsung and LG and both of them will have experience in creating flexible OLED panels. OLED products for Apple Watch have already been supplied by LG and it is rumoured to be the exclusive supplier for the next gen wearable for Apple.

It is said that the two Korean companies would be injecting around 15 trillion won, around $12.8 billion, by way of capital expenditures for the next two to three years in order to build out production facilities with the potential of churning out OLED panels in adequate numbers to meet the traditionally robust iPhone demand. Apple would be supporting with the equipment costs, though the report did not offer any specifics.

From LCDs to OLEDs

LG intending to repurpose the prevailing LCD production lineto reduce cost, is apparently focusing on moving from a present 4.5G manufacturing process to a sixth generation method though the production yields are in query since the technology is yet untried. Samsung also presumed to be supplying Apple Watch OLEDs, figures in the equation and is expected to net 30% less orders than LG.

Negotiations had been drawn out in part, according to sources, since Apple drove a hard bargain to drive Samsung in accepting the low single digit margins on its sale of OLEDs. For a long time it was rumoured that Apple intended to switch away from LCDs to OLED modules for its flagship smartphones and the speculation grew more urgent when competitor Samsung had adopted the display tech.

The iPhone makers as usual took a stand of wait and see approach and this year introduced the first OLED product in its Apple Watch. A rumour in June, mentioned that Apple had been looking in adopting flexible OLED displays in 2018, a timeframe which tends to fit in appropriately with today’s report.

OLED Screens – Thinner/Improved Image Quality

Last month, Japan’s Nikkei newspaper had reported that Apple plans to begin utilising OLED screens for its iPhone beginning in 2018.OLED screens seem to be thinner and provide improved image quality than the mainstay liquid crystal display screens.

Both the companies are close to a final agreement with Apple for the screens but have declined to comment on the same. According to the paper, Samsung Display that is currently supplying OLED smartphone panels to it parent Samsung Electronics and Chinese vendors is possibly getting a larger volume from Apple than LG Display.

 Apply could also be working on new screen technology at a secret laboratoryin Taiwan, indicating that it may switch to an improved LCD panel before introducing the OLED in the future or it could be a backup if the OLED deal may not materialise.

How to Free Up Space in iCloud

Deletion of backups – Helpful in Conserving Valuable Storage in Apple’s iCloud

Deletion of numerous backups could be helpful in conserving valuable storage in Apple’s iCloud which is Apple’s cloud based content storage system for its Mac and iOS products. iCloud storage service of Apple can be utilised to stack photos, videos, device backups and much more in the cloud. Free space of 5GB is offered by the company to the users but since it is 5GB of space as per Apple ID and not per device, one may find themselves running short of space faster.

Though extra storage could be purchased from Apple, there are options of making up free space in the iCloud account prior to purchase of additional storage. In order to check how much space is being utilised, one could enter Setting on the iPhone or iPad and opt for `iCloud’ then click `Storage’ followed by `Manage Storage’.

There could be a possibility that the backups could be utilising most of the space and if the user has backups from the old device either from an iPhone 4 or iPad 2, which is no longer in possession, they could go ahead and delete the same, by clicking on the backup scroll which is towards the bottom, tap the `Delete Backup’.

Unwanted Items - Deleted

There could also be chances of backing up items which may not be needed and have it saved in the cloud. You could go to Setting and click on iCloud from where you could choose items which you would like to be saved to iCloud and delete whatever is not needed. This will ensure that it is not backed up when you perform a backup the next time.

A stress-free option to free up space in iCloud is to delete photos from backups and instead of having photos stored in iCloud, you could use one of the several third party cloud service which tend to provide more free space than Apple. Google Photos tends to offer unlimited storage for free. Besides this there is also Yahoo’s Flickr app, DropBox, Microsoft One Drive as well as Amazon Cloud Drive.

User could install these apps which automatically back up your photos and have the app start backing up the photos to a separate pool of storage. User would have a backup copy of the photos stored online and get to keep all of it in the iCloud storage whenever needed.

Disable Camera Roll Backups

Users may also disable Camera Roll backups wherein the photos are backed up to a different service. iCloud’s Manage Storage screen enables the user to manage `Document and Data where these are documents, settings, save games besides other bits of data which iCloud syncs between the various devices.

They depend on iCloud storage and files which are not of much importance can be deleted. One could tap an app under `Document & Data’ on the Manage Storage screen to see the files occupying space. User could swipe a file to the left and tap `Delete’ in order to erase it from the iCloud storage.

The user needs to be careful while deleting files since there could be a possibility of deleting important documents together with other files which could be of great importance.

How Apple’s Trojan Horse will Eat the Credit Card Industry

Apple has launched its mobile app payment system called Apple Pay last year among much fan fare and great support from the credit card industry. Apple Pay partnered with a number of banking institutions which issued credit cards. It was supported by the credit card because it solved the most critical technology issue and infrastructure problems which were being faced by the credit card industry. Apple Pay in other hand offered a new avenue for growth for the credit card industry.

Apple Pay is like a Trojan horse for credit card industry

Apple Pay is not yet a popular name in the field of transaction but it is growing at a steady pace, which ensures that it will achieve wider popularity within few short years. Apple has recently announced a deal with China’s Union Pay, which will allow it to operate nationwide in China.

The credit card industry should remain vary of the Apple Pay as it a Trojan horse for them. Once Apple has successfully established its platform on a larger level across the globe then it wouldn’t need the help of banks and credit cards at all. Apple will be able to take advantage of another great technology named blockchain, which will acts an alternative payment option. Bockchain happens to be core technology behind popular Bitcoin and it can function as a transparent ledger of the transactions.

Apple advantage over credit card industry

One of the biggest advantages, which Apple has over the credit card industry, is that it is supported by a grand magnitude of iPhone loyalists. iPhone has a cult-like following all across the globe which brings a great opportunity for the Apple to push the Apple Pay to its followers with each software update or new product offering. But it wouldn’t be easier for the Apple to change the habit of the people but with time we will see a wide number of users actively adopting the Apple Pay platform for making day-to-day transactions than the credit cards.

Apple is also financially equipped to push the usage of Apple Pay by offering credits on purchasing of an iPhone along with exclusive discounts on iTunes store. Even the rebates for credit card fees can also be used for buying the music on the iTunes, iPhone accessories or movies on Apple TV. Currently there aren’t enough outlets throughout the globe, which accepts Apple Pay, but with time it is expected to gain huge momentum.

Credit card companies failed to popularize the use of chip and pin technology

Credit card companies simply failed to force the merchants to install a new chip and pin technology. It should be noted that merchants had complained a lot the time taken by the credit cards in reading card cards. This not just annoys the customers but also costs money in lost transactions. Even this system doesn’t have a uniform guideline for usage as in Europe chip-and-pin transactions require both the chip in the card and a pass code while in US terminals only need the chip.

Tiny Robots Inspired by Pine Cones

Future of Bio-inspired Robotics Lesson Learned from Plants

According to a group of Seoul National University researchers, the future of bio-inspired engineering or robotics would be greatly beneficial from lesson learned from plants. At the time of the 68th Annual Meeting of the Division of Fluid Dynamics, of American Physical Society held on Nov 22-24, 2015, in Boston, they shared details regarding how studying plants enabled them to develop tiny robots powered solely through changes in humidity.

The simplicity of the method by which the pine cones as well as seeds tend to respond to changes in an environmental humidity with motion, is the focus of work of the group. Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Seoul National University, Ho-Young Kim has explained that some seeds comprise of a head which contains all its genetic information together with a long appendage known as `awn’ which is responsible for locomotion like an animals’ sperm.

Awns are composed of two layers of tissue, one that swells with humidity – active, and the other that is insensitive to humidity changes – inactive. If the humidity in the environment tends to increase, the bilayer bends from changes in length-wise swelling. The bilayer tends to bend and unbend repeatedly due to periodic humidity changes which mean that changes in environmental humidity could be converted to mechanical work. Kim states that we imitate the bilayer structure in making an actuator which can generate motion on utilising environmental humidity changes.

Legs Attached to Actuator Known as `Ratchets’

Plants tend to move slowly, one cycle of bending and unbending could take a whole day. In order to increase the response speed of bilayer, it was essential to develop a new way of fabricating the active layer. The response speed tends to increase with the surface-area-to-volume ration of the layer since humidity is absorbed quickly and so active nanoscale fibres are deposited onto an inactive layer.

While the main step in the development of a robot, repeated bending as well as unbending does not produce net locomotion, Kim states that `this motion of cycle needs to be converted into directional motion in order to create a robot which moves.

Hence legs were attached to the actuator which enables only one-directional locomotion and the legs are called `ratchets’, and are combined with an actuator to build the bio-inspired robot’. The work of the group seems to be significant since it tends to open the door for tiny robots with the potential of locomotion based mainly on changes in environmental humidity, where no electrical power supplies seems to be involved.


One can imagine a robot operating in the field where no electricity is available, since they operate on changes in humidity levels just the way seeds do. Kim states that making a bilayer for the robots is not difficult but making a fast one needs technical expertise.

The group had also created a mathematical model to discover the optimum design for the robot in achieving the fastest speed for any given robot size. The reason for envisaging a bright future for humidity change-powered micro robots by the groups was because humidity changes seem to be all around us. Kim pointed out that for the group’s future plans, human skin seems to be more humid than the atmosphere and this is the main humidity gradient which was essential to tap into.

The team would be exploring the option of placing a tiny robot on human skin directly, one which bends due to its humid near skin. He commented that the concept is that on bending, some part of the robot would move away from the skin to meet with the dry atmospheric air. When it dries, the robot would return to an upright position near the skin and the cycle begins again with the robot continuing to move based on the skin’s humidity changes.

How to Switch From Android to iOS (and Vice Versa)

It is very hard to subdue to urge to buy the new iPhone 6s or the new range of Nexus Smartphones. Both of them come loaded with some exciting specs and happen to offer a premium end experience to the end users. Both Android and iOS platform now offer high quality handsets with impressive features; build quality and great experience to the users. Here are some smart ways to make your transition either to the iOS or Android platform without losing your data.

Switch From Android To iOS

Apple has made it easier to migrate the data from the Android device to the iOS platform by launching the ‘Move to iOS’ android app. This app makes it extremely easier and simpler to facilitate the move to the iOS without much difficulty.

Step 1: Download the app

Download the Move To iOS app on your Android phone from the Google Play Store. Now take your iPhone out of the box and initiate the iPhone setup process. It should be noted that this app will work with IPhones which had not be set up earlier. IN case you had already setup your iPhone then perform a factory reset and use this app to migrate data from your android phone.

Step 2: Follow the instructions

Once the IPhone setup is initiated, you will find a “Hello screeen” and a number of prompts will follow it. Follow these instructions carefully to perform a glitch free and safe migration of data to the iPhone. You will soon be greeted with Apps and Data screen where you will find ‘Move Data from Android’ at the bottom of the list of options, select it.

Now on your Android phone fire up ‘Move to iOS app’. Agree to its terms and conditions then you will see ‘Find Your Code’ screen. This ten-digit code will be generated from the iPhone device after you select the ‘Move Data from Android’ option. Enter the code in your Android phone and begin the transfer process.

Step 3: Transfer the data

Transfer of data from Android to iPhone will require a sound W-Fo connectivity and depending on the amount of data, the time span will be determined. A huge amount of photos and entertainment files like audios and videos will mean more time while fewer data will transfer in just few seconds.

Switch from iOS to Android

There is no app available to make the transition from the iOS to Android phone but using the Google account you can make a simple and more efficient transition to Android. Android makes use of the Google account for keeping contact and calendars, sync your iPhone with a Google account by going to the Setting, Mail, Conatacts, Calendars and finally Add Account. Now just enter your Google ID and it will simply sync all your calendar and contacts data within few seconds.

Messages: Use service of iSMS2droid for transferring text messages to the Android phone.

Photos: Download Google Photos app and sign in with your Google account, turn on ‘Back up and sync’ and it will take a while to sync all the photos. Once done you can view photos from Google account on to your Android device.

iPhone 7 'will be as Thin as an iPod Touch'

Apple is set to host its mega September 9 event where it will be releasing the latest iterant of iPhone dubbed as iPhone 6s. But rumor mills are working overtime to second guess the specifications and features of next generation iPhone7 devices. On such rumor which is worth considering comes from a analyst at KGI Securities named Ming Chi Kuo who believes that next generation iPhone device will be as thin as the current iPod Touch.

The latest iPhone 6 and 6Plus, which was released last year was quite think device and bigger devices features 6.9mm and 7.1 mm thickness respectively. This analyst is predicting a further decline in the iPhone devices in upcoming generation in the range of 6mm to 6.5mm, which means will have to stick with its cell panel display technology over the glass screens.

Apple has made a trend to release thinner devices

Apple has long been following its self-made trend which focuses on developing more thinner and studier devices than before especially in the Smartphone segment. Thinner iPhones had earlier raised the concerns over the durability of handset but Apple has been able to bring the enhanced durability to its sleeker phones with reliance on studier materials.

It should be noted that a recent testing conducted on the iPhone 6s anodized aluminum shell had found that the device possessed the ability twice much amount of pressure the iPhone 6. The latest version of iPhone to be more precise the iPhone 6s was able to withstand 80 pounds pressure quite easily, which is good sign for the iPhone lovers.

Engadget Japan reports a thicker iPhone 6S

Engadget Japan had earlier suggested that iPhone 6s will be 0.2 mm thicker than the earlier iPhone device due to use of a new alloy. Analysts had made a lot of predictions about iPhone 6s which includes it might come with a relatively new rose gold design. Rumor mills even proclaims that iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will feature a relatively new 12 mp camera shooter with the capability of 4k video recording. Even the front facing camera will have the top notch imaging quality and video reproduction ability with 1080p videos at 60fps along with a flash support.

Force touch technology on new phones will be norm

Apple will be upgrading its new generation of iPhones with much acclaimed Force Touch technology, which will enhance the user experience. Force Touch technology can easily detect between the different kinds of presses on the screen and can offer different actions on basis of it with ease and grace. Reports suggest that this technology will help the users in enabling the menu shortcuts by performing different kind of simple presses right on the screen.

An enhanced Apple TV is also coming
 
Apple TV will be making a new move with featuring a one-of-a kind touch pad remote along with extra inbuilt storage and presence of Siri in it. Siri will help users in browsing content and selecting from different programs and it will also suggest the content to watch from.

Nanoparticles with Aluminium ‘Yolks’ Could Enhance the Life-Span of Rechargeable Batteries

Aluminium `Yolk’ – Rechargeable Batteries With Longer Life-Span

Due to aluminium `yolks’ in the batteries, mobile phone batteries of the future can have immense upgraded capacity as well as lifespans. A team of researchers at MIT and Tsinghua University in China have located a way of developing electrode comprising of nanoparticles having solid shell with internal `yolk’, and have apparently solved an issue with present rechargeable batteries which understands that performance tends to considerably deteriorate after repeated charges.

The invention could improve cycle life according to the team, providing a boost in the battery’s capacity as well as power. According to results, the recently developed lithium-ion battery is more resistant to the damage triggered by frequent charge cycles.

While the present electrodes tend to degrade over a period of time after growing and shrinking in size with multiple charges, the aluminium `yolk’, filling of the latest design nanoparticles tend to permit increased growth causing less damage to their titanium-dioxide shells. This latest technology not only introduces rechargeable batteries with longer life-spans but it could also have an effect on how long future batteries could hold out between each charge.

Impressive Performance

Though the scientists are still on lab experiments on the technology at the moment, they have expressed confidence in the study owing to the relative low cost of the materials as well as the simplicity of the manufacturing system.

According to an Associate Professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, David Lou, `these yolk shell particles portray very impressive performance in lab-scale testing and the most attractive point of this work is that the process seems simple and scalable’.

 The latest findings, that utilise aluminium as the main material for the lithium-ion battery’s negative electrode, or anode has been reported in the journal Nature Communication, in a paper by MIT professor Ju Li together with six others. The team has reported that the use of nanoparticles with aluminium yolk together with titanium dioxide shell has been recognised as the `high-rate champion among high-capacity anodes.

The present lithium-ion batteries which are the most widely used form of rechargeable batteries tend to use anodes which are made of graphite, a type of carbon. Graphite has charge storage volume of 0.35 ampere-hours per gram –Ah/g.Researchers have, for many years explored various options of providing greater energy storage for a given weight.

Aluminium – Low Cost Option

Lithium metal for instance have the tendency of storing around 10 times as much energy per gram though could be extremely dangerous and capable of short-circuit or even catching fire. Silicon as well as tin has a high capacity, however, the capacity tends to drop at high charging and discharging rates.

Aluminium seems to be a low cost option with theoretical capacity of 2 Ah/g. However, aluminium and other high capacity materials, according to Li, tend to expand a lot when they get to high capacity and when they absorb lithium; they then shrink while releasing lithium.

The expansion and the contraction of aluminium particles tend to generate excessive mechanical stress causing electrical contacts to disconnect. Moreover, the liquid electrolyte in contact with aluminium also decomposes at the required charge/discharge voltages.

 It forms a skin known as solid-electrolyte interphase- SEI, layer which would have been alright if not for the repeated huge volume expansion as well as shrinking, causing the SEI particles to shed. Owing to this, previous attempts in creating an aluminium electrode for lithium-ion batteries had not been successful.

A Deeper Look at the New Google

Google’s Holding Company – Alphabet

Prior to the death of Apple’s Steve Jobs, he had informed Google co-founder and CEO, Larry Page that his company had been trying to do too many things and as Page later told the Financial Times in his reply that `if they did just the same things they had done before and did not do something new, it would seem like a crime to him’. Yet Page acknowledges that Jobs could have been right to a certain extent – he would manage only so many things before too many of it would get lost in the shuffle.

These two desires , one to do new things irrespective of how weird and unrelated it could seem to Google’s core search and advertising business and still find a way in managing them to completion, explains the surprise announcement of Page’s that he intend creating a holding company by the name Alphabet. 

This would separate Google’s profitable ad-related businesses, which include mobile software as well as the video site YouTube from the company’s range of efforts on human longevity, internet access balloon, self-driving cars; the Nest connected home devices etc. where each of them will probably be a separate holdings

First Step in Fulfilling the Company’s Long-Standing Goal

However, the move, though applauded by investors, is just the first step in fulfilling the company’s long-standing goal in making Google a long term success as well as the world a better place’.According to several management experts, Alphabet would be successful if the individual project and companies would be successful enough on their own to become freestanding companies, ultimately and the new corporate organization qualifies that to occur though it does not guarantee it. 

At first, it is essential to dismiss the notion which Page together with co-founder Sergey Brin had developed such as the Berkshire Hathaway of the Internet, an updated version of Warren Buffett’s company. A professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Michael A. Cusumano commented that `the comparison seemed to be silly and Buffett invests in existing, undervalued companies something like mutual fund is the opposite of Alphabet’s VC-style focus on risky new ventures like Calico.

New Businesses Tend to Get Short Shrift in Resources

According to David B. Yoffie, professor of international business administration at Harvard Business School, states that if Page and Brin attempt to run alphabet similar to an updated Berkshire Hathaway or General Electric, which is a more tech focused company, they would run into trouble. 

They have been running differently from successful tech companies and that he is doubtful since it is difficult to have a company structure in the tech world’. Regardless of closely related businesses, companies like Microsoft, Samsung, and IBM together with Hewlett-Packard have found it difficult to succeed. 

Moreover, they have also found it difficult to capitalize on updated products and services. According to Yoffie, new businesses have a tendency of getting short shrift in resources as well as management consideration. 

This is specifically what Page as well as Brin intends to avoid with Alphabet. Page had written in a blog post which means `alpha-bet’ or an attempt to get returns above `alpha’ – a normal target. In any circumstance, the reorganization sets Google/Alphabet on the track which may not be easy to change in the future if it does not tend to work since it will be more than a just a promise of reporting Google’s financial result and the alpha-bets separately.

Computer Scientists Introduce New Graphics Software

New graphic software has been unveiled by the computer scientist from the University of Massachusetts Amrest, which promises to deliver exciting results and a great number of application. This new software-modeling program uses a sophisticated geometric matching and machine learning which provides it the ability to mimic the human perception of style. This advanced graphics software will offer a range of powerful new tools to the users for comparing the similarity of the three dimensional (3D) objects.

Lead scientist develops smart computational techniques

The team of researchers was led by Evangelos Kalogerakis who is an expert in developing computational techniques. These techniques are used to analyze and synthesize the visual content along with focusing on the machine learning algorithms, which allow users in creating 3D models. In order to develop this new exciting software researcher drew observation about the style similarity in the art history and appraisal literature. This observation was vital in finding the geometrical elements, which include the shapes, lines, proportion, as well as visual motifs, which helped the software in understanding the stylistic similarity.

To improve the functionality and effectiveness of this software crowd-sourcing was utilized wherein more than 2500 people participated which include the ordinary people to artists. The aim of this crowd-sourcing was to present object’s style comparisons by studying the responses which happened to be more than 50,000 on seven structurally diverse categories.

These categories included buildings, lamps, cutlery, furniture, dishes, lamps, architectural pillars and coffee sets. This test was a complete success with human correspondents agreeing on its style similarity on an average of 85% of the time.

New graphics software brings more favorable design within short time

Being a software tool, the responses generated by the human evaluations were excellent with 90% of agreement rate. Which means this software was able to process the design of different structures and offer an end result which was excessively favorable as per the human perception. Kalogerakis was upbeat by this result and even stated that this software can become the next alternative style expert on providing suggestions of objects to populate the home, dining or even the virtual reality environment.

The future prospects of this new graphics software
 
For a long time computer graphics algorithms are being used to create movies, games, visual effects and augmented reality environments. It is even used in manufacturing real objects or designing architectural scenery. But with the advent of this new algorithm far greater things can be done with much more precision and effect than we can do now.

This software graphics tool can be used for exploring the databases of digital representation of buildings, pillar and other surrounding objects as per the style attributes. Creating content for the computer games will becomes much easier and advanced while the augmented reality can be simply populated with more advanced virtual objects as per the style taste. Robots running on this computer algorithm can easily recognize their environment and can maneuver new ways to move around and pick objects.

First Look: The ONE Smart Piano

The One – Unique Digital Piano

Ambitious musicians intending to learn playing the piano can now check out `The One, which is a unique digital piano using iPad to compensation the learning curve connected in being proficient with the instrument. Usually to learn to play the piano one would need tutorials from a professional person. Digital lessons are now on the rise and this is a good means of learning to play the tune.

Earlier, several tried innovations were utilised in teaching tools such as Ion’s Piano Apprentice which was a system wherein LEDs were used on a 25-key, keyboard to guide the student in learning the skill. However the system was unrefined and the app it functioned with were not good at instructions. The new entry – The ONE Smart Piano’s new keyboard together with the accompanying lessons are an improvement to its predecessorsboth in terms of hardware as well as software.

`The ONE’ tends to ship in two versions, one a full size 88-key version with weighted keys which are velocity sensitive while The ONE Light is a 61-key, keyboard with non-weighted keys. The ONE Smart Piano models unlike the old Piano Apprentice which was sold at $69 are well made serious instruments, where lessons can be downloaded in a dedicated iOS app.

Classic Lesson – Video/Instructor

A classic lesson comprises of a video together with an instructor playing and showing the structure of it while teaching fingering with the LEDs on The ONE’ lighting up to guide the learner. Then turning off the LEDs enables the student to play unassisted which is similar to live teacher training the student. The iPad can get connected through a lightning cable though MicroUSB cables which are also included for Android usage.

The USB cable, a rather unusual choice, is a 3.0 desktop connector which is not seen before at the host end and lightning at the other and it is not clear on the option of using the on-the-go – OTG cable arrangement instead of the USB A connector that would have been available from all manufacturers. The app provided in The ONE Smart Piano with the ONE application enables the user to make a choice between Video tutorials, LED guided practice and KARA Game.

LED Guided Training

The LED guided training is a more traditional type of piano practice. The app tends to display sheet music, emphasizing the note on the staff display portraying the LEDs on the keyboard wherein the left hand notes turns to blue LED while the right hand notes indicated are in red LED and a female voice calls out numbers to support with fingering. Staff note exhibiting together with LED on the keyboard do not tend to change till the student plays them.

The staff music can be availed for in-app purchase at a cost of 99 cents. KARA Game is somewhat similar to Guitar Hero or Rock band for keyboard and the game seems to handle single player or two, playing sitting on the bench. The ONE, inspite of some very minor shortcomings, seems to be a very good learning tool for those interested in mastering the skills in playing the piano.