iPhone Text Crash Bug Hits Twitter and Snapchat

Image Credit: The Guardian

Apple iPhone’s OS or the operating system which is known as the iOS, is one of the most popular operating platforms in the world. iOS is the most trusted operating systems as also the most widely used. iOS is used in phones, computers and laptops as well as the other gadgets of Apple.

iPhones go through software update every now and then, and recently it seems like the newest iPhone iOS 8 has developed a new text bug. This text bug is harmless in nature and does not cause any lasting damage to your phone. But what it succeeds in doing is that it crashes your phone down time and again and you have to wait for about some minutes to get your phone rebooted again.

While, this text bug had been affecting just through texts, recently it has been noticed that when that particular text is sent via third party apps like twitter and Snapchat, even that is getting affected as well and eventually causes the phone to crash down.

What is the text bug? 

The text bug is nothing but a group of non- Latin characters and is referred to as the Unicode. It consists of characters from mainly languages such as Chinese and Arabic and this whole faulty sequence is sent with a text called ‘power’.

Whenever this text is sent to an iPhone and you try to open it, what happens is that your phone crashes down and takes a few minutes to reboot again. This is also applicable in the case of third party apps and if someone sends the text to you from Snapchat or twitter, even then when you try to open it, the phone crashes repeatedly. It works on twitter in the event of direct messages or even if you are mentioned in one of the messages. When the notification pops up on your phone and you try and see it that is when the crash occurs.

Why does the text bug crash your phone? 

It is not exactly known as to why the text bug crashes your phone but it has been seen that it mostly tends to do so if it has been opened from the notifications. Actually the Unicode characters eat up too many resources of the iPhone when it appears as notifications on your screen and hence leads to the crash. The message can also be sent from any other OS based phone in order to crash and iOS phone. But when opened from the app itself, it seldom leads to the crash.

How to solve the problem? 

The only permanent solution to the problem is when apple brings forward a software update. But till then you can work your way around this bug. You can use Siri to text and after you have texted in the bug ridden message thread, you can easily open the message thread without it leading to the crash.

Once you open the thread, just delete that particular Unicode or the thread altogether. One of the best ways of avoiding this bug is to turn off the notifications of twitter and Snapchat which will prevent the crashing of your iPhone.

Movavi Screen Capture Studio for Mac

Movavi Screen Capture Studio is the best software available for Mac for screen capturing as it provides the best services just in few minutes. With the help of Movavi Mac OS X screen Capture Studio we can –

• Record the activity on the screen and captures whatever we want including streaming video, video guides and the Skype calls. 
• Enhance the quality of the video and also we can cut the unwanted video fragments which can be done with the help of this video editing tool. With it we can enhance the video, join different video clips and make them stylish. 
• Save the videos so as to watch them later on any device. • The best part of this software is that we  need to follow just three simple steps to enjoy the above features.

How it Works? 

Let us see how the Movavi Screen Capture Studio works-

Setting the parameter for recording the screen on Mac

1.  We need to set the desired rate of the frame. 
2.  The area of recording is adjusted. 
3.  Audio from the desired source is captured. 
4.  The actions of mouse and keyword are captured.

Recording the Screencast

1.  The capturing process has to be managed by the hotkeys. 
2.  When we are recording hold the HD screenshots. 
3.  We can enjoy a break by setting the particular time when we want to stop the capturing process.

Editing the Video

1.  It enhances the quality of the video. 
2.  Make divisions of the video and remove the parts which are not required. 
3.  Make addition of some sound clips and music to give a unique transition.

Saving the video in the desired format-

1.  Videos can be saved with the help of a new SuperSpeed mode in a flash. 
2.  Videos can be converted into different formats like MP4, AVI or MOV.

Pros

We can use the handy mobile presets for watching the result of the Movive Screen Capture for videos on tablets, smartphones and other devices.

Movavi is the software program that captures with various options available for the Windows PC and also for Mac OS X. With the help of this software wide range of video projects are created for the businesses. The screen capture software which is a well-known product of Movavi helps in editing the videos so that we can share, view, upload and save the videos of the disc. This program can also be used for recording the live video and audio clips from the computer’s desktop for creating screencast videos. Movavi screen capture studio provides very economic services as most efficient products are involved with this feature which make it affordable as well.

Now you have seen that we have discussed various advantages of using this software as it provides a collection of the extensive editing tool.

Cons

However, the disadvantage of using this software is that it does not provide the scheduled recording and provides the limited customer support.

Bottom Line

On the whole it is very interesting and helpful software that assists in keeping the speed of professionals for video making that too without burning their pocket. It can record various activities from the desktop and so that it can grab the Mac OS X screen capture.

Designing Your Slides for Your Next Presentation

A PowerPoint presentation can be a great asset for those who are preparing a presentation, whether at work, school or a social organization. The key to having a PowerPoint presentation that is compelling and interesting lies in how you design each slide. Here are some tips on creating aesthetically pleasing PowerPoint slide designs.

Choose Neutral Colors

No matter how loud and exciting your presentation may be, you will still want to use neutral or muted colors. If you don't audience members may have a difficult time reading text on your slides.

Combine Text with Visuals

No one wants to see slide after slide of nothing but text. That's boring. To make sure your slides are interesting, provide a mixture of text, photos, short videos, charts and more. You can try them on alternating slides or combine them on the same slide.

Stay Consistent

They easiest way to distract an audience or lose their attention all together is to not be consistent in your slides. You are staying consistent in your spoken message, so your slides should reflect the same care. Make sure that the same color scheme and fonts are used throughout to avoid distracting changes.
With professional looking PowerPoint slides, you will be able to ace any presentation you have to give.

Apple to Aid Japan's Elderly with iPads in latest fruits of IBM alliance

Apple & IBM Partnership – iPad to Aid Elders 

Apple will be providing the iPads and IBM would be developing custom software, a low tech scheme wherein postal workers from Japan Post checked in on how elderly would be functioning on hi-tech with the help of iPads as reported by Walls Street Journal. The pilot scheme which is the outcome of Apple and IBM partnership will be seeing Japan Post, give out free iPads to around 1,000 senior citizens to enable close and more regular checks.

 `Watch Over’ so called is a niche which had been started by Japan Post in 2013 wherein mail carriers check in on elderly people providing consultation and share in information with family members. A Japanese Post official had commented that `by handing iPads to the elderly, we can closely check in on them more often, not only confirming if they are doing fine but also making sure that they are not involved in any trouble like a scam targeting the elderly’. Nikkei reports that IBM’s Watson computer would be analysing data from the iPads.

Project – A Commercial Service

The focus lies in turning the project into a commercial service and those caring for their elders could pay a minimum monthly fee for monitoring where the low tech service costs Y 1,000 ($8.40) per month. At a press conference IBM had stated that the goal was to reach 4-5 million clients by 2020 thus providing an improvement for iPad sales. Apple has released an official press release with regards to the initiative. Calling it the `first of its kind initiative which has been focused in improving the quality of life of millions of Japanese seniors’, the program would be including IBM apps which would connect the elderly to services, healthcare, community as well as their families.

The population of Japan comprises of 33 million seniors, which represents around 25 percent of the country’s total population. Taizo Nishimuro, CEO of Japan Post Group commented that they are joining with two of the world’s most respected leaders in technology in bringing elderly generation in the connected world, expand the businesses by deepening relationships and discover new ways of strengthen the fabric of our society and economy’.

The Japan Post Deal – Apple & IBM’s MobileFirst Partnership 

The software by IBM would be reminding the seniors to take their medication, suggesting exercises and diet changes help in tasks like grocery shopping and job matching. The company would also be catering to several behind the scenes services like system integration as well as training. Ginni Rometty, President, Chairman and CEO of IBM stated that they were starting draws on IBM’s long heritage of innovation at the intersection of technology, business and society.

The potential seen here as broad as national economics and as specific as the quality of life of individuals along with their families is an example of the potential of mobile led transformation anywhere in the world where issue of an aging population exist’. The Japan Post deal branched from Apple and IBM’s MobileFirst partnership. The combination of both the companies has given rise to a development of a range of template iOS apps and services for enterprise with divided support responsibilities when organization tend to agree to a contract.

Photo iPad Scanning Dock : Gadget Review

Technology is ever evolving in itself and most of the time it leads to invention new remarkable products. Scanning had always been the tedious task in the past where an individual had to use large bulky scanner to scan either photos or documents of importance.

Brookstone had developed a new iconic product which simplifies the scanning process wherein users can simply dock their tablet on its influential iConvert iPad compatible Scanner and convert the hard copies into soft copies with ease and grace. This scanner simply increases the advantages which can be gained from the iPad.

Features and Specification Of The Iconic Scanner Dock

This product seems to be carved to fulfill the needs of millions of iPad users. This is CIS sheet-fed type of scanner which can scan the papers and photos up to the size of 8.5”W X 14”L. It is highly compatible with its 30 pin connector and extremely lightweight at just 1.5 lb which makes it easier to carry around.

Scanner is apt at providing highly detailed and impressive quality pictures. Images scanned by this scanner offer the commanding of 300dpi which helps in capturing clear and crisp images in JPEG format. Most of the people are fond of recapturing the precious moments of life with scanner.

This scanner possesses a front feeder which can be adjusted from 2inches to 8 inches as per the size of the photos or documents. Scanner dock is firm and holds a strong grip on the iPad to keep it upright. To begin the scanning one is just required to plug into AC with the iPad USB power adapter.

Scanning Process Appears To Be Highly User Friendly

Some of the latest innovative gadgets increase the learning curve wherein users have to give some time in order to understand how it works. But Photo iPad Scanning Dock doesn’t trouble the user with the learning curve rather it lay down ways of the scanning process by providing step-by-step approach.

The instruction starts to appear in simple language once the tablet has been placed in the dock. The scanning process is relatively quite fast and it takes just 12 seconds to convert a photo into a high definition JPEG image.

More Reasons To Opt For This Scanner

Once the iPad is placed on the scanner, it starts charging the device which an added advantage. This means you can kill two birds at the same time-charge your iPad and scan the photos and documents as well. The scanning process is controlled via a free app and it requires iOS 4.3.5 Operating or later.

In order to use other apple devices like iPad4, iPad Mini and iPhones operating should be iOS 6 or later. Manufactures also provide a wide range of accessories to take care of the scanner in a professional manner.

Apart from the standard instruction booklet, a lens cleaner, roll cleaner, protective sleeve and calibration is provided. On top of all this one year limited warranty is given. It is an apt choice for those who wish to treasure their photos within a short while onto their iPads.

How to Avoid Burnout at Work

Even when you love your job, you can still feel burnout. The more you like your job, the harder and longer you’re willing to work, which can lead to burnout. Burnout is the physical and mental exhaustion you feel when work demands exceed your energy. It’s a common epidemic in workplaces today. Here’s how to beat burnout and make more out of your day.

1. Take breaks throughout the day. Achieving peak performance doesn’t mean working yourself into the ground. It means taking the opportunity to mentally refresh.

2. Unplug whenever possible, but especially at night. Before Blackberries became popular, most people left their work technology at work. You couldn’t take your work home with you, which meant you had more time to relax and refresh in the evening. If you need to go over documents at home, print them out with technology from http://www.konicaminolta.com.au/ home.

3. Engage in something interesting. During your non-work hours, schedule something interesting and restorative that you look forward to. That way, you won’t just be fighting the urge to work. Make a date with your spouse or setup plans to play racquetball with your friend. This is better than just relaxing during down time because it distracts you from constantly thinking about your job.

4. Take a long weekend. If you’re suffering from burnout, you may need a solid chunk of time off. You may not be able to take a two-week vacation, but a long weekend can do wonders for your energy. Three and four day weekends are ideal. Avoid the office and work completely. You’ll get more done in the days you do work.

5. Put focus on the meaning of your job. Why does your work matter to you? By finding a reason to do the work, you’ll barrel through it. When you don’t have work looming or you feel like you’ve had a productive few days, it’s easier to allow yourself the time off.

None of this is working? Figure out if what you’re dealing with is actually burnout, or if it’s something else. You may be dealing with something more serious if these solutions don’t work. Maybe the nature of your work is what’s zapping your energy. Maybe your manager isn’t giving you what you need to be successful. Whatever the problem is, take steps to solve it.

iFusion – Integrated Communication Docking Station

The iFusionis an integrated communication docking station for the Apple iPhone with capabilities of several top selling iPhone accessories in a single device. The iFusion uses built-in Bluetooth technology, a patented ergonomic design, a full duplex speaker phone to deliver superior voice quality which meets the needs of the present home as well as business consumer.

The patented iFusion is especially designed to fit the requirements of small office/home office users by assimilating useful features of a traditional telephone with the iPhone. The framework design of the iFusion supports iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4, providing capabilities of securely docking the phone while supplying power, data synchronization through an integrated USB cable and battery charging. With the A2DP Bluetooth streaming support, users can enjoy their favourite iPhone music from the internal speakerphone. It also has the following advantage:

• It is appropriate for call when one needs to talk hands free with high quality speakerphone which has been designed for the iPhone.
• It is ideal for use in a home office
• Enjoy streaming music from iPhone
• Capable of starting a video conference with apps like FaceTime or Skype
• Integrated dock charges the phone faster than USB

.
The Key Features comprise of-

• Integrated Bluetooth technology delivers rich audio quality
• Comfortable, ergonomically designed telephone handset
• Powerful full duplex speakerphone meant for hands free conversations
• USB port enabling data synchronization with a PC or Mac
• Embedded iPhone dock providing power as well as battery charging
• Audio line out for connecting external stereo speakers.

Reduces the Need of Expensive Proprietary Desk-Phone

The iFusion when used with iPhone business PBX application tends to save money by reducing the need of an expensive proprietary desk-phone. Being a revolutionary communication docking station, it turns the iPhone into a business class speakerphone wherein the combination of the iFusion with an iPhone and a mobile Unified Communications application enables enterprise mobility.

It works effortlessly with several popular Bluetooth enabled mobile UC apps for iPhone which include – Cisco Mobile 8 x for iPhone, Avaya one X® for iPhone, CounterPath Bria iPhone edition and Microsoft Lync 2013 for iPhone. It supports a unique Bluetooth pairing mode which permits audio to be sent through the iPhone to the iFusion when it is docked and releases the audio back to the iPhone whenever it is undocked. This capability of seamlessly sending and retrieving calls between the iFusion and the iPhone supports true unified mobile convergence.

Soft Phone App Running on iPhone

To consolidate the desk phone and iPhone in a single device for communications needs, use the ergonomic handset or hands free with the full duplex speakerphone, keep the iPhone adequately charged and plug and play in less the five minutes. It is essential to note that the iFusion is not a phone but strictly a docking station device and the phone used with the iFusion is the soft phone app running on the iPhone.

An accompanying VoIP softphone application known as Altigen MaxMobile is offered by Altigen which can be downloaded for free on the App Store though it may require AltiGen’s MaxCS server v6.5 update 1 installed as local gateway of IP PBX. The iFusion would be made available in April and will be offered in black and white at $169 and the company will be accepting pre-orders at its site with a $20 discount.

All About Power Bank Devices

In our digital world of today, individuals are too dependent on their devices which are in constant use by them and there could be instances when the device could be low or even empty on battery. Those who are too dependent on their device could face the problem of being disconnected when they may encounter an insufficient battery life at any point of time. This could be a major issue since connection is the main criteria among individual with several apps improving the system of communication.

A momentary failure of connection creates much problem in the present scenario and to resolve this issue a portable power bank for the device is essential to ease out situations like these, with longer hours of using the device such as mobile or tablet, for texting, phone calls, clicking photos, playing music through the phone’s media player, web browsing and much more.Power Bank Devices with various options are availablethat are economical and advantageous to the user intending to purchase it for their devices which are displayed in online portals with the much needed details for the benefit of the consumer. Power bank options under 1000 are offered for Rs 300 off on Rs 500 and Rs 500 off on Rs 1000 andare available for only a limited period of time.

Works with Various Brands of Smartphone

Power bank are useful especially while on the go which solves the problem of low battery life especially when away from home and can be used in times of an emergency. With the aid of portable powerbank, one can have the batteries charged till they can use the phone once again. Besides this it tends to work well with various brands of smartphones together with MP3 and MP4 players, iPads and digital cameras. One could opt from the different capacity levels for travel chargers like A-5 2600mAH, Samsung 2699mAH, Canvas 2600mAH, Universal Power Bank 2600mAH and much more and the need to purchase battery pack which could be expensive or bulky for regular use, need not arise. These portable battery packs are appropriate to provide the much needed energy when one runs out of power.

 It is compact and light which is easy to carry and helps to remain connected anytime and anywhere.These kind of products are available in online stores for a nominal price. The process of taking the opportunity of these kind of product is a simple and quick one wherein the user could visit the those portals which offer these product, login or register and add the required product to their cart, applying the relevant coupon code if any. The need to update details should be done such as shipping details together with other desired information and then proceed to the buy option and opt for the desired mode of payment. With all the benefits, features together with the attractive offers, users could not ask for more on these essential products that could bring about a change on purchase of these high quality products which could suit their requirements at any point of time when it comes to recharging your device when faced with the situation of low or empty battery life.

How the iPad is Changing the Way We Learn

iPad – Learning more Personalized 

With the iPad, classroom contents could go way beyond the classroom with the provision of over 80,000 app appropriate for education, virtual tours, and videos from experts and institution from across the world, interactive books on any given topic and speeches and much more. In this digital world the progress in updated technology is on the rise and every function faced with problems comes up with innovative ideas which are increasing by leaps and bound.

Learning has been enhanced with iPad making learning more personalized wherein with a few taps, one can customize with materials which could fit with their level and as well as learning style. With various options now made available one could choose from the available app to suit the need of the individual for instance for those keen on learning by listening, they could download a podcast from iTunes U on Newton’s laws of motion or for those who tend to learn through concrete interaction, could choose an app which will enable the student with an appropriate choice. One will find various contents on different subjects as well as grades making it easy for students at different levels of learning. With the use of iPad one could make teaching all students the same lesion in various ways.

iPad – Device with Free Apps

Learning tends to become interesting now with the iPad since it gives student the opportunity to create and every iOS device has immense features which activate the mind of young individuals who are keen in exploring and learning the various features that are equipped in the devices. Every iOS device has iPhoto, iMovie, Pages, Numbers and Keynote, GarageBand which can change a given assignment into something big and special. This enables them to `speculate and explore’ which makes their assignment all the more interesting and appealing.

The device which they love to use have amazing free apps which helps them to write, analyse data as well as present their work in a very attractive manner. In Pages, they could make term papers something appealing with photos, videos as well as graphic which could enhance the presentation. In the case of data-rich projects, Numbers could prove to be beneficial in expressing ideas in tables, charts and graphs which could be more than a spread-sheet while in Keynote; they could create presentations with striking alterations and effects.

Compatible with Microsoft Office 

Most of these apps have been designed for iOS devices and Mac and are compatible with Microsoft Office to enable the students on a Mac or PC to share documents. With iCloud, students can also access their work from any device they could be using such as the Mac, iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.Further options in enhancing the creativity are through creative apps such as iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand which helps in transforming a typical term paper or research project wherein students could use their creativity in shooting and editing their own HD video with iMovie, create visual journal with iPhoto or even record, edit as well as mix music for any project with GarageBand. The iPad technology has given way to extraordinary implication for education with its design, functionality together with its capabilities thus enhancing the possibility of a technology based classroom.

A Tool to Saving Precious Storage on Your Phone

Force2SD – Storage of Precious Application

With many applications being updated, users tend to make the utmost use of them which have made great progress in the present world. Storage is an ability to manage and store the necessary or important data which takes up some space with no impact on the performance. With many sophisticated smartphones and gadgets available in the market, the pace of downloading that takes place with plenty of content being stored on the device is on the increase and it tends to get difficult in making space for everything to fit into the internal memory of the phone.

Hence the external memory or the SD card is the solution to resolve this issue and for a smooth operation of the SD card the need of an app called Force2SD is the choice. At times one may need to use force to get things done ensuring that no obstacles come their way in the daily functions. For storage of precious application, the option of storing important content can be done with the help of Force2SD which helps to force several apps and move to SD card external storage when the system does not allow you to move them, thus saving space in the app area of storage.

Moves Apps to SD Card External Storage

Android 2.2 versions had introduced the feature enabling to move apps to SD card external storage and usually enable the movement of application marked by the developer as movable while Force2SD tends to move the application not marked as movable. It also moves the application back and sorts it alphabetically or by apk size The internal memory of the phone could get loaded with too much content in the form of videos, images audio with less space and hence the need for external memory or the SD card. At the time of using Force2SD one needs to adhere to a few things such as –

• Applications which have been moved to SD card or external storage do not get an on-boot signal whenever the device is booted. In such cases, the application should not be moved to perform some operations on boot though one should always move these application back if facing any problems. If the application is not needed to start up on the boot, Force2SD could be used to move it.

• It may take some time after a reboot probably a couple of minutes for the OS to show the icons of app that could have been moved which is normal since that is how the OS’s apps on SD feature operates.

• Some apps which are protected do not move

• A slow scan of application is done when the app is started for the first time

Excellent App for Storage

This is an excellent app for those who tend to constantly struggle with their space on the smartphones though they should ensure that the android device is rooted to enjoy plenty of space with Force2SD. By default, Force2SD could also scan for orphan app files when it has started, on the SD card though at times the system may fail to delete the app file on the SD card when the app has been uninstalled. If any orphan file is located, it will prompt if it needs to be deleted and this could help with some reboot issues.

What you can do with Digital Touch on the Apple Watch

Apple Watch – New Feature of Taps & Drawings

Apple has recently included a new feature in the Apple Watch which enables two users to communicate through taps and drawings as well as by sharing their heart rates. The new feature known as Digital Touch enables two Apple Watch users to communicate with one another without the need of texting or calling.

Last fall when the company had unveiled its watch it had only provided demo models of the new device – polished prototypes of the hardware running on non-working loops of the software. The company has disclosed that the device would be priced at $350. Instead of making any attempts in writing the text message on the small screen, the Digital Touch feature enables two Apple Watch owners to communicate via taps and doodles and once the two users are connected they can start communicating.

The method which is used first in order to contact a colleague is by tapping the screen on the Apple Watch which is similar to the Poke feature on Facebook. The user can tap a certain patter on the watch face where the friend will be able to feel it on their wrist through mild vibrations.

Digital Touch – Sharing Heart Rate 

The next method is sketching an animated message which can be done on dragging the finger across the screen to draw a coloured sketch quickly which could be sent across to their friend. Sharing heart rate with others could also be done with the Digital Touch and when one presses two fingers on the screen the built-in heart rate sensor automatically tends to record sending the beats per minute reading to the friend.

 According to Apple this is `an intimate way to inform someone about their feelings.’ The watch is an interesting creation with its stainless steel middle tier together with the steel mesh Milanese loop wristband and besides being beautiful it is also one of the best looking computers one could have on their wrist.

Earlier the company had made a show of the rotating crown on the side of the device, what most of us would call a watch dial and held the crown as the next great interface something as the mouse, the iPods’ click-wheel or the touch screen on the iPhone. It has two main functions. When it is pressed, one gets to the watch’s main screen of apps or if the user is already on that screen, it switches displaying the clock. One could consider the crown as a home button.

Watch – Computer for Wrist

Moreover, it could also be used for scrolling as well as zooming while in the music app, one could turn it to scroll through the artists. If the user is in the photos app, they could turn the crown to zoom from the various set of photos and focus on an individual one. Scrolling could also be done with the finger on the screen and this method seems to be much faster than the crown where touching and tapping is much easier than turning the dial.

Besides the standard taps the screen has another tap mode known as force touch that functions just as it sounds which is press the screen harder. With force touch it provides an extra level of settings in the apps where in the case of force touch an email, one would have the options of deleting, replying or marking them as unread.

Yet it is difficult to forget that the watch is a computer for your wrist and in its top end versions it misses the understated elegance of old fashioned high end analog watches and Apple is working on something unusual in trying to develop an electronic device which would match the timeless appeal of a piece of jewellery.

Apple's 'Taptic Engine' and 'Force Touch

Apple’s MacBook – `Force Touch/Taptic Engine’

Apple has recently unveiled a new MacBook with `Force Touch’ track-pad and `Taptic Engine’. The updated track-pad features Force Touch pressure sensitive with Taptic Engine for vibration/haptic feedback. Repair experts from iFexit who had taken the new computer apart, found the close-up it provided on the new track-pad’s design, quite interesting.

Rumours are also circulating that they would also be making their way to the latest iPhone. Apple’s 13 inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display has come up with some updates together with the big Apple Watch and the new MacBook announcement. The details of the latest track-pad were partly disclosed on stage wherein Apple showed the part as a key feature in its new MacBook design video as well as the presentation.

In the case of the 13 inch Retina MBP, it is slightly different due to the fact that there is space to support a physical button style track-pad, similar to the one that ships in all other prevailing Mac laptops though it has the same combination of sound as well as haptics producing 100% accurate illusion of physical click when there is no actual click.

Track-Pad Controlled Through software

Matthew Panzarino had explained in his post that the new track-pad design does not actually move or tends to move on a microscopic sale but it feels like the existing clicky design though with a user-customizable amount of clickiness which is controlled through software.

iFixit’s ripping down of the computer indicated that the track-pad is supported by four spring mounts together with a panel on the underside which is not present on the latest version of MacBook though it does have the same Force Touch engine that is a series of wire coil covered around a ferromagnetic core, creating the vibrations which the finder translates as clicks.

iFexitpresumes that to vary the strength, Apple would selectively activate some or all four of the ferromagnetic cores inside the track-pad’s taptic engine and also notes that keeping in mind Apple’s assurance of no real movement going on here, the construction has no linear oscillators in the mechanism, similar to the traditional vibration feedback found on phone which is generally used. The updated sensors has the capabilities of detecting more than one kind of click wherein a light click could perform a single action while a harder click another and the threshold of how hard is a `hard’, the press could be adapted.

Touchpads – New User Interface Functions

To speed up the fast forward of video, one could press harder or `force click’ in order to pull up a definition of certain word. The force gestures are an addition to the standard multi-touch track-pad taps and swipes as well as intuitive which bodes well and according to Wall Street Journal, Apple is trying to integrate the force sensing in its iPhone and iPad next year after the introduction of the technology in its company’s smartwatch.

With regards to detection of pressure, iFixit presumes that they probably come through very small strain gauges which are mounted on flexible metal supports which read how much flex is experienced, translating the same into a read on how much pressure is applied. Before touchpads had emerged, individuals using the laptops had been using tiny joysticks which were serviceable after much practice and the first touchpads were great though they had to use separate mouse buttons since they could not register clicks.

Apple’s latest entry is an attempt to make touchpads less awkward and while laptops can register taps as well as detect multiple fingers at once, they have learned to measure how hard you press enabling some new user interface functions.

Outdoor Tech Chips Helmet Headphone

Outdoor Tech Chips Headphones – Reliable & Durable/Easy Controlling

An updated version of a well-designed simple solution in is the offering for enhanced wireless connectivity to your helmet, which could be helpful for snowboarders and skiers interested in listening to music and stay connected during their expedition on the mountain. The new invention has been designed for winter mountain sports wherein the Outdoor Tech Chips are compatible on any helmet which features an audio enabled liner while the headset are compatible with Siri.

 It features an integrated microphone for the purpose of dictating commands as well as making calls. Both the left as well as the right earpieces of the Chips headphones are essentially giant buttons and one cannot miss them while pressing on them even if one is warmed up with ski gloves. This season, the Outdoor Tech Chips had been tested by AppleInsider on a ski trip to Utah which was very impressive. Though a bit higher on the cost, the headphones tend to be reliable and durable with an easy of controlling the iPhone without the need of taking it out of the pocket or even exposing the hands in the cold mountain air.

Simple Design – Two Earpieces/Flat Cord – Giro Helmet

It features a simple design comprising of two ear pieces having a flat cord which connects the two and fits perfectly in a Giro helmet. It also has additional cord to provide free space ensuring that the ear pieces are located in a proper position. Once the same is dropped in the helmet and placed on the head, the button on the left has the capabilities of controlling the volume while the button of the right earpiece could be used to play or pause the music or answer call and hang up.

It is easy to press on the ear to activate these if the helmet tends to have soft ear-pads with space for headphones. The two buttons come with a little bit of learning curve, typical for Bluetooth headphones and on the left ear, it could press the button once to increase the volume while a double press could decrease the volume. This system works well when the need to lower the volume is to be done quickly since multiple presses could reduce the volume.

Best of Both – Personal Audio Choices

With regards to the right ear, on holding down the button it turns on the unit and a one press will start the music while another tends to pause it. If a call comes in, one press can answer the call and another will hang up. The use of both buttons is essential for activating Siri by pressing and holding the left button and then pressing the right button for Apple’s voice driven personal assistant. The Chips also tend to feature a headphone jack in particularly welcome inclusion in order that they could be used as wired to iPhone or otherwise according to one’s choice.

Thus the Chips provide the best of both for personal audio choices. Moreover the 3.5 mm headphone jack also serves as the charging port; where for recharging the Chips, it needs a unique headphone to USB cable.With regard to the sounds, the Chips are quite audible and can be heard even while flying down the mountain, though users are cautioned to listen to the music at reasonable level keeping in mind the surrounding on the mountain which is a matter of importance with regards to safety.

Apple Researching Device Waterproofing

Waterproofing – Future iDevices 

It was revealed that Apple has been researching on various ways to successfully waterproof the future iDevices somewhere in March 2012 where a silicon rubber seal was discovered. In 2013 the company revealed another creation related to waterproofing, using nano coatings.

Apple was granted the patent for waterproofing in 2014 which covered the use of glass filled nylon and today a new waterproof patent application from Apple was published by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office covering the use of a hydrophobic conformal coating designed to increase moisture resistance of electrical components, a feature which at times is attributed to active smartphone models that are marketed by competing manufacturers of smartphones.

Apple’s filing, as published by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for `Methods for shielding electronic components from moisture indicates a process for covering sensitive device components with the use of advanced vapour deposition technology together with protecting solder leads with silicone seals.

Devices not adequately Sealed/Mitigating Water Entry

In the present scenario, electronic devices have been taking priorities in the daily performances with the majority of the people relying on these devices for every function and carrying them along to locations where there could be instances of damages one of which could be damage through excess moisture especially during the monsoon season.

Most of these devices are not adequately sealed and could have chances of mitigating water entry through the openings which do not have a protective case to protect the device. The focus of Apple is in improving the moisture resistance of an assembled printed circuit board wherein in one embodiment, a system is set for applying a hydrophobic conformal coating to a printed circuit board or PCB.

This could include a way of depositing a hydrophobic conformal coating over an exterior surface of the electromagnetic interference –EMO shield together with the PCB by chemical vapour deposition – CVD operation. The EMI shield could also have openings on top of an electrical component over the PCB and thus the hydrophobic conformal coating could move through the openings to be received by the electrical component.

Hydrophobic Seal Around Electrical Connector 

Apple has come up with a method in creating a hydrophobic seal around an electrical connector on PCB which includes a way of configuring a silicone seal over the PCB in order to frame the electrical connector on the PCB so that the silicone seals shields a soldered part of the electrical connector. Besides this, the silicone seal also has an opening for the electrical connection placed inside.

As per the application it states that the layer could be in the thickness of one and ten microns, an advantage for small form factor portable devices with less internal space. It is yet unclear whether Apple would be employing a more aggressive moisture protection for future iDevices though as the company moves in the direction of wearable devices with the Apple Watch, users would be expecting some amount of waterproofing from the devices.

As CEO Tim has revealed recently that the Apple Watch has been designed with the least minimal level of splash resistance, it could be worn even at the time of taking a shower.

How to Transfer Any Media File to Your iOS Device

Waltr – New Mac App - Softorino

More progress and headway in technology has given rise to the use of Mac app Waltr wherein the user can now transfer any form of video or music file to an iOS device without the use of another iOS app. Waltr is a new Mac app from Softorino whichhas been designed for easy upload and conversion of any music or video file to an iPad or an iPhone format for the purpose of native playback that supports a large options of media file forms.

 This includes MP3, MP4, AVI, WMA, CUE, M4R, M4V, AAC, FLAC, ALAC, KUV and much more. It also lends support to file type which is not usually compatible with iOS4 and includes AVI, MKV, FLAC and CUE and these could be played in native Movie as well as Music apps on iOS. Operating Waltr is easy and simple.

On closing iTunes the user could plug on to the iPhone or iPad in a Mac and then open the Waltr app where the iOS device along with its storage space which is available is portrayed at the top of the app wherein files could be dragged over to the blank space in the app to be transferred to the iOS device. As soon as the file is dragged and placed in the Waltr app, the upload gets started most of which is very quick, probably a few seconds.

App - Possibility of Transferring any Form of Video/Audio File

When the file has been transferred to the iPad or the iPhone, it can be accessed in the native Music or Movies app on the device. The overall Waltr process is quite simpler than converting through a separate app and then again uploading through iTunes.

Waltr is an amazing app with the possibility of transferring any form of video or audio file irrespective of its format to an iOS device having playback of the file in Apple’s Video and Music apps when compared to similar apps which may need the installation of a companion iOS app on a device, it has limitation to access of files within the app – and limiting access to features in some cases like AirPlay.

Result of Technique Used – No Quality Loss

On completing the download of the app, the user is then asked to disable iTunes’ automatic sync feature and once done the only thing needed is to get connected to the iOS device to Mac through USB. Thereafter, the drag and drop approach is taken by Waltr in order to transfer the content to the iPhone of iPad and on dropping a file, irrespective of its format, the Waltr app makes the file compatible with iOS and then uploads the same to the device.

Assurance has been provided by the marketing manager, Josh Brown, that the results of the technique used by the company, is no quality loss. Waltr is now made available as an online download for OA X 10.9 or new with a free trial of 14 days and thereafter it will prompt the user to purchase a license for an amount of $29.99. Users of Windows could sign up for an opportunity to take part in the beta of Waltr for Windows.

Three Tips to Get You Started With Workflow 1.1

Workflow Update with New Features & Actions

The most popular iOS automation app has a large update with new added features and actions and Workflow is an app which is used first on startingan iOS device. The latest update to Workflow has the addition of new features and actions which has enhanced the app in the most amazing way. With over fifty new actions, improvement are being made to the earlier existing action though missing out from the app’s offer is the capabilities toback up and sync action utilising iCloud.

Favorite an Action

At the time of building workflows, one tends to access the same action often and the search bar provides an easy and quick option to locate an action and with the latest updates, one can have favorite action to access with ease. On tapping on an action in the editor it will indicate its description together with a button to favorite it and after adding an action to the favorites, one could tap on the Favorites option in the editor for the purpose of easy access.

Run Workflow from Main Grid

Earlier version of the Workflow needed to launch the app, by tapping on the workflow and then tap on the play button in order to run a workflow in the app. The process of running a workflow from the main grid is a simple asdouble tap on a workflow’s icon in the latest update.

Duplicate Workflows

According to some, one of the favorite things about Workflow is the community of users who tend to share a variety of workflows together with ideas though not every workflow which is created and shared could fit the exact needs. For instance, customizing a workflow could mean tampering with a copy of the workflow which works. On tapping and holding on any workflow in the main screen till it is highlighted where in the top right corner of the screen a duplication icon will appear. This will enable the user to make changes to any workflow without any cause for worry about ruining on the work already available on the workflow.

New Features 

These tips are just scratching the surface to what has been added to Workflow 1.1 though they seem to be more than enough for getting started with this new feature. The new feature includes –quickly running workflows from My Workflow by double tapping on them, use of selected text from Safari as input to action extension workflow, actions to filter and obtain details of all the content on the device, duplicate workflow to make own versions, create custom home screen icon for workflow utilising photos from one’s library, access for VoiceOver users, added apps section for easy discovery of action which interacts with other apps, added ability to mark actions as favourite to use them quickly later on, improved Workflow URL scheme and improved overall responsiveness, launch time and speed.

Bug Fixes

Noteworthy bug fixes include - decimal numbers can correctly be handled in international locales, issue can be fixed where action extensions that cause a workflow to be emptied of its action, issue can be fixed where action could disappear while scrolling through long workflows, when importing workflows, prevailing workflows with same name are not overwritten, keyboards provide `Done’ buttons for easy dismissal, special characters in workflow names are not handled properly, imported workflows ask for user permission prior to running for the first time, app badge is removed to reduce confusion, issue is fixed where output of a workflow would not be displayed and much more.

Apple's Strikes Biggest Solar Power Deal

Apple In Partnership with Arizona Based – First Solar Inc. 

Apple – the Computer giant has recently signed a 25 year power purchase agreement for 130 MW in partnership with Arizona based, First Solar’s 280MW California flats solar project. As part of the deal, Apple would be getting electricity from the farm at a fixed rate for twenty five years. It is said that the green energy will be purchased from First Solar Inc. through an $848 million deal which seems to be the largest agreement in the industry to provide clean energy to commercial end user, till date.

Apple’s landmark solar power deal seems to be a long term sustainable energy solution which would be generating enough power that will be necessary for all of the company’s California operation which includes the upcoming `spaceship’ Campus 2, by the end of 2016, as announced by CEO Tim Cook recently.California flats of 2900 acre will cover 3% of property owned by Hearst Corporation in Cholame, Monterey County and the construction of the same is expected to begin mid-year, to be completed by 2016 end. The rest of the 150MW of the project would be sold to Pacific Gas & electric with a separate long term PPA and the project is subscribed fully between Apple and PG&E PPAs.

Apple Leading the Way …

Joe Kishkill, First Solar chief commercial officer informed that `Apple is leading the way in addressing climate change by showing how large companies can serve their operations with 100% clean, renewable energy’. He added further saying that `Apple’s commitment was instrumental in making this project possible and will significantly increase the supply of solar power in California. Over a period of time, the renewable energy from California flats will provide cost savings over alternative sources of energy as well as substantially lower environmental impact’.

The California Flats were unanimously approved by the Monterey County Planning Commission in January who sent the project to the Monterey County Board of supervisors who will consider the final approval shortly. At the time of the announcement it was mistakenly stated by Cook that Apple would be building the facility but he quickly corrected it and called it a partnership and that it is First Solar and not Apple that will build the new plant. The solar plant in total will output 280MW of electricity, 130MW of which will be bought by Apple.

Financially Sound – Significant Savings

Cook had stated that Apple would be buying sufficient electricity to power almost 60,000 California homes which would be enough to offset the electricity used by Apple’s forthcoming Campus 2 together with all fifty two Apple retail stores in the Golden State with its data centre in Newark.He has also been transparent that the climate change was a serious issue for him and the company which is the reason for taking the lead on renewable as well as sustainable energy. He also brought it to the notice of the investor that the agreement will be financially sound since the $848 million deal would be the outcome of `very significant savings’ on the cost of energy.

Corning Unveils 'Project Phire' Super Scratch-Resistant Glass

Project Phire – Ultra-Scratch Resistance 

According to recent CNET report, Corning has unveiled a new material that it had been working on, which combines the strength of its prevailing Gorilla glass with ultra-scratch resistance and the material named `Project Phire’, was shown during an investor meeting by James Clappin, President of Corning Glass.

Corning, whose Gorilla Glass display covers the front of Apple’s iPhone as well as Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones, has been creating new material which would combine the toughness of Gorilla with a scratch-resistance like that of sapphire.Clappin states that company intends to begin selling the material later this year but provided few other details.

He informed the gathering that `they had told them last year that sapphire was great for scratch performance but did not fare well when dropped. Hence they created a product which offers the same superior damage resistance and drop performance of Gorilla Glass 4 with scratch resistance which is like sapphire’.

Corning gets its revenue from glass TV displays and fibre-optics, though Gorilla Glass is an important growth for the company. The material is the main item presently in hardened glass for mobile devices for about three billion electronics, which includes Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy Note 4.

Gorilla Glass Superior to Sapphire 

Sapphire was used for some time in high-end watches due to its scratch resistance and luxurious quality and Apple intends using sapphire covers for some versions of Apple Watch which would be coming out this April. The existing Gorilla Glass of Corning is being used in various smartphones and tablet displays, from Samsung’s Galaxy line to Apple’s iOS line-up.

Apple had intentions of moving out from Corning’s Gorilla Glass with its iPhone 6 and 6 Plus turning to sapphire produced by GT Advanced though was unable to use the material due to some issues on production which later on, dissolved the partnership between the two companies. As per Corning, Gorilla Glass seems to be superiorto sapphire since sapphire is brittle and has the tendency to shatter when dropped. On several occasions, Corning has pitted Gorilla Glass against sapphire, highlighting its benefits of lighter weight, greater strength with lower prices.

Affordable, Easier to Obtain Replacement for Sapphire

Corning’s most recent product, Gorilla Glass 4, is more resistant to shatter when dropped on hard or rough surfaces than the previous version of Gorilla Glass though it is not capable to match the scratch resistant properties of sapphire crystal. Sapphire is next to diamond with regards to hardness and Apple has been using this material already in order to protect the iPhone’s rear camera as well as Touch ID fingerprint sensor, from scratches.

Apple’s plan to produce iPhone display with higher scratch resistance, could make Corning’s `Project Phire’ material very appealing to the company for the next generation devices since it could serve as a more affordable, easier to obtain replacement for sapphire. At the investor presentation recently, Corning executives also discussed the company’s Iris glass first unveiled at the Consumer’s Electronics Show, last month. He claims that Iris could help the manufacturers in building new TVs which will be thin as smartphones and would need minimal edges round the sides.

Apple Watch: Novelty or Necessity

Apple’s Watch – Scheduled in Spring

The much waited Apple’s Watch is scheduled to be launched in spring and analyst firm CCS Insight firm indicate that over 40 million smartwatches together with fitness bands would be sold in 2015, primarily driven by Apple’s new device.

 Presently, the functions of the smartwatches is quite limited with most of them being used in telling the time though some would require the need to press a button or flick one’s wrist in order to activate the screen. Several of them could also be used as an extension to the smartphone enabling the user to identify the caller, read text messages as well as check on upcoming appointments.

Another interesting feature is the capabilities of tracking activity, which could include the number of steps one has taken as well as the heart rate wherein the data could be fed to a mobile application which can then provide tips on how to improve the fitness. But smartwatches today have a problem that though they can do all these things, they do not perform particularly well. Smartwatches too could be as expensive as smartphones having batteries that could last for less than a day except for a few like the Pebble and the Basis Peak, they are less convenient than the traditional watches with regards to time and depend mainly on smartphones for all their functions.

Apple – Affluent User Base

The app’s focus during its keynote in September were fairly uninspiring such as the etch-a-sketch-like app which enables the user to draw an image and sent it to another user as well as enables them to transmit the heartbeats through haptic vibration.

According to Ben Wood, CCS Insights’ chief of research, states that the Watch will be successful due to the fact that Apple has an affluent user base and that the company is known for developing beautiful products where the Watch would be both an object of desire as well as a status symbol. Based on this

Apple could probably sell millions of Watches even if the device functions more than just telling the time. But the Watch would need something more if it intends to be an iconic product which could stand against all odds, like the iPod, iPad and iPhone and would need a `killer app’ to be a great hit. No sooner Apple Watch gains success, it will overcome the rest of the Smartwatch market and user not owning iPhone will tend to buy Android Wear Smartwatch which are compatible with their own devices with apps that are created for Apple’s Watch will soon be transposed to Android.

Future Devices – Lighter/Thinner/Appealing 

It could comprise of transport apps informing on which platform to go while at the railway stationor a voice recognition apps which enables the user to `set an alarm for 10 minutes’ by speaking the command. Besides, there is also scope for gaming apps which can take advantage of locations as well as biometric date to enable the user to play with other users of smartwatches. Smartwatches users also have the advantage of sport, news and leisure since they are condensed into quick-looks alerts.

Moreover, smartwatches could also be used for identity as well as home automation for instance; the user could touch the watch to their front door in order to unlock it. It could also be utilised for the purpose of payment, the way contactless cards are used currently. Smartwatches in future would also be less reliant on smartphones with some manufacturers already making headway in these quarters.

Companies related to technology will continue working with fashion brands in making devices lighter, thinner as well as more appealing and traditional watch brands such as GUESS has already begun in bringing about their first `smart’ devices which is expected in being very competitive over a period of time.

Issue Envisaged – Battery Life

The main problem envisaged with smartwatch manufacturers is perhaps the long term battery life and a report from 9to5Mac informs that the Apple’s Watch offers 2.5 hours of continuous usage for processor-intensive applications for games, 3.5 hours for continuous use of standard apps and 4 hours of active fitness tracking.
As the battery technology tends to develop and the devices tend to become more energy efficient, there would be further improvement in due course of time though it could pose as a serious inhibitor for first round adopters.

There could also be other issues which need to be taken into consideration before smartwaches are widely adopted wherein glancing at the watch at wrong time could cause offence and smartwatches would demand more attention than traditional time keeping devices.

For instance while at dinner with colleagues, one may tend to glance at your watch which could be creating an impression of boredom to the other person. Wood is of the opinion that this could be changed whereby looking at a watch becomes socially acceptable or alternatively peoplewill have to exercise some self-control.

It is left to be seen if Apple would be able to uncover the killer app prior to launch which could turn the Smartwatch from a novelty to a necessity.

Apple HomeKit Powers On With iDevices Switch Smart Plug

iDevices Switch – World’s First HomeKit Enabled Plug

Users of iPhone and iPad who have been waiting anxiously for news in the HomeKit connected product space, after Apple’s announcement at WWDC 2014 and CES 2015 will be seeing new consumer electronics making way in the market which includes the first devise compatible with Apple’s smart home feature.

The iDevices Switch has been described as `the world’s first HomeKit enabled plug’ helping users to control connected appliances with the help of Siri. The iDevices Switch specifically is a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connected plug which interfaces with the wall outlet and to connect the appliance, one could plug it into the electrical outlet on the wall and plug your lamp, fan, or any appliance or device needed to power in the Switch.

The iDevices Switch can connect to home Wi-Fi network, interfacing with the iDevices Connected iOS app and is compatible with Apple’s HomeKit features. This indicates that users could also use Siri commands from iOS 8 with the capabilities to power appliances on or off by only talking to the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

Connected to Home Network – Wi-Fi/Bluetooth

The Switch is not the first smart plug, Many others namely Belkin, D-Link to mention a few have sold connected power plugs for several years. There is not much difference on the premise behind Switch, than its predecessors and due to networking capabilities, built in the outlet hardware, one can use the smartphone in order to manage things plugged into the Switch.

The Switch can connect to home network via Wi-Fi and through Bluetooth can also connect to other devices which do not have Wi-Fi. For instance, smart door locks usually tend to run on batteries since hardwiring is not practical for several residential door designs and to save power, majority of the smart locks utilise Bluetooth which connect to the phone and relies on some type of hub in order to get out to larger internet. Since it incorporated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the iDevices’ Switch acts as the hub.

Stand alone Product

Schlage, lock-maker will have a connected HomeKit compatible lock which could take advantage of this feature. The Switch operates as a standalone product which does not need any additional hub, subscription service or any add-ons and its connected app moreover adds the ability to schedule as well as automate tasks with the iDevices Switch, thereby saving the user from manually controlling it.

The company is likely to schedule the shipping in the first half of this year, with its demo conducted at CES, though its pricing is not yet disclosed. Potential consumers interested in following the availability of the Switch could sign up at the bottom of its product page, to receive notification for product updates.

Besides, iDevices’ announcement of HomeKit enabled smart plug at CES, iHome too shares its plans bringing in its own iSP5 SmartPlug in the market with a demo at the Consumer electronics Show soon, though no announcement with regards to its pricing and availability has been revealed. Some are speculating that the Switch would be costing $49.99 when it will be made available later this year. The Switch also will have a built in colour customizable night light, a charming touch added to it.