Hands on- iPad Pro with Apple Pencil

Apple Pencil for Pressure Sensitive Drawing/Painting

The new big screen iPad Pro of Apple has been expected for some time and bears some resemblances to the present products in the market. The iPad Pro introduced at the media event recently is a 12.9-inch screen with the potential of running two apps alongside each other without either of them getting cramped.

The iPad Pro weighs 1.54 pounds and is much bigger and can be held easily. Its screen is amazing and at 2732x2048 resolutions, it has 5.6 million pixels and the short side has several pixels as the longer side of an iPad mini. The Apple Pencil is not a stylus and is not focused at pointing and tapping things which one can reach, but is for pressure sensitive drawing and painting in app as Apple’s own Notes app or as complex and professional as the demonstrated Procreate or AutoCAD.

The Pencil feels great like a pencil and very natural wherein the sensors tend to detect the pressure and angle and effortlessly create lines of various thicknesses. The Notes app even has a ruler which enables perfectly straight drawing. Utilising the side of the Pencil’s tip one can also create realistic shading like using the side of a pencil lead.

Lightning Connector at End of the Pencil for Charging

A Lightning connector concealed at the end of the Pencil enables plugging right into the iPad Pro for charging. According to Apple rep, a quick charging provides enough juice for an hour or so of work in a few minutes while a full charge could last all day.

Besides this, Apple has also developed its own Smart Keyboard identical in appearance to the Touch Covers which Microsoft made for the Surface tablets and closes around the front of the iPad Pro. It tends to flip back to form a stand like the Smart Covers Apple had made for a while, though it has a built-in fabric surface keyboard having short key travel like the new MacBook.

Third-party keyboards would be capable of using the iPad Pro’s Smart Connector that power as well as pairs the keyboard. Logitech has already planned to introduce its own `Create’ keyboard in November.

No Buttons, Detects Pressure/Angle/Orientation

The Apple Pencil does not have buttons and besides detecting pressure, it also detects angle and orientation enabling it to perform more than just a simple stylus and follow more closely the behaviours of a pencil, brush or charcoal. That is the reason, why Apple chose the name `Pencil’ instead of a pen or stylus, both of which have induced an earlier generation of input sticks.

Adobe, for instance had demonstrated a watercolour brush effect for Apple Pencil which changes the paint-to-water mixture as one change the tilt of the Pencil enabling the artists in adjusting how much colour they have put down mix on making a stroke.

Another difference in Apple’s Pencil is that it tends to use a male Lightning connector in order to plug in the iPad Pro, once for initial automatic Bluetooth setup and subsequently to recharge. According to Apple it takes 15 seconds to charge the Pencil for 30 minutes usage and a full charge tends to last for 12 hours.It now remains to be seen if the Apple Pencil would be significant drivers of sales of iPad Pro or would remain a niche tool for certain classes of education, business and artist users.

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.

Chinese iPhone Users Hit by 'KeyRaider' Malware

iPhone had commanded a safe and sound to be true a secure history in its eight years of history. It happens to be the most secure smartphone till now. Most of the people resort to jailbreak the iPhone in order to download mobile apps from other online play stores. This seriously limits the security level by removing the system security features, which are made available on the iPhone by Apple. A malicious software had been successful in stealing a wide number of login names and passwords from more than 225,000 Apple accounts in China.

A security firm finds a rogue malware in iPhone devices

A security firm named Palto Alto Networks was investigating the suspicious activity found a wide number of Apple devices. During the investigation, it came across a malicious software family, which was specifically targeting the Jailbroken Apple iPhones devices for some time.

This malicious software is being KeyRaider and it has affected a large number of iPhone users in China along with 17 other nations.

How KeyRaider affected the iPhone users?

Once an iPhone user downloads and install the malware which remains hidden in the packages of codes and it offers a number of tweaks to the iPhone’s operating system. The Keyraider is designed in s such a way wherein it can easily intercept the user’s iTune’s login details and then store the same data on a remote server.

After stealing the user’s iTunes payment information and other details, attackers use it to install paid apps on other iOS devices. Palo Alto Networks had even found a separate app, which allows the users to install paid apps from the Apple app store of cost and till now this app has been downloaded more than 20,000 times. The payment from this free app is being done by the KeyRaider’s victims.

How serious is this attack?

For most of the iPhone users KeyRaider is not a big issue as long as they install only those apps, which are approved by the Apple’s app store. It should be noted that most of the iPhones are not Jailbroken but users who had already jailbroken their devices should certainly worry about the KeyRaider as it can easily steal their lognames and passwords and other things.

People who had already suffered from the damage of KeyRaider will find themselves being charged for someone else’s stolen iPhones apps. The security firm had even stated that in some cases it found evidence wherein malware was used in locking up the phone and asking for ransom.

Beware of third-party app stores

Apple devices are third most popular brand in China after the Huawei and Xiamoi as per the reports by IDC. Apple app store has a wide number security checks in place, which helps in thwarting the malicious apps from listing in the store and helps in safeguarding the iPhone users. But the third party app store doesn’t offer similar kind of security checks and controls in place which results in the distribution of malicious software.

Apple Files New Patent For Fuel Cell Battery That Could Last Weeks

Apple Files Patent for Fuel Cell Battery

A renewed patent for fuel cell battery has been filed by Apple which could power its devices `for days or weeks’ a probable step to end battery life problem and an attempt to use more environmentally friendly ways of empowering creations. Initially revealed by source, the patents clarifies that the batteries would be better for Mother Nature as well as last for days or even weeks with a single charge.

The two filings states that `our country’s continuing reliance on fossil fuels has compelled our government in maintaining complicated political and military relationships with unstable governments in the Middle East and has also exposed our coastlines as well as our citizens to the related hazards of offshore drilling. These problems have led to an increasing awareness and desire on the part of consumers to promote and use renewable energy sources’.

It further states that `due to this increased consumer awareness, electronics manufacturers have grown interested in developing renewable energy sources for their products and have been exploring various promising renewable energy sources like hydrogen fuel cells.

 Hydrogen fuel cells have various advantages and such type of fuel cells and associated fuels could probably gain high volumetric as well as gravimetric energy densities that could possibly permit continued function of portable electronic devices for days or even weeks with the need of refuelling.

Designing Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems – Challenging

But it is quite challenging in designing hydrogen fuel cell systems that could be adequately portable as well as cost effective to be used with electronic devices. As per the filing, Apple has been investigating on various kinds of fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells are the types found often in cars.

However, Apple points out in the filing that building a hydrogen fuel cell which could fit in a laptop could be quite a challenge, but something that Apple would work on. The patent application which was published by the US Patent and Trademark Office defines a `portable and cost effective fuel cell system for portable computing device which could be utilised in various energy sources in providing long term power.

 Apple had filed patents on the same topic many years back and very often patents ideas do not surface in their products. Though the new patent application suggesting various different energy sources from sodium borohydride to liquid hydrogen differs little from its previous filings, its renewal could indicate that Apple is keen on the idea.

Continued Operation of Portable Electronic Devices for Days/Weeks

The filing state that fuel cells could probably permit continued operation of portable electronic devices for days or also weeks without the need for refuelling. Recently revealed in The Telegraph was a major breakthrough by British firm Intelligent Energy stating that it had installed a hydrogen fuel cell in iPhone which had the potential of powering it for a week without any recharging.

The patent seems to relate to MacBooks and constantly mentions that MagSafe connector utilised on laptop computers does not name check the `Lightning connectors used on the iPhone and iPad. Moreover, the patent also mentioned that the energy could come from a `fuel cartridge which is detachably affixed to the fuel cell system which means rather than recharging, one simply replaces the devices’ cartridge when it runs out.

Apple Patent Application Ups the Ante on Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Apple’s Patent Application on Bone Conduction for Voice Communications

According to US Patent and Trademark Office revealed on Thursday, Apple had applied for patent for technology on bone conduction for voice communications. Apple's patent application which was filed in February 2014, though not published till recently defines a method of improving voice quality in wireless headset using freed earbuds of a mobile device.

As defined by Apple Insider, it terms a system, where the voice input is accepted by one of the two earbuds and depending on the perceived quality, it is then passed on to a mobile device. Inertial sensor which tends to monitor the vibrations in a user’s bone structure as well as the range of other sensors helps in informing which signal to use.

Bone conduction tends to transmit sound via subtle vibrations instead of through speakers generally with an increase in clarity. The patent tends to follow the design model which Apple had attempted in bringing about to most of its devices and accessories – simplicity. It could also propose a natural progression with the company’s 2014 acquisition of headphones maker Beats, while enhancing the earbuds contributions.

Earbuds Accountable for Noise/Wind level

According to research manager of wearable and mobile phones for IDC, Ramon Llamas, has mentioned in an email that `this is something like Apple taking a hint from what the other vendors have done earlier and which has been Apple’s mode of operation in the past – to see who does it well and then attempt to do it better than the others.

We have seen this with smartphones and are now seeing it with watches and if the product reaches market, Apple will be doing the same to the Bluetooth headset industry’. Apple had noted in the patent application that its earbuds would be accountable for noise and wind level identified by internal earbud microphones.

Moreover, the earbuds could combine the information with accelerometer output battery level as well as earbud position data as per the application. Apple has mentioned in its patent application that `the invention usually relates to improving the voice sound quality in a wireless headset with untethered earbuds of electronic devices by determining which of the earbuds should transmit the acoustic signal and the inertial sensor output to the mobile device’.

Environmental Noise – User’s Speech Incomprehensible

Using the acoustic signal as well as the inertial sensor output received from one of the earbuds, user’s voice activity could be detected to perform noise reduction and generate a pitch estimate in improving the speech quality of the final output signal’.

As per the application, a shared complain with hands free devices is that speech caught by the microphone port or the handset comprises of environmental noise like the secondary speakers in the background or it could be other background sounds.

 Environmental noise tends to make the user’ speech incomprehensible and hence tends to degrade the quality of the voice communication, which is a problem that Apple intends to solve. Apple had declined from commenting on the patent application.

The present patent shows on-going work in bone conduction technology as Apple had filed a similar application for accelerometer assisted noise cancellation last September and the company is yet to bring in such a device to the market. Its most innovative earphone designs tend to rely on cables, excluding devices that are developed by Beats.