technology
Thunderspace relaxation iPhone app free today
We can all use a couple of minutes of relaxation and nothing feels better than a free app to help you relax. The publisher of the app describes it as: "Thunderspace utilizes stereoscopic 3D audio & realistic lightning flashes to create a thunderstorm around you." This basically means they recorded the sound of real thunderstorms using real surround sound 3D technology and then sync your devices flash to light up at just the right time. You basically use this app with headphones and lie down with the flash in back of your head but close by (so you can "
National Geographic uses iPhone 5s photos
National Geographic recently published a beautiful photo essay about Scotland using only the camera on Apple's iPhone 5s. Photographer Jim Richardson has a great quote: "With intense use (I’ve made about 4,000 pictures in the last four days) I’ve discovered that the iPhone 5S is a very capable camera. The color and exposures are amazingly good, the HDR exposure feature does a stunningly good job in touch situations, the panorama feature is nothing short of amazing—seeing a panorama sweeping across the screen in real time is just intoxicating.
Blackberry launches cloud based Mobile Device Management
Unless you work in IT for a medium to large sized company, this article really won't interest you. Even my grandmother knows that Blackberry is doomed as a device manufacturer. As it attempts to recreate itself as a services company, we are seeing some interested moves (the failed BBM for Android and IOS) and now they enter the cloud based Mobile Device Management field trying to convince companies with BYOD policies to give them a chance. Blackberry calls its service Enterprise Mobility Management which is a cloud hosted (and rebranded) Blackberry Enterprise Server.
Your smoke detector is finally sexy... and smart
Nest is the company that made the unsexy thermostat cool again and now they have decided to tackle another unsexy device, the important smoke detector. Enter the Nest Protect, a smoke and carbon monoxide detecting internet connected wonder. Not only are Nest products sexy , they are smart and the Protect is no exception. The fact that this device has WIFI means you can remotely (via the iPhone, Android or Kindle app) check the status of the device, check battery life and it even allows multiple devices to talk to each other (if you live in a multi-story home).
Chromecast now shipping to Canada
Chromecast is still a US only device according to Google but Amazon.com seems to be willing to ship it to the great white north I call home (aka Canada plus the UK, Australia, Hong Kong and Germany are confirmed). I bought a unit during a trip to Wichita last week and set it up over the weekend. Because the device is not officially available to international customers, you will have to be creative to find the Google Chromecast configuration app (since it is only available on the US Google Play Store and US Apple iTunes store.
Developers laughing at the iPhone 5c
I downloaded a Camera+ update yesterday and the developer was poking fun at the less than stellar sales of the iPhone 5c <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/95989828ce.jpg" alt="">
Apple's itunes Radio coming to Canada early 2014
I previously wrote that Apple iTunes radio would be coming to Canada shortly. Now Bloomberg is reporting that iTunes Radio will expand internationally early 2014 beating rival Pandora. "Apple is moving faster than Pandora because it forged agreements for international rights with Vivendi SA (VIV)’s Universal Music Group and other record companies, said one of the people. Pandora, which doesn’t have such deals, relies on rights granted by government entities, limiting service to the U.S., Australia and New Zealand." Read Bloomberg article here.
Videotron releases 2 new all you can talk plans with data
Competition is a wonderful thing for consumers and nowhere is this more needed than in the Canadian telecommunication business. Videotron has been a wonderful addition to the Quebec market forcing the BIG 3 (Rogers, Bell and Telus) to respond quickly by offering much more competitive plans [than they would normally]. Videotron has introduced 2 new all you can talk Canada Wide plans. These plans include all of the usual suspects including Voicemail, CallerID, Text Messaging and Canada wide calling. The only difference between the 2 is the amount of monthly data : 1GB or 6GB ($59.
Nexus 5 specs leak in service manual
The fine reporters at Android Police seem to have found (what is claimed to be) the service manual for the purported upcoming 2013 Nexus phone. Based on the provided information, the device will be produced by LG and come with a vanilla Android operating system (Pure Android Experience). The original article on Android Police has removed the above image at the request of LG (add tense movie music now). Here are the purported specs for this device: 4.95" display 2GB RAM 2.
Apple iTunes Radio coming to Canada
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“859”]Apple’s iTune Radio Service [/caption] Apple's iTunes Radio is far from revolutionary and often feels like a "me too" product competing with Slacker, Songza, etc. What makes it so interesting is that it is a free service already built into your device's operating system. Like most Apple services, iTunes Radio launched in the US first but Eddy Cue, Apple SVP, has previously said that eventually it will launch in 100 countries but when will we get it in Canada?
Facetime Audio is one of IOS7's best features
VoIP is a fantastic way to freely (or cheaply) connect to friends and family flung across all 4 corners of the world. But even with all of the technological advances made in recent years, VoIP calling is not pleasant and comes with dozens of gotchas: Does the person use the same VoIP platform? Does the person have the VoIP app open? Many apps have poorly implemented codecs which lead to bad voice quality and the sound cutting-in and out Facetime (implemented in IOS 6) was a fantastic way to keep in touch with family and friends.
Review of Apple's iPhone 5s leather case
Along with the new iPhone 5s, Apple released a lot of leather covered iPhone 5s cases being sold for around $US30. (depending where you are). But with all the case options available to consumers, is it even worth considering? The case itself is beautifully built. It is leather covered on the outside, microfier covered on the inside and reinforced with a plastic skeleton in between. Unlike most cases, this looks premium and feels premium. The leather is smooth and clean masterfully molded without any seams.
iPad 2 Mini in Gold with TouchID photos
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“704”]iPad Mini 2 in Gold (back) [/caption] We expect an iPad Mini 2 announcement sometime in October and as the clock ticks, we get more and more leaks confirming the rumors. Chinese site DoNews has posted pictures of a champagne color ipad 2 with a TouchID sensor. Nothing in these photos is too far fetched and we believe them to be authentic but I have to remind everyone that nothing can be confirmed in the world of Apple until Tim Cook holds it in his arms and proclaims it law.
3M Post-Its go digital with Evernote
I have been using Evernote for a couple of year now and love how it organizes and makes my information accessible everywhere. A year ago they started collaborating with "old world" products like Moleskine making it easy for users of these popular product to digitize information written to them. Now they push the envelope even further with the release of the latest update which allows you to snap a picture of a 3M Post-IT note and then have it automatically categorized based on the color of the Post-It.
Apple iPad Mini 2 tablet specs leaked
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“493”]Apple’s iPad Mini [/caption] I know you are really hoping for a retina equipped iPad mini but industry rumors aren't pointing in that visually appealing direction. Most unnamed industry insiders believe the retina iPad mini will only be released next year, so what will Apple's next mini iteration bring? It's a safe bet to assume it will cone in the same form factor we know and love but will pack: a TouchID sensor a 64-bit A7 chip same color combinations as the iPhone 5s Indeed leaked parts we have seen coming from China seem to show a ring around the home button which would indicate a TouchID sensor.
Apple's iMessage on Android via Google Play
There is an app on the Google Play store that claims to offer iMessage functionality to Android users. The app comes from a developer named Daniel Zweigart . Apple typically isn't forgiving and I am fairly confident Cuppertino lawyers are gearing up as you read this. Some users on Twitter claim the app actually works. WORD OF WARNING - There is a very strong possibility that this app is harvesting your Apple ID and password. I recommend not using this with any Apple ID tied to a credit card.
China opening up some US sites
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“2500”]Image credit: Wikimedia Commons - Creative Commons [/caption] The South China Morning Post is reporting that China will unblock some [primarily] US internet services (that are considered politically sensitive) from within the Shanghai free-trade zone. The government is opening up these sites to allow foreign workers to "live and work happily in the free-trade zone". The hope is that opening up these sites will make the free-trade zone more interesting to foreign companies (in addition to attractive regulations, taxation and limited control).
Blackberry is being sold for 4.7B$
Trading of Blackberry shares have been halted as the company announces that it has signed a Letter of Intent to sell the company to a financial consortium lead by Fairfax financial. Each shareholdr will receive $9 in cash per share. The press release: BlackBerry Enters into Letter of Intent with Consortium led by Fairfax Financial - BlackBerry shareholders would receive U.S. $9 per share in cash - Transaction valued at approximately U.S. $4.7 billion - Consortium permitted 6 weeks to conduct due diligence - BlackBerry entitled to go-shop during due diligence period, subject to payment of a termination fee in the event alternative offer accepted WATERLOO, ONTARIO, Sep 23, 2013 (Marketwired via COMTEX) -- BlackBerry Limited BBRY -5.
Apple sells 9 million iPhones in 3 days
Everyone was wondering how many iPhones Apple actually sold over the device's launch weekend and now we know: 9 million devices. The 9 million is a combination of both devices (iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s). Last year's iPhone 5 launch saw 5 million devices so the increase is considerable. Apple has confirmed what we already knew, that the initial inventory of iPhone 5s' is now completely sold out. They also announced that IOS 7 is already running on 200 million devices.