Leef iAccess Adds A MicroSD Card Slot To Your iPhone Or iPad

3:35 pm October 14, 2015 By Roland Hutchinson

Leef has announced their latest accessory for the iPhone and iPad, the Leef iAccess which connects to the lightning port on your iPhone or iPad.

The iAccess is designed to let you upload photos and movies from a microSD card to your iPhone or iPad, it can also be used to add additional storage to your Apple device.

David Smurthwaite, Partner at Leef comments: “We know how frustrating it is to miss out on capturing an experience because you have to stop to download content on your laptop or, worse, your camera is out of storage. Leef iAccess allows action-cam users to simplify the sharing of their experience without interrupting life activities.

“It helps people move files between a huge number of devices in the simplest way and it eliminates storage capacity problems. Leef iAccess is a total game changer.”

The device comes with an app which lets you transfer files from a microSD card slot to your iPhone, iPad oriPod Touch.

You can find out more details about the new Leef iAccess over at the company’s website at the link below, the device will cost £44.99 in the UK and $49.99 in the US.

Source Leef

BeagleBoard X15 Development Board Officially Launches

As expected the BeagleBoard foundation has today launched their new BeagleBoard X15 development board which is equipped with a Dual-core Sitara AM5728 ARM Cortex A15 @ 1.5Ghz and doubles every spec when compared to the BeagleBone Black.

Even though some details have been previously leaked before today’s official launch, full specifications have now been published via the BeagleBoard.org website. Shipping of the board is expected to start before the end of the year.

The BeagleBoard X15 development board is compatible with Debian, Android, Ubuntu, Cloud9 IDE on Node.js and more and comes equipped with 2GB DDR3 RAM, 4GB 8-bit eMMC on-board flash storage and 2D/3D graphics and video accelerators (GPUs)

Features include :

 2GB DDR3 RAM
 4GB 8-bit eMMC on-board flash storage
 2D/3D graphics and video accelerators (GPUs)
 2×700-MHz C66 digital signal processors (DSPs)
 2×ARM Cortex-M4 microcontrollers (MCUs)
 4×32-bit programmable real-time units (PRUs)
 2×Gigabit Ethernet
 3×SuperSpeed USB 3.0 host
 HighSpeed USB 2.0 client
 eSATA (500mA)
 full-size HDMI video output
 microSD card slot
 Stereo audio in and out
 4×60-pin headers with PCIe, LCD, mSATA

BeagleBoard-X15 is the top performing, mainline Linux enabled, power-users’ dream board with a core tailored for every computing task and a highspeed interface for every connectivity need. Give your algorithms room to stretch!

Source: BB

Mele PCG03 Plus Mini PC Launches Later This Year For $149

As well as announcing the launch of their new PCG02 PC Stick, Mele has also announced the launch of a new mini PC in the form of the PCG03 Plus which is equipped with an Intel Atom x5-Z8300 Cherry Trail processor.

Other features of the PCG03 Plus hardware are similar to that of the previously launched PCG03 offering support from 2GB of RAM together with 32GB of internal eMMC storage.

Together with connectivity via 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 as well as providing 3 x USB ports, HMDI and VGA connections.

The latest addition to the range of mini PCs will be available before the end of the year and is expected to be priced at around $149, shipping preloaded with Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 operating system. For more information on the previously announced PCG02 Windows 10 PC Stick pocket computer with Ethernet connection visit our previous post here.

Source: Liliputing

DIY Thor’s Hammer Can Only Be Lifted By Its Creator (video)

YouTuber Sufficiently Advanced has created a very unique do-it-yourself Thor’s Hammer using a bit of Arduino magic together with an electro magnet from inside a microwave.

Once completed the Thor’s Hammer, can only be lifted by its creator and is equipped with a fingerprint reader making it almost impossible for other to pickup when placed on metal.

Watch the video below to see how the residents of Venice Beach tackled the creation in an entertaining video will worth watching.

A replica of Mjolnir (Thor’s Hammer) from The Avengers that’s pretty much unliftable unless you’ve got my fingerprints!

Source: Digital Trends

Skybuds Wireless Earbuds And Smartphone Case (video)

Alpha Audiotronics have created a new wireless earbuds system that comes supplied with its own smartphone case capable of both charging and storing your new wireless earbuds. As well as providing a boost to your smartphone battery when required.

The new wireless earbuds have been called Skybuds and connects to your smart phone using Bluetooth technology and are available for both Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6S mobile devices.

Watch the promotional video below to learn more about the unique wireless earbuds system that is now available over Kickstarter to back from $244. Its developers explain a little more:

Skybuds presented a unique challenge from a size standpoint. We needed to create an earbud that fit comfortably in everyone’s ear that, at the same time, was small enough to fit into a smartphone case while minimizing bulk. The design needed to be functional, simple and elegant. We began by extensively analyzing ears to figure out the various shapes, sizes and fit points.

An ergonomic fit was our first key parameter and focus. We conducted hundreds of ear size tests and studies and even mapped out many of the ears in 3D so that we could conduct thorough analyses through CAD to understand shape.

Features include :

• Case Dimensions: 10.9-18.7mm (h) x 71.6mm (w) 163.9mm (l) 
• Case Weight: 1.78 oz 
• Fits iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S models 
• Lithium-ion rechargeable Battery; 1000 mAh battery 
• USB Type A female connector 
• Bluetooth Low Energy Frequency Response: 20 – 20,000 Hz 
• Passes drop test and all other MFi requirements 
• Shock resistant

Source: Kickstarter

Capcom Developing New Games Engine To Support Virtual Reality

Details have been discovered within Capcom’s 118 page annual report, that have confirmed that the company is currently developing a new games engine that will support virtual reality.

Capcom’s Development Division 1, the team behind Resident Evil, is in the process of “focusing [its] energy on challenging the virtual reality game market,” according to the divisions head Jun Takeuchi.

Jun Takeuchi explains more within the Capcom 2015 Annual Report :

In this terrifying world, you can twist and turn as you like, but there’s no escaping the creatures closing in on you… until you remove your VR headset and return to reality, that is. We delivered this very experienced with our ‘KITCHEN’ VR technical demo at E3 2015. The response was excellent. Currently, we are building a new game development engine able to support VR, which is the hottest market right now, while simultaneously developing titles for current game consoles. We have just set sail on our latest voyage.

The Capcom team are aiming to create VR games that users want to play over and over again with “strong global demand.” For more information on the new VR engine support jump over to the official Annual Report website for details via the link below.

Source: Capcom

CellRobot Modular Robot Is A 100 Robots In One (video)

KEYi Technology has started a new Kickstarter campaign this week for their modular robot called the CellRobot, which is being promoted as offering 100 robots in one device.

The CellRobot advanced modular robot is capable of being programmed and re-configured to carry out a wide variety of different tasks thanks to its cells, watch the video below to learn more.

The development team behind CellRobot explain a little more about its inspiration and modular system.

Modular robotics is one of the most complex areas of robotics. Each added element allows new movements. Normally such robot stays in research labs, in places like MIT (link to video). We decided to give access to such cutting edge technology to non-specialists.

Of course it has limitations: it’s not cheap and it’s not fast, you won’t fly it around like a drone, it’s not yet quite like the microbots in Big Hero 6. Did you know that robots in the movie were inspired by research conducted at MIT on modular robotics and at Carnegie Mellon on soft robotics? Our robots are learning tools: we truly believe they can help learn complex cinematic / combinatory movement, aspects of programming and possibly put their future owners on a path to dive deep into robotics, like we did.

If you consider this project like a “Macintosh moment” in the field of consumer robotics, you might understand our excitement at bringing it to you. And it’s no coincidence our “CELLs” look like alien eggs. Because they are 

CellRobot is the world first smart modular robot. Assemble it into various forms and control complex movements that no other robot does. Cell Robot is both entertaining and educational.

For more information on the new CellRobot modular robot jump over to the Kickstarter website for details.

Source: Kickstarter

Waylens Car Camera System (video)

If you are in search for a data driven automotive in car camera system you might be interested in a new device that has been created called Waylens.

As soon as you start your vehicle the Waylens car camera system will automatically power up and comes with its own free companion application for Android and iOS devices that allows you to quickly and easily scan hours of footage to find the most interesting events.

The creators of Waylens explain a little more and have created a promotional video to explain its features and inspiration in more detail.

Features of Waylens include :

– Works with any vehicle with an OBD-II port. Most vehicles sold in the US after 1996 are mandated to have an OBD-II connector. Even some models older than 1996 work fine too. Verify your vehicle is supported.
– Pre-paired OBD-II connector and steering wheel remote.
– Advanced suite of internal sensors: 10 Hz GPS, 9 axis motion sensor (gyro, accelerometer, magnetometer), barometer.
– The Waylens OLED display doubles as a user customizable gauge, displaying any of the supported OBD-II codes in real time.
– Automatically overlay performance data on top of video.
– Data driven video search and editing makes your life easy.
– One touch video upload from the road (supported smartphone models only).

The Waylens car camera project is currently over on the Kickstarter crowd funding website looking to raise enough pledges to make the jump from concept to production.

So if you think Waylens is something you could benefit from, visit the Kickstarter website now to make a pledge and help Waylens become a reality.

Source: Kickstarter

Google Drones For Internet Access Could Take To The Skies Soon

Google has been on working on their Google Drones since the company purchased Titan Aerospace and now it looks like these new Titan drones could be hitting the skies shortly.

The Google Drones will be used to provide Internet access and the company has now registered two of these drones with the Federal Aviation Authority in the US.

According to a recent report by re/code, these two new drones which have been registered by the FAA are part of Google’s Project Titan, which is designed to bring Internet to parts of the world that have no coverage, Google is also working on other project with a similar aim, like Project Loon which uses balloons.

As yet there are no details on when Google will start testing these new drones, as soon as we get some more information, we will let you guys know.

Source Techmeme

Microsoft Offering Trade Ins On New Microsoft Band 2

Microsoft recently announced its new fitness band, the Microsoft Band 2 and now the company is offering trade ins on the device in the UK.

If you own the previous Microsoft Band then you can trade it in against the new Band to and receive £70.

If you own a Fitbit and want the new Microsoft Band 2, then you can get up top £50 back and if you own another fitness tracker you can get up to £40 back.

The new Band 2 comes with a curved OLED display which has Gorilla Glass 3, the device hjas a wide range of sensor and a battery which will last up to 48 hours. It will work with Windows Phone, Android and iOS devices.

You can find out more details about Microsoft’s offers on their new Band 2 at the link below, this is apparently only available in the UK at the moment.

Source Microsoft, Windows Central

Apple’s Mac 1TB Fusion Drive Now Only Has 24GB Of Flash Storage

When  Apple launched their new 1TB Fusion drive a few years ago, the device came with a 128GB flashdrive and a 1TB hard drive, this gave you around 1.11TB of usable storage on an iMac.

Yesterday Apple announced its new range of iMac’s, the company has introduced a new 1TB  Fusion Drive in these new iMac’s and it now comes with less flash storage.

The new 1TB Apple Fusion Drive now has 1TB hard drive and 24GB of flash storage, this is significantly less than the previous model.

There are no changes to the 2TB and 3TB Fusion drives, they both come with 128GB of flash storage, so those might be the better options to go for on the new Mac.

Apple has not mentioned anything about why the have cut the flash storage down from 128GB to 24GB on the 1TB Fusion Drive on the new Mac’s, you can find out more information over at Apple.

Source 9 to 5 Mac

Blocks Modular Smartwatch Kickstarter Campaign Launches (video)

As expected the new Blocks modular smartwatch has now launched over on the Kickstarter crowdfunding website and has nearly raised $500,000 in under 48 hours.

The modular smartwatch allows its users to select from several modules that are then used to make up the strap providing a unique smartwatch tailored to end-users needs and requirements.

Blocks modules take the form of a battery, heat rate, GPS, Camera, NFC, Altitude, Pressure, Temperature to name a few there is also an SDK being made available for developers to create new and original designs for extra modules.

Watch the video below to learn more about the different modules that will be available at launch and how they can be used to combine together to create your perfect modular smartwatch.

BLOCKS WearablesThe creators of the module smartwatch which is taken to Kickstarter and already passed its pledge: $250,000 on its first day explain a little more about the inspiration and design of their newsmartwatch.

BLOCKS is the world’s first modular smartwatch. The watch face – the Core as we like to call it, is a fully functional smartwatch which has all the features you would expect. The most amazing thing about BLOCKS is that the strap is made of several links (modules) each of which have their own functions. You can choose the modules you want to build a smartwatch unique to you.

The biggest benefit of BLOCKS over other smartwatches is that it is future-proof. We are forced to upgrade our phones every other year for incremental improvements. This short product cycle has been one of the major criticisms of smartwatches, because watches were always “meant to last”.

It’s simple: Why buy a whole new smartwatch when you can simply snap in a new feature? As technology evolves, so does BLOCKS. New Modules will be released continually, ensuring that you are connected with the latest tech as soon as it comes out. The future is modular.

For more information on the new Blocks modular smartwatch jump over to the Kickstarter website for details and to make a pledge from $250 to be one of the very first to own one of the very unique smartwatches.

Source: Kickstarter

Apple Announces New Retina iMac Range

Apple has updated its range of Retina iMac’s the 27 inch models of the iMac now all come with a 5K Retina display.

Apple also introduced a new 21.5 inch Retina iMac, this model comes with a 4K Retina display with a resolution of 4096 x 2304 pixels.

“From the first iMac to today, the spirit of iMac has never wavered — deliver the ultimate desktop experience with the latest technologies, gorgeous displays and cutting-edge designs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “These are the most stunning iMacs we’ve ever made. With our gorgeous new Retina displays, more powerful processors and graphics and all-new Magic accessories, the new iMac continues to redefine the ultimate desktop experience.”

As well as the new iMacs, Apple also announced a new range of accessories which include a new Magic Keyboard, a Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2.

Source Apple

Adobe Document Cloud Gets Dropbox Integration And More

Adobe has announced that it is updating its Document Cloud and it has also teamed up with Dropbox to bring Dropbox Integration to its Document Cloud.

Adobe launched their Document Cloud a couple of months ago and this new update brings a range of new features to the service.

In the few short months since Document Cloud officially hit the scene, a couple key things have become increasingly clear: First, we’ve hit on something big with our new services and apps; we know, because customers and partners have told us so. Second, our work has only begun. The number of traditional document processes that haven’t yet addressed the “document disconnect” is, well, astounding.

Today, I’m proud to report we’re taking our next major step forward in modernizing documents. And it’s a significant one-two punch across both the pillars of Document Cloud: Adobe eSign services and Adobe Acrobat DC, with mobile playing a starring role.

You can find out more details about what is new in the updated Adobe Document Cloud and can also find out more information about Adobe’s new partnership with Dropbox.

Source Adobe

Tag Heuer Smartwatch Teased In New Photo

We have been hearing about the new Tag Heuer smartwatch for some time and now we have a teaser photo of the device which was posted on Twitter.

As we can see from the photo above, the Tag Heuer Smartwatch will have a single button on the side, this will probably be used to control some of the functions on the device.

There is also a divers bezel with the wording ‘Tag Heuer Connected’ in between the 0 minutes marks and 5 minutes mark on the bezel.

The watch appears to have a metal casing and comes with what appears to be a rubber strap, from the design of the watch it looks similar to some of the company’s current divers watches.

The majority of the smartwatches on the market at the moment are waterproof and can be used for swimming, we wonder if Tag Heuer will design there watch so it can go a little deeper than your swimming pool like their standard watches.

The device will come with Google’s Android Wear and it will feature an Intel processor, we previously heard it would retail for around $1,800.

Tag Heuer are holding a press event on the 9th of November where they will unveil their new smartwatch, this is one device we are looking forward to seeing as it will bring new technology to Tag Heuer’s classic watch design.

Source @TagHeuer

OnePlus India rumored to launch affordable OnePlus X phone on October 12

The OnePlus X is rumored to be launched in India tomorrow as an affordable option to the OnePlus smartphones which have been rolled out so far. This is based on the fact that the Chinese company has sent out media invites to an October 12 event scheduled to be held Bangalore. A few days ago CEO Pete Lau, had teased the upcoming announcement through his Weibo social media page by marking an X on the interface of a unnamed fitness app.

OnePlus India’s General Manager, Vikas Agrawal, had previously hinted above a new device before the end of this year. Since India has emerged to be such a big market for phones, a lot of tech brands have been doing everything to woo fans. Hence, the global debut of the OnePlus X is expected tomorrow at the press event in Bangalore. With regards to its price tag, the mid-range handset is anticipated to cost $249 or approximately Rs 16300, give or take a couple of hundreds.

The company is already holding an open sale for the OnePlus 2 on October 12. Earlier, it even announced a pizza delivery-style system for shipping its very first smartphone in the series to customers in Bangalore. Unless the big reveal is about the popular mobile phone brand’s speculated Make in India plans (or is it about that too?), there’s a strong chance of the OnePlus X being unveiled tomorrow.

With regards to specifications, the OnePlus device is supposed to embed the older Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chip to keep its cost down. But it’s also likely that a cheaper MediaTek processor has been used here. A 5-inch display of unknown resolution may find its way onto the front panel. The leaked renders so far have also painted the device to sport a dual camera system on its back panel.

We’ll keep you updated as the so-called OnePlus X press event unfolds.

Huawei Enjoy 5 smartphone with 4G support, 13MP camera launched

The Huawei Enjoy 5 has been unveiled in China and is priced at CNY 899 (roughly Rs 9000) with a China Telecom contract and CNY 999 (approx Rs 10250) without it. The phone is set to be available from October 16, with no word on whether it will ship to other countries in the future.

If it does arrive in international markets, the Huawei Enjoy 5 will likely be called the Honor Play 5X. The USP of the handset is its 4000mAh battery. The brand promises it can last for 24 days of standby time and 20 hours of talk time. Moving on to other specs, the handset sports a 5-inch 720p screen and has a pixel resolution of 294ppi.

Under the hood, the 4G- enabled Huawei device is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor, working in tandem with a Mali T720 GPU and 2GB of RAM. It runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop skinned with the company’s own Emotion UI 3.1 on top. The phone houses 16GB of internal space, expandable till 128GB via a microSD card slot.

=Coming to its photography capabilities, the dual-SIM Enjoy 5 carries a 13MP rear camera with an aperture of f/2.0, LED flash and a CMOS sensor, along with a 5MP front-facing snapper for selfies. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 40.0, microUSB 2.0, GPS and USB OTG. It measures 143.1 x 71.8 x 9.7mm in terms of dimensions and weighs 160g.

Check out the specifications of the Huawei Enjoy 5 at a glance:

– OS: Android 5.1 Lollipop-based Emotion UI 3.1
– Display: 5-inch, 720 x 1280 pixels
– Storage: 16GB, expandable till 128GB
– RAM: 2GB
– CPU: 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735
– GPU: Mali T720
– Camera: 13MP rear, 5MP front
– Battery: 4000mAh
– Size: 143.1 x 71.8 x 9.7mm
– Weight: 160g
– Connectivity: 4G, dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, microUSB 2.0

We’ll keep you posted if the Huawei Enjoy 5 arrives in India anytime soon.

Courtesy : Mobiletor.com

Samsung Galaxy S7 To Come With ClearForce Force Touch

Apple’s new iPhone 6S and 6S Plus come with Force Touch technology in the form of 3D Touch and last week we heard that the technology is headed to Android smartphones with Synaptics new ClearForce Technology.

According to a recent report, one of the handsets that will use this new ClearForce technology in the Samsung Galaxy S7 which is launching next year.

This would mean the the ClearForce technology would bring similar functions to the new Samsung Galaxy S7 that are available on Apple’s new iPhone 6S and 6S Plus handsets.

We heard earlier today there would be just two versions of the Galaxy S7 launching next year, a standard S7 with a flat display and only one Edge model with a curved display.

Samsung are also rumored to be using three different processors in their new S7, a Snapdragon 820 for China and the US, an Exynos 8990 for Europe, South Korea and Japan and an Exynos 7422 for India.

Source Ubergizmo

ISRO Will Launch India’s Own Satellite Navigation: IRNSS; Will end American Monopoly Of GPS

Did you know that the Global Positioning System used by almost all countries in the world is controlled by USA Govt?

If they want, they can switch off this GPS without any explanation!

During the Kargil war, Indian Army and Air force had to use America’s GPS, and it was a very scary situation.

American monopoly on satellite based navigation is all set to end now, as Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO will launch India’s own ‘desi’ satellite based navigation next year. Christened as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System or IRNSS, this navigation system would be controlled by Indian Govt.

Last week, scientists at ISRO started a series of meetings with various location and navigation device manufacturers, mobile phone companies and global information system (GIS) technology developers from all over the world; to explain them the advantages and benefits of using IRNSS. In these meetings, senior scientists from Space Application Centre (SAC) Ahmedabad had also participated, to showcase how India’s very own IRNSS has technical advantages over American GPS system.

As per reports coming in, ISRO will offer two types of services via IRNSS:Standard Positioning Service (SPS), which would be available for all users (mobile phones, ecommerce services, digital services) and Restricted Service (RS),which would be exclusively for defense users.

Advantage: IRNSS

India’s IRNSS will use seven constellation satellites, which would be operational from July, 2016. Besides providing a leading technological edge over GPS, IRNSS will enable handheld devices to receive seamless S-Band signals from these 7 satellites.

Additionally, once a simple code is added in the mobile phones, they would be able to receive L-band signals as well.

A senior ISRO official said, “Both these L and S band signals received from seven satellite constellation of the IRNSS are being calculated by a special embedded software which reduces the errors caused by atmospheric disturbances significantly. This in turn gives a superior quality location accuracy than the American GPS system,”

Self Reliant India: The Dawn of Technological Age

During various situations such as natural disasters, a military operation or simply business requirements, we had to be dependent of America’s GPS platform to help navigate our operations. This made us reliant on a foreign entity, and scares of data theft, data manipulation and spying were always present.

With IRNSS, India will become part of that exclusive club to have their own satellite based navigation system.

Although some other countries do have their own such satellite based navigation systems, but they are not that efficient and hence, unreliable compared to GPS system.

China has their own BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, which is based on just two satellite constellations, compared to India’s 7. BeiDou is still under construction, and American GPS is the primary source for Chinese as of now.

Galileo is a satellite based navigation system of Europeans, currently under development. The fully functional Galileo, which can act as an alternative to GPS can only be launched after 2020.

As of now, the only viable and reliable alternative to GPS is Russia’s GLONASS(GLObal NAvigation Satellite System), which can be regarded as GPS equivalent. They have a full orbital constellation of 24 satellites, which is as powerful as America’s GPS.

After GPS, and GLONASS, it would be India’s very own IRNSS which can be described as a formidable force to reckon with for satellite based navigation.

This is one of those new technological masterstroke by India.

[Image Source: Shutterstock.com]