Waiting for the traffic light to turn green? Play pong

While you are on foot, waiting the for the light to turn green and let you cross the road can be annoying at times. Especially if you reach it just the moment it goes red, you may have to wait quite a while before you could step on the road. And all this waiting can get to your nerves.

It turns out that the folks at Hildesheim, Germany, have come up with a very novel idea to tackle this problem. Her,e you may find a ‘Pong’ game affixed to lamp posts right next to the traffic light. To help you while away the time, it provides you an opportunity to play the game right there. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Turn your sleep into music with a new software, Nano-code puts counterfeiters on the backpedal,

iPhone 5 is Born

After much speculation, many rumors and even ‘leaked photos’ the next generation iPhone was revealed by Apple SVP of Global Marketing Phil Schiller today. Many anticipated features did make it into the unit and Apple – as usual – surprised the public with other perks. Widely anticipated to be the single largest product launch in history industry experts anticipate 5M to 5.5M units to be initially sold with 8M or more expected in Q4. Let’s look at why.

After two generations of no form factor change, Apple went big on change. The iPhone 5 is the Worlds thinnest smart phone and 20% lighter (than the 4S) at 112g. The 5 features a 4” screen, versus the 3.5” of previous generations. Screensize always presented a competitive challenge, but the increase should diminish that criticism. And they will be using Sharp’s IGZO display technology – thinner screens due to smaller transistors which means more light can pass through and fewer LEDs are required. Translation: takes up less space and uses less power.The screen itself uses in-cell display technology. Previous versions required 2 discreet layers for the touch sensor technology. In-cell enables the touch sensor to be included in the LCD display turning 2 layers into 1 and making the phone .5mm thinner.

The change in screensize and thickness means the unit has a sleeker look to it, differing significantly from its predecessors. And the increased screen size plus higher resolution (1136×640) LCD means enhanced detail for all.

The guts of the unit hold some changes as well. The A6 chip will speed up the unit with a 2X faster CPU and 2x faster graphics.Means Faster app launching, saving images, load music app, viewing attachments in keynotes, ~2x performance across board. Demonstration of Real Racing: to produce a feature of time-shifted multiplayer. Can challenge someone one day and race them the next day.

The camera is now 8mp sensor, 3264×2448 backside illuminated, dynamic low light mode, sapphire lense cover – protection and clearer images. Now 40% faster on photo capture. Panorama: showed 28mp panorama taken on the camera (this can be done on the fly without using third party apps like Photosynth). Software compensates for moving artifacts if youre moving. Images can be shared directly onto Facebook or using iCloud where you can share with friends when added to stream you create (they receive a push notification when new photos are added).

Network speeds have also been increased. Technologies now include GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, and added HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, and LTE. Wi-Fi has also been improved to support 802.11 a/b/g/n, 802.11n is 2.4GHz and dual channel 5GHz, up to 150 Mbps.

Wideband audio. In typical cell phone call, the frequency of data in your voice is compressed around the midrange. But doesn’t sounded entirely natural. Wideband audio fills up more of the frequency spectrum to make your voice sound even more natural. Just starting this technology, 20 carriers at launch supporting this. (Deutsche Telekom and Orange mentioned.)

As expected there is a new connector, AKA Lightening. All digital 8-signal design, 8-0 % smaller. Apple are working with partners to help them integrate connector into existing accessories.

Announced in June, iOS6 running on the iPhone 5, contains both Passbook and Apple’s own map application. Passbook serves as Apple’s solution to a ‘wallet’. Select coupons and vendor payment processes will be available to users via their phone. So as you arrive to Target, for example, your phone uses location services to determine where you are and if you hold any gift cards or coupons. Then you receive an on screen notification. Airlines are currently using it for boarding passes too. And select retailers even provide the ability to pay through Passbook. As widely reported Apple opted to not continue with Google maps app. This new launch will give us a glimpse at the Apple Map functionality.

There’s much more: Facebook integration throughout the OS, great enhancements to Phone app like automated SMS or iMessage back when you can’t answer the phone, FaceTime works over cellular data network. Great enhancements for accessibility, including Single App Mode. Only 10 of the more than 200 new features in iOS 6.

Prices (on a 2 year contract ) will be the same as the 4Sm 16GB $199, 32GB $299 and $399 for the 64GB. You will be able to preorder on September 14th and it will be shipped on September 21st.

So, was it worth the wait and massive hype and would you be willing to switch?

Sources: Apple, The Verge and MacWorld.

[ iPhone 5 is Born copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


iPhone 5 event wrap-up: details and onsite photos

It’s iPhone 5 day and Apple has revealed not just the new smartphone, but a flurry of iPod devices and a brand new set of earbuds called EarPods to boot. The iPhone 5 is set to be released on the 21st of September with pre-orders starting this Friday, the 14th of September, and it’ll cost the same as the iPhone 4S has costed up to this point, starting at $199 for the 16GB iteration of the phone. This update includes a 4-inch Retina display, a new Lightning dock connector, and the thinnest and lightest body for an iPhone yet despite its increased height. NOTE also that we’ve got an iPod wrap-up coming up too!

The iPhone 5 will be reaching 100 countries on 240 carriers soon and will be working with a “dramatically simpler” iTunes for all your media needs. The iPhone 4 was announced to be taking the place of the iPhone 3GS as the Free segment of the iPhone family while the iPhone 4S has been pushed down to $99 USD range at just one size – 16GB. The iPhone 5 sits therefor at $199, $299, and $399.

The iPhone 5 will be working with Photo Stream as its own social network for photos. You’ll find three microphones on the iPhone 5 for HD recording galore. The way you’ll connect your iPhone 5 to any other device (aside from wirelessly) is with the Lightning dock connector, 18 pins of reversible glory connected with USB.

There’s a lovely new 8 megapixel camera under the hood with enhanced abilities and a thinner profile. The 4-inch Retina display up front of the new iPhone is just as wide as the iPhone always has been, this allowing you still to be able to work with it with one hand. This device is, again, the “world’s thinnest smartphone” at the moment, and you’ll find several of your favorite LTE carriers working with the iPhone 5 in the near future.

You’ll get the newest A6 chip in the new iPhone 5 with twice the performance in both CPU and graphics. And of course we’ve got our first
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iPhone 5 event wrap-up: details and onsite photos is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


7th-generation iPod nano hands-on!

7thgeneration iPod nano handson!

Not to be outdone by a refreshed iPod touch (and, let’s face it, a new iPhone), Apple also shot out a 5.4mm-thick iPod nano today — that’s 38 percent thinner than the one it replaces. We just got our hands on the newest, tiniest music player outside of Apple’s product launch today, replete with a 2.5-inch multitouch panel and a familiar Home button. As you’d expect, the enlarged display is hugely beneficial. While there’s no bona fide version of iOS on here, the stripped-down variant seems sufficient for handling media alone. As if the ability to watch widescreen video wasn’t enough, fitness gurus are also apt to take notice — inbuilt support for Nike+ gear, along with Bluetooth, make this one potent device.

The Lightning connector seems to make a lot of sense here, given the dearth of real estate along the bottom, but somehow the company squeezed a big enough battery in here to net some 30 reported hours of battery life. In playing with it, we found screen transitions to be adequately smooth, and video playback was surprisingly enjoyable to watch. The screen is most definitely less stunning than the one on the iPod touch, but at $149, you can bet quite a bit of these end up in stockings this holiday season.

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7th-generation iPod nano hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Offers Lightning to 30-Pin Adapters For $29 And $39, Both Ship In October

MD823

Alongside an avalanche of new hardware, Apple also offered up a new adapter to ease the transition to its new Lightning connector for the iPhone 5 and new iPods. The adapter will let users charge and sync their device using existing 30-pin dock connector cables, and will also help stave off the Dockpocalypse for a while longer.

The Lightning to 30-pin Adapter retails for $29 or $39 if you want one with a small cable attached, and is available now on the site but doesn’t ship until October. It’s compatible with the iPhone 5, the iPod touch 5th gen, and the iPod nano 7th gen.

Update: As commenter Brett Nolan points out, these adapters don’t appear to support video or audio out. Right on the product page, the following limitations are listed:

“Video and iPod Out not supported.”

That’s a bummer.


iPhone 5 confirmed to use nano-SIM, current SIMs not compatible

Nano-SIM cardWhile Apple was busy announcing the iPhone 5, it left out mention of whether the device would use the recently approved (and Apple-designed) nano-SIM standard. Sure enough, the leaks were right once more — Apple is relying on that even tinier subscriber module for GSM, HSPA and LTE networks. The company also makes clear that there’s no going back, so you’ll have to chuck your earlier micro-SIM card if you’ve got one. Such is the price of progress.

[Thanks to Johannes Knapp for the nano-SIM]

Brad Molen contributed to this report.

Check out all the coverage at our iPhone 2012 event hub!

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iPhone 5 confirmed to use nano-SIM, current SIMs not compatible originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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5th-generation iPod touch hands-on!

5thgeneration iPod touch handson!

It’s obvious that the iPhone 5 is the star of today’s show, but Apple’s not letting its iPod line go untouched. The newest iPod touch takes a note from the newfangled display on its cellular sibling, bringing a vaster panel (the same 4-inch, 1,136 x 640 one found on the new iPhone). At 88 grams and just 6.1mm thick, it’s also shockingly thin and light — of course, the anodized aluminum backing makes it feel like a premium piece of kit. Premium, as in, right up there with the iPhone. In a world where Apple’s seeing its iPod sales sink quarter after quarter due to self-cannibalization from the iPad and iPhone, it’s interesting (but appreciated) to see so much effort placed on the new iPod touch.

The introduction of the dual-core A5 chip (that’s dual-core on the CPU and the graphics side) is a huge boon for the touch. Apple’s claiming a 7x improvement in graphics, and given that this thing is claiming such a huge swath of the mobile gaming market, it’s pretty much a necessity. Indeed, our interactions with the device were notably faster than on the prior touch. We didn’t exactly have 40 hours here to test the audio playback claims (in fact, we didn’t even have eight to test the claims on video), but you can bet that’ll be a huge selling point.

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5th-generation iPod touch hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch Apple’s iPhone 5 Video with All the Details on the New Phone [Video]

Here’s Apple’s customary new product video for the iPhone 5, with all the familiar faces from Cupertino. And as usual, it’s beautiful. Even if you’re not totally impressed with this generation, you won’t help but be impressed after seeing everything that went into it. More »

Welcome to the iPhone® 5 and Much More

Credit: CNET/James Martin

In front of the invite only audience and with the world waiting, Apple CEO Tim Cook just hosted Apple’s September 12 event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts in San Francisco. Included in the announcements were the launch of the iPhone 5, debut of the new iPod® Nano and iPod Touch and feature demonstrations of iOS6 and the new iTunes. Complete details on each topic are forthcoming, but the short of it is:

 

  • iPhone 5: 20% lighter, thinner form factor, 326ppi, increase in screen size to 4”, 1136 x 640 resolution, faster A6 processor, 4G LTE support, iOS6, iSight 8MP camera with built in panoramic mode, new and smaller connector (“Lightening”), black with slate or white with brushed aluminum options, $199 (16GB) or $199 (32GB) or $399 (64GB) with 2 year contract. No prices announced without contract. Pre-orders being taken in US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore on September 14 with shipping beginning September 21.
  • iOS6: As announced in June, will be available beginning September 19 for existing devices. iOS6 comes standard with the iPhone 5 and iPod Touc G7. See our review of the announcement for more details http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20120612/apples-ios-6-previewed-receives-maps/ for a teaser of iOS6.
  • iPod Touch: 5th generation, thinnest and lightest ever, retina display technology, 4” screen, A5 processor, iSight 5MP camera with built-in panorama mode, autofocus and LED flash. Two versions available in October – 32GB for $299 and 64GB for $399
  • iPod Nano: 7th generation, completely redesigned, just 5.4mm thin (40% thinner than previous), Easy-to-use controls that are big and tactile, touch controls on screen and Bluetooth capability. Available in October for  $149 (16GB).
  • iTunes: All stores will be redesigned for iOS users for easier access, tap on charts to see top songs, quicker updates as you scroll and easier integration with Facebook likes. It becomes available with iOS6 update.
  • Desktop iTunes: Major upgrades including “in the store” to see top songs and albums along with recommendations, easier rearranging of upcoming songs with “Up Next”, queue up a song and it will resume with your playlist, mini player offers rollover controls, iCloud built in so library shared with all iOS devices.

Stay tuned to Coolest Gadgets for more complete details on each product announcement.

Thanks to Macworld and TheVerge for their stellar blogs straight from the announcements.

[ Welcome to the iPhone® 5 and Much More copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]


iPhone 5 hands-on!

iPhone 5 handson!

At long last, the iPhone 5. We just got our hands on Apple’s latest smartphone following its unveiling in San Francisco, and suffice it to say, it’s a beautiful thing. Some might say we’ve been waiting for this moment since October 4th of last year, but another crowd may say that the real next-gen iPhone has been on the burner for much longer. Indeed, this is the first iPhone since June of 2010 to showcase an entirely new design, but it’s obvious that Apple’s not going to deviate far when it comes to aesthetics.

Apple followers will aptly recall Steve Jobs’ quote in July of 2010 — you know, that one about “no one” wanting a big phone, with current CEO Tim Cook seated just feet from Steve as the phrase was uttered. Now, however, Apple’s inching ever closer to that very realm, with an elongated 4-inch display that enables new apps to take advantage of more pixels (1,136 x 640), while legacy apps can still operate within a familiar space. The phone itself doesn’t feel too much different than the iPhone 4 and 4S; yes, it’s a bit taller, but by keeping the width the same, you’ll utilize a very familiar grasp to hold it.

In typical Apple fashion, even the finest details have been worked over tirelessly. The metal feels downright elegant to the touch, and the same line we’ve said time and time again applies here: there’s no doubting the premium fit and finish when you clutch one of these things. Yeah, the headphone port’s now on the bottom, but avid Galaxy Nexus iPod touch users shouldn’t have too much trouble adjusting.

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iPhone 5 hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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