Hasta La Gadget!

Gamers, especially those hardcore ones, do take their gaming sessions seriously, and winning or losing is sometimes equated to a matter of life or death. Of course, the normal, Temple Run-playing world would not think that way, but if you have spoken to professional gamers or those who aspire to be one and are proud to be associated with a gaming “clan”, then you can see where their passion lie when you start to talk about the kind of hardware used, in addition to the best peripherals that suit their gaming style. When it comes to gaming mice, those are dime a dozen, but a mousing surface? That is a little bit trickier, and if you are curious to give a less established name a go, then the CM Storm RX gaming surfaces from Cooler Master would definitely be worth checking out.

First of all, there is the Control-RX that was specially designed for low DPI gamers, sporting a smooth Lycra surface as well as effortless glide touch to deliver maximum area for precise movement, not to mention the most accurate sensor readings so that you will be able to avoid certain issues such as in-game jittering. There is an anti-slip polyurethane base to ensure that the pad remains in place during intense firefights, while an extra thick, water resistant design helps make longer gaming sessions a whole lot more comfortable.

As for the Power-RX, this particular gaming surface relies on Cooler Master’s very own Surgical Strike Surface construction, which is a finely textured area that will enable one to execute precise and intricate movements without missing a beat. You should be able to call upon your reserves of strength as you persevere through each battle thanks to this specifically formulated material which also doubles up as a water resistant guard against splashes, spills, and sweat.

Of course, there is also the Speed-RX fo you to consider, where it was specially designed for high-grade optical gaming sensors, although those who use laser sensors will not feel out of place as well. Equipped with a microscopic synthetic mesh for optimum precision and reduced drag, there is an accompanying aggressive non-slip rubber base, coupled with a 5mm thick cushion. Thanks to a triple layer heat bonding process, you end up with a durable gaming pad that delivers when it matters the most. The Control-RX and Power-RX will retail for $34.99, while the Speed-RX is going for a more affordable $24.99.

Press Release
[ CM Storm RX gaming surfaces help up your game copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

With just a few quick steps, it’s easy to open the phone app on any locked iPhone running iOS 6.1. From there a person has full access to the photo library, can edit contacts, send emails, text messages or even make a FaceTime call. It’s so easy that it’s downright silly.

As shown in the video here, the process involves holding down the power button and aborting an emergency call. It worked for me although the timing is tricky.

The flaw causes the phone to load the phone app, giving anyone full access to the dialer, contact list, voicemails, call history and photos by editing a contact. An email or text message can be sent by sharing a contact. FaceTime is accessible through the contacts as well.

Update: Apple has reached out to TechCrunch with the following comment:

Apple takes user security very seriously. We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update.

The exploit is fairly easy to access but the timing is tricky.

• From a locked iPhone running iOS 6, load the emergency dial screen.
• Press and hold the power button and then hit cancel.
• Make a fake emergency call — I dialed 112 like in the video.
• Hang up immediately.
• Hit the power button to put the phone back in standby.
• Hit the home button to bring up the lockscreen
• Hold down the power button and at the three-second mark, hit the Emergency Call button.
• Keep holding the power button until the Phone App comes up.
• Hit the Home Button and release as if you’re taking a screen shot.

The last bit is the hard part. The timing needs to be just right. It took me about 20 minutes to get the timing down.

While new to iOS 6.1, this isn’t the first time a simple workaround has resulted in similar access. A comparable exploit was found in iOS 4.1. 

Apple will likely address this exploit rather quickly. It’s a massive backdoor to some of the iPhone’s core functions.

Apple has been having some significant issues with software of late. The company had some serious issues with its Maps software that was providing some users with downright dangerous driving directions. When Apple issued its latest iOS update, several issues were noted.

The issues with the operating system were bad enough that some carriers, such as Vodafone in the UK and 3 Austria were warning users to not update to the latest version of the operating system. Vodafone warned that some iPhone 4S users running iOS 6.1 were experiencing difficulty connecting to the network to make calls, receive texts, and connect to the Internet.

The 6.1 update also caused various problems for enterprise users, specifically those that connected to Microsoft Exchange servers. The issue with the update and Exchange was to do with synchronization and led to Microsoft suggesting to administrators that they may want to block iOS 6.1 devices from accessing servers.

Apple is now saying that it has identified the problem affecting Exchange servers and that a fix for the problem is coming. Apple promises a fix for the problem in an upcoming software update and is suggesting that users disable and re-enable Exchange calendars to remedy the problem. Apple has already released version 6.1.1 to address connectivity issues for iPhone 4S users. Apple offered no firm timeline for when the Exchange fix would be available.

[via The Verge]

Apple promises to squash iOS 6.1 Exchange bug is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Sony is experimenting with a tablet-style PlayStation controller, codenamed the EyePad, which would allow dynamic 3D motion control and virtual buttons for gaming and other purposes, according to a 2012 patent filing. The application, spotted by Gamechup, for “Input device, system and method,” describes a “panel, tablet or slab-like device” that would build upon the motion-tracking abilities of the PlayStation Move by creating a virtual interaction area above the slate – using a stereoscopic camera array – within which individual finger, hand, and object movements could be incorporated into gameplay.

As Sony describes it, the EyePad would be a broad, flat, slimline tablet with illuminated edges. Those lights would be used in a similar way to the Move’s motion-tracking, with the EyeToy camera accessory currently used with the PlayStation 3 relying on the illumination to pinpoint the EyePad in 3D space. Various physical controls could be dotted around the periphery of the fascia, optionally flanking a central touchpad area.

However, actually making physical contact with the touchpad wouldn’t be necessary. Sony envisages a pair of cameras – similar to those you might find in a smartphone – looking out of the tablet, and by using stereoscopic 3D algorithms, capable of tracking the movement of an object or objects in the space above the EyePad.

That movement could be of a finger, or of a whole hand, or indeed it could be of an object or shape that was held in the space above the EyePad and manipulated. Altogether, then, the peripheral would be able to funnel a vast quantity of data back to the PlayStation over Bluetooth: the absolute position of the EyePad itself in the room; the relative orientation of the EyePad in six axes, gathered from onboard motion sensors; the location of any contact points with the touchpad surface; the appearance/3D shape of objects in the space above the EyePad; and the status of any physical buttons or sticks scattered around the device.

As Sony suggests, the possibilities for utilizing all that data are near-endless. In the EyePets game, for instance, the EyePad could serve as a virtual grooming station: users could hold out the slate for their virtual pet to “jump up” and then, by miming stroking and brushing it, interact more naturally with the on-screen animal. A physical shape – perhaps a toy animal – could als be used to manipulate the on-screen representation; or, the EyePad could allow user avatars to be browsed through and viewed in 3D.

Another idea is a virtual fishtank, or a finger-controlled 3D roller-coaster, or indeed navigating through a point-and-click adventure game. A number of stereoscopic camera pairs, meanwhile, could gather stacked 3D data, allowing the EyePad to track different levels of objects and contact points.

Of course, just because Sony files a patent, it doesn’t mean that the company actually plans to develop the EyePad controller for commercial use. Still, with Microsoft having great success with Kinect – and supposedly planning to emphasize the motion-sensor even more with the Xbox 720 – while Nintendo continues to experiment with ambitious tablet-style motion controller, it wouldn’t surprise us to hear that Sony had similar 3D plans of its own for the upcoming PlayStation 4.

[via Neogaf]

Sony PlayStation EyePad could bring 3D control to the PS4 is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We are supposed to drink in enough water each day if we were to be well hydrated and to keep our cells looking nice and young, but sometimes, we tend to drink other kinds of unwanted fluid such as sodas and coffee more than water, which is not a good thing. Well, why not bring some balance to your diet by incorporating some fruity goodness inside there? This is where the £24.99 Aqua Zinger comes in handy, thanks to its integrated blender mechanism and clever construction, allowing you to avoid unwanted additives and sugars while ensuring that everything that goes down your throat remains all natural.

The Aqua Zinger is so easy to use, that all you need to do is to fill up the bass cup with your favorite fruity combinations (it also depends on how much cut up fruit that you want to squeeze in, of course), replace the filter afterwards and screw it on tight in order to get the juices flowing. Once that is done, just load up the bottle with an adequate amount of water, give it a vigorous shake, and you can begin to enjoy fantastic, natural flavors throughout the day – or at least, as long as there is enough fruity goodness left within. The double-wall stainless steel helps keep drinks hot or cold, and with screw-tight vacuum-seals, oxidization will not kick in that fast.

[ Aqua Zinger copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]