Hasta La Gadget!

(Credit: Video screenshot by Michelle Starr/CNET Australia)

When you drop molten glass into cold water, you get a curious object: a Prince Rupert’s Drop, shaped like a teardrop with a long, wiggly tail. What’s so curious about the Prince Rupert’s Drop is that you can hit the bulb as hard as you like with a hammer, throw it against the wall, and yet, even though we think of glass as fragile, it will not break.

That is, until you hit the sweet spot. If you damage any part of the tail, just a tiny bit, the entire drop explodes outward in a stunning display.

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Although the drops have been around for centuries, the reason for this strange behavior has only been discovered recently — and it can be seen by watching the glass explode in slow motion. That’s what YouTube science educator Destin of Smarter Every Day has done…. [Read more]

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A big part of T-Mobile’s UnCarrier plan revolves around the iPhone 5, and it turns out that T-Mo’s offering the Apple flagship at a previously unheard-of price: $579. As CEO John Legere announced today, his company will be offering its AWS-equipped version of the iPhone 5 for $99, plus 24 monthly payments of $20. That’s contract-free, but the device is locked until it’s fully paid for, and the cheapest monthly plan to go with it is $50 for 500MB of data and unlimited voice and texting a month. By contrast, the same 16GB phone unlocked direct from Apple costs $649, while AT&T offers a locked model for $199 — if you sign a 24-month contract — and the cheapest possible plan to go with it provides a mere 300MB of data, 450 minutes and no texting at a cost of $60 a month. So, T-Mo seems to be winning the iPhone price war, and doing so handily.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, T-Mobile

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Stop what you’re doing right now and start scrolling through this Tumblr of colorful images of planes and bridges and mats and packaging and other everyday items morphing into each other. It’s called I’m Google, an ongoing art project that finds beautiful patterns in otherwise benign and boring images Google Image search results. More »

At T-Mobile’s UnCarrier event, there’s been a lot of talk about how you, the customer, are no longer tied in. No contracts, no obligations, no restrictions, right? Turns out that new iPhone you’ve just paid $100 upfront for isn’t so liberal, as the carrier has said any handsets you pick up will be locked to the T-Mobile network. There is a welcome caveat though: as long as you’ve paid the cost of the phone off, the Magenta mob will unlock it for you. That means if you’re unhappy with whatever new plan you’re on, you can take the phone elsewhere with a flat, one-time payment, or installments of your choice — whether that’s continuing on a monthly basis, or larger sums at an accelerated rate. Of course, if you just want out, you can always trade it back for a “fair” amount.

Update: We spoke with Apple regarding specifics of the new hardware and the unlocking details, which can be found here.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, T-Mobile

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Logitech has just announced it next line-up of keyboards designed for Apple’s iPad and iPad Mini. The new keyboard will take the typing experience that users loved from Logitech’s Ultrathin Keyboard Cover and “add an extra layer of protection.” The new Keyboard Folio will protect your iPad while also offering you a typing experience that transcends that of the iPad’s on-screen keyboard.

The Keyboard Folio will have magnets to ensure your Folio is fully closed and that your device is safe. The keyboard will also feature full-size keys, so that you can adapt quickly to the accessory and shell out emails, messages, and search queries painfully easy. The keyboard also has shortcuts designed for the iPad that will allow you to do a lot more without having to lift your hands. You can also adjust the angle of your Folio to your preference. You can fold your Folio to hide the keyboard, or you can prop up the stand to enjoy a full keyboard typing experience.

The keyboard, like all other Folio keyboards, connects to your iPad device through Bluetooth. The Keyboard Folio will also wake up your iPad when you open it, and put your iPad to sleep when you close it. That way you are able to conserve your iPad’s battery life as much as possible. You can recharge your keyboard with the USB cable provided, however you probably won’t need to for a while since it can last up to 3 months average on a full charge.

The Logitech Keyboard Folio for the iPad will launch in both the United States and Europe in April 2013. You can purchase one for $99.99. The Keyboard Folio for the iPad Mini will launch in May 2013, for a cheaper price of $89.99. The Logitech Keyboard Folio will be available in Pink, Yellow, Blue or Black. You can find out more about the Keyboard Folio in the source link below.

[via Logitech]

Logitech announces Keyboard Folio for iPads is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
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