Apple iPad 13-inch model tipped for testing alongside larger iPhones

While Apple most-recently went smaller with the iPad, moving down to a 7.9-inch display with the iPad mini, but it seems Apple will be moving in the opposite direction if a recent report is to be believed. It’s said that Apple is testing out 13-inch iPad prototypes, as well as larger displays on iPhones that exceed the current 4 inches.

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According to the Wall Street Journal, sources from suppliers in Asia say that Apple has asked for prototypes of screens larger than 4 inches for the iPhone, as well as ramblings of the company wanting to experiment with larger iPads that are around 13 inches in size. This means we could see a third iPad model, offering the Goldilocks effect to potential iPad buyers.

Of course, experimenting with different sizes of displays doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll see a larger iPad come into fruition. Apple is known to experiment quite a bit with potential products, but seeing as how larger screens are becoming popular than ever, it would make sense that the Cupertino-based company is looking to get in on that market.

The report on the larger iPhone displays goes right along with rumors last month of low-cost, plastic iPhone models with up to 5.7-inch screens. These are said to be budget-friendly devices that would get even more iPhones in the hands of consumers, since Android has a huge hold on the lower-cost device market currently.

Of course, Apple increased the size of the iPhone’s screen to 4 inches with the introduction of the iPhone 5. That marked the first time that the iPhone has gotten a screen size change, with all past models having 3.5-inch screens. The company has said that the screen size would never get any larger, but it seems that they’re buckling under peer pressure.

SOURCE: WSJ


Apple iPad 13-inch model tipped for testing alongside larger iPhones is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Ubuntu Edge smartphone announced with $32 million Indiegogo campaign, aims to hit market in May 2014

Ubuntu Edge smartphone announced for Indiegogo, coming to market in May 2014

Ubuntu’s plan to merge the desktop computer and mobile device is taking shape today in form of the Edge, which it’s aiming to bring to market in May of next year for $830 outright. True to Canonical’s community driven roots, the company is turning to crowd-funding to get the device on its feet. It’s aiming to raise $32 million, and to that end, Canonical’s launching a campaign on Indiegogo today, which provides early backers the opportunity to snag the phone for $600. According to company founder, Mark Shuttleworth, the Indiegogo route isn’t meant to compete with its strategy of courting carriers for its mainstream smartphone project. Rather, it’s meant to solve an “innovation gap” that’s arisen during talks with manufacturers over its grander vision.

The Ubuntu Edge is a very ambitious smartphone that’ll be capable of running a full-fledged Ubuntu desktop operating system alongside Android. While specs are currently tentative, the company is aiming to outfit the Edge with a quad-core CPU, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Meanwhile, the phone itself will sport a 4.5-inch, 1,280 x 720 display that’s constructed of sapphire crystal glass, an 8MP rear / 2MP front-facing camera and stereo speakers. As for connectivity, Canonical’s eyeing LTE, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC, along with MHL support.

If the converged device strategy strikes your fancy, you’ll find good incentive to be among the early backers. According to Shuttleworth, the Edge will only come to market if backers make it happen, as “none of the phone manufacturers are yet ambitious enough to try to put both things in one package.” Regardless of whether the Indiegogo campaigns succeeds — it’d be a record, if so — Canonical will continue pursuing its strategy to bring a more basic Ubuntu smartphone to market. Recently, the company announced the first of its partner carriers, which includes Verizon, Deutsche Telecom, EE, SK Telecom, China Unicom and others. We’re still waiting to see what type of smartphone might be offered through the carriers, but it’s now clear that if you believe in the open source / converged device philosophy, you’ll need to vote with your wallet.

Gallery: Ubuntu Edge

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Source: Indiegogo

Computer smart enough to go toe-to-toe with a 4-year-old

Just how smart can computers get? Will we ever see the kind of apocalyptic future tushered in by the Red Queen of Resident Evil fame, or will an equivalent of Skynet eventually come and bite us in our rear end? How about HAL9000 and its homicidal tendencies? I am quite pleased to report that computers have yet to achieve such levels of audacity in terms of intelligence, but there has been progress somewhat. Artificial and natural knowledge researchers at the University of Illinois (UIC) at Chicago claim to have tested one of the best AI systems out there just to see how smart it really is, and it turned out to rank on a scale that is that of the average 4-year old. Yes, you can all return to your normal lives now, as there is nothing quite like the looming threat of an evil computer AI hell bent on destroying mankind just because it sees us as a “virus”.

ConceptNet 4 basically did extremely well on a vocabulary test and on its ability to recognize similarities, but it underperformed when it came to comprehension­ on ‘why’ questions, which makes perfect sense. After all, one of the most difficult issues in constructing an AI would be to work on it being able to arrive at sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts, which is what we humans like to call, common sense. Looks like the looming AI apocalypse is still far away.

Press Release
[ Computer smart enough to go toe-to-toe with a 4-year-old copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Take Your Game Boy to the Beach Without Worrying About Getting Sand in It

Whether you’re Game Boy or a Game Girl, you need a new beach towel. You know you do. Especially if it looks like this. Inspired by the classic Nintendo Game Boy, ThinkGeek’s Beach Boy towel is the perfect thing for geeks having fun in the sun.

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Of course, looks are about where the similarities with an actual Game Boy diverge. Not only does this thing not play games, it won’t fit in your pocket either. Still, it’s pretty great, and you don’t have to worry about getting this Game Boy wet or full of sand while playing a round of Beachtris.

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So slather on a bottle or two of lotion and head on over to ThinkGeek, where you can get the Beach Boy/Game Boy towel for $19.99(USD).

[via GameFreakz]

Canary: This Might Be Your Home Security System of The Future

Canary: This Might Be Your Home Security System of The Future

Things that were once dumb are now smart. At least that’s the trend for home appliances as of late. Canary, the self-proclaimed world’s first smart home security system, is launching today on Indiegogo and it might actually work.

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The UK Moves to Block All Internet Porn by Default

The UK Moves to Block All Internet Porn by Default

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced a sweeping set of reforms on Monday that seeks to limit access to online pornography and do away with the more obscene materials. In a speech, Cameron outlined a new filter system that will compel all British internet users to select whether or not they want family-friendly filters in place on their accounts. Blimey.

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This Arduino hackaphone was never going to be pretty, but it does the job

This Arduino hackaphone was never going to be pretty, but it works

Okay, we’ll admit that it looks a bit like a baby monitor. But in contrast to those over-engineered pieces of parenting paraphernalia, this DIY cellphone can actually make calls and send texts over GPRS. More importantly, Hackaday claims it was put together by a lone hacker (“Victorzie”) from an assortment of off-the-shelf and modded parts, including a TFT touchscreen, lithium ion battery, charging circuit, GPRS module and shield. These components were hooked up to an Arduino Uno microcontroller running a barebones UI and then jammed into a 3D printed case, which makes the device look far more pocketable than some previous hackaphone efforts. The end result inspires big respect for the creator, but also, more grudgingly, for the pro engineers at places like Nokia, who can pull all this stuff together and even get it FCC-approved for just a few dollars.

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Source: Hackaday

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Student Edition arrives on heels of Tab 3

Though the full Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 line has only just arrived, Samsung is pushing the Galaxy Tab 2 Student Edition, complete with keyboard and dock accessories to boot. This combo works with Samsung’s aim for this season’s collection of students from sea to sea, pushing this “Student Edition” to the United States through brick-and-mortar stores like Office Max and Best Buy.

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This machine is being delivered with several firsts here in the USA – starting with a white casing. Though we’ve seen this color on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 in the USA before, here we’re seeing it on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 as only seen internationally in the past.

You’ll find this Student Edition working with the Samsung Desktop Dock and Bluetooth Keyboard both, both of them included in a package that’s ringing in at $349.99 USD. That’s a rather hearty bit of value when you consider the price of the tablet on its own – anywhere between $349.99 and $399.99 depending on where you shop. The dock and the keyboard then come essentially free where together they’d cost more than $60 USD – again, depending on where you shop.

Have a peek at our reviews of both the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 as well as the newer Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 to see the differences between the two. Spoiler: they’re very, very similar, and if you don’t plan on connecting one Samsung tablet to another, the Galaxy Tab 2′s speakers (front-facing as they are) trump the newer system. Displays notwithstanding, of course.

gwew


Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Student Edition arrives on heels of Tab 3 is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

AT&T Said To Be Offering $200 Off Early iPhone Upgrades [Debunked]

The word on the web is that AT&T wants to clear out its iPhone inventory before Apple releases the successor, quite possibly in the next couple of months. The rumor started from a Gottabemobile  report which was subsequently picked up by […]

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Google Gets Ready For Glass Mass Production, Takes Up Stake In Display Manufacturer

Himax Technologies, a chip maker based in Taiwan, announced today that Google is going to take up a 6.3 percent stake in Himax Display Inc, its subsidiary that manufacturers the mounted display that is used in Google Glass. Himax says […]

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