NASA satellite shows Hurricane Michael from space

NASA has shared an image of Hurricane Michael as it is seen from space, the photo having been captured by its Aqua satellite. The space agency’s image shows the storm near Cuba’s western tip as of yesterday when it was still rated as a category 1 hurricane. Earlier today, the hurricane was strengthened to a category 3 as it approaches … Continue reading

Apple’s Electromagnet Patent Could Protect iPhones & iPads When Dropped

When you think about how expensive an iPhone and an iPad is, you probably get that sinking feeling in your heart when you drop either device. Sometimes you get lucky and there is no damage, but sometimes you get a bit unlucky and the damage can be pretty bad, resulting in the device being rendered unusable.

However in a patent discovered by AppleInsider, it seems that Apple is toying with the idea of using electromagnets within devices like the iPhone and iPad, where upon detection that the device is falling, it will be able to “pull” the device away from the impacted area, thus preventing them from receiving the brunt of the damage and potentially avoiding any damage at all.

This is done by encasing the device inside a case with electromagnets, although as you can see in the diagram above, there is a lot of wasted space which means that the case could be big and bulky, although we suppose that’s the sacrifice one would have to make if they want to protect their devices from damage.

That being said, this is merely a patent which means that there’s no telling if and when Apple will make it a reality. However the patent does describe potential uses for electromagnets beyond protection, such as connecting peripherals and accessories, so maybe part of it could still be realized.

Apple’s Electromagnet Patent Could Protect iPhones & iPads When Dropped , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Limo Driver’s Family Believes He Was Given An Unsafe Vehicle

The family of Scott Lisinicchia released a statement through a lawyer.

Microsoft Says It's Fixed That Windows 10 October Update Bug That Mass-Deleted Entire Directories

Over the weekend, Microsoft pulled the latest update build of Windows 10 (version 1809) after a bug that flew past its Feedback Hub without the company’s notice resulted in mass file deletion for some users. Now, the company’s director of program management for Windows servicing and delivery, John Cable, says that the…

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Facebook releases Messenger Lite for iOS in Turkey

Facebook’s Messenger Lite has been available for the last couple of years, but only for Android. Until now, that is. TechCrunch reports that the company has now launched a version for iOS, but it’s unlikely you’ll be able to try it out just yet, sinc…

Google’s latest hardware innovation: Price

With its latest consumer hardware products, Google’s prices are undercutting Apple, Samsung and Amazon. The search giant just unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, tablet and smart home device, all available at prices well below their direct competitors. Where Apple and Samsung are pushing prices of its latest products even higher, Google is seemingly happy to keep prices low, and this is creating a distinct advantage for the company’s products.

Google, like Amazon and nearly Apple, is a services company that happens to sell hardware. It needs to acquire users through multiple verticals, including hardware. Somewhere, deep in the Googleplex, a team of number-crunchers decided it made more sense to make its hardware prices dramatically lower than competitors. If Google is taking a loss on the hardware, it is likely making it back through services.

Amazon does this with Kindle devices. Microsoft and Sony do it with game consoles. This is a proven strategy to increase market share where the revenue generated on the back end recovers the revenue lost on selling hardware with slim or negative margins.

Look at the Pixel 3. The base 64GB model is available for $799, while the base 64GB iPhone XS is $999. Want a bigger screen? The 64GB Pixel 3 XL is $899, and the 64GB iPhone XS Max is $1,099. Regarding the specs, both phones offer OLED displays and amazing cameras. There are likely pros and cons regarding the speed of the SoC, amount of RAM and wireless capabilities. Will consumers care that the screen and camera are so similar? Probably not.

Google also announced the Home Hub today. Like the Echo Show, it’s designed to be the central part of a smart home. It puts Google Assistant on a fixed screen where users can ask it questions and control a smart home. It’s $149. That’s $80 less than the Echo Show, though the Google version lacks video conferencing and a dedicated smart home hub — the Google Home Hub requires extra hardware for some smart home objects. Still, even with fewer features, the Home Hub is compelling because of its drastically lower price. For just a few dollars more than an Echo Show, a buyer could get a Home Hub and two Home Minis.

The Google Pixel Slate is Google’s answer to the iPad Pro. From everything we’ve seen, it appears to lack a lot of the processing power found in Apple’s top tablet. It doesn’t seem as refined or capable of specific tasks. But for view media, creating content and playing games, it feels just fine. It even has a Pixelbook Pen and a great keyboard that shows Google is positioning this against the iPad Pro. And the 12.3-inch Pixel Slate is available for $599, where the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is $799.

The upfront price is just part of the equation. When considering the resale value of these devices, a different conclusion can be reached. Apple products consistently resale for more money than Google products. On Gazelle.com, a company that buys used smartphones, a used iPhone X is worth $425, whereas a used Pixel 2 is $195. A used iPhone 8, a phone that sold for a price closer to the Pixel 2, is worth $240.

In the end, Google likely doesn’t expect to make money off the hardware it sells. It needs users to buy into its services. The best way to do that is to make the ecosystem competitive though perhaps not investing the capital to make it the best. It needs to be just good enough, and that’s how I would describe these devices. Good enough to be competitive on a spec-to-spec basis while available for much less.

more Google Event 2018 coverage

Marshall Minor II Bluetooth earbuds pack premium retro style

Audio company Marshall has announced the launch of Minor II Bluetooth, a wireless set of earbuds offering 12 hours of playback alongside an in-ear design. This model follows the original Minor earbuds, which were launched back in 2011. The updated version includes wireless support and an integrated microphone. The Marshall Minor II Bluetooth features a retro-like design similar to other … Continue reading

ASUS ROG Phone Pre-Orders Begin October 18

Earlier this year, ASUS announced the ROG Phone. For those unfamiliar, ROG is ASUS’ gaming lineup in which the branding was previously used for monitors and computers that were designated as a gaming product, which meant that the ROG Phone is basically the company’s own take on a gaming smartphone.

If the handset sounds like something you might be interested in, then you’ll be pleased and excited to learn that the phone will be making its way to the US and that come 18th of October, you’ll be able to pre-order it. The handset is priced starting at $899 which does make it one of the more expensive phones in the market today, but maybe its specs could change your mind.

The ROG Phone, for those who are learning about this for the first time, will feature a 6-inch 2160×1080 AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset can be found accompanied by 8GB of RAM, and a whopping 4,000mAh battery. The phone will also be packing dual rear-facing cameras at 12MP and 8MP, and an 8MP front-facing camera.

It is a powerful handset and its 90Hz refresh rate display does make it pretty compelling (although the Razer Phone’s 120Hz display is more enticing), but whether or not you think it is justifiable is up to you. Either way pre-orders will kick off later this month so you have a little over a week to think about it.

ASUS ROG Phone Pre-Orders Begin October 18 , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Taylor Swift Opens 2018 AMAs With Explosive ‘I Did Something Bad’ Performance

The singer’s AMAs set was her first appearance since endorsing Democrats Phil Bredesen and Jim Cooper on Instagram.

ASUS ROG Phone Pre-Orders Begin October 18

Earlier this year, ASUS announced the ROG Phone. For those unfamiliar, ROG is ASUS’ gaming lineup in which the branding was previously used for monitors and computers that were designated as a gaming product, which meant that the ROG Phone is basically the company’s own take on a gaming smartphone.

If the handset sounds like something you might be interested in, then you’ll be pleased and excited to learn that the phone will be making its way to the US and that come 18th of October, you’ll be able to pre-order it. The handset is priced starting at $899 which does make it one of the more expensive phones in the market today, but maybe its specs could change your mind.

The ROG Phone, for those who are learning about this for the first time, will feature a 6-inch 2160×1080 AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset can be found accompanied by 8GB of RAM, and a whopping 4,000mAh battery. The phone will also be packing dual rear-facing cameras at 12MP and 8MP, and an 8MP front-facing camera.

It is a powerful handset and its 90Hz refresh rate display does make it pretty compelling (although the Razer Phone’s 120Hz display is more enticing), but whether or not you think it is justifiable is up to you. Either way pre-orders will kick off later this month so you have a little over a week to think about it.

ASUS ROG Phone Pre-Orders Begin October 18 , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.