Hasta La Gadget!

This week in an interview with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher at the D11 conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook had a bit to say about Google’s wearable product: Glass. Having been asked what his take was on wearables by Swisher, Cook responded: “I think wearables [are] incredibly interesting. It could be a profound area.” His reply on Google Glass specifically wasn’t quite so optimistic.

According to Cook, “there are some positives in the product.” Responding to a query on Google Glass, Cook continued,”It’s probably likely to appeal to certain vertical markets, [but] the likelihood that it has broad appeal is hard to see.” Mossberg continued the line of questioning by asking “is wearables a thing? Is part of the post-PC era wearables that go beyond fitness devices?”

“There are lots of gadgets in the space. I would say that the ones that are doing more than one thing, there’s nothing great out there that I’ve seen. Nothing that’s going to convince a kid that’s never worn glasses or a band or a watch or whatever to wear one. At least I haven’t seen it. So there’s lots of things to solve in this space.” – Tim Cook

Cook added that this area was “ripe for exploration,” and “ripe for us to get excited about,” noting that “lots of companies” will be joining in. Pushed by Swisher to say whether or not Apple bill be one of them, Cook made it clear, “I don’t want to answer that one.”

On the subject of wearables, Cook continued by noting how his glasses – non-smart though they were – were not something he’d wear if he didn’t have to. “I think from a mainstream point of view, glasses are risky.” It was clear that Cook’s interest in wearables wasn’t about to be tied directly to Apple products that hadn’t been announced yet, but that the company wouldn’t be left out of the movement.

VIA: The Verge
SOURCE: AllThingsD

Tim Cook suggests Google Glass “broad appeal is hard to see” is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The Google+ app was updated for Android users a short while back and as of today, it looks like that same update has arrived for iOS users. The update is already available and those looking to update will be grabbing version 4.4.0. Perhaps more important though, this is the update that brings the new Photos experience with features to include Auto Enhance.

Google is touting this update as being one that will allow you to keep your photos organized and also looking best. One of those looking best related features is the previously mentioned Auto Enhance. This makes instant adjustments to include the brightness and saturation. In our testing, the Auto Enhance seems to be working nicely, however for those worried, Google does allow you to choose between the original and the edited image. One bit worth mentioning, the Auto Enhance (and the Auto Awesome) feature is turned on by default.

This update also brings support for the related hashtags, which were originally mentioned during the Google I/O keynote. This is basically nothing more than how Google now automatically includes some hashtags on your posts. While your posts will be tagged automatically, these will also help you when browsing for content. Otherwise, a few other items you will see include the ability to edit some additional profile fields and also upload a cover photo.

Once you have updated Google+ you will begin seeing Google Offer posts in your stream and you will also be able to adjust how often the What’s Hot posts appear in your stream. Some additional (and smaller) changes include the ability to use strikethrough text, copy the post permalink and also edit comments.

The final change here deals with Hangouts. We suspect plenty of iOS users may have already installed the Hangouts app, however if you have yet to do that, clicking the Hangouts link in the Google+ app menu will instruct you to do so. Basically, despite the link being in the menu, these are still two different apps. Of course, once Hangouts is installed a click of that link will simply launch the app.

Google+ iOS app update brings new Photos experience is written by Robert Nelson & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

With a custom-made setup connecting an app, the iPhone, and a telescope together to take photos of space, one photographer has shown some surprisingly high-quality pics this week of our own moon. Jared Earle’s custom build included the iPhone 4S, a 5-inch lens-toting Celestron spotter scope, a Magnifi accessory, and the app Cortex Camera. With these simple components, surprising results have appeared.

The photo of the moon you’re seeing here comes from Earle’s Flickr account, and was indeed taken with an iPhone 4S. Cortex Camera is used to take a series of photos that, in the end, create one massive high-quality and, as they say, “noise free” composite image.

Though no tripod is necessary when using this app outside of this setup, it’s important that the telescope is not sitting free on its own – don’t want to drop it, after all. The Magnifi accessory is one that allows the user to mount their iPhone to any of a collection of instruments. Telescopes can be attached at the eye, as can microscopes, binoculars, and other oddities.

Earle decided to work with Cortex Camera to make up for the eyepiece he had on hand. Using electrical tape around the 24mm eyepiece allowed the Magnifi accessory to fit properly, while using Cortex Camera allowed the iPhone’s sensor to be fully utilized.

While it’s suggested that the photographer get a remote shutter of some sort or another for the iPhone – and there are many, many of them out there, mind you – Earle made the process work without. Testing this setup – or one similar to it – should be done during the day to assure one’s self of being able to execute a great one-off photo. Once night comes, you’ll want to take said photos in the dark!

SOURCE: 23x

iPhone takes HD moon photos with custom telescope setup is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Blockbuster started the month by launching an On Demand app for iOS and embracing the streaming video era. For the end of the month, it’s going retro: following a quiet App Store launch earlier in May, the company has formally announced a free Blockbuster 2.0 iOS app that covers everything but streaming. The release is built almost exclusively for traditionalists, letting them manage their Blockbuster By Mail rental queues, scan membership cards and check the stock at those stores that remain open. About the only concessions to modernity are the built-in movie trailers. While the app does give some needed love to disc-based viewers, it’s an acute reminder that much of Blockbuster’s original audience has moved on.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: App Store

It is being reported that a new across the board Gmail update is going to be released, apart from visual updates, it will also bring a new automatic email categorization feature.

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