New Photo of Alleged iPhone 5S Home Button Flex Cable Could Point to Fingerprint Sensor Support

Over the past few months, a number of parts alleged to be for the iPhone 5S have leaked out of Asian parts and repair firms, but leaked home button parts had failed to provide evidence for the inclusion of a fingerprint sensor as has been widely rumored for the device. 

But as noted by Nowhereelse.fr, a new home button flex cable part has surfaced that may show support for the fingerprint sensor. The part contains an identifier of 821-2092-01 in line with Apple's usual part number scheme, and appears to carry a manufacturing date code corresponding to the 29th week of 2013, or mid-July...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Geek festival Campus Party takes over London's O2

If you're looking for a job in tech, want to win money playing FIFA, or listen to some of tech's biggest names talk about the future, head down to the O2 in London this week. Campus Party is a massive tech festival -- and it's just getting started.

Taking place under the arched roof of the arena formerly known as the Millennium Dome, Campus Party is staged by O2 owners Telefonica. It's designed to be part festival, part hackathon, part conference, part jobs fair, and runs from today to Saturday 7 September...

Read the full story here... Source: CNET

Cutting the cord for good: Dyson’s new cordless vacuum packs the same punch as a full size vacuum

Forget pesky cords and bulky cleaners. The latest Dyson Digital Slim™ DC59 vacuum is lightweight, cordless, and packs the same power as a mains vacuum cleaner. With 20 minutes of powerful suction, DC59 is light and easy to manoeuvre between high, low and hard to reach spaces. No more fiddling about with plugs or tripping over cords. Simply remove from the docking station and go.

James Dyson said, “The capability of our digital motors to power our cordless technology is accelerating. The new V6 Dyson digital motor is faster and stronger than its predecessor with a higher power density; giving DC59 the performance of a mains powered machine without being tethered to the wall.”

Integrated motor technology: the new V6 motor was engineered specifically for this machine. One and a half times more powerful than the previous motor, it draws more power from the battery source. Nothing wasted.  

2 Tier Radial™ cyclones: 15 cyclones work in parallel across two tiers to capture fine dust. Dyson engineers ensured an equal flow of air throughout the cyclone pack, by engineering the airways, to guarantee constant centrifugal forces and high dust separation.

Tough on dust and dirt: a newly configured motorhead tackles dust and dirt on any surface. Carbon fibre antistatic bristles reduce the build-up of static charge, aiding capture of fine dust on hard floors. Nylon bristles work to trap ground-in dirt from carpets.

Light, versatile and easy to store: a small, light, power dense motor in the hand, instead of at the floor, makes it easy to clean up top, down low and in between spaces. The lightweight aluminium wand can be detached for stairs, upholstery, cars and other compact spaces. And storage is hassle free with a wall mounted docking station.

The machine is available from 1^st October in the UK and costs £349.99.

This is definitely a brilliant piece of technology that we at Geekanoids would love to be using at our studio!

Orbitsound unveils new all-in-one SB60 airSOUND™ Base

Following the success of the recently launched ‘M series’, the award-winning British audio technology brand Orbitsound launches the SB60 airSOUND™ Base, a one-box TV sound solution with an integrated subwoofer, to deliver a natural and immersive sound experience without the need for additional speakers.

The SB60 airSOUND Base is powered by patented airSOUND^TM technology, which delivers rich quality sound at high or low volume settings, thereby enhancing dialogue, music, action and sound from everyday programming wherever the listener is in relation to the speaker. The technology is the latest evolution of sound reproduction from Orbitsound and represents over 40 years of experience in sound engineering acquired in professional recording studios.

Measuring a compact 60cm x 30cm x 8cm (width x depth x height) the SB60 airSOUND Base is built to unobtrusively sit beneath TVs. Suitable for 32”- 42” screens and many TVs up to 55”, the design blends effortlessly into the background and makes sound its main focus, yet its design caters for style-conscious consumers alike.

Underneath the hand polished, high gloss piano black exterior comes a cabinet produced from engineered wood and constructed from no fewer than 20 individual wooden components to create minimal distortion. The removable front grille can be replaced in seconds with a silver grille (included) to offer users a design alternative.

The easy set-up requires just one optical cable to connect to a television, plus one addition electrical plug to the wall, and removes the need for any additional equipment, wiring or adjustment. Other devices can be connected using the 3.5mm jack input.

The SB60 airSOUND Base features 2x2” front speakers that deliver most of the sound definition. In addition, the 5” down-firing subwoofer pumps the volume and power of the bass frequencies. The 2x2” side-firing speakers create a wide and engaging soundscape that envelopes all the listeners, wherever they are in the room. 

Orbitsound’s MD Peter Eckhardt comments: “The SB60 airSOUND Base has been developed for the love of TV. As flatscreen TVs become thinner, the sound tends to become inferior, leaving a gap in the market for consumers who want to enjoy premium sound from their TVs without sacrificing on convenience, simplicity and ease of use. The SB60 airSOUND Base not only fills that gap but also brings to life the Orbitsound vision of reproducing sound as though the artist, actor or musician was in the room. The SB60 airSOUND Base, powered by our patented airSOUND^TM technology, is a perfect solution for anyone looking for an all-in-one sound solution for their TV’s with superior sound quality.” 

The SB60 airSOUND Base will be available in John Lewis stores retailing at £299 from 26th August 2013

Apple Could Still Be Planning Television-Related Announcement for Late This Year

Back in February, former TechCrunch writer and Google Ventures partner MG Siegler reported that he was hearing "chatter" about Apple making a significant push into television in the fall of this year. While Siegler was unable to say whether the push would include an actual television set from the outset, he believed that something was indeed happening, whether it be opening up the existing Apple TV up to third-party developers or launching a new Apple TV set-top box with expanded capabilities...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Sound without speakers; Kyocera is changing how we hear each other

What if a phone didn’t need a speaker to relay a phone conversation to you? Sounds crazy, maybe. We’ve been utilizing speakers (almost exclusively) since Alexander Graham Bell (or Innocenzo Manzetti, depending on how you look at it) invented the telephone, so not having one seems far fetched...

Read the full story here... Source: Android Authority

Rumor: Android 4.3 coming to Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, not Android 4.2.2

A new report says that Samsung is already working on the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update for some of its top devices, with the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 said to make the jump directly to Android 4.3 and skip Android 4.2.2.

We will remind you that this is just a rumor at this point, so don’t get too excited about it at this time, as we can’t confirm the news just yet. Temefy has it from sources close to Samsung India that the company is working on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note, but also on the Android 4.3 update for the same devices.

Android 4.2.2 was already leaked for the Galaxy S3, but so was an Android 4.3 build for the Galaxy S4 Google Play edition.

Since Google is expected to launch Android 4.3 in the near future, it would make sense to see some devices skip a Jelly Bean version in order to run the latest Android OS available. But that doesn’t mean that Samsung will necessarily choose this route.

The report also says that an Android 4.2.2 for the Galaxy S3 and Note 2 would arrive in November instead of July, as initially expected. If true, that would be another reason to have the handsets move directly to Android 4.3 instead.

Finally, the publication says that the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 2 will all be further upgradeable to the next major Android version – supposedly Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie – but not all of them will receive it at the same time.

We’ll be back with more details about software updates for these particular handsets once we have them.

Source: Android Authority

Microsoft Forced to Slash Surface RT Prices Despite Vigorous Anti-iPad Ad Campaign

Microsoft is planning to drop the prices of its Surface RT tablets by $150, reports The Verge. The lower prices, which will go into effect on Sunday July 14, are likely the result of lackluster sales. 

Bloomberg reported in March that Microsoft had sold just 1.5 million Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets since they debuted in October of 2012 and February of 2013, respectively, with 400,000 of those sales attributed to the Pro. HP experienced similarlypoor sales with its TouchPad, which was heavily discounted and then discontinued.

The Surface pricing change comes just after Microsoft announced a restructuring of the company, aiming to enhance collaboration and unify its product lineup. Microsoft has heavily marketed Windows 8 tablets in recent weeks, pitting several different tablets against Apple's iPad in a series of ads that highlight the iPad’s inability to multitask and its lack of built-in productivity software. 

With the discount, Microsoft's pricing will be as follows: 

- Surface RT 32GB: $349.99 
- Surface RT 64GB: $449.99 
- Surface RT 32GB with Touch Cover: $449.99 
- Surface RT 64GB with Touch Cover: $549.99 

Staples has confirmed the pricing cut in a weekly promotional ad that says the new pricing will be available as of Sunday. Despite the pricing cuts, Microsoft has suggested that new versions of both the Surface Pro and the Surface RT are in the works, along with a number of new accessories.

Source: Mac Rumours

Google to profit from self-driving cars by decade's end

Google stands to rev up substantial revenue from self-driving cars.

The search giant is likely to gain whether it creates the hardware for self-driving cars or simply license the necessary software to automakers, Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster said in an investors note released Tuesday. Either way, revenue from this burgeoning sector should start to ramp up for Google before the decade is over.

"We believe the utility of reducing auto deaths and idle time in traffic add up to a $200+ billion opportunity in autonomous vehicle technology," Munster said. And the analyst sees Google as the "best positioned Internet company over the next ten years" to profit from the technology.

outing the benefits of driverless cars, Munster noted a study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that cited around 32,000 deaths in 2011 due to car accidents. That number showed a significant drop from prior years, but the analyst clearly believes it could be further reduced through self-driving cars.

Another study from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute found that Americanswasted 5.5 billion hours in 2011 stuck in traffic, resulting in $121 billion in lost time and fuel. Driverless cars could potentially cut down on all those traffic jams...

Read the full story here. Source: CNET

Sony SmartWatch 2 apparently shipping starting with the week of July 15 in the UK

Sony’s recently announced SmartWatch 2 is apparently going to arrive in stock with Clove starting with July 15, according to the UK retailer.

The device is already available for pre-order with Clove, which basically said in a blog post that it will ship the first units as soon as they arrive.

Furthermore, Clove’s pre-order page now lists the new smartwatch for £120 (VAT included) or around $181, and has shipping pegged down to the “week commencing 15th July.”

That’s certainly surprising considering that Sony said in the official SmartWatch 2 press release that the device will ship at some point in September.

Not long after it was made official, the device was confirmed to arrive in France also in September, where it would cost €199, or around $258. From the looks of it, UK buyers interested in smartwatches are definitely getting a better deal, and an earlier ship date.

The Sony SmartWatch 2 sold by Clove will come with a black leather wristband in the box. As for the other features of the device, here’s what you can expect:

• Splash proof (Not suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, diving, snorkeling, water related work or fishing)
• Easy calling
• NFC capabilities
• Versatile accessory ideal for the active person
• Connects via Bluetooth to your compatible device
• Transmits key information from the mobile device to the SmartWatch without the need to touch the phone itself
• Can be clipped to clothing, bags or worn on the wrist
• More applications being developed at all times to give greater personalization and functionality

Source: Android Authority

High-Resolution Renderings of Apple's Lower-Cost Plastic iPhone

While Apple has been rumored for some time to be planning to launch a lower-cost iPhone available in multiple colors with a plastic shell, reports have been picking up steam in recent weeks, led in part by a claim that Apple will be adopting the bright colors it used for its iPhone 4/4S bumpers. That report was followed by leaked design drawingsfrom a case maker showing the expected measurements and physical features of the device. 

And just this past weekend, several new images were posted to Chinese forum site WeiPhone showing what may be rear shells from the lower-cost iPhone in yellow, red, and green. 

Based on all of this recent information, we once again commissioned Ciccarese Design to produce some high-quality mockups intended to capture the lower-cost iPhone's size, shape, and texture given that it will mark a departure from the nearly all metal and glass bodies of recent iPhone models. 

The renderings show a slightly thicker device than the iPhone 5, measuring at 8.5 mm thick compared to 7.6 mm for the iPhone 5. The lower-cost iPhone is also slightly taller and wider than the iPhone 5 to account for the thicker plastic shell. 

Physical features are very similar to those of the iPhone 5, although the volume buttons appear to be shifting from the round design seen on recent iPhone models to pill-shaped, and the speaker and microphone holes along the bottom edge will also see a simpler design compared to the iPhone 5. 

Apple is expected to launch its iPhone 5S flagship device later this year, most likely around the same September-October timeframe seen the past two years. The company's lower-cost iPhone is likely to make its debut at around the same time, offering an updated more affordable option for consumers, particularly in markets where carrier subsidies are uncommon.

Source: Mac Rumours

Apple Has Also Filed for an 'iWatch' Trademark in Japan

Bloomberg reports that Apple has filed for a trademark for the term 'iWatch' in Japan:

 The maker of iPhones is seeking protection for the name which is categorized as being for products including a handheld computer or watch device, according to a June 3 filing with the Japan Patent Office that was made public last week.

'iWatch' is one of the possible names for the long-rumored Apple wristwatch that has generated increasing buzz over the past year. 

The filing actually represents the second 'iWatch' trademark filing discovered from Apple. The first report of the 'iWatch' trademark came from Russia, also on June 3rd. 

Bloomberg repeats its February claim that Apple has a team of about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch computer. The most recent reports have suggested we won't see the Apple watch until late 2014 and that the watch will feature biometrics as a key feature, allowing for increased security and opening the door to broader health-related applications.

Source: Mac Rumours