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Apple once envisioned retractable bumpers for its self-driving cars
Apple once dreamed of self-driving cars with retractable bumpers. In 2015, the company filed a patent for "extendable bumpers" with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The patent was published this morning, but even if Apple were once serious about adding inflatable bumpers to its vehicles, the company has since pivoted and scaled back its Project Titan self-driving vehicle efforts.
The birth of a spaceport
The government may have ceded the development of spaceships to companies, but Cape Canaveral Air Force Station remains a key site for space exploration. Together with the neighboring Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral played an integral part in the space race, and continues to host launches to this day.
YouTube will soon show six-second 'Bumper' ads before videos
Unless you employ an ad-blocker, you're probably used to seeing pre-roll ads on YouTube videos. You can normally skip the longer spots if they're not really your thing, but a new format launching today, which Google calls "Bumper" ads, will bypass that reflex by keeping things short. Like, six seconds short. They'll launch in May and are designed to appear before videos that you watch on your smartphone or tablet.
designed by many AL13 v3 case for iPhone 6/6 Plus ... and a few more cases for you
Design house designed by many has been around for a few years, with some fascinating products for Apple customers. Early on, the company was one of the first to come up with a protective aluminum bumper for the iPhone, and the AL13 bumper is now in its third iteration. In this review, I'll not only look at the AL13 v3 for iPhone 6 Plus, but several other designed by many cases and protective films. AL13 v3 Aerospace Aluminum iPhone Bumper (US$84.99 for iPhone 6 Plus, $79.99 for iPhone 6) The AL13 seen at the top of this post is wonderful minimalist protection for your iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. It comes in five different finishes: silver, black, champagne, space gray, and green, and is incredibly light - it adds only 0.6 ounces (17 grams) to the weight of the iPhone 6 Plus. Unlike some competing designs, no tools are required to install or remove the AL13. The company has created a two-piece design that features two protruding plastic pieces that lock into corresponding holes on the bottom part. Installation is a very quick snap, while removal takes a little bit of force. The interior of the machines aluminum bumper is lined with polycarbonate so that your iPhone is cushioned and the bumper won't scratch the iPhone's metal. There's a bit of a lip on both the front and back of the bumper to protect your iPhone's screen and back from flat drops onto the ground. That extra bit of height also accommodates designed by many's MPACT GLASS screen protector, which is included with the case. I found the AL13 v3 to be a gorgeous accessory to the iPhone 6 Plus, with the silver aluminum finish perfectly accenting the silver finish of my phone. The power button, mute switch, and volume rocker all use pass-through switches on the case, and their are ample openings on the bottom of the case for the headphone jack, microphone, Lightning connector port, and speaker. To top it off, the AL13 comes in a beautiful aluminum box, so it's a perfect gift for that iPhone 6 or 6 Plus owner you know. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible ThreeD Case for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus ($29.99 for iPhone 6 Plus, $24.99 for iPhone 6) The next case from designed by many is the ThreeD Case, which is a bit different from your ordinary run-of-the-mill polycarbonate case. First, it has a very unique 3D triangular pattern on the back side. While that looks good, it also provides an extra grip for those who fumble phones. Moving the case from side to side you can see the extra depth that is added by the pattern, which changes depending on how the light is hitting it. It's quite attractive, and the case comes in white, black, champagne, and space gray finishes to accent your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. Other than the stunning design, the ThreeD Case is somewhat similar to a lot of less expensive polycarbonate cases on the market. However, designed by many did use an "uber premium polycarbonate composite" for this case that is recyclable and RoHS-compliant, and they include an MPACT GLASS tempered glass screen protector. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible BEZEL Case for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus ($29.99 for iPhone 6 Plus, $24.99 for iPhone 6) The term "case" is really a misnomer for the BEZEL Case, as it's technically a bumper with no back. Think of the AL13, except without the aluminum on the outside, and you have the BEZEL Case. As with the other cases, designed by many includes one of the excellent MPACT GLASS tempered glass screen protectors with the BEZEL Case to provide extra protection for your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus display. The case comes in black, white, silver, champagne, and space gray, and features pass through buttons for the volume rocker and power switch. There's an opening in the side of the bumper for the mute switch, and the entire bottom of the case is open for unimpeded access. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible SLIM Case for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus ($24.99 for iPhone 6 Plus, $19.99 for iPhone 6) Finally, we come to the least expensive member of the designed by many case/bumper family, the polycarbonate SLIM Case. It's a rather generic polycarb sleeve with no special design features, really. It does come with the MPACT GLASS screen protector, and can be purchased in clear translucent, smoke translucent, black, silver, champagne, space gray and white. While you can get similar cases for quite a bit less from a number of vendors, they probably don't include a tempered glass screen protector. Rating: 3 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway Thanks to our good friends at designed by many, we're giving away one each of the AL13 v3 (silver), ThreeD Case (champagne), BEZEL Case (white), and SLIM Case (black) cases or bumpers reviewed here. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before January 23, 2015 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. Four winners will be selected in a random drawing. One will receive a AL13 v3 aluminum bumper for iPhone 6 Plus valued at $84.99, one will receive a ThreeD Case for iPhone 6 valued at $24.99, one will receive a BEZEL Case for iPhone 6 valued at $24.99, and one will receive a SLIM Case for iPhone 6 valued at $19.99. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
New iPhones means new accessories: see the options right here
Welcome to the drama, the dilemmas, the sheer disbelief involved in picking accessories to go with your new iPhone. (Yes, an official 30-pin to Lightning adapter really costs that much). We can't promise to make the choices easy, but we can at least give you a glimpse of some of the bumpers and functional extras that Apple has revealed today, and link you up to the relevant pages on Apple's store (see the Source links below). Starting with the iPhone 5c, it's "unapologetically" plastic to start with, of course, but you can give it extra protection with an additional, colorful mesh-style plastic case. This costs $29 and comes in the same five colors as the phone itself, so you can either match the phone or mix it up with a secondary color. There's also a black option if you want to tone things down a bit. One more thing: the iPhone 5c gets it's own Lightning dock, which comes in plain white and costs $29. Next up: the iPhone 5s, which comes in very different color options -- silver, grey or gold -- and therefore gets a different set of bumper colors. These cost $49 $39 (correction: $49 is solely for the special (RED) charity case, regular cases are $39), they're made of leather on the outside and protective microfiber on the inside, and come in softer colors that are a bit tricky to describe (not least because this writer is red-green color blind): some kinda yellow, some kinda peach, some kinda... or just look at the image after the break. Lastly, Apple's website lists a $29 iPhone 5s dock too, which is cross-compatible with the regular iPhone 5.
Apple releases (PRODUCT) RED iPhone bumper
Apple sneaked a new product into the online Apple Store, and while it's nothing big and exciting like a new Mac Pro, it might be something that TUAW readers who support the (PRODUCT) RED project could get into. The new product is a (PRODUCT) RED iPhone bumper (US$29.99), just perfect for your iPhone 4 or 4S. As with the rest of the bumpers, the (PRODUCT) RED bumper feature two-tone colors and metal buttons for volume and power. Plus, it protects your iPhone from scratches on the metal sides. Apple's other (PRODUCT) RED products include an iPod nano ($129 - $149), and a Smart Case for iPad ($49). As with all (PRODUCT) RED items, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the iPhone bumper will go to assist in the fight against AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis in Africa.
iPhone 4 owners who refused a free bumper case can now claim $15 settlement
iPhone 4 owners who didn't accept a Bumper case as part of a class-action suit regarding the device's antenna are now eligible to receive US$15 from Apple, AppleInsider reports. Apple initially offered free Bumpers in 2010 for a brief period. Those eligible for the settlement had to have been the original owner of an iPhone 4 before February 17. The settlement offer is good through August 28.
iPhone 4 owners can register for $15 antennagate settlements (updated)
The official website for the iPhone 4 "antennagate" class action settlement is live, as pointed out by co-lead counsel on the case Ira Rothken. Of course, speaking of cases, if you're an iPhone 4 owner who has taken advantage of the free bumpers Apple's been offering since 2010 then you're not still eligible for the $15 settlement. Customers who meet the requirements (experienced antenna issues, couldn't return your phone without incurring costs, don't want to put on a bumper or case and either completed troubleshooting or no longer own the phone) can opt for the payout and file their claim at the website linked below. Of course, assuming you're not a stickler for that skin-to-metal and glass feel the case is probably the better deal overall, but as long as this issue is finally dead and buried we can probably all walk away happy.Update: Turns out it doesn't matter if you scored yourself a free bumper or not, so long as you don't actually use it you can still register for your share of the settlement. So, if you took the consolation prize offered at the time, but have grown to hate it, now's your chance to make $15.
Graft Concepts Leverage protects your iPhone 4 with ease and style
We've seen a lot of iPhone 4 cases here at TUAW. Most thin polycarbonate or TPU cases are pretty much the same -- brute force them on to cover the back and sides. Graft Concepts have taken the thin-polycarbonate case form factor and added something a little different with a top locking latch. Thanks to the Graft Concepts team, we got our hands on a pre-production black and chrome version of their slick looking iPhone 4 case to put through its paces. Design The Leverage takes the form of a bumper-style case, which wraps around the side edges of the iPhone with cut outs for the ports and buttons. It is a single piece of rubberized polycarbonate that joins at the top, locked together by a fancy chrome latch with integrated power button push-through. The latch design makes it easy to get your iPhone in and out of the case, while still holding the case firmly and securely on your iPhone. It looks great just as a bumper, but the Leverage comes with an optional backplate insert that you can combine with the bumper to form a full case with a single cut out for the camera and flash. This modular design gives you the best of both worlds, and depending on your mood or how much protection you want to give your phone, it's really quick and easy to remove or replace the backplate. Protection The combined case gives pretty good all round protection, covering all edges and the back. The case also covers the front edge of the phone meaning that you can place it flat on the screen and the case will keep the glass off the deck. The plastic construction will also offer some impact protection, but I wouldn't fancy dropping it from too high as with most relatively thin cases. The case adds about 1-2 mm thickness to your iPhone, so it's not bulky by any stretch of the imagination. It's also quite grippy to hold, but thankfully doesn't suffer from too much pocket torsion when you're trying to pull it out of your jeans pocket. %Gallery-134226% Verdict Bearing in mind its pre-production nature, we like the chromed locking latch (that's also available in a matte finish), which gives it something a bit different in the design stakes and functions well in practice. It provides decent protection and we like that you can swap between just a bumper and a full back case in about 5 seconds. If you're looking for a case for your iPhone 4 in either GSM or CDMA flavors, then the US$60 Leverage is just a little bit different. If the production case matches the quality of the version we tested, the Leverage will be a great choice.
Wireless Back-Up Camera for the Magellan RoadMate checks your six
Most of us can get by with occasionally frequently checking our rear view mirror, but many bigger vehicles don't offer quite the same visibility. Hence the market for bumper cams in general and for Magellan's new Wireless Back-Up Camera in particular. The $150 add-on exploits the 7-inch LCD on your RoadMate 1700 or 9055, thereby avoiding the clutter of an independent system. The waterproof and dustproof camera fixes to your license plate and connects to a transmitter in your trunk, which then beams the feed to a receiver attached to your GPS. The system activates automatically when you go into reverse and boasts a 120-degree field of view, 45-degrees of vertical angle adjustment and a 45-foot range. The PR with full details is just a click away. Oh, and it helps if you remember to brake.
Universal iPhone bumper from Apple sneaks into Apple Store
In advance of the Verizon iPhone, it seems Apple realizes the old bumper won't fit. So they quietly stocked Apple Stores with a new, universal bumper where the hole for the mute switch has been enlarged just enough to accommodate both versions of the iPhone 4. Nice! We were wondering when this would happen, and it's a bit in advance of the Verizon iPhone actually being available. Let us know if you spot them in your neck of the woods. Thanks for the video and tip, Alex!
Universal iPhone bumper found in Apple Store, mute button gets more space (video)
We were wondering how Apple was going to handle two different button configurations for its AT&T and Verizon iPhones, and well, the solution couldn't be simpler. One reader visiting the Apple Store stumbled upon a bumper with a slightly different packaging. Thankfully, this intrigued him enough to pick one up and do a side-by-side comparison between this new "universal case" and the old first-party solution. The only change, since volume buttons are mapped identically between the two, is a slot for the mute button that's decidedly less mute. Definitely works with his AT&T model and should theoretically fit Verizon's model, too. Tough luck if you're making a move to Big Red and trying to bring an old case, but let's be honest... you'd be paying a pretty penny for the new device anyway, so what's a few more dollars for physical protection? Video comparison after the break. [Thanks, Alex!]
Apple Store restarts bumper case sales
Thanks to a couple of tips this morning, we note that iPhone 4 bumpers are once again available in the Apple Store online. The cases, which retail for US$29.99, were taken off the virtual shelves during the 'Antennagate' free case giveaway period, just expired. Interestingly, Apple's product images for the bumpers all include a product that isn't on sale yet -- the legendary, much-anticipated white iPhone 4. Thanks Mike and Marc
Analyst: Apple's Bumper case program a win-win for customers and shareholders
Analyst Shaw Wu with Kaufman Bros. says that, while Apple is likely taking a hit by giving away free cases and bumpers to iPhone 4 buyers (and the company is even extending the offer after the deadline to anyone who calls AppleCare), the program will likely be a win in the long run. Obviously, customers appreciate getting a free case (and a "fix" for the "antennagate" issue), but Wu says that even shareholders will benefit. Apple has set aside $175 million for the case program, which sounds like a lot, but it's a drop in Apple's $45.8 billion cash bucket, and a fix for the issue may eventually add as much as 45 cents to Apple's share price this year. In other words, the free cases are money well spent, according to Wu. So, it looks like Apple got out of its reception issue cheap. Doesn't hurt, says Wu, that it wasn't a huge issue in the first place; supposedly, not many users actually had the reception issue that got such press, but I'm not entirely sure that's true. Since I bought my iPhone 4, I have experienced the antenna problem multiple times. But because voice calls are such a small part of the experience for me (most of what I do on the iPhone 4 is with apps and messaging), it hasn't really hurt my enjoyment of the device overall. And I'm guessing that's where most customers lie -- the antenna problem is an issue for them, but not necessarily a deal-breaker.
Free iPhone 4 bumpers starting to ship
If this is a general trend (perhaps our readers were the first people to order their bumpers) and not a fluke, it could be a sign that canceled bumper orders are being rerouted to the free case program. Travis from Houston is receiving his bumper by the 2nd of August, and we've heard from other readers that their bumpers are in the mail as well for delivery about the same time. If you haven't yet ordered your free iPhone 4 bumper or case, be sure to download and install Apple's free iPhone 4 Case Program app before the September 30th cutoff date. Thanks to Nate, Iggy (in the UK), and Travis for the tips!
Engadget Podcast 206 - 07.24.2010
This is an incredibly well-rounded and insightful double podcast. It is so well-rounded and insightful that it looks like it might turn into a triple podcast and is, quite frankly, the best podcast the Engadget Podcasters have ever seen. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul MillerProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Double Rainbow 00:02:33 - Panasonic's new Lumix lineup: LX5, FZ40, FZ100, FX700, and TS10 all official00:06:52 - Canon developing smaller DSLRs to compete with mirrorless cameras?00:07:00 - Nikon planning "new concept" mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras with enhanced video modes00:21:12 - New Xbox 360 4GB ships August 3rd for $199, Kinect standalone priced at $149, bundle coming this holiday for $29900:30:48 - webOS 2.0 coming 'later this year,' says HP's Rubinstein00:30:58 - HP Slate no longer a consumer product, will arrive for enterprise this fall00:31:24 - HP files for 'PalmPad' trademark -- a webOS tablet, perhaps?00:31:35 - HP Slate 500 with Windows 7 surfaces on HP's site00:31:54 - HP confirms that Slate is still kicking, 'next steps' being determined00:41:52 - HP CEO: Palm could end up a 'sub-brand' of the company00:46:41 - Samsung Galaxy S review shootout: Captivate for AT&T and Vibrant for T-Mobile00:48:14 - Dell Streak review redux: thoughts from the New World00:48:41 - Nexus One is sold out in Google's store -- forever00:56:32 - Motorola mini Droid slider caught by Mr. Blurrycam00:59:07 - Droid 2 being prepared for launch, set to arrive August 23rd?01:00:29 - Apple posts record $3.25b profit in first full quarter of iPad sales, says more 'amazing products' coming this year01:00:48 - Apple begins iPhone 4 Case Program: apply for your free case or Bumper now01:01:26 - Apple delays white iPhone a second time, won't ship until 'later this year'01:03:08 - Apple starts refunding Bumper purchases automagically01:07:45 - AT&T announces 26 percent earnings growth for Q2, $4b profit01:16:28 - Droid X users gobbling up 5x the data of other Verizon smartphones01:18:00 - Microsoft reports $4.5b in profit, a record $16.04b in revenue01:18:30 - Steve Ballmer feeling pressure at Microsoft for stagnating share price?01:18:48 - Kin listed as at least $240 million writeoff in Microsoft earnings report01:21:44 - Microsoft to employees: 'everybody gets a Windows Phone 7!'01:21:50 - Microsoft wants employees to code Windows Phone 7 apps 'in their spare time'Hear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcast1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
The look of free: iPhone 4 cases offered by Apple
As noted earlier this morning, Apple's Bumper refund & free case program is underway for the iPhone 4. While everyone knows the look of the Bumper (and the cheap ways to make your own), the third-party cases included in the program may be less familiar. Below, a gallery to fill you in. It's worth noting that although you can get yourself a free Snap Case, Shield Micra, Motif, Reveal Etch, Fitted or PixelSkin HD case from Apple, the company will not be refunding previous purchases of any third-party cases; you can only get your money back on a Bumper. If you haven't chimed in yet, please do take our poll about which case you think is the yummiest. Case order now fixed in the gallery. %Gallery-98088%
TUAW Braintrust: Choosing an iPhone 4 case
The iPhone 4 bumper/case program has finally launched via Apple's new Case Program application. Now it's decision time. Which case do you choose? If you're like me, you haven't really tested out a lot of these options in real life. I've used the Bumper for the past few weeks and can recommend it. It is pretty minimal and unobtrusive, but is a bit of pain to keep putting on and taking off in order to work with my old dock. It has a good reputation in crash tests and I do like the way that the bumper offers physical extensions to the built-in buttons -- but it's not my iPhone 4 in question here, it's yours. So let's turn this matter over to the TUAW braintrust. Tell us which of the cases on offer is best, in your opinion, and why? Can you recommend any of these choices as a better option over the bumper? If so, how does that case excel in day-to-day use? Let us know in this handy poll and don't forget to add your thoughts in the comments for this post. %Poll-50005%
Apple begins iPhone 4 Case Program: apply for your free case or Bumper now
Well, there's nothing like masking bad news with good news, right Apple? Just moments after quietly announcing that the white iPhone 4 is now scheduled to ship sometime between tomorrow and your New Year's Eve party, the company has also fired up its iPhone 4 Case Program. Just as Jobs promised last week at an emergency press event, this program will ensure that anyone who purchases an iPhone 4 prior to September 30th will be able to receive an iPhone 4 Bumper or select third-party case from the company at no charge. 'Course, you need to be located in a country or territory that Apple actually ships to, but if that's all squared away, feel free to hit up the App Store to download the iPhone 4 Case Program app. Once there, you'll need to sign into your iTunes Store account, select your Bumper or case and wait oh-so-patiently (read: "3 to 5 weeks"). Better hurry -- wouldn't want the servers to get overloaded, now would we?Oh, and if you happened to have already purchased a Bumper, the company should be hitting your credit card with a full refund (including any applicable taxes and shipping) momentarily. As for the case / Bumper choices? Every single option is available in any color you like... so long as it's black, of course. There's a black Apple Bumper option, an Incase Snap Case, Belkin Shield Micra, Griffin Motif, Griffin Reveal, Speck Fitted and Speck PixelSkin HD, but again, don't go in hoping to select your favorite hue. Yeah, you're free to bicker about free things -- we won't judge.Update: If you're one of those wise guys who purchased an iPhone 4 right away just to sell it, you can forget about getting a free case for the handset you no longer own. Apple has arranged this so that only one case can be ordered per iPhone 4, so even if you ordered two under your account name, you'll need two phones to place both of those orders. Check out the error message below if you still don't believe us. %Gallery-98074%
Apple starts refunding Bumper purchases automagically
Automatic refunds, or so the email says. We've been on the receiving end of a deluge of tips this morning pointing out that Apple has begun funneling cash back into its users' pockets -- a most unusual event, to be sure -- to live up to its retroactive promise of free Bumpers for all (who buy their iPhone 4 before September 30). If the particular wording is to be trusted, that should mean that even those who haven't yet bothered to put in a claim, but did purchase a Bumper, will find themselves enriched in due course. Apple estimates this bandaid solution to its antenna problems will cost $175 million in real cash money, but we suspect the biggest price to pay will be in the form of pride and reputation. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
