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Flickr Find: Steve's got your back
Flickr user Sam has found a clever use for her Steve Jobs Lego minifig. She attached the figure to a Lego stand and then slapped the stand on her desk with some Blue-Tack. A Lightning cable fits perfectly into "Lego Steve's" hand. Last week we wrote about Sugru, a playful material that hardens into rubber. Many people have used it to attach Lego figures to a surface, thus eliminating the need for the stand like Sam used. Adding Steve Jobs to the mix makes it that much better.
Miyamoto on Wii U: Dual GamePads possible, not likely soon
Nintendo game designer and producer Shigeru Miyamoto discussed the possibility of allowing players to use a second GamePad controller for Wii U games in a recent interview with IGN, reinforcing the platform's previously announced two-GamePad capabilities. He notes, however, that the added functionality is "not within our objectives in the short-term."
Apple to replace European iPhone chargers
Apple has launched an exchange program for 5W European USB Power Adapters that were sold between October, 2009 and September, 2012. The affected adapter is Model A1300. Apple illustrates exactly how to identify it here. Apple has determined that this model may overhead and become a safety risk. Those with affected adapters are encouraged to make an appointment at a local Apple Store or authorized retailer. Those who can't get to a store may contact Apple directly. All A1300 adapters manufactured during the identified time period will be replaced free of charge.
An iPhone-ready ceiling fan and more news for June 5, 2014
What's in the news this morning? A cool fan with a rude name, good news for Pebble owners and Apple's apparent misuse of a product name. Let's get to it. Big Ass Fans has introduced a ceiling fan that can be controlled with your iPhone. The Haiku with SenseME is smart enough to know when a room is occupied and turn itself on or off accordingly. Additionally, it learns your "comfort preferences" and responds to temperature and humidity conditions in its environment. The companion iPhone app lets you create schedules and fiddle with various controls. Now I need to figure out how to convince my wife -- our family's CFO -- that I need one of these. The Pebble smart watch firmware, iOS app have been updated. Good news, Pebble owners. Pebble firmware 2.2 is available, and the iOS app has been updated as well. The updated app now uses iBeacon to know when the watch and the phone are close by each other. Other changes include a music progress bar and additional button functions. Australian company claims Apple stole the name "HealthKit." An Australian company called...wait for it..."HealthKit" lets users track their health and fitness online. Sound familiar? HealthKit co-founder Alison Hardacre thinks so, and she's not happy about it. "We won't let them trample over our product. Someone needs to be fired for this. We have a business with the same name and a similar product, if they had done a quick Google search they would have seen that. It's not fair."
The AOC G2460PQU 144Hz monitor is a blazingly fast display for gamers
If you're a gamer, you've probably heard a whole lot about the newest crop of monitors that promise to enhance your experience with a refresh rate that blows your 60Hz display out of the water. AOC's new 24-inch, 144Hz gaming monitor (G2460PQU) is one such device, and while it won't necessarily change the way you view your more boring computer tasks, the benefits are clear when it comes to gaming. Specs Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Screen Size: 24"W Viewable Image Size: 609.7mm Pixel Pitch: 0.277 (H)×0.277 (V) mm Display Area: 531.36 (H)×298.89 (V) mm Brightness: 350 cd/m2 Contrast Ratio (typical): 80000000:1 (DCR) Response Time (typical): 1ms Viewing Angle: 170/160 (CR≥10) Scan Frequency H: 30K~83KHz (DVI:30Khz~160Khz) V: 55~76Hz Pixel Frequency: 165MHz Display Colors: 16.7M HDCP Compatible: Yes Inputs: Analog RGB, Dual Link DVI, HDMI and DP Input Connector: 15-pin D-Sub, 24-pin DVI, HDMI and DP Power Supply: 100~240VAC, 50/60Hz Power Consumption: Power On: <33W（Typical), Standby: <0.5W Speakers 2W x 2 Wall-Mount 100mm×100mm Mechanical Function Tilt: -5°~20° Weight (Net /Gross) 4.61/6.10kg Price: US$399.99 Design The first thing you'll notice about the G2460PQU -- but arguably also the least important -- is the striking red bezel that rests at the bottom of the display. It's a slick looking monitor all around, with a slightly textured, brushed metal appearance, and while the red racing stripe doesn't really match anything in my office, it's still a cool look. Once you get past its flashy looks, you'll find that the design is as much about customization as it is about aesthetics. The nondescript base holds the display on an arm that is fully adjustable, allowing you to raise the screen to a maximum height of around 21 inches (measured from the top of the monitor) or lower it to just less than 16 inches. The sliding arm is extremely sturdy and while you might worry that the screen would fall ever so slightly of its own accord, I've seen no problems over several days of use. You can also orient the screen vertically and use it in a "portrait" mode, and if you have the strange desire to have the screen tilted at a diagonal pitch, you can do that, too. Normally you'd need to buy a desk-mounted monitor arm to get this kind of customization out of the display, but the fact that AOC built it right into the default stand is a huge plus. Another great extra is a pair of built-in USB ports on the right side of the display, in addition to the two located on the rear. All of them are USB 2.0, and one is a high-powered port that boasts the ability to charge your gadgets up to three times faster than normal. It's nothing huge, but the inclusion is nice for quick connections and those of us who can just never seem to have enough USB connections. The monitor comes with an optional snap-on cord holder in a red hue that matches the monitor itself, though this is entirely up to you to use. Functionality If you're interested in a 144Hz monitor, you're looking for speed, and in that aspect the G2460PQU absolutely delivers. From the moment you plug it in, the response time and refresh rate are instantly noticeable. Even as you just drag your mouse across the screen you'll notice how much more fluid movement looks when it's being delivered at a speed so much greater than what you're used to. It's actually kind of hard to describe how it looks unless you've seen a one of these monitors in action, but let me try to explain it with a simple test for those of you reading this on a standard 60Hz monitor: Right now, on your computer, rotate your mouse cursor in a circle on your screen. If you do it fast enough, you'll see not only your little pointer but also the ghosts of where your cursor has been. You'll see the gaps in between each cursor ghost because your monitor isn't capable of updating the pixels on the screen fast enough to render your mouse position in the space in between. Now imagine your monitor is fast enough to update the screen so many times per second that all you see is the brief blur of your cursor trailing it as it moves around the circle. That's the effect the 144Hz refresh rate produces. If you move your cursor fast enough, you'll still see some small gaps, but the overall effect is much smoother than what you've seen before. This, of course, pays off when it comes to games, which is what the G2460PQU was made to conquer. When playing a fast-paced game like Counter-Strike, the upgrade from 60Hz to 144Hz not only makes the game look better in terms of fluidity, but it can also be a tactical advantage. In online shooters, FPS (frames per second) is one of the most important metrics (along with ping, of course), and if your computer is capable of delivering insanely high framerates, a monitor like this is the only way to take full advantage of it. Everything from racing games like Grid 2 to card games like Hearthstone look even more fantastic in 144Hz, and after going back to my regular 60Hz monitor once I was done testing, I honestly miss it. It's one of those changes that you won't be able to roll back from without some serious regret. Settings wise, the G2460PQU does a nice job of helping you customize your display with some user-friendly menus and lots of options. You can tweak familiar settings like brightness, contrast, gamma, color temp, and a handful of others, or just choose one of the preset modes. I had my best luck when starting with the standard preset and then tweaking the various options until my desktop looks stunning, but you may find one of the default settings to be perfect for you right from the start. But as awesome as the monitor is in most aspects, I had a couple of issues crop up over the days I had with it: For one, the monitor doesn't really "lock" into an orientation very well. Whether you want it in portrait or landscape mode, turning it as far as you can in either direction doesn't result in a click or a snap or anything that suggests it is perfectly locked at that 90-degree angle. I often thought the monitor was tilted just the slightest bit, and it became such an obsession that I kept a level at my desk for several days. After changing its orientation I could never seem to eyeball it back to a perfectly straight angle, which is where a nice click or locking mechanism would have come in handy. Second, the built-in speakers are a bit on the weak side. If you're a serious gamer, you'll find them to be pretty inadequate compared to a nice sound system or high-end headphones, so don't expect anything great on the audio side of things. Conclusion The G2460PQU is a monitor made for gamers, and as such it is almost perfect. Its display is bright, vibrant, and super fast, and the customization options and extras are just icing on an already tasty cake. In terms of pure functionality, there's really nothing I can imagine being added that would significantly improve its performance, and aside from my admittedly minor sticking points, it's gets a huge recommendation from me. Note: It's important to remember that you'll need a pretty high-end Mac to be able to use this monitor to its full potential. Some lower end machines don't support 144Hz output whatsoever, so be sure to check your compatibility. Rating
New images, details surface for Valve's VR headset
Valve made an appearance at last week's Boston VR Bender event, showing off an updated version of its in-development VR technology to attending developers. Captured images show a new prototype of Valve's polka-dotted VR headset, which likely features a new method of precise positional tracking, according to VR Focus. A previous prototype, showcased prior to the departure of R&D team leader Atman Binstock, reportedly required its own dedicated floorspace at Valve's HQ to function. More images of Valve's prototype VR hardware are collected in this Imgur album, and Reddit users have compiled additional shots here. Valve has not announced any plans to release a consumer version of its VR headset. [Image: dcarrigg]
All the best hardware and app reviews last week on TUAW
Last week was a busy one with new hardware and apps making their way into TUAW's virtual office. Here's a quick roundup of our recent reviews you may have missed. App Reviews Camera Lock for OS X keeps prying eyes from spying on you Emergensee is a security system in your hand Bank of America's updated app creates a wonderful mobile banking experience Daily App: Two Dots will have you thinking about connecting dots all day long Zombie Highway just won't die Leafnote: A text editor that's powerful in its simplicity Review: Maskify for iOS is a nice photo app for adding frames and text Daily App: StillShot allows you to pick the best photos from your video clips Sugar, Sugar is so very, very sweet Daily App: Alarmed is a standout reminders and alarm clock app Daily App: Lockscreen Wallpaper Designer for iOS Daily App: Morning Sun is a free alarm clock for iOS with some unique features Hardware Reviews TUAW takes a second look at The Padcaster Twelve South HoverBar 3: A TUAW Video Review Beyer T 51 i headphones are a sonic treat for your iOS device TUAW will be back next week with another round of reviews, so be sure to drop by to see what's new and what's cool.
Samsonite buys Speck for $85 million
It must be acquisitions week. Longtime luggage manufacturer Samsonite has acquired Speck for a cool US$85 mil. Speck makes protective cases for a variety of portable devices, including iPhone, iPad, MacBook and several Android devices. Samsonite Americas president Tom Korbas explained the move: "The acquisition offers Samsonite the opportunity to participate in the large and growing smartphone-case market, which in the U.S. alone is estimated to be worth $2.3 billion, as well as in the tablet-case market, where Speck is also a leader." It seems like a complimentary acquisition for a company that's been protecting travelers' belongings for years. Good luck to all involved.
GameStop sees increased Xbox One interest following price drop reveal
GameStop President Tony Bartel noted an increased interest for Microsoft's Xbox One following the hardware manufacturer's recent decision to change course and package the console without the Kinect camera peripheral. "I definitely think we're already seeing in our stores with our reservation program as well as the dialog to Power-Up Rewards that there's a stronger demand as a result of the price drop," Bartel said during the company's earnings call this week. Microsoft announced that it will begin selling the Xbox One without the Kinect last week. The dis-Kinected console will hit retail on June 9 for $399 in North America and £349 in the UK. Following the news, GameStop began offering special trade-in prices for Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles in exchange for in-store credit towards the cheaper Xbox One. Microsoft also revealed that it will no longer keep media streaming app like Netflix and Hulu Plus behind its Xbox Live paywall, though it confirmed to Joystiq that free-to-play and subscription-based games such as The Elder Scrolls Online would still require the paid Xbox Live subscription to play. "The good news for us is it sells more units. We'll sell a lot more units, because like we shared earlier, we're driving a lot of the growth, and that means there will be more [Xbox One] units out there to put software on," Bartel added. GameStop reported total global sales of $2 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2014 (ending May 3, 2014), which amounted to a seven percent increase year-over-year. [Image: GameStop]
Tomodachi Life site teases new Nintendo 2DS color variant
An image buried within the HTML source of the official Tomodachi Life website hints that Nintendo of America may be planning to launch a special edition 2DS variant to commemorate the game's upcoming launch stateside, Tiny Cartridge reports. The image, reprinted above, shows a Nintendo 2DS hardware color that is not currently available in North America. Tiny Cartridge notes that the portable's white-on-teal design resembles the Japan-exclusive Mint x White 3DS XL released alongside the Japanese version of Tomodachi Life last year, suggesting that a similar hardware tie-in could soon follow in North America. To date, Nintendo of America has not announced any plans to release Tomodachi Life-themed 3DS or 2DS hardware in the United States. Tomodachi Life will debut at retail in North America on June 6. [Image: Nintendo]
LG's HeartRate earphones and other news for May 13, 2014
Today in the news, LG will soon be delivering iOS compatible earphones, Apple's spaceship campus is spotted from the air, and Apple's recent anti-poaching settlement is under dispute. LG has announced iOS-compatible earphones that will track the wearer's heart rate. The neat thing is that they're real, unlike some others I could mention. The aptly-named LG HeartRate Earphones work with the LG Fitness app for iPhone (free) and the Lifeband Touch, which reads information sent from the earphones about blood flow in the ears. Together, the app, earphones and wrist band make a nice little wearable fitness tracker. If you're into that sort of thing. LG expects to ship the HeartRate Earphones on May 18. Construction on Apple's spaceship campus is continuing as the outlines of the spaceship-shaped building begins to take shape, as noted by Fortune 2.0 via Apple Toolbox. According to Ars Technica, Michael Devine, a plaintiff in Silicon Valley's high-profile employee anti-poaching lawsuit, is protesting the recent $324 million settlement reached, claiming it is "unfair and unjust." He is asking for a trial, saying the class including the lawsuit wants their day in court. Apple was recently awarded U.S. Patent No. 8,723,824 for "Electronic devices with sidewall displays," which describes a wrap-around display for portable devices, reports AppleInsider.
Backblaze: Hard drive temps don't affect failure rates
The storage wizards at Backblaze have been analyzing the statistics on drive failures in their huge storage facilities, then posting the results on their blog. Today's stats are rather interesting, taking a look at how drive temperatures affect failure rates. The bottom line? Contrary to the long-standing belief that hot drives fail sooner, their statistics show that only hot-running drives from one manufacturer seem to have a higher than usual failure rate. Brian Beach of Backblaze took a look at the data, which comprises results from more than 34,000 drives. Their Backblaze Storage Pods use big fans so that the drives are usually quite cool, but the study showed absolutely no correlation between temperature and failure rates for the entire population of varied drives from a number of manufacturers. It was when the company started looking at individual drive models that a correlation appeared. Beach notes that the average temperatures for drives used in the Storage Pods run from 21.92°C (71.45°F) for the "green" Seagate Barracuda LP drives to a relatively steamy 30.54°C (86.97°F) for Seagate's Barracuda XT drives. Digging even further, Backblaze was able to show that only one drive model -- the Seagate ST31500541AS 1.5 TB drive -- shows an increase in failure rate as temperatures rise. The overall result was that "As long as you run drives well within their allowed range of operating temperatures, keeping them cooler doesn't matter."
Nintendo plans to approach emerging markets with new hardware
Rather than releasing the Wii U, 3DS or cheaper versions thereof, Nintendo plans to bring new hardware to emerging markets such as China starting next year. Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata told Reuters the systems will be targeted at consumers with less gaming experience and income, compared to the company's typical audience in developed markets. "We want to make new things, with new thinking rather than a cheaper version of what we currently have," Iwata said, speaking to Bloomberg. "The product and price balance must be made from scratch." Like Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo has a history of releasing cheaper variations of existing systems, such as the Wii Mini and 2DS. It's unclear how far Nintendo's market-specific devices will veer from existing hardware, but going by today's financial briefing, we'll learn how the company plans to "change our approach to new markets" later this year. The news follows China lifting its 14-year ban on foreign games consoles, opening a huge market for the platform holders to explore. Microsoft stepped up to the plate last week and announced it's bringing the Xbox One to the nation this September. [Image: Nintendo]
PS Vita slim hardware launches in North America today
A revised, slimmer version of Sony's PlayStation Vita portable console launches today in North America in a new hardware bundle that includes a free copy of Gearbox Software's Borderlands 2. The redesigned PS Vita system is approximately 20 percent slimmer and 15 percent lighter than the launch Vita model, and boasts extended battery life compared to the previous hardware generation. The $199.99 package hitting retail today includes a PS Vita handheld, an 8GB memory card, and a copy of Borderlands 2 with six DLC packs. Sony released a PS Vita port of God of War Collection today to promote its newly launched portable hardware, and plans to support the platform in the coming months with games like Soul Sacrifice Delta, Sly Cooper Collection, Minecraft, and Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. [Image: Sony]
Nike reportedly killing the Fuelband to focus on fitness software
Just days after Nike announced the launch of its Fuel Lab location in San Francisco to enhance partnerships with other digital services for athletes, there's a report that it's fired much of the team behind its FuelBand wristwear. CNET reports that, according to a person familiar with the matter, as many as 55 people from its 70-member hardware team are being laid off, and plans for another version of the FuelBand to follow the SE have been shelved. All of this comes just as the wearables market is heating up, with products already arriving from Samsung, LG, Motorola, Pebble and more, while activity tracking integrated with phones is also becoming more popular. At the same time, not all of Nike's tech initiatives have worked out, and Nike+ has largely disappeared from its shoes in the last year. A Nike spokesman confirmed to CNET a "small number of layoffs" as its "Digital Sports priorities evolve." (Update: In a statement, Nike says it "will continue to improve the Nike+ FuelBand App, launch new METALUXE colors, and we will sell and support the Nike+ FuelBand SE for the foreseeable future.")Given Nike's close relationship with Apple (Tim Cook is a member of Nike's board), one could wonder if the prospect of an upcoming wearable from Cupertino had a hand in swinging the apparel company's focus towards "simpler data-powered experiences" -- or they just spent all the money on tonight's sweet 3D projector intro to the Jordan Brand High School All-Star Game.
Free 1Password tutorial video and more news for April 14, 2014
Another Monday is upon us. But don't despair, it brought enough Apple news to share with the entire class. Let's get started. In light of the Heartbleed threat, ScreenCastsOnline has made a tutorial video featuring 1Password available for free. We're big fans of 1Password here at TUAW, as it makes it easy to have various, complex passwords set up for all of your favorite sites. ScreenCastsOnline offers a very competent overview. Reports of an aftermarket CarPlay rig appeared this week, according to Asian review site Nikkei, we could see aftermarket units in the US and Europe selling something like US$500-700. Summer is coming (in the northern hemisphere at least), so consider the Wi-Fi ready, iPhone-controlled home air conditioner from Quirky and GE. The Aros learns your budget, schedule and location for super-efficient cooling. Neat, eh? It's available for pre-order on Amazon now.
Virtuix Omni virtual reality treadmill ships in July for early adopters
Virtuix's Omni treadmill, a virtual reality platform that allows users to run and walk in any direction in games using their real-life legs, will begin shipping in July for those that already pre-ordered one. The $500 package includes the treadmill unit, a pair of shoes, a support harness, mini-game and tracking software and hardware. The cost doesn't include shipping, but it does come with a one-year warranty. Those that decide to pre-order a unit now will receive it in September, according to Eurogamer. Virtuix began taking pre-orders for the omnidirectional treadmill in August 2013 following a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign that ended in July. The VR hardware developer raised $1.1 million on the crowdfunding platform, and pushed well past its $150,000 goal in its first day. We've seen videos of early demos of the Omni in action, including one accompanied by the Oculus Rift and Team Fortress 2. [Image: Virtuix]
Amazon Fire TV games work with other Bluetooth controllers
Amazon just revealed its $99 Fire TV game and video streaming device today, and unveiled a $40 Bluetooth game pad to go along with it. As it turns out, developers appear to have the option to make their Amazon Fire TV games compatible with other controllers. "I don't have the full data set, if any is the right term. Generally speaking, it's a Bluetooth controller," Mike Frazzini, VP of Amazon Games told Engadget today when asked about the Fire TV's controller support. "And the same thing vice-versa. Third-party controllers can work on Fire TV as well." According to a mandatory configuration file for all Amazon Fire TV game developers listed on Amazon's site, developers must note if the app "supports a game controller, either the Amazon Fire game controller or a Bluetooth game controller from another manufacturer." While Amazon doesn't confirm official Fire TV support with the game pads, other Bluetooth controllers like Nintendo's Wii Remote and Sony's DualShock 4 could feasibly work with some games if developers so choose. Likewise, while the Amazon Fire TV supports up to seven Bluetooth game controllers simultaneously, software development kit documentation notes that "only four of those controllers are assigned to player numbers." This seemingly caps local multiplayer gaming on Amazon Fire TV at four players at a given moment, which may not be an issue since gaming is more or less a "bonus" for the streaming device.
Amazon reveals game, movie streaming hardware 'Amazon Fire TV' [Update]
Amazon announced Amazon Fire TV today, a device that streams games and movies over the web. The Fire TV features 2 GB of RAM and a dedicated GPU, which Amazon said is the kind "usually found in smartphones." Additionally, Fire TV is based on Android and HTML, so apps are expected to be easy for developers to port to the device. It comes with a TV remote-like controller that includes a microphone on it, which can be used for the device's voice search functions. The Fire TV's separate dual-stick game pad costs $40. The device's UI includes sections for movies, television, apps and photos in addition to games. Among the app icons shown during Amazon's presentation were Twitch, WWE Network, Watch ESPN, Netflix and Hulu Plus. Amazon said it is "starting off with Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video of course, and we're rolling in other partners over time." As for the games available on Fire TV, the device will host "thousands" from publishers like EA and Ubisoft, and will include Minecraft shortly after it launches. Earlier in March, we got a look at what Amazon's Bluetooth gamepads might look like. The company founded Amazon Game Studios in 2012 and acquired Double Helix, the studio behind Killer Instinct, in February. Update: The Amazon Fire TV will cost $99 and is available to purchase today on Amazon's store.
New Kinect for Windows nixes Xbox logo, adds power supply
The second iteration of Kinect for Windows revealed by Microsoft this week features a few changes. While it looks nearly identical to the motion-sensitive camera for Xbox One, its glowing Xbox logo power indicator has been replaced by a simple dot, plus the word "Kinect" is now on the hardware's top panel. Additionally, the second version of Kinect for Windows requires both a hub and separate power supply to operate. The hub includes ports to connect to the sensor, power supply unit and USB 3.0 output to the user's PC. While the power supply will vary by region, it supports voltages that range in 100–240 volts. Microsoft didn't offer a release date for the new version of the PC Kinect hardware. [Image: Microsoft]
