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Match Group buys Hinge on its way to dating dominance
Match Group, the company that owns Tinder, has bought a controlling stake in Hinge, which was redesigned to cater to individuals seeking relationships instead of the casual dating (and hookup) culture prevalent in other dating apps. This adds the 'anti-Tinder' to the company's collection of other online services OkCupid, PlentyOfFish and Match.com, adding to its already substantial dominance of the digital dating landscape.
Dating app Hinge ditches the Facebook login requirement
Hinge made a name for itself in the crowded dating app market by suggesting matches with friends of your Facebook connections. However, now it looks like the service is swiping left on the social network. Starting today, users on both Android and iOS will no longer be required to use Facebook to log into Hinge. Instead, they can use phone number verification.
Microsoft patent points to folding dual-screen notebook
New patent filings from Microsoft appear to hint at that foldable notepad we've heard rumors of for a while, The Verge reports. Filed earlier this week, the patent contains a number of images depicting a unique hinge and a few that show a foldable, two screen device that appears to work in a number of configurations.
Dating app Hinge is back on Android after nine-month break
Android fans haven't been able to use the Hinge dating app for around nine months, but that's all changing. The relationship-minded dating app is now available on Google's mobile OS. Hinge says based on its previous Android user-base that it expects that to grow by 30 percent from current numbers. Which in turn means better chances at finding long-term love. What's more, the company says that its amount of daily active users has grown by 50 percent in the last two months alone -- more potential matches can only be a good thing for everyone involved regardless of what software their phone runs.
A kickstand is the most interesting feature on Acer's new 2-in-1
Of all the new Switch laptops and convertibles that Acer unveiled in New York today, the most eye-catching is the Switch 5. It's a slick 12-inch Windows 10 hybrid with what the company calls an "auto-retractable" kickstand that lets you adjust the angle at which it's propped up by pushing it with one finger. Everything else about the convertible is pretty much par for the course, but I'll get to that later. At the crowded demo area, I was taken by how easy it is to shift viewing angles on a Switch 5: It works just like a laptop's lid.
Dating app Hinge ditches flings for relationships
Between Tinder, Bumble, OKCupid and the plethora of dating apps available, finding someone to hook up with has never been easier. But the endless supply of options has also made it much harder to connect with someone on a deeper, longer-lasting level. To tackle that problem, Hinge is rebuilding itself to focus on connecting people looking for relationships. It's also incorporating a new $7 monthly membership fee, in part to make sure that subscribers are actually invested in looking for relationships.
BlackBerry files patent application for 180-degree hinge, redefines 'flip-phone'
Before you get too excited, lets remember two things: one, companies file patent applications for things all the time that never see the light of day. Two, the application is for the hinge specifically, so don't get your hopes up for a BlackBerry 10 laptop. That being said, this glimpse at a potential future form factor has us intrigued. Even when the company formerly known as RIM has experimented with design in the past, it's been conservative. The Pearl squished the keyboard and split the keys, the Storm went with a touchscreen that was also a giant button and the Torch opted for a sliding mechanism that was old hat for most other manufacturers. This is a little different, however. It's a hinge, not terribly dissimilar to that on HTC's ancient Tilt2, that lets you adjust the position of a screen in relation to a base. This version offers a lot more freedom than the HTC creation however, seemingly allowing the screen to flip 180-degrees on the arm. This design could be used for a future phone, and would be a great fit for a larger device -- say five-inches or more. Alternately, it could wind up as part of a keyboard dock for a future tablet, which would be closer to the filings illustrations. Then again, it could just end up collecting dust in a corner at Waterloo. If you'd like to check out the patents for yourself hit up the source links.
Sony patents a two-way folding device, wants you to have extra screen real estate where you need it
Phones with dual displays have been done, and Sony's foldable Tablet P brought similar functionality to tablets with mixed results. It looks like the Japanese electronics giant isn't done with such devices, however, as it's just been granted a patent for a gadget that can fold on multiple axes. The patent in question describes a device constructed of two rectangular casings that can be "rotated relatively in one of a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction orthogonal to each other." Translation: a sort of next-gen Jacob's ladder with hinges that open up on both sides of a right angle, which would allow you to set screens side by side or on top of one another. Want to know more? Check out all the patent claims and drawings at the sources below.
Dell to fix faulty M11x hinges the world over regardless of warranty status
Are you one of the unlucky Alienware M11x owners who had hinge issues with the laptop, but feared you'd be stuck with a faulty folding mechanism due to an out of date warranty? Well, worry no more, because Dell has extended its hinge replacement program to include owners anywhere on earth with an R1 or R2 M11x regardless of warranty status. Getting those busted bits replaced is easy peasy, as affected parties need only contact Dell Tech support to get the repair process started. For full details about getting your afflicted alien fixed hit the source below -- and feel free to give Dell some daps for doing the right thing while you're at it.
Apple goes patent application crazy with 14 über dull filings, hinge manufacturers tremble with fear
How's this for patent happy -- this morning a grand total of 14 applications from folks at Apple were published, covering everything from "cable structure for preventing tangling" to an "adaptive audio feedback system and method." Most of the filings are nothing terribly exciting -- though the tangle-free headphones, involving a series of alternately stiffer and more flexible cores, is a welcome upgrade to the standard iPhone headset, which is usually reduced to an unmanageable ball of knots after just a few careless tosses in a bag. A number of other headphone makers have already taken similar steps to keep cords under control. Other applications include techniques for managing GPU resources, a tilting hinge design for the iMac, and a "compact input device," which is actually just the click wheel we've all come to know and love. If you're really into the minutia of patent apps, check out the source for links to all the sketches and vaguely worded claims your little nerd heart desires.
Keepin' it real fake: the iPad Smart Cover done wrong (video)
Let's be honest, the only time you're likely to consider Apple's prices for own-brand peripherals reasonable is when someone else is paying for them. It's not unusual, therefore, for folks to look to complement their walled Apple garden with a few well selected accessories from the grey market. Such as this here Smart Cover knockoff, which saves you a whopping six bucks off the Apple price at only $33, comes with detachable (no user assistance required) hinge elements, and has a special pet-repelling odor as an added extra. Yes, it's pretty terrible and self-destructs the moment you look at it. And, naturally, it's available to watch on video right after the break.
Original iPad retrofitted to play nice with Smart Cover, magnets largely to thank (video)
Although we don't exactly know how they work, magnets are one of Earth's many fascinations and are used in many gadgets today -- perhaps most notably in Apple's new Smart Covers. As you might have already known, the iPad 2's first party screen concealer uses a bunch of magnets to make the magic happen; it snaps on and fits almost too well. By taking a few rare earth magnets and gluing them to the original slate's hip, blogger Dan Provost is able to use a Smart Cover with the iPad uno. He positioned them according to how they stuck to the hinge of the cover, which explains the lack of spacing between the four magnets. As you'll see in the video, Apple's screen protector works well with the tablet, but it lacks the auto-unlock mechanism found in the iPad 2. Care to give your original iPad a taste of modernity? Hit the more coverage link to find the main ingredient for this DIY project.
Dell to begin fixing busted M11x in March -- or thereabouts
Creaky or cracking hinge up in your Alienware lappy? Its days are numbered -- though exactly what that number is remains to be seen. Dell Forum Liaison Chris Mixon posted that the company is working on getting a hinge replacement program going for the M11x laptop with "an ETA around March," but cautions that start date is "dependent on a 3rd party vendor and other details so it is not concrete." In other words, April or May might not be a bad month to keep in mind if you hate being disappointed, but know that the hinges will be repaired regardless of when your warranty expires. So, hopefully no fears for disappointment there. [Thanks, Esteef]
Samsung Zeal and its dual-hinge design now official on Verizon: $79.99 (updated)
If the paper trail for this handset wasn't enough for you, here's the first official imagery of the Samsung Zeal. It is, as speculated, a dual-hinge, dual-display affair, equipped with an E Ink keyboard that transitions from a four-row QWERTY arrangement to a dialpad depending on orientation. If you're thinking you've seen this before, that might be because you were one of the few to notice Samsung's Alias 2, which also called Verizon its home. The Zeal is expected to arrive in stores on November 11th, so you can expect this premature little cameo to be augmented with full specs and a price very soon indeed. Update: The leak has turned into a full-on press release. The Zeal will cost $79.99 on a two-year contract (after a $50 mail-in rebate) and will be available in stores and online starting on November 11th, as expected. Skip past the break for the full announcement. Having checked it out for ourselves, we've found that this isn't like the Alias 2, this is the Alias 2 ... but in black. Shame on Verizon and Samsung for building up our interest for what's essentially a soft relaunch with a freshened up nomenclature.
Alienware M11x hinge issues? Yeah, Dell knows
Alienware M11x owners, have you noticed any problems with your hinge? Yeah, that thing that keeps the monitor and the keyboard conne -- no, not that. Not that either. No, that's a mousepad. You know what? Let's just move on. Notebook Reviews has been covering the tales of woe from customers who've noticed their laptop joints have suffered from dislocating, cracking, snapping, and other maladies. Good news, however, Alienware's given an official statement. The company acknowledges the issue and is "engaged the relevant internal teams here at Dell." Take heart, true believers, and consider not m
Dell Adamo XPS: Exclusive to John Lewis in the UK for the holiday season
If you're lucky enough to live in the US, buying the super slim Adamo XPS is just a matter of hitting up Dell's website -- and then ponying up nearly $2,000, of course. Those in the UK, however, have been sorely out of luck. Luckily for them, we're hearing that the much lusted-after laptop will be available at John Lewis department stores in time for holiday shopping. That's right, this hinged baby -- which boasts a 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo SU9400 processor, a 128GB SSD, a 13.4-inch WLED panel, a 2 megapixel camera, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and GS45 integrated graphics -- will be available there as of today, for the base price of £1750 (that's about $2,800). For a better idea of what this bad boy looks like, check out our hands-on impressions video after the break.
Dell's Adamo 'crazyhinge' XPS demonstrated on video
So, Dell finally revealed just exactly what was going on with its ultrathin Adamo XPS -- to an extent, anyway -- but there's always room for a little more detail, and that's where the folks at Zive Computer come in. This lovingly filmed video of theirs shows off all the physical intricacies of the XPS, the hinge in action from multiple angles, and even a bit of pretend typing on that odd-looking keyboard. Sure, we're still in the dark on plenty of specs, but we've already gathered enough on this thing to make it clear it's unlike anything else on the market. Hit up the read link for the video.
New Adamo XPS image takes a stand
Remember that wild hinge we saw on the Adamo XPS at Dell's characteristically all-too-brief showing last week? The company's gone ahead with yet another side pic, this time showing how the hinge pops out. Of course, showing what is actually on both panels would be too much for the company, so we're left only to guess. A display? A keyboard? Some kind of holographic projector? A hot key for making lolcat pictures? Listen Dell, we get it, you like the slow trickle of teasers, but can we just see the whole body now and move on the part where we wait for scraps of info on the specs? %Gallery-75353%
MacBook Air hinge defect not covered by Apple's warranty?
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/MacBook_Air_hinge_defect_not_covered_by_Apple_s_warranty'; Our rocky history with the MacBook Air Rev. A has been well documented, and while Apple would very much like us to forget all about it and plop down another $1,800 for the much-improved Rev. B, not everybody has that sort of birthday money to throw around. Reports of cracked hinges on the laptop are nothing new, but we always assumed Apple would eventually 'fess up to the problem and comp those repairs. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case, and we just got another report of a hapless MacBook Air owner who has a broken hinge that Apple says will cost $800 to repair, despite the fact the laptop is under warranty. Our own MacBook Air Rev. A had the exact same problem -- the hinge becomes loose over time, then suddenly catches and cracks from normal use, it's not from undue stress -- and Apple did the repair for free, but only after we escalated the issue to a manager, who let us know how very nice of them that was. From reading various reports, that seems the exception to Apple's repair policy, which lists this sort of damage as "accidental," and we're wondering how widespread this issue may be. If you or a loved one has been affected, hit up the poll below and pour out your heart in comments. If you're unscathed or MBA-free, feel free to show very little compassion to your fellow man. Wiggle hinge and broken hinge video is after the break. [Thanks, Alex, and sorry for your loss! Photo courtesy of LanDung2008] %Poll-26759% Read - Apple Discussions forum thread Read - MacRumors forum thread Read - Crashzone's link roundup
Even Hudson has hinge problems
Having had our own Polar White DS Lite since its first day of release here in the United States, we consider ourselves incredibly lucky that we aren't reporting on our own DS Lite being busted right now. Who's DS Lite is this, exactly? Hudson's own Takahashi Meijin.For almost 2 years has he had his DS Lite. While we're sure his status means he could just call up Nintendo and get a new handheld sent over (probably delivered in a decadent wooden box by a dancing pixie), we'd suggest upgrading. Perhaps to a dual-toned model?[Via Kotaku]
