Mophie’s Samsung Galaxy S5 Juice Pack Gives You Ample Smartphone Life

Mophie has a new Juice Pack out, designed for the Galaxy S5. The case packs a huge 3,000 mAh battery within its glossy shell, which is slightly larger than the 2,850 mAh unit within the Galaxy S5 itself. True, you could carry around a spare battery for the GS5 and pop the back whenever you want more power, but the Mophie’s extra juice is just a switch away, and it includes passthrough charging, which is a lot simpler than changing out internal components.

The Mophie comes in a variety of colors, but the review unit I was sent is a glossy white. It’s like the Mophie battery packs you’ve come to know and love, with a curved back ensconcing the ‘baby bump’ of the spare powerhouse. Of note, however, is that this will significantly increase the pocket presence of your GS5, since at its thickest point it more than doubles the depth of the device.

It also adds length to the top and bottom of the 4.7-inch smartphone, giving it a physical footprint more akin to that of the new iPhone 6 Plus, but with a much chunkier profile. As you might expect, it also adds weight. But the trade-offs have immediately apparent value: You’ll likely get a full charge from empty from the battery pack, plus or minus a little bit depending. Given Samsung’s already impressive battery life on the GS5, you’ll find that can mean up to three or more full days of battery on a single charge of both the case and phone, which is game-changing when you’re using it on excursions.

I’m reluctant to carry around the behemoth that the GS5 plus the Mophie becomes when combined Voltron-style too often, but for special cases like conferences it would be a veritable life-saver. Mophie’s typical commitment to quality shows here, too, with a battery that should last you more cycles than lower cost options from Amazon.

Mophie’s accessory will run you $99.95, so it’s worth considering whether you need this kind of gear in your life before laying down some cash, but if you find yourself seeing that red battery icon more often than you’d like, it’s still likely your best, most convenient choice for spare top-ups.

Apple’s OS X Yosemite Reaches GM Status, Nears Consumer Launch

Apple’s OS X Yosemite operating system is arriving soon, and the fact that the developer preview just reached Golden Master status, alongside a 4th public beta preview update, means we probably don’t have long to wait. Last year, Apple released its Mavericks GM build about three weeks before it released the update to the Mac App Store for everyone to download, so Yosemite is on track for the mid-to-late October launch window many are predicting.

Apple is expected to launch Yosemite at a special event, at which it will also reveal new iPads, according to multiple rumors. The event will probably take place either in the first two weeks of October, or during the last week of the month, following a report from the always-accurate Jim Dalrymple that it won’t happen on October 21 as originally reported by at least one source. Given the timing of this GM release, either an October 14 or an October 28 date make the most sense.

The GM build is generally the same (or very close) to the final release that Apple makes available to consumers. Last year, a revised version of the GM was introduced just two days prior to the final launch of Mavericks, which took place on October 22, at a special event during which Apple introduced the iPad Air, as well as the iPad mini with Retina Display. Sequels to those two devices are likely on the agenda for any October product refresh Apple has planned this year.

New Macs are also likely in store, though exactly what will be revealed remains up in the air. Some reports suggest that there will be a Retina iMac line for the first time since the debut of Apple’s Retina display technology for Mac hardware with 2012’s MacBook Pro. There has also been a lot of buzz around a 12-inch Retina MacBook Air, though reports are mixed on whether this would arrive this year or next.

Another question mark is a 12.9-inch iPad that Apple is said to be developing, according to Bloomberg, with a reported launch date early next year. Given that Apple also plans to launch the Apple Watch in “early 2015,” it’s possible we’ll see a separate follow-up event that includes some of the products mentioned above alongside its official availability announcement.

Either way, this Yosemite preview software launch is likely the last before full consumer availability, so get your computers, hearts and minds ready.

Kahuna Plans To Avoid “Wrist Fatigue” With New Algorithm For Smartwatch App Notifications

It sounds like the upcoming Apple Watch and other wearable gadgets are going to create a whole new avenue for apps to communicate with you — and that could get pretty annoying.

At least, that’s the assumption at Kahuna, a Sequoia Capital-backed startup that helps mobile marketers test and automate their push notifications.

I mean, excessive notifications can get annoying on your phone, too. But founder and CEO Adam Marchick suggested that with wearables devices, there’s a risk that (for example) you could go to the movies, turn off your phone like a conscientious moviegoer — but your smartwatch continues chiming “every five seconds” because you keep getting notifications.

You don’t want to be that person. As the person sitting behind you at the theater, I don’t want you to be that person. And if you’re an app publisher or developer, you don’t want to be the one annoying your users in similar situations.

That’s why, in Marchick’s words, Kahuna has extended its existing technology and “built some new algorithms on top of it to determine what type of messages are really watch-worthy.” There are few big pieces to Kahuna’s wearable algorithms, he added — first, a layer that automatically limits messages to prevent “over-messaging.” There’s also an element that looks at the urgency and timeliness of a message (“Does this have to be completed in the next 10 or 15 minutes?”).

Kahuna can also look at the behavior of individual users and help developers target their messages accordingly. So if you always order delivery between 5:30 and 6 on Tuesday evenings, and if it’s 6:05 on Tuesday and you haven’t made the order, then there’s a good chance you just forgot. That could be the right time to send a reminder, Marchick said.

The company says the algorithm will be compatible with the Apple Watch and eventually Android devices as well. While Marchick pitched this approach as relevant to the entire wearable ecosystem, he also suggested that the Apple Watch will be “the first wearable that gets to scale.”

iPhone 6 And 6 Plus Arrive In China On October 17

Apple has announced the official launch date for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in China. On October 10, customers will be able to pre-order the devices from Apple’s site. On October 14, they’ll be able to put earlier orders in at Apple’s retail locations, and devices will become available for pickup on October 17.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus will be launching on China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom. The 6 will be available at a suggested retail price of 5,288 RMB (~$860) for the 16GB model, 6,088 RMB (~$990) for the 64GB model and 6,888 RMB  (~$1120) for the 128 GB model. The iPhone 6 Plus comes with a suggested retail price of 6,088 RMB (~$990) for the 16GB model, 6,888 RMB (~$1120) for the 64GB model and 7,788 RMB (~$1267) for the new 128GB model.

The “Impossible” Projection Watch Hits $1.4 Million In Crowdfunding

In what I suspect will result in a refrain of “I told you so” from multiple parties, the crowdfunding for the Ritot projection watch – a watch that projects the time and other data on your wrist using a low-throw projector – has closed. The project raised $1.4 million on Indiegogo after extensive chatter about nonexistent prototypes and problematic founder information (“It was public knowledge that the founder’s names, locations, and update promises kept changing, yet some shrugged it off.”)

Can this watch actually be made? First we must remember that there is no working prototype, a huge red flag. The bill of materials on the entire project looks far too expensive for the $199 early bird price although we’re not completely privy to the company’s plans. However, it looks like enough potential fools and their money have been parted, at least at this juncture, to make the product a reality. To add to the confusion, the project managers changed their location from the Ukraine to the US, citing image concerns. Indiegogo, for their part, does due diligence on campaigns like these but is not in the position to pull the plug except in cases of absolute fraud.

As we’ve noted before a crowdfunding campaign is a gamble. It’s a gamble for the backers and it’s also a gamble for the creators who, arguably, have far less to lose if a campaign fails. It’s also a gamble for crowdfunding companies: when a big campaign is considered fraudulent, the backers blame Indiegogo and Kickstarter for doing exactly what they’re supposed to do. It’s like a gambler blaming the house for losing.

However, campaigns like this one are no good for anyone. While I could imagine someone with more resources making a timepiece like this a group of designers from the Ukraine may have issues completing the project. I suppose only time will tell. Whether or not this product is another gust of hot air is anyone’s guess, but not many are optimistic:

“And so the deed is done. Congrats to nearly 7000 naive people, incompetent/uncaring Indiegogo staff and of course to the Ritot team who proved all you need to become a millionaire on IGG is a few photoshopped pics and high school level basic engineering.
To those who did not heed, I feel for you. To those who think you will ever see a product – Hope getting burned here wont kill your crowdfunding love, just make you more careful and properly review the projects you give money to.”

Video: Cirque du Soleil Does Its Thing… With Drones

Cirque du Soleil is known for doing incredible things with the human body. Now it’s doing incredible things with quadcopters.

In a collaboration with ETH Zurich and its Swiss spin-off company Verity Studios, Cirque has gussied up a brigade of drones to look like lampshades floating about their creator’s workshop. I’ll leave the rest for the video.

I’ve been to a couple of live Cirque shows in the last few years. Each time, there was at least one act that left me scratching my head, trying to figure out how the hell they pulled some act or another. If they’re starting to dabble with automated props that can whiz around the stage or above the audience, these shows are going to get crazy(/crazier).

Here’s the behind the scenes:

[via BoingBoing]

How Much Better Is Each New iPhone’s Camera? Here’s An Excellent Comparison

It’s easy to say that the iPhone’s camera has gotten better over time — that’s pretty much a given. But how much better?

Lisa Bettany, co-founder of Camera+, decided to put it to the test. Eight generations of iPhone, lined up in a row… all taking the same photo.

The results are pretty damn neat. The differences start to get a bit less massive as you reach the last generation or two — but they’re definitely still noticeable. I’d forgotten how bad the first two iPhones were at Macro photos.

It’s also a great way to highlight the quirks of each generation’s sensor. Take a look at the crazy color processing/flaring of the iPhone 4 photo up top, for example. If you said #nofilter on that, no one would’ve believed you.

These screenshots don’t quite do the shoot-out justice. Check out Lisa’s fully interactive side-by-side comparisons here.

(Note: that link seems to be having intermittent issues under increased traffic. If the photos are full size by default rather than a fancy expanding side-by-side, or if the site fails to load completely, try again later)

The $5 Lineable Bracelet Tracks Your Kids When They Wander Away

The Lineable, the unfortunately named tracking bracelet for kids, aims to make it easier for parents to keep tabs on their little ones thanks to the magic of beacons. Essentially a wearable iOS-compatible beacon, the device notifies you when your child is too far away and it allows other iPhones to become a sort of ad hoc GPS system that can track your little one through the dark, scary woods (provided he or she is also surrounded by Lineable users.)

Created by Tyler Moon, a former Samsung developer, the Beacon and Bluetooth 4.0 compatible device that will cost a mere $5. To use it parents will slap it on their wee ones. When the wee ones leave the Beacon tracking area, the parents get a notification. Then, when the baby is too far from home, other Lineable users get notifications when the kid is near. This mesh network obviously depends on the popularity of the product, but I could see it being useful in bigger schools or playgrounds. The bracelet battery lasts a year and, interestingly, it features a patent-pending method to engage the battery when you’re ready to use the device, thereby preventing run-down while in storage.

A “multiple children” mode will allow teachers to keep tabs on multiple kids at the same time.

“Lineable connects all Lineable app users globally and use their smartphones to track lost children,” said Moon. “Lineable will utilize the resources of other nearby smartphones with Lineable apps to track its locations and this could expand globally as well.”

What inspired the product? “As Beacon and Bluetooth 4.0 are out in the market, Lineable thought of using these technologies in various areas,” said Moon. “Narrowing down the focus in a specific area, we decided families and children needed help and also children going missing are one of the biggest social issue that United States face as well.”

The project has hit $16,000 on Indiegogo, more than halfway to its $30K goal. The bracelet should ship in February 2015.

While the viral properties might be a bit ambitious, I’m sure there are some parents out there who want to know when their kids do a runner. Sadly it’s not hacksaw proof so little Cindy or Charles may be able to cut it off in a pinch. That’s why you have to back it up with a proper Omnilink prisoner locator, available to parents and select law enforcement.

Bending All The Phones: iPhone 6 vs. HTC One M8 vs. Moto X

Before the launch of the iPhone 6 Plus, the idea of people being concerned about how “bendy” their phone is would’ve seemed laughable. A week later, I’m hearing random people in my just-outside-of-the-echo-chamber coffee spot talk about it like they’d talk about the weather. Strange.

Yesterday afternoon, following complaints of new iPhones coming out of their owners’ pockets bent, YouTuber Lewis Hilsenteger posted a video of himself managing to bend the iPhone 6 Plus without much effort.

Today, he’s back with more phones. Does the iPhone 6 bend the way the 6 Plus does? What about other aluminum-backed phones, like the HTC One M8?

It’s about as unscientific as it gets, but if we’re considering “however hard this guy can push with his bare hands” as a standardized unit of measure, the iPhone 6 seems to fare considerably better than the 6 Plus did. The One M8 groans a little and the screen temporarily jumps out of place, but there was no permanent damage. The 2014 Moto X, meanwhile, seems to put up a helluva fight.

(If you’re interested in seeing what sorts of things companies do to test their phones against all sorts of different potentially damaging situations, check out these videos I shot of Nokia’s hardware damage labs way back in 2008. A phone’s tendency to bend would likely be tested with something like the machine shown in the over-extension test video.)

And for those who missed it, his original 6 Plus bending video:

relayr Gets $2.3M To Foster An Internet Of Things App Ecosystem

Berlin-based relayr, maker of the WunderBar, an Internet of Things (IoT) hardware dev kit which resembles a chunky chocolate bar, has closed a $2.3 million seed round, from unnamed U.S. and Switzerland-based investors.

The startup had previously raised a €250,000 friend and family round, and had been on track to close a €500,000 seed earlier this year — but received a higher funding offer from a different set of investors, which is the $2.3M round it’s reporting today.

relayr said its new seed investment will be put towards expanding its presence in the U.S., with the startup having already established a foothold in North America, with plans for more growth and upping its visibility there (it’s recently been showcasing its kit at DroidCon NYC and the World Maker Faire). It’s not abandoning Berlin, though, and intends to relocate to a new, larger HQ in the German capital at the end of September to accommodate planned new hires to expand its 20-strong tech and community teams.

The startup took the wraps off its WunderBar kit at the start of this year, before launching a crowdfunding campaign, back in March, on the hardware-focused Dragon Innovation platform, with the aim of getting the kit into the hands of developers who want to get started building apps that talk to connected objects. The crowdfunder brought in more than $111,000.

relayr’s thinking — with the WunderBar — is that software devs might not be quite so comfortable wrangling soldering irons and chips as they are lines of code. And so furnishing them with a plug and play hardware kit, complete with SDKs and an API for easy interfacing, will smooth the way for app makers to become IoT app builders.

But the hardware dev kit is just one part of relayr’s vision; the larger play is a cloud services platform (that will be hardware agnostic), called the OpenSensor Cloud (OSC). In essence it wants its cloud to become a unifying platform for developers building IoT apps — acting as a central hub for data flows to and from connected sensors and the apps that leverage this data.

“WunderBar is an enabling tool and a short term revenue stream, but the priority and middle-term and long-term revenue is around the cloud services for developers and manufacturers, i.e. device and data management, visualisation,” says relayr co-founder Jackson Bond.

“The OSC is geared towards both app developers and product manufacturers. It is a cloud platform that enables sensor data to be used by app developers to come up with cool apps, and for manufacturers to rapidly prototype their connected products by offering a single platform for different devices to communicate with each other.

“It uses open APIs and SDKs for iOS, Android (and soon node.js and python) making it easy for developers to choose what platform they feel most comfortable developing with.”

Initially the OSC will be free for developers to use, but the idea is to monetize IoT projects as they scale — by charging for data volumes.

Bond says relayr also intends to build a ‘smart apps’ marketplace, presumably also opening up an app store revenue stream model for the company, based on acting as the repository that hosts and enables discovery of IoT apps.

That big piece is yet to come though. For now, the focus remains on shipping hardware kits and building developer momentum for the nascent IoT. relayr started shipping its WunderBar kits just last month. And Bond tells TechCrunch it has sold around 600 kits so far.

“In total, we have had 282 backers from 40 countries who have ordered 325 boards, the rest have been sold through Conrad Electronic. Conrad basically swooped in and purchased an exclusive distribution license during the campaign. Our pre-ordering opened after our campaign ended (also March 4), and pre-orders now total 300,” he adds.

The relatively small number of crowdfunder backers for WunderBar looks to be due to relayr’s decision to run its campaign on the less high profile Dragon Innovation platform, rather than its original choice of Kickstarter, which is less specialist but has a wider reach.

“Scott Miller, CEO of Dragon, had called us up the Sunday before we were going to push the button to launch on Kickstarter to convince us to use his platform, as he thought they could also help us to both market the product and manufacture it,” says Bond, adding: “Hardware is hard, and we are software guys.”

In terms of who has ordered its WunderBars so far, Bond reveals that just under a third (30%) of current orders come from companies, large and small — including Microsoft Device Labs, Cisco, LogiTech, ARM and SAP. Educational institutions, including the University of Amsterdam, and medium sized manufacturers are also part of this business bundle.

“Most of these companies are looking for a dev kit to play with and to use for rapid-prototyping, together with a cloud platform for managing historical data,” says Bond. “The rest of the orders come from independent developers. We now have over 500 sign-ups on our app developer mailing list, and an additional 120 have signed up on the developer dashboard which we just started promoting two weeks ago.”

In terms of competition, the199$/145€ WunderBar is priced higher than single board computers such as the Raspberry Pi and Arduino, however Bond points out that it packs more hardware punch — given the quantity of connected sensors, sensor channels, radio and bridging tech on board.

Each WunderBar comprises multiple smart modules — which include sensors to monitor temperature, proximity, light, color, humidity, movement, and home entertainment systems via an infra-red transmitter. Also included is a Grove Connector, to expand its reach to Arduino-compatible Seeed Studio sensors.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Says Tech Companies Should Accept No Compromises On Climate Change Issues

Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down with UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres today at Climate Week NYC to discuss Apple’s concerns when it comes to climate change, and what the company is doing to address the situation. Cook summed up his company’s efforts by saying that Apple needs to be “one of the pebbles in the pond that creates the ripple,” refer to inspiring a broader effort to improve environmental practice among tech industry leaders.

“You look at what are the root causes, and you’re not accepting that there’s a trade-off between the economy and the environment,” he said in the interview. “If you innovate and you set the bar high, you will find a way to do both. and that you must do both, because the long-term consequences of not addressing the environment are huge.”

Cook said that this attitude of not compromising is something that Apple has already had plenty of practice with when it comes to their product design and development process, which is why it makes sense to apply it here, too.

“That’s the reason that everyone at Apple [...] is not accepting that you have to pick this or this,” If we took that kind of approach to our product, we would never make a great compromise. the truth is that you can’t compromise.”

As an example of Apple’s environmental policy leadership, he cited the new headquarters currently under construction in Cupertino, which Cook said he expects to be one of the greenest buildings on the planet. He also pointed to its data centers, which use renewable energy for power, and to their efforts all the way down the supply chain in keeping their partners in line. Cook said that this requires real, hands-on work.

It’s dirty and it’s detailed work,” he said of their supply chain audits and partner responsibility programs. “It’s rolling your sleeves up. it’s not esoteric and theory, it’s real work and real projects.”

Cook’s general advice for how to improve the state of the tech industry and its overall contribution to climate change situation improvements are best summed up as a call for greater transparency. Without calling anyone out directly, Cook still managed to challenge Apple’s competitors to do more in terms of making their environmental effects part of the public record.

“I think companies have to communicate, to consumers, about what they’re selling, and they have to do it in a way that communicates the whole of their footprint, and not just the one part they’re looking good on, but all of it,” he said. “And I think that if you do, I’m an optimist, I think that if you do that consumers are smart and the vast majority of the world wants to do the right thing, so I think [transparency] will drive desired consumer behavior. if you have enough companies that begin to do that, I think consumers will vote with their dollars.”

Apple’s own environmental efforts have earned it a significant amount of praise from Greenpeace lately, where it currently ranks as a top performer among major tech companies, especially regarding use of renewable energy.