Bumprz anti-case for iPhone 5 & 6 (video)

Bumperz 2 fitted to iPhone 6
Credit: Case of Steel/Kickstarter

A case is a good way to protect your expensive smartphone against an unsympathetic world, but some users prefer to take the risk with a naked device. If you incline towards this view, & own an iPhone in the 5 or 6 families, you might like to take a look at Bumprz.

Check this drop test video of Bumprz for the iPhone 5 family



Bumprz 2 for iPhone 6 family is funding now on Kickstarter. As of this writing, there are still 2 left for $15. If you miss out, expect to pay $20. One other thing – Bumperz 2 will only proceed to production if at least $15,000 is pledged by Saturday 26 Mar 2016 3:00 PM US AEDT. At this time, only a little over $10,000 has been pledged. So if you are thinking about it, don't think too long.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bumprz/bumprz-2-freedom-for-your-iphone-6-family-get-your/description

Review of pre-production Bumprz 2
http://the-gadgeteer.com/2016/03/20/bumprz-2-anti-case-for-iphone-66splus-review/#more-195865

Bumprz (the original) for the iPhone 5 family is available from the manufacturer
https://caseofsteel.com/what-is-bumprz/ / BUMPRZ 2 anti-case iPhone 6 6s Plus review case dangers clumsiness cover iPhone beautiful design iPhones hide elegance drop buy insurance two competing primary values risk avoidance BUMPRZ protection safety fall falling phone lands on a corner damage falls shatter shattering screen protecting corner corner of the screen prevent nearly all damage falls drops BUMPRZ 2 Kickstarter campaign iPhone 6 all variations 300 supporters $10,000 toward their $15,000 goal campaign product, so if you are thinking about it, don’t put off pledging pledge test sample original BUMPRZ Kickstarter campaign iPhone 5 5s campaign, 1,000 backers pledged rewards campaign samples attention to detail sample Bumprz cleaning pad adhesive phone pre-production sample plastic covering adhesive installed BUMPRZ mounting guide instructions application instructions BUMPRZ corner of the phone smart phone smartphone BUMPRZ video correct bumper correct corner install installed protection corner of the screen antenna area on the back of the phone cover the corner of the screen affix BUMPRZ adhesive black stretched stuck to the phone stretched adhesive provides a substantial amount of shock absorption solid metal BUMPR spreading the shock provide strong drop protection Case of Steel free replacements 3 colors black space gray silver gold bronze copper Kickstarter campaign /

Everything Apple announced on Monday 21 March (video)

iPhone SE
Credit: Apple/digitallife.gr

iPhone SE
4-inch screen
12-megapixel camera shoots 4K video
A9 processor
CPU & GPU performance similar to 6s
TouchID sensor
Supports Apple Pay
16 or 64 GB
no mention of 3D Touch

9.7 inch iPad Pro
iPad Pro in iPad Air size package

supports iPad Pro accessories, including Pencil, keyboard cases

True Tone display adjusts colour temperature to match the colour temperature of ambient light – analogous to the way this & other devices adjust screen brightness to match ambient brightness

12-megapixel camera with LED flash

iOS 9.3

numerous relatively minor enhancements to to existing features

Night Shift mode is new – adjusts screen to a warmer colour temperature at night

Apple Watch
new bands
reduced starting price for 38mm model

New tvOS
easier onscreen text

Siri supports voice dictation – including passwords & App Store searches

folders
iCloud photos on your tv

Security
Tim Cook took took the opportunity to re-iterate Apple’s commttment to customer security



http://www.wired.com/2016/03/everything-apple-announced/?mbid=nl_32116

http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/21/11255472/apple-iphone-se-ipad-pro-event-recap-highlights

https://www.apple.com/apple-events/march-2016/ / Apple Tim Cook announcement keynote key note Apple CEO Tim Cook stage Apple's Cupertino campus introduce smaller four inch screen version iPhone iPhone SE thinner faster bigger iPhones original 3.5-inch display iPhone 6S Plus 5.5-inch screen Apple announced new iPhone smaller new iPad Pro new Watch bands software updates event previewing Apple's court battle FBI Tuesday 22 March 2016 iPhone encryption big announcement smaller iPhone SE 4 inch iPhone updated internals iPhone 5S Apple's 4-inch phone same processor graphics performance iPhone 6S Apple A9 chip doubles speed iPhone 5S Hey Siri hands-free voice assistant 12MP camera shoots 4K video NFC chip inside smart phone smartphone work with Apple Pay smaller iPhone appeal fans more pocketable devices 4 inches smaller Apple customers have resisted upgrading recent 4.7 inch 5.5 inch smartphones Mixpanel 16 GB iPhone SE orders Apple's other big hardware news iPad Pro smaller iPad Pro new 9.7-inch version many of the same powerful features larger 12.9-inch Pro model A9x chip screen less reflective brighter more color saturation pros primary work device true tone display measures color temperature ambient light new light sensors adjusts screen colour temperature smaller iPad Pro Apple Pencil stylus new line of snap on keyboards original iPad Pro cameras tablets new iPad Pro 12-megapixel camera LED back-facing flash tablet 32 GB Wi-Fi version 129 GB model new larger 256 GB option silver gold space gray rose gold grey Apple Watch cheaper more colorful Apple AAPL Tech30 Apple Watch Tim Cook new line of straps wearable new woven nylon bands space black Milanese Loop additional sport leather bands variety of colors colours Apple dropped price Watch smaller small Apple sold 30 million four inch iPhones smaller cheaper iPhone software updates latest version Apple mobile operating system iOS 9.3 available starting today key new features Night Shift adjusts screen late night reading better sleep finger print lock top secret documents Notes app small update Apple TV OS folders apps Siri voice dictation new health related jSDK CareKit personal care apps app help patients application partnership medical centers monitoring Parkinson's encryption iPhone SE Watch announcement Cook encryption iPhone customers deeply personal device iPhone power government should have our data our privacy responsibility /

SCAMP – Stanford Climbing Aerial Maneuvering Platform (video)

SCAMP climbing a wall
Credit: Stanford University

A major use of drones is for surveillance, where their ability to fly & hover, can provide unique video coverage. Downside is high energy consumption, which limits endurance. SCAMP is able to maximise run-time by landing on a wall or other convenient structure, perching, climbing up, down, or across the wall, as necessary, to optimize camera angle or signal (for video feed or control).



More:

http://www.engadget.com/2016/03/18/stanford-scamp-robot/

http://bdml.stanford.edu/Main/MultiModalRobots#SCAMP / Stanford's SCAMP robot fly climb perch on walls perfect drone for surveillance missions Stanford's SCAMP quadcopter fly hover in the air Stanford Climbing and Aerial Maneuvering Platform perch on climb walls like insect team university's Biomimetics and Dexterous Manipulation Lab learned previous projects create machine projects Stickybot robotic wall-climbing gecko team climbing technology developed Stickybot version modified faster greater ability to maneuver modifications designing drone take longer steps adding microspines feet similar praying mantis robot can climb walls perch SCAMP can stick wall long periods without falling off team climbing mechanism on top of the quadrotor press its body against the surface more stability slips walking up drone briefly switches on its rotors stay perched vertical surfaces drone save energy stop taking videos images first responders military team SCAMP extend mission anywhere improve machine research perching climbing robots quiet fixed-wing gliders /

Domino’s has delivered pizza by robot

Credit: indiansnews.com/

Drones as delivery robots have been mooted by a number of companies, including Flirtey Zookal & Amazon.

But drones are not a good mix with human beings, as some have found to their cost, including 18-month-old Oscar Webb, when he had an eye sliced in half by a drone.

Much of the danger of drones is due to the relative instability of flight, & propellors spinning at thousands of rpm. A robot with wheels would eliminate those dangers, & that is what Domino's used for its first trial delivery in New Zealand on 08 March 2016.



http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/03/dominos-pizza-delivery-robot/ / pizza delivery boys girls beware pizza giant Domino’s autonomous pizza delivery robot trialled New Zealand unveiled Domino’s Robotic Unit DRU announced bot already carried out its first successful pizza delivery March 8 DRU autonomous delivery vehicle statement website vehicle development commercialisation Domino’s Australia based skunkworks DLab promotional video DRU uses software developed Australian military contractor Marathon manufactures autonomous robots obstacle avoidance capabilities feature incorporated DRU Domino’s dodge hurdles using on-board sensors autonomous four-wheeler one metre tall two different compartments keep beverages cool pizzas hot customers can unlock order specific code delivery within 20 kilometres from the store battery charge designed move both footpaths and roads /

What killed your smartphone?

Credit: techandroid.net

Check the article below about the threats to your smartphone. Comments are useful reading too.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2016/03/17/what-is-the-worst-thing-to-happen-to-your-mobile-phone/

Take home message from the article above, is that the major dangers to your phone are being dropped onto a hard surface, or submerged under water.

So, what can you do?

Drop protection – a good case. Most cases are not good when it comes to impact protection. Most only offer protection against abrasion & very short falls onto a hard surface. Unfortunately, the most likely falls are from waist height. Otterbox’s Defender is the only case I have used which can reliably protect against falls from waist height onto a hard surface. They are also available for a wide range of phones. Biggest disadvantage is that they add more to the bulk of a phone than other, less protective cases.

https://www.otterbox.com/

I also hear good things about LifeProof cases, which also claim to be waterproof. LifeProof was acquired by Otterbox in 2013¹.

https://www.lifeproof.com/

Cases can also protect against drops by preventing the drop altogether – phones constructed of metal & glass are popular, but are relatively slippery. Most cases are grippier than a bare phone.

Water protection is more difficult. LifeProof, mentioned above, are the only waterproof cases I am aware of. Samsung’s S5 & S7 phones are themselves waterproof. As an older model, the S5 is now available quite cheaply, & the S7 is the very latest.


__________

¹ “LifeProof”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LifeProof / smartphone with a broken screen smartphones bigger bezels smaller glass plastic screens glass area larger screen easier to hold onto thin light devices recent study Verizon Wireless KRC Research mobile phone owners lost broken devices survey conducted consumers mobile phone users lost broken mobile devices results survey mobile phone owners dropped damaged phone throwing sitting on it respondents broken phone driving over it submerging damaged at home bathrooms study mobile phone owners drop handsets once a week some demographics more buttery-fingers millennials drop mobile phones twice as many times previous generations survey parents more likely lose break devices don’t have children embarrassing survey participants broken phone embarrassing smartphone-damaging story /

BMW & Nissan in talks to join all-electric Formula E racing series

Credit: aficioncentral.com

Negotiations are in progress for BMW & Nissan, to join Jaguar, in Formula E for the 2016-2017 season.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/16/11246782/bmw-nissan-formula-e-manufacturers-electric-racing

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/123280 / BMW Nissan join Formula E global all-electric racing series started in 2014 manufacturers teams series third season BMW's motorsport division series drivers swap cars mid-race battery capacity Formula E implementing a single-car format series fifth season Nissan fact-finding mission series long-term motorsport strategy Formula E organizers series manufacturers 10 teams spec car inaugural season teams develop new drivetrain components cars including electric motor inverter gearbox transmission rear suspension open competition attracted international manufacturers Renault Citroën Mahindra McLaren Jaguar joining the series season three teams begun developing cars third season BMW Nissan develop drivetrain technology join the series partner with existing teams Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag series manufacturers /

Apple vs FBI iPhone encryption – new perspectives

The Apple vs FBI iPhone encryption case has many facets, both technical & ethical, but, just in case you thought you finally had your head around all of the issues, here are a couple of other things to consider:

At least some Apple engineers would rather quit than develop an iPhone backdoor for the FBI
https://bgr.com/2016/03/18/iphone-hacking-apple-engineers-fbi/

Florida sheriff on Tim Cook – “I’d lock the rascal up.”
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/03/florida-sheriff-pledges-to-arrest-ceo-tim-cook-if-apple-resisted-cooperation/ / Florida sheriff pledges arrest CEO Tim Cook Apple resists crypto cooperation Apple wouldn't comply court order sheriff vows lock the rascal up Florida sheriff threatened arrest Apple CEO Tim Cook situation similar Apple's resistance government pressure ongoing San Bernardino terrorism investigation jurisdiction government obtained unprecedented court order All Writs Act obscure 18th-century statute compel Apple help order legal challenges Apple forced create customized iOS firmware remove passcode lockout seized iPhone 5C Apple court filings fight order drawn support cryptographers tech companies husband survivor of the attack press conference Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd detectives passcodes unlock phones Apple’s refusal create custom-firmware FBI brute-force seized iPhone 5C San Bernardino sheriff federal judge state judge above the law CEO of Apple not above the law United States locked iPhones Cook being put behind bars contempt of court order this county state attorney's office prosecute judge lock the rascal up Judd Apple comment Apple legal wrangling FBI mobile encryption Department of Justice DoJ compel Apple hand over iOS source code electronic signature run modified version of iOS iPhone Tim Cook FBI Apple Tim Cook encryption FBI’s FBI Apple’s Apple engineers FBI creating an entirely new version of iOS backdoor engineers rather quit Apple create code moral compass Apple employees law enforcement authorities balk at the work quit undermine security software current former Apple employees engineers tasked with the job FBI prevail in court Apple’s top software engineers engineer who developed software for the iPhone iPad Apple TV engineer senior quality-assurance engineer expert bug catcher testing Apple products iPod employee security architecture operating systems iPhone Mac Apple TV Apple FBI court /