TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Catch a glimpse of an iPhone assembly line

Megan Lavey-Heaton — Sat, 26 May 2012 18:00:00 EST

Chinese news site ifeng has managed to boldly go where few, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, have gone before -- inside of the Zhengzhou Foxconn facility to get a peek at how iPhones are made. There's nothing new that we haven't seen on ABC's Nightline regarding the factory, as The Verge points out, but the video does provide a good sense of how big one of these factories are and offers a glimpse into how iPhones are produced. Check out the full video below, but no English subtitles are provided.

Catch a glimpse of an iPhone assembly line originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 26 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Une Bobine: A Kickstarter succeeds, expands to another market

Steven Sande — Sat, 26 May 2012 14:00:00 EST

Une Bobine is a stylish and handy iPhone cable that went from zero to 1000 percent funded on Kickstarter in just 19 days. I covered the device on an episode of TUAW TV Live a few weeks ago, and just love the way that the flexible-but-somewhat-stiff Une Bobine works with an iPhone or iPod touch to not only connect your device for charging and syncing, but also works as a stand. As a result of the hot start this Kickstarter project received, the team decided to expand the product's use to micro-USB devices as well.

Not all Mac users use iPhones -- there are a surprising number of TUAW readers who have Android-based phones -- so it is nice that Jon Fawcett and the [Fuse]Chicken team have taken the extra funding from Kickstarter to meet the needs of another market.

Fawcett noted that "Micro-usb took significantly more work to achieve because it has one major flaw compared to the Apple 30 pin connector when attempting to do what we are with it. It is simply so small that the phone tends to rock side to side. To solve this, we have engineered a custom micro-usb connector housing that will make the micro-usb very stable on most phones. Because it seemed like an eternity was passing for us to finalize the details for this, we held a spontaneous 'Kickathon' with all of our employees (our name for the Kickstarter version of a hackathon) from 12:01am today until 5:01pm today. The Kickathon had one goal; to finalize the entire design for the micro-usb connector, which included design, engineering, prototyping, and testing. All of these came together by the hard work of our great team!"

Une Bobine will be available in a 12" version (Petite Bobine) and a 24" full version, and since the company surpassed a $90,000 "stretch" funding goal, they're adding in a free 3-foot USB extension cable. And of course, it'll be in both Dock connector and micro-USB flavors. Check out another one of [Fuse]Chicken's well-done product trailers below.

Une Bobine: A Kickstarter succeeds, expands to another market originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 26 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Daily iPad App: League of Evil 2 proves platformers and touchscreens can play nice

Mike Schramm — Fri, 25 May 2012 17:00:00 EST

There are a lot of awesome games on sale in the Because We May event going on this weekend, but of the titles I've picked up so far, League of Evil 2 is probably my favorite. It's a platformer title, in the vein of Super Meat Boy, in that it's basically a quick and simple romp through a series of quick levels. But while a lot of platformers don't work all that well on the iPad's touchscreen, League of Evil 2 works great. The virtual buttons are not only big and easy to hit, but they're very responsive, and great character and animation designs make it easy to move around the level quickly in very precise ways.

Each level is pretty quick to get through, but there are hidden briefcases to find in each one, and you're also timed as you go, with a max three star rating to earn. There are over 100 levels to play, and with the game on sale for just 99 cents, League of Evil 2 is the best way to spend a buck this Memorial Day weekend. Don't miss it!

Daily iPad App: League of Evil 2 proves platformers and touchscreens can play nice originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple looking to hire engineers at Israel R&D facility

Mike Schramm — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:00:00 EST

We've heard that Apple intends to step up hiring at a new research center in Israel, and here is more evidence of that effort. Two new job listings have appeared on Apple's site for physical design engineers in Haifa, Israel, showing that Apple is getting serious about building out its new R&D center.

These engineers will work on designs for "system-on-a-chip" implementations. Which, of course, is exactly the kind of technology that Apple is so good at stuffing into tiny mobile devices. The open positions are high level placements, with job requirements that expect to see these SoC designs from beginning to end. It'll probably take Apple a while to fill these positions with the right people, so we likely won't see actual chips come out of these facilities for a while. But the company clearly has an eye forward to making the site there an important one for Apple's future devices.

Apple looking to hire engineers at Israel R&D facility originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

US TSA eyeing Macs, iOS devices to assist mission

Steven Sande — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 EST

America's favorite frisking and body scanning team -- the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) -- is about to go Apple. NextGov is reporting that the TSA has put out a request to possibly purchase any number of Apple products to "support specific areas of TSA's Risk Based Counter-Terrorism mission."

TSA's Office of Acquisitions is planning to enter into several contracts over the next three years to buy Apple products and services with a maximum value of US$3 million. They're not just looking at Macs and iPads; according to a TSA document (PDF), "The proposed procurements may include any products currently within or added to the Apple line of products to include but not limited to: Apple computers/laptops, Apple iPads, Apple iPhones, Apple iPods, Apple TV, Apple OS (sic), Apple App Store applications, Apple peripherals and accessories such as monitors, mice and keyboards, and such services as installation, software updates, extended warranty and repairs, including AppleCare, required to support the Apple product line in an enterprise/production environment."

The document goes on to describe why TSA is looking to sole-source the Apple line, stating that it "requires the hardware, software and licenses to support a greater diversity of devices and operating systems as we follow the public driven demand for more mobility." TSA states that they'll be issuing a separate document for "Google Android" hardware, software and services to cover another "TSA capability gap."

US TSA eyeing Macs, iOS devices to assist mission originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Foxconn to build new plant for iPhone screens with Sharp's help

Kelly Hodgkins — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:30:00 EST

Sharp and Hon Hai Precision, parent company of Foxconn, are partnering to improve the LCD manufacturing process for the iPhone. A report by Reuters points to Nikkei business daily report that says Sharp is helping Foxconn outfit a new Chengdu plant with the latest LCD manufacturing technology. Foxconn will use Sharp's know-how to improve its iPhone display manufacturing process. In return, Hon Hai, parent company of Foxconn, will buy an 11 percent stake in Sharp that's worth 66.9 billion yen (US$844 million as of this writing).

This agreement follows an earlier deal that gave Hon Hai a 46.48 percent stake in a Sharp's most advanced LCD display plant in Sakai, Western Japan.

Foxconn to build new plant for iPhone screens with Sharp's help originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Daily iPhone App: Burnout Crash smashes with style

Mike Schramm — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:00:00 EST

I don't really care who you are or what kind of games you like. You should go to the App Store and buy Burnout Crash for 99 cents because it's on sale right now.

Done? Great. Now I'll tell you what the game's about. Criterion Games typically makes console games, most notably the Burnout series, in which cars are mashed up in incredibly gorgeous ways across races and other modes. Recently, the company released a downloadable console game called Burnout Crash, which was a top-down arcade version of one of Burnout's destruction-based modes.

Burnout Crash isn't a shabby port. Criterion clearly considered how to best adapt the game to Apple's touchscreen. The result is a lot of fun. You swipe cars around the screen to blow them up, earn points with combos and multipliers, and enjoy the chaotic fun.

The sounds in Burnout Crash must be heard to be believed. Not only are the crashing sounds perfectly implemented, but the arcade-style sounds are reminiscent of a casino slot machine. They ring out gorgeously as you play with various spinny wheels and jackpot game mechanics.

And at 99 cents during EA's big sale this weekend, this is absolutely a must-play game. Which is why you already bought it at the beginning of this post, right?

Daily iPhone App: Burnout Crash smashes with style originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

iPhone, iPad optics add night vision for covert missions

Kelly Hodgkins — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:00:00 EST

The iPhone and iPad are consumer devices, but they're powerful enough to be used in a variety of industries, including the military and law enforcement. One such military tool is a new hardware and software system from Special Operations Apps that lets you attach an iOS device to military grade optics like an infrared imaging system, night vision equipment, or laser range finder. The product works with current optics and will be sold as the Operations Apps/System for Optical Attachments system, also known as [SOA]2.

In the [SOA]2 system, the smartphone or tablet will become a heads-up-display that'll let the user easily view their field of view without squinting or having to keep one eye on the ocular and one eye on their surroundings. The app supports geo-tagging and high-definition video recording so users can mark their location and save what they see for later review. A future version will include facial and object recognition as well as advanced targeting. The company completed testing and is now demonstrating the technology to law enforcement, defense contractors and government security agencies.

[Via SlashGear]

Show full PR text

Military-grade optics meet iPhone and iPad via US Night Vision and Special Operations Apps

[SOA]2 new technology hardware and software renders comprehensive integration

TAMPA, Fla., May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) --

The Apple iPhone, iPad, and military-grade optics can now be seamlessly and simultaneously integrated to deliver mobile data-recording, navigation, and instant situation-analysis in a comprehensive solution to debut at this week's SOFIC, according to its developers.

Special Operations Apps/System for Optical Attachments - also known as [SOA]2 - can allow geo-tagging in the standard Military Grid Reference System in frame-stamped high-definition video, geo-located and accurate within seven (7) meters. The integrated smart device can be attached permanently or temporarily to optics, weapons, or equipment, according to K. Dominic Cincotti, founder of SOA and its affiliated company, MW Research and Development, Inc.

"In addition to the Apple iPhone 4S and the New iPad," Cincotti said, "we're also excited about the platforms and devices like the Windows phones, the Android, the Lumia 9000, and the Nokia PureView, with its game-changing 41-megapixel camera." He added that all of these are under consideration for [SOA]2 development, and his companies are in continuing talks with Nokia.

Generation III night vision devices, long-range day optics, infra-red imaging systems, and laser range finders, among others, can now be configured with commercially available smart devices - including the iPhone 4S and the New iPad - from the [SOA]2 cluster of newly patented and patent-pending hardware and software.

The Dream Team
To produce [SOA]2, Cincotti's companies led the program development with proprietary solutions, including an intellectual property cluster for attaching mobile smart devices onto weapons. Cincotti established a Joint Teaming Alliance (JTA) with US Night Vision, Hoodman USA, and Jonathan Springer, the US Army captain who created the critically acclaimed Tactical Nav App that has been soldier-deployed in the fiercest combat zones.

"This is the Dream Team for optics, US Night Vision hardware, and software, and a chance for us all to help customize the future," Cincotti said, "and with the US Army's announced intention to issue smart devices to soldiers, [SOA]2 is the best use of the newest technology and the army technology already in hand."

US Night Vision's vice president of sales and marketing, Chris Byrd, said "With [SOA]2 and USNV Hardware, warfighters can use their smart devices as a calibrated, heads-up display for optics to improve situational awareness. No longer will they have to squint through a scope and close one eye - or be locked into goggles."

"We are taking military-grade optics and turning them into mobile high definition data-recording navigational and analysis systems," Byrd said, "while still maintaining the integrity of the original optics that have already been purchased in previous acquisition cycles."

Tactical Nav's developer, CPT Springer, said, "Bottom line up front, this joint teaming alliance is about integrating the best uses of technology we have right now and putting this technology into the hands of our combat soldiers downrange."

"The soldier already knows these mobile smart devices," CPT Springer said, "it's already in his pocket, and he's already an expert at using it."
[SOA]2 completed testing earlier this month in North Carolina, Cincotti said, and at SOFIC the Special Operations community, law enforcement, government security agencies, and major defense contractors will have the opportunity to schedule meetings for field demonstrations and to discuss inclusion in the [SOA]2 program.

"We do our best to answer and anticipate the needs of special operations," Cincotti said, "and we are looking forward to continued input from the operators and SF soldiers as [SOA]2 progresses to adoption and deployment."

Intellectual Property Cluster
[SOA]2 comprises a cluster of interlocking intellectual property, including issued patents, patents pending, and proprietary IP. SOA and MW R&D have been issued two patents already this year, executed three patent filings addressing mobile devices on weapons, and filed more than a dozen US and international patents in the last five years. US Night Vision has a patent pending, and Hoodman USA has a patent on their products.
Special Operations Apps/System for Optical Attachments [SOA]2 includes:

Multi-use Optics Case Integrator
Adapter Rings machined from Ultem 2300, which is virtually unbreakable and super-lightweight
Hoodman System Accessories, now modified for mobile devices for [SOA]2, including Day/Night Solutions to reduce glare and light bleed
A proprietary software platform that includes a range of Special Operations-specific tactical navigation apps, integrating various optics hardware and mobile-device capabilities

Future iterations of [SOA]2 now being developed by Cincotti's companies are expected to deliver Facial and Object recognition and advanced targeting, on smart phone platforms, as well as on iPads and tablets. The Tactical Nav App will feature tracking of a unit, or an individual within a unit, and a "John Madden-style" tool that allows for mark-up.

US Night Vision, founded in 2001 and located in Roseville, CA, has been providing federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as the US Military, with advanced night vision, thermal imaging, infrared and lasers. The company handles the exportation of night vision systems following U.S. Department of State, ITAR guidelines. In addition to the exclusive line of US Night Vision products, manufactured and assembled at the Roseville facility, the company is also a national distributor for L3 ETO (Electron Tube Operations), FLIR GS (Government Systems), FLIR CVS (Commercial Vision Systems), Laser Technologies, Inc., and a point of sale for L3 Warrior Systems, Laser Devices Lasers and other related optics and accessories.

Hoodman USA, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Torrance, CA, manufactures digital camera tools, including Glare Fighting LCD Loupes, Ratcheting variable angle viewers, the fastest, longest lasting CompactFlash memory cards and the world's first steel-plated, ruggedized SDHC memory card line. Hoodman has more than 500 dealers in the US and around the world.

CPT Springer, while a Battalion Fire Support Officer in Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne, began developing what would become the Tactical Nav App. He spent more than $30,000 of his own money to create the app, now available for download on the iTunes App Store.

From Bloomberg
A New Science of Stealth
January 2012's Popular Science cover story, Invisible Warriors and the New Science of Stealth, reports the two biggest new tech advances in modern camouflage, as "Camo Gets A Makeover."

Popular Science (The Future Now) reported SOA's development of site-specific camouflage using an app and a mobile smart device that combines photographs of a given location into customized, terrain-specific patterns that can be digitally printed directly onto a garment or fabric. One new camo technology in the Popular Science article is simultaneous camo stealth, in which multispectral countermeasures are simultaneously deployed for manned and unmanned vehicles, equipment, hardware, and weapons, for maximum tactical advantage.

Another SOA breakthrough, the CamoScience[TM] app, was featured in CNN and NBC TV news programs last year, demonstrating the power of iPhone-like smart devices with feature-rich app attributes, including geo-positioning, augmented reality overlays, and Area of Operation HD in-camera imagery. In 2009, intellectual property created by MW R&D garnered a $43 million contract award for its licensee.

The CamoScience[TM] commercial effort is led by Cathlena Spencer, SOA chief technology officer, teaming with Apple iTunes award-winning developers of the Theodolite App, a best-selling navigation app.

For MW R&D/SOA, Dave Mullins, a veteran operator with experience on four continents, leads in-house subject matter experts, along with Mark Tocci, a veteran Ranger and a patent-pending inventor.

The Special Operations Apps/System for Optical Attachments in-house team included Sam Thompson, physicist, veteran of NASA's Mars Rover project, and a patent-pending inventor; and Ronnie Medina, veteran special forces operator and project consultant.

The Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) is an annual event, bringing together more than 7,000 attendees from government and industry and featuring more than 350 exhibiting companies.

Special Operations Apps is a privately held company based in Wilmington, NC, strategically situated between Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune and convenient to Virginia Beach, VA.

iPhone, iPad optics add night vision for covert missions originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Tons of apps on sale to kick off Memorial Day weekend

Mike Schramm — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:00:00 EST

It seems like it's been a while since we had a big holiday weekend full of app sales, but the wait is over: Memorial Day is coming up in just a few days, and app developers are bringing down prices all over the store to celebrate!

EA's got most of its games on sale for just 99 cents, including Flight Control Rockets, Trenches 2, and Burnout Crash. Some really great deals in there.
Because We May is a big coordinated indie gaming sale going on, and pretty much every great indie game on iOS has been brought down to 99 cents. Too many great titles in there to list: Puzzlejuice, Swords and Soldiers, Fieldrunners, Super Mega Worm, 1-bit Ninja, Aftermath, League of Evil 2, and a whole lot more. Seriously -- go buy some iPhone games.
Above has dropped to free.
Cut the Rope: Experiments is free.
Mini Motor Racing HD has gone free.
And side scroller racing game Dream Track Nation has gone free as well.
Business Card Reader from Shape Services is now $2.99, down from $4.99.

Man oh man that's a lot of great, really cheap games. Especially that Because We May sale -- seriously, go look at it, both for iOS and Steam.

Tons of apps on sale to kick off Memorial Day weekend originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Boost case for iPhone keeps the battery going

Mel Martin — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:00:00 EST

I love my iPhone 4S, but I am one of many who doesn't get great battery life from the phone. Apple has done some firmware updates that 'addressed' the problem, but I think battery life on my phone is still sub-par.

I've looked at a few battery cases, but many were pretty clunky and didn't seem worth the hassle. A friend tipped me to the Boost Case, and I found it on Amazon and gave it a try. The case I ordered fits the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, and is made of a hard rubber nonslip surface. You charge the case with a micro USB cable (included). The flat built-in battery puts out 1700 mAh. I plugged it in overnight, and blue LEDs on the back of the case confirmed it had a full charge.

I slipped the iPhone into the 2 piece case, and started my day. Every time I looked at the screen, the battery reading was 100%. It was 100% through the morning, through lunch, all afternoon, and well into the evening when the iPhone started running on its own battery and I saw 92% about 10PM. The phone got normal use through the day. Lot's of email, some snapped photos which were forwarded to others, even part of a Netflix movie and the usual phone calls. I tried the same routine the next day with the same results.

When I first got the case the iPhone reported that 'charging was not supported with this accessory', but the iPhone was indeed charging. After the first try I never saw the message again. I tested photos with the case on to make sure the case did not interfere with the camera lens. Pictures looked fine with no obstruction visible. Some users have reported shooting with flash can leave a bit of a haze at the lower right of the image. I made a few tests and the images looked fine, but your experience may vary.

The Boost Case comes in a variety of colors, some models have a removable battery pack, others have it integrated. The one I tried uses an integrated battery and is only US $47.50 at Amazon. That's a pretty low price to completely solve the vexing problem of iPhone battery life. There are plenty of cases out there that provide battery extending functions. The Boost Case works very well and is worth a look if your iPhone battery life is less than stellar. Feel free to share your experiences with the Boost Case or any others that you have tried.

Boost case for iPhone keeps the battery going originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments