Volvo Turns iPad Into X-Ray Scanner

Volvo launched an x-ray app at the Geneva Auto Show that allows users to turn their iPhones and iPads into handheld x-ray scanners.

Digital agency La Comunidad Miami created the app. Users can walk around a Volvo and see a full 360-degree x-ray view beneath its skin, with callouts to the patented, world’s first Volvo innovations inside. The augmented reality technology behind it fuels the app, enabling devices to read markers that are placed around the car.

A huge success at the Geneva Auto Show, the app will be used in other Auto Shows around the world, as well as Volvo dealers. Take a look at the video below showing how this innovative technology works.

iPad vs. Nexus 7: Which Wins in a Tablet-Destruction Derby?

Google’s latest and greatest Android tablet — called the Nexus 7 — is a slick, lightweight and easy to use device according to early Mashable tests. It’s lightning fast, a great video player and costs much less than the new iPad. Then again, the iPad which is widely seen as the tablet world’s gold standard, comes with super-sharp retina display and has that cool Apple cache.

But which device is more durable?

 

To find out, SquareTrade, an independent warranty provider, just put the Nexus 7 and new iPad through a series of three destructive tests. All three scenarios were modeled after easily encountered real-life foibles. First, the devices were dropped from chest height, then from tabletop height and finally they were dunked in a bathtub.

All three tests are captured in the freshly uploaded YouTube video above. The Nexus 7 proved to be the more hearty tablets in all three instances.

When dropped from chest height, the Nexus 7′s screen appeared fine although it suffered some minor scuffs to its black backing. The iPad’s backing didn’t come out much worse for wear but its screen cracked big-time. Dropped from table height, the Nexus emerged with small dings but remained largely intact. One corner of the iPad sustained major damage (in both drops, it seemed to fall onto one corner) but this time its screen was unscathed.

But the most surprising result came from SquareTrade’s underwater test. The iPad’s visual display and touch screen continued to work after submersion, but all audio functionality disappeared. The Nexus 7, however, came back to dry land working totally fine.

How much abuse to think a tablet should reasonably be expected to withstand? Do the results of this video surprise you? Share with us in the comments.

Source: Mashable

How To Change The Color Of The Lock Screen Clock In iOS

When it comes to the world of jailbreaking and the associated tweaks that are housed within Cydia, history has shown us that small and easy to use packages can sometimes be the best and most fun to use and interact with. There are always exceptions to this and there might come an instance when a little depth is required, but the tweaks that offer a quick and fun solution to something generally have a lot of mileage in them.

One good example of this is a tweak that is sure to notch up a lot of downloads is the ColorClock package that has recently found its way onto Cydia, thanks to developer Yakir Hazan. You don’t need to be an expert to work out exactly what this little offering does, but I am pretty sure that it will bring a much-needed customization option to those users who are willing to spice up their theming habits.

After installation, ClockColors doesn’t install any additional home screen icons, with users being able to manually control the look of the clock through the dedicate settings panel that comes with the package. I am always an advocate for developers who include an on or off toggle within the tweak’s settings, and thankfully, Hazan has included this with his latest creation.

Changing the color is as simple as entering the preferences panel through the native Settings app and then choosing a new color from the predefined list. It is worth noting that after a new color has been chosen, the device will need to undergo a respring or reboot before the change takes effect. Aside from the fact that this package does exactly as promised, it also does offer a nice visual change to the lock screen for those who might be a little bored of the default white clock. Unfortunately, the developer hasn’t included any localized English strings with the tweak, meaning that the options are only in his native language. With that said, the options are simple enough to be understood and worked around with.

ColorClock is available as a free of charge download from the MacCiti repository with no iOS version requirements being given.

Source: Redmondpie.com

Nexus 7 holds up better than iPad in drop, water-dunk tests

Computerworld - Drop and dunk tests of both the new Apple iPad and the Google Nexus 7 show the Google device is more resilient.

The tests are described in a 2:50 YouTube video produced by SquareTrade, a company that offers third-party warranties for electronics.

In the video, two separate drop tests onto concrete show the iPad came out in worse shape than the Nexus 7 with damage to the glass front of the 9.7-in. iPad both times.

In the dunk test into water in a bathtub, the Nexus 7 survived intact, with video and sound still working, while the iPad lost its ability to play sound.

In the first drop test, both devices were dropped at the same time onto concrete from about five feet, about chest high. In the second drop test, both were slid off a concrete bench to a concrete sidewalk from about two feet.

In both drops with the two devices, the 7-in. Nexus 7 got scuffs to the rear with no glass breakage, while the iPad suffered front glass damage with minor scuffs on the metal back.

In the dunk test, both devices were dropped for a few seconds into water while they were running. The iPad came out with touch capability and video still working, but no sound. The Nexus 7 had video and touch controls after the water dunk, as well as sound. "Wow, that's impressive," a tester says in the video after hearing the sound still working on the Nexus 7.

On its Web site, the company offers a two-year warranty for the $499 iPad, (16GB version with Wi-Fi only) for $99, with no deductible. A two-year warranty for the Nexus 7, priced new for $199 is $18.99, but no information was provided about the amount of the deductible on the site's quote tool.

The SquareTrade warranties for iPad are described as providing protection from "drops, spills and more."

SquareTrade said in the video that nine out of 10 of its tablet claims are due to drops and spills. Also, one in three reported broken tablets have cracked screens, the company said.

Source: Computerworld

Smaller iPad To Cost Significantly Less, Debut Later This Year

Adding on to the already-tall pile of rumors that suggest Apple will be launching a smaller iPad with a roughly 8-inch display, the New York Times has just stated that, according to sources close to the company, the 7.85" iPad will be "significantly cheaper" than the existing iPad 3, and will make its debut sometime this year.

While Apple has largely maintained its ground in the tablet market, the war is heating up. In the smaller tablet space specifically, Google just began shipping its Nexus 7 on Friday, which is set to compete against both the Kindle Fire from Amazon and Apple’s iPad. With its low price point, consumers who just want their tablets for very basic tasks and portability may be more tempted to purchase one over an iPad. And again, while Apple still reigns in this market, perhaps their alleged interest in launching a smaller iPad is so that they can squash competition from Google and Amazon – primarily the latter – before they put a more substantial dent in the iPad’s sales.

But given the incredible success that the existing iPad is seeing, paired with comments made by Jobs about how a 7" tablet size "isn’t sufficient to create great tablet apps" makes it almost unusual that the company seem to be planning to ship such a device. John Gruber posted a pretty solid post noting this, also pointing out that, should the company ship a 7.85" tablet, it won’t be the first time that it/Jobs made a complete 180 degree turn from a formerly held stance. Also, being justifiably pedantic, 7.85" is closer to 8" than to 7", meaning that it will offer 66% of the surface area of the existing 9.7" iPad, vs. 45% if it were roughly 7". A few other points that may show the company’s reason behind the creation of a smaller iPad were also noted in Gruber’s post, so it’s definitely worth a read.

So, what do we know about the device? Rumors have been very vague as of late, not mentioning much more than the "iPad mini" is coming, and will have a screen size of 7.85 inches. We don’t even know if it will, initially at least, come with a Retina display. I’m fine with the details remaining a surprise if the device is even announced, though.

Source: Redmondpie.com

Apple Analyst: iPad Mini, iTV Are For Real

Good news for those of you itching to get your hands on a 7-inch Apple tablet or an Apple television set — one of the industry’s top analysts expects you’ll see both within the year.

Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray told attendees at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen that an iPad Mini was “highly likely,” and that he had talked to manufacturers in Asia who are already supplying Apple with components for what we’re still tentatively calling the iTV.

“The TV thing is real,” Munster said. “It’s just a function of time. Some suppliers are more open in talking about it than others.”

His best guess on that timing for iTV? Probably by the end of 2012, possibly launching in 2013. Munster told Mashable that early versions of the set would probably still rely on the Apple TV set-top box, but that later versions would have it built in.

As for the 7-inch iPad Mini, Munster says it makes strong business sense for Apple to expand its product line to the low end of the market — it currently has 90% of the 10-inch tablet market, but 75% of the tablet market as a whole.

But he pointed out that it would be the first example of the company specifically reacting to its competition — from tablets such as the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 — and also the first example of it going against the wishes of its late founder Steve Jobs, who frequently dismissed the idea of a tablet smaller than 10 inches.

Fellow panelist Horace Dediu of Asymco also said he expects an iTV very soon, and that it would have a huge impact on the entire entertainment industry.

“The App-ification of TV will unleash forces we can’t imagine,” Dediu said. “Just look at what native apps like Instagram have done to the phone space.”

Munster added that an iTV would help propel Apple’s stock price from where it currently is (in the $600 range) to where he expects it to be (roughly $910).

What impact do you expect from an iPad Mini or iTV? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Mashable