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Apple could be launching a peer-to-peer payment service for Apple Pay http://ift.tt/2oNrlG5 This rumor has been going on for years, but 2017 might be the year of peer-to-peer Apple Pay. According to a new report from Recode, the company could be launching a new Apple Pay feature later this year so that you can send money to other people using the service. While you all know and use Apple Pay if you have an iPhone and live in one of the countries where it works, Apple Pay has always been about paying for stuff in retail stores and online. The company is missing out on a big lucrative market with peer-to-peer payments. The success of Venmo and Square Cash proves that. This service would work between two iPhone users. Recode’s report doesn’t say how you would send money, but I feel like iMessage could be the right platform for this kind of things. In addition to that, Apple could be working on a pre-paid Visa card to cash out on your Apple Pay wallet. If someone sends you money using Apple Pay, you could be able to use this balance using this card. This way, you don’t have to withdraw it your bank account and wait a few days. I don’t think Apple would charge for this service as competing services don’t charge for this kind of transactions. It could be a way to promote Apple Pay and make people add cards to their iPhone instead. Rumor has it that Apple Pay usage isn’t taking off as much as expected. Let’s see if the company announces this feature as part of iOS 11 at the WWDC conference in June. Digital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com April 27, 2017 at 06:33AM
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Summer Movie Preview: 37 Movies to Watch Out For http://ift.tt/2qjHBzE The summer movie season is usually very predictable. We all get super excited about all the big movies coming out. Expectations go through the roof. Then you see the movies, most of them are bad, and that’s it. For some reason, though, 2017 feels like it’s going to be an exception. Advertisement Maybe this is because 2017 somehow feels less predictable. Levels of anticipation and excitement are all over the map, with movies we all expect to be bad (Transformers, King Arthur, Dark Tower), expect to be great (Guardians of the Galaxy, Alien: Covenant, War for the Planet of the Apes), and have no idea whatsoever (Mummy, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Valerian), any of which could end up being totally the opposite. We just don’t know. To help you figure it out, we present the 2017 summer movie preview, with 37 genre movies to look out for coming to theaters, on-demand, and even streaming services from May through August. May
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2Like every summer from now until eternity, the season kicks off with a Marvel movie. In this case, the return of those a-holes in space. The story is set just a few months after the events of the first movie but this time around, things are much smaller and personal. Especially Baby Groot. (May 5) Enter the Warrior’s GateLuc Besson wrote this fantasy-adventure about a young gamer who travels back in time to an ancient civilization run by a tyrant played by Dave Bautista. He then has to use his skills as a gamer to find his way home, naturally. (May 5) Batman and BillEveryone knows Bob Kane created Batman. This documentary, coming to Hulu, aims to introduce to fans Bill Finger, the other man who birthed the Caped Crusader—but was robbed of the credit for decades. (May 6)
King Arthur: Legend of the SwordGuy Ritchie’s reimaging of the King Arthur legend feels like it’s been coming for years, but now it’s finally here. Charlie Hunnam plays a more gritty, ground-level version of the iconic character who rises from nothing to become a king. Jude Law stands in his way (as well as years of curbed expectations). (May 12) The SurvivalistA post-apocalyptic thriller with an indie twist, The Survivalist is about a man who has survived alone for years. Then, one day, he’s faced with a dilemma when a woman and her daughter show up at his home and try to take it over. (May 19)
Alien: CovenantThis story bridges the gap between director Ridley Scott’s previous two entries in the franchise, Alien and Prometheus, by explaining about how and where those wacky, killer xenomorphs come from. Danny McBride, Katharine Waterson, and Billy Crudup star. (May 19) UnacknowledgedA documentary narrated by Giancarlo Esposito that promises to provide never before seen information and access regarding UFO secrecy and coverups in the United States. (May 23)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No TalesSix years have passed since the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie and this one takes things into the future by telling a story of Will Turner’s son (Brenton Thwaites) on the prowl for his dad’s old friend, Captain Jack Sparrow. Expect huge action set pieces and even more Johnny Depp shenanigans, this time against the ghost pirate Salazar, played by Javier Bardem. (May 26) June
Wonder WomanThe DC Universe returns with the first-ever big screen film for one of the brand’s most iconic characters: Wonder Woman. Directed by Patty Jenkins, this film will explore the character’s origins in a period piece set before her roles in Batman v Superman or Justice League. More than anything this summer, this is a movie we’re dying to see and hoping will be good. (June 2) The RecallA group of friends is on vacation when aliens attack Earth. Now totally unsure of what to do, they are forced to trust a crazy old man who seems to know exactly what’s going on. It’s a small indie film with one big thing going for it—the crazy old man is played by Wesley Snipes. (June 2)
Captain UnderpantsThe popular children’s book series gets a big time animated feature featuring the voices of Kevin Hart and Ed Helms as students who turn their evil principal into the mindless titular superhero. (June 2) It Comes at NightThis horror film starring Joel Edgerton looks creepy as hell. It’s about a family who isolates themselves in a cabin as an unnatural evil takes over the world. Because going to a cabin in the woods to get away from a horrible situation is always the right decision. (June 9)
The MummyTom Cruise kicks off a brand new franchise for himself with this Universal Monster movie. Cruise plays a soldier who is cursed and hunted by an ancient, evil, and undead Egyptian queen. (June 9) 47 Meters DownMandy Moore plays one of two girls who star in what is basically a full movie made out of a famous scene in Jaws. The girls decide they want to see sharks up close, so they get in an underwater cage whose wire gets severed and drops to the ocean floor in shark-infested waters. (June 16)
Cars 3Pixar’s incredibly lucrative franchise is back, this time flipping the idea from the first film around. Now Lightning McQueen is the old guy, dealing with a new generation of racers. As always, Pixar has a lot to live up to, especially with their one franchise that audiences love, but critics generally do not. (June 16) Kill SwitchAfter an experiment to harness unlimited energy goes wrong, a pilot played by Beauty and the Beast star Dan Stevens has to traverse an imploding planet Earth to save his family. Sounds like a big movie, but it’s an indie. (June 16)
Transformers: The Last KnightThe fifth Michael Bay Transformers film will take things forward and backward at the same time. We’ll finally get to see the planet of Cybertron, but also go into the past to find out how and why the Transformers have such a connection to Earth, which somehow has something to do with King Arthur. Mark Wahlberg and Josh Duhamel reprise their characters from previous films along with newcomers played by Anthony Hopkins, Jerrod Carmichael, and Isabela Moner. (June 23) The Bad BatchJason Momoa stars in this festival favorite, post-apocalyptic cannibal film from director Ana Lily Amirpour, who made the highly underrated vampire film A Girl Walks At Home Alone At Night. (June 23)
OkjaThe acclaimed director of Snowpiercer and The Host, Bong Joon-Ho is back with another crazy scifi film about a young girl who fights to keep her best friend, a giant monster, from being taken by giant corporations. It’s coming to Netflix. (June 28) Amityville: The AwakeningLead by Jennifer Jason Leigh, a family moves into a new house to cut costs for healthcare. And yet, when the ailing brother is miraculously cured they realize something has gone horribly, horribly wrong. (June 30)
Despicable Me 3The supervillain-turned -ero Gru (Steve Carell) is back, this time with his identical brother and a brand new adversary, voiced by South Park’s Trey Parker. Minions are involved. (June 30) July
Spider-Man: HomecomingOur third Spider-Man in 15 years. It’s kind of crazy. But, for the first time, he’s an actual high school kid and lives in a world with the Avengers. Plus he’s hanging with Tony Stark (a lot, apparently). And he’s fighting a villain played by former Batman Michael Keaton. (July 7) A Ghost StoryCasey Affleck and Rooney Mara star in this critically acclaimed film about a man who dies and tries to come back and contact his wife as a ghost, but realizes he is being forced to watch life pass him by. (July 7)
War for the Planet of the ApesAndy Serkis’ Caesar returns for the third film on the road to the 1968 original. This time, the apes are at full-out war with the humans, led by Woody Harrelson. I don’t think it’s going to turn out too well for the humans. (July 14) Wish UponA twisted take on the classic genie story, a girl gets a magic box that grants her seven wishes. But as her life gets better with each wish, people around her begin dying in gruesome ways. (July 14)
Valerian and the City of the Thousand PlanetsDirector Luc Besson has made some of the most beautiful and influential genre films of the past several decades, but the movie he’s always actually wanted to make is Valerian. The swashbuckling, super scifi adventure film could be a masterpiece, a massive financial disaster, or both. (July 21) The Gracefield IncidentA man embeds a camera in his eye mere days before he witnesses a meteorite crash and battle for humanity against extraterrestrials. Another summer indie with a big idea at its core. (July 21)
Atomic BlondeCharlize Theron is a killer assassin in this action movie from the man who is next directing Deadpool 2. Buzz from the film festivals it’s played say that this has some of the craziest action scenes of the year. (July 28) The Emoji MovieIt’s n animated movie starring emojis. The voice cast is impressive (Patrick Stewart, James Corden, Maya Rudolph, Steven Wright, T.J. Miller, Anna Faris) but... it’s still a movie based on emojis. (July 28) AugustThe Dark TowerStephen King’s epic tale across multiple worlds and dimensions finally makes it to the big screen. Idris Elba is the Gunslinger, Matthew McConaughey is the Man in Black, and fans have been waiting for decades to see this story unfold. Lack of marketing has been scary but expectations are high. (August 4) LycanA small, 1980s period piece about a group of students who decide to go into the woods to study a local legend of a woman who supposedly turned into a werewolf. (August 4)
Annabelle: CreationThe maker of the killer doll Annabelle (itself a spinoff from The Conjuring) allows a new family into his life, which is probably going to go super smoothly. Miranda Otto of the Lord of the Rings stars in this sequel to a spinoff. (August 11)
Death NoteBased on the manga of the same name, the director of You’re Next brings this creepy story to Netflix. In the film, Nat Wolff plays a man who finds a notebook that kills anyone whose name you write in it. He uses this for good, until the wrong people take notice. Lakeith Stanfield and Willem Dafoe co-star. (August 25) PolaroidI feel like I’ve written about this movie 50 times but, here we go again. Maybe it’ll be out this year. It’s about a haunted polaroid camera that kills whoever’s photo it takes. (August 25) BushwickTexas decides to leave the United States, starting a sudden, massive war. So when a girl (Brittany Snow) gets off the subway in New York, unaware of what’s going on, she’s forced to trust a war veteran (Dave Bautista) to keep her safe as the world goes to hell. (August 25)
Terminator 2 3DJames Cameron’s blockbuster sequel comes back to the big screen with a brand new 3D transfer. Not that this perfect movie needed 3D transfer, but any excuse to see it on the big screen is a good one. (August 25) Digital Trends via Gizmodo http://gizmodo.com April 27, 2017 at 06:27AM
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Bourge Design’s Arc Hub is a handy 7-in-one port hub with a design that works against it http://ift.tt/2qcwFaS Anyone who has a Touchbar MacBook Pro knows the awful truth of using it: a beautiful machine that sacrificed functionality for aesthetics. Now, you’re going to need a dongle for everything: HDMI, SD cards, regular old USB 3.0 Type-A and a DisplayPort — which is the exact port selection being offered by the Arc Hub from Bourge Design. The Arc Hub has a puck-shaped design and excellent build quality — and it should be as a $134 accessory. A glass top and aluminum body very much reflects the design language of the Touchbar MacBook Pros. However, it’s not just restricted to those systems, thanks to a USB-C port. Basically, if you’ve been shorted by any laptop manufacturer for ports, then the Arc Hub will be of use. But does it actually come in clutch when you need it the most? Yes and no. The most curious thing about the Arc Hub (its circular design) is also its main shortcoming: because it’s a circle, you’ll be threading cables in a snail-shell pattern, where your wires risk entanglement with the more ports you use. Data transfer speeds are in-line with each of the For singular input/output, like when you’re in a pinch and need to transfer some photos from an SD card after a shoot, everything is fine. You’ll have no problem connecting the included USB-C to USB-C cable to get the hub powered, then inserting your SD card as normal. The wires get a little chaotic past the third input mark. Also, I never thought I’d write this about a hub: it’s a fingerprint magnet. The bottom line about the Arc Hub is it looks good as a port hub, but the sheer amount of wire management needed to handle six separate wires emerging from an aluminum/glass puck is nuts. If you’ve got a small desk or intended to use a port hub while you’re at a cafe — maybe you’d want to get a hub with a simpler, rectangular design. Otherwise, it does a fine job while looking the part. Regarding availability, the first round pre-orders from October last year are shipping in late May, with future orders shipping in chronological order afterwards. Price as Reviewed: $119 at Bourge Design Digital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com April 27, 2017 at 06:24AM
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Acer’s influence swells with a new smartwatch, VR headset, and 360 camera http://ift.tt/2oNyE0n Acer’s announcement-packed Next@Acer event included a slew of products ranging from gaming computers to slim laptops, with a varying set of release dates. A few don’t quite fit into any other major product releases, instead focusing on emerging and developing areas of technology with novel additions to the concept. First up, the Acer Leap Ware takes the fitness smartwatch and refines it with a couple of key features that play well as a team. Instead of Android Wear, Acer developed its own smartwatch software, built on a MediaTek MT2523 chipset with an MT2511 for heart rate sensing. With a screen built from Corning Gorilla Glass and an IPX7 water resistance rating, users will not have to worry about an unexpected rainstorm or accidental damage, and a built-in LED helps for those who do not take their phone on a run. Acer also provides social features through the Liquid Life app, where users can share their workouts and battle for coins in the Liquid Life marketplace. The Leap Ware will hit shelves in North American in July, starting at $139. Next up, two products with less clear release dates. The first is the Acer Holo 360, a 360-degree camera that also makes phone calls. It has 4G built right in and a small screen, which allows for quick viewing, editing, and sharing, all without a smartphone. Acer also announced that it’s working with Microsoft on the mixed reality headset units promised for Windows Holographic, and that development kits are already in capable hands. No word on when either of those products will find their way into users’ homes, or how much they will cost when they do. Acer continues to find new and intriguing ways to reach into different product categories. We have been waiting for mixed reality headsets in particular for quite some time, so any sign of progress is appreciated. That said, Acer’s focus continues to fall squarely on computers, which made up the bulk of the content at this year’s press conference.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/mG1NBn April 27, 2017 at 06:19AM
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Who needs the ‘net? New Paddle Partner app tracks GPS without an internet connection http://ift.tt/2pqp4on When kayakers and canoeists hit the water, the idea is often to get off the grid and away from civilization. However, many also want to be able to track their journey or figure out where they’re headed next. Thankfully, a company named Paddle Partner recently developed a new version of its app which lets users access their location and create maps while offline at select national parks and river destinations. Since most apps and gadgets on the market that offer real-time tracking require an internet connection, Paddle Partner’s update means boaters can leave the paper maps at home. While using the app, its “Mobile Map” function tracks GPS points, finds campsites and locates other points of interest along water trails in the Everglades National Park, Big Bend Saltwater Paddling Trail, Delaware River, St. Croix River, and the Namekagon River. Over the course of 2017, the company plans to expand even more by adding additional paddling trails throughout North America. App creator Kyle Wendel said that on top of the convenience of the app, it also prevents paddlers from getting lost and into potentially dangerous scenarios. “We feel that safety is every paddler’s number one requirement,” Wendel told Digital Trends. “Paddle Partner gives all paddlers the knowledge of knowing where they are at all times without any Internet connection.” In addition to tracking a user’s basic location, Paddle Partner also calculates the distance remaining to their desired destination, tracks paddling speed, and keeps a measure of their longest paddling sprint. It contains info and GPS navigation to all surrounding camping supply stores, river outfitters, and places to eat. A basic version of the Paddle Partner launched in 2015, however, the company recently gave the app a makeover. With the upgrade finished, it’s now scheduled to release the new-and-improved version on April 27. This includes added features like a preparation map for pre-trip planning, a current route feature to take users back to a former spot with one click, and a river feature which returns users back to the river they started on. Additionally, it also offers a paddle speed feature that tracks arrival time to a destination at two, four, and six miles per hour. Currently available only for iPhone users via the Apple App Store, the company says an Android version is in the works.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/mG1NBn April 27, 2017 at 06:19AM
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New iPhone case packs battery, headphone jack, and kickstand in thin package http://ift.tt/2p87Dsc When the iPhone 7 debuted without a 3.5mm headphone jack, as many had feared, two things happened: a sizable chunk of Apple’s user base was annoyed, and a new industry for accessory makers was born. Many companies, like Incipio and Fuze, introduced cases that revived the headphone jack, in most cases alongside an external battery. Many of these products are just fine, but there’s always room for improvement. A campaign launched a little over a week ago on Indiegogo aims to add a little more utility than just a headphone jack or extra battery, and it’s called ThinCase. ThinCase is unique for a couple of reasons. First, despite packing both those features, it is considerably thinner than the competition — even Apple’s own Smart Battery Case with the awkward hump. ThinCase adds slightly less than 5mm of bulk to the back of the iPhone 7, and the company is offering the product for the iPhone 6 and 6S ranges as well. Better yet, although it’s more slender than Apple’s first-party case, it packs a significantly larger battery — 3,000mAh, compared to Apple’s 2,365mAh. You’re not paying any extra for it, eitherm and you’ll actually pay less, if you’re one of ThinCase’s early bird backers. The case is currently available for $60, with shipping slated to begin just around the corner in June. The campaign is already well over 400-percent funded, and at the time of writing there’s still 22 days remaining. But ThinCase’s real party piece is its kickstand. The case is functionally comprised of two halves that utilize the base as a hinge, and that clamp together with your phone sandwiched in between. The front half has a raised lip, and you can rotate it back to prop your iPhone up on a surface. It’s an elegant and useful feature that also calls attention to how easy the designers have seemingly made the case to put on or take off. While many cases are overly form-fitted and difficult to slip on without causing damage (looking at you, Apple silicone case), putting your iPhone in the ThinCase is really as simple as plugging it in to the Lightning port, and snapping the top half closed. Speaking of Lightning ports, ThinCase has one — which is not as common as you’d think among battery cases for Apple’s smartphones. The product works as a pass-through, topping up your iPhone’s battery first before charging the case’s. LED indicator lights on the rear show you the level of juice in the case with the press of a button. Few cases include all of these features — a headphone jack, external battery, and kickstand — and fewer still accomplish this integration while still being reasonably compact. Many battery cases don’t even work with Apple’s included Lightning EarPods. You can check out ThinCase and snap one up for yourself on Indiegogo. Conversely, you can find our picks for the best iPhone 7 battery cases here.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/mG1NBn April 27, 2017 at 06:19AM
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Adidas expands line of running shoes made with plastic debris found in oceans http://ift.tt/2qcnYxb In an effort to reduce plastic debris in the ocean, Adidas and other companies have found ways to recycle it into quality athletic gear. Now, Adidas has has teamed up again with Parley on new editions of its Ultraboost running shoes. Each of these new shoes implements the Parley A.I.R. Strategy, which aims to avoid virgin plastic, intercepts plastic waste, and designs new alternatives. By turning the threat into thread, Adidas has created fresh blue versions of the Ultraboost, Ultraboost X, and Ultraboost Uncaged inspired by shades of the ocean. On average, a pair of Parley shoes reuses 11 plastic bottles to create the laces, heel webbing, heel lining, and sock liner covers. Despite the reused materials, the newest models deliver the same elite performance. “The new additions to the Adidas x Parley collection are another step in our journey to creating one million pairs of Ultraboost from upcycled marine plastic,” said Mathias Amm, product category director at Adidas Running. “As a global brand, we have a responsibility to help change the world for the better. These designs reflect our support for a great cause while delivering the exceptional performance we are renowned for — a powerful combination, which we hope will excite and inspire our global community as much as it does us.” Adidas’ Ultraboost Parley running shoes feature more than just recycled plastic. A primeknit wraps the foot for lightweight comfort. The heel fit counter system uses supportive heel construction to allow free motion of the Achilles’. Adidas’ torsion system supports the foot’s natural flex from heel to toe. For extra grip, the shoes feature a rubber outsole that adapts to every foot strike. And with each strike, the cushioning returns energy for a comfortable and powerful feel. The latest Adidas x Parley footwear goes on sale starting May 10.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/mG1NBn April 27, 2017 at 06:19AM
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Smartphones suck at low-light photos, but the right software could fix that http://ift.tt/2pDH27O When the average person accepts a dare, the result may range anywhere from a few stitches to some embarrassing photos. But when a Google software engineer accepts a challenge, the result might just be a solution that solves a common problem. After Florian Kainz, of Google Research’s Gcam team, showed his co-workers a night landscape he’d shot with a DSLR, he was challenged to take the same photo, but with a smartphone. The result? A peek at a shooting and editing process, which he documented in a Google blog post, could eventually wind up in future Google smartphones, like the Pixel. Kainz took inspiration from the HDR+ mode that combines multiple smartphone photos for better quality, as well as SeeInTheDark, an experimental app that produces low-light images by merging photos and dropping the resolution to a single megapixel. Using similar multiple-shot techniques, Kainz set out to see if he could shoot a photo in the dark but without the noisy images from SeeInTheDark or the limitations of HDR+. He decided to use a similar bracketing method of merging multiple photos together to get better – and brighter – results. Unlike the automatic HDR+ feature, he merged long exposures instead of images taken at a tenth of a second, using the smartphone’s longest available shutter speed (four seconds for the Nexus 6P and two seconds for the Pixel). The longer exposures would be brighter and merging multiple brighter photos would produce better results, he theorized. But first, he had to tackle the challenges all cameras face in the dark: focusing. Cameras need light to focus, which means even DSLR users need to switch to manual focus to shoot at night. Kainz then had to program an app that allows the camera’s focus to be manually set. For landscape photos, setting the camera’s focus at infinity worked for most of the subjects he shot, he wrote. The app also allowed him to control the shutter speed and ISO, as well as shooting in DNG, a type of digital negative with more control over the editing process. Manual camera apps aren’t anything new, but Kainz’s experimental app also shot up to 64 single photos with one press of the shutter button – over six times the maximum ten frames the HDR+ will capture. To test the app, he shot at a number of locations during the light of a full moon as well as nights with no moon. Those shots, with as many as 64 single photos including some black exposures with tape over the lens, were then taken into a desktop photo editing program and merged to eliminate the grain of high ISO. In scenarios where the ground or sky wasn’t sharp, he combined the images using layer masks to determine which parts of which photo showed in the final image. The result? While the resolution still isn’t the same as a DSLR, Kainz was able to successfully shoot low-light shots with detail not possible before, including capturing the Milky Way. While the process still requires a tripod, Kainz says an app that could handle the merging of those 64 photos could make low-light photography from a smartphone more accessible, even for users that have no idea how to merge 64 photos or how to use layer masks. “Trying to find out if phone cameras might be suitable for outdoor nighttime photography was a fun experiment, and clearly the result is yes, they are,” he wrote. “However, arriving at the final images required a lot of careful post-processing on a desktop computer, and the procedure is too cumbersome for all but the most dedicated cellphone photographers. However, with the right software a phone should be able to process the images internally, and if steps such as painting layer masks by hand can be eliminated, it might be possible to do point-and-shoot photography in very low-light conditions.” Kainz doesn’t say whether Google is working on an app that could do all the heavy processing without a desktop computer, but he says the software might just be possible. To see the rest of the shots from the experiment, check out Kainz’ Google Photos album. Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/mG1NBn April 27, 2017 at 06:19AM
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Apple may use Wi-Fi routers for wireless charging, according to patent filing http://ift.tt/2pDCcHt Apple may be looking to revolutionize wireless charging. The company has long been rumored to implement a new wireless charging technology into the next flagship iPhone — a wireless charging technology that does away with charging mats. We don’t yet know exactly how the new technology will work, but Apple Insider uncovered a filed patent that could show us another piece to the puzzle. The filing describes a few ways that Apple experimented with wireless charging, but perhaps the most interesting is that a phone could draw power from a Wi-Fi router. The router would essentially use dual polarization and dual frequency antennas, which could help offer a longer charging range — so eventually you could be able to walk around your house while your device is charging one day. Of course, this is just a patent filing — there is no official word from Apple on whether or not the company is pursuing this type of technology, or if it is looking into other wireless charging techniques. It is also possible the rumors have been false all along and the iPhone will not end up with any wireless charging whatsoever. Another part of the patent filing shows Apple using other cellular nodes and even signals from a satellite for charging — but the Wi-Fi router does seem to make the most sense. Hopefully, Apple’s implementation will take the form of a little more than just a wireless charging mat. It is expected that we will see a total overhaul of how we handle charging in the next few years. Companies like Energous have demonstrated true wireless charging technologies, in which users can walk around the house while their device charges. Energous’ tech didn’t use a Wi-Fi router, but rather a series of stations that can beam energy from certain distances. For example, there is a short-distance option that’s intended for desktop use, and a long-distance base that can beam energy up to 15 feet. We will have to wait and see if Apple’s tech is anything like Energous’ but rumors suggest Apple is partnering with Energous for the iPhone.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/mG1NBn April 27, 2017 at 06:19AM
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Key Mutations Show How Tibetans Thrive at High Elevations http://ift.tt/2qba8bu At altitudes of 15,000 feet, Tibetans live in environments that would incapacitate most humans. New research has uncovered several genetic mutations that appear to be responsible for these high-altitude superpowers—including a trait inherited from an extinct human species. Advertisement Geneticist Chad Huff of the University of Texas, along with colleagues, have uncovered variants of five distinct genes that enable Tibetan individuals to live and work in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, an elevated stretch of land that extends across Central and East Asia. Known as the “roof of the world,” this plateau features an average elevation exceeding 14,800 feet, an expansive arid steppe, mountain ranges, and large brackish lakes. It rarely rains, but when it does, it tends to come down as hail. Humans have lived in the Tibetan Plateau for thousands of years, and as the new PLOS Genetics study shows, natural selection has been busy at work on these populations, endowing them with a genetic profile specific to this environment. Advertisement Huff’s team uncovered gene variants that allow Tibetan individuals to withstand low levels of oxygen and limited access to food. Incredibly, one of these genes, called EPAS1, is inherited from the Denisovans, a mysterious subspecies of human that disappeared some 40,000 years ago. Consequently, this study is not just informing us about Tibetan history and physiology—it’s also telling us something about a human species we know very little about. Most humans aren’t built to live in the mountains. Once above 7,000 feet, and typically above 13,000 feet, many of us will start to develop chronic altitude sickness, with the decrease in atmospheric pressure making it difficult to breathe, leading to headaches and nausea. More severely, some people develop high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), which can result in swelling and itching in various parts of the body, hemorrhages, and even heart failure. It’s hard to believe that people would choose to live in such a harsh environment, but as Huff told Gizmodo, “Humans will go and live anywhere they can.” And given enough time, with the aid of Darwinian natural selection, the populations who do live in these environments will start to change. Sponsored For the study, the researchers sequenced the whole genomes of 27 Tibetans. As they looked for advantageous genes, Huff’s team flagged two that are already known to confer adaptations at high altitudes, namely variants to EPAS1 and EGLN1. Both of these gene variants are activated when oxygen levels are low, triggering production of more hemoglobin—a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. These genes stave off hypoxia, a dangerous condition that happens when the body is deprived of oxygen. But the researchers also found variations to three human genes that hadn’t previously been associated with high altitude adaptations. Two of these genes, PTGIS and KCTD12, have been shown in prior studies to be related to low oxygen levels and hypoxia, while VDR is known to play a role in vitamin D metabolism. Tibetan nomads are susceptible to vitamin D deficiency on account of their limited diets, and the VDR gene compensates for that. Advertisement Advertisement All of these gene variants, except for EPAS1, emerged through mutations among the ancient Tibetans. The fact that Tibetans inherited an apparent high altitude gene from an extinct subspecies humans is a potential clue about what these poorly understood people might have been like. Frustratingly, the only thing we know about the Denisovans comes from the genetic information extracted from a lone finger found in a Siberian cave in 2010. These hominins were more like modern humans than Neanderthals, and represent a potential subset of Homo sapiens. What’s more, the presence of the EPAS1 gene among the Denisovans would seem to suggest that they, like the ancient Tibetans, lived in the mountains. “I think it suggests it, but it doesn’t tell us for certain,” Huff told Gizmodo. “That would make the most sense, except that Tibetans acquired only one of these high altitude adaptations from them.” Huff thinks it’s odd that the Tibetans didn’t inherit more of these mountain-friendly traits from their Denisovan ancestors. “It could be that the Denisovans just had this one adaptation, but there may be other reasons why Tibetans didn’t acquire other high altitude specific traits.” Huff’s genetic analysis suggests that a population diverged from the Denisovans between 952,000 to 238,000 years ago, and mixed with an ancient population of Tibetans. The EPAS1 gene entered into the Tibetan population between 12,000 and 32,000 years ago, and positive pressure on the gene emerged some time between 7,000 and 28,000 years ago. The researchers estimate that 0.4 percent of Tibetan genome comes from Denisovans, but EPAS1 is the only gene that was reinforced by strong selectional pressures among the ancient Tibetans. Incredibly, it took Tibetans only a few thousand years (perhaps as little as 3,000 years) to acquire their high altitude traits; for these ancient mountain dwellers, evolution worked fast. Advertisement Moving forward, the researchers would like to study the newly identified genes in more detail to get a better understanding of how they help in high altitude environments. They’d also like to study the Andean people who, like the Tibetans, have also evolved high altitude adaptations, though not to the same extent. Digital Trends via Gizmodo http://gizmodo.com April 27, 2017 at 06:09AM |
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