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By on September 16, 2017 in Technology

Image from apple.com

Wait, what? Two new iPhones launch at the same time? Why? What’s the difference?

Let’s talk about it.

Design

  • The screen: The iPhone X (pronounced “ten”) has a screen that goes right to the edges, with a small portion that dips down a bit at the top – this houses the front-facing camera and sensors.
  • The back: Both new iPhones have glass backs. Are they durable? We’ll have to see.
  • The home button: Now here’s a point of contention. The home button remains the same on the iPhone 8, however, when it comes to the iPhone X – say goodbye to the home button and hello to Face ID. That’s right, there’s no more physical home button, but there will be a virtual one (tap to turn the phone on, swipe up for the home screen and down for the control centre), so don’t panic just yet. This will be an interesting adjustment, as gone are the fingerprint sensors – so now you can pay with your face.
  • Speaking of Face ID – we’re still undecided on our feelings for this feature. Is it cool? Absolutely. Will it get annoying to hold your phone up to your face to unlock it? Maybe.
  • Headphone jack: Still not on either phone – sorry!
  • Colour: The iPhone X will only come in black and silver, where the iPhone 8 still comes in gold.

Specs

  • A11 bionic processor should lead to longer battery life on both phones
  • Screens: iPhone 8 has the same LCD screen as the 7, while the iPhone X has an OLED screen (what Samsung and LG are using). This allows for more vibrant colours and higher resolution (2,436 x 1,135 pixels).
  • Back cameras: The iPhone X is similar to the iPhone 8 Plus (dual 12MP cameras with an extra sensor as telephoto zoom lens)
  • Front cameras: The iPhone X has a new front-facing camera with Portrait Mode effect (hello, selfies!)
  • Size: physically, the iPhone X is the same size as the iPhone 8 (5.8 inches), but due to the maxed-out screen size, it looks bigger
  • Features: Both new iPhones are water resistant, and can be wirelessly charged (though Apple’s AirPower mat for wireless charging won’t come out until 2018)
  • iOS: Both phones come with iOS 11, which features a new control centre layout that you can customize and updated Siri, along with typical tweaks like more vibrant colours and transitions

Availability

  • The iPhone X starts shipping November 3, and the iPhone 8 starts shipping September 22.

Price

  • iPhone X – starts at $999 US (for 64GB)
  • iPhone 8 – $699 US (for 64GB)

One thing many people have noticed is that Apple has gone from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone X. No iPhone 9. Curious…

By on September 8, 2016 in Technology
Image via pixabay.com

Image via pixabay.com

September Apple announcements have become something students, businesspeople, and the general public look forward to every year. We all want to know what innovative concepts will be in our hands in the coming months, and this year, it was the iPhone 7.

The biggest rumour (well, not a rumour anymore) was that Apple would get rid of the headphone jack. But don’t worry – you still like the feel of your old-school headphones? They’re including a Lightning adapter with each phone, so they’re not obsolete (yet). They’ve announced AirPods, wireless headphones which will quickly connect to your phone (and perhaps get lost just as quickly). But that’s for another day.

The newest iPhone is now water-resistant (thank goodness), so no need to be afraid of splashes any longer. The battery life is longer (supposedly 12 hours), which is always a plus for those classrooms without outlets, and the camera has a larger aperture, plus optical image stabilization to help get clearer pictures. The front-facing camera has also been bumped up from 5MP to 7MP – hello, selfies!

You’ll find the home button on the new iPhone doesn’t feel quite the same, because it’s using Force Touch. It’s no longer a “button”, but it’ll be able to do more things using different pressures – so once you’re used to it, it’ll be great.

Apple has also added stereo speakers to the iPhone – one speaker at the top and one at the bottom, to give you an almost “surround sound” feel. This will be great for adding music to your workouts.

This iPhone is truly next generation, and whether you’re using it on its own or syncing it up with your Apple Watch, it can enhance your regular, mundane activities both at school and at home.

The Details

  • Size: Same as the 6S (4.7 inch screen)
  • Home button: No longer a button, uses Force Touch
  • Water-resistant
  • Camera: rear camera has a larger aperture; front camera now 7MP. Introduced image stabilization
  • Speakers: one at the top, one at the bottom
  • Battery: lasts up to 12 hours
  • Processor: A10 chip is 40% faster than the A9
  • Colours: Jet black (only available in 128, 256GB models), matte black, rose gold, silver, gold
  • Price: Pre-order starting September 16 from $649US

By on October 2, 2014 in Technology

gobuddy iphone

Do you often forget your iPhone charger at home? When you do remember it, does it end up tangled at the bottom of your bag? Here’s an option for you: The GoBuddy+ Charger. It’s a portable charging cable for iPhones and iPads that fits on your keychain. The connectors tuck in nicely and the cable remains as compact as you need it. Did we mention it doubles as a bottle opener?

The Details

  • It comes in black or white
  • It’s Apple certified to work with iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5, 5C, 5S, iPod Touch (5th generation), iPad mini, iPad with Retina Display, iPad Air
  • Cable measures 8.25 inches
  • Contains a bottle opener
  • Price: $24.95

Fair warning: If you’re not used to having anything on your keychain other than keys, you may find it a bit bulky. You may also find the connectors come out of their slots when the GoBuddy+ is bouncing around in your bag.

If neither of those bother you, you may find it’s the perfect gift for your tech-savvy (or forgetful) friends, and it fits into many “Secret Santa” gift exchange budgets. You can even win the title of “Best Roommate Ever” if you’re feeling generous (or annoyed at all the cords always lying around).

And yes, it’s ok to pick one up for yourself! Your classmates are guaranteed to think you’re a leader in technology and pub night efficiency.

For more information, visit the Kanex website.

By on September 19, 2014 in Technology
Image from picjumbo.com

Image from picjumbo.com

It’s all anyone in the tech-osphere is talking about; people are lined up at Apple stores around the world. But for the not-so-wallet-friendly base prices of $350 US (for the Watch), $199 US (for the 6), and $299 US (for the 6 Plus), you may be doubting whether the money is worth it. You don’t even want to know what the cost of the iPhones are if you don’t have a contract (but we’ll tell you anyways – starting at $649 for the 6 and $749 for the 6 Plus. Ouch). When you’re debating making the switch to the new iPhone, or sending in your pre-order for the Watch (set to come out in early 2015), here are the features you should be aware of that can benefit your student life:

The Apple Watch

After years of countless James Bond movies, we’ve all thought the radio-transmitting wrist watch was just a fascinating, futuristic gadget. Well, welcome to the future. Soon we’ll all be talking into our wrists and tapping our watches to make glorious things happen (although the ability to cut through glass isn’t available…yet). The exciting thing is that apps are only starting to be developed. Who knows what they’ll come up with in the next year? Here are some of the key things we already know about that will help you as a student:

Pretend you know where you’re going when you’re completely lost
When using Apple Maps, find directions to where you want to go – same old, same old, right? Wrong. One of my favourite new features with the Watch includes different vibrations to notify you when to turn left and right so your eyes don’t need to be glued to your wrist. No one will know you’re a freshman in a new city.

Draw when you don’t have time to type
When you’re trying to push through crowds on campus to get to your next class, the last thing you want to do is try to type on your phone. Chances are you’ll make mistakes that even autocorrect can’t figure out, and you’ll walk into people, trip over someone studying on the floor, or even drop your phone. The next time your friend texts you “Are you coming to class?”, you can just draw a checkmark on your watch and you’re back in action.

It’s hard to lose
Much like parents who clip a leash to their toddlers in the shopping mall, you now effectively have a phone on a leash. Strapped to your wrist at all times, you don’t have to worry about which class you left your phone in this time.

It gives you incentive to get back into shape
The Watch can sense your heartbeat and your altitude (among other things), which makes for an effective fitness tracker. It can tell how many calories you’re burning and how many flights of stairs you climbed today. It’s the cheat-free reminder you need (see also: guilt trip) to get up and get moving.

The iPhone 6 or 6 Plus

If you’re already an iPhone user, you likely don’t need much convincing to upgrade. Each subsequent iPhone generation comes with new and advanced features that you didn’t know you needed – but now your two-year-old 4S seems not only outdated, but inadequate (I know mine does).

It’s bigger (but still thinner than ever)
Now this is not necessarily a benefit for some users. Of course we want more information on the screen at once – we’re multitaskers with an attention span of zero. But what about fitting our phones into our pockets? There’s only one solution: jean manufacturers need to get on board with bigger pockets. Go big or go home, right? If you don’t care about pocket space (seriously, your phone will be glued to your hand anyways), the iPhone 6 Plus might be right for you. It’s great for videos on the go, and has a different landscape layout for ease of use. Those of us with smaller hands or no need for a phablet will be more than happy with the 6.

The camera is better
Are you the type to take pictures of the notes your professor has put up during the lecture, or ones your friends took when you missed that class? The 8MP iSight camera boasts 1.5-micron pixels and ƒ/2.2 aperture, for clearer photos than ever. It also includes auto-stabilization to make sure your selfies will be blur-free.

Leave your wallet at home
Apple Pay will let you tap to pay at select stores (220,000 locations to start) – just hold your finger on the TouchID and you’re done in seconds. Your bag will be heavy enough with textbooks; leave your bulky wallet at home and pay securely.

Longer battery life
For those long days at school, battery life is vital. The last thing you want is to be running around looking for an outlet (and there never seems to be one). The iPhone 6 gives you up to 11 hours when browsing on Wi-Fi (12 hours with the 6 Plus).

Faster wireless
Finding and connecting to wireless is half the battle, but actually being able to use it without hangups is a whole other frustrating issue. For those of you lucky enough to have functioning Wi-Fi in your classrooms, this is a great advancement.