Is There Actually A Need For An Airplane Mode And What Does It Really Do?

If you want to know the function of the Airplane mode, then it is used to disable the device’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and cellular radio in short the functions related to the wireless transmissions. Now with the turning of time, there are several airplanes, which are offering airplanes in-flight Wi-Fi access together with cellular accessibility, and this brings us to the question, what will the function of airplane mode come to use as of now?

Well, it is not necessary for you to fly only to operate the Airplane mode. In fact, even if you have never flown, in your device itself, you will come across the Airplane mode, which acts as one of the quickest of ways to disable your device’s battery-draining radios. It has the ability to likewise, increase the life of your device’s battery, as you will not be using the present wireless radios that are there in your device.

Function of Airplane mode:
 
Whatever type of device you are use, be it a Smartphone, iPhone, an Android, Windows 8 tablet, an iPad or whatever it is, the function of the Airplane mode is the same everywhere and it ends up disabling the same hardware function in each of the above devices. 

i. Device will stop communicating with the cell towers:
 
If it is a cellular device, your device will suddenly stop communicating with the cell towers as soon as you bring it to an activation mode. You will be unable to receive or even send anything and this depends on the cellular data, right from sending messages to voice calls.

ii. Stop the scanning of Wi-Fi networks:
 
If it comes under the Wi-Fi category, your phone will eventually stop scanning any kind of Wi-Fi networks that is present close by, and will not attempt to join them. Even if you are linked to a Wi-Fi network, you will end up getting disconnected.

iii. Disable the Bluetooth:
 
This Airplane mode also ends up disabling the devices Bluetooth connection, which is a wireless communication technology that people generally utilize with the help of wireless headsets. But Bluetooth can be easily used for other things such as the mouse or keyboard and many more.
iv. Disable the GPS functions:
 
You will also end up being disabled with your GPS functions, mostly the receiving functions in many of the devices. This tends to be a bit consistent and confusing also.

Airplane Mode, smart way to save battery:

The moment you enable the Airplane Mode you will get to see an icon indicated by the airplane sign in the notification bar of the device. It will appear on the top bar section of your Android phone, iPads and iPhones as well. Nonetheless, you still can use your device when travelling on aircrafts even during the landing and takeoff time, as far as the airplane mode is enabled. There is just no need to power it off. Airplane mode is an excellent way to save battery, even when you’re on the ground.

However, why do we need this Airplane Mode?

Well there are rules and regulations in several countries, which prohibit the use of devices, which have the ability to transmit signals while traveling on commercial airplanes. Generally, a typical cellular-enabled tablet or a phone carries out its communication with a number of cell towers, thus trying to maintain a good connection at every time. However, communications like these have the tendency of disrupting with the sensors of the airplane. They might also end up causing potential issues with the sensitive navigation equipment, which can turn out to be a state of concern. This is why we need to enable the device into the Airplane mode most of the time while travelling by airplane.

Apple’s iPhone 6 Improved LTE Networking

Announced originally in 2012 and feature support for speed up to 150 MBPS with improved LTE networking, the Category 4 chip would be an improved version over the Qualcomm MDM9615 chip which is found in the iPhone 5s as well as iPhone 5. The iPhone 6 would incorporate Qualcomm’s MDM9625 LTE modem as showed according to a new photo of the device’s logic board shared by GeekBar which is more durable than its predecessor enabling lower temperatures under heavy performance due to its refined 28-nanometre production process.

 Together with these features, the MDM9625 is also inclusive of support for the next generation LTE Advanced network which are yet to reach out to the other ends of the world and information on the inclusion of the MDM9625 in the iPhone 6, showed a detailed but sketchy report from VentureBeat which was reported early this month, indicating that the iPhone 6 would comprise of a Category 6 LTE modem capable of a speed of 300 Mbps.

It was said that the radio would not support LTE Advanced networks as featured in the MDM9625. It was also posted by GeekBar that a supposed schematic from the iPhone 6, appeared to show support for NFC - near field communication in the device and the schematic also has a NAND flash chip, originally presumed by the website to be of 1 GB of DRAM in the device.

Battery Life for LTE Browsing – 10 Hours

The iPhone 5C is actually an iPhone 5 in plastic shell which is available in various colours while the 5s is the faster version of the iPhone 5 due to a new 64-bit chip which has the capabilities of the 64-bit iOS 7 and while the budget iPhone which was predicted failed to come true, the 5c is still priced at £469 phone SIM free and is not much appealing to developing markets.

Both these phones are capable of taking advantage of added LTE bands than any smartphone presently available which are available in five models of each to opt from, based on the region. Surprisingly, despite the extra bands which are now made available, Apple states that the battery life for LTE browsing is around 10 hours, up to two hours from the iPhone 6 which is an achievement due to the improved power efficiency of the LTE modem chip, likely but not confirmed to be a Qualcomm MDM9625 as well as the larger battery due to the internal redesign.

Faster LTE Experience 

This will enable to support a faster theoretical LTE speed of 150 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up but only a few operators would be deploying the bandwidth in delivering this faster LTE experience around the world. 

Apple is likely to launch the iPhone 6 at an event on September 9 this year and the launch of the 4.7 inch version will possibly follow thereafter, as production related issues may hold back the release of the 5.5 inch version till later this year or probably early next year. Moreover, besides the larger display, the iPhone 6 would also feature a thinner chassis, an improved camera with stabilization, a faster A8 chip and much more.

Apple’s Upcoming iPhone 6 with Sapphire Screens

It was reported by The Wall Street Journal recently, that the first sapphire screens for the upcoming iPhone 6 and the iWatch are likely to be expected this month from a Mesa, Arizona factory which is jointly operated by Merrimack, New Hampshire based material produce, GT Advanced Technologies Inc. – NASDAQ-GTAT, and Apple. It was said that the plantwould be manufacturing double sapphire than the current synthetic sapphire producers all over the world.

It was also suggested by thesources that the sapphire screens would appear in variants of 4.7 as well as 5.5 inch versions of the iPhone 6, though the sapphire covered models would be a bit expensive as well as rare. If the sources are right, then it would be a good change for Apple who has been offering good variety in terms of colour as well as internal capacity on earlier iPhone though they have not charged premium for updated materials in the same model. Sapphire which is a material known for scratch and crack resistant properties, is the hardest material and while its properties are an appropriate choice to increase the durability, high cost for manufacturing have made it unsuitable for a large scale mass production applications, enabling sapphire for only selected items like covers for luxury watches.

Speculation on Sapphire Screen with regards to Cost

Apple has been currently using sapphire for iPhone camera lens as well as its touch ID fingerprint reader. It is estimated that the sapphire iPhone screen would cost $16 to produce when compared with the cost of around $3 for the Corning Gorilla Glass, which is the company that currently utilises its entire iPhone line-up though detractors are of the opinion that the sapphire in large quantities would be prone to shatter as well as make the displays much harder to view in sunlight. Apple though presently has been using sapphire in limited portion that protects the Touch ID fingerprint sensor beneath the iPhone 5s home button, prevents scratch on top of the camera lens in its iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. But with regards to cost, in the production of larger quantities, like for a full iPhone display, it has brought about some speculation that a sapphire screen may not come up in this year’s iPhone line-up.

Complete Redesign from iPhone 5s

With rumours floating that Apple has plans to introduce the two new iPhone models this year – 4.7 inches as well as 5.5 inches, both are expected to be a complete redesign from the present iPhone 5s. With many speculating about sapphire in the next iPhone, Apple has managed to strike a deal of $578 million with furnace maker GT Advanced Technologies which enables the companies to finance as well as operate jointly a Phoenix facility which will produce sapphire crystal material. Many of Apple fans looking forward for a sapphire front panel should consider that the company arrangement with Liquid metal that had existed since 2010 has yet to appear in any of the company’s product in a more significant manner. The only known utility of Liquid metal till date was in SIM ejector tool which was shipped with the iPhone 3GS.

Apple comes forth with innovative Force Sensor Mouse!

With an Apple patent filing that was uncovered on last Thursday, it displays the latest and new kind of advanced mouse, which employs sensors that can measure the location plus the level of force that is being applied on its main button. It also indicated the pressure that is exerted on its haptis system to provide one with feedback.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published Apple’s novel application regarding the ‘Force Sensing Mouse’. This mouse does not only provide you with an estimate on how hard the user has applied pressure on it but also through the system of haptic vibrations sends forth a confirmation feedback.

This operation is principally built on the system of strain gauge, which is fixed to the beam or the cantilever arm. The design is quite similar to the usual Apple mouse designs, and comes with one large single top section, which tends to act as a button. The accessory can very easily transfer force through this arm section moving straight in to the sensor mode.

For example, if a particular user presses down hard on the mouse, the cantilever arm may bend a little twist or even flex. This way it ends up distorting the strain gauge, which in turn outputs a certain level of voltage that is translated into a kind of input signal. By processing through the voltage output, the mouse can gauge the kind of force that is applied by the user thus creating accordingly, control signal.
The effective haptic feedback is an electromagnet, which is disposed in the body of the mouse in such a way that it out rightly hits the top portion the moment it is activated. On the other hand, the well-rooted embedded vibration motors is placed in several positions around the mouse, so that it can come about with the apt and accurate level of feedback.

Practically, a user tends to move a UI cursor on top of a particular icon and then exerts pressure on first force, to select the related asset. This way it will immediately trigger the feedback forcefully. If the level of pressure is a bit harder, it tends to induce pressure on the execution of command, for instance, when you open a folder or any kind of app, you will notice that the mouse tends to respond with a more intensive vibration. In this way the user gets to navigate, select and then activate different kinds of graphical assets by the system of one button press, hence getting hold of feedback all through the way.

Apple has also kept a note about its pivot-style orientation design, which might tend to bring in a bit of distortion while reading, because the force transferred through the cantilever beam is relatively, where more force gets transferred when it is nearer to the mechanical elements of the mouse. Thus to mend this issue and to pinpoint finger location, this particular discovery proposes to deploy a touch sensor, just as the one that is available in Apple's Magic Mouse.

Apple’s iOS – Spyware Proof Mobile Operating System

Apple has come out as the spyware proof mobile operating system in a test which had been conducted by surveillance software and hardware vendor.According to recent reports from Gamma Group, FinSpy spyware with the capabilities of hacking its way into a BlackBerry, an Android and older versions of Windows Phone was unable to hack an iOS unless the device has been tampered. FinSpy is the surveillance software which is marketed by Lench IT Solutions PLC along with UK based branch Gamma International Ltd in Andover, England as well as a German based branch Gamma International GmbH in Munich.

The spyware is marketed through law enforcement channels and Gamma International being a subsidiary of the Gamma Group, specializes in monitoring and surveillance inclusive of equipment, training services and software.This software can be installed on targeted computers to exploit security lapses in update procedures on unsuspected software.

Details have been leaked from the Gamma Group that a piece of its spyware FinSpy had been used to find out if various mobile platform could hold back snooping attempts made on phone calls, contacts as well as other data, wherein in the document envisaged by Washington Post and considered by Cult of Mac, FinSpy is said to be designed to help Law Enforcement and the Intelligence Agencies to monitor remotely, tablet and mobile phones devices.

FinSpy Capable of Full Access 

The software suite is marketed in Arabic, English, German, Portuguese, French and Russian, all across the globe at trade shows, offering intelligence support, ISS training as well as products to law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

It has the capabilities of taking control of target computers as well as capture encrypted data and communication with the use of enhanced remote deployment methods which can be installed on target computers and FinSpy can obtain full access to all phone calls, address book, text messages as well as microphone through silent phone calls.

Moreover it also has the potential to trace a device anddetermine its location. FinSpy has gained a lot of reputation since it is being used by law enforcement and government agencies as a powerful though a controversial tool for snooping into mobile devices and hence the ranking of iOS in the Gamma Group’s document from April, is a possible Apple security.

FinSpy Possible only Through Jailbreak

From the major mobile platforms cited in the document all were susceptible to FinSpy and the spyware was capable to access its way into Android of all versions, BlackBerry, Symbian as well as Windows Mobile 6.1 and 6.5, though Windows Phone 8 is not supported so far by the software.

As per Gamma team, the iOS version 4.3 x, 5 x, 6 x, and 7.0 x seemed to be vulnerable to FinSpy which was possible only through jailbreak and as per their observations and explanation, it states that the iOS target can only be installed if it is jailbroken devices.

Generally, Apple’s security are considerable tight especially in the mobile world, though not impregnable and researchers at Georgia Tech have reportedly made a way to hack an iOS device according to Wired source, through one caveat, wherein a USB can be connected to a hacked computer