Apple AirPod Wireless Earphones Look Crazy, But Work Great

Apple – Three Different Wireless Choices

Apple’s idea of doing away with the headphone jack without any type of replacement seems to make some sense on reconsidering this issue. Together with the iPhone, the company has announced three different kinds of wireless choices, comprising of two new Beats models with enhanced processors having extremely long battery life and the latest Apple AirPods.

The buds white in colour seems like Apple’s EarPods, and the headphones have been despatched with every iPhone. They seem to be much lighter when compared to the other Bluetooth headphones which can be fitted comfortably in the ears. The EarPods tend to be without the cord which means that they do not sound great; it would possibly be adequately good for some of the users.

The AirPods which is the company first ever Bluetooth headphones comprises of an Apple logo which sets it apart and looks precisely like the universal white EarPods. They come with a charging case which tends to double as a pocket-able storage unit together with a battery supporter which could top off the battery life of five hour for an additional 3 hours in just around 15 minutes.

Works with Any Bluetooth Enabled Smartphone/Tablet/Computer

The five hour life of the battery for the earphones is not great though it could be good for the tiny ear-buds. The small dental-floss looking charger packs adequate complete charge for 24 hours though quick charges them which can run it for a day or even two/three.

One only needs to familiarize themselves to swapping the buds back in the case when not inuse. Being a Bluetooth headphones they tend to work with any Bluetooth enabled smartphone, tablet, computer or any other device which is wireless. On pairing them with the Galaxy S7 Edge, they seemed to work well for music and calls.

 However, when used with Apple devices, one tends to get some extra special features like auto-pairing. While in Bluetooth mode with non-Apple devices, the AirPods does not turn on or off when the same is removed from the years. The new headphone has been priced at $159, £159 or AU$229 though the same would not be available till October. The AirPods seems to feel like the regular EarPods though wireless.

Simplified Automatic Pairing

The AirPods is said to contain a secret sauce which several other wireless Bluetooth headphones do not have, simplified automatic pairing across Apple devices which run iOS 10 or MacOS Sierra. In daily use, the pairing process had undergone several hits and misses in the daily use.

In order to link them the first time, you could flip up the case of the lid of AirPod and the iPhone prompts if you desire to connect. On the iPhone 6 and 7 Plus, running a build of iOS 10 software having added compatibility of AirPod, the pairing is said to be automatic.

Several of the Android phones seem to have similar tap to pair task which tends to use near-field communication –NFC on compatible handsets as well as headphones.

Once the same is paired, the headphones seem to function with all the compatible devices of Apple one may own through iCloud. However in order to utilise these devices, you would need to locate a sometimes-hidden button in iOS to pick the audio source and then tap `AirPods’.

Your All-Important Guide to Taking Different Kinds of Screenshots with Mac

Image courtesy of blackzheep at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Those who are more familiar with Windows will tell you that it’s very easy to take a screenshot – after all, it’s a simple matter. All you have to do is press the “print” key and the shot is ready. However, users of the Mac don’t have this key, and may be confused or wondering how the screen shot can be taken. It’s slightly more difficult, but here’s the good news: you have more options when it comes to taking screen shots on your Mac, and it’s very easy to get the hang of it. Here’s your all-important guide to taking different kinds of screenshots with your Mac.

Getting the whole screen

If you want to capture the whole screen, all you have to do is press “command + shift + 3”. This will immediately create a graphics file that is automatically stored on your desktop (PNG file). In essence, the file will store a picture of your whole screen – so beware of sensitive information.

Getting part of the screen

Luckily, you don’t necessarily need to take a picture of the whole screen and then do some cutting with graphics programmes if your purpose is to capture just part of the screen – all you have to do is press “command + shift + 4”. This will change your mouse cursor to a little cross-hair item, with which you can select the part to be captured (just press the left mouse button).

Getting a single window shot

Did you get the part about getting only a portion of the screen? Here’s what you should do to capture only a single window screenshot on Mac: repeat the procedure above and then press “space”. You’ll be able to select the window you want, and capture only that.

No need to save on the desktop

You may not want to save the image of your Mac screenshot on your desktop – you may just want to save it on a clipboard so that you can use it directly into the document or graphics programme without dealing with unnecessary trash. Simply press “command + shift + control + 4”.

Thinking out of the box

If you’re still looking for something more sophisticated when it comes to capturing screen shots, remember that there are other programmes out there to assist you – think of Captur or Shot.

Taking that perfect screenshot with your Mac may seem like it’s a little more work than with other systems – but remember, you do have various options and this makes the process much more exciting. Using screenshots to send to people, or to use in manuals, is always a good idea and with the Mac you are sure that the type of screenshot you have is always the right one for your purpose.

You Need To Update Your iPhone Right Now

Update iPhone to Latest Operating System iOS 9.3.5

Users need to update their iPhone to the latest operating system iOS 9.3.5 and to do it; they could go to Settings app and tap `General’ followed by `Software Update’ and then tap `Download and Install’. According to Motherboard report, security researchers have located a new malicious program which can bypass the security on your iPhone secretly and seize practically all the data inclusive of the texts, emails, phone calls as well as delving in the Facebook and Gmail apps.

 The latest version of its free iPhone software iOS 9.3.5, of Apple seems to fix the security susceptibility which this malware tend to use in attacking the phone. Users are cautioned to be careful while downloading and installing the same. Known as Pegasus, the malware is presumed to be developed by an Israeli intelligence software vendor, called NSO Group, which had been discovered after the UAE human rights activist, Ahmed Mansoor had received an unwanted text message last month from an unidentified number provided by a link. On clicking the link it tends to install the malware as per the researchers who had analysed it on a test iPhone.

Followed Digital Trail – Group of Hackers

These researchers comprised of members of CitizenLab, which is a multidisciplinary cyber security and human rights group from the University of Toronto and Lookout, a mobile security firm. The said malware which had been detailed in a report was said to be aserious compromise which had never been observed against iOS devices earlier.The researchers had followed a digital trail back to a group of hackers known as Stealth Falcon believed to have ties to the UAE government.

Moreover they also discovered identical links directing people in Kenya as well as a journalist in Mexico. When the security researcher had discovered about the malware, they had informed Apple where the company had spent 10 days in building an update which would help in fixing the security holes. If a user with an iPhone which tends to run an older version of software would be vulnerable to this particular spyware and hence needs to update it as early as possible. Apple who had issued an urgent iPhone and iPad software update includes a patch for serious security susceptibility.

Exploits Addressed in Latest iOS 10 Seed

Though the majority of iPhone users are possibly iOS 9 presently, they should install that version without much delay. According to spokesperson who had informed The Verge, stated that `the exploits have been addressed in the latest iOS 10 seed’. That is either beta 7 if one is a developer or beta 6 if one is in the public test. Users are recommended to update if they tend to run an earlier iOS 10 beta seed.

The treat dubbed `Trident’ by Lookout, tends to exploit three zero day susceptibilities in iOS 9 forming an attack chain which can break through the secure platform of Apple. A per CitizenLab, Trident is utilised in a spyware product created by NSO Group. CitizenLab and Lookout had become alert of the problem when links with the Trident exploit and the spyware had been sent to Ahmed Mansoor who had not clicked on the links but had forwarded the emails to CitizenLab.

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Review: An upgrade, but not a Revolution

Controversial Alteration – No Headphone Jack

Up to now, the issue with smartphone cameras is that the digital zoom is just no standby for optical and Apple has taken the initiative regarding the same. For longer range images, it is said to be the best phone camera one could get. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have both been upgraded by 7MP front camera for selfies up from 5MP in the latest model.

 The most controversial alteration on the iPhone 7 is that there is no headphone jack. The analogue port of 3.5mm has been a feature in consumer electronics for years and in contrast to the other chargers or wires, the headphone tend to work well. When the iPhone 7 had been revealed, Phil Schiller of Apple had commented that the headphone jack had been out-dated and eliminating it was about `courage’ and Apple had plenty of solutions to it.

The bundled headphone of iPhone 7 tends to connect to the Lightning port while the phone also features an adapter for your old headphones. Geoffrey Fowler, a long time tech reviewer at The Wall Street Journal had claimed that the new iPhone 7 would bring fixes to what had affected the iPhone for years.

Adapt to Haptic Feedback Above Physical Push-Button

Considering it the anti-anxiety iPhone, Fowler tends to call the extended battery life and water resistance the fundamental points to the renovation of the line of Apple. With regards to the camera in the iPhone 7 Plus, Fowler seems to be less excited than most, calling it only equivalence with Samsung Galaxy S7 and Note 7. Though he admires the move to 32GB at a minimum, of Apple, he also tends to criticize Apple on the continued lack of microSD card expansion.

He comments that to `get over the missing headphone jack’, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus seem worth the upgrade for longer battery life, improved low light images as well as water resistance. Reviewer David Pierce has commented that the home button tends to be positive for the phone though may be negative for some, since they adapt to the haptic feedback above a physical push-button.

He had signed the camera in the iPhone 7 as a great one though the iPhone 7 Plus had given him more detail together with richness than any other phone camera he could have ever utilised.

Serious Contenders for Best Smartphones Period

He writes that `the iPhone 7 might not be a revolution, but it could be the catalyst for lots of them’. Reiterating the criticism from others regarding the new iPhone, Chris Velazco from Engadget also comments on the absence of a headphone jack, external design, ease of case damage on the Jet Black finish as well as the adjustment period of the new home button.

But Velazco tends to admire the DCI-P3 Wide Colour implementation of the latest iPhone and seems happy with the family of phone of iPhone 7. The low-light as well as the daylight shots of both the phones were considered much better or on equality with the camera on the Galaxy S7 Edge.

 Velasco writes that if one can get over the accustomed design and the no-headphone jack, then the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus seem to be serious contenders for best smartphones period.

Growing Number of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Devices Affected by Insidious 'Touch Disease'

Touch Disease – Apple Aware but Unwilling to Resolve

Users of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have been facing a manufacturing problem in the form of a grey flickering bar towards the top of the screen and considering the problem, iFixit had described a scenario where the grey lines had appeared and had become glitch or unresponsive or less responsive touchscreen. Known as `touch disease’, it tends to be a obstinate issue which Apple is completely aware of though not willing to do anything regarding the same.

Though it has been detailed by some third party repair specialist, such as iFixit together with a dozen of complaints on its own support forum the issue tends to continue. The issue has come from the faulty controller chip soldered to the logic board by the phone. According to rumours this could also be the same design fault which had caused the `bendgate’ controversy during the release of the phone.

When the user twists or applies pressure gently to the device, the gray bar tends to disappear though temporarily. Finally it reappears and the issue tends to continue to get worse till the touch functionality seems to stop working completely.

Out of Luck if Phone out of Warranty

Those who had been affected and had sought the help at the Apple Store, were told that Apple does not seem to recognize it as an issue and that they were out of luck if the phone was out of warranty. However, the issue tends to be prevalent for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users and the only recourse, if the phone is said to be out of warranty, at that time would be to get help at a third party repair facility.

This does not seem to be perfect but as per iFixit, the only option to halt the problem would be to replace the phone, the logic board or the Touch ICs on the logic board, though none seem to be a good choice. Failure of touchscreens is not accurately rare but what seems rare is that the issue would be likely to come up more recurrently of late and seems to be affecting iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users only.

Result of Two Touchscreen Controller Chip

This issue seems to be different. But the investigation of iFixit states that the problem does not seem to be a function of the iPhone display but is the result of two touchscreen controller chip which has been located on the logic board. Jessa Jones from iPad Rehab, a third party Apple device repair shop, has explained that in the case of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the Touch IC chip tends to link to the logic board through an array of tiny solder balls like a plate resting on marbles and later on one would notice that the screen tends to be unresponsive though it is quick to come back with a hard reset.

The owner of STS Telecom a board repair shop in Missouri, Jason Villmer, had commented that this problem seems to be widespread adequately and he feels like almost every iPhone 6/6 Plus tends to have a trace of it and seems like ticking bombs just waiting to activate.