So has the Priv been a success for BlackBerry?
Has their first android phone elevated their profits ?
And how many handsets have they sold?
All will be revealed on 18th December….
So anyone want to take a stab at the number?
All posts by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond
Apple is raising iTunes Match and Apple Music limits
Finally the 25,000 song limit for iTunes Match and Apple Music has been raised from 25,000 to 100,000.
Personally I would like Apple to have an option to stream your music at a higher bitrate than 256 AAC.
I also have not had much success using iTunes Match so will give it another go next year.
So what was the cable? The Answer
The answer to yesterday’s guess what this cable does is as follows –
It is an iBasso burn in cable for their new Digital Audio Player (DAP) the iBasso DX80 which I will be reviewing once I have had more time with it.
The cable is plugged into the headphone socket with the music playing. This allows the burn in process to take place. What does this mean ? The DX80 can reach its full sound quality potential by forming the capacitors and stabilising the electronic components used.
Another way of burning in the DX80 is plugging normal headphones in with music playing. The cable allows for the process to be done as effectively as possible.
Some of you were very close guessing it was a burn in cable but suggested it was for the DX90. I’ll allow that as a correct guess 🙂
Guess what this piece of cable does ?
Something to work your brain on a Sunday.
Tell me what this cable does. It is mighty clever and all will be revealed on Monday as an updated to this post.
Why it might be a good idea to buy the Samsung Note 5 or LG V10 – details
Both the LG V10 and Samsung Note 5 have been on sale across the world for several months now with the UK and other parts of the world not being offered for sale by LG and Samsung respectively.
Whilst the is frustrating not being able to grab the latest and greatest phone from day 1, it actually might be a blessing. Why? Well in the last 3 months both phones have received several firmware updates to remove many bugs and add a few new features. The firmware updates also improve performance and protect the phones with newer security patches.
So actually, if you buy these phones in January 2016, you should be using a fairly bug free phone which is also better optimised than when it originally went on sale.
So who wants the LG V10 or Note 5?
Tag Heuer cannot keep up with demand for its new Android Wear smartwatch! – details
“Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer will increase production of its smartwatch in coming months after receiving requests from retailers, agents and subsidiaries for some 100,000 timepieces, according to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE’s watch chief.
TAG Heuer aims to make 2,000 pieces per week, up from a current 1,200, Jean-Claude Biver said in an e-mailed response to questions. Online sales of the Connected Watch will be suspended probably until May or June to give priority to physical stores, he said.
The LVMH watch brand is one of the few high-end luxury competitors that has sprung up in response to the Apple Watch. The watchmaker unveiled the $1,500 smartwatch, modeled after the classic Carrera model, last month, in a partnership with Google Inc. and Intel Corp.”
At $1,5000 the demand of this watch is surprising, but it does go to show just how popular Tag Heuer is and maybe $1,500 is a bargain!
Source Bloomberg
Mounting your smartphone to a tripod? My Gear
I have been asked many times what do I use to mount my phone to a tripod.
First of all I have to connect a grip to my phone and for that I use a Shoulderpod S1. This item is excellent and has been used to hold my Note 4, iPhones, Motorola X Play, LG G4 and every other phone. I have used cheaper options, but they never felt secure enough.
I carry in my pocket a cheap tiny tripod, which folds flat. It is only safe to use this for a short time and away from wind or vibrations.
For more serious work I use a Joby GorillaPod SLR Zoom Tripod which is much larger than it looks. This thing is a tank and wraps securely around tree branches, gates and so much more. However, I do recommend and use a Joby Gorillapod Ball Head which allows for easy movement of the phone. In fact the Joby tripod is strong enough to hold SLR’s.
The above Joby Tripod, Ball Head and Shoulderpod S1 were used to film the time lapse featured a couple of days ago. This had lorries and cars whizzing past and nothing occurred. My iPhone was held securely.
Now when it comes to needing a full size tripod I actually use an Amazon Basics Pistol Grip Tripod. This tripod is versatile, lots of features and built like a rock. It is heavy but in the high winds of Dartmoor, I would be without it. It is also pound for pound excellent money and actually a rebranded tripod by a well known company.
But what if I needed to do a smartphone camera comparison. Previously I needed a lot of fiddly gear, but now Shoulderpod have just released the R1 and R1 Pro. Below is a picture of the Shoulderpod R1 Pro.
I have ordered this and can’t wait to give this a proper test. There is also the cheaper R1 which has one less mount option.
So there you have it. My smartphone tripod mounting setup.
Netatmo Weather Station for android, iOS and Windows review – One Year Later – wind & rain gauge – 100mph wind speeds
Netatmo produce a rather nifty weather station kit. What makes it so special is all the third party apps and Internet integration. Using IFTTT for example, if it starts raining, the rain sensor will tweet that rain is detected.
When it first got launched it came with an indoor and outdoor gauge. This provided temperature , CO2, noise levels and pressure. As time has moved on, a rain sensor became available and just now the wind sensor.
I wrote a 5 part review of the Netatmo Weather station. Click HERE to read it. Since then the app has received a huge cosmetic update too.
Last night the rain gauge got a real test. It was gale force weather. I knew something was happening outside when I got 3 notifications within a short space of time.
In fact wind speeds at its peak were 93mph peaking at 99mph. In case you’re wondering what happens when you open the front door with 90mph winds and heavy rain. It’s open door. Get totally drenched through to the skin with wind and rain. Close door as fast as you can!
Below are some screen shots from the Netatmo app. However, there are many other apps and services that Netatmo plugs into which makes this a versatile system and one that I have used for over a year. Each module has 4 batteries which last one year.
If you have an iPhone you can have a widget in the notification centre. Android gives you other widgets too.
During my course of ownership the weather station has reviewed new firmware to help improve the system and allow for new features.
During December you will see the Netatmo weather station on offer too. Recommended.
LG V10 is coming to the UK!
Finally the awesome LG V10 is coming to the UK with a special version number LG H960.
The key features include manual video and photo controls. Sabre Audio DAC and headphone amp. QHD screen. Second screen. Integrated with Dura Skin and a stainless steel 316L frame. Dual front cameras.
I so want to test this phone 🙂 Do you?
Source – LG UK
Lots of Apple news
The latest figures from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) suggest that 26 percent of people buying an iPhone 6s during its first month of availability were switching from an Android device. That’s more than double the rate of switchers to iPhone 6, which was just 12 percent.
Monument Valley on iOS has just gone free. Great game if you haven’t played it yet.
Apple has released two new videos. I really like the first one a lot called “Ridiculously Powerful”
And next up “Hey Siri”
Another shot from the iPhone 6S Plus – Paignton Pier in Stormy Conditions
Source – cultofandroid.com/iTunes/Apple/Me
Gavin's Gadgets & Photography 