All posts by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

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About Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

President, CEO & Editor of https://gavinsgadgets.com Reviews & News of Technology

iHome Release New Lightning Docks

Apple, Tech News

Headlining this year’s ensemble of new products, iHome introduces its first Lightning Docks, compatible with iPhone 5, iPad mini, iPad with Retina Display and iPod touch:

iDL100 Triple Charging Stereo FM Clock Radio With Two Lightning Docks and USB Charge/Play for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch: the ultimate iHome Lightning docks with a triple 2.1 charging hub for your iDevices, the iDL100 includes two Lightning docks as well as a universal USB dock to charge and play audio from legacy devices. An auto sync feature syncs the unit to iPhone/iPad/iPod time, while an aux-in jack is also included for audio devices equipped with 3.5mm headphone jack. The iDL100 is expected to retail for $149.99.

If you need a new dock, these sure look good. And with all the charging options this is going on to my wish list.

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Sony Experia Z – Sony’s New Flagship

Android, Tech News

Sony’s Xperia Z is rumored to be Sony’s next flagship device for 2013. The Z will be a 5 inch 1080p device and with a full HD display using Sony’s Bravia technology.

A 13MP Exmor RS camera with fast capture and HDR are also expected. Sony makes some of the best camera optics so I am hoping for great video and stills. But even better it is water-resistant.

I am looking forward to the full reveal on this phone. Are you ?

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Gameloft’s Analogue Game Controller for iOS

Apple, Tech News

The Discovery Bay Duo Gamer is available in the Apple store. When I was in the Apple store Exeter during the Christmas break, this caught my attention. It seems Gameloft has produced an analogue controller to play a number of their games.

Discovery Bay’s Duo Gamer controller takes you to another dimension in gaming control for your iPad. Two analogue joysticks, D-pad, four buttons and two triggers deliver the intensity you demand.

It features Joysticks, D-pad, buttons and triggers and only orks exclusively with top-rated Gameloft apps. Connects wirelessly to iPad via Bluetooth.

At present there are only 7 games that work with this. A full list is here. More on the way.

This is definitely on my wish list.

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Google Heads Off Anti-Trust Investigation

Android, Tech News

Google has warded off an antitrust investigation from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission by agreeing to license certain patents to its rivals in the mobile phone business.

The FTC announced on Thursday that Google has agreed to license “essential” patents to competitors such as Apple, some of which were acquired in its acquisition of Motorola Mobility.

“The changes Google has agreed to make will ensure that consumers continue to reap the benefits of competition in the online marketplace and in the market for innovative wireless devices they enjoy,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said. “This was an incredibly thorough and careful investigation by the Commission, and the outcome is a strong and enforceable set of agreements.”

Google will allow competitors fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory access to patents essential to smartphones, tablets, laptops, and gaming consoles. The search giant also agreed to give advertisers more flexibility to manage their ad campaigns with Google’s AdWords along with rival ad platforms. And Google also agreed to stop lifting content from “vertical” websites, which focus on categories such as shopping or travel, and presenting it in its own vertical offerings.

Time will tell to see whether Google does carry out its promises. Something tells me this is far from over.

GarageBand on iOS features

Apple, Tech News

Apple has released an update to GarageBand for iOS a few months ago. But did you know you can now import songs from the iOS music library and create ringtones directly from the app. Users on iOS 6 can now create custom ringtones and alerts for the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and save them directly into the device’s ringtone/alert library. The new version also adds support for importing songs directly from the iOS Music library and playing and recording in the background while using other apps on the iPhone 4S/5 and the iPad 2 and third-generation iPad. A number of minor performance and stability issues have also been addressed in this update. GarageBand 1.3 is a universal app requiring iOS 5.1 or later.

So watch out folks. My new alerts are going to feature my drum playing skills.

Apple TV is here already. CES exhibitors are in a frenzied panic

Android, Apple, RIM, Tech News, Windows

If you have been reading the tech news you will already know CES is upon is this week. All the major companies are trying to second guess what Apple is going to announce or release with their TV.

Everyone, you are all too late. Apple has done it already. They will probably see what gets announced at CES and then go and tweak their offering.

For £100 you have the Apple TV already. It’s content is fuelled over the Internet. The controllers already exist in iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch’s. All Apple have to do is a software update, and open up the Internet content to include games and apps, more services and content.

Game over or is it ?

Introducing the Samsung Galaxy S4

Android, Tech News

Sammobile have leaked shots of the new S4.

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The rumoured specs are –

– Exynos 5450 Quad-Core CPU clocked at 2.0GHz
– Mali-T658 GPU
– 2GB of RAM
– 4.99” SuperAMOLED FULL HD resolution (1080×1920) Display
– 13 Megapixel Rear Facing Camera
– 2 Megapixel Front Facing Camera
– Android 4.2.1 (Out of the box)
– Possible S-Pen

The S4 is the device Samsung believes will crush the new iPhone. It certainly doesn’t seem dramatically different than the S3, other than a spec bump on processor, ram, camera and possibly S-Pen. If the home button has gone this is a very good move. I never liked the S3 home button. Also, I just wonder how many people will want such a large object in their pocket or bag. It does seem though that 5 inch or higher devices are all the fashion. For me, the killer aspect of the S4 needs to be the manufactured material. Samsung needs to use aluminium or something sexy looking. Otherwise it’s just another plastic device that’s the same as every other plastic made phone

Of course, the leak could be a fake but we can only hope.