GeekwithEnvy

Electronics

Microsoft Heating up the War on Apple

by Leave a Comment

It’s quite obvious that the iPad is successful but what about the competition? What about the ASUS Vivo Tab RT? We see it but why should we buy it over an iPad? There hasn’t been a lot of companies, including Microsoft, that have been willing to make direct comparisons to the iPad, we don’t see a lot of the “I’m better than you and here’s why” type of advertising. So, you can imagine that it would be kind of refreshing to see an ad like this pop up on TV every now and then, and that’s exactly what’s happening.ApplevMicrosoft

Full disclosure, I own an iPad and love it, but I know, and I’m sure all of you know, that’s it’s far from perfect and it often seems like the competition just completely avoids talking about the iPad and it’s limitations.

You may be thinking, why do we care and as an iPad user why do I care? Well, the simple answer is that we will all benefit from intense competition. The more back and fourth there is the better the products get, it creates an environment that’s favorable for innovation and creativity. Remember the Space Race? Sometimes we even see price drops because of aggressive advertising.

This latest commercial is bold, to the point, and makes a direct comparison the iPad. Will it work? Who knows? but it definitely makes things interesting and can cause these companies to re-think things and possibly add new features just to try to silence the competition. You can see the commercial below.

 

iPad Could Cause Serious Problems with Defibrillators

by Leave a Comment

Apparently the magnets in the iPad 2, which are used for the Smart Cover, can completely shut down implanted defibrillators if left on the chest while sleeping. This is clearly a big deal if you rely on an internal defibrillator to keep you up and running.

pacemaker heart medicine
Implanted Defibrillator

Fourteen-year-old Gianna Chien discovered this problem during a science fair project and soon she will be sharing her discovery with the Heart Rhythm Society.

Many defibrillators shut off in the presence of a magnet due to a magnetic switch which is used as a safety feature. Some devices turn on after the magnet is moved away but some require you to have them turned on manually.

This is clearly a major problem as millions of people own the iPad 2 and the situation in which the issue occurs is very common. Fortunately, this young girl’s discovery can bring awareness to this issue and possibly save lives.

 

Samsung Galaxy S4 Flip Cover

by Leave a Comment

If there’s one accessory that’s pretty much an essential it’s got to be the case. Our brand new shiny phones are so elegant and sleek but they are vulnerable. They fall out of our pockets when we lean over, they slide across multiple surfaces and just by holding them we are actually causing wear and tear on our phones. It’s very rare that I see anyone using a smart phone these days without some sort of protective case, and that brings us to the Samsung Galaxy S4.

SamsungFlipBack
Samsung Flip Cover without View

The latest and greatest from Samsung has yet to truly arrive, but it’s never too early to scope out some accessories. In fact, one case is just as sleek as the new S4 itself and you know it will fit perfectly because it’s made by Samsung. It’s the Samsung Galaxy S4 Flip Cover.

SamsungFlipCV
Samsung Flip Cover with View

 

The Samsung Flip Cover comes in two flavors, one has a “view cover” that allows you to see important information without opening the cover while the other covers the entire front display for complete protection. Both cases are extremely thin and lightweight, this is nice considering Samsung has spent so much time trying to make the device powerful yet lightweight and comfortable to use. We don’t want to make our phone bulky just by adding a cover to it.

Overall, this case is lightweight, durable and features a brushed metal look on the front of the flip cover and a glossy rear cover the matches the actual phone design. I really like the look of the new S4 and matching the phone’s design was pretty clever. This is a great case for the soon to be available Galaxy S4.

You can pick up either case for $34.99 along with many other great accessories.

Samsung Flip Cover Features:

• Enhanced protection for the Samsung Galaxy S 4
• Available in multiple colors
• Soft felt liner protects against smudges and dirt
• Front cover folds over for easy access to the phone’s screen
• Back cover replaces the phone’s back, maintaining the Galaxy S 4’s sleek design

How To Put Your iPhone in Field Test Mode

by Leave a Comment

iphoneFieldServiceSS

Field Test mode can be handy if you’re knowledgeable about cell phone technology but it can also help you get a clearer picture of what your cell phone reception is like in a given area or perhaps you’re just somebody who just likes to tinker with things, either way here’s how it’s done.

If you’re iPhone has a recent version of iOS on it (4.1 and up), which covers most phones, then you should be able to access the Field Test Mode with most carriers.

To Access Field Test Mode:

Dial *3001#12345#* 

This will allow you to look at lot’s of otherwise hidden information about your phone and it’s connection to the network. For the average user, the most notable feature is the ability to look at your overall connection to the network.

The number is in dBm and is much more precise than just looking at a set of bars. As a general guideline anything below -100 is starting to get pretty bad, the lower the number the better and -35 or -40 is about as good as it gets.

 

 

Why Pac Man Stops Working After Level 255

by 1 Comment

PacManKS

Very rarely do people play Pac Man and reach levels in the 200’s but if you happen to hang in there long enough, something rather odd occurs after you get past level 255.

You reach what is referred to as a “kill screen”. This kill screen essentially renders the game unplayable and you start to see some really strange stuff going on. This isn’t just exclusive to Pac Man either, other arcade classics such as Donkey Kong and Dig Dug also have kill screens.

So what’s behind all of this? Why isn’t there some type of formal ending? Well, the folks behind Numberphile have put together a great video that explains exactly why this happens.