Apple Wants To Make a Bendy iPhone—On Purpose
Foldable iPhone Apple has patented another way to bend an iPhone says Patently Apple. We recently showed you a reported Xiaomi smartphone prototype that could bend like a thin piece of film. These patent sketches aren't as detailed. But given that these patents (uncovered by Patently Apple) go back to 2014, this shows you how strongly Apple feels about a phone that has some super flexibility. Of course the iPhone 6 Plus, aka Bendghazi, was bendable. But not on purpose. And it didn't spring back into shape. A bendable smartphone, designed on purpose, could be an asset—allowing for a device that sits in your back pocket to return to its original form for starters. We assume Apple believes a phone with some flexibility is a, well, solid idea. When they mean for that to happen.
Google AR Lenovo's Phab 2 Pro is now available—with augmented reality baked inside. The smart device makes use of Google Tango, which is true AR, and not what Pokémon Go used (although gamers used to that experience will enjoy this probably a lot more.) This is a big phone at 6.4 inches. The iPhone 7 Plus, for reference is just 5.5 inches.) But priced at $500, and with one of the first ways to play with Tango, the Phab 2 Pro is something gamers are going to like. Likely, a lot. (Via The Verge)
And...Google VR Google's own VR device, Daydream View, hits stores next week on Nov 10th. Like Samsung Gear VR, you'll need to slide a Daydream-enabled smartphone into the device (in this case that would be Google's Pixel phones for the time being). But the pricing is a very holiday-friendly price of $79. (Via Engadget)
VR News Speaking of mixed reality, The New York Times has just launched daily 360-degree video news pieces on its web site. The newspaper will be shooting the video on Samsung 360 cameras provided by Samsung, says Forbes. And the content will be viewable on computers, smartphones and tablets, without needing a headset. Why is 360-degree video interesting? This allows the viewer to choose, in a way, what they want to see, changing the nature of video storytelling.
Evo Robot Looking for a robot that is as cute as a mouse, but lets your kid (or a child you know) learn some early coding? Check out our Sandbox review of Ozobot's Evo. We take you through every step of this chatty toy from unboxing through customizing its look.