Google Glass Could Hurt Your Vision

by Anna Peel

A recent science study shows Google Glass users may suffer vision problems

Google Glass is often touted as a revolutionary product that could transform the way people access the internet, but a new study may put a damper on that. Scientists from the University of California in San Francisco recently discovered wearing the Google Glass cause more visual obstructions and blind spots than those wearing regular glasses.

The latest Google Glass study shows a health danger

The lead author for the research letter concerning the new technology, Dr. Tsontcho Ianchulev explained the possible dangers. He said, “I am very pro new technology. I’m an aficionado of anything new or novel, and I myself was an early adopter of Google Glass. But I almost got into a car accident when I was driving with it. And the device was even turned off at the time. So, that really alerted me to how much my peripheral vision seemed to be blocked by the frame.”

The problem with the technology involves design structure which may curtail natural peripheral vision. This create blind spots which interferes with safety when walking or driving.

The published study

The scientists shared their findings in a report published by Journal of the American Medical Association, November 5th issue. As part of the examination, the scientists outfitted three individuals with 20/20 corrected vision with Google Glass and gave them one hour to become acquainted with the technology. Afterwards, the scientists ran standard peripheral vision testing.

The results of the test showed that those who wore Google Glass experienced a loss of vision in their upper right quadrant. The research team also concluded from analyzing 132 photos of people wearing the device from a Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) online search. This review shows the way the glasses are worn suggest a serious risk for developing a blind spot.

Ianchulev added, “Now, this was a very initial effort, based on just three participants and the follow-up analysis. Our goal is really just to open up a discussion and have the manufacturer address the impact in a substantial way, because we realized there was really very little on the topic.”

The team has already contacted Google.

MAGID ON TECH: Google's high-end phone is valiant first try

By Larry Magid

For the past few days, I've been testing Google's new Nexus 6 phone, which compares favorably against the iPhone 6 Plus.

The Nexus 6 is a very big phone, so if you think the iPhone 6 Plus is too big, you'll feel even more so about the Nexus 6. On the other hand, the screen is also bigger, so the way I do the math, you get a 8.4 percent larger screen on a phone that's less than 1 percent longer and 7 percent wider than the iPhone 6 Plus.

One thing Google (and Motorola, which built the phone) did better than Apple is to avoid wasted space by avoiding an extra tall bezel, especially at the top of the phone. Unlike iPhones, the Nexus 6 doesn't have a physical home button. Its new Lollipop (Android 5.0) operating system provides for virtual buttons including a home button, a back button and the recent apps button, all of which look a bit different than on previous versions of Android.

The Nexus 6's 1440-by-2560-pixel (493 ppi) AMOLED display is brilliant and compares very well to the iPhone 6 Plus's 1920-by-1080-pixel (401 ppi) screen. You can't go wrong either way when it comes to screen resolution. I watched a Netflix video and read portions of a Kindle book on the Nexus 6, and while watching video on a large phone isn't quite as immersive as watching it on a tablet, it's not bad. And the sound quality from the Nexus 6 front-mounted stereo speakers is excellent. With the volume cranked all the way up, I could hear it well from anywhere in an average-sized living room without significant distortion. It's one of the few phones I would consider listening to without headphones.

The phone is equipped with a 3,200 mAh battery which, according to Google, offers up to 24 hours talk time and 300 hours of standby time or 8.5 hours of Internet use. The iPhone 6 Plus has a 2,915 MAh battery, though Apple claims higher usage. In my experience, a manufacturers' battery life estimates need to be taken with a grain of salt. Google is also promising a 15-minute charging time with the Turbo Charger that comes with the phone.

The phone has a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 2 MP front "selfie" camera. The picture quality is quite good, as smartphone cameras go. Video can be shot at 1080p HD and 2160p Ultra HD at 30 frames per second, according to Google.

Overall, I'm walking away with a positive first impression. I need some more time to delve into the phone's features but -- based on what I've seen -- Google has an excellent entry in the high-end phone category.

At $649 for the 32 GB version or $699 for the 64 GB unlocked models, it's toward the high end of the price curve, but still quite a bit less expensive than the iPhone 6 Plus.

Unfortunately, there is no microSD slot for additional storage. The phone has a 2.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor and an Adreno 420 GPU, which helps contribute to the snappy response time.

Android 5.0 Lollipop to launch November 3

by Lance Whitney

Android Lollipop 5.0 will reportedly start rolling out on November 3.

The launch date for the latest version of Google's mobile operating system was apparently revealed in a note to app developers obtained by Android Police. The note tells developers that the Software Development Kit for Android 5.0 is now available. Google further advises developers that they can start developing and testing their apps via theAndroid 5.0 platform and publish apps that target the latest version to the Google Play store.

The note concludes by revealing that Android 5.0 will be available to consumers starting November 3.

The date doesn't come as a huge surprise as Google has said that its new Nexus 6 phone and Nexus 9tablet would be available in early November. Both devices will be outfitted with Android 5.0, so the next logical step would be to start the launch of Lollipop for existing devices around the same time.

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Of course, not all eligible Android owners will receive Lollipop first thing November 3. Given the number of players involved in pushing out an Android OS update, the rollout will instead play out overtime. Typically, Google sends the latest Android update to its own Nexus devices. Then the other mobile device makers start to prep the updates for their own devices. And that may take some time.

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Google announced that its Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 will be updated to Android 5.0 in "the coming weeks." HTC has already said that it will start rolling out Android 5.0 to its HTC One M8 and HTC One M7 worldwide "within 90 days of receiving final software from Google," meaning sometime before February. Motorola said it plans to update its first- and second-generation Moto X and Moto G and other devices with Android 5.0 later this year. Other device makers have so far been mum about their plans for Lollipop but will likely reveal specific time frames before too long.

Google gave us a taste of Android 5.0 Lollipop at its June I/O conference when the operating system was known simply as Android "L." But the latest details reveal a new look for Android courtesy of a concept called Material Design, which paints in richer colors, adds more depth and transparency, and includes more white space. Android 5.0 also adds a new notification setup, tweaks the way you multitask apps and throws in a new battery saving mode.

Google did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.

Which iPad Should I Buy?

• BY EUGENE KIM

When the original Apple iPad launched in 2010, it was basically the only game in town for mainstream tablet shoppers. In fact, the whole category of consumer tablets didn't take off until Apple's first slate took the world by storm. Each year brought a new and improved model, but the decision was still pretty straightforward?if you wanted the best consumer tablet, you got the latest iPad.

Then, in 2012, Apple made things a bit more interesting with the introduction of the shrunken down iPad mini. And that brings us to today. With five models of iPad currently sold by Apple, which one is right for you? We'll break down some of the differences to help you choose.

Just a quick note: This story is not about the heated Apple-versus-Android debate that's sure to rage on in the comments section below. Android tablets have grown in numbers and quality, but the majority of casual tablet users will ultimately be better served by Apple's iPad and iOS ecosystem.

The first question to answer is: Just how big of a tablet do you want? If you subscribe to the bigger-is-better school of thought, you'll want to go with the larger iPad Air. It's got a roomier 9.7-inch display that's well suited for Web browsing and binge watching on Netflix. And despite its larger size, the Air and Air 2 are still incredibly thin and light, making them easier to hold than most large tablets. But which Air should you grab? If you're particular about app load times and get antsy about obsolescence, the choice is clear: Get the iPad Air 2. It's got the latest A8X chip and will be the best performer of all the iPads. If all you're looking to do is play Candy Crush and catch up on your stories, then original iPad Air should suffice?the Touch ID sensor and extra millimeter of thinness are not going to be worth the $100.

Now if you want a smaller tablet, the choice is easier: Get the iPad mini 2, formerly known as the iPad mini with Retina Display. It will deliver the same performance and nearly identical app experience as the newer iPad mini 3, which only differs in its Touch ID sensor, gold color choice, and optional Apple SIM?not worth the $100 premium for the majority of shoppers. If slower performance and screen resolution don't matter at all to you, you can also save some money by grabbing the original iPad mini, which Apple now sells for $249. If you can stretch your budget, though, I highly recommend getting the mini 2 for $50 more.

That brings us to our final point to consider. If you're big on cellular data and like to shop around, only the iPad mini 3 and iPad Air 2 have Apple SIM. That allows you to jump around from carrier to carrier and data plan to data plan without ever having to go to a carrier's store or swap SIM cards.

Before you make your choice, be sure to check out our full iPad reviews, listed below. They'll give you a better idea of the nitty-gritty details for each iPad and help you narrow your choice down further.

FEATURED IN THIS ROUNDUP

Apple iPad Air 2 

 

$499 (16GB, Wi-Fi)

$499.99 at Best Buy

The iPad Air 2 balances seamless ease of use, app abundance, and raw power in its ever-so-slender frame, continuing Apple's reign atop the tablet heap. Read the full review >>

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Apple iPad Air 

 

$399 (16GB, Wi-Fi)

$399.99 at Toys R Us

The iPad Air is an unusually slim, well-built platform for the best array of apps in the business. It doesn't have the latest A8X processor or Touch ID, but it's still a solid performer in its own right and that $100 savings over the Air 2 is significant. Read the full review >>

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Apple iPad mini 3 

 

$399 (16GB, Wi-Fi)

The Apple iPad mini 3 is a superb small-screen tablet, but you can get essentially the same experience from its predecessor for $100 less. If you do a lot of online shopping or frequently switch cellular data plans, it could be worth the premium.Read the full review >>

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Apple iPad mini 2 

$299 (16GB, Wi-Fi)

$321.98 at Amazon

The iPad mini 2 has a super-sharp Retina display and packs all of the power of the iPad Air into a more portable package. At $100 less than the iPad mini 3, with no hit to performance or essential features, it's the best value of all iPads. Read the full review >>

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Apple iPad mini 

 

$249 (16GB, Wi-Fi)

A$299.00 at Apple Official Store

The iPad mini lets you run the best library of apps in the biz on a portable tablet. It's missing the Retina Display, though, and its processor is pretty long in the tooth at this point.Read the full review >>

New Apple tablets impress, but aren’t must-haves

By FARHAD MANJOO

The New York Times

Apple’s new iPads, the iPaid Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3, are the best tablets on the market today. Expensive, too.

Let’s get this out of the way first: Apple’s new iPads are the best tablets on the market today.

The iPad Air 2, the company’s new top-of-the-line device, is substantially faster than its predecessor, which was already more powerful than just about every rival. It sports a terrific minimalist design, almost 1½ millimeters thinner than last year’s pretty skinny iPad Air.

And both the new Air and the iPad Mini 3, Apple’s latest small tablet, include TouchID and Apple Pay, Apple’s fingerprint scanner and payment system, handy innovations that make signing into apps and shopping for goods online much easier than in the past.

So these are fantastic tablets. The question is: Do you need a fantastic tablet?

Apple’s new machines are expensive. The iPad Air 2 starts at $499, and the iPad Mini 3 starts at $399, but both entry-level models have only 16 gigabytes of storage space. To get the most out of either device you really should pay the $100 upgrade to 64 gigabytes.

But is it wise to spend $500 or $600 or more for a tablet, or can you get by with a marginal device that costs hundreds of dollars less?

For all types of device users, then, the iPad presents a quandary. Are Apple’s premium tablets worth their lofty prices?

After using the iPad Air 2 for the past few days, my answer is: Yes, with reservations.

Whether you should take a leap on Apple’s new Air depends entirely on how you use your other devices.

If you’re not a big fan of personal computers and you don’t really like having your nose stuck in your phone all day, the iPad Air 2 might be for you.

The iPad Air 2 is powerful enough to use as your main or secondary computer, after your phone, especially if you use your tablet as a replacement PC on the go, and if you’re looking to play processor-intensive games or run media-editing software.

If you’re mainly interested in a tablet for surfing the Web or watching movies — for “consuming media,” as the techies say — then the iPad Air 2 is probably overkill. Go instead with last year’s iPad Air, which is slightly slower, thicker and lacks TouchID, but starts at $399 and will prove pretty capable for many users.

As for the iPad Mini 3, Apple’s other new tablet, I’d advocate skipping it.

Unlike the Air 2, the new Mini has not been upgraded with Apple’s latest processor. This means that internally, it is almost identical to last year’s iPad Mini 2, which Apple is still selling for $299 and up.

The primary difference is that the iPad Mini 3 has a TouchID fingerprint scanner and has one more color option, gold. (The 2 comes in silver and black.)

Unless you’re going to be doing a lot of Apple Pay shopping or you’re gaga for gold, it’s best to save the $100 and go with the Mini 2.

The iPad Air 2, by comparison, has been given some hefty internal upgrades. It now has a rear-facing camera that takes pretty good shots, though not nearly as stunning as the pictures you’ll get from the latest iPhones.

It also has an iPad-specific version of the A8 chip found in Apple’s new iPhones, and that makes for off-the-charts performance. I noticed the speed immediately.

Everything I did — from loading and switching between apps to surfing the Web to playing games — was more fluid and responsive than anything I’ve experienced on another tablet.

I performed a test of tech benchmarks — Geekbench 3 — and the result is that the iPad Air 2 is faster than any other iOS or Android device ever sold.

This gets to what is perhaps the main reason to choose an iPad Air 2. All that power will last a long while; you could get four or five years of use out of this tablet before you’ll need to upgrade. Of course, you’ll pay a pretty penny for that longevity.

Microsoft to continue using Nokia brand on entry-level phones

By John Ribeiro

Microsoft will continue to sell low-end phones with the Nokia brand and has licensed the brand for these type of devices.

The company is meanwhile preparing to roll out its new Microsoft Lumia brand, Tuula Rytilä, senior vice president of marketing for phones at Microsoft, said in an interview posted late Thursday on the Conversations blog, which will also move to the Microsoft website.

“Our global and local websites are going through a transition as we speak and in the coming days our social channels will get a new name too—they will be called Microsoft Lumia,” Rytilä said. “This work continues across our devices, packaging and retail, to name a few.”

Microsoft completed in April this year the acquisition of Nokia’s smartphone business for over US$7 billion.

Besides continuing to offer Nokia-branded entry-level phones like the Nokia 130, the company will continue to also sell and support Nokia Lumia smartphones that are in the market, such as the recently announced Lumia 830 and Lumia 730/735, Rytilä said. Nokia 130, a mobile phone that does not have an Internet connection or apps, was unveiled in August.

The executive said that Microsoft was looking forward to unveiling a Microsoft Lumia device soon, without giving a specific date. She described the change in brand as “a natural progression” as all devices that once came from Nokia now come from Microsoft.

The new Microsoft Lumia brand is likely to be aimed at clearing the confusion that arose from the continued use of the Nokia brand even as a company by the same name continues to operate, after the sale of the devices business to Microsoft. Nokia in Espoo, Finland, is now focused on networking gear, its Here navigation service and a technology development and licensing business.

Microsoft is likely to have decided to retain the Nokia brand for the low-end market as it “resonates with this segment of users,” said Vishal Tripathi, a principal research analyst at Gartner.

The company could not be immediately reached for comment.

The transition to the new Microsoft Lumia brand was first announced on Nokia France’s Facebook page.

1976 Apple 1 Computer Sells for $905,000

By Belinda Lanks

The Henry Ford bought the 1976 Apple 1 computer at Bonhams’s History of Science auction for $905,000 ($750,000 before fees)—well above the estimated value of $300,000 to $500,000 and the previous high price paid of more than $671,000. The motherboard will eventually go on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

“Similar to what Henry Ford did with the Model T, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs put technology directly in the hands of the people with the creation of the Apple-1, completely altering the way we work and live,” Patricia Mooradian, the Henry Ford’s president, said in the institution’s press release. The Apple 1 was the first pre-assembled computer to come to market.

The Henry Ford’s acquisition is believed to be from the initial run of 50 Apple computers ever produced—soldered together in the Jobs family’s garage—and one of 15 in working condition.

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“The likelihood that a unit as complete as this will come up for auction is slender,” says Kristen Gallerneaux, one of the museum’s curators, in a statement. “The Henry Ford would have been remiss in holding off much longer in acquiring one for our collection.”