Daily News Courier

Battery Material Prevents Fires, Stores Five Times the Energy

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a solid electrolyte to replace flammable ones used in lithium-ion batteries.

An electrolyte developed by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory could enable lithium-ion batteries that store five to 10 times more energy and are safer than the ones that recently caught fire on Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

T-Mobile now offering the Nexus 7 with SIM through Google Play; Nexus 4 in all TMo stores soon

T-Mobile just hit us up with some new info regarding the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7. Here 'tis:

• Nexus 4: Availability has been expanded to additional retail stores, and it will be in all stores 'in the coming weeks." It'll be available again at T-Mobile's website starting Jan. 23.
• Nexus 7: You can now get a 32GB version with a T-Mobile HSPA+ SIM card starting, well, now. Hardware is the same as the "AT&T version" that popped up yesterday, only this one says "T-Mobile" and doesn't come with a $100 credit on your bill. (We're double checking on any data plan requirements and will update.)

We still have absolutely no idea when you'll be able to buy an unlocked Nexus 4 through Google Play. Hopefully availability at T-Mobile's website next week points to general availability, but at this point who the hell knows …

Startup Lets Retail Stores Track Shoppers As Websites Do

By monitoring people’s mobile devices, brick-and-mortar stores can get data on foot traffic much as websites follow clicks.

To get a sense of how much time customers spent in his shopping centers, John Smith, a 1960s pioneer of the modern mall, would walk around the parking lot and feel whether car hoods felt hot or cold.

Leaked document claims all T-Mobile stores will carry the Nexus 4 in January

Sometimes we may forget that the Google Nexus 4 is actually a T-Mobile branded smartphone, in which the carrier is authorized to sell it in stores directly to consumers.

The Computer That Stores and Processes Information At the Same Time

The human brain both stores and processes information at the same time. Now computer scientists say they can do the same thing

Apple to open new stores in Brazil and Turkey

Strong indications have been signaled online that point towards Apple opening a couple of new retail stores in exotic locations like Brazil and Turkey. The theory is backed up by a handful of job listings that Apple has posted this week. The listings include full time retail positions such as Managers, Geniuses, Specialists and Creatives.

The information comes as no surprise. During the last financial call, Apple clearly stated that is has plans laid out already to open another 30-35 retail locations in the next 12 months. And only 75% of those stores are planned for the United States.

The Brazilian websites MacMagazine was the first to spot the listings, which later got confirmed as being genuine by The Next Web. The Next Web also provided the exact locations for the upcoming Apple stores: Rio de Janeiro for Brazil and Istanbul for Turkey. However, the fact that Apple is looking for a Market Leader in each of the two countries might indicate that Cupertino is interested in opening more than one shopping venue.

Opening a store in Brazil is an important step for Apple to take, as the Coffee bean land is an important emerging market such as Russia, India or China.

By Radu

Source – Apple, iPhone and iPad News | ModMyi – New Job Listings Point Towards Apple Retail Stores Launching in Brazil and Turkey

Apple ? planning to open up to 35 new retail stores in 2013

Immediately after Apple?s head of retail operation John Browett left the company to explore greener pastures, Cupertino announced in its annual report for the fiscal year of 2012 posted with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, that it plans to open a series of additional retail stores worldwide. The number is not yet set, but will be somewhere around 30 to 35. Their doors will be opened and awaiting customers by the end of 2013.

The tech giant is set to allot $10 billion for the entire fiscal year of 2013. Out of this sum, $850 million will go to the development of the retail stores we mentioned above. The number is similar to the one from 2012, when Cupertino opened 33 stores. In 2011, the company was more eager and unleashed 40 new stores upon the world. 28 of them were located in the United States.

Apple?s retail store portfolio currently covers 390 stores worldwide. Each store cashes in $51.5 million per year which is an increase compared with the $43.3 million in 2012 and $34.1 million in 2011.

The filing also adds more details:

?As of September 29, 2012, the Company owned or leased approximately 17.3 million square feet of building space, primarily in the U.S., and to a lesser extent, in Europe, Japan, Canada, and the Asia-Pacific regions. Of that amount approximately 10.9 million square feet was leased building space, which includes approximately 4.1 million square feet related to retail store space.?

By Radu

Source – Apple to open up to 35 new retail stores in 2013

Hue iOS-Controlled Light bulb System Goes Onsale in Apple Stores

AppleInsider reports that the new Philips hue light bulb system will be onsale, in Apple Stores exclusively, from Tuesday. The hue starter pack costs $199, and contains three 600-lumen bulbs and a hue bridge, which is used to connect the bulbs to your home network. Each of the bulbs uses 80% less juice than a regular light bulb, despite giving off the equivalent light to a 500-watt bulb. Bulbs can be purchased individually for $59. People who install hue in their house can use an iOS app to remotely control their lighting via their iPhone or iPad, even adding their own timers and settings. The bulbs are claimed by Philips to be upgradeable and future-proof, as it is possible to download new features for the bulbs.

Quote:

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"Philips hue is a game-changer in lighting ? a completely new way to experience and interact with light," said Jeroen de Waal, head of marketing and strategy at Philips Lighting. "In the way phones, media and entertainment have been revolutionized by digital technology, now we can also personalize light and enjoy limitless applications.

"Philips continues to redefine the possibilities of LED technology, and hue pushes the boundaries even more, not only in offering great light quality, but in how lighting can be digitized and integrated with our world to further simplify and enhance our lives."

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Source: Philips hue app-controlled lightbulbs debut exclusively at Apple stores

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 hits U.S. Cellular stores October 26

U.S. Cellular has announced that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will be on store shelves starting October 26 (this Friday), and that tomorrow is the last day for preorder. Those that have already been ordered will be shipping tomorrow.  The timing doesn't come as much of a surprise since Sprint's launch is looking similar. 

You can get a full look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 in our review, but here's a quick run-down of the specs. 

• Network: 3G: HSPA+ 21Mbps (HSDPA 21Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps); 4G LTE: 100Mbps/ 50Mbps
• Processor: 1.6 GHz quad-core processor
• Display: 5.5” HD Super AMOLED (1,280 x 720)
• OS: Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• Camera: Main(Rear): 8 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash, BSI; Sub(Front): 1.9 Megapixel VT Camera, BSI; Best Photo, Best Faces, Low light shot
• GPS: A-GPS; Glonass
• Connectivity: Bluetooth® v 4.0 (Apt-X Codec support) LE; USB 2.0 Host; WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 & 5 GHz), Wi-Fi HT40; Wi-Fi Direct; mHL; NFC
• Sensors: Accelerometer, RGB Light, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer
• Memory: 16/32/64GB User memory + 2GB (RAM); microSD (up to 64GB)
• Dimensions: 80.5 x 151.1 x 9.4 mm, 180 g
• Battery: Standard battery, Li-ion 3,100mAh

Anyone interested can pick up the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 from the U.S. Cellular online store here for $299 on a two-year contract. Anyone buying, or is there another carrier that's more viable for you? 

Kyocera Rise will be available in Sprint stores starting August 19 for only $19

The Kyocera Rise will be available on Sprint starting August 19 for only $19, and on August 31 on Virgin Mobile for $99, it has been announced.

The Rise was first announced at CTIA — a 3.5-inch Android phone that was clearly designed as an entry-level device. Featuring a 3.5-inch HVGA display, a 3.2 MP camera, 1GHz processor and powered by a 1500mAh battery, the specs are reasonable though nothing outstanding. One key feature on the Kyocera Rise is the inclusion of Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, making for an improved user experience over the Gingerbread-based ROMs on man entry-level phones.

For more on the phone, be sure to check out our full hands-on preview.

Source:  Sprint