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Sony launches Xperia M5 and C5 Ultra Android smartphones, with focus on perfect selfies

Aug03
by on August 3, 2015 at 10:45 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets, Insider

SonyXperiaM5
Sony has announced two new Android smartphones – the selfie-obesessed Xperia M5 and Xperia C5 Ultra – that will go on sale around the world in mid-August. The better-equipped of the two devices, the Xperia M5, continues Sony’s recent tradition of offering waterproof and dust-proof devices – and pairs that ingress resistance with a 21.5-megapixel rear camera and 13-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies or video calling. Other key hardware includes a 5-inch full HD display, a 2.0 Ghz Octa-core processor, 3GB RAM and a claimed two-day battery life from its 2,600mAh pack. Both front and back are “sleek premium glass,” Sony says,…

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Future BMWs will spot traffic lights before you do

Aug03
by on August 3, 2015 at 10:41 am
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web

BMW
Anyone who drives knows the frustration of getting stuck at every red light on the one day that you’re running late. But if you drive a BMW, you might be able to avoid that horrible scenario, thanks to the company’s latest integration. The company has teamed up with the EnLighten app for iOS to help drivers time traffic signals through the BMW iDrive infotainment system. The app shows drivers the status of the nearest traffic lights alongside a real-time prediction of when the light will change. It works by linking up with the city’s traffic management system and combining its data with…

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You can turn the Lego, Slinky and Qwerty keyboard patents into high quality posters

Aug03
by on August 3, 2015 at 9:20 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

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Patents are records of art, in a sense. They are the legal solidification of creativity, flattened down to diagrams and cold copy. How A Car Works, which specializes in illustrated automobile guides, has come up with a way of bringing classic patents to life – high-quality images you can print out as posters. How A Car Works’ framed patent posters The team there explains: Old patents are beautiful. And they make gorgeous free art for the office. A few weeks ago we remastered eight iconic patents, printed them onto A3 paper and framed them in Ikea RIBBA frames. The total…

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DU Battery Saver gives you control over your smarphone’s battery life

Aug03
by on August 3, 2015 at 8:44 am
Posted In: app of the week, Apps, Around the Web

Screen Shot 2015-08-02 at 17.11.04

This post was brought to you by DU Apps Studio.

As our thirst for dazzling ultra HD screens and beautiful graphics grows, sadly the humble battery supplying these smartphone experiences hasn’t been able to keep up. C’est la vie. But, the clever people at Baidu have realised that it isn’t the size of the battery that counts, it’s how you use it. DU Battery Saver is a free Android app that can instantly find battery-hungry apps, giving you up to 50 percent more battery life. Within 30 seconds of loading the app, it has already identified how much battery life you can save – in my case, an hour. You…

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If a journalist doesn’t distrust brands, you shouldn’t trust them

Aug03
by on August 3, 2015 at 8:20 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Opinion

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@brokenbottleboy wow you don't like brands? So edgy — Josh Constine (@JoshConstine) August 1, 2015 That was a little dig directed at me after I made this joke… Shots fired. I mean, from an underpowered bb gun, but shots nonetheless https://t.co/acWMfUZRwW — Mic Wright (@brokenbottleboy) August 1, 2015 …and was fair enough, I was being snarky. But, Josh’s jibe got me thinking. Do I really hate brands? A couple of months back I wrote a piece about why brands trying to be your friends on social media is the worst thing about Twitter, Facebook and the other services. I stand by…

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