The iPhone 6 Plus Bends, but so Does Any Other Big Phone [Video]

With the big size, a new problem arisen. It appears the iPhone 6 Plus's aluminum back case is bendable. Unfortunately, it does not go back to its original shape and form so if you are not careful you make end up with a bended phone and even a cracked screen.

The problem shows up less on the iPhone 6 model, because the 4.7-inch display phone has a smaller back, hence the surface is not that easily bendable.

In the pocket

Users have reported that the iPhone 6 Plus bending occurs while they were sitting down with the device in the front pocket, not the back one. Other users say that just by keeping the phone in the front pocket while driving they noticed that the phone has a different shape. Apple brags about the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus that are the thinnest models so far with just 6.9mm and 7.1mm. However, the iPhone 6 Plus is pretty long at 158.1mm. Apple may not have taken into consideration the fact that people keep their iPhones in their pockets without wearing a case.

There's no way to fix the case issues unless you take the iPhone apart. When it comes to the smaller device the problems do not occur often, but with the iPhone 6 Plus users have seen the screen getting removed when the case bends. Apple will most probably not replace the bended units because this is obviously the users' fault. It remains to be seen what will happen if the device has AppleCare+ coverage.

Just with bare hands

Just to prove how easy it is to bend your iPhone 6 Plus YouTube user Lewis from Unbox Therapy shot a video of himself doing that. Shortly after that, pictures of other bent devices showed up online. The iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z1, iPhone 5, Blackberry Q10, HTC Evo, and iPhone 4S can be just as bendy (see the pictures in the below photo gallery). A few jokes appeared on Twitter sent by people making fun of the new "feature" the iPhone 6 Plus has. Other commenters suggested this a problem for fat americans and they should hang the iPhone around their neck instead of keeping it in their pockets.

Apple has yet to comment on this issue. Changing the design, materials or introducing a reinforced steel frame would make the iPhone bulkier so it is not a solution. On the other hand, a tough case is not a great way to solve it wither.

Oh yes. It does bend!

does not sit flat

Just a little bit

Do you want a curved display with that?

iPhone 4S

HTC Evo

Is that a BlackBerry Curve?

iPhone 5

Sony Xperia is waterproof, not pressure proof

Samsung Galaxy S5 has got a broken screen

iPhone 5s bendy version

"It's not the phone, It's you"

Strong men

Airplane mode enabled

Does the iPhone 6 Plus bend under pressure?

Video credits to Unbox Therapy

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ASUS ROG G551 and G771 Gaming Notebooks Arrive with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M/860M

ASUS Republic of Gamers fans rejoice, your favorite company has just unveiled two new laptops under the banner, in the form of the G551 and G771.

The two models offer 15-inch and 17-inch form-factors respectively and deliver full HD displays (1920 x 1200 pixel res). The screens are of the IPS variety and have wide 178-degree viewing angles. In the computing department, ASUS throws in up to Intel Core i7 (Haswell) processors and of course NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M or 860M graphics cards with Microsoft DirectX. The computing sector is backed up by an advanced cooling system, which ensures the two laptops can go as long as you need them to.

Both laptops take advantage of Trinity Display technology which means gamers can hook their notebooks to external displays via HDMI or DisplayPort 1. On top of that, there’s SonicMaster Premium onboard, which is supposed to enhance audio experience, while gaming. The two laptops feature the same design followers of the ROG religion are familiar with – say hello again to the matte-black brushed-aluminum finish, red diamond-cut edges and illuminated ROG logo living on the back of the display. And as with most gaming gear, the keyboard is backlit so gamers can play the night away. Pricing specifications for the two models haven't been disclosed. Images gallery below, click for larger view.

ASUS ROG G551 and G771
Image credits to ASUS

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Canon EOS C500 EF Goes to Space to Film in 4K for IMAX’s Latest 3D Film

Canon just announced that a bunch of its products were selected by IMAX Corporation and given the mission to shoot 4K footage in space that’s going to be used for IMAX’s upcoming 3D film.

For the job the production team chose the Canon EOS C500 EF digital cinema camera, Canon EOS 1D-C digital SLR cameras and a selection of Canon Cinema Zoom and Prime lenses. The photographic equipment left Earth last week on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and should arrive at the International Space Station where astronauts will use them to capture 4K imagery for IMAX’s new film title “A Perfect Planet.” The movie will be directed by filmmaker Toni Myers and should offer spectacular imagery from space. The film aims to explore the possibilities that await mankind on and off planet Earth.

The most interesting part is that astronauts will be in charge of shooting most of the action, so there won’t be any professional film crew behind the end result. Which makes this project even cooler. Famous large format cinematographer James Neihouse is the film’s director of photography and he was in charge of training the astronauts who will be handling the cameras. The film should make a debut in early 2016.

Canon EOS C500 EF is sent off into space
Image credits to Canon

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Small Tablets Battle: Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact vs. iPad Mini with Retina Display

IFA 2014 came and went but sadly the event proved to be quite disappointing in terms of tablets, with focus going on smartwatches and smartphones instead.

Anyway, the Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is the exception to the rule. This little, cute slate is portable, slim and comes with a special feat that you will see nowhere else. But how will this newcomer fare against Apple’s reputed iPad mini with Retina Display? Let’s find out in what follows, since we’re going to take the two slates and compare them.

Design, display and build

The 8-inch Xperia Z3 is one of the thinnest tablets on the market today, coming in at only 6.4mm / 0.25 inches and weighing just 270 g / 0.59 lbs. This makes the tablet extremely portable and easy to grip using only one hand. By contrast, the iPad mini with Retina display is a little thicker and heavier, boasting 7.5mm / 0.29 inches in profile and breaking the scale at 331 g / 0.72 lbs. Unlike the Apple tablet, the Xperia Z3 is waterproof (and dust-proof) so users can watch a movie or read a book while having a bath or relaxing at the pool. The Sony slate boasts a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels (like its larger brother the Xperia Tablet Z2) with 283 ppi.

On top of that, the screen takes advantage of Triluminous technology with Live color LED, which is the company’s own TV tech, so users can expect the colors to appear nicely displayed. The iPad mini with Retina display offers a little more in terms of resolution, meaning 2048 x 1536 pixels with outstanding 328ppi. So the Apple tablet wins in this department.

Specs and special feats

The Sony mini tablet relies on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor clocked at 2.5GHz (which is a tad better than the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet) that works in concert with 3GB of RAM. In contrast, the iPad mini takes advantage of an Apple’s own A7 dual-core processor clocked at 1.3GHz fitted with only 1GB of RAM. By the looks of it, the Sony mini should be faster, but a bunch of benchmarks should be performed for this verdict to be official. Sony offers the 16GB of internal storage option (upgradable to 128GB via microSD). On the other hand, the iPad mini is a little more versatile, offering customers the chance to get 16-, 32-, 64- and 128GB models (they are not expandable, what you see is what you get).

Keeping things running on the Xperia Z3 is a 4500 mAh battery and Sony says it should last up to 15 hours of run time. The Apple one relies on a 6470mAh powerhouse that brings about 10 hours of existence. The Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact takes advantage of 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 11ac and Bluetooth 4.0. The iPad mini offers the same, with the exception of the latest Wi-Fi standard. In the photo department, the Compact tablet has an impressive 8.1MP snapper in front, while a 2.2MP one resides on the back. As for the Apple mini, it comes with a 5MP shooter in front and a 1.2MP one in the rear.

But what really sets the Xperia Z3 tablet apart is the fact that it offers PlayStation support, which means users can use their TV to pair the tablet with their console and play games on the tab via the DualShock 4 controller

Software

Sony’s mini tablet runs the latest version of Android, namely build 4.4.4 so if you purchase it, you’ll be off the hook with upgrades, at least for the time being. On the other hand, the iPad mini with Retina display can be updated to iOS 8. The debate between Android and iOS has been going on forever, and in the end it all boils down to personal preferences.

How about pricing?

The US availability of the Sony tablet hasn’t been announced yet, but judging by what we saw in Europe, it should be around $329 / €256, while the iPad mini with Retina display pricing starts at $399 / €310.

ConclusionThe Sony tablet is thinner, lighter and has a better camera plus the PlayStation function, but the iPad mini with retina display has a more appealing screen. So you better think about what you intend to use the tablet for before you go out and purchase one of these models.

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Ultra takes on the Apple iPad mini with Retina Display

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MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition, a Motherboard for Multi-Video Lovers

As odd as it may sound, motherboards tend to seem more and more hardcore the fewer colors they actually sport. So, while a keyboard or mouse looks imposing when it’s glowing every possible color, motherboards tend to give the same cool impression if they're black and white.

Especially if you make sure that the white stands out. Like, say, if you color the PCI Express slots in it and maybe add some stripes to the heatsinks. The new motherboard from Micro-Star International is called Z97S SLI Krait Edition. It has both the white-topped heatsinks and white PCI Express slots. Not that all slots are that way. Only the ones meant to hold graphics cards.

The MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition specs

As we said before, there are two PCI Express slots meant for graphics cards. They are what give the mainboard their name really, even though the newcomer actually doesn't have such a grandiose multi-GPU support. While the two slots look good and all, they are just that: two. A single pair. Also, they can't both work in x16 mode at once. Only x8/x8. It means you can have more than decent multi-card setups (and contrary to the name, you can have AMD boards in CrossFire too), but nothing too amazing. Of course, some may say that having two cards in the first place is relatively amazing, so there's that.

On the flip side, there is more than enough room between the slots for even triple-slot coolers. Don't think you'll get much out of a dual-card setup involving dual-GPU boards though (four GPUs, as it were). Besides the PCI Express loadout (which also includes three PCIe x1 slots and two legacy PCI slots), the MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition also boasts M.2 and SATA Express ports (for small and fast SSDs, up to 10 Gbps), and advanced BIOS (with Click BIOS 4 interface and OC Genie 4 clock tweaking) and Military Class 4 components.

Availability and pricing

These are the details that Micro-Star International did not include in its press release. While the product page of the Z97S SLI Krait Edition is readily enough accessible, it doesn't have that info. Considering everything above, though, as well as the 4K UHD Support, DDR3-3300 memory support (four slots) and the abundance of I/O connectors, as well as video and network support, it's probably in the upper half of the market. The good news is that, if you're willing to pay for two video boards, you'll probably have no qualms about it regardless.

Press Release:

MSI, world leader in motherboard technology, is proud to announce its latest motherboard, the Z97S SLI Krait Edition. Inspired by and developed in cooperation with the world's elite case modders, the new Z97S SLI Krait Edition is equipped with an arsenal of new features, improvements like NVIDIA SLI certified for enthusiasts looking to pair up multiple graphics cards. On-board M.2 and SATA Express provides the latest storage technology with transfer speeds up to 10 Gb/s, with flexible solutions for using preferred devices. Military Class 4 provide all the stability you need through carefully selected and thoroughly tested components and materials. The Z97S SLI Krait Edition motherboard caters to those looking for a feature rich motherboard with a unique look & feel.
Perfect for case modding
Looking for that creative, one-off build? The new black & white design instantly adds a touch of class to a sophisticated build. The new MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition has been purposely designed together with the most elite case modders to meet the demands of community who craved a pure black and white motherboard.
Optimized for multiple graphics cards
MSI motherboards feature one or more PCI Express 3.0 slots, perfectly aligned and with enough space for an optimal airflow when using multiple graphics cards. This enables continued maximum graphics performance while you are enjoying the best graphics jumping off from your monitor when running NVIDIA SLI or AMD CrossFire gamers setup.
Push your SSD to the limit with M.2 and SATA-Express
Enjoy a blazing fast system boot up and insanely fast loading of your operating system, applications and games with MSI Z97 motherboards, offering the next generation of high speed storage support through M.2 and SATA Express. M.2 and SATA Express transfer data through a PCI-Express 2.0 x2 interface with speeds up to 10 Gb/s, making it 67% faster than SATA 3.0 solutions.
Stable and highly efficient with Military Class 4
Striving to provide consumers with the highest quality and most stable products, MSI utilizes its new Military Class 4 components for the all new MSI Z97 series. These key components have all been certified to seven MIL-810G tests to ensure stable operation under the harshest conditions.
The most advanced BIOS including OC Genie 4
In addition, MSI motherboards are also equipped with many exclusive new technologies, including the one-second overclocking OC Genie 4, the world's first graphical controlled interface Click BIOS 4 and the Command Center software that combines features such as monitoring, tuning and controlling of your hardware. The unprecedented level of flexibility and control offered in MSI's unique hard- and software design puts you in the driving seat of your motherboards configuration.

MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition
Images credits to MSI

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Xiaomi MiPad Just Became NVIDIA Shield Tablet’s Direct Competitor

Popular Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is breaching out into other product niches. This week, the device maker launched a dedicated video game controller, which will go on sale in the country in less than 48 hours.

The official pricing of the accessory hasn’t been made public, but for the time being we know that the first 300 buyers will be able to grab the Xiaomi Bluetooth game controller for a ridiculous $0.16 / €0.12. Xiaomi is known for its low cost devices, but this is beyond all expectations. As FoneArena reports, the new game controller is compatible with the Xiaomi MiPad tablet and Mi TV, but it seems highly unlikely that the company won’t extend things to include some of its smartphones. It’s quite interesting to note that Xiaomi is attempting to make an entry in the tablet gaming ecosystem here. It has just outfitted its only tablet with the possibility of pairing it with its dedicated gaming controller. And you know what that means, right? The Xiaomi MiPad is now a reputable competitor against the NVIDIA Shield tablet announced a few months ago.

The NVIDIA slate was touted as the first consumer-friendly gaming tab, but by the looks of it it’s no longer alone. After all, the specs of the two tabs are also quite similar. Let’s take a look to see and compare.

Xiaomi MiPad

This tablet was the first to take advantage of NVIDIA’s Tegra K1 SoC processor, even before the company’s own Shield came out. The slate takes advantage of a 7.9-inch screen with 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution, which is nice to have on a gaming tablet. Everything onboard is fitted with 2GB of RAM and backed up by 16GB of internal storage (expandable up to 128GB via microSD). The battery inside providing the juice is of 6700mAh capacity, so it should last quite a lot.

NVIDIA Shield Tablet

The NVIDIA tab has a full 8-inch display but offers a less impressive resolution, meaning 1920 x 1200 pixels. However, this is an improvement from the original Tegra 4 model. Under the hood lies the same Tegra K1 chip clocked at 2.2GHz combined with 2GB of RAM and either 16GB or 32GB of RAM. So you can see the two tablets are quite similar, except in the resolution department where the Xiaomi model proves to be more advanced. So the battle in the budding gaming tablet segment has started. NVIDIA throws in a bunch of games optimized to work under the Tegra K1 platform with the tablet, but Xiaomi offers the price-friendly alternative. Who will win?

Xiaomi MiPad alongside gaming controller
Image credits to Xiaomi

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