Consumer Electronics Daily News

New ArtRage Version Upgrades for Bluetooth Stylus Support

Ambient Design announced today ArtRage for iPad v. 1.6, upgraded with Bluetooth stylus support and other updates. Available immediately at the Apple iTunes Store, ArtRage for iPad 1.6 now supports Bluetooth pressure-sensitive styluses, including the Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus, TenOne Pogo Connect Stylus, and the original model Adonit Jot Touch. In addition to Bluetooth styluses, ArtRage for iPad also supports all traditional capacitive styluses.

 To activate support for Bluetooth styluses in ArtRage, users can go to the “Settings” icon on the iPad, click the ArtRage section, turn on support for the selected stylus, and follow the pairing instructions. For information on ArtRage for iPad, please see http://www.artrage.com/artrage-ipad.html. For more info on using ArtRage for iPad with Bluetooth devices, see the help section in the ArtRage for iPad app.

 

Become a Mobile Digital Artist on your iPad

ArtRage for iPad lets you become a mobile digital artist on your iPad, providing the experience of actually “painting” digitally on an iPad canvas with oil paints that smear and blend, and watercolors that flow together to create soft, wet gradations, just as they would in a traditional art studio.

ArtRage for iPad 1.6 New Features include:

• Support for Bluetooth pressure-sensitive styluses.
• Optional Tap and Hold Color Sampling.
• Improved Airbrush Strokes.
• “Save” Speed Improvements.
• Updates for: Import Popover Dismissal, Landscape Mode Drag, and Color Sampler.

ArtRage for iPad General Features:

• Reference & Tracing: Images and digital camera support for referencing and tracing images and importing images to help you as you paint.
• Largest Canvas: Largest of any painting app on the market -- 2048 x 2048 (4K).
• Realistic color blending.
• Recording: Paint stroke recordings can be played back in ArtRage 4 in Mac and Windows.
• Sharing: Features file sharing, importing and exporting.
• Paint Strokes: High quality rendered strokes show the amount of paint on the canvas.
• Oil Brush and Airbrush: With thickness and smearing.
• Palette Knife: For spreading and blending pigment.
• Tools: Paint Roller, Paint Tube, Eraser, Inking Pen with auto-smoothing and pressure simulation, Pencil & Marker Pen, Chalk & Crayon. Watercolor tracking shows paper wetness as you paint.
• Settings: For fine control of each tool and custom tool presets for storing favorites.
• Unlimited: Unlimited Layers, Undo, Redo, and Color Samples.

ArtRage for iPad is available for $4.99 at the iTunes store at Apple iTunes Store. ArtRage 4 for Mac and Windows is also available with more advanced features, priced at $49.90.

For more information, see www.artrage.com, ArtRage for iPad Features: http://www.artrage.com/artrage-ipad-features.html, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artrage, Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/artrage_radar.

Apple's iPhone Bonanza Not Just About the Technology, Sales Consultant Says

Apple's record-breaking launch of its new iPhones has as much to do with the sales options the company offered as well as the technology. Any company can increase its sales by using an options sales strategy, says sales motivational keynote speaker Ron Karr.

"Why is the Apple 5S the fastest selling iPhone ever? You might think it is their strong brand, their loyal followers or their great design," said Karr, who consults with companies on sales culture and sales strategy. "But the truth is that they also used a proven sales tactic that any company can use to boost sales."
Apple has enjoyed its biggest opening sales weekend ever for an iPhone. According to industry publications, Apple claims it sold a combined total 9 million total units, with the iPhone 5S outselling the iPhone 5C by a ratio of 3-1.

Why are Apple's sales the best ever for this release and why are people choosing the more expensive model? It's because Apple uses the rule of options selling, according to Karr.

"If Apple just released one new model of the iPhone, like it has done in the past, it would have forced people into a 'yes' or 'no' decision. Buy the new iPhone or don't buy it. By offering two models, they have created a new psychological mindset by removing the decision of whether or not to buy and replaced it with the decision of which model best serves you," he said.

"By offering both a higher-end model and a lower-end model, most people will gravitate to the higher end model because they don't want to lose features and functionality. They want it all. Sellers often do this to lead people in a certain direction," he said. "Whether Apple intentionally used the options strategy to sell more units and get customers to buy more of the higher end model is not known. What is known is the strategy they used is working and producing incredible results."

 

Related articles

Apple's iPhone 5S, 5C Announcement Satisfies and Excites

Thup Games launches Monkey Preschool Fix-It

Thup Games, creator of popular children's early learning apps, is announcing the release of Monkey Preschool Fix-It on Apple App Store.

Fix-It is the fifth offering to star Thup's loveable Monkey character, carrying on the design philosophy of empowering kids to learn and play on their own. The first game in the series, Monkey Preschool Lunchbox, is the most downloaded game for preschoolers in the U.S. iOS App Store.

This installment takes the Monkey out of the jungle and into a busy workshop environment, with lively interactions like hammering nails, sawing wood, drilling bolts, and fixing toy cars. This toddler-friendly app features a collection of minigames that reinforce early childhood lessons including shape recognition, letter and number identification, and matching puzzles.

"Monkey Preschool Fix-It's stages are built around classic early childhood lessons - ABC's, 1-2-3's, and shape and pattern recognition," said Jim Nichols, co-founder of Thup. "It incorporates play styles that are interactive motor skill driven actions. We think it's a great addition to the Monkey Preschool experience."

Sold Out: iPhone 5S Gold in High Demand

Today marks the first day that that iPhone 5S is available for purchase in-store and online.

In Beijing, sales are "going off without a hitch," according to the Wall Street Journal. The demand for the iPhone 5S Gold is especially high in Beijing-- and worldwide-- because the color connotes status. According the article, "Lian Jiyu, 25 years old, said he wanted the 5S over the 5C because the 5S is the first phone to be offered in a gold color. 'I don’t care what’s inside the device,' said Mr. Lian, who works at a local TV station." 

But the demand for a gold iPhone 5S is not limited to the market in China-- Apple has already requested that its supplier boost production of the 5S Gold by 33 percent, to keep up with worldwide demand. Readwrite reports that the 5S Gold scarcity will continue well into October.

The other two iPhone 5S color options-- silver and "space grey"-- are selling fast but keeping up with the in-store purchases/pickups and online pre-orders in a timely manner. The verdict: if you want the gold, you'll have to wait-- but know that it's not what's on the outside that makes the new iPhone 5S worth the price.

Apple's iPhone 5S, 5C Announcement Satisfies and Excites

Today at 10:00 Cupertino Time, Apple held an intimate meeting in their 200-seat theatre at 4 Infinite Loop to introduce the new iPhone 5c, 5s, and iOS 7.

Some highlights from the announcement:

iOS 7

• Siri has “higher quality male and female voices” and a more seamless integration with twitter, Safari, and other apps.
• Safari now has a 3D tabbing interface-- similar to what iTunes did with "Album View"
• The iOS 7 Camera has built-in instagram-y filters.
• Airdrop, the P2P sharing found on iMacs, is now part of iOS 7.
• iOS 7 will be a free upgrade for existing iPhone users (4 or later), iPad (2 or later), iPad Mini, and iPod Touch (5 or later) on September 18.
• iWork comes free with iOS 7-- they are immediately downloaded with the update.

iPhone 5C

• "The entire back and sides are made from a single part, its front one glass, multi-touch surface. As close as you look, you wont see joints or seams"
  
• Each device comes with a color-matched wallpaper
• 4-inch Retina Display
• Higher-capacity battery than other iPhones and an A6 chip
• 8MP iSight Camera
• 16gb model will be $99 and 32GB for $199 on a 2-year contract
• On Sale September 20.

iPhone 5S

• Features the A7 performance chip-- the biggest and first smartphone CPU of its kind.
• Graphics are two times faster and the computing power is two times as fast with its 64-bit re-engineering. "It’s got a new 64-bit kernel, libraries, and drivers. All built-in apps have been reengineered. It’s a seamless dev transition, with full backwards compatibility."
• The M7 Motion Coprocessor continuously measures motion data, accelerometer, and gestural data. It can determinine whether you’re walking or driving.
• The battery life is even better than the iPhone 5-- it has an estimated 250 hours of standby time.
• iSight camera now has an f/2.2 aperture and a 15 percent larger active sensor area (1.5 micron pixel sensor)
• There are two flashes in the 5S-- one white LED, one amber, and the camera has auto-image stabilization.
• Videos can now record in Slo-Mo.
• TOUCH ID: The fingerprint sensor "is capacitive, 170 microns thin, has a 500 ppi resolution, scans sub-epidermal skin layers, and has 360 degree readability"
• With the Touch ID, you only need to touch the home screen and iTunes purchases can be made with the tap of a finger
• $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB on a 2 year contract
• On sale September 20.

For a complete blow-by-blow, check out Techcrunch's live update stream.

Mobile Upgrades Slowing Down

The recent launch of early-upgrade programs like T-Mobile's Jump and AT&T's Next, and Verizon's Edge may very well be a frantic attempt to turn around rapidly falling growth in the cellphone market.

Now that smartphone technology has slowed down for the most part, with most upgrades consisting of tweaks rather than major overhauls and new products, cell phone users are finding less reasons to need to buy a new model. This forecasts trouble for major cellphone providers, who rely on the upgrade cycle to drive growth.

While the iPhone 5s might be bounds above an iPhone 4, the latter is still dependable and far better than a dumbphone. New smartphones are priced like luxury items, and users are less inclined to upgrade when their provider's plan requires payment for the new phone in full. 

According to Business Insider, "Industry players want as short a cycle as possible. Here's why:

• Smartphone manufacturers rely on upgrades to get their newly launched handsets into consumer hands. 
• Carriers rely on new phones that are compatible with their ultra-fast 4G wireless networks in order to encourage high rates of data consumption and boost data revenue. 
• Tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google pre-load the latest versions of their mobile operating systems on new smartphone models, and these handsets help push consumer adoption of the new software. This is particularly important for Google's Android platform, which historically has had trouble getting its users to update to new versions. 
• Apple is particularly vulnerable to the longer upgrade cycle, since their business model depends on smartphone sales, rather than advertising (Google  is less concerned if its users are on older phones).
• App developers, in turn, design software around the newest operating systems and devices, to take full advantage of available technologies. Without shiny new phones loaded with features, consumers tend to fall behind the curve. 
• Marketers create rich-media and video ads that won't even load on slow smartphones."

Read more at Business Insider.

Zendure Announces the Most Durable External Smartphone Battery Available

Zendure (http://www.zendure.com), a Silicon Valley startup, today announced the most durable external battery available: the A-series, built to withstand heavy impact while also delivering a surprising amount of energy. The 9.3 ounce (260g) A4 model can charge an iPhone more than six times. In their Kickstarter.com fundraising video, Zendure CEO Bryan Liu demonstrates both feats by driving a sedan over the Zendure battery a few times while charging an iPhone.

The secret to the new batteries' durability lies in the material and design of the body. The batteries have an exterior shell made from a durable polycarbonate-ABS composite material used in many high-end rugged products such as suitcases. The shell is reinforced by support ridges around the whole body, and the top and bottom covers are tightly sealed by a rubber "belt" that absorbs shock if the product is dropped or squeezed.

The team's obsession with quality isn't just limited to the outside of the batteries. Zendure's A-Series has a total energy conversion rate (TECR) of 80 percent, while most other batteries on the market can only manage about 70 percent. TECR is a term that Zendure uses to indicate the actual juice that a consumer can get out of the advertised milliamp-hour (mAh) rating of the battery. Even Zendure's 7.2 ounce (200g) Zendure A3 can charge an iPhone 5 up to five times, which means 40 more hours of talk time or 200 more hours listening to music.

Designed for people who frequently travel or enjoy outdoor activities, the Zendure A-Series is not only durable but also stylish, compact and light. The metallic silver finish on the body, combined with a grey rubber belt, makes the product a beautiful gadget suitable for all kinds of circumstances. As for size, the A3 is only 3.8 inches (96mm) tall and can easily fit into a pocket or backpack.

The A-Series offers key functions that consumers indicated were most important to them. The A3, A4 and A5 automatically turn themselves on when connected to a compatible device. While the A-Series batteries are being charged, they are capable of charging other devices. All three models have two USB outputs, so they can charge two devices at the same time. An energy-efficient standby mode allows the Zendure batteries to maintain up to 95 percent of their charge after six months without use, which means that users don't have to frequently recharge it if they're just keeping it as an occasional emergency backup power source.

Pricing & Availability

The Zendure A-Series external batteries will be available for pre-order on Kickstarter on September 9 at 11:00am Pacific (2:00pm Eastern) with special early-bird price options starting at $45 for the A3 (9,000mAh), $59 for the A4 (12,000mAh), and $75 for the A5 (15,000mAh). Visit Zendure's website (http://www.zendure.com) for ordering information.

PRNewswire

I Forgot My Phone-- A Short Film Critiquing Smartphone Overuse

by Hannah Hollins

Before stepping out of the door every morning, you ask yourself, "Wallet? Keys? Watch? Smartphone?" Now that the mobile phone has become a requirement-- a safety blanket, rather-- for modern society, its presence is becoming obnoxious in many situations. Last night on the 2013 Video Music Awards, the cameras had difficulty getting shots from the crowd-perspective because cell phone screens-- also recording the event-- were raised up, impeding the TV camera's vision. Where do smartphone users draw the line for documenting memories? Is it proper to instagram every meal and happy hour drink? Do you check your facebook feed absentmindedly while waiting for the bus to come, or when your friend excuses themself to use the bathroom? Charlene deGuzman wrote and stars in the short film, "I Forgot My Phone," which attacks the oversaturation of cell phone use in any given day.

 

While people are connected in new and innovative ways, social media and smartphone habits are actually alienating people from real life happening around them. Now that smartphone has become so ingrained with peoples' lives, the appearance of wearables on the market will create another buffer between tech users and the rest of the world. The world behind the google glass, the world around the bright little screen, is giant, compelling, and stimulating. Unfortunately, some smartphone users need a push-- or a day when they forget their phone-- to realize this.

Battle of the Smartwatches: Burg Steps Back Into the Ring

Burg, a Dutch manufacturer, launched its first smartwatches over four years ago. In 2009, its first design was instantly awarded first prize for most innovative product. Now, they say that although Samsung "crossed the finish line before their biggest competitor, Apple, they failed to come in first."

Founder Hermen van den Burg, an award-winning designer from the Netherlands, now has his office situated in Guangzhou, China, where his company has established a factory, research center and showroom. Burg manufactures a variety of smartwatches for men, women and children, sporting a trendy, casual or athletic look. Prices range from $149 to $399.

Burg watches carry a regular SIM card, thus making the watch a fully-featured, independently functioning phone. Its rivals, however, all still require a Bluetooth connection between the watch and the phone. In other words, without the connection, they are just ordinary watches; and there's hardly anything smart about that.

The Burg's notable features: OS Android 4.0, 3G & WIFI, GPS, SIM card, 1.54 inch 240×240 pixel, Camera 2.0Mp, Bluetooth 3.0, two-way communication, Sisvel, MPEGLA, Micro SD 32Gb.

While the Burg smartwatch has the edge on initial innovation and its "standalone" phone properties, will it appear outdated next to the Samsung Galaxy watch? Stay tuned for its release on September 4 to see how it is initially received.

iTunes Users Watching Breaking Bad Season 5 Must Pay Twice

Breaking Bad fans who use iTunes to get their fix were more than a little angry with Apple today.

The season pass for Breaking Bad, season 5, is $21.99. However, the final eight episodes-- the first of which premiered last night on AMC-- are considered to be "The Final Season" by iTunes. So, because it is technically a different season, iTunes users must pay twice.

The trouble here comes from AMC's season model-- for the Walking Dead and Breaking Bad, certain seasons are split in half. How this translates to Apple's digital model is handled inconsistently.

Read more at Business Insider.