iPhone

The 404 1,277: Where we keep on sinning (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Simpsons theme park "Springfield" will serve duff beer, Krusty Burgers.

- 12 obsolete technologies Americans are still using.

- The Weird Stuff Warehouse where old tech goes to retire.

- Amazon greenlights 5 new shows.

- Why Amish teens love using Facebook.… Read more

EarSkinz correct Apple EarPods' biggest flaw

Some people love Apple's EarPods and some people aren't so fond of them.

If you're in the latter group, it's probably because Apple's retooled earbuds have a tendency to slip out of your ears while you're doing something as mundane as walking around. That's where products like the EarSkinz 2 (ES2) come in.… Read more

Apple settles iPhone water damage lawsuit for $53M

Apple has agreed to pay $53 million to settle a class-action lawsuit related to warranties covering early versions of the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2010, claimed Apple had unfairly denied warranty coverage to some customers under an Apple policy associated with devices affected by water damage. The settlement, which still requires the court's approval, will be held in a fund to be distributed among the 153,000 members of the class-action suit, according to documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. … Read more

Pro tennis player uses iPhone camera to dispute call

The future of arguing a referee's call is upon us. On Monday, a tennis player used an iPhone to take a picture of where his ball supposedly landed.

At the French Open, Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky surprised the crowd with his impromptu display of photography skills during the first set of a match against Richard Gasquet. At one point in the game, Stakhovsky hit the ball and a line judge ruled the shot as out of bounds. To make sure, officials went to the line to examine where the ball hit and confirmed the ruling. Stakhovsky attempted to argue the call to no avail.… Read more

The 404 1,276: Where we follow Justin into the darkness (podcast)

We're taking a different approach to the show today with a story from Memorial Day that takes the entire episode, but trust us--it's worth it. It's a tale of survival, of tech failure and success, the power of nature, and a tightrope walk above surefire doom. What's the closest you've ever come to the end? This is mine.

After you're done with the story, this is the Fenix LED flashlight that got me through the night and this is the SLX Extreme Snow Lizard case that kept me safe.… Read more

Phone out of juice? Just twirl this tube charger

If you're far from the grid and your smartphone battery is running out, you'd better have a backup if there are no other phones around. This recharger gives you power with a flick of the wrist.

Voltmaker is an award-winning, patented design and Indiegogo campaign for a USB charger that can give you emergency power by spinning the dynamo. The 6-inch, 10-ounce device can also be recharged on a standard outlet.

If your phone is dead and you're hiking in the woods, spinning Voltmaker for two minutes will generate enough power for a phone call lasting several minutes, according to the campaign. … Read more

Stunning supermoon close-up taken with iPhone

System administrator and photographer Jared Earle took some amazing photos of the recent supermoon, and he's willing to share his secrets with the world. He didn't have to break into an observatory or fly his camera to the edges of space. In true MacGyver fashion, he only required an iPhone and a telescope to pull off the photo shoot.

The telescope was a necessary part of the equation. While Earle said any telescope will work, he used a 5-inch Celestron spotter scope with his iPhone 4S. He also used a Magnifi adapter, a photo adapter case designed to attach an iPhone to most pieces of optical equipment, whether it's a microscope, binoculars, or a telescope.… Read more

Tim Cook at AllThingsD: Join us Tuesday, 6 p.m. PT (live blog)

After a grilling by U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations about Apple's tax practices last week, an interview with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher at D: All Things Digital conference Tuesday evening will be like a walk in the park for Tim Cook. Cook's chat will kick off the conference and starts at 6 p.m. PT.

The Apple CEO will likely address questions about his views on tax policy and the growth of the mobile market, as well as Apple's competitive battles with Samsung, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and others. Samsung, with its broad array … Read more

Future iPhone could adjust its volume based on your proximity

An iPhone of the future could change its volume all on its own by detecting how near or far you are to it.

"Adjustment of acoustic properties based on proximity detection," a patent application published Tuesday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, describes how the iPhone's promixity sensor could be used to automatically change the volume or even switch between the receiver and the speaker.

Holding the iPhone to your ear would lower the volume through the receiver. Moving it slightly away from your ear would raise the volume. Putting the phone down and moving … Read more

Gawker raises $200K to buy video of Toronto mayor allegedly smoking crack

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been having a lousy week, and it may have gotten much worse.

Gawker's "Crackstarter" campaign on Indiegogo has reached its goal of raising $200,000 to buy a drug dealer's video allegedly showing Ford smoking crack cocaine and post it online.

The gossip Web site's John Cook and journalists from The Toronto Star say they have seen footage in which Ford is smoking crack with drug dealers. … Read more