Research Reveals Smartphones Cause ‘Digital Dementia’

If you ever wondered why your memory seems to be getting worse, then according to one South Korean doctor the reason may just be that smartphone you’re so attached to.

In a world where we all rely on smartphones, computers and the Internet to run our lives,  Dr. Byun Gi-won, a South Korean expert in cognitive problems related to computer and smartphone usage at the Balance Brain Center in the country believes that the very technology we use to help us remember things may actually be part of the reason we forget them in the first place.

Cases of so-called digital dementia manifest themselves as memory deficits, lack of emotion and attention disorders that have historically been blamed on things such as video games. The humble smartphone is now finding itself at the center of research being conducted with the aim of better understanding digital dementia and the part our modern technological lives has to play in it.

Byun Gi-won told a newspaper report that our reliance on smartphones is hampering the balanced development of our brains and, as if we predicted it a few paragraphs earlier, games are also to blame. With South Korea’s heavy use of both smartphones and gaming devices across the board, the country is certainly well placed to provide insight into what effects it may have.

Gi-won said: “Heavy [technology] users are likely to develop the left side of  their brains, leaving the right side untapped or underdeveloped.” As eluded to by that comment, smartphones are not the only potential cause for digital dementia, but any technology could potentially be the reason that some of us here at Redmond Pie can barely remember our own phone numbers, let alone those of the people we need to contact. We’ve been using technology throughout our adolescent lives and as a result, apparently, are particularly susceptible to the affliction as our brains were still developing during prolonged reliance on, and use of, technology.

So, if your memory is getting worse it might be time to put that phone down and pick up a book. So long as you can remember where you left it, of course.

What do you think about the research? Agree with it or not? Let us know in the comments section below.

(via: TheTelegraph)

Iron Man 3 Movie With iTunes Extras Now Available To Download, JARVIS App For iPhone Releasing Next Week

Users of iPhones come in all shapes and sizes, but when you find a proper hardcore fan of Apple’s smartphone then the chances are pretty good that they’re also rather keen on a spot of science fiction. We’d have to count ourselves firmly in that category, and we’d definitely argue that it’s no bad thing.

It’s for that reason that a new app with a particular movie tie-in may do quite well, but let’s start at the beginning.

Fans of the Avengers movie last year will probably already have seen the new Iron Man 3 movie. It’s not brand spanking new, no, but it’s new enough to be landing on iTunes in the last day or so, and it’s available complete with iTunes Extras, meaning you’ll get more than just the standard movie when you hand over your $20. Sweet.

What really caught our attention about all this though is the fact that the folks at Marvel weren’t content to just launch the movie and then sit back, raking in the money as people throw it at them. Instead, they also began work on a JARVIS-themed iPhone app, with the thing apparently being released next week.

For those that have been living in a cave for the last few years, JARVIS is Robert Downey Junior AKA Tony Stark AKA Iron Man’s artificial intelligence-powered butler. If you imagine Siri, but with infinitely more power and the ability to actually understand what you say more often than twice in every six months-worth of shouting at it, then you won’t be far off. In short, JARVIS is awesome.

Now, owing to the fact that the iPhone isn’t quite the real JARVIS and, well, the fact that it’s fictional, this app isn’t going to let you have your iPhone run your (imaginary) Iron Man suit. What it will do though is pretend to be Siri, with an Iron Man twist.

Like Tony Stark, users can engage JARVIS through voice-activated commands -Receive messages from JARVIS, download ringtones, post to Facebook and more -Check time, local weather as well as set alarms through the integrated Clock mode -Initiate media delivered in messages, including video, audio, image, ringtone or website -Install unique ringtones -Unlock 42 unique Iron Man suits (plus additional "Ghost" file) -When connected to the same network as the Blu-ray player, JARVIS will function as the Blu-ray remote control, or the user can simply "say what you see" and the app will do the rest.

Whether it will actually be any good is debatable, and we certainly have our doubts. If you’re a diehard Iron Man fan though, we’re sure it’s going to be worth a download.

If you want more Iron Man 3 action on your smartphone, then be sure to download the Iron Man 3 game on your iOS or Android device.

(Download: Iron Man 3 on iTunes)

Apple TV To Get Software Update On September 10th, Here Are The Details

Apple TV, once described by Tim Cook as a "hobby" to the Cupertino company, hasn’t seen a great deal of change in its lifespan, but with quite a few services having been added recently including the likes of VEVO, Disney Channel and others, and with iTunes Radio already confirmed for it, it’s certainly as rich in available content as it ever has been. With a big event confirmed for September 10th, some had hoped that Apple would be bringing some new hardware in its gradual growth push in the TV market, but it now seems certain that this will not be the case. There will, however, be a handsome software update, with a couple of interesting features. Details after the break!

One intriguing new addition to the fold allows users to take content bought on one Apple TV device and play it on another. Ideal if you’re at a friend’s house and don’t wish to move your little black box from its pride of place by your HDTV, the system incorporates both AirPlay and Apple’s servers to allow you to connect to your own content even if you’re not at home.

The process involves using an iPhone to "call" your Apple TV, sending it a message to begin streaming to your friend’s Apple TV. Essentially, it’s an extended version of AirPlay, but a very useful one at that, and I’m sure many confirmed Apple TV owners will be taking full advantage when it does eventually roll out.

Of course, you could always log out of one account and log back in, but as anybody who has used the three-buttoned Apple TV remote to accomplish any kind of typing, it’s tedious to say the least. This method is much quicker, and once you depart from your friend’s house, they won’t have to go through the rigmarole of putting their credentials back in once more, all part of this software update which will likely be numbered as version 7. Though the iOS 7 ‘flat’ makeover for Apple TV isn’t confirmed as part of this update.

With Google Chromecast costing only $35, Apple TV has a bit of competition, and although you get the impression that the search giant is not throwing much weight behind its new streamer, the fact that Google is competing at all may coax Apple into a more aggressive stance in the TV market.

So, while there’s still no sign of the elusive connected TV effort from Apple, Apple TV will be getting some kind of software update in the near future.

Supposed iPhone 5S Box Depicting Redesigned Home Button Leaked? [IMAGES]

We’ve caught precious few sightings of the iPhone 5S over the past few days, weeks and months, but today, we have our first alleged look of the device in its original packaging. As has been touched upon ad nauseam, the handset will feature a fingerprint sensor for its Home button, and from this leaked snap of the iPhone 5 in its retail box, it can be seen in place of the Home button.

Unfortunately, this leak doesn’t appear particularly legitimate. The box, which is relatively standard iPhone fare, has been taken by a ridiculously low-res camera – the type of which rarely seem to exist any more. Thus, it’s a very pixelated affair, and leads us to believe that somebody has thrown it together.

The leak arrives courtesy of Chinese site C Technology, and as you might have guessed, it’s authenticity cannot be confirmed. We’ve caught plenty of visual coverage of the iPhone 5C in all its rainbow-befuddled glory, but with the iPhone 5S being the show-stopper, it would seem that Apple is a bit more compelled to keep things under wraps.

The box is white, featuring the black iPhone as well as the all-new iOS 7, which has run through several betas and certainly feels as though it’s now ready for prime time. Suspiciously, though, the background of the newly flattened iOS looks dark and of one color, where the company usually incorporates some kind of wallpaper. With that said, the new Jony Ive-fuelled ethos of software design prefers the flat shapes and clean colors, so perhaps Apple has decided to ditch the idea of using a simple image for the backdrop.

At this point, the low resolution of the image suggests this has just been thrown together by an Apple fan, so we’re taking it with a pinch of salt.

Apple’s next flagship is expected to be announced on 10th September iPhone event, alongside a low-cost, polycarbonate handset by the name of iPhone 5C. We’ll be following the day’s events as well as covering anything else you may need to be informed of pertaining these two major announcements from Apple, so stay tuned to our coverage here at Redmond Pie!

(Source: C Technology [Google Translate]) (via: 9to5Mac)

Nexus 5 Render Based On Recent Video Leak Makes Us Want One Right Now! [IMAGES]

The hype surrounding the Google Nexus 5 is pretty immense right now, and after a recently-leaked images, Redit user Vovicon has upped a bunch of rather beautiful renderings. Maintaining a similar look to the Nexus 4 – a device manufactured by LG as the next one will be – it brings a slicker general aesthetic than its would-be predecessor, and although we’ll need to wait for the device’s official unveiling before we get too excited, the renderings are definitely worth checking out after the break.

Android 4.4 KitKat has just been officially announced, and the Nexus 5 will likely be the first to ship with the new software out of the box. We don’t yet know when this may be, but with the wave of leaks and information exchanging hands at this point in time, we’d hazard a guess that it 

will be sometime soon.

Google’s Nexus brand not only allows consumers to enjoy that pure Android experience and the frequent, delay-free updates this entails, but also offers mid to high-end smartphones and tablets at agreeable prices. The new Nexus 7 tablet has once again proven popular among consumers, and with the Nexus 7 now becoming rather antiquated after more than a year as the flagship Nexus smartphone, the Android community is more than ready for the Nexus 5.

We’ve heard numerous reports regarding the Nexus 5 specs, most of which have pointed to a 5-inch display with the full 1080p experience. This is only a meager bump from the 4.7-inch offering with the Nexus 4, but so long as the panel is a little more vibrant than the notoriously dull Nexus 4 display, there shouldn’t be too many complaints.

The Nexus 5 will certainly pack a decent processor, with the Snapdragon 800 SoC looking the overwhelming favorite to play the role of workhorse, and with the new Android 4.4 KitKat to boot, will certainly entice many consumers into making the purchase.

Nexus 5 (render) vs. Nexus 4 vs. Galaxy Nexus

With so many new devices being released and rumored to be arriving in the next few weeks, it’s going to face plenty of stiff competition, but if it looks anything like these sumptuous renders, should have no problem in holding its own.

We’ll keep you posted on any more Nexus 5-related tidbits, so stay tuned!

(Source: Reddit)

Check Out This Hilarious iPhone 5S Announcement Parody [VIDEO]

Apple’s iPhone announcements tend to follow a very specific script, and with September 10th the confirmed date for the official unveiling of the two new handsets in store, we’re likely to see the familiar sequence of events. Tim Cook will make the announcement, before Phil Schiller and others begin reeling off a bunch of reasons why the newer model “changes everything, again.” To mark the occasion, a new parody video is doing the rounds, and pokes a little fun at the Cupertino company for its archetypal ways. Check it out after the break!

From what we have gathered, the actual announcement will bring forth the iPhone 5S as well as a mid-range iPhone 5C, the latter of which will have a lower price point.

CEO Tim Cook will almost certainly take to the stage first with a little self-congratulation for how many millions of units have been sold of various devices, after which we’ll probably see the iPhone 5S. There’s no doubt that Apple will be cautious so as not to get the iPhone 5C and 5S muddled up in the minds of the consumer, and so by showing off the new flagship before taking the wraps off the 5S as an afterthought, the world will not be under any illusions as to which one to chose.

The parody video takes a few digs at Apple in good spirits, and it’s rather entertaining because, well, most of it is true. There’ll no doubt be an abundance of superlatives as seen here when the real event occurs, as the head honchos of the fruit company wax lyrical about how wonderful the new devices are.

There’s no doubt that Apple exaggerates more heavily than most, but while the company has probably been guilty of lackluster updates to the iPhone in the past, it would seem – from what we hear – as though the iPhone 5S is pretty well stocked. As well as an improved processor, the handset will also likely include a fingerprint sensor and 12 or 13-megapixel camera, and considering the iPhone 5C will also be the company’s first shot at a cheap(ish) device, this is arguably as big an iPhone announcement as we’ve seen since the first.

We’ll be covering the September 10th iPhone event in grave detail, so stay tuned, and in the meantime, grab a couple of laughs from the parody:

iPhone 5S And iPhone 5C Pre-Orders Accidentally Advertised By China Telecom

The big September 10th iPhone event is just days away, and with two new iPhones expected to be announced by the Cupertino-based outfit, it’s fair to say that the tech industry is rather excited. Although we’re now sure to the point of near certainty that we’ll be seeing a low-budget iPhone 5C as well as a flagship iPhone 5S, nothing’s set in stone until the official unveiling, although China Telecom has gotten ahead of the game having already begun advertising the as-yet non-existent handsets for pre-order.

Of course, the pre-order part of China Telecom’s Web page was quickly taken down, but Apple is unlikely to be amused by such a slip-up from an official channel as one of China’s largest cellular providers.

The iPhone 5C, Apple’s purported attempt at a lower costing smartphone, will be a vital component to the company’s expansion into the Chinese market. With so much potential for growth in this developing nation, as well as others such as India, the polycarbonate-clad handset could be a real winner.

Even if Apple has confirmed the devices to China Telecom, there’s no way the pre-orders should be out an online for all to see, but with the pre-order part now having been removed, all that 

remains are some screen captures via Weibo.

Interestingly enough, the ad suggests that China is to be among first markets to get both new iPhones, which would certainly be a turn up for the books. Often, the Chinese market has to wait some months to get hold of the latest and greatest in Apple gadgetry, but with Tim Cook’s men now seemingly taking China a bit more seriously as a large consumer than it previously has, things may well be about to change.

China Telecom customers can register their interest in the devices early by leaving a name and number on the newly-adjusted Web page, and with just a few days now until the big unveiling, it won’t be long until the rumors can finally be put to bed.

The story doesn’t end here, either, according to Reuters, which is also reporting that China Unicom and China Telecom will start pre-orders of Apple’s new devices as soon as next week.

We will, of course, be covering the iPhone announcements in detail right here at Redmond Pie, so be sure to stay tuned to our coverage!

(Source: Reuters)