Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to all! The beauty of this day can be seen with younger children who dress up like their favorite super hero, etc. Never mind the bag full of candy one receives whilst "trick or treating", Halloween is an opportunity for everyone, young and old to be someone...or something else. Perhaps you'll be a fire fighter or a boxer, or maybe a celebrity. Whichever costume you choose, this is the one day anyone can create the persona they live vicariously through during the other 11months of the year. YUBZ understands the need to change up your style and opt for something more creative, hence why we produced our Retro Handsets. Available in different colors, and designs, our handsets are sure to compliment any costume on this day. So before you head out to your Halloween festivities with the kids....or with your friends, make sure you have the following: 

1. Costume

2. Bag for candy

3. YUBZ Retro Handset- fights off 96% of evil cell phone radiation 

Click it. Then Pic it.

TheArtefact Group has a vision for the future of the camera... and it is an accessory to your phone. Their concept nicknamed the WVIL (Wireless Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) camera has a touch interface like the iPhone, wireless capabilities and changeable SLR optics. It is a sign of how the user interface of SmartPhones is becoming the preferred way of interacting with digital devices. This concept design shows how your SmartPhone would literally “click” into the camera, before you take a “pic.”   

This creative design and easily detachable lens make an awesome combination for any photographer on the go. Small and easy to store it also would be great for anyone wanting the speed and ease of uploading a fresh , high resolution picture to facebook or twitter right after they take it. YUBZ luvs the retro look of this camera, and wishes it the best in making it to the production line, keep up the good work Artefact!

Pop A Soda Can Open, Pop Someone In The Face.

Pop a soda can open, pop someone in the face??? According to a recent study, there is a "strong association" between violence and drinking soda, although soda might  not be a direct cause of aggression. Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health and the Department of Economics at the University of Vermont found a strong association between soft drinks and violence, due to the caffeine found in soda or an unknown third variable.

According to the findings, frequent soft drink consumption was associated with a point increase ranging from 9-15 in the probability of engaging in aggressive actions. Such relationship was referred to as a dose relationship. Lower doses of soda (under 14 cans) were noted with an increase in aggression.

The study also correlated soda drinking with a lack of proper diet. Consumers might not have key micronutrients found in healthier food, and in turn drink soda to compensate for low blood sugar which is linked to irritability or violence. Kids who are violent were also more likely to drink alcohol and smoke. Whether or not soda is correlated with an increase in violence, this study is sure to stimulate your brain and make you consider how it would affect you.  

Android's Ice Cream Sandwich Looks Delicious

Google says its new OS Andriod 4.0 (aka Ice Cream Sandwich), “Is a complete rethink of Android's image and is part of a push to make the OS "Enchant me, Simplify My Life, and Make Me Awesome."  Google emphasized that it has made multitasking "even easier and more visual" on Android 4.0, for example the Recent Apps button lets users jump instantly from one task to another using the list in the System Bar. The list pops up to show thumbnail images of apps used recently — tapping a thumbnail switches to the app, and flicking it away closes it.

 Face unlock is another new feature where your phone literally scans your face to unlock it. For those on data plans Ice Cream Sandwich also features a new displays so you can see how much you've used over Wi-Fi or cellular. You can also see the amount of data used by each running application and warning levels can also be specified, as well as determining how much background data apps can use.

Remember when those super wide panoramic pictures were all the rage? Well now there back with the new update to the Android camera.  ICS devices, and the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Nexus in particular, will have 1080p video, zero shutter lag, a new picture-stitching panorama mode, easier sharing and Instagram-esque filters.  In the panorama mode, you can start taking the picture and then move the camera. The phone assembles the full range of continuous imagery into a single panoramic photo. The web browser is also much faster now and allows you to have up to 16 windows open at once! Plus you can now sync it with Google Chrome and the browser supports offline browsing. There's also a new NFC-based app called Android Bump, which allows two phones to exchange a wealth of information, just by holding them together.

Google hopes this new OS will be as pleasing to the masses as real ice cream sandwiches, and after only learning a small tidbit of the features to come, I would say they picked the right name. 

Facebook and Your Brain

Does the use of Facebook affect your brain size? The answer is...sort of. According to a study conducted by the University College in London, people who are more social on social tend to have larger amygdalae (a mass of gray matter deep within each cerebral hemisphere). People who are more social online have an increased size in parts of their brains which control emotions, the ability to read social cues, and memory. Researchers are still not certain if social network sites are responsible for these observations, and if there is a third variable contributing to these findings. Bottom line, there's a correlation between one's brain and the number of friends he or she has. These changes can be attributed to more social cues, etc. that are exchanged when people interact often, which might not hold true for people are not social.

Chime.In

What is Chime.in you ask? It's a combination of  the activities that take place in the following social networking sites: Twitter, blogging, and Reddit. Although Chime.in has a similar interface to Twitter, it's considered an interest network. Certain features such as following, newsfeeds, and profile pages follow the current trend in social networking sites, but Chime.in also allows users to create "chimes" which is a combination of a facebook status and a blog entry. Chime.in allows users to control advertisements on their page, and even include their own ads to receiver 100% of the revenue. The site is also available via mobile phone apps. Could this be the next big trend? Only time will tell, but Chime.in has a lot of work to do if it intends to attract current Facebook and Twitter users.

IPAD 3?

Rumor has it that the iPad 3 has been sent to production. Apple's last release was the iPhone 4s...not the iPhone 5. The new iPad is rumored to be released in March of 2012 following the trend since the iPad 2 was released in March 2011. Another rumor: Apple will be releasing the iPad mini which will compete directly with Amazon's Kindle Fire which is retailed at $199. The mini...mini in price, not size...will be sold in the mid or high $200 range. This iPad is also rumored to be released in 2012. While the iPad mini would compete with the Kindle Fire, the iPad 3 will attract current iPad and Apple users, as well as other consumers. Since the iPad 2 was released with new features, it would be interesting to see what new features Apple can add to the iPad 3.

Apple Trees Help the iPhone 4S Break Pre-Order Record

The iPhone 4S easily broke the iPhone 4's pre-order record of 600,000 handsets ordered in a single day thanks to help of new iPhone carriers Sprint and Verizon. The iPhone 4 launched on AT&T, Apple reported it sold 1.7 million devices in just over ten days. This year however, with the added help of new “Apple Trees” Sprint and Verizon, the company is on track to easily break that record. Apple announced more than one million iPhone 4S devices were pre-ordered for the first day of availability. 

Apple, Sprint, Verizon and AT&T's websites all exceeded capacity at one point when the 4S went up for sale, defying analysts' expectations and this shows how apple's ability to diversify into other retailers after there exclusive rights contract with AT&T expired is cashing in. Apple has the highest selling smartphone in the U.S. in the iPhone 4, and the 4S looks to continue that trend against steep competition from devices like the Samsung Galaxy S2, Droid Bionic and the looming Galaxy Nexus Prime. They all do have one common trait however....They look great with a YUBZ Retro Handset!!

Facebook for Apple

Finally Facebook has released an iPad app for iPad users. Features of this app include larger pictures on slideshows. The search bar and other regular Facebook features will be included in this app, allowing users to interact with their friends anywhere. The iPad allows users to expand any image, and video. The app also allows its users to record and watch HD vidoes. With all these features, Facebook has increased its position in the mobile market. One question asked by users would be regarding the app and how compatible it would be with the iPad 1 and 2. Hopefully this app serves both iPad versions and customers are pleased with the app.