(Utilities) Hammer-Proof Smartphone Screen is Thinner and Cheaper Than Gorilla Glass

As long as we’ve had smartphones, we’ve been afraid of dropping them. With price tags of $500 and above, smartphones are delicate technological flowers that can be killed by a single drop of water or a collision with the ground. That’s why we’re excited about a new screen protecting material called Rhino Shield. Made from a custom-formulated polymer, the material is able to withstand full-on strikes with a hammer, and it’s poised to make Gorilla Glass look like flimsy wrapping paper.

Developed by Cambridge-based Evolutive Labs, Rhino Shield has a shock-damping layer that is “able to take at least 5 times the impact energy of Gorilla Glass 2.”

To prove their point, the makers of Rhino Shield videotaped an impact test in which they struck the screen of a iPhone 5 with a hammer. If you’re an Apple lover, it might be hard to watch – but don’t worry, the poor little phone lives to tell the tale. Even a 9 ounce steel ball dropped from a height of over 19 inches failed to scratch the screen and left the phone ‘fully usable,’ reports The Daily Mail.

The protective polymer sheet can be fitted to the iPhone 5, 5S and 5C, and it does not affect the touchscreen’s sensitivity, according to the designers. “The screen comes with a self-adhesive silicone back and as the user wipes a cloth along the front of the film, it clings to the phone’s screen, but can be removed if necessary.”

Watch a 'drop test' on hammer glass - watch

Best part? It’s retailing for less than $30.

Via The Daily Mail

(Gadget) World's First 3D Scanner for iPad Triples Kickstarter Goal in One Day

Yesterday morning San Francisco-based Occipital launched Structure Sensor—the world’s first 3D scanner for iPad—on Kickstarter with a fundraising goal of $100,000. By this morning, they had not only met their goal, but surpassed it to reach a whopping $323,321 (and counting)! So just what is it about the Structure Sensor that’s captivating so many people?

In the wake of the past year’s massive 3D printing boom, 3D scanners are, invariably, the next big prosumer gadget. The scanners are pretty much what they sound like: they allow one to capture the dimensions of an object so as to print out a precise replica on your 3D printer. MakerBot is set to release their Digitizer scanner later this month, and Matterform is just beginning to roll out their affordable scanners.

But these scanners are tethered to a desk—not great for capturing items while traveling or objects that are fixed in awkward location. The most affordable handheld scanner to date is the Fuel3D (also the result of a very well-funded Kickstarter campaign), which was dubbed as the first full-color handheld 3D scanner for under $1000.

Occipital’s Structure Sensor is even cheaper. Admittedly, one does have to first purchase (or own) an iPad, but after that the entire kit comes for $349—and you can knock $20 off that price as an early bird adopter on Kickstarter. It consists of a small aluminum dual infrared LED unit that clips to the back of your iPad and connects through the lightning port.

The device can not only do a full 3D scan of an object, but it can scan entire rooms and record the dimensions. It also enables users to create augmented realities for gaming whereby the game world is the real world. The IR LEDs even gives your iPad night vision. Additionally, the structure sensor features its own four hour battery so as not to drain your iPad.

Watch the demo here - watch

(Gadget) First iOS 7 game controller, GameCase, shown off

At WWDC, Apple mentioned that it had been working closely with developers to design a new type of gaming for the platform: creating an iOS 7 game controller. While many had forgotten about the announcement months ago, ClamCase has been hard at work to develop what looks to be the first iOS 7 game controller unveiled. The company behind some pretty nice iPad keyboards has shown off its very own GameCase game controller for iOS devices.

Their website mentions that it will be available for iPhone 4S and later, although the current design shown off today shows a controller built for and around an iPad mini, which could make for a pretty cool gaming experience (especially if Apple adds a Retina display in the iPad mini 2!). The GameCase will work through Bluetooth and will have its own battery source, which means that it should allow for some solid gaming. The controller also has dual analog sticks, a directional pad, and four buttons on the back of the controller.

While this certainly won’t be the last game controller we see coming to iOS, it is the first, and it sure does look pretty sweet. Unfortunately, ClamCase has not announced any availability information on the device yet. Head on over to the source link to see more pictures, and check out the video embedded above!

Do you plan on buying a controller for your iOS device, or do you prefer on-screen controls for your iOS gaming?

Check out the video too .... watch

Source: CNET