Apple is legion

iPhone 5 is unveiled with a sleek design, 4G LTE & an excuse to throw away thoseold iPod cables

Ars Technica

At a keynote address Wednesday afternoon, Apple unveiled several updates to different iDevices, most notably, the long awaited iPhone 5. Rumors surrounding the changes proved to be accurate: a new charging connector, sleeker design and an improved camera.

The phone’s screen is roughly the same size as the previous generation, four inches, but it is taller and slightly narrower. This allows for an additional row of apps on each page, as well as a wider aspect ratio, one that is closer to true 16:9.

Along with an improved screen, Apple has switched over to a completely glass and aluminum build, replacing the 4’s glass back with raw aluminum, providing a beautiful matte finish.

At 7.6 millimeters thick and a mere 112 grams in weight, the iPhone 5 is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than its predecessor, the 4S. The new design looks to be Apple’s best yet. A combination of manageable yet impressive size and an understated finish give it that cool-factor that Apple has become known for.

One change that won’t sit well with long time iDevice users is Apple’s decision to abandon the classic 32-pin USB connection they have used since the very first iPod. By replacing the old connection with a new design they call Lightning, they are making obsolete some ten years of cable stockpiling.

A little disappointing, maybe, but the new Lightning connection does appear to be superior. With a reversible design, this cable should prove to be immensely less frustrating. It sees the return of a thicker, more protective cover near the phone-end of the cable. This should hopefully reduce the fourth generation cable’s tendency to fray in a matter of days.

Perhaps most excitingly, the iPhone 5 will support LTE data service on all U.S. carriers. Pricing plans and data migrations — what will happen to AT&T grandfathered unlimited data users, for instance — have not been announced.

Battery life becomes a point of concern when handset manufacturers begin upgrading the cellular services, but Apple seems confident that their device will perform even longer than its previous models.

With figures estimating eight hours of 4G talk time, eight hours of 3G/4G LTE web browsing, 10 hours of video playback, 40 hours of audio playback and 225 hours on standby, the company is confident in the new battery. Those are impressive numbers.

The camera has received minor upgrades, as well. Though it will retain the same 8-megapixel sensor, Apple has designed a new feature it is calling “dynamic low-light mode.” If the new feature works as intended, it should help reduce the annoying bluish tint brought on by the 4S’s flash.

Accompanying the updated camera will be a new Photos feature titled “Shared Photo Streams” which will allow users to instantly share photos by linking photo albums with friends. This could go terribly wrong in the hands of some less than careful celebrities.

Another camera upgrade is the addition of a Panorama Shot creator. By turning the device vertically and swiping across the screen, a ~25 megapixel photo will be captured. A feature a long time coming, it’s good to see Apple’s usual design simplicity manifested throughout.

Preorders will open up Friday, September 14 and orders will begin shipping September, 22. Apple has kept all prices the same, 16GB for $199, 32GB for $299 and 64GB for $399.

---

The iPhone 5 will be available later this month and will come in two color options: black and slate, and white with a silver aluminum back.

unspecified

SKIN IN THE GAME

Renowned Hill Country tattoo artist inks new sacred geometry app

Photo courtesy of Dillon Forte

Dillion Forte at his "tattoo ranch" in the Texas Hill Country.

In the world of tattooing, there may seem to be few better rat traps left to build, but Dillon Forte aims to change that. In October, the renowned Wimberley-based tattoo artist and entrepreneur introduced a new iPadOS app to bring ancient symbology into the digital age.

Forte has made a worldwide name for his black dot work (a contemporary take on stick-and-poke techniques) and ambitious undertakings like tattooing underwater and opening a “tattoo ranch.” His ink appears on Usher, Chris Hemsworth, and Kehlani.

Still, he is most recognized for his sacred geometry designs, using patterns to convey various meanings. His interest led him to create the Sacred Geometry Drawing App, a convenient way for novices and experts to develop and export their creations.

The app grew out of his own practice. Over the past decade, he has used tablets and freehand techniques to achieve his highly symmetrical artwork but grew to realize existing tools were not always easy to use.

“The app is an attempt and fulfillment of my desire to make sacred geometry accessible and bring the ability to create into the fingertips of as many people as possible,” Forte tells CultureMap via email, adding a tagline: “symmetry made simply.”

He says he wished the app was available when developing his signature style as a tattoo artist, but it was designed with a broad range of users in mind. He hopes that designers, educators, and artists will find a use for it.

A short intro to the app's capabilities is available on YouTube. It looks like a standard drawing app, starting with a blank canvas and some tools like pens, pencils, colors, and of course, straight line and dot makers.

A "symmetry index" anchors the functionality and expands it to something between 2D art and 3D modeling. In addition to generating shapes like repeating patterns and spirals, the app also creates 3D shapes with grids, so that the artist can map their design in real space or even create sculptures. There is also an index for explaining the spiritual meaning of some standard designs.

“Geometry often prompts an intimidating feeling when it comes to making art,” Forte continues. “The fundamentally complex and often academic nature of math-based art can induce a sense of fear in the potential user instead of creating a sense of awe. The purpose of the sacred geometry app is to cultivate the latter."

Creatives interested in constructing their own geometric masterpieces can download the app at the App Store for free, and in-app purchases are available.

technology apps tattoos arts