iPhone Atlas

Apple is bringing both 3D and a huge dose of GPS to its new Maps app for iOS.

The iPhone maker revealed today at WWDC a new in-house 3D Maps app built entirely from the ground up. The 3D option isn't turned on by default but can easily be switched on by the user via a large button logically dubbed 3D.

The Flyover feature displays 3D, photographic maps that you can rotate with your fingers to get a true view of any location. Why Flyover? Search for a location or landmark, and the app flies you over there to … Read more

Android phones and iPhones pack pretty powerful processors -- powerful enough, in fact, to deliver laptop-level performance, if only they had big screens and keyboards for your viewing and working pleasure.

Enter the ClamCase ClamBook, a kind of laptop extension for Android and iPhone.

It works like this: Your smartphone sits in a wired dock and drives the ClamBook's screen and keyboard. It's effectively your phone writ large, which could be great for everything from watching movies to playing games to working on documents.

ClamCase isn't sharing a lot of details just yet, but here's what … Read more

At the E3 Expo yesterday, accessory maker PowerA announced a new line of officially licensed Star Wars iPhone cases.

Now, depending on your age, your overall level of geekiness, and the chronology of your initial exposure to "Star Wars," this will probably prompt one of the following reactions:

1. "Ohmigod-ohmigod-ohmigod!"

2. "Cool! On second thought, which 'Star Wars' are we talking about: prequels or original?"

3. "Sorry, but I'm so disgusted with George Lucas that I no longer consider myself a fan."

I must admit I'm in the third category. … Read more

Singapore Airlines subsidiary Scoot Pte recently launched its low-cost airline carrier, a business made possible in part by shedding nearly 2 tons of television and other video equipment in favor of Apple's 1.44-pound iPad, according to Bloomberg.

By shedding the weight of outdated video equipment, Scoot Pte was able to increase its seat capacity by 40 percent and still come in at a weight loss of 7 percent. Perhaps a show titled "Biggest Loser: Budget Airlines Edition" is in order.

Weight, of course, is the biggest issue when airlines are deciding on ticket prices. The weight … Read more

I'm as much a fan of zombie and vampire flicks as any other self-respecting tech blogger or tween, but lately, gadget torture shorts have become one of my favorite genres for video.

We've seen phones and tablets run over by cars, dropped from great heights, and dipped in hot lava for our enjoyment (and normally to sell us some sort of case or accessory in the process), so it only seems natural that the next step be the tech equivalent of an MMA cage match.

Gadget warranty outfit SquareTrade is happy to oblige with this video that pits the iPhone 4S against the Samsung Galaxy S III to see which can best handle the typical abuse dealt out to many smartphones by drops, kids, and drive-offs.… Read more

Apple's trio of digital storefronts are getting a visual overhaul soon, according to a new rumor.

Citing anonymous sources, Apple blog 9to5Mac said today that the iTunes Store, the App Store, and the iBookstore are getting visual overhauls that will bring "more interactivity." What that actually entails is unclear.

The report adds that the change will also add more social features to store pages. Presumably this would go beyond the current "tell a friend" option that lets you send a quick detail page about the app to someone else by e-mail. 9to5Mac suggests Apple will … Read more

Apple has filed a patent application detailing a better process for encoding and transmitting data over Bluetooth.

The patent application, uncovered by AppleInsider, was refiled back in February as a continuation of a December 2008 patent application and shows Apple's continued commitment to get the best performance from its mobile, battery-powered devices.

"Data Format Conversion for Electronic Devices" seeks to improve your iDevice's battery by simplifying the data conversion process that occurs when sending information to other devices via Bluetooth connections.

Data sent over a Bluetooth connection must be compressed due to limited transmission capacity of … Read more

I had the opportunity to check out the Trygger iPhone Camera Case for iPhone 4/4S firsthand a couple weeks ago in Portland, Ore. Its co-creator, Joel Kamerman, and I sat down to test the prototype and I was immediately blown away.

As a fashion photographer in my spare time, the benefit of having the Trygger case secured to my iPhone was easily apparent. With a solid and sturdy case structure that maintained a slim feel to my iPhone, the Trygger case adds great functionality without the bulk. … Read more

If there were any lingering doubts that Apple sought to control the iPhone5.com domain, a recently updated domain record shows that that's exactly what happened.

The Whois database record for iPhone5.com, updated on May 21, now shows "Apple Inc." as its registrant, with registered servers that go back to Apple.com. Even so, the site continues to not go anywhere.

The move comes a week after the closure of an investigation by The World Intellectual Property Organization regarding the domain name. Apple had taken aim at an Internet forum site residing at iPhone5.com, which … Read more