With the countdown now officially on to Apple’s big iPhone 8 reveal on September 12th, more unofficial rumors are popping up, this time around the size of the two other phones expected to debut alongside the iPhone 8, the 7S and 7S Plus. According to TechnoBuffalo, the reskinned sevens are going to be a touch bigger than the originals, and that’s bad news for case makers.
How much bigger? Well, we’re talking fractions of a millimeter here, so users aren’t going to think they’re any different, but if you’re making precision cases for the handsets, it means retooling your entire inventory for the phones. So why the difference? It’s all conjecture at this point, but it may be because Apple is squeezing wireless charging tech into the phones, which is making them larger in every dimension by what is essentially the thickness of a sheet of paper.
But, that’s enough to cause havoc for some companies that make tight-fitting non-flexible cases, so they have our sympathy.
What, no turbo?
Speaking of S models, BMW is prepping an S or performance version of a new car, which is not really surprising given their legacy of M-Series performance chariots, but this S version is a bit different: it’s an S version of the i3 electric car.
That’s right, BMW is going to make a high – or at least higher – performance variant of their more cute-than-intimidating base electric car, which has been selling well. Engadget says the i3S will get a bump in horsepower from 170 to 184, along with a 40 percent boost in torque. It’ll also get a “sport mode” to sharpen up acceleration and steering, with 0 to 60 coming in 6.8 seconds. The car’s charging system will also get an upgrade.
Top speed will rise to 100 miles an hour, which might be like driving a hockey puck in a windstorm, but the wheels will grow to 20-inchers, so that might help stability. The infotainment screen will also grow to 10.3 inches, and there will be some additional styling tweaks, although the car’s distinctive form factor will remain essentially unchanged. With a regular i3 selling for $43,000, we expect the S version to perhaps hit $50,000.
When hard work and planning pay off
It’s been just over a week since the big eclipse, and this photo has emerged as the most amazing shot of the event so far. Oh, that’s not real, you say? Well we talked to the guy who shot the shot and we’re here to tell you it’s as real as it gets. The photographer is Ted Hesser, and he snapped the photo at Smith Rock, an iconic climbing spot in our backyard here in Oregon.
Hesser is an ambassador for portable power and solar tech maker Goal Zero, and along with some support from Oregon-based outdoor gear maker Columbia Sportswear – and a lot of hours of planning – he and some friends put together an epic effort to get the shot. We’ve got the interview with Hesser and the video on how he got the shot, so check it out – it’s pretty amazing.
We’ve got more news on our Facebook page and YouTube channel, and be sure to tune in to this week’s DT podcasts: Close to the Metal (computers and such) on Tuesday, Trends with Benefits (general tech shenanigans) on Thursdays, and Between the Streams (movie and TV topics) every Friday.
