OtterBox iPhone 4/4S Defender Case Combines Physical and Battery Protection

OtterBox is bringing a new version of its patented Defender series to the iPhone. Starting today the OtterBox 4/4S Defender Case with Ion Intelligence is available for purchase.

The case is designed to protect handsets on two fronts, from both physical damage and a lack of power. The case manages this feat by combining a hard rubbery sleeve complete with screen protector with a 1,450 mAh battery, effectively doubling the battery capacity of the iPhone 4/4S.

The case houses a pair of LEDs that inform users on how much extra juice is left. When the device runs out of juice, the companion iON Intelligence app automatically redirects power and monitors power usage to inform user when the device will need to be recharged.

Pricing and Availability

The OtterBox iPhone 4/4S Defender case is available starting today from OtterBox's online store for $130. 

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iPhone and iPad Get Facebook's Chat Heads Feature

Facebook has now brought its chat heads feature -- first introduced for some Android phones as part of Facebook Home -- to iPhone and iPad users.

Facebook Home -- a new Facebook-centric software skin containing custom homescreens and widgets -- was released on Friday in Google Play for the following Android smartphones: the HTC One, One X, and One X Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S3. It also ships aboard the new HTC First phone, and it will be downloadable for the Galaxy S4 when that phone becomes available early next week. Facebook also plans to release a version of Home for Android tablets over the next several months.

Essentially, the chat heads feature -- now offered for the iPhone and iPad in Facebook for iOS 6.0 -- allows users to continue chatting with their friends while completing other actions, such as scrolling through photos.

When a friend messages a user, the friend's profile picture pops up in a bubble in the upper right hand corner of the screen, alerting the user to a new message. The user can then click on the bubble to respond to the chat and then immediately return to the action that he or she was previously doing.

Facebook Home users are able to see the chat heads even when they do not have the Facebook app running, but this is not the case for iOS users.

However, the iOS 6.0 update also gives iPhone users two other new features: the ability to insert big smiley icons called "stickers" into messages, and a cleaner and more easily accessible News Feed.

The 6.0 update is currently available in Apple's App Store.

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Scout for iPhone To Add 3D Data, Crowd Sourcing by End of Year

Just weeks after updating Scout for iPhone with On My Way and Calendar Integration, Telenav has announced that the navigation app will see even more features before the end of this year. The upcoming additions include on-screen 3D buildings and landmarks, as well as crowd-sourced information on accidents, road hazards, and traffic congestion.

3D Buildings and Landmarks

In the future update, Scout will add 3D buildings and landmarks for many major metropolitan areas in the US. Telenav is creating the 3D technology to help drivers navigate in unfamiliar cities, according to Ryan Peterson, Telenav's director of product managemnt, traffic and navigation.

"It's about providing drivers with additional context on the road so they can better navigate their surroundings with just a quick glance," Peterson said in a statement.

As drivers approach an upcoming turn, the GPS app will change its layout to include the landmarks. The feature was developed with the use of a rendering technology known as "screen space ambient occlusion" (SSAO), which is used in the game industry to produce high frame rate realistic graphics.

To reduce overall GPS load times, local caching will be used, meaning that the 3D data will be downloaded on an individual basis based on the route provided.

Traffic and Road Hazard Information

In another new feature, Scout users will have the opportunity to report road congestion, car accidents and other traffic hazards after experiencing them, so as to contribute to a database of updated traffic information.

The information will be downloaded and put into the crowd-sourced database so that other drivers can be notified of the delay or hazard in the area.

General UI Updates

Telenav also plans general user interface (UI) improvements for better upcoming traffic data and alternate route navigation.

Telenav is working to improve alternate routes by adding more information based on traffic reports. This information will be provided on the same GPS screen, so users won't have to go through several screens to look for it while driving.  Users will be prompted by the app if faster routes are discovered.

Telenav also plans to improve mid-route information so that drivers will be able to tell if traffic is at a "red, yellow, or green" status (meaning congested, partially congested or not congested) up to 15 miles ahead without changing screens.

The improved UI will also include vector-based technology for displaying traffic conditions more quickly and sharply than before.

The enhancements are planned for both the free and premium versions of the app.

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