'Smart' luggage will text you when it gets lost

When an airline loses your luggage, it can take hours or even days to get someone to tell you where it ended up -- if it ever turns up at all. Wouldn't it be easier to hear from the luggage itself?

That's the promise of "smart luggage," in which GPS tracking chips are embedded in bags capable of transmitting their locations to travelers and even contacting airlines directly when they get lost.

The jumbo jet maker Airbus introduced a concept design for smart luggage at the Paris Air Show last year. The product, known as Bag2Go, can be tracked via a smartphone app. It also allows for self-service check-ins and can weigh itself to ensure that it meets airline requirements.

AT&T (T, Tech30) unveiled a similar concept at a demonstration of its "next-generation technologies" in May. The company envisions integrating the product with standard suitcases and bags -- perhaps through an attachable tag -- though it could also be built into suitcases directly.

The ultimate plan is to for the luggage to work with airlines' IT systems, contacting the carriers directly and arranging for delivery to your home or hotel.

These products are still in the developmental stage and will need approval from federal regulators, but they're sure to find some grateful customers: U.S. airlines mishandled over 141,000 bags in April, according to government statistics, or about three bags for every 1,000 passengers

iPhone 6 to Launch on September 25, 5.5-Inch Model Named iPhone Air

Another day and another iPhone 6 rumour. This time a report out of China details an astonishing new launch date for the next iPhone from Apple, ahead of most dates in previous leaks. The report is accompanied with purported pricing details, as well as the name of the anticipated larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 variant - iPhone Air.

The report citing industry sources claims Apple will unveil the iPhone 6 on September 15, which falls on a Monday, while retail availability will begin on September 25, which falls on a Thursday.

Apple traditionally starts sales of new iPhone models on a Friday to capture the weekend crowd, so the dates seem a little fishy. Previous leaks (including a purported internal communication from a German telecom carrier) had indicated a more credible launch date of September 19, which happens to be Friday.

According to the China.com report (via GforGames), China will also be amongst the first countries to receive the iPhone. The report also details the pricing, which matches previous leaks, claiming the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 (32GB) will cost CNY 5,288 (roughly Rs. 50,800), while the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 (16GB) will be priced at CNY 5,998 (roughly Rs. 57,600). This would also imply the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 (32GB) is cheaper than the current 4-inch iPhone 5s (16GB), which costs CNY 5,300.

The same report claims the much-rumoured 5.5-inch iPhone 6 variant will be called the iPhone Air, following the naming scheme of the latest, largest iPad. The report adds that China Mobile and China Unicom, Apple's carriers in the country, have begun field testing the iPhone 6 on their networks.

Recently, Japanese daily Nikkei had posted two alleged images of the rumoured 4.7-inch iPhone 6 dummy model, side by side with an iPhone 5s. The leaked images corroborate what's has been widely expected based on earlier leaks, that the next iPhone will house the power button on the right panel of the device, instead on the top panel seen on current iPhone models. It also seen to feature the Touch ID sensor.

Previously, another Chinese report indicated the alleged 5.5-inch iPhone 6 variant will feature a 128GB storage variant. The report further claims that the 128GB storage variant will be limited to the bigger variant of the rumoured iPhone 6, and the alleged 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will offer the conventional 64GB as its maximum storage variant, while the 16GB variant will be dumped for both models.

An earlier report citing a research note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also suggested that the alleged 5.5-inch iPhone 6 would sport OIS (optical image stabilisation) for the rear camera. The report further claimed that the alleged 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will not come with OIS.

The Cupertino-based company has also been rumoured to be testing a higher screen resolution of 960x1704 pixels on at least one of the two iPhone models likely to debut this year

Apple CarPlay Review

Apple is getting ready to hitch the iPhone to cars in a mobile marriage of convenience.

The ambitious project, called CarPlay, implants some of the iPhone's main applications in automobiles so drivers can control them with voice commands, a touch on the steering wheel or a swipe on a display screen in the dashboard.

It's expected to be available this summer when Pioneer Electronics plans to release a software update for five car radios designed to work with the iPhone. Alpine Electronics also is working on CarPlay-compatible radios for cars already on the road. Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Ferrari are among those expected to start selling car models with built-in CarPlay services this year.

Google Inc. is working with car makers to do something similar with smartphones running its Androidoperating system, but Apple Inc. appears to be further along in efforts to make it easier and safer to text, email, get directions, select music and, yes, even make calls while driving.

I recently checked out a test version of CarPlay in a van equipped with a Pioneer radio designed to work with the iPhone.

The demonstration through the streets of San Francisco convinced me that Apple is on the right track. The CarPlay system is bound to appeal to iPhone fans who spend a lot of time behind the wheel. It makes less sense for iPhone owners who, like me, spend more of their time walking and riding public transportation instead of driving.

If you want CarPlay, you will need an iPhone 5, iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c. An iPad won't work. The phones also must be running Apple's latest software, iOS 7.1. Free upgrades are available for older phones.

If you already have one of Pioneer's five compatible radios, a free firmware update is all you'll need.

Otherwise, CarPlay's biggest drawback is the cost. If you want it in a car you already own, compatible radios from Pioneer sell for $700 to $1,400. After factoring in other required parts and labor, figure on spending $900 to $1,000 just to get Pioneer's least-expensive CarPlay system in your vehicle. That's more than the price of a new iPhone, but cheaper than buying a new car with CarPlay built in.

Pioneer's top-of-the-line CarPlay radio features a 7-inch screen that shows the iPhone apps for calls, contacts, music, maps and messaging when the device is plugged in with a cable.

Other mobile music apps, including Spotify, Beats Music and iHeartRadio, are supposed to be eventually available on CarPlay, too. Facebook, YouTube and other apps that show a lot of photos and video won't be available for safety and legal reasons.

The key to CarPlay's success may hinge on Siri, the iPhone's digital personal assistant. Apple has been striving to make Siri smarter and more versatile, an endeavor that CarPlay figures to put to the test.

Siri serves as CarPlay's central nervous system, doing everything from taking email dictation, reading incoming text messages out load, and scrolling through the system for song requests or different genres of music. Summoning Siri can be done by touching a button on the steering wheel or CarPlay's display screen.

While CarPlay also responds to touch, the system is at its best when Siri is doing most of the work. I got only a half-hour demo of CarPlay, too little time to determine whether Siri will be up to the job.

Within minutes of getting in the car, Siri couldn't retrieve the correct address for a requested restaurant in San Francisco. Instead, CarPlay listed several other places with the same name, so Siri apparently at least heard the request correctly. The omission of the requested restaurant may have reflected shortcomings in Apple's database of local businesses.

Beyond that, Siri performed flawlessly reading back incoming texts, composing and sending emails and playing the role of disc jockey when asked to play the music of specific artists such as AC/DC. It took only a few seconds before "Back in Black" blasted through the stereo. Even a question about Arnold Schwarzenegger, a name that can be difficult to decipher, didn't stump Siri.

If Siri is able to consistently handle those kinds of challenges, then CarPlay could make the iPhone an even more indispensable mobile device.

Microsoft Testing Patch to Fix Windows 8.1 Update Bug

Microsoft has released a test patch to fix failed automatic and user updates from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1, and from Windows RT to Windows RT 8.1, for select markets. The failed update to Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 issue was widely reported by users for a long time. Microsoft is now testing these patches in select areas initially and might roll out to other regions soon.

Windows 8 users can directly visit the Windows Update (not the Windows Store), and if they are eligible they will get the test patch and be able to automatically or manually update to Windows 8.1. Notably, it is not necessary that it will certainly fix the issue for all, as there is a possibility that it does not work since the Microsoft is still testing the patch according to a report from Supersite For Windows.

Also, to enable an automatic update from Windows RT to Windows RT 8.1, users can download the test patch from the Microsoft's support page.

"This (Windows RT) pilot program is an example of ways we're experimenting to help ensure more of our customers benefit from a continuously improving Windows experience," said a Microsoft spokesperson while speaking to Supersite For Windows.

On the other hand, Microsoft is reportedly planning an upcoming updated codenamed 'Threshold' aka Windows 9 that will unify the operating system for all hardware ecosystems - smartphones, tablets and PCs.

Windows Threshold is expected to get a public preview by the fag end of this year. However, before this expect Microsoft to roll out another update called 'Update 2', as stated by multiple reports.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes review

The Metal Gear series has been an institution on the Playstation for years. Those of us who joined late with the third game, were dropped into a prequel with no context to understand what was going on and watched what was one of the most convoluted storylines play out in front of us.

The fourth game, which came out near the start of the PS3's lifecycle, only complicated things further, and at this point, trying to get Metal Gear to make sense is a lost cause.

With that being said, the game is available for just Rs. 1,999 on the Xbox 360, PS3 and the PS4, which makes it a steal even if it's only a half decent game, particularly if you're one of the early adopters who bagged a PS4.

So how does it feel to play anyway?

Less of a movie
One famous problem with the Metal Gear games so far has been that they're packed to the gills with exposition, which draws heavily on cinematic tropes for narrative instead of interweaving the storytelling into the gameplay.

This is true. It is not just a tired complaint that has become a truism with no truth behind it. When playing Metal Gear Solid 4, there was a very real chance that you might fall asleep during a cutscene and then get killed once the action started.

Ground Zeroes is not like that. As a setup for the upcoming Phantom Pain, Ground Zeroes is a single mission that is meant to be replayed again and again. It's a big, open ended mission that can be approached in a number of different ways, and you're encouraged to do so, because it shows you more hidden secrets. You can also read, to catch up on the history of the game, though honestly, it's not necessary to enjoy the game. The amount of storytelling and cutscenes is very limited, and if wasn't for the tight stealth gameplay, you'd not believe that this was a Metal Gear game!

You've got Kiefer Sutherland - 24's Jack Bauer - voicing Big Boss, instead of series veteran David Hayter. That's a shame, not because Sutherland isn't good enough (far from it), but simply because of Hayter's long history with the series. In a series where theatrical presentation - helped along in no small way by voice acting - created so many iconic characters, so see a man who has performed so well get replaced is a shock.

The game itself remains fairly true to form. The gimmicks of the series keep changing; you've got a map overview and a bullet time like mode where you can take out a guard before he alerts his comrades, but the core gameplay remains largely unaffected.

This is still one of the few titles that emphasises stealth without rendering your character powerless or taking away choices. Metal Gear Solid 4 had made some changes to the controls and tools available to you to make combat a more viable option when absolutely necessary, and Ground Zeroes takes that a little bit further. This is a good thing, and doesn't really take away from the stealth gameplay, which still requires you to be patient and plan ahead.

This review was carried out with a Playstation 3 version of the game. Having seen the screenshots and videos of the next-gen version, it's still looking good on older devices. The PS4 version looks richer and has a lot more on-screen, but that doesn't mean that the PS3 version is a bad buy exactly. The catch is that the price gap between a full sized PS3 game and Ground Zeros isn't that big.

The gameplay itself has been getting some modern tweaks as described above, with the addition of more vehicles and tools, but at the end of the day, the game feels very slow paced, and almost anachronistic.

That's not necessarily a bad thing - some people (including us) will absolutely love it - but particularly if you're not already a fan of the series, then it can be a little difficult to get into. Once you've finished the mission to your heart's content, there's also a few bonus missions to play which can be fun.

They don't really add much to the game as a whole, but if you like leaderboards and achievements then the game can keep you busy for hours.

VerdictThe game itself feels great to play, but looks pretty average on the older generation of consoles. Given that the price difference between this and a "full" game isn't even that big on the older hardware, it feels like the game could easily be given a miss by people who aren't already fans of the series or at least the genre.

This is particularly true because the bonus missions don't even change up the areas you'll be playing in significantly, so the entire experience quickly gains an air of sameness. And if you're looking for one of Kojima's trademark long winded movies which explore themes of genetics and meme transmission, then you're going to be pretty let down.

If you're an early adopter of the PS4 though, then bagging the game is an obvious choice, particularly given how few titles are currently available to choose from.