The coolest new thing that you probably haven’t heard of yet: self-healing paint. The Japanese car manufacturer Nissan was the first to introduce the technology, which was released last year. Their debut commercial is pretty cool; it looks like a regular ad for a car, but on your tablet or phone, when you are trying to swipe left it causes you to “scratch” the car. It has paint-scratch sound effects and everything. Then slowly, the scratches disappear. Nissan currently only offers the new paint on a select few models. Self-healing paint sounds so futuristic that it doesn’t sound real. Now it’s a reality; in the car world and slowly expanding everywhere else too.

LG released their “G Flex” smartphone this year which featured a self-healing exterior. This is huge in the world of smartphones; as most of us live in fear of scratching our phones while carrying them in our pockets and purses. There have been quite a few tests on the LG Flex, mostly with mixed results. Most of the reviews have been positive, as long as the scratches are small and shallow. Deeper scratches will not repair themselves. Another drawback is that the paint has been described as “soft” so when the phone does take a fall there is a good chance that the scratch might be more like a gouge. Like any new technology though, I’m sure improvements will be made.

The polyurethane coating is rumored to be surprisingly affordable to make. The paint itself relies on UV-Rays from the sun to activate a compound called “chitoson,” which is made from the exoskeleton of crustaceans. This compound mixed with UV light activates polymers in the paint which in turn begins the healing process.

This new technology should work well in all types of environments, but climate may affect the repair time. Scratches on both the car and the phone can take anywhere from an hour up to a week to repair themselves, all depending on factors like heat and the severity of the damage. Some users found that using a hairdryer helped speed the process along.

This is definitely one of the coolest new technologies today. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before it catches on like wildfire; and soon enough all of our cars and electronics will be “scratch-free.”

There are rumors flying around about the release of the new iPhone 6. It’s been a popular topic ever since Apple gave a tentative release date of September 2014. In typical Apple fashion, most of the design details are shrouded in secrecy. One of the most whispered-about rumors is that the newest iPhone’s screen will be made with Sapphire glass, instead of the Gorilla Glass that has come with the iPhone since its first release date. This is causing quite the commotion, as Sapphire glass may offer some really innovative features.

Word on the street is that the iPhone 6 may be able to charge by solar power through the Sapphire glass. I have to say that all of this speculation really has me imagining the possibilities. I’m envisioning going to a summer festival and being able to catch a charge by pulling my phone from my pocket. The possibility of charging your phone by simply going outside is hard to grasp. If this rumor turns out to be true, the term “wireless” could take on a whole new meaning. Will solar-powered phones make wireless charging obsolete before it even catches on in popularity?

The man-made sapphire that is being produced for this glass is virtually unscratchable. The hardness factor is second only to diamond, which is the hardest substance in the world.
Naturally there are a few initial drawbacks to such an amazing new technology. There are a few differences between Sapphire crystal and Gorilla Glass. The materials to make Sapphire glass are more expensive and may be harder to manufacture. The breakage ratio from everyday wear and tear is higher with Sapphire glass. It is also reported to be more than 50% heavier than Gorilla Glass. Throughout the years Gorilla glass has been highly praised by consumers, and is used in most smart phones and tablets today. It is thin, scratch-resistant and relatively inexpensive to make. It also can withstand a few drops.
Some other iPhone 6 rumors include a larger screen size. The current screen size for the iPhone 5s is 4.87”; and the screen size is predicted to increase again. There is some speculation that there will be two sizes offered; a 4.7” and a 5.5” as well. The current iPhone 5S weighs about ¼ of a pound. What would be the weight in the event that the screen size and material is changed? There has been some talk of a curved display. One thing we are sure of is that Apple will stick with its Lightening connector; there is no way they can switch that up on everyone again. A new operating system will likely be icing on the cake.

So are the iPhone 6’s going to be solar powered with giant screens? Only time will tell. Either way, there are really exciting advancements to look forward to from Apple in the coming months.

Some of the industry’s biggest named manufacturers released a statement this week that they are phasing out VGA from all new devices by 2015. Samsung, LG, Dell and Intel are just a few names of the companies jumping on board. This is not surprising to most, as VGA has been an outdated technology for some time now. As analog is being phased out a spotlight will shine on its digital successors; HDMI and Displayport. This means better images with better resolutions.
While VGA was a true innovator, it had its time in the sun. VGA first appeared on the scene on IBM computers back in the late 80s. When HDMI came out in the mid-2000’s it was real game changer. HDMI streamlined technology so well, allowing us to hook up our TV’s straight to our computers, no fuss involved. Nearly all laptops and televisions sold today come with a standard HDMI port. As digital connections go; Displayport has gained some real popularity in recent years as well. One of the biggest draws to Displayport is that it is royalty-free. Manufacturers that use HDMI have to pay certain royalties to use the technology.
DVI-D is in the game as well, but it is still HDMI and Displayport’s less-popular sister. DVI ports are typically found on monitors, and with an adapter can be converted into an HDMI or Displayport connection. With the absence of VGA ports, HDMI, DVI-D and Displayport will become the standard for monitors going forward. For older monitors, remember that VGA can be converted into a digital signal.

There was news this week regarding a multi-standard wireless charging chip that is being introduced by the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) that is all set to be released. This means that there is new ground being broken in the world of wireless charging; and it’s reported to be available at a lower cost than originally expected. These charging docks will be made with a new chipset, and will charge any wireless phones or tablets, regardless of the wireless standard. With the new Rezence technology that has been created, wireless chargers now have the ability to travel through surfaces such as wood and plastic. This technology can also travel through objects as well. With the news of affordable wireless charging on the horizon, there is much talk of new ways to use it.
About a year ago, a YouTube video hit the internet that showed how to turn a regular IKEA nightstand into a wireless charging nightstand. The design seems pretty simple. Take a normal nightstand, cut a rectangle in the bottom and drop a wireless charging dock inside of it and voila. The cost of creating such a nightstand is about $70, not much more than a regular nightstand from IKEA. This type of furniture is slated to be the next big thing.
A multi-standard wireless chip can be easily incorporated into coffee tables, side tables, kitchen tables and other types of furniture. A wireless charging dock can be added to existing furniture by retrofitting the dock directly underneath the surface; it looks to be pretty easy.
There are over two dozen test Starbucks stores in Boston, Mass. that have wireless-charge mats available. It’s easy to envision this sort of innovation at a mammoth chain like that, but now this gives the option to little mom and pop coffee shops and hole-in-the wall restaurants too.
Why stop there? If you have been a bartender, you know the sheer hell of having twenty different drunk people a night ask you to plug their phone in behind the bar. Most bars do not have wall plugs available for this, forcing patrons to bother the bartender. What about a wireless bar? Then customers could just plop their phone down in front of them and charge it themselves. This could be the wave of the future.
The Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP) is a non-profit organization made up of several large corporations like Intel and Samsung that want to build a “global wireless charging ecosystem.” It sounds like they are pretty close to making this happen.
Wireless charging still requires a charging case for most phones and tablets, at least for right now. This is one of the only drawbacks to this new technology. The wireless charging cases will make your phone a bit longer and a bit heavier as well. If this technology really starts to take off, we can expect more phone manufactures to get on board with internal wireless cards. Currently a few brands incorporate wireless charging technology directly into their phones. The most popular manufacturers have yet to get on board though. Whether they do or not will make a good prediction of whether the new technology will really be sustainable, or if it’s just a flash in the pan.

If you have an iPhone, you know how infuriating it can be to break a screen. I have been a loyal iPhone user for over five years now. I have always prided myself on how many times I had dropped my phone, yet never broke the screen. Then last week it finally happened to me; my iPhone slipped face first onto the concrete and the screen shattered. Not only can a fix be expensive (usually as much as you paid for the phone in the first place), but also time consuming. iPhones were designed to be able to take a few hits. The type of glass currently used by Apple is called Gorilla Glass, and is designed to withstand drops and scrapes. This glass is strong and also flexible; however no glass is indestructible.

Apple now offers in-house repair services for broken screens at their Apple store locations. The base price for this repair is $149, and comes with a few perks. First off, there is typically only a half-hour wait time, assuming you have made an appointment. Once repaired, the screen then gets a 90-day warranty. The whole process is pretty painless, yet this is the priciest option.

The less expensive option would be to go to an iPhone repair shop. Most cities have a few to choose from.  The typical cost from a 3^rd party repair company is about $100. There are a few risks associated with getting repairs from anyone besides the manufacturer. Make sure you go to a reputable repair shop that has good reviews. Getting your phone repaired by an unskilled person can cause multiple other problems, and may result in having to replace your whole phone altogether. Another concern about getting a third party fix is that there is usually no warranty offered on the replacement screen. If money is a concern though, this is definitely cheaper than going through Apple.

There are inexpensive do-it-yourself repair kits available, some being sold for as low as $12. The iPhone has a gang of tiny screws though, so while it is possible to make a repair yourself, know that you are in for the long haul. These fixes will usually run you at the very least an hour of two. This type of repair is only possible only if the plasma under the screen is not damaged. Just remember to keep track of all those little pieces!

Maybe the easiest way to deal with a shattered screen is to avoid it from the get-go by covering your phone with a protective case. There are a few choices of cases that can protect against shattered phone screens, such as the OtterBox, their “Defender” series in particular. These are thick cases designed to protect an iPhone from cracking when dropped. OtterBoxes typically sell for about $50-$60. There is also the choice of Lifeproof cases. These run for about $80, but protect your phone in multiple ways. This case is waterproof, shockproof and is designed to stand up against the elements. Lifeproof also touts that their products are military-grade. However, all of this protection does come at the cost of making your phone heavier and more bulky, due to the materials used in these cases.