On Gear Live: Circuit Breaker: The Tech Newsletter that Elevates Your Gadget Game

  • STICKY POST

Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!

If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It’s free!

iPhone 6 leak front

Is this the iPhone 6? It's February, and that means that like clockwork, it's time for the next iPhone leaks to start dropping. The only thing we know is that Apple is working on its next flagship device, and that the iPhone 6 should launch this fall. We've ben hearing reports that Apple will release two larger-sized variants this time around: a 4.7-inch model, alongside a 5.5-inch version.

As you can see in the pictures (which, to be clear, have not been verified to be real), the displays here are larger than those found on the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, and also takes on the design language of the iPad Air and iPad mini. Neither are too far-fetched, and for our tastes, we think it looks great. Also, check out that bezel-less display, another rumored feature of the iPhone 6. Of course, even if these are real, Apple tests multiple designs, and this could be one of a few different ideas that the company is playing with.

We've got two more pictures of the device after the jump. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

EDIT: Forum posters at MacRumors have taken a closer look at the images and have determined that they're rendered fakes. Reasons include textures that repeat and the usage of an out-of-date font.

Click to continue reading Is this our first look at the iPhone 6?


Advertisement

We open up the new Sonos Play:1 in this episode, the entry-level wireless speaker from Sonos that costs $199. You're now able to get into the Sonos ecosystem at a lower cost, streaming your music from iTunes, Rdio, Spotify, Pandora, radio, and more! Check out the new hotness in this episode of Unboxing Live.

You can pick up the Sonos Play:1 now from Amazon.

Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live's YouTube channel!

 
Here's how to get the show:
[Download] - iPod-formatted H.264
[Download] - 720p HD
[Download] - 1080p MP4

Click to continue reading Unboxing Live 132: Sonos Play:1


Titanfall Beta

If you can't wait to get in on the Titanfall action, you might wanna rush over and apply for the Titanfall beta. Available on both Xbox One and PC, the beta will allow you to play near-final code prior to the launch of the game next month. If you are selected, you'll receive an email from RA with instructions on how to access the game by noon on February 17th. Good luck!

You can pre-order Titanfall now.

Read More | Titanfall Beta Application

Latest Gear Live Videos

Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter

The delay of the first major Xbox One dashboard update isn't the only big news out of Microsoft today. The company has also announced a couple of new accessories: the Xbox One Stereo Headset, and the Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter.

First, let's talk about the Xbox One Stereo Headset. As any Xbox One owner knows, the console does include a pretty flimsy mono headset in the package. Now the company is prepping to launch a full-on over-ear stereo headset that features premium, full-range sound with a unidirectional microphone. The headset includes the Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter, which allows you to balance game audio and chat audio volumes, master volume, and mute your microphone. No batteries are required here, as the headset pulls power direct from the Xbox One controller that it's plugged into. These will sell for $79.99.

The aforementioned Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter will also be made available for purchase on its own, allowing you to use whatever pair of compatible headphones you'd like with your Xbox One. The Adapter itself will cost $24.99.

Both products will go on sale in early March.


Mac Pro delay

If you're looking to order the new Mac Pro, you should be aware that shipping estimates from Apple have just slipped to April worldwide. This comes approximately three weeks after shipping estimates slipped from February to March. While this doesn't necessarily mean that supply is getting worse, it does seem to show that Apple is having a hard time catching up with the demand on the most powerful Mac it has ever made.

Of course, as we mentioned recently, you can order the Mac Pro from B&H Photo and get it shipped much, much sooner (and tax free as well in most areas!) Go to the Mac Pro page and choose to be notified when they are in stock - B&H seems to get models in a couple times per week.

If you're wondering if the cost is worth it, be sure to check out our full Mac Pro review.

Read More | Mac Pro at B&H

Xbox One update

Today was supposed to be the day that Microsoft released the first major Xbox One dashboard update, but unfortunately, it was pulled at the last minute. Larry Hryb (Major Nelson) announced on Twitter that the "team is working on finalizing," and didn't give a solid date other than to say that it is now on track to be released later this week.

As previously reported, the February update will bring battery life indicators for the Xbox One controllers, storage management for the Xbox One, and will split up My Games and My Apps into separate sections in order to more easily handle larger libraries. Additionally, the update will bring USB keyboard support.


Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500

Let's face it. Scanners aren't sexy, and are more often than not, an annoyance. Ease of use is typically out the window, paper jams are common, and software compatibility is always a mystery. Fujitsu has been on a mission to change that, and the ScanSnap ix500 is the latest entry in its desktop sheetfeed scanner series. New to the line is remote control support for iOS and Android, USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, and 25 page-per-minute color scanning. If you're looking to go paperless, or simply want to keep digital versions of your hard copies, and want to know if the ScanSnap ix500 is worth your money, we're here to answer that in our full Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500 review.

Click to continue reading Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500 review


Mac Pro 2013 review

Power. The Apple Mac Pro (late 2013) is the newest Mac on the block, and it's also the most powerful computer ever made by Apple. It deserves to be, too, as the Mac Pro lost that title as Apple let that product line slip into virtual irrelevancy. After all, the previous Mac Pro spent the last four-or-so years at a technical standstill. It didn't have any Thunderbolt ports, no USB 3.0, no PCIe flash storage...heck, it didn't even have an 802.11n Wi-Fi option. For all intents and purposes, Apple had allowed the Mac Pro, the one machine that was aimed at meeting the needs of the most demanding customers, to become a dinosaur.

That is, until the release of the newly-redesigned Mac Pro (late 2013) model. With its smooth metallic cylindrical shape that looks like it was plucked off of an alien spaceship, smaller and lighter profile, and top-of-the-line specs that include PCIe SSD storage, dual workstation-class GPUs as standard, the newest Intel Xeon processors (up to 12 cores!), 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and a bunch of I/O ports which include Thunderbolt 2 and USB 3.0, this thing is a beast. It's modern--no, futuristic.

For all of you professional video editors, photographers, graphic artists, 3D animators, audio engineers and the like, we're betting that Apple has piqued your interest. After all, this is a Mac which can drive up to three 4K displays simultaneously. That's a lot of power. Wondering if it should be your next purchase? It's expensive, starting at $2,999 (and climbing up to $9,559 depending on how you configure it,) so we're here to help you in your decision making. Follow along as we bring you our full Mac Pro (late 2013) review, after the jump.

Click to continue reading Apple Mac Pro (2013) review: in a class of its own


Mario Kart 8

We know, the Wii U has been taking a beating in recent weeks in the press--but Mario Kart 8 is fast approaching, arguably just the second AAA title that will be available for the struggling console (with the first being the magnificent Super Mario 3D World.) While the release date isn't as close as we'd like it to be--we really enjoy throwing those red shells, after all--it's close enough. You'll be able to get your hands on the next home console installment of Mario Kart in May.

That's as solid a date as we've been given from Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, but once we get the exact date, we'll update you guys to let you know when you can get your Mario Kart 8 on. Now, if only Nintendo would finally fix their jumbled online multiplayer...

You can pre-order Mario Kart 8 now.

Click to continue reading Mario Kart 8 races onto Wii U this May


We give you a look at the newly designed Apple Mac Pro in this episode! Apple has rebuilt the Mac Pro from the ground up to be a multimedia powerhouse, optimized for tasks like video editing, audio work, 3D modeling, and other such pro tasks. Here are the specs on the Gear Live Mac Pro featured in this episode:

  • 3.5 GHz Intel Xeon E5 Six-Core
  • 64GB of 1866 MHz DDR3 ECC RAM
  • 256GB PCIe-based Flash Storage
  • Dual AMD FirePro D500 GPUs (2 x 3GB)
  • Six Thunderbolt 2 Ports
  • Four USB 3.0 Ports, One HDMI 1.4 Port
  • Supports up to Three 4K Displays
  • 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
  • Unique Compact Cylinder Design
  • Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks

Apple has these on backorder for about 8 weeks, but if you order a Mac Pro from B&H Photo, you should be able to get one shipped out much sooner, if not immediately.

Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live's YouTube channel!

 
Here's how to get the show:
[Download] - iPod-formatted H.264
[Download] - 720p HD
[Download] - 1080p MP4

Click to continue reading Bleeding Edge TV 500: Apple Mac Pro (late 2013) first-look


Advertisement