1. A Whole New World
Just like Aladdin promised Jasmine he would show her a whole new world (yep – now you have that song in your head #YourWelcome), Argus II Bionic Eye is promising to allow the visually impaired to see. In 2017, there will be 10 Bionic Eyes donated throughout the UK. The eyes are a retinal implant that translates images from a tiny video camera attached to a pair of glasses. The company will monitor Argus II for a year to get rid of any problems or sight distortions. Some patients that have used the Bionic Eye before say it has made a difference. Those who have used Argus say they can recognize alphabet letters, see twinkling lights on Christmas trees and see their grandchildren run up to them – now that would truly be a great gift.
(Source: Mashable)
2. Call in The Energizer Bunny
The new MacBook Pro has failed the battery life test. Consumer Reports has always given MacBook the seal of approval, but this time the Mac failed. While still receiving good reviews on other aspects of the MacBook, the battery life was not consistent through the tests. The battery life jumped from 16 hours on the first test, to 3 hours on the last test. Consumer Reports states that the visuals and performance of the MacBook are great – the battery life … not so much. Apple insists there is nothing wrong with the battery life and if any user has an issues with their MacBook to contact them. Meaning the long holiday lines at the Genius Bar just got longer. (Source: Mashable)
3. Nintendo Moving Platforms
After the success of Super Mario Run for iOS, Nintendo has decided to launch two more mobile games for this upcoming year: Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem. Whether these games will be for Android remains unclear, and Super Mario Run was supposed to be for Android as well, however Nintendo has not placed a clear date for this release. Super Mario Run has already achieved 40 million iOS downloads. Nintendo anticipates similar numbers for Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem. iPhones are roughly 40% of the US market (Fortune) and less globally so we would anticipate Nintendo addressing the largest mobile player (Android) soon. Although, with Samsung’s Note 7 the game “Fire Emblem” might take on a whole new meaning. (Source: Android Authority)
P.S. We have been summed to spend time with our loved ones for the holidays and hope the same goes for you. The Skinny will resume filling your life with joy and technology news on December 29th.
