In an era of instantaneous access to everything, one system that's managed to lag well behind is online court documents. Electronic filing systems have become the norm in lower courts, but are still in the midst of being overhauled to make accessing documents feel like like you're stuck in the 1990s. Then there's the Supreme Court, which still relies on paper filings, which need to be scanned and distributed by others like the Scotusblog for public consumption. That will change sometime in 2016, Chief Justice John Roberts said today. Writing in a year-end report on the Federal Judiciary, Roberts said the court was developing its own electronic filing system to help it escape the clutches of paper, and freely host major documents for the...
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Apple sued for shrinking storage space on 16GB devices thanks to iOS 8
Apple's caught plenty of flack for continuing to sell iPhones and iPads with just 16GB of storage in 2014, and just as much for the amount of storage needed to upgrade to iOS 8, two things that a pair of customers from Florida are suing the company over. In a legal complaint filed yesterday in California, Miami residents Paul Orshan and Christopher Endara say that the 16GB iPhones and iPads they purchased had less than that amount of usable space, something Orshan contends was further reduced after upgrading his iPhone 5S from iOS 7 to iOS 8.
You can now buy the Moto X Pure Edition with 64GB of storage for $599
Are the Moto X's storage limits keeping you from buying Motorola's flagship smartphone? If so, those concerns may have just dissolved. Today the company announced that it's now offering its unlocked GSM Pure Edition Moto X — which ships free of carrier cruft and bloatware — with 64GB of storage. That's a new option to go alongside the 16GB and 32GB variants that've been available since the second-gen Moto X launched earlier this year. Going with the Pure Edition is pretty much the only way of getting that much space for your apps, music, movies, documents, and whatever else you cram onto a phone; Motorola doesn't offer the "regular" model with 64GB through any US (or international) carrier. We really wish Motorola would take after...
Amazon Makes 33 Paid Android Apps Free
Amazon's AppStore is now pretty big and is growing all the time, and while it has nothing exclusive because it feeds of the Google Play, it is worth downloading it to your Android device as a companion to Google’s own app store. Especially when you consider that Amazon just keeps having sales, price reductions, and giveaways. Just a week after a free $220 amount of apps were made available, Amazon is back with a new deal.
The company has 33 paid Android apps available for absolutely nothing. You can check out the list below, but be quick as this offer lasts just for today (December 31st).
Monopoly
Angry Birds Star Wars
Stack the States
Fruit Ninja
Riptide GP 2
Kingdom Rush Frontiers
Table Top Racing
Sparkle 2 Evo
Alarm Clock Xtreme
Lyne
Clockwork Tales: Of Glass and Ink
République
AVG Antivirus PRO Android Security
Pho.to Lab PRO
Calculator Plus
Thomas Was Alone
Alice Trapped in Wonderland
Food Diary and Calorie Tracker
JEFIT Pro
Townsmen Premium
Might and Magic Clash of Heroes
Patchworkz (Full)
Garfield's Escape
Mini Piano
Bills Reminder
Uncanny X-Men: Days of Future Past
Deep Sleep With Andrew Johnson
Orrery
BuildCalc
Buttons and Scissors Pro
Azkend 2: The World Beneath
Xtralogic Remote Desktop Client
Distant Suns: Unleash Your Inner Astronaut
After several biohazardous screw-ups, the CDC is hiring a safety chief
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hire a chief of laboratory safety, according to a Reuters report. Because apparently there wasn't one before; creating the position was a major recommendation of a lengthy internal investigation into mishandling of anthrax and bird flu in the agency's labs, according to a memo Reuters obtained.
The announcement comes a week after another lab mix-up — one involving Ebola. Last week, a wrong transfer of a sample containing the Ebola virus exposed at least one lab technician to the disease. The technician wore gloves and a gown, standard gear for inactivated viruses, but not all of the protective gear — like a face mask — recommended for working with the live virus. The worker was...
Ensure your child is the coolest on the block with this tiny electric supercar
If you were fortunate enough to have owned or driven a Power Wheels car as a kid, it's hard to forget the feeling of breezing down the sidewalk at 5 mph. For many of us, it was our first driving experience that wasn't powered by furious pedaling. But they were still very much toys — quick to lose a full charge and often made of flimsy plastic that was easily damaged.
Small Platforms to Thrive in 2015
Android's market dominance is like a runaway train that is unlikely to be caught, while Apple's with iOS operates differently to others, taking a big slice of the pie but more reliant on margins (it works). Then there’s Microsoft's Windows Phone, a platform that has done a good job but has really failed to make an impression on the big two. However, Android and iOS will have to make a little more room in the market in 2015 as smaller platforms are set to have a good year.
According to leading market researcher Gartner, smartphone sales are smashing into feature phone sales, something that has been confirmed by numerous studies. That means more devices priced between $50 and $100 are smartphones, and many of them run up and coming platforms. Yes, Windows and Android have presence in this market too, but platforms such as Firefox OS, Tizen, Sailfish, and even Android One stand to gain market share and take advantage of this budget smartphone boom according to the research.
Amazon’s Fire Phone Sequel Due in 2016
Amazon’s Fire Phone was a disaster from day 1 and we and all the other tech outlets have reported on its numerous times. It is the disaster of 2014, and arguably in any industry. However, Amazon has enough clout to have another go, and that’s exactly what the company will do, although it will not launch a follow up in 2015.
Reports today suggest Amazon is going to go back to the drawing board and starting again to deliver a brand new device. The Fire Phone was a solid smartphone, but it lacked any kind of showbiz, so I hope Amazon delivers higher end thrills and a nice design next time out. The company makes its money from retail of course, so it can afford another chance in smartphones.
However, CEO Jeff Bezos is well aware that in terms of hardware the Amazon brand has been tarnished. The company knows that the consumer will not forget the Fire Phone easily, so the Amazon will use 2014 as a market cooling off period with the new smartphone coming in 2016 when the Fire Phone is hopefully a distant memory.
In defense of the selfie stick
The selfie stick has been framed by my peers as a risible technology of which ownership is akin to the forfeiture of good taste. For the past year or so I kind of agreed. I've been at best disinterested and at worst disgusted by what seemed to be a over-priced, vanity-promoting retractable camera mount. But a holiday trip to Disneyland convinced me the selfie stick deserves respect.
If you've traveled in the past two years, you probably noticed the surging popularity of obtrusive photography: ginormous tablets and smartphones that hover in the air like glowing balloons, blocking the view of beautiful landscapes and dirtying the frame of family photos. They're not all bad, of course. Phones and tablets with improved cameras have made it...
Is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Bound for the US?
January will be hectic month for Chinese brand Xiaomi. The company (the third biggest smartphone maker in the world) will launch a new flagship, the Mi5, a new updated version for the Redmi 1S, and the Redmi Note 2. One of those products is widely rumored to be unveiled at CES in Las Vegas next week, making it Xiaomi's first product launch outside of China. I hope that means the company is planning on rolling out a device in the US, and I hope that device is the Redmi Note 2.
Yes, if we got the Mi5 flagship it would be cool, but as there are loads of quality high end devices out there I am more excited about the Redmi Note 2. It is ultra-affordable, looks good and is solidly spec’d, it could have a similar impact as the Moto G. Take a look at the device in the main image, it is a very good smartphone with good materials and solid specs, and on top of that it will probably cost under $150.
Its reported specs include a 5.5-inch 1080 x 1920-pixel LCD display, a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 or MediaTek MT6752 system chip, 2GB of RAM, and 16 gigs of internal storage.
The Samsung Gear VR makes virtual reality easy, but I still feel dumb using it
Virtual reality is a difficult thing to review. It’s hard not to be impressed when you look into a screen and see a world, magnified to surround you and responding to the motion of your head. It’s even harder when the basic technology is so simple: almost every VR headset on the market is a mobile phone screen with some gyroscopic sensors and a pair of lenses. But when something like Samsung and Oculus’ Gear VR comes out, you can’t simply judge and recommend it like a phone or laptop. It’s a $200 toy, plus an extra $700-800 for the phone it fits around, that promises to contain the embryo of a revolutionary new medium. So the real question isn’t just whether you should buy it right now (because you shouldn’t). It’s whether there’s a...
Onda Air Copies iPad Air but has Android/Windows 8.1 Dual Boot OS
Apple's iPad Air 2 is a very good tablet, the best of the best in fact, and I can say that as a fan of Android smartphones. However, the Air 2 sets the benchmark in style and overall quality and functionality, but there are some things it does not do. Neither Apple’s iOS nor Google’s Android will run full blown PC apps, but slates running Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 will.
If only there was a slate that looked like the iPad, had the functionality of Android, and the productivity anything goes nature of Windows. Well, there actually is, the Onda V919 3G Air. Oh no, this is a Chinese copy, and it is, but on closer look it may actually be quite decent.
The 3G version costs just $193, has 64GB of storage and here's the kicker, it can dual boot Android 4.4 KitKat or Windows 8.1 with just the press of a button. I would instantly trash these kinds of products instantly as soon as they land in my inbox, but the Onda has the hook that I think is worth checking out. I am trying to get my hands on one to see how it manages those multiple operating systems.
I can't stop comparing everything to Black Mirror
A friend recently told me that his favorite thing about the show Black Mirror is that he finally has a term for a certain type of technological anxiety. It’s a type of anxiety that seemed everywhere this year. The Sony hack could have been an episode of Black Mirror, as could Gamergate. In the same way that we refer to Blade Runner as shorthand for gritty dystopian cityscapes, Gattaca for worries about corporate use of genetic information, and Terminator for ominously powerful AI, Black Mirror has become shorthand for a certain type of contemporary internet-age creepiness.
If you haven’t seen the show, go watch it and come back: it's streaming on Netflix, and what follows contains many, many spoilers. If you don't care about that and...
I played Grand Theft Auto V on my phone
I've spent much of the past few days replaying my favorite games from 2014. I slowly crept through the dark hallways of Sevastopol Station in Alien: Isolation , holding my breath while a xenomorph stalked me through the vents. I whizzed through the whimsical world of Hohokum , nodding along to my favorite Tycho songs. And I engaged in all manner of criminal activity in the new and improved Grand Theft Auto V . It was a great reminder of just how many awesome games came out this year.
The crazy part? I played all of them on a smartphone.
Ever since the PS3, Sony has tantalized Playstation owners with the idea of Remote Play, which lets you stream console games to a mobile device so you can take games with you throughout the house. It was a...
John Legere Predicts Big 2015 for T-Mobile
T-Mobile’s off the wall CEO John Legere has treated us to his predictions for the US smartphone market in 2015, and no surprise he sees his company continuing to take the fight to carriers with the Uncarrier movement. Legere says that he expects T-Mobile to surpass Sprint as the third largest carrier in the States, something it has been predicted would already have happened.
There are plenty of other little titbits in there, I have included the first point Legere makes here, but make sure to check out the source to see all of his blog.
The wireless revolution has not only been sparked, it’s become a movement – and it’s not slowing down, it’s speeding up....to warp speed.
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I said we would change wireless for the better and we are. Revolutionizing this industry has always been about truly reinventing it. The other guys will keep trying to fake their way through – with their eye on their own bottom line – but we will keep shaking things up and forcing change. Unfortunately, I don’t see any real behavior changes coming from the carriers in the year ahead and I’d be missing an opportunity to keep the pressure on them if I didn’t remind you of the pathetic efforts these guys have made to keep up with us so far.
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So let’s break it down. Over the past 20 months - and eight industry-rocking Un-carrier moves later - we’ve built massive momentum and ignited this revolution. Millions and millions of Americans know T-Mobile is changing wireless for the better.
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Already in 2014, analysts estimate that 41% of devices are purchased without subsidies. The Un-carrier started that in a major way. In 2015, two-thirds of devices will be sold without those confusing subsidies, and more than half of US wireless customers will be contract-free.
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But, other changes won’t get traction. Overages will still be rampant. People will still have to turn off their phones when they land in a foreign country (unless they are a T-Mobile customer…). ETFs will still exist – and some carriers may make them even more onerous.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
LG announces a curved, 34-inch monitor that's tailor made for gamers
You're going to see lots of curved things at CES 2015. TVs, all-in-one PCs, and plenty desktop monitors. LG's one of the main pushers of curved displays, and tonight it's announcing one of those products before we head for Las Vegas. The 34-inch UltraWide desktop monitor has been designed for gamers and integrates support for AMD’s FreeSync, which eliminates unsightly screen tearing that can happen when your monitor and graphics card get out of sync. And since it's got a 21:9 aspect ratio, you'll be able to see details on screen that are hidden from your multiplayer foes playing Battlefield 4 on 16:9 monitors. LG's not new to 21:9 displays, but it's describing the new UltraWide as one of its best yet, promising unrivaled color accuracy...
NASA's Mars Opportunity rover faces increasing memory loss
After more than a decade of traversing the red planet, NASA's Mars Opportunity rover is facing some problems in its old age — namely, ones with memory. According to Discovery News , the rover has been going through bouts of "amnesia" thanks to failures in its flash memory storage.
"The Opportunity rover uses two different types of memory: "volatile" and "non-volatile," NASA project manager John Callas told Discovery News. The volatile memory is akin to a computer's RAM, so any data stored there is wiped every time the rover shuts down. The non-volatile memory is where the important data like telemetry — the measurements the rover is collecting — is stored so that it can be accessed whenever Opportunity is powered on. The problem with the...
No Nokia Lumia 735 for US Market
When Microsoft launched the Nokia Lumia 735 back in September, the company said that it would be launched in the United States. It was listed on Redmond’s official website store, and even by carriers Verizon and Sprint. However, while its sibling the Lumia 730 was launched, the 735 has never come to the US and has even been removed from websites.
It seems Microsoft reversed its decision, possibly because the 735 and 730 are so similar. The Lumia 730 is a dual SIM device, while the 735 lacks that feature but gets LTE, something the 730 lacks. Other than that these are identical handsets so it seems Microsoft could not justify having both of them available.
OnePlus has been toy with releasing its OnePlus One smartphone in Russia for the last few months, but it seems the wait it almost over. The company first mentioned the Russian market when it had a “Hello Russia” thread on its official forum back in August. Now the OnePlus One has apparently passed through Rostest Moscow, Russia’s version of the FCC, and has been cleared for sale.
Back to that thread, OnePlus was clearly eager to launch its handset in Russia, with co-founder Carl Pei saying at the time, "It's an enormous market, where we also know the rules are a bit different. Right now, Russia is really mysterious to us. With your help, we'd like to learn more."
Samsung brings curved displays to the PC with new Ativ One 7
Samsung sure loves its curved display HDTVs, and now it's expanding the design trend to cover PCs as well. Today the company announced its brand new Ativ One 7 Curved, an all-in-one Windows machine that features a slight curve in its screen that isn't as readily apparent compared to what we've seen from its recent 4K TVs. It's a 27-inch, 1920x1080 panel with pretty fantastic viewing angles and vivid color reproduction. But it could stand to be a bit sharper. The resolution is no match for Apple's flagship iMac with Retina Display, and it even falls short of Cupertino's regular 27-inch model. When you're sitting so close to a PC, those extra pixels can make a world of difference. Oh well. If you're wondering just how curved this thing is,...
'Take Me To Church' and the extremely earnest return of apocalypse pop
If there is such a thing as seasonal music for New Year's Eve, it is apocalypse pop. Apocalypse pop is a subgenre of radio dance pop that I made up, whose lyrics and musicality invoke the end of the world, usually to rationalize dancing for a very long time or engaging in sexual activity with someone you might otherwise not. For reference, the holy trinity of apocalypse pop is "Give Me Everything" (Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, and Nayer), "Till The World Ends" (Britney Spears), and "We Found Love" (Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris). All three of those songs were released in 2011 — the brief reign of apocalypse pop coincided with the rise of the EDM-crossover pop hit, back when EDM could still be said to cross over into the mainstream,...
Bill Murray, Corvettes, and 3D portraits: these are the White House's photos of the year
With just a day to spare, the White House has just released its photographic look back at 2014. Curated by the director and chief White House photographer Pete Souza, the collection of over 100 images was composed from his own work and the work of his staff: Amanda Lucidon, David Lienemann, Chuck Kennedy, and Lawrence Jackson.
The new Tesla Model S P85D shames the old model in the quietest drag race ever
We've known how fierce the acceleration of the Tesla Model S P85D is ever since we got to experience a lap of terror with one back in October. But this new video from DragTimes of it shaming the 2013 version in a drag race puts the power into some serious context. With advantages like dual motors and all-wheel drive, the P85D and its 691 horsepower gives the older model no chance to compete in a race off the line.
In a second video — during which the two cars race from a rolling start of 35 mph — the original P85 gets a jump and still gets beat handily by the P85D. According to DragTimes , the combination of 471 horsepower in the rear motor and 221 in the front of the P85D made it outperform its rated torque...
The definitive ranking of Matthew McConaughey Lincoln commercials
One of the greatest gifts of 2014 is Matthew McConaughey's collaboration with Lincoln to sell cars using existentialism. This week, Lincoln doubled its output — two new commercials, two new performances. It still ranks high for McConaughey in a year marked by True Detective, Interstellar, and a recursive series of "alright." So how do you rank greatness? Like this.
Internet Explorer Finished in Windows 10
2012 is going to be the year of Windows Phone ... because the bloggers say so.
Microsoft launched Windows 10 earlier in the year at its Build conference, a version of the platform that will unify the Windows versions across all form factors, bringing the same experience whether you are on PC or smartphone, or indeed anything else. The software will land at the end of 2015 and according to ZDNet, Microsoft will kill one of Windows’ most famous companions.
According to the website, Microsoft will kill off Internet Explorer when Windows 10 launches, debuting a new more streamlined browser instead. Maybe called Spartan, this browser will be faster and lighter and will be more like Google Chrome of Firefox.
It’s rare in this industry that such a defining name is killed off, but Internet Explorer has suffered a declining reputation in recent years. Microsoft has made the right moves (mostly) to change that but it seems the name is now lost because people think it is a slow browser. It is worth noting that IE is still the most used web browser.
Xiaomi Mi5 Leaked in New Image
Xiaomi confirmed yesterday that its new flagship smartphone, the Mi5, will be launching next month, with a curtain raiser at the CES show in Las Vegas likely. Reports suggest the handset may actually be called the Mi4s because it arrives just six months after the Mi4 flagship and is not a complete overhaul. In terms of design that certainly seems to be the case as this leaked image of the Mi5 or Mi4s shows.
It’s hard to tell from the picture exactly, but the handset looks to be around 5.5-incches, making it bigger than the 5-inch panel on the Mi4 and a bona fide phablet this time out. Xiaomi’s smartphone has not radically changed the design from the Mi4, it still has thin landscape bezels and is a premium and good looking smartphone.
The Xiaomi Mi5 is said to come with the latest smartphone specs, a 1440 x 2560 Quad HD screen, a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 CPU with 3GB of RAM, a 20.7MP rear snapper on the back and reportedly a limited run of 50,000 units that will come with a sapphire screen.
Android 5.0.1 Lollipop Causing Widespread Memory Leaks
Android 5.0 Lollipop brought with it the biggest overhaul to Google’s mobile platform ever seen. It brought with it massive changes to the look of Android thanks to Material Design and also delved deeper with a huge number of enhancements to everything from basic functionality to improved security. However, new software usually has its little bugs and problems, especially major overhauls, Apple can attest to that after experiencing teething problems with iOS 8.
It’s a similar situation with Lollipop, it too is experiencing what could be described as teething problems. The latest build of Lollipop, Android 5.0.1 is now getting complaints from users because it has a pretty serious issue with leaking memory. Most of the reports say that the leak removes 1.3GB of RAM and is forcing apps to close and fall back to the home screen.
The problem has been reported on numerous Nexus devices so it does not seem to be an isolated incident. Google is almost certainly working on an update to fix this issue, so if you are experiencing a memory dump it should be a short live issue. Are you getting this bug? Let us know.
HTC One M9 Specs Benchmarked
The HTC One M9 (codename Hima) has been revealed a number of times in supposed leaked images and spec sheets. However, nothing concrete has ever been revealed, leaving us wondering if the upcoming flagship will have a Quad HD screen or not, or which processor it will boast. A new post by nowhereelse.fr has cleared up some of the specs as the outlet discovered a benchmark on AnTuTu for the One M9.
The benchmark results reveal that the flagship will indeed pack a 5-inch 1080p screen, which will be the same panel as the One M8, sadly no Q HD here. The device will get the latest and greatest processor from Qualcomm though, the 64-bit Snapdragon 810 coupled with 3GB of RAM. Other specs include Android 5.0.1 Lollipop, a 20.7 megapixel rear camera, a massive 13 megapixel front facer, and a 2.840mAh juicer (the battery can be smaller because of the normal HD screen).
Is this the Samsung Galaxy S6?
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is in the latter stages of development and Samsung is probably going to start production in the New Year for a March launch. It is an important smartphone for the company and also very interesting because no-one knows what it will be like. An image that leaked online today attempt to clear up what the Galaxy S6 will look like.
Posted by Iranian blog Toranji, the image shows a fully assembled and functioning Galaxy S6, and even shows to show the metal body the device will be made of. However, I am calling this image a fake straight away, and I have a few reasons.
Samsung has confirmed that it is going back to the start with the Galaxy S6, a handset developed under the codename project zero. It is thought the device will usher in a new design language or will at least expand on the aesthetic used in the Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy Note 4, and Galaxy A series. This device in the image looks like any old Samsung Galaxy, a continuation of the S5 and not a radical overhaul.
Either Samsung really does not understand design of this must be a fake. I should also mention that Toranji hardly has a stellar reputation for its accurate leaks, quite the opposite in fact.
South Korean nuclear plant finds malware connected to control systems
After scouring their systems for evidence of a breach, workers at South Korea's nuclear regulator have discovered an embarrassing surprise: a malware-infected device connected to the air-gapped system that controls one of the nation's nuclear reactors. There's no evidence that the malware copied itself over onto the system, and there's also no indication that the program would have had harmful effects if it had made it onto the systems — but for anyone concerned about the digital security of nuclear plants, it's a harsh reminder that keeping a system off the web isn't enough to protect it from attack.
Keeping a system off the web isn't enough to protect it from attack
According to a statement by the country's energy minister, the...
Sony A7 II review: the next great camera, someday
The camera industry is the most interesting and exciting it’s been in the past 10 years. After capable smartphones decimated the point-and-shoot market, camera makers have focused their efforts on appealing to enthusiasts and professional photographers — those that need or want more than a smartphone can provide. We’ve gotten really great cameras from the likes of Fujifilm, Panasonic, Olympus, and Sony that prioritize manual controls and image quality, while still being more compact and approachable than the DSLRs that dominated the aughts.
In that vein, Sony recently released the A7 II, a compact mirrorless camera that could replace the big DSLR rigs many professionals still cling to. The A7 II is actually a successor to last year’s A7,...
ZTE Has a New Logo and Company Direction
ZTE is one of the only Chinese smartphone vendors that launches products in the United States regularly, even if many of its devices still do not get released. The telecommunications giant enjoys huge success in China, but is under threat from the likes of Xiaomi, Vivo, and Meizu. While ZTE may still be considered an unknown company in western markets, in China it is the juggernaut contending with pesky smaller brands stealing market share.
A fresh approach in almost all aspects was needed, or so the company though, which is why we have a new logo and some wider changes to the ZTE brand. The company announced the logo today and says that the more rounded and lighter banner reflects the new philosophy of Cool – Green – Open, while the new slogan, “Tomorrow Never Waits” also encapsulates ZTE’s new youthful appearance. I don’t know about that, it’s funny what three letters can do it seems. Either way, you can check out the new logo in the main image, and compare it with the old one (after the break).
As for ZTE, the company says it will still make devices but is now more focused on Mobile Information and Communication Technologies.
Samsung Galaxy A7 Launching Jan 15, 2015 (UPDATE)
UPDATE: I brought you news yesterday about the Galaxy A7, Samsung’s new mid-range smartphone that will be the flagship device in the recently launched A series of handsets. Its specs were detailed in a leaked leaflet but only a general timeframe of January was given for launch. Now it seems there is concrete confirmation on the specific date that the device will launch, with sources in Korea saying it will be launched January 14, the same date as the already unveiled Galaxy A5 is rolled out for sale.
Samsung has previously rolled out the Galaxy A3 and A5, two new smartphones in the brand new A Series, a range that has meant Samsung can end the life of the Galaxy Alpha. However, there was a regular rumor regarding a Galaxy A7 that did not get unveiled alongside its stable-mates as was predicted. The device is real though and it will be launched by Samsung soon.
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A leaked leaflet found its way online today and revealed the full details, including info that it will launch in the next two months. The A7 is an upper mid-range smartphone that will feature the same metal premium construction of the other A Series smartphones. Its specs include:
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OS: Android 4.4.4 KitKat on boardDimensions: Just 6.3mm thin and 140 grams heavy
Screen: 5.13" 1080 x 1920-pixel (Full HD) Super AMOLED display
System chip: 1.5GHz octa-core processor (likely a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615)
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 16GB internal storage with microSD card slot
Cameras: 13-megapixel main camera, 5MP front cam
Battery: 2,500 mAh
Connectivity: LTE, VoLTE, DMB (Korea-only), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS
LG G4 to have G Pen Stylus
The LG G3 set the company among the smartphone elite and made it a true competitor to fellow South Koran giant Samsung. Now LG plans to keep the pressure on its compatriot with the upcoming G4, a handset that is now apparently going to come with a highly functional stylus.
Reports are suggesting that LG’s patented G Pen will be launched with the G4, making the new flagship an entertainment beast, but also a productivity machine too. Of course, LG already has a stylus packing smartphone in the shape of the LG G3 Stylus variant. However, that budget device does not have a stylus to match Samsung’s S Pen.
The S Pen ships with Sammy’s Note series handsets and it goes beyond mere stylus functionality with an array of features and software tools. It is a standout piece of hardware that sets the Note series apart in the phablet market. The G Pen, LG’s imaginatively titled rival will deliver similar functionality and will provide the first true rival for Samsung’s offering.
Considering the G4 will also come with a Quad HD screen, 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 20.7 megapixel camera, it is shaping up to be an absolute beast.
Qualcomm Teases Brand New LG G Flex
Qualcomm is the premier smartphone processor manufacturer, building for many top brands, but the company also dabbles in hardware too. Its hardware is usually in the form of insane devices that show what the latest chipsets can do, but Qualcomm also teases devices from some of its partners from time to time. The chip maker has issued a new teaser for a new smartphone that will be launching at the CES trade show in Las Vegas next week, a device made by LG.
However, this new piece of hardware will apparently not run the upcoming 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor, nor will it pack the current 805 chipset that is powering flagships right now. Instead the new handset will get the aging Snapdragon 800, which if I include the 810 is now four generations old (the 801 also precedes it). That’s only about a year in the rapid pace of mobile tech, but still it is an old chipset even for some high mid-range smartphones.
This device will be LG’s latest foray into the smartphone world, but it will not be the G4 flagship (that is almost certainly getting a Snapdragon 810. This new handset is instead through to be the Korean company’s new sequel to the curved screen G Flex.
How NASA harnessed sunlight to revive its planet-hunting telescope
Are we alone in the universe?
That's a big question, and there have been many attempts to answer it, whether it’s beaming radio waves at specific star systems or sending recordings of multilingual greetings out of our solar system. But for the last few years, NASA has been using the Kepler Space Telescope to hunt for life in a more direct way — by looking for planets.
Moto G LTE 2014 Listed by Motorola Brazil
Motorola’s new Moto G is better than the first in almost every way, although it does lack LTE, which the first generation got in a 4G variant earlier this year. However, we have been waiting for the new 2014 Moto G to get its own LTE version and it seems the wait is over at last.
Four months after the Moto G 2014 Edition was released Motorola’s official Brazilian website has listed an LTE variant. It is not for sale yet, so no pricing is available, but it will certainly be more expensive than the normal G. Another difference is a bump in internal storage from 8GB to 16GB. There is no word on when the handset will launch, but I am guessing it will be soon.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Samsung's new 360-degree speakers look like friendly robots
A week ahead of CES 2015, Samsung has given us a glimpse of two new pill-shaped speakers it'll show off at the event. The speakers, which resemble a sleek cross between Eve from Wall-E and a Portal turret, can project sound in a 360-degree radius. Samsung says the effect, made possible with the company's proprietary "Ring Radiator" technology, "fills a room with sound."
360-degree speakers aren't totally new — a number of devices, including our favorite bluetooth speaker, the UE Boom, spit out sound in a circle — but Samsung's new devices certainly look pretty. The larger WA7500 is designated "stand type" and is designed to be left in place, while Samsung says the WA6500, which includes a built-in battery, is "movable type." Samsung...
You can now watch every Marvel movie scene in chronological order, starting in 2987 BC
Marvel Studios has made it a selling point that every frame it produces lives in the same continuous universe. So what if you wanted to watch it in order? Not based on release dates but the narrative itself — from a 2987 BC flashback in Thor: The Dark World through the Battle of New York in The Avengers?
Google’s 127 Must Have Apps
Android is the number one mobile platform by a considerable distance. It’s in the hands of hundreds of millions of users, but still more people are adopting Google’s software. That means there are plenty of people rocking their first ever Android smartphone or tablet this Holiday Season. With 1 million apps available, how do you know which ones to get to make your devices a better place?
The truth is, there is a huge number of frankly rubbish apps out there, but don’t fret because there are tens of thousands of good ones, and many apps in the Google Play Store are free. Google is helping new (and old) Android users find the very best apps with a new list of 127 “must have” apps. The first thing I asked is why there are not 130 in the list, are there only 127 good apps available?
Pedantic semantics no doubt. The good news here is that while there are some paid apps here, most on the list a free and ready to enhance your mobile experience right now. Take a look at the list by hitting the source page.
[VIA]
Oppo Shipping 50 Million Smartphones in 2015
Oppo has made a name for itself with its strange and innovative smartphones, and the company is known in western markets for its devices with swivelling cameras. The company has enjoyed decent growth, especially in China, but Oppo is planning for 2015 to be massive and a year in which it will position itself alongside the Samsung’s, Apple’s, and Xiaomi’s of the world.
According to DigiTimes (citing Chinese sources), Oppo is planning on shipping 50 million smartphone through the twelve months of 2015. These are not sales to end users, but if Oppo is willing to ship this many handsets then it must be planning on selling them. China will make up the bulk of shipments with 35 million units heading to the country, with the remaining 15 million reserved for global markets.
Samsung Preparing Galaxy Grand Max, Company back to Old Tricks
Samsung has been criticized for many things, such as poor design, high prices, and lack of quality in lower markets. The company is addressing those things with a new smartphone strategy, but it seems the company is unwilling to completely shed its reputation just yet. The company may be moving towards more premium smartphones, but one of its upcoming devices is going back to the same old… what’s that about a leopard and its spots?
The upcoming Galaxy Grand Max will throw the new premium metal bodies of other new smartphones from the company and will go back to plastic. Its specs will be basic too, such as a 5.2-inch 720p HD screen, a 1.2GHz unspecified quad-core processor with 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of on board storage and a micro SD card slot.
It’s hard to understand this potential device, it seems the kind of smartphone consumers have turned their back on and Samsung should be avoiding.
Samsung Galaxy A7 Leaked Details
Samsung has previously rolled out the Galaxy A3 and A5, two new smartphones in the brand new A Series, a range that has meant Samsung can end the life of the Galaxy Alpha. However, there was a regular rumor regarding a Galaxy A7 that did not get unveiled alongside its stable-mates as was predicted. The device is real though and it will be launched by Samsung soon.
A leaked leaflet found its way online today and revealed the full details, including info that it will launch in the next two months. The A7 is an upper mid-range smartphone that will feature the same metal premium construction of the other A Series smartphones. Its specs include:
OS: Android 4.4.4 KitKat on board
Dimensions: Just 6.3mm thin and 140 grams heavy
Screen: 5.13" 1080 x 1920-pixel (Full HD) Super AMOLED display
System chip: 1.5GHz octa-core processor (likely a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615)
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 16GB internal storage with microSD card slot
Cameras: 13-megapixel main camera, 5MP front cam
Battery: 2,500 mAh
Connectivity: LTE, VoLTE, DMB (Korea-only), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS
China Bans Gmail Through Apps
China is maintaining its stance against Google and has strengthened its firewall around the company's services, with numerous outlets today suggesting that China has now blocked access to Gmail through third person email apps. Full access via the internet has been blocked directly to Gmail since June, but China has now also blocked access through IMAP, POP4, and SMTP.
That means that the service is no longer accessible through third party clients such as Microsoft's Outlook and literally dozens of apps that offer Gmail access.
A freedom of speech pressure group in China called GreatFire.org has hit back at the ruling.
I think the government is just trying to further eliminate Google's presence in China and even weaken its market overseas," said a member of GreatFire.org, who uses a pseudonym.
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"Imagine if Gmail users might not get through to Chinese clients. Many people outside China might be forced to switch away from Gmail.
Xiaomi Confirms Mi5 Flagship for Next Month
Xiaomi does not make much money, in fact the company rakes in single figure dollar amounts from each device. The Chinese giant sells phones affordably to snatch market share, a tactic that works but ultimately means Xiaomi needs to keep finding investors. The company announced is latest cash injection today ($1.1 billion on a $45 billion valuation) and in doing so confirmed that its next flagship device will launch next month.
Xiaomi president Lei Jun confirmed that the Mi5 will be landing sometime during January, matching earlier reports that claimed that it would land in the first month of 2015. It is still not clear if the company will have its first launch outside China by rolling the Mi4 successor out at the CES show in Las Vegas next week. Either way, we will not have to wait long to see the device.
Take a look at polaroids from the set of Star Wars IV: A New Hope
With enough time, the most ordinary objects can become extraordinary. These polaroids, on display through January 4th, 2015 at the British Film Institute Southbank as part of an exhibition of materials from the set of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, were taken by crew member Ann Skinner. She's credited for continuity, also known as script supervisor. It was typical in that time for script supervisors to use instant photographs to supplement quickly written documentation of a scene's set-up. Was Darth Vader facing left or right? Was Princess Leia wearing a bracelet in this scene? And at which point did Luke Skywalker lift his lightsaber? Here's an example of Skinner's notated script:
The job is incredibly stressful, requiring a...
Kodak Debuting Smartphone at CES
Kodak is a big name in photography, but like other companies in the field it has taken a significant hit from smartphones, with most mobile devices fulfilling many people’s point and shoot requirements. Kodak has decided to hit back by entering the smartphone market and it has teamed up with Bullit Group to build a range of Android handsets.
The company is obviously putting a photography based slant on these devices and says they will be for the "consumers who want a high-end experience but aren't always as comfortable using increasingly complicated mobile devices."
Kodak has a lot riding on this, not least its reputation. As a camera specialist the company should be delivering a smartphone photo experience that is nearly unrivalled. Bullit Group will actually build the smartphones, the company is best known for other niche smartphones from the likes of Ted Baker, JCB, and Caterpillar.
The Kodak smartphones will be available early in 2015 and are likely to be launched during CES at the start of January.
OnePlus One Unbanned Briefly in India
The battle between Cyanogen, OnePlus and Micromax has opened a new chapter today, just a week after it seemed the book had been closed. The same Delhi high court that ruled the OnePlus One should be banned in India has now reversed its decision, at least temporarily.
The problems started when the OnePlus One launched in the country earlier this month. Running the CyanogenMod software, the One infringed on an agreement between India’s biggest smartphone company Micromax and Cyanogen, giving the phone maker exclusive rights to the software in the country. The court sided with Micromax and banned the OnePlus One.
Now that same court has allowed the One to be put back on sale until the decision of an appeal is made.
In a reprieve to the company, judges on Wednesday said the case "shall be heard and decided afresh". The case will come up for hearing on January 7 under a single judge. "We dispose of the appeal, setting aside the impugned order dated December 16, 2014," Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and RK Gauba said in their order on OnePlus's petition, a copy of which was seen by ET.
2012 Nexus 7 gets New Android Lollipop Build
The 2012 Nexus 7 Wi-Fi may be getting old, but Google is still lavishing its small tablet with new software updates, the latest being Android 5.0.1 Lollipop. The company posted factory images a few days ago and is now pushing out the update in the form of an OTA.zip.
You can pull the file yourself by hitting the link, or just wait for it to show up on your device in the form of an over the air update. Let us know how the new software is treating your device.
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images#nakasilrx22g
Galaxy Alpha to be discontinued by Samsung
As short lifespans go, the Galaxy Alpha will be right up there as it is being reported today by South Korea’s ET News that Samsung is preparing to discontinue the handset. Launched back in August, the Alpha’s stay in the smartphone world will be brief as Samsung will kill the device early in February “as soon as its inventory of materials is exhausted.”
The company used the Alpha as a device to point a direction to its new smartphone strategy, one that would bring handsets with better quality design. With its metal construction the Alpha laid a path that most subsequent Galaxies have followed. This premium edge arrived on the Galaxy A range of smartphones, the spiritual successors to the Galaxy Alpha. It is these devices that led to Samsung deciding to end the Alpha.
HTC One M9 Hima Leaks in Official Render
The upcoming HTC One M9 will be the Taiwanese company’s latest flagship runner and is currently being developed under the codename Hima. We have heard plenty about this handset in recent weeks, including its spec details and a rumored launch at the Mobile World Conference (MWC) in Barcelona at the start of March. However, there is always something new and today we are seeing a reported official render of the One M9.
The image shows what is apparently an official press shot of HTC’s latest flagship, and it certainly carries the company’s slick design ethos. It looks to be a typically sexy smartphone, although the detail of the image is lacking. Interestingly, the camera seems to be the focus of the handset, at least in this render. The image was posted on Twitter by NEW’s Steve Hemmerstoffer, and he also revealed that the One M9 could land at CES in Las Vegas next week, much earlier than its previously reported March launch date.
OnePlus Seven Days of Giveaways
OnePlus is ending 2014 with a bang thanks to a slew of promotions and deals running in the Seven Days of Giveaways promotion. The Chinese company that gave us the OnePlus One flagship killer this year has laid on a number of enticing deals, the promotion started last Friday with a new deal each day, so there are still a few to be added, check them out in our updating article below or hit the source for the official lowdown.
To celebrate the holidays, OnePlus announced "7 Days of Giveaways" where the company will hand over free stuff over the next few days.
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The contest started off with the some free promo codes for the FlowHome Launcher, and today, one lucky winner can end up winning a 16GB Silk White One Plus One. It doesn't end there, 100 lucky winners could get a free dband skin of their choice.
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OnePlus said, "To ring in the New Year right, we are going to be holding one of our biggest giveaways ever. For each of the next 7 days, we will feature some of the coolest gadgets, apps, and accessories from our friends in the tech industry. Then, with the help of our partners, we will give them away to you guys. Pretty simple, right?"
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To enter the contest, head over to the OnePlus forums using the link below and read the guidelines on how you can enter the contest. Also, bookmark the thread as the company plans to post daily contests in there so you its best for you to keep an eye on it if you don't want to miss out any chance.
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Day 1
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If you are looking for an alternative to the stock-like android experience of the OnePlus One, then FlowHome may be just what you are looking for. Beautifully replacing your standard home screen with real-time updates from Facebook, Twitter, and more, FlowHome is extremely social and a snap to use. And, with the "quick launch circle" feature, your favorite apps are always just a thumb-press away. FlowHome is currently in closed beta, but we?ve made sure that all OnePlus fans are invited to the party.
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Today, we are giving out unlimited invite codes!
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Day 2
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dbrand is the self-proclaimed "boss of vinyl skins," and we tend to agree. Using high-quality 3M vinyl, these skins are completely resistant to scratches and fading, and they leave no residue if you decide to remove them. Accurate, precision cuts ensure the absolute best fit for your OnePlus One, and styles from matte to carbon fiber ensure that you can truly express your own colors.
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Today, we are giving away 100 complete skins (including front, back, and camera skins + screen protector) in the style of your choice. And, one lucky winner will receive a 16GB Silk White OnePlus One!
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Day 3
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The Phonejoy smartphone gaming controller has been a smash hit here at the OnePlus office. Featured on our Holiday Shopping Guide, the gamepad connects via bluetooth and allows you to play your favorite Android games with physical buttons and joysticks. With the EasySlider expansion mechanism, the Phonejoy can accommodate phones of various shapes and sizes, in portrait or landscape modes. Ideal for first person shooters, platformers, and racing sims, you'll never have to deal with less-than-ideal on-screen controls again.
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We've had so much fun playing with the Phonejoy that we've decided to give away five (5) today!
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Day 4
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Today we are giving away something very special: our own "portable powerhouse," the OnePlus Power Bank. Packing 10,000 mAh of juice, our PowerBank can recharge your OnePlus One three times on a single charge. And, with dual USB output, you can charge a tablet or other USB device simultaneously.
The year's best newscast bloopers will make you glad you don't work on camera
Every year hundreds of newscasters try to bring the public the most important events on the global, national, and local scale, and ever year things go terribly wrong and someone ends up making an awful double entendre or getting hit by a skateboard. The annual collection of best news bloopers is online. Watch it with your teeth cringed and your hands covering your face, knowing if your job were on camera this would be you.
Samsung Shows Off Galaxy Note 4 LTE-A
Samsung is wasting no time in opening 2015 with a new smartphone by ushering in a new, although this one is hardly a complete fresh device. The world’s biggest handset maker has unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 LTE-A, a “super” version of its phablet flagship.
This is a similar thing to what the South Korean company did with the Galaxy S5, adding a newer processer and better LTE connectivity to its core device back in June. Well, it's the same thing here with the Galaxy Note 4 LTE-A getting a 64-bit Qualcomm made Snapdragon 810 as opposed to the Snapdragon 805 found in the G Note 4 proper. One top of that (and as the name suggests) it will get faster LTE thanks to a category 9 LTE modem that will enable download speeds of 300Mbps, double what the normal Note 4 can achieve.
The Galaxy Note 4 LTE-A will be exclusive to South Korea when launched early in January, 2015, although I suspect a European and North American variant without the advanced LTE should come later on, just like with the Galaxy S5.
OnePlus Two Listed for Pre-Order Again
Speculation about the OnePlus Two is high at the moment after another Chinese based retailer added the upcoming handset for pre-order. OnePlus has been oft reported to be building a follow up to its OnePlus One flagship killer, and if this latest addition is to be believed then the handset is out there and will be available soon.
This listing showed up on Geekbuying a couple of weeks after a similar listing on Coolicool. It reveals that the smartphone will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, 3GB of RAM, and a 5.5-inch 1080p HD screen. So, no Quad HD screen and Snapdragon 810 then. This render shows a very nice smartphone, with a similar design language as the OnePlus One.
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