BT’s breakneck broadband test hits unimaginable speeds over plain ol’ fiber
BT still has a long way to go until it connects all of Britain’s homes to its fiber-optic network, but that hasn’t stopped the company from exploring new ways to squeeze some extra speed out of it while it does. With a little help from friends at Alcatel-Lucent, BT boffins have created what they believe is the fastest-ever “real-world” internet connection, clocking speeds of 1.4 terabits per second using readily available hardware. If you’re wondering how fast that is, the telecom giant says it can transmit 44 uncompressed HD movies in a single second. While the project currently exists purely as a speed test, BT and Alcatel-Lucent are already talking up the possibilities of increasing Infinity speeds without having to dig up roads, potentially delivering broadband that can handle an influx of Ultra HD content on Netflix and has less chance of suffering connection issues.
[Image Credit: Barta IV, Flickr]
Filed under: Internet
Via: Independent
Source: BT (MarketWatch)
Intel’s latest education-focused tablet and Classmate PC reference designs add… more rubber?
We’re all about the sentiment in Intel’s education-focused tablet and PC reference designs, aimed at providing a template for other tablet and PC makers in the education space. That’s all fine and good. Our side that cares about electronics evolving over time is less enthused, as this year’s Intel reference designs for educational tablets and PCs are basically last year’s models.
The same Intel education software suite is incorporated, the same Android and Windows bases (respectively), and roughly the same specs sit inside each (head below for the full list for both). In fact, the biggest difference we’re seeing here is a more “ruggedized” exterior (read: more rubber edges). If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, right? That’s apparently the tactic Intel’s employing here: if it works for education, then why change it, right? Agreed, though we can’t help but wonder what else Intel could do to push the field here beyond making kid-proof devices with education software installed. Perhaps we’ll find out in 2015. An HP version of the Classmate reference goes on sale later this month, no word on tablet makers.
Intel Android tablet reference design specs:
- Android 4.2
- Dual-core Intel Atom 1.2GHz Z2520 processor (integrated graphics)
- Front/rear-facing cameras
- Avg. 12-hour battery life
Intel Classmate PC reference design specs:
- Windows 8.1/Windows 7/Linux
- Intel Celeron N2805 processor
- Touch-screen (optional)
- Rotatable camera (optional)
Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Software, Intel
Source: Intel
Motorola CEO: Why not a $50 smartphone?
So you thought the $399 Moto X and $179 Moto G were great prices, eh? What if we told you that Motorola thinks they could go lower – much lower, in fact? Moto CEO Dennis Woodside, speaking recently with Trusted Reviews, feels like we should be able to get all the way down to $50 smartphones. Yes, without contracts.
“In much of the world $179 is a lot of money so there’s a big market at a price point of less than $179…We’re going to look at that and just delivering on that value promise is super important. I mean why can’t these devices be $50? There’s no reason that can’t happen so we’re going to push that.”
Looking ahead, Motorola hopes to bring even more customization to the top end of the smartphone line. Without getting into specifics, Woodside hinted at screen sizes and “functionality”. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long for some of these features to roll out.
“On the more premium side we’re pushing more customisation,” he told us. “Today you have colours and beginning of materials but you don’t have screen size and you don’t have functionality and we’re going to bring all that in in the next year or so.”
The post Motorola CEO: Why not a $50 smartphone? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Apple Debuts Shortened ‘Sound Verse’ and ‘Light Verse’ iPad TV Ads [iOS Blog]
Apple today added two new 30-second video advertisements, “Sound Verse” and “Light Verse,” to its YouTube channel. The pair are part of Apple’s new ad campaign that focuses on how people are using the iPad for music, mountaineering and more. The uploaded clips, which have been airing on television for several days, are shortened versions of the original 90-second “Your Verse” ad that debuted during the NFL playoffs earlier this month.
As their names imply, almost every scene in the “Light Verse” ad includes sunlight or the use of light in the scenes, while the “Sound Verse” clip features the power of sound.
Apple also launched a companion website called “Your Verse” that takes a closer look at how the people in the advertisements are using the iPad in innovative ways, a familiar theme that Apple has promoted in the past. Late last year, the company debuted its “Life on iPad” video and companion website that showcase the many ways the iPad is transforming the home and the office.
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New Mac Mini Coming by End of February According to Belgian Retailer
While nearly all of Apple’s Mac lines have transitioned to Intel’s latest Haswell chip platform, one notable exception is the Mac mini, which has not been updated since October 2012 and is ripe for an update.
As noted in our forums, major Belgian retailer Computerstore.be has now posted placeholder listings for new Haswell Mac minis in Core i5 and Core i7 variations.
Retailer placeholders are typically unreliable indicators of new product launches, although they have on occasion been accurate. One forum poster did, however, contact the store and was told that the information “comes from apple or reliable sources”. The store representative also noted that a release date is not yet available but that they expect a launch by the end of February based on availability of the placeholder listings.
While the listings include images of the current Mac mini, they are likely placeholders for the time being and it is unknown whether there will be a change to the machine’s appearance or if it will be an entirely internal upgrade. The listings do, however, come with product descriptions that differ from the current models (translated via Google).
The Apple Mac mini features a sturdy and above all very compact aluminum housing. Despite its small size, the Apple Mac mini comes with powerful hardware. The Mac mini is equipped with the latest Intel Core i7 processor from Haswell series. This processor is obviously faster than its predecessor, but also uses the powerful Intel Iris graphics. The latest Apple operating system, OS X Mavericks, works very user friendly and communicates seamlessly with other Apple products. So for example you can just get iMessages on your Mac mini. In addition, OS X Mavericks a very secure operating system, you have (almost) not suffer from nasty viruses. The Apple Mac mini with the latest WiFi standard 802.11ac. This will make use of a high speed Gigabit LAN. You are here obviously compatible 802.11ac equipment needed. If you ever want to expand the memory of the Mac Mini, this is easily done by turning the black plate on the bottom and then add additional memory. The Mac Mini has many connections. He is equipped with HDMI, USB 3.0, FireWire and high-speed Thunderbolt connection.
Beyond Haswell, the description includes several other expected updates such as Iris integrated graphics and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, although it does not specify whether the new Mac mini would adopt the new Thunderbolt 2 standard seen on the Mac Pro and Retina MacBook Pro.
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Carl Icahn’s Stake in Apple Passes $3 Billion Amid Continued Stock Buyback Pressure [Mac Blog]
Activist investor Carl Icahn has just tweeted that his investment firm has acquired an additional $500 million in Apple stock over the past two weeks, pushing his stake to over $3 billion. Calling continued investment in Apple a “no brainer” at current prices, Icahn also continues to believe that Apple needs to significantly increase its stock buyback program. A more in-depth letter from Icahn on the topic will be forthcoming.
Having purchased $500 million more $AAPL shares in the last two weeks, our investment has crossed the $3 billion mark yesterday.
— Carl Icahn (@Carl_C_Icahn) January 22, 2014
Icahn began buying significant amounts of Apple stock last August, and has been vocal about encouraging Apple to increase its buyback program to help investors. Icahn met with Apple CEO Tim Cook at the end of September, where he pushed for a $150 billion buyback. As Icahn has taken his case to investors, he has scaled back his proposal and is asking shareholders to vote on a $50 billion proposal at next month’s shareholders meeting. That proposal would, however, only be advisory, and should it be approved Apple would continue to be free to do as it pleases.
For its part, Apple management has stated that it is continually evaluating its buyback program and that it plans to announce any changes to the program during the first half of this year.
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MIT and Stanford will teach Ford’s automated cars how to dodge obstacles
It’s not enough for Ford to build automated test cars; it also has to teach those cars how to handle the road. To that end, the automaker is partnering with MIT and Stanford on research projects that will help automated (and eventually, autonomous) vehicles avoid obstacles. MIT is investigating ways to predict the movements of both pedestrians and other drivers, letting a smart car find a clear path around any hazards. Stanford, meanwhile, is developing sensor technology that could peek around big rigs and other objects that block the view ahead. It may be a long while before either project bears fruit, but the work could lead to Ford cars that deal with many emergencies by themselves.
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Ford
Avegant’s Glyph headset live on Kickstarter for $500
We’ve been telling you about the Avegant Glyph for awhile, but now you can finally plunk down some bills to get one yourself. Thanks to Kickstarter, beta-testing the device for its designer isn’t without its own set of perks. For instance, 500 of the earliest backers at the $500 tier can snag a unit with their choice of colors for the device’s LED ring and HDMI cable. If you miss that limited window, however, you’ll still have your choice of three colors for the headset itself at the same price — just not the accessories. Unlike the versions we’ve demoed up to this point, Avegant promises that the unit you receive will be lighter and more comfortable overall. Sadly, the battery life is still pegged at around three hours.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Wearables, HD
Source: Kickstarter
Motorola brings Prip’s push-to-talk service to the iPhone
Sprint’s iDEN network shutdown may have quashed hopes for an iPhone with native push-to-talk support, but that won’t matter much now that Motorola has brought Prip’s service to iOS. The new app lets American iOS 7 users instantly speak to both fellow Prip members as well as Nextel subscribers in Latin America. Many of the features will be familiar to those who tried the Android version, although the cross-platform launch introduces universal sign-ins and web-based account control; you’re no longer tied to Google Play. Whether you’re chatting with a friend or a whole company, you can grab Prip from the App Store today.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Google
Via: Prip Blog
Source: App Store
Apple’s Holiday Quarter iPad Sales Estimated to Hit Record 25 Million
Apple will announce its next quarterly earnings on Monday, January 27, and ahead of the announcement analysts are releasing their iPhone and iPad sales estimates for this holiday quarter. As we noted earlier this week, analysts predict record quarterly sales of 55 million iPhones, a 16% increase over the same quarter last year. A follow-up report today from Philip Elmer-Dewitt of Fortune suggests sales of the iPad will grow 10% year-over-year to also set a new record for Apple.
Elmer-Dewitt surveyed iPad sales estimates from 45 analysts, including 28 professionals and 17 amateurs. Estimates range from 21 million to 28 million units, with an average of 25 million units.
The average estimate among all the analysts is 25 million iPads, up 10% from the same quarter last year.
The indies, as usual, are a bit more bullish than the pros. As a group, they’re looking for 16% growth, compared with the Street’s 8%. Unless they’ve updated their numbers, four sell-side analysts — Cowan’s Timothy Arcuri, Credit Suisse’s Kulbinder Garcha, Citi’s Glen Yeung and CLSA’s Avi Silver — still expect Apple to report a drop in iPad sales.
Early metrics from the holiday season mirror these analyst expectations. By one count, the iPad lineup collectively accounted for 18% of Target’s Black Friday sales, while the iPad mini was a top seller at Walmart. The App Store also experienced a spike in interest on Christmas day, with revenue increasing by 56 percent and the total number of downloads growing by 53 percent.
Apple will be reporting its quarterly earnings on January 27, 2014 after the close of trading, at approximately 4:30 PM Eastern / 1:30 PM Pacific. MacRumors will have full coverage of Apple’s earnings release and the associated conference call taking place at 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific.
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