Sony’s Xperia Z Ultra gets WiFi-only ‘tablet’ option, launches in Japan this week
Dropping its radios for cell service and turning itself into a tablet… The 6.4-inch Xperia Z Ultra may be big enough to pull it off, but are you willing to pay just under $500 (52,000 yen) for the pleasure? Sony hopes you will. It’s a Japan-only deal for now (neatly tying in with KDDI’s own 4G-capable Z Ultra, also announced today), but we could imagine it filling tablets shelves at your nearest electronics store. If Sony tells us anything more, we’ll let you know.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Sony
Source: Sony Japan
Google Glass wearer removed from AMC theater under suspicion of recording
Despite the many uses for Google Glass, this new class of wearable devices is inevitably meeting some growing pains (pictured above is 7’3″ Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert, a Glass wearer who has experienced some growing pains) as the world gets used to them. One wearer successfully fought a traffic ticket recently and now another early adopter suffered the “embarrassing” experience of being removed from a movie theater for bringing the accessory. In a story originally posted on The Gadgeteer, the unnamed individual stopped by the AMC Easton 30 in Columbus to watch Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, wearing Google Glass attached to his prescription lenses, something he says he’d done before without any trouble.
Where the story takes a twist however, is when officers moved in an hour into the movie, yanked the Glass from his face, and brought the man and his wife to separate interrogation rooms for over three hours. Apparently unfamiliar with the device and already on alert for piracy at that theater — most pirates using this technique bring camouflaged hand-held cameras — it took quite some time before they eventually (with the owner’s permission/at the owner’s insistence) plugged Glass into a computer, reviewed the stored images and determined he had not been recording the movie. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Khaalid Wells confirmed the January 18th incident calling it a “brief interview.”
AMC released a statement to Engadget (available in full after the break) which says theater owners contact the MPAA when suspected recording takes place, in this case prompting an investigation and resulting in contact with Homeland Security. AMC feels like wearing devices with recording capabilities “is not appropriate at the movie theatre,” a position that will be hard to hold as movie viewers arrive with their Glass, Gear and other camera-equipped wearable tech, and sticks out here because they were attached to prescription lenses. The initial rollout of camera-equipped phones led to similar awkward interactions, although being arrested certainly takes things to another level. The wearer reports his Glass was returned, undamaged, but at last update he’d received only a few free movie passes for his troubles.
AMC:
Movie theft is something we take very seriously, and our theater managers contact the Motion Picture Association of America anytime it’s suspected that someone may be illegally recording content on screen. While we’re huge fans of technology and innovation, wearing a device that has the capability to record video is not appropriate at the movie theatre. At AMC Easton 30 last weekend, a guest was questioned for possible movie theft after he was identified wearing a recording device during a film. The presence of this recording device prompted an investigation by the MPAA, which was on site. The MPAA then contacted Homeland Security, which oversees movie theft. The investigation determined the guest was not recording content.
Roy Hibbert w/ @googleglass (per @IkeMoses request) pic.twitter.com/CSknyZbuc5
– jose3030 (@jose3030) January 21, 2014
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wearables, HD, Mobile, Google
Source: The Gadgeteer, Phandroid
Productivity app Todoist drops the price and adds collaboration features
The latest version of the app Todoist, referred to simply as “Next,” hopes to capture the attention of busy bees among us by offering small-scale project management features at a new, affordable cost of…zero dollars. Alongside a streamlined iOS 7-esque design, Todoist added a new visual scheduling interface that makes it easier to chronologically view and delegate tasks. Most significantly, the app is finally following in the footsteps of competitors like Wunderlist by bringing real-time collaboration on 13 different platforms. Users can work alongside five of their friends without shelling out any cash, but for $30 a year, said colleague cap is bumped to 25 (26 in total). Premium users also get features like task labels, notes and filters. So if you’re handling more than your fair share getting that startup off the ground (duh), it might just be worth the investment. To download it yourself check the source links below.
Filed under: Software
Source: Todoist, iTunes, Play Store
Amazon Examining Online Subscription-Based Live Television Service [iOS Blog]
Amazon is considering the launch of a live subscription-based online television service, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The service would include live television channels from major providers, with Amazon approaching at least three media companies to distribute their channels online.
Apple was said to be in high-level negotiations with television content providers in August of last year for a similar Internet-based subscription TV service.
Still, Amazon’s initiative is in the early stages, and it isn’t clear whether it will move forward. Several other tech companies including Sony Corp. and Google Inc. are pursuing similar initiatives. An Amazon spokesman declined to comment.
[…]
Acquiring TV channel rights has proved challenging for the other companies trying to launch Web-TV services. Media giants that control TV networks and studios don’t want to do anything to harm incumbent pay-TV providers, whose payments for carriage of channels are propelling the industry’s growth. Those companies seeking to launch new services have struggled to negotiate licensing terms that would allow them to price their services competitively.
While Apple — and Google — have looked into an online subscription service, Intel recently sold its nascent cable television service to Verizon and all companies are reportedly having difficulties convincing content providers to partner with an online alternative to existing cable and satellite companies — a very significant revenue stream for them.
Amazon currently offers streaming television and movies through its Amazon Prime Instant Video service, its Netflix competitor that works on a number of different platforms including recent PlayStation and Xbox consoles, the Roku box, and a number of smart televisions. Amazon has reportedly been working on a set-top box competitor to the Apple TV and Roku boxes as well, something that could accompany a potential subscription television service.
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Apple, Google Shuttles to Pay to Use Public Bus Stops in San Francisco [Mac Blog]
Major tech companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook often use private buses to ferry employees from living areas in San Francisco and the bay area to company campuses in places like Cupertino, Mountain View, and Menlo Park.
Previously, the city was not receiving any income from the campus buses, even though they often used city bus stops. Today that changed as the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) approved a pilot proposal (via The Verge) that will require commuter shuttle buses from companies like Apple to pay $1 for each stop they make every day.
Commuter shuttle buses have been subject to several protests over the course of the last few months, with activists in the area attacking employee buses in protest of rising housing costs in the San Francisco Bay Area.
While the Silicon Valley companies will now be giving back to the city more than they have in the past, a formalized shuttle system won’t answer the concerns that the tech industry is causing class warfare in San Francisco. Housing prices in the city are skyrocketing out of the reach of ordinary citizens, and many are blaming the high-income individuals employed by companies like Facebook, Apple, and Google.
Set to begin in July of 2014, the program is expected to earn the city approximately $1.5 million over the course of 18 months, which will be used to cover enforcement of the program and evaluations on its efficiency. The $1 per stop fee is unlikely to have any significant impact on Apple or its employees, but it could help to ease tensions within the city.
(Image courtesy of The Castro Biscuit)
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Kogan launches the sub-$200 Agora HD Mini 3G tablet
In the tablet world, and indeed, in the tech world in general, one thing is sure: the big manufacturers will create fantastically high-quality devices which will cost quite a lot and imitation manufacturers who flood the market with low-end, low cost devices, which generally amount to nothing. Kogan, Australia‘s largest, and probably fastest growing, online retailer has just launched the Agora HD Mini 3G tablet which it hopes will bridge the gap between high-quality and low cost devices.
The Agora HD Mini 3G tablet possess a MediaTek quad core processor clocked at 1.2GHz and a 7.85-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1024×768. It also comes with 16GB onboard memory (with the addition of a microSD slot), runs Android 4.2 and has a 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. As the name of the tablet suggests, 3G connectivity is also available which makes it a convenient travel buddy as well.
And the price for all this? $199 AUD. Now to the rest of the world, this doesn’t seem that cheap, but relative to the Nexus 7, which costs $299 AUD, the Agora Mini tablet does offer a budget quad-core experience, which judging by the fanfare that Kogan’s Agora smartphone line has gotten, should be quite a good overall device.
The Agora HD Mini 3G tablet is available for purchase now on Kogan.com and will be shipping in early March. What do you think about the budget tablet: is it something you would get? Let us know what you think.
Press Release
Kogan launches HD quad-core 3G tablet for under $200
Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2014 – Australia’s largest online retailer Kogan.com has designed a new 3G ready, powerful quad-core tablet for under $200.
Officially unveiled at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, the Kogan Agora HD Mini 3G tablet goes on sale today direct from the manufacturer for just $199.
The tablet is packed with impressive features including a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, an HD (1024×768) 7.85” IPS LCD touchscreen, 16GB of internal storage (expandable to another 48GB via a microSD card), an 8MP rear-camera and a 5MP front camera.
Kogan’s new Agora HD Mini tablet also features 3G connectivity, giving Aussies access to the Internet and over 700,000 apps in the Google Play Store, from anywhere, anytime.
Ruslan Kogan, CEO and founder of Kogan.com said the Agora range of tablets were even more popular than the big brand names on the website, so it was essential to keep improving and upgrading the product based on customer feedback.
“Our Agora range of tablets and smartphones have been popular since day one, because we’re able to cram in the features people want, at a better price than the big name brands.
“We’ve managed to squeeze in a powerful processor, a great screen, 3G connectivity, inside a sleek new aluminium housing.
“Every new feature we’ve added has been based on direct feedback from Kogan customers.
“At just $199 we think this is a great option for Australian consumers who want a tablet that gives them a 3G on the go, without costing an arm and a leg.
“There’s no doubt that the market has been flooded with some lower priced tablets, and we’re glad to have opened the floodgates and driven down the price of technology, but now we’re stepping it up by including 3G for under $200.”
Key features:
- HD (1024×768) 7.85” IPS LCD touchscreen
- Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
- 1.2GHz quad-core processor
- 1GB RAM
- 3G and Wi-fi connectivity
- 16GB internal storage (expandable to another 48GB via Micro SD)
- 8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 4500mAh Li-ion battery
The Kogan Agora HD Mini 3G tablet is available on sale now for $199 and will ship in early March:
http://www.kogan.com/au/buy/agora-hd-mini-3g-tablet/
Verizon plan lets you send unlimited international texts for $5 per month
If you like to text friends and family overseas, you know that it can be expensive — US carriers frequently charge either per text or for blocks of messages that aren’t always enough. Pricing won’t be a problem if you sign up for Verizon’s new World Messaging Unlimited plan, though. As the name implies, the $5 add-on lets you send as many messages as you like to most countries. It also drops the per-minute voice rates to a penny when calling Canada or Mexico, and 5 cents for the rest of the Americas. Verizon describes the unlimited plan as a promotional offer; while there isn’t a clear expiry date, we’d suggest acting quickly if you want to chat with the rest of the planet.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Verizon
Source: Verizon (1), (2)
MIT’s new transparent screen may lead to cheap heads-up displays
Transparent screens just aren’t very practical these days — bigger models are frequently expensive and bulky, while smaller heads-up displays tend to have very narrow viewing angles. However, MIT may have solved all those problems at once with its prototype nanoparticle display. The device creates color images on a glass surface simply by ‘tuning’ a silver nanoparticle coating until it lets only certain light wavelengths pass through. The technique is both cheap and compact, since it requires little more than the coating and some off-the-shelf projector technology. There’s also no need for beam splitters or mirrors, so you can see the picture from just about any angle. While there’s a lot of work left before there’s a finished product, researchers note that their display would be as easy to implement as window tinting; don’t be surprised if MIT’s screen shows up on a car windshield or storefront near you.
Filed under: Displays
Via: GigaOM
Source: MIT
Blizzard’s ‘Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft’ for Mac Now in Open Beta [Mac Blog]
Blizzard’s newest game, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft has entered open beta, which means it is now available for all Mac and PC users in North America. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a free-to-play collectible card game that is set in the Warcraft universe and focuses on 1v1 matches.
In the game, each player chooses a hero with a specific skill set. Heroes are all based on Warcraft lore, so well-known characters like Jaina Proudmoore, Gul’dan, Uther the Lightbringer, and Thall are featured. In the free-to-play Play Mode, Players face each other with a deck of 30 cards and aim to win in either casual or ranked games.
Sheathe your sword, draw your deck, and get ready for Hearthstone – the fast paced strategy card game that’s easy to learn and massively fun. Start a free game on Battle.net and play your cards to sling spells, summon creatures, and command the heroes of Warcraft in duels of epic strategy.
With powerful prebuilt decks, and hundreds of additional cards to win, craft or purchase – your collection never stops evolving.
Challenge players of all skill levels on Battle.net or hone your skills in practice matches against some of the greatest strategists of Azeroth – Thrall, Uther, Gul’dan, and more!
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft has been in closed beta since August, but for the first time, anyone can download the game. Currently, the beta has been opened in North America, with plans to extend access to other countries over the next few days. Blizzard also has plans to introduce an iOS version of the game in the future.
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft can be downloaded from the Blizzard website for free.
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Eldar Tweets Galaxy S5 Event Date and Launch Details
A good rumor is sometimes hard to pass up. Especially when it is about a new device that we have all been seeking more info on everyday. Eldar Murtazin is a man who has had a decent track record of spilling the beans, or predicting, things. He was right on the nose with the Samsung Galaxy S4, so it is hard to not get just a little bit excited about the tweet he put out late last night.
Samsung Galaxy S5 launch – 18.00. Barcelona. 23 February. Price the same. Launch – end of April. Specs – u know them 
new touchwiz 
— Eldar Murtazin (@eldarmurtazin) January 21, 2014
Not like we haven’t seen enough leaks to know that Samsung is changing up the UI finally. We anticipated an April release, and while we thought an announcement at Barcelona during Mobile World Congress was possible, we weren’t sure. Of course it could still change. While Samsung is notorious for taking to their own stage and doing their own event, I think last years theatrical experience didn’t pan out so well for them. Sticking to a more traditional showcase and announcement might be a bit better. Even though MWC will be saturated with devices and new products, Samsung will still be able to dominate the scene with the Galaxy S5 if they indeed do announce it there. It would certainly cut down on the press travel expenses and double up on the exposure if they do do it.
We will just have to wait and see if Eldar’s Tweet pans out next month.
Via Coolsmartphone
AIVAnet 