MT6595 Octa-Core ARM Cortex A17 Processor Unveiled by MediaTek
MediaTek might be a name that you aren’t all that pleased with, or one you might even really know about. In the U.S., the primary chips we see in our Android powered devices are usually Qualcomm or NVIDIA. There are some Intel ones running around too. MediaTek usually popped up in Chinese variant devices, knock-offs or the likes. The processor manufacturer has just unveiled their next big thing though, a Octa-Core ARM Cortex A17 chip, called the MT6595.
The new octo-core MT6595 is said to be the first of its kind to have Category 4 LTE support falling back to HSPA+ 42. This makes it a prime candidate for AT&T and T-Mobile here in the states. All built along with Ultra HD H.265 video capabilities. The MT6595 boasts 4 ARM Cortex A17 cores and 4 lower-powered ARM Cortex A7 cores. Giving the processor high performance when needed, but battery saving abilities when idle and during remedial task.
The 6595 also sports PowerVR Series6 graphics, 4k video recording, 24bit 192 kHz audio playback and is designed for device displays that push up-to 2560 x 1600. MediaTek also says the new chip is the first to support 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Not to mention support for Bluetooth LE, ANT+ and multimode wireless charging receiver.
From the sounds of it all, the new MT6595 could start appearing in various devices by the second half of 2014. With PCMag talking under $200 for high-res screens and all the other goodies mentioned above.
“There is really no good reason why phones with good displays should cost $700-800,” Bhushan said. “For $100-200, we can provide phones based on platforms like this one.”
After having my hands on a MediaTek powered Lenovo Yoga 8 tablet (which houses a MTK 8125 Quad-Core A7 ) , I can say that I am pretty happy with the performance. It isn’t a NVIDIA SHIELD, or iPad Air, but it wasn’t supposed to be. The MediaTek processor handles everything I throw at it, including Modern Combat 4 and Dead Trigger 2. It should be interesting to see where the new MT6595 chip lands. We don’t expect to see HTC or Motorola starting to use them anytime soon, but a next gen Yoga tablet or some of the more interesting non name brand phones could see some success with one.
Source: MediaTek
Brush up on American history with this elegant Ken Burns iPad app
When it comes to apps, Apple’s iOS platform offers access to an incredible amount of them. That being said, there are always some which stand out from the rest, one of these being Ken Burns’ new, beautifully designed iPad application. But there’s more behind its stunning visuals: The Ken Burns app is also, most importantly, loaded with a ton of content related to American history. Once installed, you can view scenes from different Burns’ films (like Baseball or The War), as well as select a theme that you’re most interested in — Art, Innovation, Politics, War, to mention a few. It’s available now as a free download, but be prepared to shell out $10 in order to unlock the app’s full potential on your iPad.
Filed under: Tablets, Software, Apple
Via: The Verge
Source: App Store
With an Android search update, you can tell your phone to ‘call Mom’
One of Siri’s cleverer tricks is its support for terms of endearment — you can tell an iPhone to “call Mom” rather than saying your mother’s name every time. Today, that handy shortcut is reaching Android through a Google search update. You can now rely on shorthand when using the search app to call or text family members. If you haven’t already established the appropriate relationship in your contacts, Android will ask you to clear things up. The feature is already live, so you can test it out right away — we’re sure your folks would be glad to hear from you.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Google
Source: Google (Google+)
Xbox One is getting a biographical show about Nas, of course
Naturally — between a Halo project involving Steven Spielberg, a documentary on the terrible E.T. video game for Atari 2600 and a series on street soccer — the next project from Xbox Entertainment Studios is a show based on hip-hop artist Nas’ youth. Deadline reports that “a half-hour series project loosely based on his life as a hip-hop artist in the 1990s” is on the way, titled “Street Dreams.” Presumably it heavily features him having dreams of being a gangster, drinking Moet and holding Tecs, making sure the cash came correct? Kind of! It’s said to dig into his past growing up in the Queensbridge Projects, and Nas himself is signed on to handle music and assist with writing (the formal writing and directing duty is handled by fellow New Yorker Jonathan Levine).
It’s unclear when this project is planned for, nor do we have much insight into the grander plans of Nancy Tellem and co. at Xbox Entertainment Studios. The ol’ cable box plugged into the Xbox One will have to suffice for now.
(Photo by Omar Vega/Invision for Hennessy/AP Images)
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Deadline
Comcast’s Xfinity On Demand now sells Warner Bros. movies and TV shows
Comcast’s Xfinity TV Store only started offering movies for purchase late last year, but it’s catching up today by stocking Warner Bros. movies and TV shows prior to their release on DVD or Blu-ray. Now, like the rival stores from Amazon and Apple, it has a wider selection of movies like Gravity for purchase or rental well before the flicks hit kiosks, mailboxes, and subscription streaming. Comcast is counting on ubiquity to lure people away from competitors — you can watch any of the new content through your TV set-top box, PC or mobile device. The Warner Bros. deal isn’t likely to have you giving up your preferred video store, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have another choice.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: Comcast
WatchESPN finally comes to Windows 8
Windows 8 has plenty of apps to choose from, but there’s one in particular that avid sports fans had long been waiting for: WatchESPN. The great news is The Worldwide Leader in Sports has finally brought the application to Microsoft’s operating system. Now users will be able to stream a ton of on-demand and live content from ESPN’s network lineup, right on their Windows 8 PC. Access to real-time video feeds does require a cable subscription, however, so be sure to check the description here to see if your provider supports WatchESPN.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, Software, HD, Microsoft
Source: Windows Store
Sign-up list opens for Titanfall’s mech-filled beta tonight at 9ET
Titanfall has become something bigger than a multiplayer mech game. It’s the reason many people decided to invest in an Xbox One, and the reason why many others decided to postpone their next-gen console purchase altogether — the finished title won’t arrive until March 11th, and it’s coming to the PC and 360 (slightly delayed until March 25th) too. In the meantime though, the developer behind Titanfall, Respawn Entertainment, is providing early access via a beta and you can sign up for access starting tonight at 9PM ET. The good news is that you don’t need to pre-order the game to get in, but the bad news is that it’s not open to all, so we don’t know how many slots there are to go around. Go ahead and try your luck at the sign-up page — we’ll let you know the URL once it’s posted “shortly before” 9PM ET, according to Respawn founder Vince Zampella.
Tonight at 6pm PST there will be a website to sign up for #titanfall beta access. The website will be announced shortly before 6.
– Vince Zampella (@VinceZampella) February 11, 2014
Filed under: Gaming, HD, Microsoft
Source: Vince Zampella (Twitter)
Samsung and LG intro first triple-SIM devices
Multiple SIM smartphones may not be that popular in the U.S., but have been in markets around the globe, usually supporting dual-SIM cards.
One upcoming phone, codenamed the Nokia Normandy, is even said to support two SIM cards so you can have multiple numbers on multiple networks if you desired.
While dual-SIM is great and all, Samsung and LG are already thinking ahead. Recently, LG and Samsung Brazil unveiled two new smartphones with triple-SIM support, the Samsung Galaxy Star Trios and the LG Optimus L1 II Tri.
If you’re all about having a high-end smartphone, you’ll need to look-elsewhere as both have low-end specs with “tiny QVGA screens,” 512 MB of RAM, among other meager specs. Such low end specs also come with a low price of $165 for Samsung’s smartphone and $127 for LG’s. If you’re looking for a beefier budget smartphone, you may want to look to Motorola’s Moto G, but you lose the key features these offer. These phones do run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, so I guess that’s maybe another plus.
Don’t expect to see these in the U.S., but look for them in emerging markets.
Via Samsung Brazil, LG Brazil
The post Samsung and LG intro first triple-SIM devices appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Compressor Updated With Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements [Mac Blog]
Apple has updated its Compressor encoding app to version 4.4.1, fixing a number of reliability and stability issues. Compressor is used to encode video files for posting to websites like YouTube and Vimeo, burning to DVD or Blu-ray, and more.
What’s new in Compressor Version 4.1.1
• Resolves issues installing Compressor on a system where Qmaster was previously enabled
• Improves reliability of Send to Compressor from Final Cut Pro X
• Addresses distributed encoding errors when source files are not on the startup volume
• Fixes errors that could cause a hang when submitting a batch
• Fixes a stability issue that could occur if multiple Compressor plug-ins are installed
• Resolves an issue when viewing a plug-in setting without the plug-in installed
• Includes general stability improvements
Compressor is available for $49.99 on the Mac App Store. [Direct Link]
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LaCie Fuel Offers 1 TB Wireless Storage with Hotspot Sharing for iOS Devices and Macs [iOS Blog]
At CES last month, LaCie announced its “Fuel” wireless hard drive for iOS and Mac devices, allowing users to easily expand storage for their devices. With the Fuel now available for purchase, LaCie has given MacRumors some hands-on time with the Fuel, showing that the device does indeed live up to its billing for those willing to carry around an extra device as needed.
Similar to the Wireless Plus from parent company Seagate, LaCie’s Fuel offers a 1 TB drive to provide ample storage for media, with iOS device users able to access content through the Seagate Media app.
With Fuel connecting wirelessly to iOS devices, the device also supports Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, allowing it to connect to an existing Wi-Fi network and passing that connectivity through to devices connected wirelessly to Fuel. Macs can connect to Fuel either wirelessly or via USB 3.0, as Fuel features a micro USB 3.0 port and an adapter cable to connect to standard USB ports on other devices. The cable can also be used to charge Fuel through an included AC adapter. Users looking for fast file transfer from their Mac should obviously opt for a wired USB 3.0 connection over the Wi-Fi option.
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