The other thing Holland has legalized: carrier-free SIM cards
When it comes to tolerating things that other countries deem illegal, Holland’s got previous experience, but this time the nation has approved something that doesn’t just benefit glaucoma sufferers. The country has ratified the use of blank SIM cards that aren’t tied to a carrier, and can instead be tweaked use whatever network is best for you. The idea is that since you’re not tied to an operator, you can switch between providers when your needs change — allowing you to swerve roaming charges when you’re out and about. The move also boosts “internet of things” makers, who can connect devices to cellular networks without signing a long, expensive deal. Of course, the longer-term implication is that smartphone companies like Apple and Samsung could bulk-buy voice and data services and cut out the middle man — a prospect that would even send John Legere into a cold sweat.
[Thanks, Omar]
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Via: iPhoneclub (Translated), GigaOM
Source: Overheid.nl
Scrabble-playing robot learns how to sass its rivals
– Transcript of staff appraisal for Robot PX31i
Hey PX31i, thanks for coming in, please take a seat!
So, I wanted to talk to you about your personal development today. No, don’t look down, because you’re great at moving heavy objects and scaring the visitors, but we’re all worried about your work / life balance. Like, at the after-office party, you just sit in a corner, eyeing up the leftover filing and wishing you didn’t have to talk to Dave.
We think you, you know, could be a little more personable. Like Victor, have you seen Victor? He’s a research project to get computers to be more chatty. Victor’s amazing, he’s even got his own Twitter account. People think they’re playing Scrabble with him but actually he’s just showing off his impressive range of smack talk. Maybe you could watch the Wall Street Journal video tonight and come back tomorrow with a little more personality? Either that or maybe wear a fruity hat or something. Okay, that’s all for now!
– Transcript ends.
Filed under: Robots
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Blu Life Pure mini first impressions and review
I must admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first received my unit. But at the sub $300 price point, I was not expecting anywhere near the level of quality with which I was greeted. Not only is the presentation everything you’ve come to expect from traditional manufacturers, but after pulling all of the pieces from the box, I found the absolute classiest move by any device manufacturer I’ve seen to date. Included with the device were a fitted screen protector and a simple translucent case for the device. Gone are the days of leaving the factory screen protector on the device while you wait for your aftermarket protectors to arrive in the mail, nay, they’ve literally included everything you need to get your started.
Hardware
The Life Pure mini looks like the big brother of the iPhone 5C, but don’t let that thought deter you. It’s extremely sturdy, has a good weight (~150 g), and a minimalistic nearly badge-less design – save for the lone “BLU” symbol above the iPod-esque “16GB” toward the bottom of the device’s rear. The only other accents on the back are the half-inch speaker grate on bottom right and the 8 MP camera with LED flash, top left.
The charging port is located on the bottom, but it’s upside down and positioned almost entirely to the left side, so you can forget about using most universal USB media docks. Volume rocker is exactly where Nexus and Galaxy users would expect, thumb-height on the left side, but the power/sleep button resides at the top on the right, balancing the 3.5 mm headphone jack to its left rather than opposite the volume rocker, which instead you’ll find the ejectable SIM tray.
After using the Galaxy S 4 and Nexus 5 as my main devices for so long, the form-factor of a device with a 4.5 inch display is a much welcome change. It just fits perfectly in the hand, even comfortably using it one-handed vegging out on the couch and not straining fingers to keep hold when reaching a far corner of the display. Music sounds fine on the speaker, you couldn’t expect more from a device in this price range, it’s loud enough even to hear in a moving vehicle without sounding distorted, although some notifications do tend to sound distorted and odd.
Software
The software developers are obviously paying attention to custom ROMs as a lot of features you’ve come to expect from aftermarket firmware are packed in.
Swiping left on the notification shade flips to quick settings toggles, of which there is no shortage. Now, I must say, they’ve obviously been taking cues from Apple in a couple areas; the above mentions design, but more importantly, the stock launcher on the Life Pure mini, isn’t anything you’ve come to expect out of Android.
There’s no app drawer, so if you’re like me and you have over 100 apps, things can get pretty messy. You do, however, have the ability to create folders, which hold up to 12 apps each, and if can get past it’s shortcomings the themes and tweaks are pretty beautiful. The grid on each screen is 4 across 3 deep, above which you have a weather “widget” pulling down on which reveals a clock and the lock screen.
The horizontal recent applications option is only accessible by pushing the home key from the stock home screen. Long pressing the home button activates Google Now. However if you’re running a third party launcher, for some reason long pressing the home key summons the stock Android multitasking screen.
Now, this is Android 4.2.1, which seems to cause some compatibility issues with certain market apps, although side-loading has yet to fail. Although it’s a relatively recent, if not short-lived Android release, there are shades of older Android version baked in.
First, the included stock Android keyboard (AOSP) seems to have been taken from either 4.0 or 4.1 as it does not have Swype style gesture typing capabilities. The expandable notifications seem to be completely broken. There’s no discernible rhyme or reason to when they are expanded or are not, and no way to manually expand or compress.
The gesture control for the gallery app is very interesting and has quite a bit of potential. To activate it from the gallery, hover your open hand about a foot from the screen until a hand icon appears on the screen, then you can leaf left and right through the photos by moving your hand in either direction. As you can see from the screenshot in the slideshow below, 1 GB of RAM may not be enough for a power user.
While uploading a photo to ArtsCow to create a custom Android mousepad, I received the “Unable to complete previous operation due to low memory” notification. it was easily rectified by closing the other running apps, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind.
Everyday Use
All above observations were made in the first 2 days of use. After observing the way that the phone works out of the box, I decided to change gears and install my favorite third-party launcher, and most of my complaints disappeared. For instance, the horizontal, iPhone-esque multi-tasking application is no longer accessible from a third party launcher, and long-pressing the home key no longer activates Google Now, it seems just activating a new launcher as default brings back the stock Android app switcher, and like most, it is activated by long-pressing the home key. No idea why this is disabled while the stock launcher is default, but it’s not truly an issue as long as there is a way to bring it back. After downloading the new launcher I even seem to be getting a bit better battery life.
It’s going to be rough to go back to the form factor of the Nexus 5 after this. If you’re not the type of user who believes bigger screens are better no matter what the cost, then you will love the size of this device. The Life Pure mini will be a wonderful first Android phone after a transition from iPhone. It’s got plenty of power, and the battery life will be a refreshing change, not to mention to $249 price-tag.
This is one of the best devices for the money I’ve seen and I’ve already recommended it to several people. Check out their Amazon store and buy your own, looks like they’re on sale for $219.99 at the moment!
The post Blu Life Pure mini first impressions and review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Get This Look: ‘Remix’ Zooper Widget
We’re huge fans of changing the home screen around a bit and creating a new user experience for our Android. So much so that we present our ongoing series of Get This Look posts. In a nutshell we show you a new layout, app, widget, or icon set for your Android handset and tell you which apps you’ll need to mimic the feel.
Some of these are a little easier to create than others and many of them can be tweaked to no end. The following details are but the ingredients to which you can create your own delicious Android dish; your results will vary. Which is awesome! If nothing else, this is a great way to discover new apps, widgets, icons, and more!
Remix by ToxicThunder
Why we love this look:
if you’re after a complete redesign of your Android device then Remix is what you’re looking for. This Zooper widget completely changes the look of your homescreen into something that doesn’t look like Android at all. With quick access to important media such as your music and gallery, and with notifications and custom shortcuts organised in a visually appealing way, Remix is sure to have your friends asking ‘where did you get this look?’. What you’ll need:
The post Get This Look: ‘Remix’ Zooper Widget appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Apple Reportedly Launching 8 GB iPhone 5c Tomorrow
Apple is planning to release a new 8 GB version of the iPhone 5c tomorrow, according to an alleged note to retailers from Vodafone’s O2 unit in Germany shared by Caschys Blog [Google Translate]. The legitimacy of the note is unverified, but German site iFun reported a similar tip [Google Translate] just a few minutes later and several tipsters have even reported to MacRumors that shipments of the new models have arrived at carrier stores in the UK.
Pricing on the 8 GB model has yet to be revealed, but one of the sources has indicated that the device will be available in all of the existing color options. All of the reports we’ve seen so far have come from Europe, but the device would presumably see a worldwide launch as there would seem to be little reason for Apple to limit distribution to Europe.
Apple’s iPhone 5c has seen lower than expected sales since its debut last September alongside the flagship iPhone 5s, with the iPhone 5c essentially representing an iPhone 5 repackaged in colorful new plastic shells and available in 16 GB and 32 GB capacities priced $100 below the corresponding iPhone 5s models. A new 8 GB model would allow Apple to bring the entry-level price for the iPhone 5c even lower, and while the capacity may not be enough for some users, many budget consumers may find it acceptable and Apple does currently offer an 8 GB iPhone 4s as its cheapest option in most countries.
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Apple’s Healthbook App for iOS Shown in Renderings with New Details
Apple’s rumored “Healthbook” app for iOS 8 may be the company’s first big push into the current health and fitness craze that is being fueled by wearable technology, and a new report from 9to5Mac offers a look at what users can expect from the app as well as a few renderings of the app said to be recreated from actual screenshots.
The renderings show a Passbook-inspired user interface with cards for different heath and fitness data points, with the app able to keep track of vitals mentioned in previous rumors such as heart rate, hydration, blood pressure, physical activity and more. Notably missing from the renders are parameters for other topic such as stress and pregnancy tracking, which had been suggested in a separate report from MobiHealthNews last month.
Each category of functionality is a card in the Healthbook. Cards are distinguished by a color, and the tabs can be arranged to fit user preferences. As can be seen in the above images, Healthbook has sections that can track data pertaining to bloodwork, heart rate, hydration, blood pressure, physical activity, nutrition, blood sugar, sleep, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and weight.
A big chunk of the Healtbook app will be dedicated to measurable health parameters such as blood sugar levels, oxygen saturation, bloodwork values and more. The blood sugar tracking would let diabetics enter their daily or weekly glucose levels and track changes over time, while the bloodwork tab would allow users to enter the results of routine bloodwork tests that are used to screen for overall nutrition as well as heart, kidney or liver disease. When combined, these parameters will provide the user and their doctor with a snapshot of the person’s overall health at any given time.
Another focus of the app is fitness, with the ability to track activity levels, nutrition, and weight changes over time. Data in these tabs would provide detailed analysis of calories burned, BMI, body fat percentage and more. This section, which also includes sleep tracking and hydration measurement, provides the user with an overview of their fitness and allows them to monitor any changes over time.
The mechanisms by which the app will retrieve this health and fitness data, especially the more difficult to measure vitals such as hydration and blood sugar, are not clear, although it is likely the app will utilize some combination of the iPhone’s M7 motion coprocessor, third-party devices, third-party apps and Apple’s own wearable devices such as the rumored iWatch.
Thanks to the capabilities of the iPhone 5s’s M7 motion co-processor, Healthbook could technically receive steps, miles walked, and caloric data from the iPhone itself. However, that is where the M7 stops being useful for Healthbook. Blood, hydration, and respiratory rate information would clearly need to come from other sources.
Apple has been hiring health and fitness experts to build out its iWatch team, and is rumored to be using this expertise in the development of its first wearable device. The iWatch is rumored to launch later this year, and Healthbook should debut as part of iOS 8 in a similar timeframe late this year.
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ACC and Campus Insiders Launch New College Sports Apple TV Channel
The Atlantic Coast Conference and college sports site Campus Insiders have teamed up to launch a new “ACC Sports” channel for the Apple TV today, offering video highlights, features, and other clips related to the conference’s 15 member schools. A separate Campus Insiders tab within the app includes a smaller amount of content from other college athletic conferences around the country.
The channel does not currently offer any live video content, although it is certainly possible such offerings could be added in the future.
Campus Insiders has agreements with a number of college conferences to offer live video streaming of certain competitions in a variety of sports through the firm’s website, and the launch of an ACC Sports channel for Apple TV could be a prelude to a broader effort by Campus Insiders that would be able to bring streaming of these events directly to Apple’s set-top box.
Today’s launch is the latest in a long line of new Apple TV channels introduced over the last months as Apple has worked to rapidly expand content available on the set-top box. New Apple TV 6.1 software released last week makes it easier for users to hide unwanted channels from the main Apple TV screen, helping them manage the growing number of available channels. Apple has also been rumored to be on the verge of introducing a revamped version of the Apple TV, perhaps opening it up to third-party developers to support games and other apps.
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Google helps devs create cross-platform Android and iOS multiplayer games
The annual Game Developers Conference descends on San Francisco this week, and Google’s wasting no time in sharing its news. For gamers, Mountain View’s said it’ll be launching a “game gifts” service for sending in-game swag to other players, and increasing the number of game categories in the Play store to 18 in the hope you’ll stumble upon titles you might like easier. More important, however, is what devs can do with the new features of Google Play game services, a backend tool for managing leaderboards, achievements and more in Android, iOS or web games. Multiplayer support has been added for iOS games, and via an update to the Unity plug-in, cross-platform multiplayer between Android and iOS devices is now possible. These features have to be implemented by developers, of course, but next time you see that friend who’s always arguing the merits of one mobile OS over another, you might just be able to settle the discussion in-game instead.
Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Google
Twitch kicks off its mobile streaming service with Gameloft
Prior to its recent Xbox One launch, Twitch accounted for 1.8 percent of peak US internet traffic — and it doesn’t even do mobile streaming. That’s about to change, however, as Gameloft’s ultra-popular Asphalt 8: Airborne stunt and racing game is set to arrive on iOS with Twitch functionality. On top of broadcasting, sharing and archiving game play, you’ll be able to use your iOS device’s camera and microphone to stream video of yourself and monitor chat. To kick things off, Gameloft will host a 24-hour livestream today, replete with dev team interviews, giveaways and a walk-through of the options. The update arrives to the App Store soon, but you’ll need to implement Twitch service on a game-to-game basis. The new functionality is optimized for the iPhone 5S, iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina.
Filed under: Gaming
Apple reportedly launching a cheaper 8GB iPhone 5c on March 18th (updated)
Apple doesn’t talk about how many iPhone 5c devices it sells, but the rumors are that it’s not doing as well as its two siblings. According to leaked documents from O2 Germany, Cupertino is looking to boost its middle child by launching an 8GB version that’ll retail for 60 euros less than the current 16GB model. What does this spell for the “bottom tier” iPhone 4S, which is currently offered to customers for free on two-year deals? We couldn’t possibly speculate, but if this trimmed-down hardware is appearing in Germany, it’s probably going to launch everywhere else in the world, too.
Update: A reader sent in a photo (below) of the 8GB 5c’s packaging, confirming that the device is in hand.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
Source: Caschy’s Blog (Translated)
AIVAnet 