No work emails after 6PM please, we’re French
Sure, the French have it sweet with a 35 hour work week and six weeks of paid vacation. But (Mon dieu!) workers there are still bombarded with job-related emails when off the clock. They won’t need to put up with such rude intrusions anymore now, though. A deal signed by tech industry employers and unions in France means many companies are now forbidden by law to contact employees electronically after 6PM. The plan was hailed by worker groups, but not everyone was happy. France has a large digital sector, with a big presence by Google, Facebook and others, and many critics claim that France already has too much bureaucracy. Still, such labor-friendly laws are understandably popular with the public. Given all the cuisine, wine and other pleasures on tap, who wants to hear from le boss?
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet
Source: Federation Syntec
First UK Google Glass trial gives Parkinson’s sufferers more independence
Before Glass becomes a publicly available product, Google’s quietly embarked on a campaign to get its iconic eyewear into the hands of those who can use it to tackle complex issues. After it gifted five pairs to researchers at Newcastle University, Google’s allowed its wearable to undergo its first UK medical trial, where it’s being used to support people suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Researchers want to help patients live more independently, and they’re already seeing results.
With custom apps, experts have tuned Glass to provide subtle alerts reminding volunteers to take their medication and notify them of upcoming medical appointments. Sufferers are also prompted to speak or swallow to prevent drooling. Glass’ motion sensors are put to good use too, preventing patients from “freezing” by displaying visual cues to help them unblock their brain and regain a flow of a movement. Researchers say the project is still in its early stages, but they’re already looking to develop a variety of apps to match the specific needs of volunteers. While Glass faces an uphill struggle to gain social acceptance, its philanthropic uses are showing no bounds.
Filed under: Wearables, Google
Source: Newcastle University
Comcast could soon launch its own WiFi-powered mobile service
With companies like Verizon pushing into its broadband turf, Comcast may be pushing back with its own mobile network, according to a report from The Information. Insiders claim that, like Google, it’s considering a service that would work using a combination of Comcast’s million+ WiFi hotspots and leased cellular capacity from other operators. Those could include Verizon, with which it already has a deal in place for wholesale network access. In addition, it has over 8 million customer WiFi routers that could also function as hotspots. If all that is accurate, Comcast could offer such a service separately, as part of a bundle or even as a cheap WiFi-only package à la Scratch Wireless. Take it with a big dollop of skepticism, though — Comcast has gone down that road before.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless
Source: The Information
Mass Production of 4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Set for July, 5.5-Inch Version Beginning in September
According to Japanese website EMSOne [Google Translate, via G for Games], Apple is planning to begin mass production of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 in July with the larger 5.5-inch version to enter mass production in September.
The report notes that both versions of the next-generation iPhone will go on sale at some point during the fourth quarter of this year, with the 4.7-inch iPhone being announced and released earlier than the 5.5-inch iPhone.
Renderings of iPhone 6 (4.7″) and iPhone 6 (5.7″) based on leaked schematics
The news comes as a report from Reuters last month stated that Apple would begin production of the 4.7-inch display to be used in the iPhone 6 this May for the device’s release this fall. The report also noted that the 5.5-inch version of the iPhone 6 would be delayed due to difficulties with in-cell production technology, and would start production several months after the 4.7-inch version.
A report last month from Japanese newspaper Nikkei stated that the iPhone 6 could launch “as early as September” and will be offered in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display sizes. This contrasted a claim from UBS analyst Steve Milunovich, who said that the 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 might be the only model to launch later this year, as a timeframe for the larger 5.5-inch version was unclear.
Internal documents from the second ongoing trial between Apple and Samsung also indicate that Apple is poised to release a larger phone, as a slide deck from an April 2013 presentation showed that customers want less expensive and most notably, larger screen smartphones.
In addition to a larger display, Apple’s next-generation iPhone is expected to feature a durable, sapphire screen, and a thinner, bezel-free design in addition to processor and camera upgrades.
Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead Game finally shambles onto Android
One of my favourite games from 2012 was the episodic game from Telltale Games, The Walking Dead Game – Season 1, based on the world created by Robert Kirkman and in the same universe as the extremely popular AMC TV series. Well, after two years and having been released on every other major gaming platform, The Walking Dead Game has finally made its way to Android.
There’s nothing new in the game, so if you have already played through it on one of the other platforms, you probably won’t have any reason to pick it up again. However, if you haven’t yet tried it, you’ll be treated to one of the best stories to grace video games in recent memory. Season 1 has 5 episodes in total, the first of which is free to download on the Google Play Store now; the subsequent episodes (and additional DLC, 400 days) can be purchased for $5 each, though Telltale Games is offering a Season Pass for all additional content for $15 if you want to get it all at once.
Unlike most games that are compatible on almost all devices, The Walking Dead Game actually has minimum specifications required to play, which are:
Minimum specs:
GPU: Adreno 200 series, Mali-400 series, PowerVR SGX540, or Tegra 3
CPU: Dual core 1GHz
Memory: 1GB
Also note that the game is pretty hefty at just over 1GB, so make sure you’ve got the free space. Be sure to let us know if you pick it up (Play Store links are below) and share your thoughts about it.
Source: TalkAndroid
Game: The Walking Dead: Season One
Price: Free (with additional DLC)
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DxO Labs crowns the Sony Xperia Z2 the best in mobile photography, for Now
DxO Mark, created by DxO Labs, is a favourite among photography enthusiasts for seeing which mobile devices have the best camera performance on the market. According the latest findings, DxO Mark crowns the Sony Xperia Z2 the best in mobile photography, even beating out Nokia’s latest effort, the PureView-toting Nokia 808. The tests take into account all facets of the camera’s properties including aperture, exposure time, lenses and even focal length; a comprehensive test indeed.
The Xperia Z2, announced at MWC 2014 earlier this year, is Sony‘s answer to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 (which are disappointingly missing from the DxO Mark results) and improves on its stalwart predecessor, the Xperia Z1, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM and a up-sized 5.2-inch Triluminos display. The Xperia Z2 will be the third device (after the Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z1 Compact) to boast Sony’s 20.7MP camera, but also adds the ability to take 4K resolution videos.
What do you think of the Sony Xperia Z2′s abilities as a mobile camera device? Have these results swayed your decision-making? Let us know what you think.
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Microsoft teaches robots how to deal with groups and draw from memory
Us humans are good at predicting how people will behave, particularly in groups, but artificial intelligence routines still have trouble dealing with much more than controlled, one-on-one discussions. They’ll be far more flexible if Microsoft’s Situated Interaction project pays off, though. The research initiative has produced sensor-equipped robots that can not only recognize multiple people, but infer their objectives and roles. Office assistants can tell who’s speaking and respond in kind, while a lobby robot can call the elevator if it sees a crowd headed in that direction.
Some of the robots also have a human-like ability to draw from memory, expanding on what we’ve seen from virtual assistants like Cortana or Siri. In addition to knowing your schedule, they can detect your presence and make predictions of availability based on your habits; they’ll know if you haven’t been around in a while, or when you’re likely to wrap up a conversation. One robot will even know that you’re coming because you asked one of its fellow machines for directions. It’s doubtful that you’ll see production versions of these context-aware robots any time soon, but they could lead to a generation of smart devices that are better at coordinating with (and relating to) their human counterparts.
Filed under: Robots, Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft Research
Logitech’s auto-dimming keyboard wants to help you dominate movie night
In the dark, finding the volume rocker on your TV’s clicker can be hard enough, but F7 on a QWERTY keyboard? That’s damn near impossible. To that end, Logitech thinks it has a solution for managing your home-theater PC or connected-TV once you’ve killed the lights. Not only does the outfit’s new wireless, backlit keyboard (the K830, if you want to get technical) auto-dim based on ambient light, but to save power it also disables the lighting completely after about five seconds of non-use. What’s more, the accessory is rechargeable, packs a built-in track-pad and has a 33-foot range thanks to its 2.4GHz connectivity.
The K830 doesn’t offer control for all of your devices like its Harmony counterpart does, but its dark-room capabilities help take the sting out of that a bit, especially when it’s $50 cheaper. If any of the above sounds intriguing, Logitech expects the unit to go on in the US and Europe this month for 100 bucks/euros — just in time for Philomena on Blu-ray.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Logitech
New Moto X Name Leaked?! Robert Downey Jr. Returns! – ManDroid Quickie
Ready for Android news quick status? Well sadly, this video is a little longer than I would hope, but at least you get your Android news. The Moto X successor might be upon us soon, which I am actually looking forward to seeing. Robert Downey Jr. returns promoting HTC products, which was a pleasant sight to see. Enjoy the show!
News Topics
Possible successor name leaked out
Android TV UI screenshots
Robert Downey returns
Google I/O registration pushed back
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Momondo helps you prioritize your relationships by proximity and climate
Sure, it’s easy to plan out trips to visit your friends, but Momondo believes it can add a bit of fun to that process. The travel search engine’s app now features something called “friend compass” that shows your friends’ locations all over the world while you spin around. Since Momondo’s service shows the cheapest flights and hotels you can book, each friend that appears on the compass comes with info on the most affordable flight available — and yes, you can book one from within the app. If that travel itch has gotten so bad, you can also use the compass to find out which friend lives in the coldest or the hottest locations, the nearest or the farthest places and the ones who’ll cost you most and and least money to visit. The friend compass works using Facebook’s API and a smartphone’s GPS, so suffice it to say, it’ll only only show people in your Facebook list. Bummer.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: McCann London
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