Amazon bringing older HBO shows to Prime Instant Video members for free
HBO’s always been stingy about who gets to stream its cherished TV assets but on May 21st, some of the network’s vintage material will get a wider release. The company has signed a deal with Amazon to bring its classic shows, including The Sopranos, The Wire and Deadwood to Prime Instant Video members for free. If you’re waiting for newer fare — by which we mean Game of Thrones — you’ll be disappointed, but seasons of HBO’s other new shows, like True Blood and Veep will arrive roughly three years after their first broadcast. As part of the deal, HBO Go will launch as an app on Amazon’s Fire TV set-top box, which is due to land at some point towards the end of the year. In the meantime, however, you can prepare yourself for a May binge-a-thon by buying in plenty of snacks and bottled water.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Amazon
Source: Amazon
Google Street View now serves as your own personal time machine
In the seven years since Google launched Maps, it’s collected a ton of imaging and location data, which we’ve only been able to see in its most recent form. That’s about to change, however, after the company announced it’s opening all of that information up, allowing you to go back and see how much each of its locations have adapted during that period. Starting today, Google says it will begin rolling out the new future across its desktop Maps service, adding a new clock icon to Street View images. Once clicked, you can move a slider and select the different thumbnails of a location in a particular space in time. You’ll see skyscrapers go up, houses come down, or maybe even witness the rebuilding efforts of a community affected by a natural disaster. There’s no word on whether it’ll make its way beyond the desktop, so for now you’ll likely only be able to procrastinate from the comfort of your home computer or office.
Source: Google Lat Long
Viber Updates iOS App with Redesigned User Interface, Multiple Media Sharing [iOS Blog]
Popular messaging service Viber today updated its iOS app to version 4.2, bringing a redesigned user interface for iOS 7 in addition to various new features. The app now includes multiple media sharing that allows users to send multiple photos and videos at once, in addition to the ability to block users and send longer video messages. A cross platform typing indicator has also been added.
– Completely redesigned for iOS 7! The new look and feel is consistent with the aesthetic of iOS 7 that iPhone users have grown accustomed to.
– Multiple media sharing in one flow. No more back and forth media sharing! Now you can send and edit up to 10 photos and videos at a time!
– Block list. Users can now block contacts they do not know and those that they do not wish to be contacted by. To learn more about managing your block list, click here.
– Send longer video messages. You can now send videos of up to three (3) minutes long.
– Typing indicator. Know when your contacts are typing a message to you on Android tablet, Linux, Mac, PC or Windows 8.
– Bug fixes.
According to the most recent statistics, Viber has over 105 million monthly active users and receives 550,000 sign ups daily. The service was acquired by Japanese Internet company Rakuten in February for $900 million, and launched a new desktop application for Mac and PC last February.
Viber is a free download for iOS devices and can be downloaded through App Store. [Direct Link]
OnePlus One officially unveiled as “2014 Flagship Killer”
After all the hype OnePlus has been building up around the OnePlus One, today they have officially unveiled the device along with it’s $299 price tag. The device, which is being marketed as a “2014 Flagship Killer”, will begin shipping in Q2.
The phone comes stacked with all the latest hardware an Android user could ask for and is available in 16GB for $299 or 64GB, yes 64GB, for only 50 bucks more. What an upgrade for only 50 bucks compared to other high-end smartphone manufacturers.
The OnePlus One will be available in black or white and will have different options for users to customize the back of their phones such as kevlar, denim, among others.
The rear camera is made by Sony and is packing 13 megapixels and a 5 megapixel front facing camera. OnePlus claims that the device can take excellent low light photos along with your standard day to day pictures.
The One will be running a modified version of Android, Cynogenmod, which has been revamped to feature customizable themes. Cynogemod has been a pioneer in customizing the Android experience, so we look forward to getting our hands on it and seeing what it has to offer.
Below is a list of specs for the device and you can also find additional information from OnePlus’ website. Tell us what you think in the comments below!
- 2.5GHZ Snapdragon 801 CPU
- 3GB of RAM
- 5.5-inch full HD display
- 16GB/64GB on board storage
- 13MP rear camera, 5MP front
- 3100mAh battery
- LTE
Source: OnePlus
The post OnePlus One officially unveiled as “2014 Flagship Killer” appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Hacker attacks on websites shot up 75 percent last quarter
Akami Technologies’ State of the Internet report for Q4 2013 has just arrived, and one stat stands out like a bad rash: DDoS (denial of service) attacks were up 75 percent over last quarter, and 23 percent from the year before. Most of the targets were enterprises, and Akami said that the likelihood of a repeat hack is one in three — a 35 percent bump over last year. Such numbers have no doubt fueled demand for services like Google’s Project Shield, which shelter businesses behind massive cloud servers that can easily absorb an onslaught. As for the countries of origin? The dubious winner of that prize (by far) was China with 43 percent of all attacks, followed by the US and Canada. The latter nation saw a not-very-polite 2500 percent bump in DDoS attacks over last year — hopefully not a trend.
Luckily, there were some positive internet stats to balance things out. Global internet penetration was up 3 percent over Q3, with overall speeds 5.5 percent higher. That equates to a worldwide average of 3.8Mbps, even though half the nations in the top ten saw small declines over last quarter. However, modest jumps in the US and Ireland meant that for the first time, the top ten fastest nations all had 10Mbps or higher internet speeds. The best of the best was unsurprisingly Korea, which clipped along at an average of 22.7Mbps.
Filed under: Internet
DoubleTwist’s latest Android tweak brings Google Play Music to Apple TV
Google’s mobile-streaming tech has a lot going for it, but listening to music stored in Mountain View’s cloud is still limited to a handful of home devices. AirPlay-compatible gadgets, however, are a probably a bit more common than the Nexus Q, Chromecast and Sonos systems are, and developer doubleTwist’s latest project acts as a bridge between the two ecosystems. The outfit recently released “AirPlay for Android,” which is exactly what it sounds like: the tweak open’s the search giant’s media-streaming to AirPlay devices. The rub is that your device running Google’s mobile OS has to be rooted for the hack to work. First, grab and install the aforementioned APK from the dev’s blog, launch Google Play Music (GPM) and hit the Cast button. From there, you need to grant root access to the app, force-stop it and then relaunch. Viola! AirPlay devices on your wireless network should populate the list of compatible targets.
Because this (like so many of doubleTwist’s other projects) is essentially a hack, the dev warns that you may have to force-close GPM now and again to sidestep Google’s restrictive whitelist for approved devices. DoubleTwist doesn’t say if AirPlay for Android will work for apps other than GPM, but given how Casting functions, we wouldn’t rule the possibility out.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless, Mobile, Google
Source: doubleTwist
Kittyo looks after your cats so you don’t have to
What does the internet love more than cats? App-connected devices that let you feed and entertain the furry monsters when you’re out and about. Kittyo is a coffee maker-shaped device designed to do just that, packing a webcam, laser and a treat dispenser. That way, you can check your moggies are safe, keep ‘em entertained and drop pellets of kibble, even if you’re at the office or on holiday. The product launched on Kickstarter, naturally, where it’s already smashed its $30,000 target four times over. However, there’s still time to make a pledge and get the Kittyo for $120, versus the $180 you might expect to pay if you waited until the product goes on sale in November.
Filed under: Misc
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Kickstarter
Sprint to Make All Devices Launched After February 11, 2015 Unlockable
In an updated unlocking FAQ found on its website (via Android Police), Sprint has stated that it will make all of its devices released after February 11, 2015 unlockable for use on other domestic networks such as AT&T or T-Mobile.
The move is a part of the agreement that the five major U.S. wireless carriers and the Federal Communications Commission signed in December in order to allow customers to unlock their devices and switch carriers if they wish.
I’ve been told by another carrier that Sprint needs to unlock my SIM slot in order to use my phone on the other carrier’s network.
For eligible devices, Sprint will unlock the SIM slot, to the extent that a device SIM slot is capable of being unlocked. It is important to note that not all devices are capable of being unlocked, often because of the manufacturers’ device designs, and that even for those devices capable of being unlocked, not all device functionality may be capable of being unlocked. Specifically, devices manufactured with a SIM slot within the past three years (including, but not limited to, all Apple iPhone devices), cannot be unlocked to accept a different domestic carrier’s SIM for use on another domestic carrier’s network. Sprint has no technological process available to do this. In accordance with Sprint’s voluntary commitment contained within CTIA’s Consumer Code for Wireless Service (“Unlocking Commitment”), Sprint is working to ensure that all devices developed and launched on or after February 11, 2015 are capable of being unlocked domestically.
Last year, the Library of Congress ruled that it was illegal for certain mobile phone owners to unlock their phone unless given permission by their wireless carrier. However, the Obama administration filed a petition with the FCC last September asking that carriers be required to unlock mobile devices, which was then followed by the agreement [PDF] between the FCC and the five major U.S. carriers.
Sprint’s move to implement domestic unlocking in all of its future devices will likely be followed by similar moves from other U.S. carriers, as all wireless providers pledged last December to implement the changes within 12 months.
Viber’s first major redesign makes it look right at home on the iPhone
Internet calling and messaging service Viber does a solid job of constantly bringing new features to its apps, regardless of the platform. Now, some seven months after iOS 7 was released, Viber is finally changing the looks of its iPhone app to match that flat, minimalist appearance of Apple’s OS. Aside from overhauling the UI, the Viber application now also lets you create a list of numbers you’d like to block and send longer video messages to people. The company’s CEO, Talmon Marco, tells us this update isn’t just about iOS 7, however. “This is the first time we are introducing a new look and feel for Viber. Our goal was to create a simple and friendly interface but at the same time establish a solid foundation for future updates,” Marco stated. In other words, don’t be surprised when you see some of these design cues make their way to other Viber apps, like those on Windows Phone 8 and Android.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile, Apple
Source: App Store
Sky launches its movie download store that also pops a DVD in the post
Sky’s explored almost every way of serving up TV and film possible, but today it becomes a true movie retailer for the first time. The new “Buy & Keep” store Sky announced at the beginning of the month is now live, so anyone with a Sky+HD box can buy and download movies to own forever. They won’t just sit on your set-top box’s HDD though, as within a working week, you’ll also receive a physical DVD copy through the post. Slightly unorthodox, yes, but it’s likely why Sky can offer digital copies of films on the same day as the DVD release. Titles range from £8 to £14, with a couple of hundred from studios 20th Century Fox and NBCUniversal populating the store today. New movies will be added each week and TV box sets, too, albeit later. The next step for Sky is to liberate the films from your living room by adding support for tablets and mobiles, as well as adding other way to access Buy & Keep through Rokus, YouView boxes and its own Now TV puck.
Filed under: Home Entertainment
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