How would you change Sony’s Xperia Z?
Sony’s been trying to reinvent itself, and in doing so, is hoping that we can put these turbulent last few years behind us. Nowhere is this more evident than in the company’s smartphones, like the Xperia Z. The Z was the first “omnibalance” phone, and the first not to be associated with the company’s former partnership with Ericsson. It brought along a 1080p display, water resistance and, surprisingly for a phone significantly more expensive than a Nexus 4, pretty crappy battery life. That fact alone was enough for it to register a measly 80 score from our reviewer, but did you agree with them? This is How Would You Change, where you’re encouraged to leap onto our forums and talk us some smartphone.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony
Source: Engadget Product Forums
Motorola Moto E wallpapers available here Now [Download]
The Motorola Moto E was officially announced last week and continues Motorola‘s current aspirations to offer great value smartphones in the budget device market. As with any new device release, we like to take a look at the wallpapers that are available with the device, so without further ado, here are all eight of the Motorola Moto E wallpapers:
A nice set of wallpapers that should look great on the 4.3-inch 960×540 resolution display. With lower hardware specifications than the Moto G, the Moto E looks like it will still be able to deliver the minimum level of performance with yet another great screen, not unlike the one we saw on the Moto G.
What do you think about the Motorola Moto E wallpapers? And what do you think about the device as a whole? Let us know your opinion in the comments below.
Source: YouTube
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Sailor Moon arrives on Hulu Plus in its full, uncensored glory
Raise your hand if you remember that anime from the ’90s called Sailor Moon — now put that hand down and fire up Hulu if you want to see the show’s female warriors kick ass on screen again. Apparently, the company recently cut a deal to stream a remastered version of all 200 Sailor Moon episodes, full and uncensored. Yes, that means you’ll finally see all the elements that were infamously butchered during the series’ first run on US TV. In addition to all the existing episodes, the deal also includes the Sailor Moon remake that’ll start airing later this year, three feature films and various specials. Hulu might not be the friendliest to VPN-using international customers, but the company’s been creating originals and signing up exclusives to grow its userbase. With a new Sailor Moon show on the horizon, picking the title up is a good way to drum up interest in the service’s anime portal, which already features other popular series like Pokémon.
Never heard of Sailor Moon before? In a nutshell, it’s about a group of schoolgirls with magical powers that fight the forces of evil. That’s oversimplifying it, but you can watch the first four subtitled episodes on Hulu Plus starting on May 19th to get a gist of why it’s well-loved, and not just in Japan. Hulu’s slated to release two more episodes every Monday after that, as well as a dubbed version and even DVD/Blu-ray box sets for rabid Sailor Moon fans in late 2014.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Variety
Facebook Developing New Snapchat Competitor, May Launch This Month [iOS Blog]
Facebook is building a new app that will serve as a direct competitor to Snapchat, according to a report from the Financial Times. The project, which is codenamed “Slingshot”, will enable users to send each other pictures or short video messages through a simplified, grid-based interface similar to the one seen in messaging app TapTalk. Like Snapchat, photos and videos can only be taken in real time, and messages disappear after a specified time limit.
Facebook’s new ephemeral messaging app is said to resemble TapTalk (pictured above)
Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg is said to be personally overseeing the project, with Slingshot’s development coming after Facebook attempted to buy Snapchat for $3 billion last year. The news also follows Facebook’s removal of its long defunct Facebook Poke app from the App Store earlier this month, which was the company’s first answer to Snapchat. Originally launched in December of 2012, Poke allowed users to send ephemeral photos, videos, text messages, and “poke” notifications to their friends.
According to the report, Slingshot could be released as early as this month on mobile platforms. Facebook previously launched its news content and curation app Paper this past February. The app was the first product to come out of Facebook’s Creative Labs initiative.
Variety: Google is near buying game video service Twitch
AT&T may not be the only one landing a big acquisition this weekend. Variety claims that Google’s YouTube division has struck a deal to buy Twitch, the game-focused video streaming service, for more than $1 billion. Neither side is commenting on the rumor, but it’s easy to see why YouTube would splurge — Twitch has more online viewers than some big sports networks, and a takeover would immediately secure a larger presence in the gaming world. Google is reportedly expecting a battle with regulators, which might argue that the deal stifles competition with other internet video providers. If the scoop is accurate, though, the company clearly believes that the expanded audience is worth the hassle.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Internet, Google
Source: Variety
IRL: Roost’s portable, foldable (and kinda pricey) laptop stand
As someone who spends an abnormal amount of time glued to an LED display, I jumped at the chance to back the Roost portable laptop stand on Kickstarter last year. My MacBook Pro found rest on its carbon fiber shoulders only moments after it arrived at my doorstep, and I’ve rarely taken it off.
Hunching and blogging are two things that seem to go hand in hand, especially if you use a laptop (and don’t we all?). Desktop setups are by nature more ergonomic, and that’s what I’ve been able to emulate with the Roost. Only it’s a much more portable solution that’s been a cinch for me to pop up on my desk, at rest areas while traveling, fast food tabletops and anywhere else I’ve needed to make camp. The device collapses down to a 1.5-inch diameter tube of lightweight plastic and carbon fiber support rods, roughly the length of a Pringles container. So it easily fits in most of my shoulder bags alongside my Logitech K750 wireless solar keyboard and M510 mouse.
After only a few months with the new rig, I can say with confidence that my neck, shoulder and wrist areas have changed for the better. By perching my laptop’s display at eye level, I’m required to maintain more neutral postures. My vision isn’t the best in the world, so keeping a healthy distance between the screen and my eyes is important as well. At $80, the Roost is one of the more expensive laptop accessories I’ve whipped out my wallet for. But it’s an understandable investment for those of us who earn our keep chugging away on chiclet keys. Plus, it’s got a techie/neatness factor that makes for a great conversation starter. If reading this piqued your interest, you’ll find a list of compatible laptops right here.
Filed under: Peripherals
AT&T buys DirecTV for $48.5 billion
AT&T clearly isn’t taking Comcast’s recent acquisition efforts lying down; it just announced plans to buy DirecTV in a deal worth about $48.5 billion. The communications giant sees a takeover as an opportunity to expand how it delivers video beyond just the bundles it has today. If officials approve the merger, AT&T could send conventional and internet-based video to virtually any place you happen to be, whether it’s on your phone or in mid-flight. This also represents a content grab — DirecTV has the exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket and other premium programming, so there’s a chance that much of its content could reach U-verse and other AT&T services.
The telecom is making a lot of promises to assuage regulators that will no doubt look at the proposed mega-buyout very closely — AT&T clearly wants to avoid a repeat of its failed attempt to buy T-Mobile in 2011. It hopes to bring high-speed internet access to 15 million additional customers, primarily in rural areas where a mix of fixed wireless and fiber-to-the-home could get people online. It’s also guaranteeing internet-only service plans fast enough for online video for the next three years, and it would honor the FCC’s 2010 net neutrality rules for that same period of time. DirecTV’s stand-alone service packages would be available at consistent prices nationwide during this stretch, too.
Developing…
[Image credit: Associated Press]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD, AT&T
Source: AT&T
FAA seeks to unleash small ‘low-risk’ drones for films and farms by November
Since the FAA has only just begun flying drones at test sites, it’ll take quite some time before it can draw up rules and regulations for commercial use of UAVs. But if you start seeing small flying contraptions frequently, it’s because the agency is considering approving drone use for farming, filmmaking and other industries it deems “low risk” a lot earlier than planned. The overlord of all things that fly even wants to dole out permits quickly and aims to greenlight commercial flights (of machines that pose no security risk and weigh less than 55 pounds) as soon as November. According to Bloomberg, the agency has already started taking requests from various companies, though the FAA’s unmanned aerial vehicle crew are still discussing how they can expedite approval requests. Oh yeah, the FAA might have yet to officially authorize commercial drone flights, but some companies have been flying UAVs illegally for films and other industries for a while. Clearly, there’s a demand for these flying machines, so it’s no surprise that the agency wants to speed things up.
Filed under: Misc
Via: Ars Technica
Source: Bloomberg
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