KitKat rolling out for International Galaxy S4 Active
The international version of Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is finally getting Android 4.4 KitKat. Software version I9295XXUCNE5 is currently out in the Netherlands and a few other countries, according to recent reports.
This rollout will be gradual so it may take some time to reach certain countries in Europe. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active was announced over a year ago so it’s nice to see it get some KitKat love. KitKat, as many of you know, brings a lot of goodies with it, like improved speed and battery life, white status bar icons, wireless printing and lots of software features that Samsung baked in that have been improved.
SOURCE: GSMArena
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Foxconn Starting 4.7″ iPhone 6 Production in July, Pricier 5.5″ Model to Follow in August
According to a new report from Digitimes, Foxconn will again be the primary manufacturer for the iPhone 6, supplying 70 percent of the expected shipments of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 model in 2015. Shipments could begin as soon as July for the 4.7-inch model, with the 5.5-inch following shortly afterwards.
The 4- and 4.7-inch iPhones will be the main sales force of Apple for 2014. Foxconn’s plants in Zhengzhou, China are expected to start supplying the 4.7-inch model in July and start manufacturing the 5.5-inch one in August.
Besides Foxconn, Apple also may be turning to Pegatron and Wistron to supply iPhone handsets for its next product cycle. Pegatron is believed to be a secondary supplier for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, while Wistron may step in to supply Apple with the existing 4-inch iPhone model. Wistron is a new production partner that Apple added last year to help produce the iPhone 5c.
Rumors on the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 model have suggested that it may arrive as a premium model in lower quantities with perhaps exclusive features such as a sapphire crystal display. A new report from Nomura Securities shared by G 4 Games suggests that the larger model is likely to carry a $100 price premium over the 4.7-inch model. Apple had previously been reported to be negotiating with carriers for a $100 price increase on the iPhone 6, but it would make more sense for that increase to arrive in the form of a higher-end model such as the rumored 5.5-inch iPhone.
Digitimes has a fairly spotty track record with regard to Apple rumors, but it does occasionally offer accurate insight when sourcing information from within Apple’s supply chain. Digitimes‘ latest report is one of several recent communications that unsurprisingly suggest mass production of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will begin this summer in advance of a fall launch. Apple is expected to follow the 4.7-inch model with a larger 5.5-inch version that will debut in late 2014 or early 2015. Both models may ship with Apple’s A8 processor, an improved camera, and iOS 8.
Australian Apple users held to ransom by Find My iPhone hacker
Some Australian Apple device owners today woke up not to the sound of their alarm, but the jingle of a “ransom” notification instead. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a hacker (or a group of hackers) going by the name “Oleg Pliss” systematically froze iPhone, iPad and Mac users out of their own devices, holding them hostage until payments of between $50 and $100 were received. Threads on Apple’s official support forums detail how the attacker (or attackers) used Apple’s own Find My iPhone feature to remotely lock devices and send messages requiring payment via PayPal. Fortunately, those who had set passcodes were able to regain access, because you can’t add or change a lock on a device that already has one in place, but those without the security measure weren’t so lucky.
Overcoming a lock once it is in place isn’t an easy process, meaning Apple has had to work directly with those affected to fix the issue. While the attack has been limited to Australia for the most part, Apple device owners in New Zealand and the UK have also reported similar issues. It’s believed that the device locks could be down to users recycling the same passwords captured in other internet breaches, although the real cause is not yet known. If you’re worried you could be affected, it’s considered good security practice to use a unique password, enable two-factor authentication and set passcodes on all of your devices.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Software, Apple
Via: 9to5mac
Engadget giveaway: win a charged-up camping combo courtesy of ThinkGeek!
Keeping gadgets juiced up while enjoying the great outdoors can be tough, but the technology is out there, so it’s no reason to stay at home. The folks at ThinkGeek always have a slew of gadget solutions on hand and this week they’ve provided a powered-up combo for two lucky Engadget readers to enjoy. There’s the Power Pot thermoelectric generator for keeping USB devices charged while stewing up some vittles and the Pocket Socket hand-cranked version to provide juice in standard outlet format. To help you lug all of this tech out into the wild, there’s also the Plan B Evac sling pack. You could even drag the old man along to celebrate Father’s Day and load him up with dad-style swag from ThinkGeek’s specifically tailored gift center. Camping and cooking go hand-in-hand after all, and you’ll want someone with experience manning the grill. To get your shot at winning this charged-up combo, all you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below. There might be an adventure on the horizon and this time you could glamp it up without worrying about dead devices.
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. Two winners will each receive one (1) Power Pot, one (1) Pocket Socket Generator and one (1) Plan B Evac sling.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email or Facebook login. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. ThinkGeek and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until May 28th at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Alt
Build your own robotic bartender with Arduino and a 3D printer
You can certainly buy a ready-made drink mixing robot if you’re flush with cash, but wouldn’t you rather spend that money on the drinks themselves? Yu Jiang Tham thinks so — he recently designed Bar Mixvah, a robotic bartender you can build yourself with $180 in parts. The key ingredient is an Arduino Nano microcontroller that takes your requests through a web-based interface. After that, it’s mostly a matter of 3D printing the frame and wiring up the pumps that will make your beverage a reality.
Bar Mixvah definitely isn’t a simple project; you’ll need to be comfortable with both loading Arduino code and soldering connections. You’ll also need a 3D printer, so the final cost will be much higher if you’re starting completely from scratch. However, it may be worth the time and effort — in the end, you’ll have both perfectly made drinks and the tools to create other things you fancy.
Filed under: Household, Robots
Source: Yu Jiang Tham
Machine ridicules nature by turning fruit juice into fruit
3D printing with meat and sugar is fine, but where’s the food for the more health conscious futurists among us? Cambridge based design studio Dovetailed might have the solution, after developing hardware that can print fruit, or at least, a close approximation. Droplets of fruit juice and alginic acid are dropped into a bath of calcium chloride, which causes them to form a gelatinous ball. By repeating this action several times, molecular gastronomists chefs are able to build them up into structures that kinda look like berries. We’re not sure if we’d be able to switch this out for our regular apple-per-day, but hell, it’s better than a diet entirely comprised of burgers and delicately-crafted candy.
Filed under: Misc
Via: CNET
Source: Dovetailed
Toshiba announces $109 Excite Go for July
Toshiba on Tuesday announced the upcoming availability of its next Android-based tablet, the 7-inch Excite Go. Expected to launch in July, the tablet will carry an affordable $109 price tag. Specifications include Android 4.4 KitKat, a 7-inch 1024×600 display, 8GB internal storage, and a quad-core Intel Atom processor. Other details include a battery with up to 8 hours of general usage, microUSB, microSD expansion card slot (up to 128GB SDXC), and two color options: silver, white.
The post Toshiba announces $109 Excite Go for July appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Multiple sources point to the addition of a 64GB Moto X
Many fans of the Moto X have had a pretty valid complaint for the past few months. For such a great phone, why isn’t a 64GB option offered?! Fans of abundant storage and customizable hardware, listen up!
Mobiltelefon.ru, a Russian phone site, recently discovered traces of a 64GB variant on Motomaker.com. Aside from the obvious “64GB” option plastered all over the page, we can also see a price associated with this phone – $449.99. Considering the phone is getting to be a year old, and that’s the off-contract price, that’s a pretty dang good deal.
What’s more is that there is evidence of a 64GB variant in the source code on the Motomaker storage selection page.
Android Police has also gotten some pretty decent evidence regarding the new storage option, as well. When a new phone is announced, basically all carrier employees get a calendar regarding the need-to-know dates. One of these calendars from Sprint leaked out, showing the approximate launch date. The new storage option should have been available for Sprint on 5/23/14, but that date has already happened. We aren’t counting the phone out completely, though. Sometimes these documents are incorrect… who knows.
We’ve seen more than enough evidence to get ourselves excited for this new storage option. We’ll be sure to let you know if anything else surfaces in the next few weeks. All of this poses one question: Would you still buy a 64GB Moto X this late in the game? We’d love to hear your opinions!
Source: Mobiltelefon.ru, Android Police (1), (2)
The post Multiple sources point to the addition of a 64GB Moto X appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Watch Dogs: The Joystiq Review
The advanced technology in Watch Dogs is not just indistinguishable from magic – it IS magic. The game would have you believe you’re the world’s most powerful hacker, bending surveillance cameras, traffic control and all manner of personal electronics to your one-touch whims. But in this paranoid vision of the future, in which every mundane device is grafted to the same computerized skeleton, the right software might as well be an all-powerful wand.
Wouldn’t you like to be the wizard?
Click here for more
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Sony, Microsoft
Source: Joystiq
Iranian court summons Mark Zuckerberg to answer privacy concerns
We’ve got a feeling that Mark Zuckerberg will, regretfully, be unable to accept this particular foreign invitation — especially after all the recent name-calling that’s been coming out of Iran. Nevertheless, a court in the south of that country has reportedly ordered the Facebook CEO to attend a hearing to answer complaints over privacy, specifically regarding Instagram and WhatsApp. There have been calls for both services to be blocked in Tehran, but they’re still operational for now, perhaps partly due to a degree of protection from more moderate forces within the country. The precise details of the court summons are hard to be sure of, because news of it comes not from the court itself, but from an official within the Basij militia — a voluntary paramilitary force that is regularly called upon to protect Iran’s theocracy from dissent. And frankly, that’s exactly the sort of geo-political context that might further dissuade Zuckerberg’s PA from scheduling an appointment.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Sky News
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