After drones, Google and Facebook eye satellites to expand internet access
Google and Facebook already compete on PCs, mobile devices and recently their rivalry has moved to the skies, but a new report from The Information suggests it could move even further from land. Over the last year or so, both looked at drone maker Titan Aerospace before Google acquired it, adding to a portfolio that includes its Project Loon experiments. Not to be outdone, Facebook is said to have acquired a drone maker from the UK called Ascenta. The only thing left? Space. The Information follows up on claims that Google is looking at a satellite company called Skybox Imaging by noting recent hires and investments in companies that deal with satellite-delivered internet. Craig Barratt is named as leading several teams at Google developing wireless internet technology to connect the rest of the world (white spaces, municipal WiFi, community routers for businesses etc.) while Google X teams work on the drones and balloons. Facebook’s interests in (the) space are not as well-documented, but we can only guess that the race will reach low-orbit soon, and collect a few more startups and giants as competitors. Maybe DirecTV made its deal with AT&T too soon?
Filed under: Wireless, Google, Facebook
Source: The Information
Qualcomm looking to make duo-cameras a standard
With the HTC One M8 introducing the idea of having two cameras on the back of the device for quicker focus and cool lens-blur features, Qualcomm is going to make it easier for other phone makers to do the same with its upcoming Snapdragon 805 chip. It took some serious software optimization on HTC’s part to get the duo-camera feature to work, and is probably a bit taxing on the snapdragon 801 chip inside of it.
Qualcomm will be integrating easy support for duo-cameras, which will allow stereo and depth camera processing without the manufacturer doing all the heavy lifting. The new chip will also support taking up to 16MP burst photos at 15 FPS while shooting 4K video, which is something current smartphones cannot do.
It’s pretty cool to see Qualcomm not only making some of the best chips in the world for phone makers, but integrating impressive features into them to benefit phones as well. I personally would like to see some more slow-motion features added to phones, such as the support of 1080p video at 120fps, which currently we can only record at 720p.
The post Qualcomm looking to make duo-cameras a standard appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Nova Launcher 3.0 Beta 1 is now available, a bunch of new features added
I believe most of you have at least heard of Nova Launcher, one of the best and most popular Android launchers out there. It is hard not to notice such a powerful, customizable and yet optimized and smooth launcher.
Nova Launcher 3.0 Beta 1 is out now and those of you who are willing to be a beta testers can get it on your device(s). The update is apparently large, the largest we’ve seen in a while. Here’s a full changelog:
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Subgrid positioning, snap widgets/icons to half cells. Greater control of placement/size without shrinking/cropping app icons
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Support Today Calendar’s dynamic icon, also supported by icon themes from Kovdev including Domo, Lumos and Tersus and PHLASH’s new KEX theme.
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Custom label colors (desktop, dock, drawer)
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Individual drawer tab colors (tap on the tab and select Edit)
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New tab style Colorblock
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Vertical drawer scrolls under transparent navbar
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Backup/Restore using Kitkat’s Document Provider (supports ext-sdcard, Drive, Box, etc)
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Full 4×1 widget support in dock
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Individually toggle widget padding (long-press on widget and select Padding)
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Nova Action for First Item In Folder (Use with swipe/tap action of folders)
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Honeycomb style persistent searchbar available on phones
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Slight visual refresh (settings screen, menu icon, color picker)
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Fix Samsung KitKat bluetooth settings shortcut
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Fix home button action on Verizon Motorola
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Restore “Force” wallpaper scrolling for HTC KitKat
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“Show Shadows” on HTC One M8 perfectly blends from semi-transparent system bars
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Tab configuration is a bit stricter. Now one and only one All Apps tab is required, and zero or one Widgets tab can be used. These tabs can be renamed and recolored.
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All Apps tab dropdown menu no longer includes filters for New/Downloaded
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The dropdown menu indicator has been removed from the tabs, though the menu still exists (with some modification)
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Persistent Search Bar is either enabled or disabled, the landscape only option has been removed
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Persistent Search Bar style is consistent between landscape and portrait
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Icons are now centered vertically in their cells, rather than being top aligned
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Phone landscape mode fills available space horizontally, rather than reserving space for the search bar/dock even if those elements were hidden.
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Honeycomb style search bar no longer includes the menu button (which was not authentic to honeycomb anyway)
As you can see it’s a hefty changelog. It’s 3-step process if you want to become a beta tester:
- Visit this link on Google+ and become a member of Nova Launcher Beta community
- Then go here and choose to be a Google Play app beta tester
- After that just download Nova Launcher from Google Play and you’ll be ready to go.
If you feel that’s too much work, you can always sideload it by downloading it directly from TeslaCoil.
SOURCE: Phandroid
The post Nova Launcher 3.0 Beta 1 is now available, a bunch of new features added appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung released 3 new Galaxy S5 ads and they’re kind of neat
Samsung did a really good job in the ads department this time. Under the hashtag #Expect more they introduced 3 new ads and as we said, they’re not half bad.
All 3 of them last around 30 seconds touting different features of the Galaxy S5. The first one is featuring a girl advertising a private mode feature, the one after that a guy touting Galaxy S5′s water resistance and the last one is advertising S5′s Ultra Power Saving Mode feature in a rather funny way.
We don’t want to spoil the ads too much. Make sure to see them for yourself and tell us what you think.
SOURCE: Samsung (YouTube)
The post Samsung released 3 new Galaxy S5 ads and they’re kind of neat appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Apple to Offer iPad Air and Retina iPad Mini on Japanese Carrier NTT DOCOMO Starting June 10 [iOS Blog]
Apple announced today that it will begin offering the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini on Japanese carrier NTT DOCOMO starting Tuesday, June 10. Both tablets will be compatible with the company’s nationwide Xi LTE service, as users will be able to pre-register for both devices beginning June 2nd at local DOCOMO stores and the carrier’s website.
“With the addition of iPad alongside iPhone, we now offer the complete lineup of Japan’s most popular mobile devices on the nation’s most reliable LTE network,” said Kaoru Kato, President and CEO of NTT DOCOMO, INC. “We know our customers will enjoy using iPad Air and iPad mini, and anticipate that new customers will look to experience these amazing devices on our high-quality network with our new billing plan.”
“We are extremely happy for iPad to join iPhone on NTT DOCOMO’s network,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The results on iPhone have been tremendous, and we look forward to delivering iPad to NTT DOCOMO customers.”
The iPad Air and Retina iPad mini were originally launched in Japan and a number of other countries last fall. The move also follows the launch of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on the carrier last September, marking the first time that Apple’s phones were offered on DOCOMO. Since then, Apple has seen its share of the Japanese mobile phone market rise above 36%, with the iPhone accounting for more than 40% of phone sales on the carrier.
The FTC wants to help you control how you’re tracked online
Brokers are collecting and selling information about where you go and what you do online, and you might not even realize it’s happening. According to an FTC report Tuesday, data brokers are compiling profiles on Americans, and then peddling that info to marketers and even politicians who want to target them. That’s not anything new, however, the FTC is now recommending that Congress take a look at the industry and consider regulating data broker’s collection practices.
Brokers are able to create profiles on you based on a ton of small things you might publicly share such as your activity on social media sites, warranty registrations and magazine subscriptions. While those things might seem tiny on their own, when you combine them together with other public information they can help create a pretty powerful picture of who you are and what you’re into. Having your data collected could potentially have some benefits, for instance, advertisers could use the information to give a bike enthusiast a discount on a new motorcycle. But, the FTC notes that a life insurance company might see the same information and charge someone a higher premium for “risky behavior.” Since the practice isn’t regulated, you’d be just as likely to be the target of both scenarios.
The commission is suggesting that Congress put the power of what’s shared in your hands. It wants to require that companies notify you when they plan to pass around your information, and give you an opportunity to opt out. It also wants there to be a centralized portal where brokers have to identify themselves and their data collection practices, including where they’re getting their information. It also wants consumers to have access to that data, so they can correct any misinformation. All that sounds like a good idea to us. Whether Congress, who uses that same information when it comes election time, takes the commission’s advice, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Filed under: Internet
Via: Re/code
Amazon admits it’s limiting Hachette book sales to get better deals
Tried to pre-order JK Rowling’s forthcoming The Silkworm on Amazon, only to find that no such option exists? The title is one of several victims of the company’s very public spat with publishers Hachette, which Amazon is holding to ransom for cheaper pricing on e-books. Until now, however, the company remained tight-lipped on the tactic, but in a blog post, admitted that it was playing hardball with its rival. What that means for customers is that the retailer is only buying bare-minimum quantities of existing stock and will only offer new books for sale after their publication. In its mind, Amazon is fighting for better (i.e. cheaper) pricing for its customers, but we imagine that someone’s forgotten about the poor authors who will likely see another drop in their already meager incomes.
Filed under: Amazon
Via: Bloomberg
Source: Amazon
MIT’s CityHome turns tight spaces into futuristic abodes
Pulp sci-fi novels have painted a picture of a bleak future, with dense, dystopian urban sprawl forcing us into ever-shrinking living spaces. Such ignominious abodes would probably benefit from something MIT Media Lab’s Changing Places team has been working on. It’s called CityHome, and it’s a concept that could turn even the most modest studio apartment into a space befitting the stylish futurist lurking in us all.
At its most basic, CityHome compresses the essentials of multiple rooms down into a single box — a hefty box that’s about the size of a closet, but a box nonetheless. Thanks to a slew of built-in sensors, the CityHome unit can contort itself into different forms with just a few hand gestures as guidance. In dire need of some human companionship? Motors will slowly squeeze out a dining room table that’ll seat six in relative comfort. Time for a nap? A bed’ll slide in and out of the box’s side as needed. The entire unit itself can be moved with ease too (check out the video above to see it in action) to make your smallish space feel more expansive than it really is. And the icing on the cake? MIT researcher Kent Larson envisions a slew of apps that let you further exercise control over your realm, including a way to alter your lighting with few brisk waves of a hand.
For now, the CityHome project will remain just that, a proof-of-concept put together just to see how it would all work. Larson has much grander ambitions for it, though: he told Fast Company that the team wants to turn CityHome into an actual, honest-to-goodness product. Hey VCs, forget that flash-in-the-pan social app, how about funding this thing instead?
Via: Fast Company
Source: MIT
Apple Denies iCloud Hack as Cause of Locked iOS Device Ransom Demands [iOS Blog]
Earlier this week, a number of iOS and Mac users reported iPhones, iPads, and Macs being remotely locked by hackers who then demanded a ransom for their recovery.
The attacks primarily affected those located in Australia. While there have been many theories about common points of attack, no one theme has emerged. Some users also deny that passwords were shared with other services.
ZDNet reports that Apple has issued an official statement denying that iCloud itself was hacked.
Apple takes security very seriously and iCloud was not compromised during this incident. Impacted users should change their Apple ID password as soon as possible and avoid using the same user name and password for multiple services. Any users who need additional help can contact AppleCare or visit their local Apple Retail Store.
A growing discussion thread on Apple’s support forums is following the issue.
LG G3 Becomes Official! Let’s Talk Specs and Features! – ManDroid Quickie
The LG G3 is finally here and it is one sexy piece of device. No doubt you guys have already skimmed through the specs and features, and probably have surfed YouTube for hands-on videos, but now you get to hear what Mr. ManDroid has to say about the new flagship. I’m kind of in love.
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 801 (up to 2.5GHz Quad-Core)
- Display: 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS (2560 x 1440, 538ppi)
- Memory: 16/32GB eMMC ROM / 2/3GB DDR3 RAM / microSD slot (128GB max)
- Camera: Rear 13.0MP with OIS+ and Laser Auto Focus / Front 2.1MP
- Battery: 3,000mAh (removable)
- Operating System: Android 4.4.2 KitKat
- Size: 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm
- Weight: 149g
- Network: 4G / LTE / HSPA+ 21 Mbps (3G)
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth Smart Ready (Apt-X), NFC, SlimPort, A-GPS/Glonass, USB 2.0
- Color: Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold, Moon Violet, Burgundy Red
- Other: Smart Keyboard, Smart Notice, Knock CodeTM , Guest Mode, etc.
LG has also added some nifty features that I talk about in the video below. I also attached the official press release for the LG G3, so check that out, as well as the video and all the new photos of the gorgoues device, and let us know your thoughts about the LG G3. Is it a phone you plan on getting? I think a Google Play Edition would be nice to see in the near future.
NEW YORK AND SAN FRANCISCO, May 27, 2014 — LG Electronics (LG) today introduced to the world its eagerly anticipated LG G3 smartphone, the successor to the company’s popular LG G2. With launch events taking place in six cities worldwide — London, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore and Istanbul — the LG G3 aims to redefine the definition of a global smartphone for global customers.
The all-new LG G3 will arrive on U.S. soil later this summer with T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile specialty stores.
Developed under the Simple is the New Smart concept, LG G3 is a culmination of consumer research based on LG’s product development philosophy, Learning from You. The LG G3 was empowered with the best of what current technology has to offer, providing consumers with a user experience more ambitious than anything offered before by LG.
“The smartest innovation in a fast evolving smartphone market is creating harmony between advanced technology and a simplified user experience,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of the LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G3 is the result of our effort to actualize that idea into a tangible product. And we are extremely pleased with the result.”
Highlights of the new LG G3 include:
- 5.5-inch Quad HD display with 538ppi with four times the resolution of HD and almost two times higher resolution than a Full HD display
- 13MP OIS+ (Optical Image Stabilizer Plus) camera with a revolutionary Laser Auto Focus that can shoot stunningly sharp images in a fraction of the time required by conventional phone cameras
- Polished metallic skin on the rear cover that is lightweight, fingerprint-resistant and most of all, aesthetically pleasing
- Floating Arc form factor that feels incredibly comfortable in one hand and incorporates the innovative design heritage of the Rear Key
- Redesigned graphic user interface (GUI) consistent with the Simple is the New Smart concept of the LG G3
True-to-Life Viewing Experience
LG’s development of the LG G3’s breathtaking Quad HD display was the result of years of innovation in display technology. With a pixel density of 538ppi, the LG G3’s Quad HD display sets new viewing standard producing images that are sharper and clearer than traditional smartphone displays. At 5.5-inches, the LG G3 boasts a screen ratio of 76.4 percent with thin bezels all around so the phone feels as comfortable in the hand as a smaller traditional smartphone.The high-resolution display on the LG G3 also required LG engineers to pair it with battery technology that was just as innovative. LG equipped the LG G3 with a 3,000mAh removable battery and advanced optimization technologies to further maximize battery efficiency. By replacing the metal in the battery cathode with graphite, LG engineers were able to extend the lifespan of the LG G3’s battery. The result is a battery that can keep up with the Quad HD display’s ultra-high performance without losing steam in the middle of the day.
Simply Captivating
The LG G3’s advanced 13MP OIS+ camera is designed to quickly and easily capture life’s special moments as they occur. This is made possible with LG G3’s innovative Laser Auto Focus. This technology enables the LG G3 to capture the best moment — even in low light — by measuring the distance between the subject and the camera using a laser beam. So fuzzy pictures of your son scoring his first football goal or missed shots because your camera couldn’t decide quickly enough which toddler in the playground to focus on is virtually a thing of the past. Combined with the proven and popular OIS+ technology first seen in the G Pro 2, the LG G3 is sure to impress even the most discerning shutterbugs.LG also simplified the process of actually capturing those special moments. Rather than having to focus on the subject in preview mode and then pressing the shutter button, with the LG G3, tapping the subject to focus will simultaneously also trigger the shutter. What’s more, the LG G3’s 2.1MP front camera incorporates several new enhancements such as a larger image sensor and larger aperture for more light throughput and better-looking selfies. A unique twist has been added to the standard timed selfie mode by incorporating gesture controls — when ready to shoot, simply clench your hand into a fist and the LG G3 will recognize the gesture and begin the automatic three-second countdown. It couldn’t get any simpler than that.
For video, the LG G3 offers superior sound quality with instinctive microphones that measure the environment to identify the optimal audio level for the clearest recording. And with the built-in 1W speaker with Boost AMP, users can enjoy videos and music accompanied by richer sounds and clearer tones.
Balanced and Simplified Design Language
The Floating Arc design of the LG G3 with its ergonomic arch and slim side profile provides an extremely comfortable grip for everyday one-handed use. The Rear Key continues to anchor LG’s innovative design language, with newly designed power key and volume buttons as well as more premium quality materials and finish. LG also refined sophisticated technical features and advancements located on the rear by arranging them in a clean and singular layout consistent with the LG G3’s well-balanced design language. The stylish metallic skin with matte finish that keeps the LG G3 looking clean and fingerprint-resistant will be offered in five vibrant colors: Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold, Moon Violet and Burgundy Red.To complement the new external design, LG adopted a minimalistic user interface design with flat graphics. The circular motif of the graphic assets in the new UI was derived from the shape and concept of LG’s logo, reflecting its unique visual style and identity.
Simplified UX to Reflect Simple Pleasures
In addition to the advanced core technologies, LG took its Learning from You approach to a higher level with new UX features to offer LG G3 users a unique experience unlike any previous LG smartphone. Highlights include:
- Smart Keyboard: Adaptive technology learns as you type for faster input with fewer mistakes. Smart Keyboard reduces input errors by tracking and analyzing typing habits and intuitively “knowing” what word the user intended to type. The height of the keyboard can also be adjusted to better fit the user’s hands and position of the thumbs. Individual keys can also be customized with frequently used symbols for even faster input.
- Smart Notice: Like a personal assistant, Smart Notice provides suggestions and recommendations based on user behavior, phone usage patterns and location to offer user information when it’s needed the most. Smart Notice can remind you of a call you declined earlier and ask if you would like to call that person back. If you have a large number of unused files or apps on the LG G3 taking up valuable space, Smart Notice will ask if you would like to delete or uninstall them. But what sets Smart Notice apart from other personal assistants is its natural language capabilities. For example, instead of just displaying today’s temperature and weather forecast, Smart Notice will make a recommendation such as, “You may want to take an umbrella today since it will rain this evening.”
- Smart Security: Understanding the importance of maintaining and securing confidential data when smartphones are shared, misplaced, lost or stolen, the LG G3 offers a number of enhanced security features such as:
- Knock Code™ enables users to unlock their device with a pattern of taps. Merging security and convenience, users can create a personalized code that can be entered anywhere on the screen. With the LG G3, users have the option of being able to use KnockON to wake the screen to check the time or enter the home screen directly via Knock Code™.
- Content Lock keeps personal files safe and hidden from view when sharing the LG G3 with friends. When the G3 is connected to a PC, Content Lock prevents file previews so the data is still safe. The locked files can reside either on the LG G3’s internal memory or on the microSD card.
- Kill Switch gives LG G3 owners the ability to disable their phones remotely in the event of theft. The Kill Switch also allows content on the LG G3 to be wiped so personal information won’t be compromised. Kill Switch also includes antivirus scanning and remote wipe and lock, among other essential features.
LG will also be offering a collection of new premium accessories to accompany the LG G3:
- QuickCircle™ Case: Available in five colors, QuickCircleTM Case allows easy access to frequently used functions such as calling, text messaging, music and camera all from the QuickCircle window without opening the cover. In addition to the QuickCircleTM Case, LG will offer a lineup of Slim Guard Cases and premium Slim Hard Cases to protect the LG G3 in style.
- LG Tone Infinim™ (HBS-900): Developed in collaboration with Harman/Kardon, the Bluetooth stereo headset delivers premium audio quality sound in a stylish design. Built with retractable wire management technology and jog buttons for easy search, Tone Infinim also features Name AlertTM to verbally notify you who is calling before you answer.
- Wireless Charger: Compact and foldable, LG’s Wireless Charger is optimized for easy portability. Compatible with Qi’s wireless power charging technology, the Wireless Charger from LG makes staying powered up as convenient as possible.
The LG G3 will begin rolling out worldwide (starting on May 28 in South Korea) on over 170 carriers. Additional details will be announced locally at the time of availability.
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