Amazon touts nearly 250,000 apps and games ahead of presumed smartphone launch
In what can only be a matter of sheer coincidence (hardly), Amazon is touting some incredible figures surrounding its Appstore. Nearly tripling in the last year alone, the selection now figures to more than 240,000 apps and games. What’s more, it’s widely available (nearly 200 countries) and continues to build steam. Developers seem to be more than pleased with the services and tools available and features like Amazon Coins only add to a high rate of user satisfaction.
Sounds like a lot of great stuff to entice new developers for that upcoming smartphone, eh?
Statistics shared by Amazon today:
- 65% of developers said that Total Revenue on Kindle Fire is the same or better than developers’ experience with other platforms.
- 74% of the same developers said that Average Revenue per App/User is the same or better on Kindle Fire than other platforms.
- 76% of developers indicated that the Kindle Fire platform helps them connect with new market segments—an important indicator that the Kindle Fire platform can be a significant source of net-new business and “reach” for developers at a time when new market segments may be difficult to find on competing platforms, the study noted.
We would expect Amazon to thump their chest a bit in the run-up to announcing their first smartphone. With all eyes on their new device later this week, the door is wide open for added revenue opportunities for developers.
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Moto X+1 details and potential launch date surface
Motorola is getting ready for their next big device, which will be known as the Moto X+1. We now have more information and leak shots of the smartphone, courtesy of TK Tech News. According to the source close to Motorola, it will feature a 1080p display (we heard about a 5.2 inch one), 2GB of RAM, 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage, a better camera and a microSD card support.
When you think about Moto X, a phone with mid-range specs comes to your mind, but it seems Moto X+1 will change that perspective and the smartphone will be good enough to go head to head with big boys like HTC One and Samsung S5.
They further said that Motorola will release it in August or September.
Are you looking forward to Moto X+1 as well? Do you think it can revive Motorola’s legacy? Let us know in the comment box below.
Source: TK Tech News
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‘Breaking Bad’ hits Netflix in 4K today
Are you jonesin’ for a fix of some new content to play on that fancy-dancy 4K Ultra HDTV in the living room? Netflix has some blue sugar for you, right on schedule. Breaking Bad hits the streaming service today in ultra high-def, and, with it, you’ll likely be able to count every hair in The One Who Knocks’ beard without a problem. According to Netflix’s Joris Evers, the new 4K feed is available “wherever” the service is, but that doesn’t account for whether or not your screen will actually support it.
Breaking Bad now streaming in Ultra HD 4K everywhere @netflix is available!
– Joris Evers (@jorisevers) June 16, 2014
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Joris Evers (Twitter)
Obama administration making the case for immigration reform with Nobel-winning STEM leaders
Nobel-winning biochemist Thomas Südhof isn’t necessarily a household name, but he is an incredibly accomplished gentleman with a delightful German accent. Südhof took up citizenship in the United States, he says in a video released by the White House, because he was “looking for opportunities to contribute” (seen below). As such, he’s banded together with a crew of other Nobel Prize winners from STEM fields — Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics — to support immigration reform.
So, why are these Nobel Laureates working with the White House on immigration reform? Biologist Randy Schekman sums it up nicely at the top of the video: “close to one-third” of the membership of the National Academy of Sciences is made up of folks who came to the United States from abroad. In so many words, many of the US’ top STEM leaders weren’t born in the US, but later came to embrace US citizenship. These Nobel Prize winners — and the White House — believe the immigration reform bill that’s waiting for the House of Representatives to vote on will entice even more STEM leaders to move to the US.
The video is part of a bigger initiative the White House is pushing to pressure the United States House of Representatives into passing the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act” (PDF). Having successfully passed the US Senate last summer, the bipartisan bill is sitting in limbo while the House decides whether or not to hear it. Should the House not take up the bill for voting soon, it’ll likely be some time before any action is taken; with midterm elections this fall, hope for a vote will disappear sooner than later.
Beyond the video, the White House is publishing several blog posts that aim to, “highlight the importance and history of high-skilled immigrants to keeping our nation’s economy on the forefront of innovation,” a White House spokesperson said. We’re told that folks from the world of tech may even be involved — not exactly a first for Silicon Valley’s big names.
Regardless, consider today the kickoff for the White House’s tech and science arm getting involved in the immigration reform debate. And expect an even bigger push at this Wednesday’s first-ever White House Maker Faire; a video detailing said “faire” is just below.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin]
Filed under: Science
An adorable, Wellies-wearing robot will bum rides across Canada this summer
Humans have long wondered whether robots can be trusted, but what about the flip side of that question? Hitchbot, a project developed by researchers from McMaster and Ryerson universities, will examine how strangers interact with a bucket-shaped robot as it bums rides across Canada. With a pair of Wellington boots on its feet and pool noodles for arms, Hitchbot will be hitting the road in Halifax on July 27th.
If someone gives Hitchbot a lift, it will be able to communicate that it’s heading to Victoria, British Columbia, thanks to speech recognition and chatbot capabilities. It might even ask to be plugged into a car’s cigarette lighter for charging, or pass the time by sharing some of the knowledge it’s gleaned from Wikipedia. The robot will be active on social media throughout the journey too, with Facebook and Instagram accounts already up and running.
Spec-wise, the researchers kept their bot pretty simple, with audio, video, GPS and 3G. The bot’s torso and hat will also be wrapped in solar panels for charging. What the machine can’t do is move on its own — it will rely on helpful strangers for that. And while the little guy seems pretty darn amusing, there’s nothing preventing anyone from dismantling or otherwise harming Hitchbot. As stated in the bot’s first journal entry: “My journey’s success is reliant on those kind-hearted souls that I’ll hopefully meet along the way.” Steering clear of moose would be good, too.
Filed under: Robots
Via: CNet
Source: Hitchbot
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