NVIDIA Shield tablet image leaks
Earlier this month we’ve seen leaked specifications of NVIDIA’s Shield tablet. Those specs were nothing to scoff at, Tegra K1 chip, a 7.9″ 2048×1536 display and 2GB of RAM all sound really good. Now we have another leak for you.
Known leaker @evleaks shared an alleged image of the tablet along with the title: “NVIDIA Shield Tablet, 2014″. This tablet is expected to provide great audio (everyone knows what BoodSound is by now), great build and performance. These are all points in which HTC is good at, great even. There is no more information on the tablet except the rumor which says it will feature a 192-core GPU. All in all this device should be a real gaming beast and other than the specs we expect all kinds of gaming-centered features along with it.
No word on the release date at this point, but we should get more information soon. When that happens you’ll be the first to know.
Source: @evleaks
The post NVIDIA Shield tablet image leaks appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google Maps for mobile now helps bikers avoid steep hills
Summer’s in full swing and the weather’s nice, so how about ditching your gas-guzzlin’ ride for something human-powered? If you do, Google’s latest update to Maps on mobile wants to help make biking a little easier. New features for two-wheeled transportation include routes based on elevation so you can avoid any strenuous climbs and, as Android Police reports, there’s apparently a tool to compare different itineraries based on elevation as well. Should you to stick to a car for getting around (air conditioning is awfully nice), Mountain View didn’t forget about you, either. A handful of voice commands have been added for checking what traffic is like ahead of you, estimated arrival time and next-turn reminders, among others. Unlike the familiar “OK, Google” voice-prompt though, these orders aren’t fully hands-free just yet.
Meaning, we don’t recommend searching for the on-screen microphone button to initiate the app’s listening mode while you’re in traffic — fumbling to activate a route overview isn’t worth causing an accident over. If you want to take the app for a test-drive, however, check out the source link.
[Image credit: johnthescone/Flickr]
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: Google Play
ESPN will broadcast a $10 million gaming tournament this weekend
If someone gaining an athletic visa to play StarCraft 2 or the staggering amount of hours spent watching pro gamers duke it out virtually wasn’t enough to prove that competitive gaming is a real thing, maybe some mainstream support is. This weekend’s massive $10 million-plus Dota 2 tournament, The International, will air live on ESPN 3. What’s more, prior to ESPN 2′s broadcast of the final match late Sunday evening, the network will host a preview show with expert analysis and even an interview with Dota 2-developer Valve’s Gabe Newell. That the Worldwide Leader in Sports is giving the same kind of love to eSports that it does, say, basketball or even skateboarding is surely a sign of big things to come. The fans have been into it for awhile — tickets for the event, held at Seattle’s 17,000-seat Key Arena, sold out in an hour.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Valve
Facebook’s Buy button lets you purchase products directly from Page posts and ads
Facebook doesn’t want you to ever leave Facebook — not to look at photos, read the news or chat with friends — and now you don’t even have to leave to buy a product. The social giant’s new Buy button (and associated e-commerce infrastructure) lets you make a purchase directly on the site. Once you click the button, which is currently being tested with select small business partners in the US, a pop-up will prompt you to confirm payment and shipping info, then complete the purchase, all without leaving Facebook. The tool is only available on select merchants’ pages for the time being, including Modify Watches seen in the example above, though it could roll out to more companies if this trial is deemed a success.
Filed under: Internet, Facebook
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Facebook
Australia drops carbon tax in favor of paying industries to use clean energy
For years, Australia has tried to fight polluters through a carbon tax that charges the most egregious offenders based on their greenhouse gas emissions. Prime Minister Tony Abbott doesn’t believe that this strategy is helping much, however, and has just won a Senate vote that scraps the tax altogether. The nation will instead spend $2.55 billion AUD ($2.4 billion US) on the Emissions Reduction Fund, an attempt to curb pollution by paying industries to both reduce their emissions as well as use clean energy sources like solar and wind farms. In theory, it’s a win-win: the average Australian home saves money ($550 AUD per year, Abbott’s government says), but companies still have an incentive to use eco-friendly technology.
As you might suspect, the move is proving very divisive. Those in favor of dropping the tax note that pollution-prone companies, like aluminum producers, were heavily sheltered from the costs — in some cases, they even made more profit. Even if the emissions fund isn’t an effective replacement, the switch-up would at least eliminate abuses.
Opponents, meanwhile, believe that this is a step backward for clean power. The Climate Institute argues that companies now only face vague emissions limits, and that the replacement fund could be gutted in future budgets; even if the money is safe, there’s no modelling that proves it will help. Firms that are already heavily invested in green tech, and didn’t have to pay the tax, will undoubtedly lose a major financial advantage. The repeal might not put more cash in Australians’ pockets, either — Fairfax Media notes that the figures used to get that $550 figure aren’t entirely realistic, and the true savings may be slight. It’s tough to know what effect the repeal will have in the long run, but there’s a chance that it may hurt alternative energy more than it helps.
[Image credit: David Clarke, Flickr]
Source: BBC
Netflix will be Canada’s only subscription TV service with first-run Disney movies
Canada frequently gets stiffed when it comes to premium streaming video, but it’s about to catch a big break. Just like in the US (after 2016 when the deal kicks in), Netflix has landed a multi-year Canadian deal that will make it the only subscription TV service offering first-run Walt Disney Studios movies in the country. Disney-backed titles released from 2015 onward will hit Netflix Canada eight months after they’ve left theaters, faster than they’ve typically reached conventional pay TV. While the agreement still won’t give Canucks all the Netflix content that their American neighbors enjoy, it will let them stream the latest Marvel or Pixar blockbuster without springing for a rental or The Movie Network.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: Canada Newswire
Uber unleashes on-demand ice cream service to 144 cities worldwide for a day
For a couple of years now, Uber’s been delivering ice cream on demand for one day to anyone who calls up its ice cream truck through its apps. Well, this once-a-year event is back, and it’s now reaching more people across the globe, even in places where Uber’s services aren’t usually available. This July 18th, Uber will have ice cream trucks going around 144 cities in 38 countries (last year’s event included only 33 cities), serving a variety of treats like gelato on sticks, sundaes and froyo. In Manila, Philippines, the ride-sharing company’s even taking the chance to do some charity work by donating all the truck’s proceeds to victims of Typhoon Glenda. Since each region will offer its own frozen goodies at different prices, it’s best to check the Uber blog to know what time you can conjure up the ice cream truck and how much it’s going to eat up from your weekly budget.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Uber
FedEx charged with transporting drugs for illegal online pharmacies
Live animals. Hazardous waste. Used tires. Cash. These are all items that you can’t ship via FedEx. Medication is accepted, however, as it poses no risk to the carrier — or so it seemed. Today, FedEx was indicted in a US District Court, facing criminal charges for its role in providing logistics for illegal online pharmacies. Various US agencies have reportedly been warning FedEx to stop accepting such shipments for years, so as shocking as the charges may seem, they should come as no surprise to executives. If guilty, FedEx would have to hand over the $820 million or so it’s earned by transporting drugs such as oxycodone and hydrocodone for black market distributers.
The company responded, saying that it will plead not guilty and will work to maintain its positive reputation. “We are a transportation company — we are not law enforcement,” Patrick Fitzgerald, SVP of Marketing and Communications explained in a statement. “We have no interest in violating the privacy of our customers. We continue to stand ready and willing to support and assist law enforcement. We cannot, however, do the job of law enforcement ourselves.” UPS was targeted with similar allegations last year, according to the San Jose Mercury News, and settled with the government for $40 million.
[Photo credit: Education Images/UIG via Getty Images]
Filed under: Internet
Source: Reuters, Mercury News, FedEx
Engadget Daily: Microsoft layoffs, Tesla sales and more!
Microsoft announced the largest layoffs in company history, Tesla can’t sell cars in most of the United States, Xbox Entertainment Studios is set to close and HTC has an executive exodus problem. Read on for Engadget’s news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Microsoft cuts 18,000 jobs as part of its largest layoff ever
Microsoft announced the biggest round of layoffs in company history, giving 18,000 workers their walking papers. CEO Satya Nadella explained that the company’s new strategy is designed to make it “more agile” moving forward.
Why Tesla Motors can’t sell cars in most of the United States
Why is it so hard to buy a Tesla? It’s a combination of archaic laws and a stubborn automotive industry.
Microsoft closing Xbox Entertainment Studios
As part of the biggest layoffs in company history, Microsoft is closing Xbox Entertainment Studios, the wing dedicated to producing original video content for the Xbox platform.
In and out: a look at HTC’s two-year executive exodus
Despite making some highly acclaimed smartphones, HTC has struggled to keep high-level employees from leaving the company. Over the last two years, 22 members of its senior management team have left. Is it bad luck or is something else happening?
You also might like:
Amazon puts Prime in the spotlight in first Fire Phone ad
These days, it’s pretty common to see even nine-year-old kids toting better smartphones than many adults out there — and that’s likely the sentiment Amazon hopes to convey with its first Fire phone ad. Now that we’re a stone’s throw away from the device’s release date, the e-commerce giant secured the services of two precocious children for the commercial. It focuses mainly on the phone’s tie-in with Amazon Prime instead of its features (its more intriguing ones being 3D and head-tracking), but the company might be reserving those for its second ad to come out in July. If you want to watch a couple of grade schoolers convince you to get the Fire phone, head past the break to watch the ad.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Amazon
Via: Mashable
AIVAnet 