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?
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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
4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Set to Begin Mass Production This Month, 5.5-Inch in August
Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn is set to begin mass production on the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 this month, according to local media cited by Reuters. The larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will begin production a month later, in August.
Mass production of a 4.7-inch successor to the wildly popular iPhone 5 series of smartphones will begin during the third week of July, Taiwan’s Economic Daily News said, without citing sources. Production of a 5.5-inch version will begin during the second week of August, it said.
Foxconn is also set to hire around 100,000 additional workers to help meet future demand for the device, according to a Chinese state-run news agency. Fellow Apple manufacturing partner Pegatron is also ramping up hiring, recruiting over 10,000 for its own facilities to help manufacture the iPhone. Additionally, it was reported last week that Foxconn was planning on deploying 10,000 robots to help employees with less intensive tasks like tightening screws.
Apple is widely expected to announce the iPhone 6 in early September, with a release coming a couple weeks later in late September. While it’s unclear whether both the 4.7- and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models will launch at the same time, the one-month delay in mass production could mean that the 5.5-inch is either available in lower quantities at first or will be announced at the same time as the 4.7-inch model and launch shortly after. Previously, it’s been rumored the 5.5-inch model had been experiencing production issues.
Other than larger displays, the iPhone 6 is expected to include a thinner, iPod touch-like design, an A8 processor, and an improved camera, potentially measuring 13 megapixels. The larger model is expected to come with a $100 price increase, optical image stabilization and greater storage capability.
Google Maps version 8.2 is out, download and install it now [APK]
I bet over 90% of Android device owners out there use Google Maps, not only because it’s the default maps application that comes with Android but because it’s the best service out there, by far. Google Maps in version 8.2 is now available and it brings a handful of features/changes along with it. Let’s see what we get.
These are the changes we’ve noticed thus far:
- Voice control in navigation mode
- Elevation change for bicyclists
- Voice input is now available on the main screen
- “Your places” is now located in the slide-out menu
Voice controls while in navigation mode are definitely the biggest addition to Google Maps. While navigating you’ll be able to call up voice interface by tapping the small microphone icon in the bottom left part of the screen. You can ask the phone “When will I get there” if you want to get to your destination for example, or “Where is my next turn” which is also self-explanatory. There are quite some voice actions you can take when the phone is listening. What you’re all wondering is if you can use that sweet “OK, Google” phrase in order to call it up, the answer is no, at least for now.
The update is rather big in terms of features and changes, you can try all of them by download the .apk and installing it on your device. If you want to do that, follow this link.
Source: AndroidCentral and AndroidPolice
The post Google Maps version 8.2 is out, download and install it now [APK] appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google confirms Android Wear will support custom watch faces
Since its beginnings, the Android platform has been known for being heavily customizable. As such, it’s not exactly a surprise to hear Google say its new smartwatch ecosystem, Android Wear, is due to support watch faces from third-party developers. However, having actual confirmation makes for perfect peace of mind. In a Google+ post, Android’s VP of Design Matias Duarte affirmed this would be the case, stating that the Wear team is already working on a custom watch face API. “Customization has helped Android thrive, and the same will be true for Android Wear,” he wrote. The incoming API will make it “as simple as possible” for devs to make all-around great watch faces, ones which can look good, not drain a battery and blend well with the watches card-based UI. Duarte said “some” of these things won’t be available until later this year, but that they are, without a doubt, on their way. So, don’t worry, soon enough you’ll have better choices to deck out that fancy, smart tick-tock wearable of yours.
Filed under: Misc, Peripherals, Wearables, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: Matias Duarte (Google+)
Google loves Epic Rap Battles and the ad money it brings in
To no one’s surprise, Google — the company that builds everything from web email services to self-driving cars — has once again climbed the revenue charts. Today in its quarterly earnings report, the Mountain View company reported it’s raked in $15.96 billion in revenue this quarter, which is about a 22 percent growth year-over-year. And, as you might expect with Google, a bulk of that cash comes from good ol’ advertising — about 90 percent, in fact. But the chatter wasn’t all about search and advertising in today’s earnings call — the company also alluded to other notable successes such as Google Shopping Express, Chromebooks and, yes, Epic Rap Battles of History.
Even though Google didn’t break out the exact percentage from which it gains that aforementioned ad revenue, it’s clear the company is focused more than ever on leveraging the advertising dollars it gets not just from search, but also via other services such as YouTube and Google Play. Indeed, Nikesh Arora, the current Chief Business Officer for Google — who, incidentally, has announced he’ll be leaving the company for SoftBank — spent quite a bit of time in the call talking video.
“Video is at the forefront of our efforts,” he said. Notably, he called out the professionally created content on YouTube, pointing out channels like Epic Rap Battles of History and internet celebs like Michelle Phan that add value to the streaming service. Digital sales on Google Play continue to do well too, and he credits partnership deals with providers like CBS and Viacom as part of its success. As for whether Google was open to making money not just from advertising but from subscriptions too, CFO Patrick Pichette said they’re still experimenting with different ends of the spectrum, but it’s fair to say they “have a horse in every one of these races.”
“We’re living in a multiscreen world,” continued Pichette, stating that the fact that video can be viewed not just on your tablet, but also on your TV via Chromecast, makes the revenue possibilities very intriguing. This is ostensibly the reason why the company didn’t break out mobile revenue from desktop — as it all sort of flows together — but it could also point to the fact that it’s not doing as well in the mobile ad biz.
Stepping away from advertising, Arora also drew attention to the considerable success of Google Shopping Express, saying he didn’t know anyone who didn’t like it. “It has tremendous results,” he said, stating that it’s “clearly an opportunity for us.” The focus for the delivery service will remain local, even as they cater to large businesses as well as small ones. “There continues to be amazing demand for the product.” Not to leave Chrome out, Arora said that over a million Chromebooks have been sold to schools and that the Chromecast’s popularity continues to grow.
As for those moonshot projects like self-driving cars? Well, the company said that it’ll still invest in them and will keep a close eye as to how that money is allocated, but it’ll certainly take a long time for any of those to turn a profit. In the meantime, we’ll cross our fingers for an epic rap battle starring Elon Musk.
Source: Google
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