ComScore: Most people in the US don’t download apps on a regular basis
While smartphone apps come in handy for a variety of uses from sharing photos to navigating a new locale, it appears that most folks in the US barely download them at all. According to ComScore, 65.5 percent of those users 18 and above who wield a handset in the US go a full month without visiting their respective app store for new material. This means that 34.5 percent load up at least one new selection every 30 days, and figures indicate that the top 7 percent of users are responsible for around half of a month’s total. What’s more, the iOS crowd primarily focuses on news, radio, photos, social networks and weather, while the Android faithful fire up Google Search and Gmail most often. And to the surprise of no one, Facebook is tops in terms of popularity and amount of time spent on its app. All of that said, most folks seem to load up their phones with the usual suspects early on, and don’t tend to divide their attention too often thereafter.
Source: comScore
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Engadget Daily: ‘Halo 2: Anniversary,’ problems with Secret’s secrecy and more!
Today, we anticipate the visual glory of Halo 2: Anniversary, learn that a monkey can’t own photo rights, sit down without a chair, investigate problems with Secret’s anonymity and more! Read on for Engadget’s news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Filed under: Misc
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Uber drivers reportedly dealing with robberies in Los Angeles
For Uber, its rise to the top hasn’t always gone smoothly. From facing legal challenges across different parts of the world, to battling it out verbally with competitors, the ridesharing company has had to fight hard to make a name for itself. And now things have apparently taken a turn for the worse, at least for some of its drivers. According to PandoDaily, a number of Uber drivers in Los Angeles say they have been suffering from serious attacks, such as robberies at gunpoint, in recent months. The report, which cites three drivers who spoke on condition of anonymity, claims that people with bad intentions are using the Uber app to locate drivers on a map in order to rob them. While, in most cases, these criminals are looking to steal the Uber-provided phones carried by operators, PandoDaily was told someone was, at one point, the victim of a carjacking situation. Either way, the main concern here shouldn’t be the iPhones or vehicles at stake, but rather every driver’s safety. We’ve reached out to Uber for comment and will update this story if we hear back.
Filed under: Misc, Transportation
Source: PandoDaily
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Third-Party Vendor Beats Apple to Market With Reversible Lightning USB Cables
Amid rumors that Apple is developing a Lightning cable with a reversible USB connector, third-party accessory vendor Truffol has begun selling a reversible USB Lightning cable on its website, beating Apple to the punch.
Priced at $9.99, the reversible cable advertised by Truffol is designed to be inserted into a USB port in either direction, a shift from a traditional USB cable that can only be inserted in one direction. While the cable is not Apple-approved and thus not Made for iPhone (MFi) certified, Truffol has told MacRumors that its cable works with both existing iOS devices and the upcoming iPhone 6. Purchasing third-party cables is not recommended by Apple, however, as they can cause damage to iOS devices.
It is not clear whether these third-party reversible USB Lightning cables were already in development ahead of the rumors suggesting Apple was developing its own reversible solution or if they were designed in response to rumors, but their sudden availability may possibly hint at the existence of an Apple-branded reversible cable. Truffol told MacRumors that it believes the idea for the third-party reversible Lightning cables originated from “insider Apple sources.”
Rumors of an Apple-branded Lightning cable with a reversible USB connector first surfaced last week in the form of leaked images and videos, but Apple initially filed a patent application for the technology in January 2014, which became public in late July.
Video depicting alleged Apple Lightning cable with reversible USB connector
Apple may face some legal hurdles if it launches a reversible Lightning USB cable. A California company named UltraTek holds a patent for a reversible USB connector and already sells reversible USB cables through a number of different online retailers, but it is possible Apple has licensed the technology or developed a solution that is different enough not to infringe on UltraTek’s existing technology.
A second Apple patent filing that was published earlier this week suggests Apple has indeed improved on current reversible USB connector designs, as it details a cable with a flexible internal connector. Described as a flexible “tongue,” Apple’s design would allow a USB connector to flex to fit into any existing USB port regardless of insertion orientation. The flexible design may be superior to existing reversible USB designs because it allows for a thicker, sturdier middle “stalk” and a stronger connection with contacts.
It is possible that Apple’s rumored Lightning cable with a reversible USB connector might debut as soon as September, introduced alongside the iPhone 6 that’s expected to be unveiled at a September 9 media event.
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Apple Initiates iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Program
Apple has begun an iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Program, suggesting that a small percentage of iPhone 5 units may have a faulty battery that results in a shorter battery life. iPhone 5 devices exhibiting battery issues were sold between September of 2012 and January of 2013 and could be eligible for a battery replacement.
Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently. The affected iPhone 5 devices were sold between September 2012 and January 2013 and fall within a limited serial number range.
If your iPhone 5 is experiencing these symptoms and meets the eligibility requirements noted below, Apple will replace your iPhone 5 battery, free of charge.
Apple says the issue affects only a “limited serial number range” and iPhone 5 users can input their serial numbers on Apple’s support site to find out whether their phones need a battery replacement. Those who do have a faulty battery can get a replacement through an Apple Authorized Service Provider, an Apple Retail Store, or through Apple Technical support.
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Over 1,000 US businesses hit with the same cyberattack as Target
Target’s massive data breach grabbed headlines right in the middle of holiday shopping that year, and the fallout continues. According to a Department of Homeland Security advisory this afternoon, the attacks that hit the red-hued retailer, along with Supervalu and UPS, are much more widespread than first reported. The so-called “Backoff” malware in various versions has actually hit more than 1,000 businesses in the States, allowing hackers to snag info from millions of credit card payments. Remote network access for contractors provides the avenue for entry, and the announcement suggests that companies have vendors take a close look at their systems for possible criminal activity. It’s also calling for businesses to put cash registers on a separate network and employ two-factor authentication to help combat would-be intruders.
[Photo credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images]
Source: The New York Times
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Twitter’s ‘Buy Now’ button may be powered by Stripe payments
Remember that illusive “Buy Now” button that briefly showed up on Twitter last month? Re/Code says it’s still on the way — and it’s backed by Stripe, a mobile payments startup. According to sources close to the outlet, merchants that want to sell products through tweets will need to sign up with Stripe’s payment platform to get started, suggesting that the startup will be the only way to pay for goods on the social network. In the past, Twitter has been rumored to be working with Fancy.com to create a “Twitter Commerce” platform, although its unclear when the company’s retail ambitions will come to fruition. Still, something is clearly in the works.
[Image credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images]
Filed under: Internet
Source: Re/Code
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Secret’s next update will add polls and Flickr support, but limit photo uploads
If you love hanging your dirty laundry on carefully curated and symbolic images, then Secret’s next update both is — and isn’t — for you. Sometime next week, the anonymous sharing app will integrate Flickr image search, but access to the photo service’s library comes at a price: the ability to use your own photos. The update will remove the ability to upload images from your phone, with the exception of pictures taken in real-time with the Secret app itself.
It’s an odd, unexplained restriction, but privacy may have something to do with it: the update also bakes in a new system that analyzes posts for names. Secrets that contain real names will be flagged,and the user will be prompted to “re-think” their post before sharing their secret. Secrets with names will also be reviewed by real staff to ensure they don’t violate the company’s privacy policy. Finally, the update is adding a new level of interaction: polls. Secrets that feature yes or no questions will have the option of adding a simple poll feature to anonymously tally up the results. Looking for the full details? Check out Secret’s official announcement here.
Source: Medium
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Apparently, Porsche Design is still working with BlackBerry
Since 2012, Porsche Design and BlackBerry have worked together on two high-end handsets that offer a retooled exterior and… not much else. That didn’t stop the duo from selling the tweaked aesthetic for over $2,000, though. It seems that the pair is up to its old tricks once more, as the P’9983 (code named “Khan”) phone has unofficially broke from cover. According to N4BB, the second QWERTY device from the two companies will sport BlackBerry 10 on its 3.5-inch touchscreen with 3GB RAM, a dual-core 1.7 GHz processor and 64GB of storage inside. BlackBerry is also set to debut its rather unique 4.5-inch square Passport device soon, complete with its own personal assistant. But this leak begs the question: Why?
If you’ll recall, there was the QWERTY P’9981 two years ago, and then in 2013, the tandem unveiled a pricier version of the touchscreen Z10. Why continue to crank out limited-edition devices with expensive price tags when the company has been on the ropes for quite a while? I reached out to both Porsche Design and BlackBerry on the matter, and while the Canadian handset maker provided the ol’ “we don’t comment on rumors” business, I’ve yet to hear back from the former. One possible explanation is that the high-end retailer wants to keep its shelves stocked with fresh devices, and BlackBerry was happy to continue to help do just that.
Porsche Design only offers one brand of luxury smartphone on its site.
But why would Porsche Design, a luxury brand that appears doing just fine on its own, would still want to associate itself with an outfit that’s having its fair share of troubles? Is there a partnership agreement that has to be fulfilled? Was this device in the works before BlackBerry hit the skids? Well, when the partnership began, the design outfit’s CEO and a few other of its executives fancied BlackBerry devices as their daily communication tools, so the affinity for those handsets is firmly rooted. Also, Porsche Design only offers one brand of luxury smartphone on its site. It’s also worth noting that previous releases were only available in select markets — like the UK and the Middle East — which certainly seems to target a specific customer base.
Take Vertu for example. If it weren’t for the premium materials and design details, those phones sport a rather modest spec sheet. And that’s exactly what you have here with the rumored P’9983: a highly polished exterior with run of the mill internals. We’ve yet to find out any concrete details, but we’d surmise a select few are going to buy this thing when it eventually arrives with a $2,000+ price tag. Unless of course, you really like BlackBerry gear.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Blackberry
Via: The Verge
Source: N4BB
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Google buys design firm behind OLPC and Slingbox
Man, Google’s checkbook is really getting a workout this summer. According to a report from Bloomberg, the search giant just acquired yet another company, and unlike the other two companies it bought this month, it isn’t an mobile app startup No, no: its latest target is a small product design firm called Gecko, and Google’s looking to bring those design smarts to bear on its ambitious Google X projects.
You might not heard of Gecko, but you’ve almost certainly come across one of the products they’ve helped design. There’s the original Fitbit, for one, to say nothing of Jawbone’s early Bluetooth headsets, the friendly looking One Laptop Per Child notebook and a whole host of Dell PCs over the years. Gecko’s technical bonafides and awfully pretty designs seem almost beyond question, but what’s still unclear is what projects Gecko will start (or has already started) pitching in on. There are some we could probably cross off the list, though: Google’s internet-beaming balloons might not need a facelift, and there isn’t a lot you can do to gussy up a pair of smart contact lenses. Gecko’s forté lays in consumer tech design – perhaps the next big Google Glass revision (which the folks in Mountain View have been trying to inject with style for a while now) will look like something people will actually want to wear.
Via: Bloomberg
Source: Gecko Design
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AIVAnet 