EE lets queue-jumpers pay 50p for faster customer service
If it didn’t already feel like mobile operators were squeezing you for every penny, EE’s new customer service charge could certainly help drive that notion home. BBC News reports that the carrier has introduced a new option on its support lines, allowing you to pay 50 pence to jump to the front. Think of it as the opposite of net neutrality, but for support centres.
Callers will now be greeted with an automated message offering the chance to move them up the queue. If they don’t accept, they’ll be left to wait it out with the other pennypinchers. As expected, customers aren’t happy with EE’s decision not to treat all customers equally and have taken to Twitter to voice their frustrations. The company argues that the 50 pence premium will help to improve customer service operations and allow it to open more UK-based support lines — full of people asking why they had to lay down half a pound to be told to turn their phone on and off again.
Source: BBC News
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Pilots banned from acting like Uber drivers in the sky
“You’re going to Napa in your Cessna? Me too! If you let me hop in, I’ll pay my share of the gas!” That arrangement is legal, but the FAA has declared that connecting brave passengers with amateur pilots for a fee is definitely a no-no. The ruling came from a request for clarification by a company called Airpooler, a small plane equivalent of UberX. That service and others like FlyteNow let private pilots post listings for flight dates and destinations, along with a corresponding fee. Thanks to a 1963 decision, such sharing is legal if done by word of mouth or a notice board, provided the pilot only asks for a fair share of the expenses. However, in a rather confusing letter, the regulator told Airpooler that its service violates the spirit of that ruling. Instead of offering a bonafide “joint venture with a common purpose,” participating pilots are “holding out to transport passengers for compensation.” That means unless you have a commercial ATP or CPL license, using those services is DOA.
[Credit: Brianc/Flickr]
Filed under: Transportation
Via: TechCrunch
Source: FAA (Scribd.com)
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Even the Oxford English Dictionary can’t resist adding amazeballs, selfie and YOLO
Throughout 2014′s great dictionary refresh, one publication remained above attention-grabbing fripperies like adding YOLO, amazeballs and selfie to their lists. That’s why we’re disappointed to report that even the venerated Oxford English Dictionary has now sunk down to this level. Oxford Dictionaries has announced that you can now find words like — audible sigh — side boob, baller, hate-watch, adorbs, amazeballs, mansplain, humblebrag, douchebaggery and clickbait to its online records. The august tome has also gone heavy on the acronyms, adding YOLO, ICYMI and WDYT, the latter standing for “what do you think?” We won’t ask all of you out there what you think, because we’re fairly sure you’ll join us and say SMH, FML.
Oh, and still no love for Chumbumble? It’s a farce, a farce I tell you.
Via: RollingStone
Source: Oxford English Dictionaries
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Apple Now Using China Telecom as Data Center Provider in China
Apple has officially added China Telecom as a data center provider in China, reports The Wall Street Journal. The move comes after 15 months of “stringent tests and evaluation” by the Fuzhou city government, as Apple states that all data stored on the servers is encrypted. According to Reuters, Apple says the new data center will help improve the speed and reliability of iCloud and the iTunes Store in the region.
“Apple takes user security and privacy very seriously. We have added China Telecom to our list of data center providers to increase bandwidth and improve performance for our customers in mainland China,” it said.
The move could also help ease tensions between Apple and China as of late, as the country recently deemed iOS’ location tracking services a “national security concern.” Apple responded to those claims reiterating its commitment to privacy and stating that its Location Services exist to aide navigation features.
China has become an important market for Apple, as the company has looked to improve its presence in the country as of late. Late last year, the company started selling the iPhone on China Mobile, the country’s biggest carrier, and opened more retail stores throughout the region. CEO Tim Cook has also made a number of visits to China, meeting with Bejing’s mayor and the Chinese Vice Premier to discuss opportunities.
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Photos Claiming to Be of New Lightning Cable with Reversible USB Connector Surface
Apple may be shipping a new Lightning cable that features a reversible USB connector with forthcoming iOS devices, reports Chinese website Dianxinshouji.com (Google Translate, via Nowhereelse.fr).
The source shares a few photos of the new cables said to be from Apple supplier Foxconn, with the images showing a USB connector that is attached to the center of its metal casing. By comparison, the USB connector on Apple’s current Lightning cable attach against the bottom of the metal housing’s inner surface.
While it is unable to tell for sure whether these cables are legitimate or not, it is possible that Apple could ship new Lightning cables to match the forthcoming USB 3.1 cables that will soon come with newer smartphones. As revealed last week by the USB 3.0 Promoter Group, the USB 3.1 Type-C cable comes with reversible ends and will start shipping next year. An Apple patent for a reversible USB connector also surfaced last month, perhaps further indicating that the company will look to equip its newer devices with new Lightning cables at some point.
Furthermore, a report this past May from Mac Otakara claimed that Apple is preparing an upgraded Lightning cable to accommodate high-definition playback on Made for iPhone audio accessories, which may include a next-generation version of its In-Ear Headphones. Apple also introduced Lightning Cable MFi specifications for headphones in June, which could also be integrated with newer Lightning cables.
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 6, next-generation Retina iPad mini and iPad Air 2 by the end of this year, as a new Lightning cable could technically be packaged with those devices.
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Discussing 2014 Flagships and the Dawn of Android 5.0
This year has been great for smartphones. Like previous years, we see faster and faster innovation and upgrades for our beloved, intelligent cell phones. The launch of the HTC One M8, Sony Xperia Z2 and Galaxy S5 as well as the recent launch of the LG G3 have been very successful for all companies. The launch… Read more »
The post Discussing 2014 Flagships and the Dawn of Android 5.0 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
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Not even a sharknado will stop Google’s conquest of the undersea internet
How’s this for Shark Week? At a recent event, one of Google’s product managers recently revealed just how far the outfit goes to protect its subaquatic infrastructure. Word is that Mountain View’s shiny new internet pipeline crossing the Pacific is going to need a Kevlar cover to keep it safe from the jaws of your favorite Great White. It’s believed that the apex predators are attacking these cables (video after the break) because they give off the same kind of electrical signals as those of wounded fish, according to Network World. That, or maybe the sharks are just trying to snuff out the untruths that Discovery Channel has apparently been spreading.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Via: The Guardian
Source: Network World
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Apple Hiring for Future Retail Store in United Arab Emirates
Apple today posted retail job listings for a future store to be located in the United Arab Emirates, indicating that the company may be soon opening its first store in the Middle East. The postings were initially spotted by ifoAppleStore and show typical openings for Specialists, Creatives, and Experts, as well as managerial positions for Store Leader and Market Leader. The report speculates that the store could already been under construction for an opening in February 2015 based on hiring schedules.
Earlier this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited the UAE, posing for photos at various Apple resellers and meeting with UAE Prime Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. While the reason for his visit was unknown, it is possible that Cook may have been meeting with officials about the possibility of an Apple Retail Store in the region.
Additionally, MacRumors received a tip last year that Apple was planning to open a flagship store at The Galleria in Sowwah Square in Abu Dhabi, a luxury mall that opened late last year. The source claimed the store would not open for several years, but noted that it could be Apple’s largest retail store to date.
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Premier League tells fans to stop posting GIFs and Vines of goals
After becoming the go-to network to upload replays of goals scored during the recent World Cup, Vine could soon become the subject of a domestic copyright clampdown. With the new season commencing tomorrow, the Premier League has told the BBC that it’s developed new ways to track unofficial uploads of goals and other related footage, including GIF crawlers, Vine crawlers and working with Twitter directly, in a bid to stop users from stepping on the toes of rights holders.
You see, Sky and BT paid over £3 billion to secure live coverage of Premiership matches, while The Sun and The Times have put down a lot of cash to grab the online rights. Fans must pay to watch both, but can access goal replays (within minutes of them being scored) and full match highlights on their mobile or online. But while the Premier League is attempting to address a legitimate concern, users can’t argue with free. We’ll almost certainly continue to see Vines and GIFs shared to Twitter, but those in charge might have more to say about things this season.
[Image credit: wonker, Flickr]
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile
Source: BBC Newsbeat
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Google Voice Search can now handle multiple languages with ease
It’s not unusual for people who speak several languages to forget particular terms, and that can be pretty frustrating when you’re trying to look up stuff through Google Voice Search. Thankfully, the latest Voice Search update for Android gives you the power to choose up to five languages as your default instead of just one, making random lapses in memory a bit less annoying. This change, spotted by Android Police (and which the Google Search team first revealed on Reddit in July), allows you to do voice queries in different tongues without having to dive into the settings page each time. The app now even understands a query even if it’s spoken in more than one language — the bad news is you’re still stuck with English as the sole default if you use the OK, Google command. If that’s not a dealbreaker, just sit tight and wait for the update to arrive on your phone, if it hasn’t yet.
[Image credit: Android Police]
Filed under: Misc, Mobile, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: Google Play
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AIVAnet 