Google is bringing fullscreen ads to an app near you
Advertisers aren’t always a fan of investing in mobile. Part of that reason is that the ads you see on phones and tablets don’t command the same amount of attention that ads do on desktops. Google is working on new ad units though that could lure in the big brands, though users might find them somewhat infuriating. Of the four new designs, three are fullscreen ads and some are interstitial ads that would take over the screen at a “logical break point” while you’re using an app. These ads could even include video or interactive elements, which pretty much turns them into in-app commercials. So, between levels three and four of the next Angry Birds licensing debacle title you could be watching a 20 second ad for Perdue chicken breasts. Or, you could just be blindly skipping by the ads that hijack your screen to sell paper towels, skin cream, or anything else. S
Filed under: Misc, Mobile, Google
Via: AdAge
Source: Inside AdWords
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Phiaton BT220 NC Bluetooth earbuds with NFC pairing announced for late October
I am not much of an earbud person myself. I prefer that full over the ear experience. Even though I know I look a bit ridiculous with them over my head while I walk down the street. Luckily I don’t walk down the street often. For those of you that do walk, jog, run, bike or any other combination of situations where earbuds are dramatically more practical, Phiaton has announced a new Bluetooth earbud set that is sure to make your adventures a bit more enjoyable. The Phiaton BT220′s are the latest from the premium audio manufacture and they certainly sound like they should pack quite the punch.
“We’ve listened to the needs and desires of the community and we believe the BT 220 NC fulfills a much-needed gap in the headphone market” said James Baik, President of Phiaton. “The BT 220 NC, along with Phiaton’s whole line, was designed entirely with the user experience in mind.”
On paper the BT220′s bring you Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity and allow you pair up two devices simultaneously. They also ring a few niceties that you don’t always find on other brands. Such as the ability to hardwire connect the earbuds if the battery dies on you. Battery life shouldn’t be too much of a worry though since they spec out at 17 hours of continuous music listening and 300 hours of standby. As you can see in the press image they are connected to a wireless receiver that is also a remote to control tracks, volume and calls. The remote also brings in a “monitor” control function that allows you to mute your tune, and deactivate the noise cancelling function, so you can hear things around you without needing to remove the earbuds. I am sure this will come in handy since the noise cancellation is stated to block out 95% of all ambient noise.
As for the more technical side of things the BT220′s use high quality dynamic speaker units that are 14.3 mm with a frequency range of 10 Hz ~27 kHz, an impedance of 32 Ohms and a sensitivity of 100dB at kHz.
The Phiaton BT220 NC’s will be on sale in late October for the premium price tag of $179. Feel free to check them out in a little more detail at the Phiaton website.
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The post Phiaton BT220 NC Bluetooth earbuds with NFC pairing announced for late October appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
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Authors will fire back at Amazon with calls for a government investigation
If you’ve been following the protracted war between Amazon and Hachette, you know that Amazon’s been stymieing sales of certain books by making it impossible to pre-order them, and pushing back delivery of others all over a e-book contract dispute. The situation isn’t really even about Hachette any more — the New York Times notes that few of the hundreds of signers of a recent open letter to Amazon’s board of directors are even published by the French firm. It’s about something more fundamental. Those authors (or at least a decent chunk of them) now plan to call on the Department of Justice to formally investigate Amazon for monopolistic activity.
To quote recent signer Ursula K. LeGuin, the big issue at stake here is censorship — “Amazon is using censorship to gain total market control so they can dictate to publishers what they can publish, to authors what they can write, to readers what they can buy. This is more than unjustifiable, it is intolerable.” By trying to squeeze certain unlucky authors out of the sales charts by dint of their publisher, Amazon has riled up an incredibly savvy, literate, smart group of people who know how to use their voices — not exactly the sort you’d want to make enemies out of. Last we heard, the final draft of the letter (which will be sent to the head of the department’s antitrust division) should be done — now we’ve got to wait for everyone to sign it.
Via: New York Times
Source: Authors United
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NFL’s archaic blackout rules face government challenge
For decades, the NFL blackout rules have been in place to encourage fans to attend games rather than watch from the comforts of home. According to Recode though, that could change this week. The FCC will reportedly axe the long-standing policy that keeps pay-TV outfits like cable and satellite companies from broadcasting local events that don’t sell out. As the report points out, NFL fans are usually the most vocal about blackouts due to weekly showings on over-the-air networks (CBS, FOX, and NBC) and the 72-hour window required for a sellout ahead of kickoff. However, even after the rules are nixed, local stations will still be unable to show games that don’t fill all of the seats. While the NFL’s policies are tied to attendance, other leagues like MLB and NHL have rules in place to protect contracts with broadcasters. As you may recall, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler has already spoken out about the NFL blackouts, saying that the league “not longer needs the government’s help to remain viable.”
[Photo credit: Rob Foldy/Getty Images]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Recode
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Think tank hires ‘Call of Duty’ game director to predict the future of war
If you felt that Call of Duty: Black Ops II presented an eerily plausible vision of war in the years ahead, you’re not alone. The Atlantic Council, a political think tank, has asked Black Ops II director Dave Anthony to contribute to an “Art of Future Warfare” project that looks at fiction as a possible insight into next-generation conflicts. As he explains, the next big threat to the US probably doesn’t fit into conventional definitions of war — a game developer can imagine fantastic scenarios that might just come true, such as Black Ops II‘s drone assault on a G20 meeting. This isn’t the same as directly guiding US policy, so Anthony’s effect will likely be limited. However, it won’t be surprising if the country is eventually better prepared for high-tech terrorists and other dangers that it otherwise wouldn’t have anticipated.
Via: AFP (Phys.org)
Source: Atlantic Council
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Apple Watch May Headline Fashion Boutique Colette’s ‘One Day Only Experience’ Tomorrow [Updated]
Apple and Parisian fashion boutique Colette are preparing a “one day only experience” on September 30, reports French blog Macplus [Google Translate]. Showcased on Colette’s website, the event will be held from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM local time at the retailer’s gallery on rue Saint-Honoré in Paris.
Information on what will be shown during the one-day event has not been revealed, but hints from the invitation and Colette’s own fashion focus suggest the Apple Watch will be the highlight. The pattern of dots on the promotional image appears very similar to the zoomed-out home screen of the Apple Watch, with each dot representing an app icon.
Apple unveiled the Apple Watch earlier this month alongside the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The smartwatch will be available in a variety of configurations, including a high-fashion Edition collection that features an 18-karat gold casing and sapphire crystal display and a Sport collection for fitness enthusiasts. Apple is targeting an early 2015 launch, but the company will reportedly be hard-pressed to make the device available to the public in time for February’s Valentine’s Day holiday.
Update 8:55 AM: As noted by forum member Rogifan, Apple industrial design team member Mikael Silvanto has posted several photos on his Instagram account yesterday documenting his trip to Paris for Paris Fashion Week. In one photo, a member of the team is shown wearing Apple Watch at a meal, while another photo taken onboard the plane en route to Paris may show Jony Ive and Marc Newson in the background.
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Apple Testing Three Significant iOS 8 Updates Simultaneously Ahead of Major Product Launches
Based on web traffic data, it appears Apple may be hastening its iOS updates as it prepares to launch several major products in the coming months. As noted by 9to5Mac, the Cupertino company is simultaneously testing three major iOS 8 iterations that may be released according to an expedited schedule.
Web server analytics indicate Apple is currently actively testing iOS 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3. The development is an unusual one, as Apple typically only publicly tests one of each iOS version (full, major update, minor update) at a time, releasing major updates months apart after the initial September rollout. An example is iOS 7, which debuted in September 2013 and was not updated to iOS 7.1 until March 2014.
Visits to MacRumors from devices running iOS 8.2 now numbering in the dozens per day
The most likely explanation for this change in pattern involves major product launches over the coming months. The company is preparing to roll out Apple Pay in October, with the new NFC-based payment system almost certainly falling into the major software update category. Other products on the horizon include the upcoming Apple Watch and a rumored 12.9-inch “iPad Pro”, both of which appear set to launch early next year and which would also require significant iOS updates to support them.
Apple released iOS 8 earlier this month with a handful of new features including support for extensions, widget notifications, and third-party keyboards. iOS 8 has had a rocky start, with the company temporarily removing HealthKit-enabled apps at launch due to an unspecified issue. Apple also released and quickly removed iOS 8.0.1 after the update disabled cellular connectivity and Touch ID on iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices.
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Oppo N3 specs and images leaked
New leaks have emerged of the next big (literally) device to launch and it seems to indicate some of the specs we can expect for the Oppo N3 too.
The Oppo N3 is likely to have a 5.9-inch 1080p display, a Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM, and a 13-Megapixel camera.
Interestingly, the Oppo N3 is rumoured to be offered in a lighweight aluminium lithium model and a stainless steel model – both of which will launch in October.
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The post Oppo N3 specs and images leaked appeared first on AndroidGuys.
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Apple May Launch 27-Inch Retina iMac With AMD Graphics as Soon as Next Month
Following several recent reports on Apple’s long-rumored ultra-thin 12-inch notebook, Jack March is now reporting that Apple is indeed working on a 27-inch “5K” Retina iMac with a resolution of 5120 x 2880. According to the report, which MacRumors has reason to believe is based on legitimate information, the machine could launch as soon as next month.
A source familiar with Apple’s plans tells me that Apple is indeed planning to launch a Retina iMac at their next press event, however the 27″ Model will be the only model that gets this feature. The source says the new 27″ iMac will use a 5120 x 2880 panel as leaked in the OSX Yosemite code a few months ago. This resolution is double the current resolution of the 27″ iMac which is 2560×1440.
This new 27-inch Retina iMac would continue to use Haswell processors, topping out at the 4.0 GHz Core i7-4790K, as Intel’s next-generation Broadwell processors will not be ready until possibly the middle of next year. The report also claims Apple will be switching to AMD graphics for this new iMac, while the overall design and port configuration would remain the same as the current model.
The report’s sources suggest the move to Retina will be limited to the larger 27-inch iMac at this time, with the 21.5-inch model continuing to use the current 1920 x 1080 display.
Rumors of a 27-inch Retina display or iMac from Apple have been circulating for some time, but have picked up steam in recent weeks with a specific claim of a 5K Apple display launching before the end of the year, as well as Dell’s own announcement of such a display. With finalization of the DisplayPort 1.3 specification, connectivity will also become easier as that standard rolls out, allowing for single-cable uncompressed video at 5K resolutions.
Update 6:46 AM: 9to5Mac is hearing similar information about Retina iMacs being in “late testing stages” at Apple.
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Humana’s Healthy Lifestyle Rewards Program Adds HealthKit Support
Last month, it was reported that Apple was in talks with health insurers about its HealthKit tools that officially launched to the public with iOS 8 earlier this month. The report suggested Apple may have been looking to partner with insurers on programs to reward users for maintaining healthy lifestyles and reaching fitness goals as tracked by HealthKit.
One of the insurers mentioned in the report was Humana, which today officially announced integration between its HumanaVitality rewards program and HealthKit. Under the program, members can receive wellness points redeemable for a variety of rewards including fitness equipment, electronics, and movie tickets.
Recent updates to the HumanaVitality app have added HealthKit support to pull in data from wearable devices and Apple’s own fitness-oriented tracking features, making it easy for users to document their progress.
The HumanaVitality App, designed to make it easy and simple for consumers to engage with their health, enables users to create and measure specific, personal wellness goals (get active, eat better, lose weight or reduce stress). HumanaVitality rewards members for meeting these goals and for other healthy behaviors, from getting a biometrics screening to taking 10,000 physician-recommended steps a day.
HumanaVitality members who use the HumanaVitality App can upload fitness data from their favorite wearables into Apple Health and earn Vitality Points for hitting their health and fitness milestones.
HumanaVitality [Direct Link] is a free download from the App Store.
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AIVAnet 