You can now get a 7-inch 3G Android phablet for just $54 in China
No, that’s not a bulk purchasing price. According to the folks at Beijing chip designer NuFront, some Chinese retailers are now selling 7-inch 3G phablets — powered by NuFront’s TL7689 chipset — to consumers for as low as CN¥330 or about $54 per piece (the prices pictured above are for distributors). That converts to a mere $6 profit for every device sold, which is apparently the norm in the affordable market. On paper, though, it’s still a seemingly complete package: you get a 1,024 x 600 LCD screen, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, 0.3MP/2MP cameras, a 1,800mAh battery and even HSPA+ connectivity.
As you’d expect, the build quality, screen and cameras leave a lot to be desired, and likewise with the 1.2GHz, 40nm quad-core processor — it’s dual Cortex-A9 and dual Cortex-M3. For an extra $20, you get a version with a bigger 2,800mAh cell plus a slightly better screen quality. While most of us here won’t be using one of these as our main tablet and let alone our main phone, we can at least appreciate how far we’ve come: just five years ago a 7-inch Android tablet — the WiFi-only kind as well — would cost you $399! Looking ahead, NuFront is already working on its own 4G-enabled 28nm octa-core solution for next year, which is key to delivering the 4G experience to the entry markets.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile
Facebook’s ‘Safety Check’ Allows Users to Notify Others of Safety During Disasters [iOS Blog]
Facebook has launched a new feature called Safety Check that allows users to inform their friends and family about their safety in the event of a disaster or crisis using a check-in system.
For Facebook on iOS, Safety Check automatically sends users a Facebook push notification if they are in the area of a disaster and prompts them to answer if they’re safe. From there, users can select an “I’m Safe” option which will automatically generate a notification and a story in the News Feed. Friends that are marked safe will also show up in the News Feed with a list of their most recent updates.
To determine your location, Facebook looks at the city listed on your profile and recognizes the city where internet services are being used. The company will also use data from the Nearby Friends feature if a user has turned it on. Safety Check’s sign-in feature is similar in nature to the Safe and Well website created by the American Red Cross which also allows individuals to register themselves as safe and inform their loved ones of their current conditions.
Facebook’s new Safety Check feature comes after the company launched an update to its iOS app yesterday that added support for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Facebook for iOS is a free app and can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Apple Temporarily Removing Blood Glucose Tracking from Health App After Reported Issues [iOS Blog]
Apple will remove the ability to enter and monitor blood glucose data in its Health app because of reported issues with measurement from users in the UK and Australia, reports CNET.
Currently, the app allows users to manually enter view blood glucose values in mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) or mmol/L (millimoles per liter). However, Apple notes that the Health app has an issue with devices that display mmol/L, as those values cannot be entered or displayed in the Heath app.
An Apple support page published on the matter states that the company will soon release a software updated that will temporarily remove the ability and states that data will not be deleted:
If you have previously entered values manually in the Health app, you’ll no longer see this data in the Health app after the update. However, your data won’t be deleted, and other apps with permission to read health data will still have access to blood glucose values that you previously entered.
Third-party apps will continue to be able to support both units of measurement and can continue to use HealthKit APIs to store blood glucose data.
It is unknown if a fix will come Apple’s forthcoming iOS 8.1 software update or through a potential iOS 8.0.3 update. Before the public launch of iOS 8, Apple confirmed that it had discovered a “bug” in HealthKit and pulled HealthKit-related apps from the App Store. Apple eventually released iOS 8.0.1 with fixes for HealthKit, and once again allowed HealthKit-enabled apps to be on the App Store.
Reddit snaps up Alien Blue, makes it the official iOS app
Despite being one of the biggest websites today, Reddit didn’t have an official app and used to rely on the many, many third-party options for its mobile users. We say “didn’t” and “used to,” because that’s not the case anymore: the startup has just snapped up Alien Blue, its most popular app for iPhones and iPads. The company has been working closely with its sole developer, Jase Morrissey, for years, but they only just made things official after this latest funding round. Reddit’s head of partnership and strategic development Ellan Pao said in an interview:
We want to be able to have new features from Reddit.com show up on mobile faster and better. With Alien Blue and Jase, it was getting to a point where it was too much work for one person. He was helping us, we were helping him and the fit was really strong.
Want to see how the official version looks? You’ll need to redownload the app even if you’ve been using Alien Blue for a long time — it’s already out on iTunes alongside the official AMA app, but it might take a while before it shows up for you (we’ve had to open the direct link to get it). You can import your old settings by following Reddit’s instructions, though, and you can upgrade to Pro status for free for one week. Also, the iPhone and the iPad apps are two separate versions at the moment, but Reddit plans to eventually merge them to create one universal software. While Alien Blue’s exclusive to iOS users, that doesn’t mean Reddit’s ignoring folks on Android: the company’s currently hiring an Android engineer in San Francisco to develop an app for the platform.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: Reddit Blog, The New York Times, iTunes
EE’s newest 4G tablet only costs £99
When Vodafone announced its first own-brand LTE tablet, the £125 Smart Tab 4G, earlier this week, it suddenly made EE’s £209 Eagle look a little pricey. Knowing that cost is key in the lead-up to Christmas, the UK’s biggest carrier isn’t resting on its laurels and has shot back a its rival by pricing its latest 4G tablet even lower. Priced at £99, the vibrant Alcatel ONE TOUCH Pop 7S is the UK’s most affordable pay-as-you-go 4G slate, according to EE, and comes with a 7-inch WSVGA 1024 x 600 display, Android 4.3 (Android 4.4 KitKat available via an OTA update), a quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8926 processor, 1GB of RAM, 3-megapixel rear and 0.3 front facing cameras, 8GB storage (with microSD support) and a 3240 mAh battery. The operator will also throw in 100MB of free data every month with every 4G tablet bought between now and January 31st, sweetening the deal for parents or bargain hunters looking for a cheap connected tablet.
Filed under: Tablets, Wireless, Mobile
Via: EE
Apple Providing Live Video of Today’s iPad and Mac Event on Apple TV
Ahead of today’s special iPad and Mac event, Apple has made its “Apple Events” channel available on the Apple TV.
Image credit: iDownloadBlog
In addition to live streaming on the Apple TV, Apple will also be streaming the event live on its website. In order to watch the stream, users will need to be running Safari on Mac or iOS.
Apple is expected to introduce a number of new products at the event, including the iPad Air 2, the next-generation Retina iPad mini, and new iMacs with at least the 27-inch model sporting a high-resolution Retina display. An update published in error to the company’s iPad User Guide for iOS 8 revealed some details about the new iPads which will feature a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Apple is also expected to preview OS X Yosemite one final time before its official launch, and some rumors have even claimed that the company may announce updated Mac Minis.
Apple’s keynote kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, and MacRumors will also be providing a live blog and live tweets via the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
The BBC makes every Radio Times listing ever printed available online
For over 85 years, the BBC published a weekly television and radio programme listings magazine called The Radio Times. The rise of the internet and smartphone use means it’s nowhere near as popular as it once was, but the Beeb is ensuring it will continue to live on, by digitising 4,469 past editions and making them available to browse online. BBC Genome allows users to plug in a programme date or Radio Times edition from between 1923 and 2009, which reveals a Wiki-like rundown of the BBC’s TV and radio schedules on a particular day. The first ever broadcast of Blue Peter is there, as is the BBC’s coverage of the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. It lists the presenters, contributors and even how much a related BBC video or DVD would have cost back in the day. If you’re interested to see how the BBC’s scheduling has changed over time or what “the official organ of the B.B.C” was like in the 1920s, hit the source link below.
Via: BBC Media Centre
Source: BBC Genome
No camouflage can hide this weird Mercedes prototype
Spy photos from our sister site Autoblog have revealed a concept car from Mercedes that looks like it was beamed back from 20 years in the future. The silver-colored vehicle sports a wedge shape, cycle fenders, an extreme cab-forward design and narrow tires — calling to mind Volkswagen’s 260MPG XL1 hyrid. Our guess? The tires and aerodynamics suggest an extreme-mileage vehicle, likely a full-on EV, hybrid or other green-tech vehicle. As for when we might see it, we’d place a bet on January at Las Vegas. That’s when Mercedes-Benz CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsch will deliver his CES 2015 keynote speech, and yes, unveil an all-new concept car. For a full gallery, check the source.
[Image credit: Autoblog]
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Autoblog
Google Hints at a Galaxy S5 Google Play Edition
Today Google announced Android 5.0 Lollipop, which is its latest mobile OS. However, it seems that Google may have more up its sleeve. On one of the announcement pages, there is an image showing all of the devices running stock Android, like the Nexus 6 and 9, a few Android Wear watches, and the two current GPE models: the Moto G and HTC One. However, hidden among these devices are a few Galaxy S5s running what appears to be stock Android.
Is Google planning on releasing a GPE GS5? It’s possible, but it might just be a mistake on the photo. It has been a half year since the release of Samsung’s flagship, so it seems that the GPE ship has sailed at this point. However, we can’t know for sure as of yet, so we’ll just have to wait.
Source: Android
Via: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Google Hints at a Galaxy S5 Google Play Edition
Smart deodorant applicator provides a high-tech way to keep B.O. at bay
Have you become so dependent on technology that you need gizmos to remind you about personal hygiene? If your answer’s yes, then you may want to take a long hard look in the mirror at ClickStick: a high-tech deodorant dispenser for people who either keep forgetting to put some on… or for those who want extremely precise deodorant application. Like many smart devices out there, it connects to a smartphone app that’s in charge of reminding you to wear deodorant everyday and of how much product the device should dispense (at the push of a button), depending on your activity level. The applicator itself is refillable and comes with LED lights (because the best deodorants can double as rave glow sticks, right?), though its Kickstarter campaign offers a limited edition chrome version for those with refined tastes. You can get an ordinary ClickStick if you pledge at least $26 and a chrome version for at least $40 as early as May 2015, provided its makers meet their rather hefty $55,000 crowdfunding goal.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Kickstarter
AIVAnet 