Tim Cook Says Chinese Security Talks Were ‘Very Open’, Bringing Apple Pay to China a Priority
Tim Cook was optimistic about Apple’s relationship with China following a meeting with top Chinese government officials in Beijing on Wednesday to discuss data privacy and security. Cook told China’s Xinhua news agency (Via Reuters) that he had “very open” talks with a senior official.
Chinese vice premier Ma Kai, a member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, met with the CEO of the world’s most valuable company on Wednesday morning. They had discussed a series of topics including privacy and security. Cook described it as “very open”, “fascinating” and “impressive”, but he declined specifics.
As part of the interview, Cook also confirmed Apple’s plan to launch Apple Pay and other technologies in China saying, “China is a really key market for us. Everything we do, we are going to work it here. Apple Pay is on the top of the list.” Cook spoke to Xinhua News during his 4-day-long trip to China, which saw the CEO also visit a Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou City.
China is an increasingly important market for the Cupertino company, which now has 16 percent of the smartphone market share behind Samsung (23 percent) and Xiaomi (21 percent). Apple plans to expand its presence even further in the country by opening 25 new stores in the next two years.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Amazon Visa Rewards Card Now Compatible With Apple Pay
According to reports on Twitter, Reddit and MacRumors forums, Amazon’s Visa Rewards card is now compatible with Apple Pay. Amazon reportedly enabled the feature today, moving quickly to bring the mobile payments service to consumers who were disappointed in Amazon for not supporting Apple Pay at launch.
Apple Pay launched on Monday with support from a large number of credit card companies and banks. Among the launch partners were Chase, which is the issuing bank for the Amazon Visa Rewards card. Amazon reportedly was the only Chase card not supporting Apple Pay, sparking rumors that the retailer was deliberately rebuffing Apple’s mobile payment efforts for competitive reasons.
Hey, Amazon Chase Visa cards now work with Apple Pay, complete with Amazon logo on the card and all. That was fast.
— Dave Rutledge (@_) October 24, 2014
Amazon dispelled these rumors by confirming it would enable Apple Pay soon, but few expected the rollout to happen so quickly. Customers with an Amazon Visa Rewards card should be able to add the credit card to Apple Pay with full support for mobile payments.
Accessory of the Day: Pebble Smartwatch $99.99
Everybody’s making the move; don’t you think it’s time you catch up? Jump into the smartwatch game without breaking the bank with this Pebble Smartwatch for under $100. View all of your notifications with just a glance of the wrist. The Pebble is highly customizeable so you can always stay fresh with updated watch faces and styles. This bad boy has tremendous reviews and its powerful built-in battery lasts 5-7 days per charge making it a digital companion that enhances your life without getting in the way. Whether you’re looking for your first step into wearable tech or just browsing for a great holiday gift, the Pebble is a fantastic buy at just $99.99 (Prime eligible).
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LG debuts NUCLUN processor in the G3 Screen, a Korean exclusive with a 5.9-inch screen
We’ve seen evidence that LG have been preparing their own processor, and today the Korean manufacturer have confirmed the long-running rumor by announcing the octa-core NUCLUN ARM processor. The processor will make its debut in the G3 Screen (formerly the LG Liger),and will feature LTE-6 capability, allowing download speeds of up to 225Mbps.
The NUCLUN inside the G3 Screen will be clocked at 1.5GHz for the four Cortex-A15 cores and 1.2GHz for the other four Cortex-A7 cores. The cores are said to be able to fire individually, allowing for an extremely flexible and efficient processor. It will also have 2GB of RAM under the hood and 32GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD). On the outside is a 5.9-inch 1080p IPS display, a 13-megapixel rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. The Korean exclusive will be powered by a 3,000mAh battery and is set to run Android 4.4 KitKat.
No word yet on whether we will be seeing any NUCLUN-powered devices outside of Korea, but if LG wants to knock Samsung off their throne, launching their own line of processors is a good way to start. Check out the presser below for more info on LG’s new line of processors and hit the comments section to let us know your opinions.
LG INTRODUCES COMPANY’S FIRST MOBILE APPLICATION PROCESSOR
LG’s Octa-Core NUCLUN Processor Delivers LTE-A Cat.6 Support and
Enhanced Capabilities Optimized for High-end SmartphonesSEOUL, Oct. 24, 2014 ― LG Electronics (LG) unveiled its first mobile application processor (AP) featuring eight-core architecture and LTE-A Cat.6 network capability for high performance and low energy consumption. The new AP, named NUCLUN, will make its debut this week in the “G3 Screen”, a smartphone developed specifically for the Korean market.
NUCLUN (pronounced NOO-klun) was designed using ARM big.LITTLE™ technology for efficient multi-tasking capabilities. The AP employs four 1.5GHz cores (ARM Cortex-A15) for high performance and four 1.2GHz cores (ARM Cortex-A7) for less intensive processing. The number of performing cores can be adjusted based on the requirements of the task for maximum processing power or maximum energy savings. NUCLUN is designed to support the next generation of 4G networks, LTE-A Cat.6, for maximum download speeds of up to 225Mbps while retaining backward compatibility with current LTE networks.
“NUCLUN opens up a new chapter in LG’s history of innovation in the mobile industry,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “With this in-house solution, we will be able to achieve better vertical integration and further diversity our product strategy against stronger competition. NUCLUN will give us greater flexibility in our mobile strategy going forward.”
As LG’s first smartphone equipped with NUCLUN, the G3 Screen inherits the design language, camera and UX features of the popular LG G3. The G3 Screen boasts an expansive, 5.9-inch Full HD IPS display and high fidelity 1W speaker for the ultimate smartphone experience. As the largest smartphone designed for LTE-A Cat.6 networks, the G3 Screen will deliver download speeds three times faster than regular 4G LTE networks for a truly smooth and satisfying multimedia experience.
Key Specifications:
Chipset: NUCLUN Octa-Core (1.5GHz Quad-Core + 1.2GHz Quad-Core)
Display: 5.9-inch Full HD IPS
Memory: 32GB eMMC / 2GB RAM / MicroSD slot
Camera: Rear 13MP OIS+ / Front 2.1MP
Battery: 3,000mAh
Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
Size: 157.8 x 81.8 x 9.5mm
Weight: 182g
Network: LTE-A Cat.6
Colors: Black / White
Source: LG Korea
Come comment on this article: LG debuts NUCLUN processor in the G3 Screen, a Korean exclusive with a 5.9-inch screen
Get in the fall spirit with Google Calendar’s new seasonal wallpapers
The Google Calendar app is probably one of the last places you’d expect to get some extremely attractive wallpapers, but Google’s most recent update for the application changes that. The update includes twelve very elegant backgrounds, each representing a different month, and therefore each only visible for a month at a time. Luckily these wallpapers have been extracted from the app and can be downloaded and enjoyed at anytime. Hit the break for the full gallery.
Source: AmongTech
Via: Android Authority
Come comment on this article: Get in the fall spirit with Google Calendar’s new seasonal wallpapers
Samsung confirms the Galaxy A7 will ship with a Full HD display and 64-bit processor
The Galaxy A7 has been on our radar for some time, most recently in regards to its Full HD Display, a detail that was confirmed earlier today by Samsung in a user agent profile for the device (SM-A700FD). The profile also revealed that the A7 will feature an ARMv8-A 64-bit processor, not unlike the upcoming A5.
It is also worth noting that the D in the model number indicates a dual SIM device, which is unsurprising since the A7 will launch in China, where most phones offer dual SIM slots. The phones are said to launch with Android 4.4 KitKat but will presumably be updated to 5.0 Lollipop to properly utilize those 64-bit processors. These are shaping up to be some premium mid-range devices and are expected to launch in other markets soon. Let us know in the comments if the Galaxy A7 piques your interest.
Source: Samsung
Via: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung confirms the Galaxy A7 will ship with a Full HD display and 64-bit processor
First private mission to the moon blasts off aboard a Chinese rocket
A Chinese Long March rocket has blasted off for a lunar flyby today, bringing with it a spacecraft for what claims to be the first privately funded mission to the moon. This spacecraft (attached to the rocket’s upper stage) is a 31-pound vehicle called 4M manufactured by Luxembourg-based company LuxSpace. 4M will be broacasting signals throughout the duration of its journey (it has already started doing so), and anybody on Earth is welcome to try and receive/decode those messages. In fact, the company wants to encourage radio amateurs (even you) to join in by holding contests later on — just check out 4M’s mission page for clues on where to begin.
The Chinese rocket’s main payload, however, is the Chang’e 5-T1 lunar spacecraft, which it’s dropping along the way, so it can zoom back down to Earth. It was made as a test capsule to ensure that the re-entry technlogy for the Chang’e 5 unmanned mission works before it officially begins in 2017. That mission aims to collect rocks and soil from the moon, and then ferry them back to the planet without a human on board. While the test capsule will soon make it back to our planet, both 4M and the Long March rocket will remain in space for a while longer to travel in a circle around the Earth. LuxSpace expects the 4M mission to last for eight days, but you might be able to receive signals from the vehicle longer than that, depending on how long its solar cells can sustain it.
Filed under: Science
Via: Space, Popular Science
Source: Luxspace
YouView boxes finally granted the BBC’s new iPlayer and red button features
The BBC’s extensively redesigned iPlayer has been gradually lumbering its way onto different compatible devices since it was first launched earlier this year. YouView’s hybrid Freeview/IPTV set-top boxes have, until now, been sorely neglected, which is somewhat strange given the BBC is one of YouView’s principal investors. Well, better late than never, the new iPlayer has finally started rolling out to YouView set-top boxes, alongside the addition of the BBC’s Connected Red Button features. If you’re in possession of a YouView- or BT-issued box made by Humax (Huawei’s also built a few), then these goodies will show up shortly, if not today. TalkTalk customers, however, are still playing the waiting game, though they can expect to receive the updates “in due course.”
To refresh your memory, the new-look iPlayer has a simpler, more image-driven UI that puts content discovery first, with a revised category list, suggestive search feature and new, themed collections of related content. YouView boxes that receive the update will now be able to access anything from the longer, 30-day catch-up window the BBC introduced earlier this month, too. Through the Connected Red Button, couch potatoes can get at even more content, like weather forecasts, the latest news reports, and various sports media, including video highlights, live scores and match analyses. While major sporting events are running, the red button is also your window onto all the live streams that aren’t being broadcast on any of the BBC’s traditional channels.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD
Source: YouView
Queen Elizabeth II takes to an iPad to send her first Tweet
Queen Elizabeth II of England is pretty seriously old-school. She casually signs her name, “Elizabeth R.” (the “R” stands for “Regina” or, in English, “Regent”). She wears killer matching outfits (as seen above) that would be at home in 1962. But she’s also not above jumping into the modern age every now and again. Take, for instance, the tweet that she sent this morning — her first ever — from London’s Science Museum. It’s how she helped open an exhibit on “The Information Age” — a live-action tweet from an iPad.
There’s some contestation over whether she sent the tweet herself; the tweet originates on an iPhone, though the Queen was clearly using an iPad. Does it really matter? Do you care? This is all a publicity stunt anyway, right? Let’s all just enjoy that beautiful blue dress and the killer matching hat. The tweet, in all its glory, can be found below.
Update: We’ve got an especially hilarious update on the did she/didn’t she debate, straight from a spokesperson for the Queen of England: “If an iPhone was involved it was purely processology.” And no, in case you’re wondering, “processology” isn’t a real word.
It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting. Elizabeth R.
– BritishMonarchy (@BritishMonarchy) October 24, 2014
[Image credit: @BritishMonarchy]
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Apple
Source: Twitter
A 3D slice of the universe 10.8 billion years ago
Mapping out the ancient universe is a major astronomical goal, but there’s a huge challenge: the galaxies there are so dim, scientists can’t make out any of the dark parts. But researchers from the Max Planck Institute and US Berkeley/Berkeley Lab have made a breakthrough that may help. They turned their telescopes on a small, 10.8 billion year old chunk of the universe, measuring the change in light from galaxies caused by hydrogen clouds just in front of them. By observing a number of such galaxies, the astronomers created a map of the cosmic web of gases in front of them, in a similar way that scientists map out the brain using CT scans. Though they covered just a tiny portion of the universe, the scientists think it could help the DESI project, due to come online in 2018. It’s goal is nothing less than completely mapping the universe to a distance of 10 billion light years.
Filed under: Science
Via: Science Daily
Source: Berkeley Lab
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