The EU is investigating Amazon for a potentially illegal tax deal
After setting Apple firmly in its crosshairs, the European Commission is now targeting retail giant Amazon’s tax dealings. In a press release this morning, the Commission announced it’s opened an “in-depth investigation” into the company’s tax status in the tiny country of Luxembourg — home to Amazon’s European subsidiary. Since 2003, Amazon has recorded the majority of its regional profits in the country, but those profits are not taxed there. As with the aforementioned Apple probe, the Commission believes that the favorable tax deal is tantamount to illegal state aid, and will now investigate Amazon and Luxembourg in an attempt to prove that. So far, Luxembourg has failed to fully comply with requests for further information, but with the Commission turning up the heat, it’s unlikely that either party will be able to hide from the investigation.
Filed under: Amazon
Source: Europa Press
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Nano-sized ‘missiles’ help to kill cancer through the power of green tea
Many will tell you that green tea is good for your health, but researchers at Singapore’s A*STAR might just make it a literal life-saver. They’ve developed nanoscale drug delivery “missiles” that use a key ingredient from green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), to kill cancer tumors more effectively. Compounds based on EGCG both shield the drug carriers from your immune system and provide some therapy of their own; in other words, these hunters are more likely to reach tumors and do a better job of healing your body when they arrive. They’re also less prone to accumulating in organs where they aren’t wanted, so there are fewer chances of nasty side effects. It’s not certain when these tea-based transporters will be available to your doctor, but A*STAR’s team is determined to make them a practical reality before long.
[Top image credit: Shutterstock / Africa Studio]
Filed under: Science
Via: Phys.org
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Report Claims 12.9-Inch iPad May Adopt Integrated iOS/OS X Operating System [iOS Blog]
Apple’s rumored 12.9-inch iPad may feature an operating system that integrates OS X and iOS, according to supply chain sources speaking to Digitimes. The sources state that Apple has two 12.9-inch iPad prototypes in development, with one model being a “2-in-1 device” that utilizes elements from both operating systems while the other resembles previous iPads. The report also notes that the 12.9-inch iPad isn’t expected to go into mass production until 2015.
Mockup of a 12.9-inch iPad next to a 13-inch MacBook Air
The idea of Apple combining both OS X and iOS into one platform has been a popular subject for quite some time, as both have begun to share design principles and features. Notably, J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz predicted earlier this year that the company is working on a combo operating system which would utilize an iOS device docked to a secondary display for a full computer experience.
However, Apple executives Phil Schiller and Craig Federighi stated in a January interview with Macworld that iOS and OS X convergence is a “non-goal” for the company, with the latter saying that Apple’s is focused on making best products for unique purposes. That vision was also shared by Federighi at this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference, where he stated the following during the reveal of Apple’s new “Continuity” features for iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite:
At Apple, we believe you should be able to use the right device for the moment. We want the transitions between these moments to be as absolutely natural and seamless as possible.
Some of the Continuity features Apple is integrating with iOS 8 and OS X include “Handoff”, which allows users to start a task on one device and finish it on another. Other features include the ability for users to answer a call made to their iPhone on the Mac, and the ability for iPads and Macs to receive SMS messages from non-Apple devices. It is likely that Apple will look to build more Continuity-like features that improve cross-platform integration between iOS and OS X as opposed to working on a full-blown hybrid platform.
Apple is said to be preparing its 12.9-inch iPad for early 2015. Some rumors have claimed that the tablet will come with an ultra high-resolution display and adopt an ultra-thin chassis and narrow side bezels similar to the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini.
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Video game-inspired remote labs could prevent scientific fraud
Scientific error doesn’t always come from botched equations or faulty theories but bad behavior, too — sometimes scientists crack under pressure and contaminate their results by crafting fraudulent, retrospective hypotheses or cherry-picking data to verify a bias. It’s a constant problem within the scientific community, but researchers from Carnegie Mellon and Stanford Universities may have stumbled upon an unconventional solution: video games. Specifically, EteRNA, an educational game that teaches players to design RNA molecules online.
Although EteRNA is presented as an RNA matching game, it actually teaches players the rules of RNA and has them construct molecule designs that can later be tested in a real lab. Underneath the game, however, the system is highly resistant to most forms of scientific fraud. “We registered more than 150,000 participants who contributed in excess of 2 million human-hours to EteRNA,” explains Adrien Treuille, assistant professor of computer science and robotics at Carnegie Mellon. “That means there were a lot of eyes, a lot of people looking over each other’s shoulders as hypotheses were developed and experimental results evaluated. Everything is out in the open.”
When viewed as an online lab, the game is so transparent that it makes fraud extraordinarily difficult. It also allows parties that weren’t involved in creating a theory to test it, removing the temptation of the team to manipulate results to validate their own work. The team admits that setting up online labs is potentially expensive, but it’s within the reach of most major research facilities.
[Image credit: Getty]
Source: PhysOrg
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Life after Sony: Vaio shows off hybrid laptop prototype
Lenovo proved that its possible to buy an unwanted business (PCs) from a giant company (IBM) and turn it a massive success. After buying Sony’s portable PC business, Vaio is hoping for the same and just revealed its first prototype: a 12.3-inch hybrid tablet that would cost at least 200,000 yen ($1,800). This is its first prototype created without any Sony influence (though it still sells Sony’s current models) and the Japanese company has shown it’s taking a completely different tack than Lenovo.
Rather than compete in a crowded market — which sunk Sony — Vaio is courting illustrators, photographers and other pros. That would explain the price and specs: a 12.3-inch 2,560 x 1,704 (3:2) pen-enabled display, stylus and Intel Haswell quad-core CPU with Iris graphics. Vaio told the WSJ that it’s following Panasonic’s lead in Japan by offering high-end, durable models that the right users are willing to pay for. It’s going to test that theory soon, but in Japan only for now — the first all-new products are set to arrive in May of next year.
Filed under: Laptops
Via: WSJ
Source: Vaio
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Apple’s own stats show iOS 8 upgrades have slowed to a crawl
Despite the introduction of custom keyboards, Notification Center widgets and lots more, Apple users aren’t taking to iOS 8. According to stats displayed on the company’s developer portal, the proportion of iPhone and iPad owners currently running the latest version on their devices stands at 47 percent, only an increase of 1 percentage point from two weeks ago. By this point last year, iOS 7 uptake was already hovering around 60 percent, according to analytics firm Fiksu. We can only speculate, but it seems likely a combination of very large install files, the bungled point updates, and the dropping of iPhone 4 support could be reason enough for many users to stick with what they know, for now. Or maybe they’re just paranoid.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Apple
Source: Apple Developer
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LG G Watch R release date is set for October 14th, but only in South Korea for now
With the Motorola Moto 360 currently owning a monopoly on the circular smartwatch arena, it was only a matter of time before its main competitor, the LG G Watch R, stepped into the ring. We’ve been wondering when the LG G Watch R release date was going to come and LG has today confirmed it itself that the wearable will be launching on October 14th. Now before you ready your money to throw, there is one catch – the LG G Watch R is only going to be launching in South Korea on that date. Don’t get too disappointed though as many other regions will likely get the device soon after, probably before the end of October, though that hasn’t yet been specified by LG.
The LG G Watch R was somewhat of a surprise release at IFA 2014 last month, particularly seeing as it had only launched its maiden Android Wear wearable, the LG G Watch, just two months prior. In fact, if you look at the stat sheet of the G Watch and the G Watch R, they will look very similar, the primary difference of course being the completely circular display – something even the Moto 360 lacked because of its ambient light sensor. And contrasting its Android Wear and indeed, all smartwatch, brethren, the LG G Watch R actually looks the most like a mainstream watch, something that may work in their favour when it goes global. No pricing has yet been confirmed.
What do you think about the LG G Watch R release date? Are you hoping to get one? Let us know your thoughts.
Source: LG via TalkAndroid
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RomoCart turns your living room into a video game
Looking for something new to do with your iPhone-powered Romo robot? Well, you could always use it to turn your living room into a race track. Ken Kawamoto and Tomoaki Akitomi have paired the remote controlled phone-charger with a pico projector and an RGB depth sensor to turn their living room into an augmented reality video game — a two-car racer inspired by Mario Kart. RemoCart, as it’s called, isn’t a particularly fast paced racer (the Romo is pretty slow), but it has all the hallmarks of the classic Nintendo game: cars, a race track and special items and weapons that can turn the tide mid-race.
Despite taking its name from the Kickstarter-sourced robot, RomoCart’s magic is mostly handled by its projector and depth camera. Not only does the RGBD camera keep track of the player’s Remos, it also maps out solid objects in the play area. This data is used to automatically create a race track on the floor’s open space. The projector also animates items on the play field, which can interrupt player control of the Remo to create the effect of being “hit” with a weapon. It’s a neat project, but right now it’s also unavailable — but the team promises to release the source code as soon as it can “find the time.”
Source: Kawalabo
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Cult classic Vib-Ribbon will finally land in North America tomorrow
Back in 1999, that little vectorized rabbit thing (Vibri, if you want to get specific) bounded across televisions in Japan and Europe in a quirky little PlayStation title called Vib-Ribbon, Now, 15 years later, gamers in North America are finally getting a chance to steer her through an array of trippy musically generated levels… as long as they have a PS3 or PS Vita. Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Shawn Layden wrote in a blog post today that the cult classic would go live in the PlayStation Store tomorrow (no firm price just yet), and that the PS3 version retains the game’s original hook: you’ll be able to pop in an audio CD, and the game will automagically create a level from each track. Alas, you won’t be able to play the game if you splurged on a PlayStation 4, though Layden was quick to point out that your time will soon come. Bummer, but hey: it’s not like you’re going to have to wait another 15 years, and you can peer beyond the jump to see what exactly you’ll have to look forward to.
Via: Joystiq
Source: PlayStation Blog
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Livestream’s new iPhone app lets you broadcast GoPro adventures without a PC
Typically, streaming live footage from an action camera requires a PC to provide the internet connection. That’s not exactly an option when you’re flying off a cliff in a wingsuit. Livestream just made it a lot easier to share your adventures with the world, however. Its newest iOS app now lets you broadcast video from GoPro Hero cameras anywhere you have a good data connection; so long as you can fit an iPhone in your pocket, your friends can see that thrilling BASE jump or bike ride in real-time. There’s no word of GoPro support on Android, but it won’t be surprising if there’s a corresponding update before long.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile
Via: CNET
Source: Livestream Producer Blog, App Store
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