Apple VP Greg Joswiak Apologizes for iOS 8.0.1 Bug, Points to Software Distribution as Cause
Apple’s VP of iPhone marketing, Greg Joswiak, sat down for an interview with Re/code‘s Ina Fried and Walt Mossberg this afternoon, discussing iPhone 6 and 6 Plus supply, the flawed iOS 8.0.1 update, Apple Pay, and the Apple Watch.
According to Joswiak, the major iOS 8.0.1 bug that caused many iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users to lose access to both cellular service and Touch ID was caused by the software distribution rather than a flaw in the software. “It wasn’t the software itself, it was the way it was distributed, said Joswiak. “We’re very sorry.”
The iOS 8.0.1 bug surfaced shortly after the software was first released, bricking many iPhone 6 and 6 devices. Apple pulled the update a few hours later, directed users to downgrade to iOS 8, and released iOS 8.0.2 to fix the problem the next day.
On the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Joswiak echoed a statement made by Tim Cook during Apple’s recent earnings call, saying that while he’s not sure which iPhone had higher demand, Apple is selling everything that it makes. According to Joswiak, Apple’s goal isn’t to sell the most iPhones, but to provide a better experience.
Repeating much of what Tim Cook had to say on Apple Pay and the situation with Rite Aid/CVS, Joswiak commented that retailers aiming to be successful will accept the way customers want to pay. He went on to state that Apple is focused on improving mobile payments for consumers, minimizing the amount of personal data shared and keeping that data safe from hackers.
Some of Joswiak’s final comments were on the Apple Watch. When Mossberg implied that the Apple Watch could cost thousands of dollars, Joswiak told the audience that a wider price range allows customers to choose the best option for them. More on Joswiak’s interview will be added later, after Re/code makes a video of the discussion available on its site.
Droid Turbo gallery
Motorola and Verizon’s latest collaboration, the Droid Turbo arrives on October 30. Be sure to read up on the device here!
The post Droid Turbo gallery appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google Fit app launches in the Play store
Today, Google officially released the Google Fit app which turns your Android device into a fitness tracker.
According the the Android Official Blog,
Google Fit uses sensors already built in to your Android phone to automatically detect walking, biking and running. And you can set and monitor your fitness goals based on your activity levels. It’s a great tool to discover how active you are and check in on your progress as you work on your fitness goals. In fact, you can check in just about anywhere, including your phone, the web, tablet and Android Wear devices.
Download the app, link it to your Google account, and BOOM; instant fitness tracker with real-time monitoring. You can then use any device, including the web, to look at your fitness data.
Google Fit also links up to your other fitness apps/devices. So, you can wear your fitness band while working out and your Android Wear smartwatch the rest of the time, and still have all your fitness data in one place.
What do you think? Are you ready for Google to own another set of your personal data?
via [TNW]
Source [Android Official Blog]
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Google Fit makes its way to the Play Store [APK Download]
Google did some talking about the upcoming Google Fit service during Google I/O a few months back. Google Fit is your all-inclusive fitness tracking app from Google that gives you access to your running, walking and cycling data quickly and easily. All you need is the app on your phone and your phone in your pocket. Of course the Fit app is also compatible with all Android Wear devices and the Fit API has been finding its way into other wearables and apps as well.
The new Google Fit app is free and can be installed across all your Android devices so you can easily view and track your progress everywhere. There is even a web portal to keep tabs on things and adjust your goal, height, weight ect. Once you start getting your tracking in order and get moving, the Fit app will track it all and display it in easy to understand graphs and images.
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FTC sues AT&T over ‘deceptive’ mobile data throttling (update: response)
If you felt that AT&T pulled a fast one by promising you unlimited mobile data only to throttle your service later on, you’re not alone. The Federal Trade Commission has just sued the carrier for misleading grandfathered customers about the changes; allegedly, it’s not doing enough to warn these subscribers that it heavily throttles their connections after they reach a data usage milestone. It’s not really unlimited access if your service becomes so slow that music streaming and other common features don’t work, the FTC says. Effectively, AT&T changed the terms of use for people who were still under contract, and didn’t say much when customers renewed.
We’ve reached out to AT&T for its take on the lawsuit, and we’ll let you know what it says. Big Blue has historically insisted that throttling is necessary to prevent data hogs from congesting the network. However, that argument might not hold water in this case — the FTC is primarily concerned with the honesty of what AT&T is doing, and it’s hard to argue that unlimited service really deserves its title when subscribers can quickly lose a lot of the functions they take for granted. Moreover, the FTC isn’t alone in this fight. The FCC has also been taking providers to task, and it put enough pressure on Verizon that the company backed away from its throttling plans. It wouldn’t be surprising if AT&T suddenly has second thoughts about its own slowdown strategy.
Update: Not surprisingly, AT&T isn’t happy. It claims the FTC’s lawsuit is “baseless,” and maintains that it has been “transparent” about the entire affair between press releases and bill notices. Also, it notes that “only” 3 percent of customers are affected, and they get a text message when throttling is a concern. While it’s definitely true that AT&T has discussed throttling out in the open, that doesn’t address the FTC’s concerns about telling customers exactly how unusable their service can get — or the complaint that in-contract customers were promised one thing and got another. Also, 3 percent of 55.8 million subscribers (as of the third quarter) still adds up to roughly 1.7 million, so there are plenty of people directly affected by these policies.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, AT&T
Hugo Barra discusses Xiaomi’s popularity, its Apple rivalry and the future
Hugo Barra, former Googler and current VP of International for Xiaomi, went on stage at the WSJD Live conference in Laguna Beach, California to not only explain the company’s popularity, but also to combat accusations of design theft from Apple’s Jony Ive. Barra said that their designers and engineers are certainly inspired by great products, “but, well, who isn’t?” “Show me a completely unique design,” he said. “I bet you can’t find one.” He even points at Apple, stating that while the iPhone 6 is the “most beautiful smartphone ever built,” it carries design language that is very HTC-like. He also quotes Time Magazine, which said that iOS 8 borrows very liberally from Android, but that’s a good thing. “They took existing ideas that are good, added their twist of innovation on top, and made it better.” It’s this concept of building upon great ideas that Barra said is something that both companies share. “People who accuse us of theft need to take a closer look at what we do.”
Barra also spent some time explaining Xiaomi’s secret to success — it’s currently hailed as the number three smartphone manufacturer in the world. Google, he says, calls its clientele “users”, Microsoft says “customers,” while Xiaomi calls its base “fans.” Xiaomi apparently has a user forum in China with around 30 million users that sees around 400,000 posts per day. They talk about everything from product feedback to bug reports. “20 percent of those posts have to do with feature discussions.” Additionally, the company sells their phones at cost, stating that the hardware is the delivery vehicle for the software. It has its own ecommerce platform, which is the third largest in China. “All of our marketing is social media,” Barra added. The company only does one television ad buy a year — about a minute’s worth during Chinese New Year.
As far as the future goes, Barra has been living in India for the past few months, in hopes of making Xiaomi a big thing there as well. He said they’ve already made a big splash, selling out their initial batch of phones during a flash sale in July. Xiaomi also hopes to launch its Android-based 4k Smart TV in India and other international markets later this year. As for wearables? Well, aside from the Mi Band, Barra said that “Xiaomi has a bunch of new products coming.”
Taco Bell’s new app makes it easy for you to order on the go
Earlier today, Taco Bell’s site and social networks went completely dark, making some curios people wonder what the fast food chain had up its sleeve. This time, however, it wasn’t a Doritos-infused taco or a fresh breakfast menu of sorts. Instead, Taco Bell introduced an all-new mobile application, which allows iOS and Android users to place orders and pay directly from their smartphone. But in case this wasn’t enough, the app will let you customize various menu items and, by using location services, pick them up whenever you’re close to your location of choice. Taco Bell says it won’t make the food until customers arrive, this way it will taste just as fresh as they had imagined it — simply put, the popular chain wants everyone to “skip the in-store line like you own the place.” Assuming you can handle the aftermath of a Taco Bell meal, the app is a pretty good idea.
Taco Bell goes dark on social media to launch its new app: http://t.co/zhlrirPZKC pic.twitter.com/Zz0V9MsuG4
– Mashable Business (@mashbusiness) October 28, 2014
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Software, Mobile
Source: App Store, Google Play
Hands on with the DROID Turbo
The DROID Turbo was officially launched today in New York City, and it’s shaping up to be the best DROID yet. With it’s 5.2-inch Quad HD display, 2.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM, 21 MP rear camera with dual LED flash, and 48 hour battery life, it’s one beast to be reckoned with. The fact that it’s priced at $199 for 32 GB of internal storage ($249 for 64 GB) makes this very intriguing for Verizon Wireless customers. The only question I have, since it’s made by Motorola, is how good is the camera? I will have to wait until I spend more time with it before I can answer that question, but for now, check out our hands on video after the break.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Come comment on this article: Hands on with the DROID Turbo
Google details more new security features in Android Lollipop
Security is one of Google’s major focus points with the latest version of Android, and in a blog post they’ve detailed exactly what goes into making your Android more secure once it’s updated to Lollipop.
The post talks about a few of the new security features in Lollipop, including the revamped smart lock settings for your device. It’s a great idea to put a pin or password on your phone’s lock screen, but it’s inconvenient to have to put that code in every time you unlock your phone. Fortunately, the smart lock stuff will let you automatically unlock your device when it’s connected to a trusted Bluetooth device like a smartwatch. Plus, there are also options for NFC and an improved facial recognition unlock.
Device encryption is another bullet point, and as we all know, all phones with Lollipop will be encrypted by default. Google is also pushing SELinux, which is great for app security. The SELinux Enforcing Mode is required for all apps on Android 5.0, which really helps more on the enterprise side of things.
source: Official Android Blog
Come comment on this article: Google details more new security features in Android Lollipop
MondoHub: 28 USB ports in one compact hub, $59.99 [Deal of the Day]
Most laptops or PC’s come with, what, maybe 3 or 4 USB ports? I currently have 3 USB devices just on my person alone. That’s not even factoring in the handful of speakers, Bluetooths, flash drives, hard drives, and various other gizmos and gadgets that float around my home. There’s no way to keep everything powered and plugged on a measly 4 USB ports. That’s where MondoHub comes in and fixes everything.
MondoHub is a 28-slot (4 of which are USB 3.0) high-capacity USB hub for everybody with peripherals that need a spot to live or just re-charge. With built-in over-current protection, hot-swapping and Plug and Play technology are fully supported. Each port also features its own power switch, giving you full control. Upon purchase, you will henceforth be known as master of the hub.
If you’ve been looking for a way to expand your USB reach the MondoHub is a perfect choice. Don’t settle for an inferior hub and risk losing data or damaging your sensitive devices. For just $59.99, MondoHub is a great buy!
Check this deal out, and many others at deals.androidguys.com!
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AIVAnet 