Tweets to be Searchable via Google
Google is the search engine powerhouse of the internet. No one says, “Let’s Bing it!” or “Let’s try Yahoo!” The go-to response whenever a question is raised is to ask Google. Twitter is the quick and convenient was to send out a short statement to all of the people that follow you. The joining forces of the two seems like a match made in heaven, and it is.
Twitter is hoping to get more non-users to view tweets and raise advertising revenue, and what better way to do that than working more closely to Google to get tweets in the search results. Previously, Google had to search through Twitter’s website to give a searcher information; now Twitter will be giving tweets to Google as soon as they are published, making the experience better for everyone.
Supposedly Twitter will be receiving data-licensing revenue from the deal, to the tune of about $41 million. The deal was described as a “unique opportunity” by Anthony Noto, Twitter’s CFO.
Source: Bloomberg
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Stable version of VLC launches on Google Play, beta client spun off as separate app
VLC media player received a host of fixes in its last update, but the app itself was still classified as a beta. VideoLAN, the makers of the popular media player, have today announced the launch of the first stable client for VLC (v1.0.1) on Android. The beta version is also available for users to test out as a separate app.
Staples expands its tech shopping empire by acquiring Office Depot
Best Buy may have to fight a bit harder for your technology dollar. Staples just bought Office Depot, making it by far the biggest office supply outlet in the US and a considerably larger source for everything from computers to 3D printing. The combined company hopes to use its newfound clout to speed up its “strategic reinvention,” letting it dip into delivery businesses and escape its old-school focus on workplace basics like pens and desk chairs.
Just how big Staples will become isn’t clear yet. The deal isn’t expected to close until nearer to the end of 2015, and it’s apparent that things are going to get messy — Staples is talking about $1 billion in “synergies” that will include job cuts and eliminating other redundancies. The big-box chain may well become a force to be reckoned with, but that’ll come at a cost.
[Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images]
Source: Staples
BT confirms it’s bought EE for £12.5 billion
It’s been nearly a decade, but BT is officially returning to mobile. After months of talks, the landline and broadband giant has confirmed it will pay £12.5 billion to acquire EE, the UK’s biggest operator. In an announcement, BT said it intends to provide customers with “innovative, seamless services that combine the power of fibre broadband with wi-fi and advanced mobile capabilities,” targeting EE customers that don’t already use its broadband services and delivering 4G connectivity to BT customers for the first time.
As part of the deal, EE’s original owners, Deutsche Telekom and Orange, will gain shares of BT. Deutsche Telekom will own a 12 percent stake of the company, while Orange will grab 4 percent. That is, of course, after the deal closes, which BT thinks will complete by the end of the year. First, it must navigate choppy regulatory waters, which include scrutiny from both the UK Competition and Markets Authority and communications regulator Ofcom.
Since BT confirmed it was looking to get back into mobile, interest also picked up in Telefonica-owned carrier O2. Three UK owner Hutchison Whampoa is currently in talks to buy the carrier in a £10.25 billion deal, which would allow the merged company to usurp BT/EE and instantly become the biggest carrier.
For EE customers, it’s now a case of waiting. The necessary approvals will take time, meaning BT won’t make any changes to its services, at least for now. That isn’t to say that BT won’t mix things up in the future, though. With a healthy landline, broadband and emergent TV business, a new mobile offering will make BT a true quad-play provider. That’s something Sky and TalkTalk are already focusing heavily on, but with the help of O2.
Overall, quad-play services could mean more competition, which will ultimately benefit consumers. However, as it’s likely that the UK mobile industry will shrink from four major players to just three, there could be less incentive for BT/EE, Three/O2 and Vodafone to outprice their mobile rivals. With today’s deal likely to close towards the end of the year and Sky set to launch its own mobile network in 2016, we’ll have to wait a little while to see how it all pans out.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Source: BT
GoPro Channel brings its sport and action-cam adventures to Roku
Look, there’s no shame in watching others skydive or rappel instead of doing it yourself. So if you have a Roku, fire it up and and prepare to live vicariously through GoPro-toting adrenaline junkies, because the adventure camera’s channel has arrived on the media player. Just like the older versions for Xbox 360, LG smart TVs and Virgin America’s in-flight entertainment systems, GoPro for Roku will show on-demand content and featured playlists from its YouTube channel. It will also note which camera model was used to capture a particular video clip, just in case you decide to get off your computer chair and decide to live a little.
If you’re already a thrill seeker with a GoPro Hero4, though, you may want to monitor your cameras instead of the screen. The newest firmware that comes with a bunch of useful features is landing on your devices today, as well, if it hasn’t yet. Those features include time lapses’ auto-conversion to video and a 30-picture burst photo setting, so we wouldn’t be surprised if you’re already planning another trip to test them out.
PS: In case numbers, earnings and the stock market excite you more than parasailing and bungee jumping (no judgement here), the company will also deliver its financials today for the first time since going public.
Filed under: Cameras
Source: GoPro
Redditor Creates Site for Discovering Network Compatibility
A redditor posted a link yesterday to a website that will determine your phone’s network compatibility. The site is incredibly easy to use. Select your brand, make, and model from a list, then select the country and carrier you are interested in checking for compatibility of, and select search. The results are then displayed in a simple, easy to read format. Three categories are submitted, one for 2G, another for 3G, and a last one for 4G. If a category has a check, you are compatible, if it has an X, you are not. I used the website to find out that my HTC One will work on all major networks in the US except for Sprint’s 4G network. (And who cares about that anyhow?) The band one your phone that is compatible with the network is also shown.
If you are thinking about purchasing a phone, make sure to use the website, called Will My Phone Work to find out if it is compatible with your network before purchasing. If you are thinking about switching to a new wireless carrier, check to see if your current device will still function. There are plenty of uses for the new website, so check it out and see what you find.
Source: Reddit
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Twitter CEO takes stance against abuse, vows to eliminate trolls from the platform
In an internal memo sent out to employees, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo acknowledged the platform’s ongoing problems with harassment and abuse as well as its inability to combat trolls. Costolo admitted that this behavior was a key factor in driving away core users from the platform, and that he would be taking an aggressive stance against trolls on Twitter.
According to the internal memo, which was acquired by The Verge:
We suck at dealing with abuse and trolls on the platform and we’ve sucked at it for years. It’s no secret and the rest of the world talks about it every day. We lose core user after core user by not addressing simple trolling issues that they face every day.
I’m frankly ashamed of how poorly we’ve dealt with this issue during my tenure as CEO. It’s absurd. There’s no excuse for it. I take full responsibility for not being more aggressive on this front. It’s nobody else’s fault but mine, and it’s embarrassing.
We’re going to start kicking these people off right and left and making sure that when they issue their ridiculous attacks, nobody hears them.
Everybody on the leadership team knows this is vital.
Costolo’s comments came on the heels of an internal forum about a recent story by author Lindy West, who is a frequent target of harassment on the platform. He then reiterated that he was taking personal responsibility for Twitter’s failure to deal with trolls, and that he intends to address the issue immediately:
Let me be very very clear about my response here. I take PERSONAL responsibility for our failure to deal with this as a company. I thought i did that in my note, so let me reiterate what I said, which is that I take personal responsibility for this. I specifically said “It’s nobody’s fault but mine”
We HAVE to be able to tell each other the truth, and the truth that everybody in the world knows is that we have not effectively dealt with this problem even remotely to the degree we should have by now, and that’s on me and nobody else. So now we’re going to fix it, and I’m going to take full responsibility for making sure that the people working night and day on this have the resources they need to address the issue, that there are clear lines of responsibility and accountability, and that we don’t equivocate in our decisions and choices.
Twitter rolled out tools that allow users to report abuse, but it looks like Costolo is looking for a more comprehensive solution to counter harassment on the platform.
Source: The Verge
Mega Privacy update allows you to download content directly to your phone’s storage
Mega Privacy has received another update that brings a host of added functionality to the cloud sharing service. Among the new features include the ability to download content directly to your phone’s internal storage or SD card, as well as additional download preferences.
With video in mind, Olympus introduces the E-M5 Mark II
The original OM-D E-M5 has had a great run since being announced roughly two years ago, but it’s time for an upgrade. Accordingly, Olympus is taking the wraps off of the E-M5 Mark II, a Micro Four Thirds camera that aims to go head to head with the likes of Sony’s recently released A7 II and other similar mirrorless shooters. Olympus says that the second-generation E-M5 isn’t here to replace its flagship OM-D camera, the E-M1 — though it very well could, at least on paper. And even though it is very similar in looks to its predecessor, the E-M5 Mark II brings enough internal changes to make it a worthy successor. For starters, it packs a redesigned 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor, coupled with a TruePic VII image processor, an upgraded 81-point autofocus system, a 40-megapixel high-res shot mode, a 3-inch (articulating) touchscreen and WiFi.
Where the E-M5 shines, however, and how it differentiates itself from the first model, is with the video-focused specs it features. This time around, Olympus has added support for 1080p shooting at 24/25/30/50/60 fps; it can handle up to 77 Mbps bit rate at 30 fps, which is great news for those of you who are into that sort of thing. Naturally, the company betting big on its in-body five-axis image stabilization system to help with video — this is similar to what’s found on the Sony A7 II, with Olympus emphasizing that it was the one to pioneer such technology. What’s more, photography-wise, the E-M5 Mark II, which is dustproof and splashproof, has a max ISO of 25,600, a 9 fps sequential-shooting mode (with focus locked) and a battery rating of 470 shots.
The OM-D E-M5 Mark II will be available, in black and silver, later this month for $1,100 (body-only).
Meanwhile, if you already own the top-of-the-line E-M1, you should expect to get a firmware update over the next few days, which Olympus says is due to enhance the camera’s overall performance and bump its sequential shooting support from 6.5 to 9 fps.
AIVAnet 