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Samsung Said to Supply Memory Chips for Next-Generation iPhone
Samsung Electronics has inked a deal with both Apple and LG to supply advanced DRAM memory chips in next-generation iPhones and the LG G4 respectively, according to sources “familiar with the deal” for The Korea Times.
The deal, rumored to be worth billions of dollars, would see Samsung produce at least half of the memory chips that Apple would need for its next-generation iPhone lineup. The report claims that Apple could ask Samsung to ramp up manufacturing of the chips if needed, with the alleged contract lasting at least a year.
“Under the agreement, Samsung will start providing LG Electronics with 100 percent mobile DRAM chips it needs for LG G4 smartphone, which will be unveiled in April. Also, Samsung will handle at least half of the amount that Apple needs for its new iPhone ― tentatively named iPhone 6S,” an industry official who is familiar with the deal told The Korea Times.
The agreement was reached just a few months after Samsung began mass production of new 20-nanometer 8-Gigabit LPDDR4 memory chips, which are said to offer more than double the density and performance compared to its 4-Gigabit LPDDR3 predecessor. The sources say that on the LG side of things, Samsung will be providing 100 percent of the chips for the company’s flagship G4 smartphone, set to be unveiled in the Spring.
Though Apple and Samsung have partnered in the past for manufacturing purposes, the two companies have been fierce rivals for several years. This two companies have dropped litigation against each other outside of the United States in recent months, however, and this agreement further suggests that the tech giants have an improved working relationship as of late.
While not expected to launch until September, news and rumors about the so-called “iPhone 6s” have begun circulating recently, with Samsung reportedly responsible for the majority of A9 chip production based on its 14nm process. Conflicting reports suggest that TSMC may supply Apple with the remaining chip orders.
Google Glass 2 prototypes already in the hands of select partners
I know many people think Google Glass is dead, but trust me it isn’t. The closing of the Explorer Program and shuffling of key people is just a normal step of the evolution process. Explain to me how they could transition from a $1,500 Explorer Program version of Glass to a more consumer-friendly version that is much cheaper. The only way is to put things on hold and then re-launch it which is exactly what they will do.
Sources of 9to5 Google have confirmed that prototypes of the next-gen version of Glass are already being tested with select partners. Most of these partners are Glass at Work players since the enterprise will likely be the focal point for Glass.
It’s still in the early stages so I wouldn’t expect any major announcement at this year’s Google I/O. If anything, next year’s Google I/O is likely to be the second big splash for Glass.
source: 9to5Google
Come comment on this article: Google Glass 2 prototypes already in the hands of select partners
Verizon swears that customers will save if they can make even more money
Verizon wants to clarify something. In a letter to the FCC that was also posted on Verizon’s Public Policy blog, Verizon reminded everyone that they are absolutely in favor of an open internet with net neutrality rules.
“As Verizon has said repeatedly, we support the open Internet. Our broadband customers can go where they want and do what they want online. We have made this public commitment to our customers, and we stand by it.” – Verizon Public Policy blog
According to Verizon, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler was incorrect in stating that Verizon’s legal counsel had previously told the FCC that Verizon wanted to restrict broadband access through special commercial terms. Not to worry though as Verizon’s letter states that they want to “set the record straight.”
The “commercial arrangements” referenced by (Verizon’s) counsel had nothing to do with “restrict[ing] access” to content….Rather than restricting access, the “commercial arrangements” that Verizon was, and continues to be, interested in are those that have the possibility of offering consumers additional choices and saving them money…These types of “sponsored data” arrangements also hold promise for saving consumers money and enabling interested providers to differentiate themselves and better compete. – Verizon Public Policy blog
Essentially, Verizon is admitting that what their legal council told Tom Wheeler and the FCC was exactly on the mark. Verizon wants to proclaim how much they love an open internet and net neutrality just without the net neutrality rules and without the “open” part.
Verizon is looking to force content providers to pay arbitrary new fees for the same service currently being offered. Even though Verizon claims that these “commercial agreements” and “sponsored data” programs will offer “consumers additional choices and saving them money,” can Verizon actually support this argument in any way? I would like to actually see Verizon try to somehow show that these agreements would benefit customers whatsoever. Are price cuts guaranteed under Verizon’s scenario? Does Verizon know how substantial the content providers will raise rates after being forced to pay new fees towards the telecom providers?
For years, Verizon and AT&T have both been itching to implement such a scheme as it would allow the wireless giants to get content makers to subsidize the carrier networks. In 2013, Verizon’s CFO Fran Shammo sounded almost gleeful in his expectation for “sponsored data” programs in the future.
So I think you are going to see this ecosystem change, you are going to see some content provider say I’m willing to pay for the content, don’t charge the consumer and when we developed LTE, we developed LTE and our billing system with the capability to segregate that traffic if someone else wants to pay for it. – ZatzNotFunny
To be fair to Verizon, they aren’t the first company to claim how much they love an open internet without any of the “open” rules in place. We have previously seen this with Comcast. Months ago, top Comcast lobbyist David Cohen responded to President Obama’s net neutrality push by claiming that Comcast supported net neutrality along with the notion of “no blocking, no throttling, increased transparency and no paid prioritization.”
What Cohen didn’t mention was that Comcast has quite the history with throttling/blocking customers and currently only follows certain net neutrality rules because of the conditions imposed on them during their acquisition of NBC Universal.
Telecom providers want to impose a troll toll. It really is that simple. They want to impose new fees on content providers so that the telecom providers can make additional money and give themselves more power over content. Wireless carriers should not be using their gatekeeper status to erect completely unnecessary tolls while picking winners and losers based on whether the content providers can afford an unnecessary fee.
A world that has AT&T and Verizon charging content providers like Netflix, Spotify and other data-heavy apps will result in higher prices for consumers and pretty much ensure that start-up content providers without significant financial backing will stand literally no shot of innovating in the marketplace. How could they if they can’t pay to offset their users’ data?
Launcher Lab review
People often ask me about what my favorite thing about Android is as a user. For me, that is the customization. I can completely change the entire look and feel of my device quickly and easily. This is even possible without rooting the device.
I do however have an arsenal of apps to help me accomplish this task. Among the apps that I use are Zooper for custom widgets, a variety of icon packs and a third party launcher. This last app changes from time to time.
Recently, I found a new home replacement app called Launcher Lab. Always open to try something new, I jumped straight into it.
Initially, Launcher Lab was only available for devices on 5.0 and above, but that has changed. Here is how Launcher Lab fairs on my Moto X (2013) and HTC One M8.
Launcher Lab feels like Themer with Lollipops. The launcher includes a theme store where beginners can turn to pick up already created themes and apply them to their own phone much like Themer does.
There is a wide variety of themes to chose from, but there currently is no way to filter through them. You just have to keep on scrolling until you find one that you really like.
There are some cool features available in Launcher Lab that I enjoy. The feature I enjoy the most is the ability to set a different wallpaper for each new screen. As a heav
y themer, this allows me to go have numerous different setups that are completely different from each other all at the same time.
More than just wallpapers, Launcher Lab lets you use gesture controls. Swipe up and you are rewarded with an iOS styled quick settings widget. This allows you to do things like toggle airplane mode, Wi-Fi, data connection, Bluetooth, ringer modes and your torch. You can also adjust your screen brightness, ringer volume and a few other options.
Double taping on empty spaces will give you your app drawer which is ordered alphabetically by default. A downwards swipe will give you an app search. Then you have your usual left and right swipe to cycle home screens.
Tapping and holding on an empty space gives you your tools. Here you can add elements to the screen, upload an “X-Screen” (I will touch more on this in a bit), enter a screen overview mode, open your app drawer, or open the theme store.
The theme store is like Themer. You have a bunch of premade screens that you can download and use. The difference is that you get to pick which walls out of a theme you use. If you download a theme with an app home screen and a music widget screen, you can chose to only use the music widget screen, so you are not stuck with the entire theme.
In a similar fashion, you have the ability to mix and match various walls from various themes. The coolest feature on Launcher Lab, in my opinion, is the X-Screens. There are two different types of walls in Launcher Lab.
Wi
th regular walls, you can use the launcher how you would use any other launcher. You have your grid for various apps and widgets along with your app dashboard on the bottom housing five different apps.
The fun really begins when you start messing with the X-Screens. These X-Screens act like one whole widget. With the X-Screens, you get access to widgets similar to Zooper widgets. You have the static texts, shapes and dynamic texts.
The advantage you have with X-Screens over Zooper widgets is that you can see the background while you are working. Every edit you make is done on the homescreen, so you know exactly where each element is positioned in relation to your wallpaper and other elements.
In addition to a powerful widget, X-Screens also offers independent walls. What I mean by this is that each X-Screen could have a completely different wallpaper than the previous walls. You are not limited to a single static or scrolling wallpaper.
Launcher Lab also boasts unique icons and animations that are suprisingly smooth and don’t lag up my device. Warning, your results may vary. If these icons aren’t to your liking, you can apply custom icons through Launcher Lab, but you have to apply them one by one and find the image from within the icon pack manually.
Over all, I found Launcher Lab to be a pleasure to use and simple to set up. Applying my preferred icons was a pain, but well worth it in the end. The end result was a unique homescreen that left me happy and content.
Only issue here is that it might be too resource intensive for older devices to handle, but you can always try it. It is a free app, so you have nothing to lose, but there is everything to gain.
The post Launcher Lab review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Accessory of the Day: Icon Q Bluetooth headphones, $49
If you’re in the market for a pair of quality wireless headphones, you may want to take a look at some of the offerings from Icon Q. The Boundless H1 model, for example, employs NFC technology along with Bluetooth for a simple and easy to use hands-free experience. Don’t want to be married to a wireless model? A 3.5mm input ensures that your music doesn’t have to stop if you’re running low on battery. With a sleek design and modern aesthetic, the Boundless line is worth looking into. While the H1 may not be the latest model in Icon Q’s selection, this deal for just $49 makes them a steal!
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The post Accessory of the Day: Icon Q Bluetooth headphones, $49 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung’s homegrown ‘5G’ comes with a catch
Samsung and HTC’s new smartphones may command the bulk of the attention at this year’s Mobile World Congress but the show isn’t just about new handsets. Samsung and Korean mobile carrier SK Telecom will use the show to demonstrate a new mobile data system that’ll reach of speeds up to 7.5Gbps. Although the official 5G standard isn’t yet defined, the pair are trying to elbow in on the act by calling the process “5G.” Unfortunately, while that level of speed is thrilling, the technology behind it does come with a few “uhm,” “ah,” and “but” noises attached.
Unlike 3G and 4G, you see, this new standard uses millimeter wave signals to bounce information between the network and user. Unfortunately, this technology only works when the two devices are in a line of sight, which isn’t ideal when you’re always walking around with your phone in your pocket. To get around this issue, however, the pair are using “3D beamforming,” a way of triangulating the position of the phone to a nearby antenna to send the transmissions in a straight line. That’s only going to be possible, however, if a location is absolutely heaving with “5G” access points.
Assuming that a dense city center could be seeded with enough hardware, PC World believes that the technique would have the upside of reducing interference. Because of the line-of-sight transmissions, two people on opposite sides of a tall building could use the same frequencies to talk without interfering with each other. It all may sound pretty exciting, but let’s hope that someone remembers that this eye-watering speed will mean bupkis if no-one’s working on a way to cure the cold, dread hand of the signal blackspot.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Samsung
Via: PC World, Yonhap News
Source: SK Telecom (Translated)
Pre-order the LG G Flex 2 at Carphone Warehouse and receive a free Bluetooth speaker
UK retailer Carphone Warehouse has just announced that pre-orders for the LG G Flex 2 in black are now available. Previously slated for February 28, the G Flex 2 can be yours when taken out with plans starting from £24 a month (accompanied by a down payment of £310 for the phone). To help sweeten the deal, you’ll receive a free Bluetooth speaker and QuickCircle case.
Google confirms that a Chromebook Pixel successor is “coming out soon”
Consumers preparing to purchase a new laptop may want to wait a bit longer as a formidable Chrome OS device is on its way to the market. At the Team Work 2015 event, Renee Niemi of Google confirmed that the Chromebook Pixel will see a successor. Niemi, who works on the productivity teams for Android and Chrome, noted that the new Chromebook Pixel would launch soon. She did clarify that a limited amount of units will be produced as it is a proof of concept. Employees within the company and developers working with Google receive about 85% of units produced.
Here is the quote from Niemi:
“We do have a new Pixel coming out and it will be coming out soon. We will be selling it but I just have to set your expectations: this is a development platform. This is really a proof of concept. We don’t make very many of these — we really don’t. And […] our developers and our Googlers consume 85% of what we produce. But yet, we do have a new Pixel coming out.”
Among the specifications expected to be included with the Chromebook Pixel successor is a 12.85-inch display (with at least 2560×1700 resolution) and reversible Type-C USB ports. The processor inside is currently unknown; however, chances are that it ends up being some form of Intel Broadwell. And, depending upon the actual release date, Intel Skylake could be used.
Are you excited for the Chromebook Pixel successor? Let us know in the comments.
Via: OMG! Chrome!
Come comment on this article: Google confirms that a Chromebook Pixel successor is “coming out soon”
SIM card manufacturer Gemalto says its products are secure following NSA hack
Digital security vendor Gemalto has announced that its products are “secure” following a report last week stating that the NSA and its UK counterpart, the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), hacked into the vendor’s SIM cards.
AIVAnet 
