Comcast’s new broadband service is twice as fast as Google Fiber
Comcast has drawn a new battle line against Google Fiber by launching a 2Gbps fiber broadband service called Gigabit Pro. It arrives next month in Atlanta and will be available in 18 million homes across the US by the end of the year. The package will deliver symmetric uploads and downloads like Fiber does, but at twice its 1Gbps speed. Mountain View had already announced that it would bring Fiber to Atlanta, but Comcast will now beat it to the punch both in timing and data rates.
Comcast also tweaked Google’s nose by saying “our approach is to offer the most comprehensive rollout of multi-gigabit service to the most homes as quickly as possible, not just to certain neighborhoods.” That’s a reference to the search giant’s glacially slow rollout of its highly-sought service. However, most consumers don’t mind dealing with Google, something Comcast certainly can’t say. It’s been mired in bad press over customer service issues, and has adamantly opposed new net neutrality rules that are favored by consumers.
That said, the sheer speed of the service is impressive. Comcast emphasized that you’ll need to be in an urban center near its fiber network and will require a “professional-grade” installation. It hasn’t revealed pricing yet, but given similarities to its business-grade service, we’d expect it to be costly. However, you might get a break if you’re in a city that also has Google Fiber.
Filed under: Internet
Via: The Verge
Source: Comcast
Galaxy S6 sprints to first place in AnTuTu’s Q1 2015 performance report
Popular benchmarking platform AnTuTu has published its Q1 2015 performance report for smartphones, listing the average scores of the top 10 handsets to pass through its test. The results are very favourable for Samsung and MediaTek, but raise more questions about Qualcomm’s latest high-end Snapdragon processor.
The averaged AnTuTu results find the Galaxy S6 to be a rather nippy device, reflecting our own earlier tests. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge top the chart by quite a margin, followed by the new HTC One M9 and then a range of last year’s flagship smartphones. Samsung appears vindicated in its choice to exclusively use its in-house 14nm FinFET Exynos 7420 in its latest flagship.
Outstripping its reputation, the MediaTek MT6595 powered Meizu MX4 manages to retain its spot in the top 5 from last year. The MT6595 is built from four Cortex-A17 and four A7 CPU cores, combined with a PowerVR Series6 GPU. MediaTek’s high-end chips are clearly capable of taking on the big SoC brands these days.
However, what is perhaps most interesting about these results is the mediocre performance demonstrated by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810, found inside the HTC One M9 and LG G Flex 2. While the One M9, on average, shows some improvement over last generation Snapdragon 805 handsets that make up the bulk of the list, the G Flex 2 sits towards the bottom of the top 10.
While we may not have expected the Snapdragon 810 to exactly match the 14nm Exynos 7420, we anticipated a clearer gap between Qualcomm’s new chip and the 28nm Snapdragon 805 series.
Benchmarks being only a semi-accurate reflection of real-world performance, it is tough to say exactly what, if anything, is holding the Snapdragon 810 back. A software or task management burden is vaguely possible, but it’s difficult not to suspect that the unverified overheating issue haunting the Snapdragon 810 might have more to do with it. Throttling back performance to prevent overly high temperatures is common in all chips. However, if the 810 is running even moderately hotter than the last generation, throttling could be taking place faster than usual to reduce the chip’s peak performance, which would definitely show up in a benchmark test.
Furthermore, the AnTuTu GPU performance test reveals a result much more in line with what the chip specification sheets would suggest. The Exynos 7420’s Mali-T760 MP8 GPU shows a slight advantage over the Snapdragon 810’s Adreno 430, which in turn shows the sort of improvement that we were expecting compared with the Snapdragon 805’s Adreno 420 and 801’s Adreno 330. It seems that the 810 is underperforming on the CPU side, which lines up with the rumored cause of the overheating problem.
As damning as the list looks, we don’t have any complaints about the performance offered by the HTC One M9. Although the same can’t be said for the LG G Flex 2.
While not conclusive proof of any major issue, the results are disappointing for Qualcomm’s chip and may cast further doubt over current and upcoming smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 810. Rumors such as LG’s G4 potentially switching to the Snapdragon 808, aren’t helping the situation either.
Even so, Qualcomm is still the most dominant SoC manufacturer in the high-performance smartphone market, for now, with 7 out of 10 devices in the list using a Snapdragon chip. It remains to be seen if Qualcomm will retain its market dominance in the high-end space throughout 2015, or if this year will present opportunities for MediaTek or Samsung to grab a bigger share.
Sony Xperia Z4 passes through FCC with microSD card slot in tow
The Xperia Z4 is definitely headed for a debut some time this month or next, as more and more details continue to come out. A few days ago, purported specs of the Xperia Z4 leaked out on GFXBench. Yesterday, it seems as if the upcoming Sony device has passed through the FCC.
According to the FCC documents, the unnamed Sony device packs nearly the same dimensions as the Xperia Z3. One of the highlights of the latest info on what could be of the Xperia Z4, is that it features a microSD card slot. It’s good to see that Sony is sticking to their guns, because as we’ve seen with Samsung, microSD expansion isn’t that important.
Not much else is mentioned throughout the FCC documents, although Phandroid notes that “the device in question is packing a nice amount of frequency bands to support US networks.”
Now that more info is coming out on the Xperia Z4, does that get you excited about the upcoming Sony device? Be sure to let us know what you think!
The post Sony Xperia Z4 passes through FCC with microSD card slot in tow appeared first on AndroidGuys.
European Commission ‘Concerned’ About Apple’s Streaming Music Plans
European regulators are scrutinizing Apple’s discussions with record labels for its much-rumored streaming music service, according to Financial Times. The report claims the European Commission has contacted several labels and digital music companies to request information about their agreements with Apple, although these actions do not guarantee it will launch a formal antitrust investigation.
The report, citing people familiar with the matter, claims that the European Commission is “concerned” that Apple will use its size and influence to persuade the music groups to abandon free, ad-supported services such as Spotify. Apple has nearly 1 billion iTunes users, and the company could face hefty fines and be required to change its business practises if committed of wrongdoing.
Apple is expected to launch a revamped streaming music service at WWDC in June, and its rumored price tag of $7.99 per month would be a few dollars cheaper than rivals such as Spotify, Rdio and Google Play Music. The service will reportedly be deeply integrated into iTunes on Mac and the stock Music app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and apps will also be available for Apple TV and Android.
European Commission ‘Concerned’ About Apple’s Streaming Music Plans
European regulators are scrutinizing Apple’s discussions with record labels for its much-rumored streaming music service, according to Financial Times. The report claims the European Commission has contacted several labels and digital music companies to request information about their agreements with Apple, although these actions do not guarantee it will launch a formal antitrust investigation.
The report, citing people familiar with the matter, claims that the European Commission is “concerned” that Apple will use its size and influence to persuade the music groups to abandon free, ad-supported services such as Spotify. Apple has nearly 1 billion iTunes users, and the company could face hefty fines and be required to change its business practises if committed of wrongdoing.
Apple is expected to launch a revamped streaming music service at WWDC in June, and its rumored price tag of $7.99 per month would be a few dollars cheaper than rivals such as Spotify, Rdio and Google Play Music. The service will reportedly be deeply integrated into iTunes on Mac and the stock Music app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and apps will also be available for Apple TV and Android.
Deals: 12,000 mAh Jackery battery for $29.95, Eton solar-powered speaker/battery for $44.99 on Amazon
Today’s Amazon Gold Box promo includes two interesting products: a 12,000 mAh power bank from Jackery available for $29.95 and a solar-powered speaker/power bank from Eton going for $44.99.
Jackery’s Giant+ 12,000 mAh power bank features a sturdy aluminum case with anodized finish and two USB ports (5V/2.1A and 5V/1A), allowing you to charge two devices at once. The Panasonic-based 12,000 mAh battery cells should be good for charging the average Android smartphone three to four times or more.
Only the black model of the Jackery Giant+ is currently available for $29.95, and if you prefer the orange, silver, or gold models you will have to pony up an extra $10. The list price is $129.95, but Amazon routinely discounts the Jackery Giant+ to around $40. Still, $10 off is still a decent deal for a product that enjoys an excellent 4.6 stars rating.
Get the Jackery Giant+ external battery for $29.95
The second product on sale today is the solar-powered Eton Rukus Bluetooth speaker/battery, available for $44.99. The Eton Rukus can be charged from AC or from the sun and can act as a power bank, making it a great addition to the backpack of any camper. The device is splash resistant (IPX4) and shock resistant, and features a 5V/1A USB out. Of course, it can also pump up some decent sound through its stereo speakers.
The Eton Rukus has a 4.4 stars score across hundreds of reviews.
Get the Eton Rukus solar-powered speaker/battery for $44.99
Both deals are valid until midnight Pacific time. Happy shopping!
Galaxy Note 4 getting Lollipop in India, Brazil, UAE and more
Samsung has been slow at updating the Galaxy Note 4 to Lollipop, only having released the update in a small number of markets, starting in February. Now it looks like the Korean tech giant is ready to speed up the process, with Note 4 users in India, Brazil, UAE, and the Baltic countries reporting the arrival of Lollipop.
SamMobile reports that, for now, Lollipop is hitting two Galaxy Note 4 models in particular, SM-N910C and the SM-N910G. Given that these models are available in multiple countries, it’s likely that the OTA will arrive soon to other regions as well.
So far, the Note 4 Lollipop update has begun in the Baltics, Brazil, Bulgaria, Caucasus countries, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates.
The update is about 1GB in size. As always, note that unlocked devices may get the update ahead of carrier-branded models, which are subject to extra certification steps. To check manually for the Lollipop update, go to Settings > About phone > Software updates.
Samsung’s implementation of Lollipop brings the new lockscreen notifications, new notification style, new recent activities, improved battery life and performance, as well as a number of smaller visual changes.
Any update notification on your phone? Let us know.
Interview with Apple’s Kevin Lynch reveal more details on the Apple Watch project
WIRED has published a new piece on the Apple Watch, citing an interview with Apple’s human interface designer Alan Dye and VP Technology Kevin Lynch.
The article itself walks us through the birth of the Apple Watch project and how the idea was transformed into the resulting product that will launch later this month. Lynch was brought aboard to head up software development for Apple’s new smartwatch, but when hired Lynch was completely in the dark as to what his responsibilities would be.
Apple not only changed the way we listen to music with the iPod, but the iPhone and iPad also mark times when Apple took product categories to the next level. The Apple Watch is believed to be that next game-changing product. Lynch talks about how Jony Ive, Apple’s VP Design, tasked the iPod team to create a revolutionary device. This resulted in numerous experiments and ideas, some even utilizing click-wheels.
There were just experiments—the iPod crew had made something with a click wheel—and lots of ideas. The expectations, however, were clear: Apple’s senior vice president of design, Jony Ive, had tasked them with creating a revolutionary device that could be worn on the wrist.
Instead of attempting to cram as much functionality into the smartwatch as possible – effectively rendering the smartphone useless – Apple opted to streamline tech usage. The idea behind the Apple Watch project was to introduce a product that would require only seconds of attention, allowing the wearer to focus on life in general.
Apple toyed with reworking iOS for the smaller wearable, but this idea was eventually dropped due to the user interface requiring uncomfortably long interactions.
Figuring out how to send a text was illuminating. Initially the process was a lot like texting on an iPhone: addressee here, message here, confirm message. Tap to send. “It was all very understandable, but using it took way too long,” Lynch says. Also, it hurt. Seriously: Try holding up your arm as if you’re looking at your watch. Now count to 30. It was the opposite of a good user experience. “We didn’t want people walking around and doing that,” Dye says.
This led to Apple removing features from the Apple Watch altogether, favoring efficiency over available functionality. Instead of physically interacting with the watch itself, the feature Short Look would be able to determine whether to mark a message as read or archive it for later reading by calculating how long you glanced at the device attached to your arm.
Every task on the wearable had to be completed within a set amount of time – just a few seconds. Minute details were also scrutinized, including different types of Taptic Engine feedback. Apple ran numerous prototypes by Ive, each to reveal different notifications to the wearer.
“Some were too annoying,” Lynch says. “Some were too subtle; some felt like a bug on your wrist.” When they had the engine dialed in, they started experimenting with a Watch-specific synesthesia, translating specific digital experiences into taps and sounds. What does a tweet feel like? What about an important text?
The team sampled sounds of various objects, everything from bell clappers and birds to lightsabers. They then began to turn recorded sounds into physical sensations. So – in some small way – lightsabers helped tune the Taptic Engine for notifications.
The Apple Watch is also the first product where the company is offering a variety of options for the consumer to customize their latest gadget. From the type of Apple Watch selected to the various bands and even screen sizes, there’s plenty of room to make the watch reflect individual personalities, which was a major goal for the project to begin with.
Strongly recommended for you to read through the WIRED piece in full for more details and a sneak peek at various Apple Watch assets supplied by the company.
Source: WIRED
<!–*/
<!–*/
<!–*/
.devicebox
background-color: #5CB8DB;
border: 1px solid #E2E9EB;
float: right;
display: block;
margin: 0 0px 10px 10px;
max-width: 350px;
overflow: hidden;
width: 50%;
.devicebox h3
background: #8D98BD;
color: #fff;
font-family: “camptonmedium”,sans-serif;
font-size: 20px;
margin-bottom: 0;
margin-top: 0;
padding: 0;
text-align: center;
.devicebox h3 a
display: block;
line-height: 30px;
padding: 0 10px;
.devicebox h3 a:hover
background: #7e88aa;
text-decoration: none;
.devicebox .video
margin: auto;
border: 0px;
.devicebox p,
.entry-content .devicebox p > img,
.devicebox img
margin: 0px;
max-width: 100%;
padding: 0px;
.devicebox,
.devicebox a,
.devicebox a:active,
.devicebox a:hover,
.devicebox a:link,
.devicebox a:visited,
.devicebox p,
.devicebox ul,
.devicebox ul li,
.devicebox li
color: #fff;
.devicebox a:hover
text-decoration: underline;
.devicebox p,
.devicebox ul,
.devicebox ul li,
.devicebox li
border-width: 0px;
font-family: “camptonlight”,sans-serif;
font-size: 16px;
padding: initial;
.devicebox ul
margin: 0;
padding: 0.5em 1em 1em 30px;
.devicebox ul li
display: list-item;
.devicebox ul,
.devicebox ul li,
.devicebox li
line-height: 24px;
list-style: disc outside none;
.devicebox ul li:before
display: none;
.devicebox p ~ p
padding: 0px 15px 15px;
line-height: 1.25;
.devicebox p:first-of-type + p
padding: 15px;
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox
float: none;
margin: 0 auto 30px;
max-width: 700px;
min-height: 225px;
position: relative;
width: 100%;
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video
bottom: 0px;
left: 50%;
position: absolute;
right: 0px;
top: 30px;
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video_iframe,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video_iframe,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video_iframe,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video_iframe,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video_iframe,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video_iframe
height: 100%;
padding: 0px;
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ul,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ul,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ul,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox p,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox p,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox p,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox ul,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox ul,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox ul,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox p,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox p,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox p
width: 43%;
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox h3 + p,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox h3 + p,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox h3 + p,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox h3 + p,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox h3 + p,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox h3 + p
bottom: 0;
left: 50%;
overflow: hidden;
position: absolute;
right: 0;
top: 30px;
width: 50%
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox h3 + p img,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox h3 + p img,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox h3 + p img,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox h3 + p img,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox h3 + p img,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox h3 + p img
float: right;
height: 100%;
width: auto;
@media all and (max-width: 500px)
.devicebox
float: none;
margin: 0 0 30px;
max-width: 100%;
width: 100%;
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video
left: 0;
position: relative;
top: 0;
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video_iframe,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video_iframe,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox .video_iframe,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video_iframe,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video_iframe,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox .video_iframe
padding-bottom: 56.25%;
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox h3 + p,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox h3 + p,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox h3 + p,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox h3 + p,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox h3 + p,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox h3 + p
left: 0;
position: relative;
top: 0;
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ul,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ul,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ul,
.field-items p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox ul,
.slide p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox ul,
.article-body-wrap p:last-of-type + .devicebox ~ .devicebox ul
width: auto;
/*–>*/
/*–>*/
/*–>*/
EE offers its customers a free, swappable Power Bar mobile charger
Forgetting to charge your smartphone the night before will often mean that your device dies on you midway through the day, leaving you unable to play Plants Versus Zombies send important work emails. If you’re an EE customer though, the days of seeing your smartphone become utterly useless when the battery goes flat may be at an end, thanks to the UK carrier’s new customer reward scheme appropriately called “EE Power” that will roll out in the coming weeks.
What is the EE Power scheme? Basically, EE gives you the Power Bar external charger which you can use to charge your smartphone. When the Power Bar is flat, you can either choose to recharge the device yourself or just pop into an EE outlet to swap out for a fully charged Power Bar, free of charge*.
So how do you join EE Power scheme? First you text the word POWER to 365 (*Texts cost 35p) and then EE will send you a unique code that you can then take to your most convenient EE outlet to collect your Power Bar charger. You must be an EE customer with a 30 day, 12/18/24 month contract, although if you have been a pay As You Go customer for at least 3 months you can also take part. If you aren’t an EE customer though, you can join the scheme if you pay a £20 fee. EE broadband users can also join in by texting JOIN plus landline number to 60005, and then following the instructions.
Power Bar features:
- 2,600mAh capacity
- Guaranteed lifetime of 500 charges
- Charging indicator lights
- Built-in LED torch
- Includes a MicroUSB cable
- Recharges in 4 hours
It isn’t the biggest portable battery I’ve ever seen, but you can’t really argue at the price if you are an EE customer.
Full Press Release
London, 2 April 2015 – EE, the UK’s most advanced digital communications company, has announced the launch of EE Power – a free portable smartphone charger with unlimited swaps in store – available to all active* customers on mobile and broadband plans in the coming weeks. The innovative scheme is designed to ensure that EE customers stay charged at all times with ‘never ending power’. EE Power is the latest initiative to demonstrate the brand’s commitment to reward all new and existing customers and forms part of EE’s plan to become the number one network for service.
From launch, EE customers will be able to pick up a free Power Bar in any EE store by requesting a unique code via text. Once the EE Power Bar has been used to charge a device, customers can recharge the portable battery themselves or, if out and about, they can swap it for a fully-charged replacement bar at any EE store nationwide – for free and as many times as they like.
It has been just over two years since EE introduced 4G to the UK and network usage has grown exponentially in this short period. Video streaming and social media engagement now accounts for over 50 per cent of all data use on EE’s network as customers access more content on the move. However, this increased activity comes at a cost to battery life and recent research2 shows that there is a genuine consumer need for more power –
- Nearly 60 per cent of UK smartphone users claim their battery doesn’t last a full day
- Over half of all smartphone users wish there were more ways to charge their phone in public places – this rises to over 70 per cent of 18-24 year olds
Pippa Dunn, Chief Marketing Officer EE, said: “Almost everyone’s experienced the frustration associated with running out of battery and it always seems to happen when you need your phone the most. With EE Power, we’re trying to help by giving our customers a Power Bar that can simply be swapped for a fully charged one at any of our stores, at any time, for free.”
All eligible* customers can get their free EE Power Bar when the promotion launches in the coming weeks by texting ‘POWER’ to 365 to receive a promotional code. Texts cost 35p and customers can collect their free EE Power Bar by redeeming this code at any EE store across the UK. Each Power Bar typically gives one full smartphone charge per use.
Come comment on this article: EE offers its customers a free, swappable Power Bar mobile charger
Apple Watch Featured on Cover of Canadian Fashion Magazine ‘Flare’
Apple Watch continues to be marketed around the world leading up to its highly-anticipated launch in April, this time making its Canadian debut in the upcoming May issue of fashion magazine Flare. The publication features actress Hailee Steinfeld wearing an Apple Watch Sport on two separate covers in both silver and space gray, accompanied by an article listing things you can do with your Apple Watch.
In addition to the fashion shoot, the magazine outlines more than a dozen ways the Apple Watch can be used beyond timekeeping, such as for ordering a coffee, boarding a flight, learning a new language, hailing a cab, managing finances, tracking health and fitness, identifying songs, controlling a vehicle, becoming a karaoke star, controlling an Apple TV, unlocking a hotel room and more.
Apple Watch has been featured in several fashion and fitness magazines worldwide in recent months, including Self, Vogue, Style, East Touch, YOHO, Fitness Magazine and Elle. Apple has heavily promoted its first wearable device in the fashion industry leading up to its launch, and has set up boutique shops at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Isetan in Tokyo and Selfridges in London for the product.
Canada is one of nine countries where the Apple Watch is set to launch later this month, alongside the United States, Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom. The wrist-worn device will be available for pre-order and try-on appointments beginning April 10 ahead of an April 24 release date. Wider international availability is likely to occur in the near future.
AIVAnet 