Liquidmetal-made Turing Phone is as strong as is secure
Keeping your personal information private is certainly one of the most important aspects of owning a smartphone in today’s age. There are a few methods you can take to help prevent your information from getting into the wrong hands like using VPN networks, encrypting your mobile device, or even jumping onboard with a secure platform like the Blackphone. But a new device out of Turing Robotic Industries (TRI) aims to help out with this problem in a different way.
TRI has just announced the Turing Phone, a mobile device capable of directly verifying the identity of other Turing devices using the company’s decentralized authentication technology. Turing says that this authentication method creates a protected network that is “entirely insulated from cyber-threats and privacy intrusions”. In essence, users will be able to exchange sensitive information like social security numbers and bank account info without having to worry about it getting into the wrong hands.
From TRI:
TRI’s technology provides a dramatic improvement over the logic of Identity-Based Encryption, because both the master public key and the unique private key are anonymously pre-bundled into the phone.
The Turing Phone aims to not only protect your information digitally, but physically, as well. Dubbed the first ever Liquidmetal phone, the Turing Phone is molded from a single slab of Liquidmorphium – an alloy comprised of zirconium, copper, aluminum, nickel and silver. This material is tougher than both titanium and steel, which will help protect the device from drops and scratches. TRI says it’s more sustainable from a production standpoint, too. The phone can apparently be produced at a near 100% yield rate with minimal waste.
The Turing Phone will be available this summer, and no pricing information has been revealed at this time.
It will be interesting to see whether or not the Turing Phone can provide as much protection as it’s claiming. There’s surely a market for secure smartphones in the enterprise space, and from the sounds of it, the Turing Phone offers up a unique way of keeping your info safe. If you’d like some more information on TRI or the Turing Phone, head on over to the Truing Robotic Industries website.
Groundbreaking device brings unprecedented materials and authentication technology to the smartphone market
San Francisco – April 23, 2015 – Turing Robotic Industries (TRI), the pioneer in trustworthy mobile device technology, today announced that its flagship Turing Phone will launch in summer, 2015. The first-of-its-kind smartphone is a breakthrough in trustworthy communications and mobile engineering.
Using TRI’s decentralized authentication technology, each Turing Phone is capable of directly verifying the identity of other Turing devices without the need for a third-party Key Center. This end-to-end authentication creates a protected communications network that is entirely insulated from cyber-threats and privacy intrusions. Within this circle of trust, users can exchange sensitive data such as social security numbers or bank wiring instructions and know that the information will reach only the device intended.
TRI’s technology provides a dramatic improvement over the logic of Identity-Based Encryption, because both the master public key and the unique private key are anonymously pre-bundled into the phone.
“Building trustworthy communications on the mobile internet has been a challenge,” said S.Y.L. Chao, CEO of TRI. “Our vision with the Turing Phone is to help mobile users navigate within a circle of trust. We’re beginning with the smartphone and plan to rapidly extend this technology into robotics and other domains linked to the Internet of Things, where security concerns are a huge impediment to innovation.”
The Turing Phone also features a revolutionary design that is both tougher than conventional materials and more sustainable from a production perspective. The Turing Phone is molded from a single unit of LiquidmorphiumTM, an amorphous alloy of zirconium, copper, aluminum, nickel and silver that provides greater tensile strength than either titanium or steel, protecting the phone from shock and screen breakage.
LiquidmorphiumTM was developed by Prof. Lugee Li, founder of New Technology and Material, Inc., and material scientist Dr. Atakan Peker, co-inventor of the liquidmetal alloy. The Turing Phone body can be produced at a near 100 percent yield rate with minimal waste.
“With efficient production using LiquidmorphiumTM, the Turing Phone can be produced at a cost and scale that will allow trustworthy networks to develop exponentially,” says Li.
To learn more, visit www.turingri.com
About Turing Robotic Industries Corp.
Inspired by Alan Turing’s work in mathematics, cryptography and artificial intelligence, Turing Robotic Industries Corp. (TRI) builds trustworthy mobile technologies. The company’s mission is to help individuals and organizations create trustworthy networks in which communications and data are safe from cyber threats. The Turing Phone, the company’s flagship liquid-metal phone, facilitates this mission by employing a decentralized authentication methodology using static key exchange. Turing’s anonymous key distribution infrastructure is able to provide unique identifiers and trustworthy connectivity for an infinite number of devices. Turing Robotic Industries is based in San Francisco, California and Shenzhen, China. To learn more visit www.turingri.com.
Xiaomi Mi 4i closer look: picture gallery and videos
The Xiaomi Mi 4i was announced earlier this morning, a powerful mid-range device with an impressive price tag of roughly $200. While we’ve already seen a few hands-on images of the device , it’s time to take an even closer look at the Mi 4i. First, we have a gallery with over 25 images showcasing the device, followed by numerous videos that show off the durability testing the Mi 4i goes through, and much more.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 20%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Starting with the Xiaomi reliability test video, Xiaomi gives us a quick look at the testing process that the Mi 4i goes through, including a water resistance test, a drop test, a press test, UV exposure, and much more.
In the second video, Xiaomi briefly shows off the automated assembly process for the Mi 4i.
In this next video, Xiaomi shows off how the “Sunlight Display” on the Mi 4i improves readability significantly.
Last but not least, Xiaomi demonstrates the Mi 4i’s anti-greasecoating by writing on the back of the phone with a marker and then showing how easy it is to remove the damage.
What do you think of the Xiaomi Mi 4i, worth every penny of the $200 asking price? Would you pick one up if it ever made its way to your region?
BBC Three’s online switch delayed until next year
BBC Three’s transition from a traditional channel to an online-only property, with new media playing a key role in its evolution, ain’t happening any time this year. The channel was set to be switched off this autumn, but its execution has now been pushed until “after Christmas” while the BBC Trust considers its position. The regulator effectively has the power to approve or deny the move, with a definitive answer expected in June.
In the meantime, the Trust has a lot to think about. It’s currently running a second public consultation to assess the impact the move will have on viewers, and not everyone is keen on the idea — a petition to save the channel has been signed by nearly 280,000 people so far. Also, the Trust has to decide whether the new direction for BBC Three makes sense, and whether proposals linked to it do, also. These include extending CBBC programming and filling the dead airwaves with a new time-shifted channel BBC One+1, which the government has suggested isn’t a clever use of licence fee cash.
The idea that the BBC Trust could decide to keep BBC Three operating as it does now is extremely unlikely, though. Commenting on the delay, BBC Three boss Damian Kavanagh said: “We won’t be rushed.” Those words alone signal it’s pretty much a done deal, and preparations for a move online have been underway since the plan was announced early last year (not to mention the testing of waters that took place beforehand). Several original shows have been axed on account of budget constraints already, including award-winning zombie drama In The Flesh. ITV securing broadcasting rights to Family Guy and other Seth McFarlane creations that’ve called BBC Three home for years is telling of the channel’s creeping demise, too. The fact is the delay is just that: a delay. But for BBC Three loyalists, you can at least take some comfort in knowing the channel will still have a slot in your EPG while your calendar reads 2015.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: BBC
This smartphone is extra-secure and stronger than steel
How do you stand out if you’re a fledgling smartphone maker that can’t compete on specs alone? If you’re Turing Robotic Industries (formerly QSAlpha), you pour your energy into clever design — both inside and out. The newly unveiled Turing Phone keeps up the company’s emphasis on security, with its own server-free encrypted communication between owners and a fingerprint reader that encourages you to lock down your device. There’s also an Apple-like magnetic charging system, so you won’t send your phone flying. However, the real star of the show is the frame. It’s built from “liquidmorphium,” a metal alloy that’s reportedly stronger than steel or titanium. While there’s also aluminum, ceramic and plastic on the body, that exotic structure should reduce the chances that you’ll wreck your handset through a nasty drop.
Performance-wise, it’s not so cutting edge. You’re looking at last year’s Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM and a 5.5-inch, 1080p screen. That’s certainly competent, but you probably won’t regret snagging that Galaxy S6. Its biggest advantages are a healthy amount of built-in storage (up to 128GB) and the combination of an 8-megapixel front camera and a 13-megapixel rear shooter with dual flashes. There’s broad support for North American and European LTE bands, too, so you shouldn’t miss out on fast data.
Like the idea? Be prepared to wait, and pay a fair amount. Turing tells us that its phone should ship on August 10th, and it’ll sell for $740 unlocked in 64GB form, or $870 for a 128GB variant. There are promises of carrier deals as well, although it’s not saying which networks are on deck. Given that many big providers tend to be leery of supporting relative newcomers, a direct order will likely be your best bet.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: Turing Robotic Industries
You can preorder Samsung’s new Gear VR for Galaxy S6 on April 24
If you just snapped up a Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge, it won’t be too long until you can get your hands on Samsung’s new Gear VR headset. Samsung just announced that the revamped Gear VR will be available for preorder on April 24 on Best Buy’s website. There’s no word on how much it’ll cost you, but hopefully it’ll be somewhere around the original Gear VR’s $200 price. If preordering isn’t your thing, you can pick it up from Samsung’s online store and Best Buy’s site on May 8, as well as its retail stores on May 15. And yes, you’ll also be able to try it on at some Best Buy locations. While the Gear VR didn’t impress us as much as HTC’s Vive virtual reality headset, it’s still a noticeable improvement over its predecessor, with a lighter frame and wider viewing field. It’s not exactly a reason to pick up a Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge yet, but that could change over the next year as Samsung adds more VR content.
Sony Xperia T2 Ultra and Xperia C3 get the taste of Lollipop
After doling out Android 5.0 Lollipop updates to its Xperia Z series flagship phones, Sony has begun rolling out software updates for two more devices: Sony Xperia T2 Ultra and Sony Xperia C3. The Android 5.0 upgrade for these devices was announced last month.
Many Xperia T2 Ultra owners in Czech Republic, Germany and Taiwan reported having received software update notifications on their device. The updates should be available globally within a few weeks but there is no word on the exact date from Sony yet. It is noteworthy that only the single-SIM variant is receiving the Lollipop upgrade currently.
Meanwhile, the single SIM model of the Xperia C3 (D2533) has begun receiving software update in Taiwan, but it should be available in more countries soon.
Once these devices receive the sweetness of Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, they will be on build 19.3.A.0.470.
Source: GSMArena
The post Sony Xperia T2 Ultra and Xperia C3 get the taste of Lollipop appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Custom 1.3GHz Retina MacBooks Begin Shipping Out to Customers Early [Mac Blog]
With most of the past few days covered in Apple Watch shipping news, the build-to-order version of the new 12-inch MacBook has flown slightly under the radar. But, this morning, Apple began updating customers who opted-in for the 1.3GHz model of the notebook with shipping dates almost two weeks earlier than initially expected.
First given a vague 3-4 week shipping estimate by Apple, the 1.3GHz MacBook has now received a delivery estimate as early as the middle of next week for some customers in the United States. The build-to-order option took slightly longer to ship than the basic 1.1GHz and 1.2GHz models due to its custom upgrade processor parts.
Those two regular models of the notebook began shipping out to customers soon after its April 10 launch alongside the Apple Watch. Although many expected the new MacBook to be sold in Apple retail locations, the company opted to keep the 12-inch Retina device mostly to its online storefront for the time being.
Cyanogen OS 12 rollout resumed, new build includes bug fixes and “Ok, OnePlus” hotword
Reports are coming in that Cyanogen and OnePlus have resumed the rollout of the Cyanogen 12 OTA (Lollipop) for the OnePlus One.
Following more than a few delays, the OnePlus One began receiving its much-anticipated update to Lollipop last week. However, by Monday this week, the rollout of the update was halted, ostensibly to add a new feature to the firmware, detection of the “Okay, OnePlus” hotword. Many have doubted the sanity of stopping a long-delayed rollout just to add a small new feature, and it seems that the doubters were right.
According to Cyanogen’s Steve Kondik, commenting on the OnePlus forums, the actual reason for the pause was to fix some serious bugs:
“The reasons why we stopped the initial rollout are because of a problem updating encrypted devices from 11 to 12, and a couple of bugs that we felt were critical enough to fix before continuing (mms/telephony/themes). We also had an error in our production build environment that broke voice wakeup.”
Apparently, said bugs have been fixed now, and the rollout can now resume; users who already received the initial CM 12 build (YNG1TAS0YL) will receive a small OTA for the aforementioned bugs. Users still on CM 11 will soon receive a preparatory update of about 8MB that’s mandatory for encrypted devices, followed immediately by the full CM 12 update (YNG1TAS17L).
As usual, the OTA file for the CM 12 (YNG1TAS17L) update is available for download and manual installation. You can get it from here and flash it for yourself, provided you’re on the latest version of CM11.
As for the “Okay, OnePlus” feature, once you get the update, you can activate it from Settings>Language and Input>Voice Wakeup.
Xiaomi Mi 4i official: 5-inch Full HD, Snapdragon 615 for just $200
Hugo Barra took the stage today in New Delhi to unveil Xiaomi’s newest weapon against mid-range competitors worldwide. The Xiaomi Mi 4i is a budget-minded, yet very compelling device coming first in India for the equivalent of around $200.
Barra said that the Mi 4i is a device designed for the Indian market, though you can rest assured the phone will be well received when it hits other countries soon. As the name suggests, there are similarities with the “flagship” Mi4, but the lower specced processing package place the Mi 4i somewhere in the upper mid-range, price not considered.
The Mi 4i features a 5-inch Full HD display, a Snapdragon 615 octo-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard memory, a 13MP f/2.0 rear camera with dual-tone LED flash, and a 5.1MP f/1.8 front camera with a bevy of software features including “beautify” mode. The main camera is identical to the 13MP shooter found on the higher-end Mi Note, and offers a suite of Xiaomi enhancements to the HDR mode and more. There’s also a beefy 3,120 mAh battery in the Mi 4i’s 7.8mm thick body, which is actually slightly better than the Mi 4’s. This is a dual-SIM device, with both slots accepting LTE cards.
The Mi 4i is the first Xiaomi device to run Android 5.0 Lollipop (MIUI 6), which includes a number of features designed for the Indian market, like Visual IVR (which simplifies dealing with automated phone systems typically encountered in customer service). MIUI6 also includes support for six Indian languages – Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.
#gallery-1
margin: auto;
#gallery-1 .gallery-item
float: left;
margin-top: 10px;
text-align: center;
width: 25%;
#gallery-1 img
border: 2px solid #cfcfcf;
#gallery-1 .gallery-caption
margin-left: 0;
/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Xiaomi will offer the plastic-made Mi 4i in five bright colors that match the Mi Pad 7.9 tablet: black, white, orange, blue, and pink. The smartphone will go on sale in India through Flipkart starting April 30, for Rs. 12,999, or about $205, with reservations starting today. Prices and availability for other markets are not known for now, but it will probably be in the $200 range.
Xiaomi also launched its Mi Band fitness tracker in India, available soon for Rs. 999.
Thoughs on the Mi 4i? What do you think about the price?
Carphone Warehouse’s iD mobile network launching in May, offering flexible plans and affordable 4G data
It seems that everyone is busy announcing new mobile networks lately, what with Google unveiling its Project Fi network yesterday in the States, and now we have Carphone Warehouse (CPW) taking the covers of its iD mobile network in the UK. Just like Google, CPW has decided against the great cost of building its own mobile network infrastructure and has instead partnered with the Three Network.
So what is the iD network all about? CPW says the new network will offer greater flexibility in terms of plans and avoid the issue of Bill Shock by providing controlled and capped monthly payments. Users going to Europe will also be able to use local networks thanks to iD’s roaming plans that most likely work just like Three’s current Feel at Home roaming service. And, in a move away from the trend of only offering 2-year contracts, the iD network will offer 12-month contracts with 4G data coverage.
The iD network will apparently kick things off with a series of market-leading, introductory offers with the first Mega plan being the Samsung A3 handset on a 12-month contract with 300 minutes, 5000 texts and 1GB of data for £19.50. The iD network will go live from May, so there isn’t long to wait at all.
It’s difficult to see exactly how the iD network will fit into the volatile UK landscape, especially since the network it is piggybacking off, Three, is itself supposed to be a budget-oriented operator. Another reason being that the value-for-money Giff-Gaff service provider piggybacks off the O2 network, which is now owned by, you guessed it, Three. It’s all getting a little convoluted. If you want to learn more about the iD network, we have the full press release just below and remember you can visit the iD Mobile site to register your interest.
Full Press Release:
London 23 April 2015: Today, Carphone Warehouse announces iD, a new mobile network that is built around what the customer wants and addresses consumer frustrations with current mobile phone plans.
iD – available from May and operating on the Three network – will launch with a set of market-leading, introductory offers promising the mobile user increased contract flexibility, greater access to free data roaming and the best value 4G available on the UK market.
Commenting on the launch, Graham Stapleton, UK CEO at Carphone Warehouse, said: “We’ve been listening to our millions of customers’ network requirements and desires for years. In doing so we have identified some common challenges. People want greater flexibility from their plans and are fed up with the ‘one size fits all’ approach. In fact, a recent study by Which? found that overspend on mobile phone charges in the UK amounts to £5.42billion each year – showing just how many people aren’t on the right plan for them. We are also a generation obsessed with the mobile internet and accessing data and services on the move – things people are either paying too much for or just aren’t getting. Addressing these challenges forms the basis of the first wave of plans from iD.”
At launch, the new network will solve three core customer frustrations:
- Bill Shock – for those who want to make the most out of their money and like the reassurance and security of a standardised bill each month; delivered through controlled and capped plans at the lowest price on the market
- Uncertainty when using your phone abroad – for those who travel abroad frequently but are hindered by inflexible plans. iD’s roaming plans cover more European countries than anyone else
- Flexibility – 12 month contracts for those who want great value 4G, with the flexibility of shorter term commitment
Graham continues: “This is just the beginning. We know that there are lots more customer issues and frustrations with existing mobile plans that we’re eager to tackle. We want this network to be focused on the individual and we will continue to listen to customers over the coming months, asking them to help develop and evolve iD.”
iD is the first major initiative from Dixons Carphone and will be available to customers from May 2015 via all Carphone Warehouse, Currys and PC World stores, as well as online channels. For more information and to register interest visit www.idmobile.co.uk.
Come comment on this article: Carphone Warehouse’s iD mobile network launching in May, offering flexible plans and affordable 4G data
AIVAnet 