Vodafone to make its return to broadband ‘in the coming weeks’
With BT snapping up EE and Three UK’s owner buying O2, Vodafone must be feeling a little left out of the industry shake-up that’s currently underway. But Vodafone’s got more important things to focus on in the immediate future, namely its return to being a broadband provider. In its year-end earnings released today, Vodafone mentioned its new fibre broadband service is set to launch “in the coming weeks,” a little over three years since its unsuccessful “Vodafone at Home” offerings were scrapped. The company announced last year it was preparing to give broadband another crack, penning a spring 2015 launch window its more or less on track to meet (the intrigued can register their interest for “Vodafone Connect” here). What’s more, Vodafone’s also confirmed today it’ll follow broadband with the launch of a TV service later this year.
Vodafone’s pretty chummy with Sky, and Now TV subscriptions are offered as a perk on some 4G contracts. Rumors originally suggested Sky’s Now TV streaming boxes would play a role in Vodafone’s TV service, but The Telegraph subsequently reported the carrier is working on its own set-top box and pay TV platform. Vodafone will no doubt be targeting its 3 million 4G subscribers (as of March) with discounted broadband and TV bundles, but is likely to be fighting an uphill battle. With the likes of TalkTalk, BT, Sky and EE all offering a multitude of connected services already, these days there are only so many customers to go around.
Filed under: Internet
Via: ISPreview
Source: Vodafone (pdf)
The internet’s biggest TV pirate calls it quits after scam
First, the “EZTV.it” domain was gobbled up for “five figures” by a third party, using the same company name (EZCloud) under which NovaKing had originally registered EZTV. That party then proceeded to strip all references to the original site, which had relocated to the .CH domain in the meantime — while the new owners tried to get the original site to play along. Using a fake name, faux-EZTV managed to seize the original .SE domain held by the EuroDNS registrar, despite NovaKing’s attempt to block the move. From there, the rogue “EZCloud” was able to reset various EZTV services and passwords and take control of every domain, eventually including EZTV.ch.
If this site tells you not to go to somewhere, we’d listen
Though EZTV’s servers apparently weren’t compromised, a staffer said NovaKing was distraught by the attack and decided to walk away from his “non-profit” labor of love. The purloined EZTV sites continue to operate using new, non-EZTV torrents (complete with ads and pop-unders) while the operators claim that all is still well. However, other torrent sites like Pirate Bay and KickAss torrents have severed ties, and TPB is even warning users to “stay away” from EZTV.ch. And if a site where you go to get “internet herpes,” (as my colleague put it), tells you to stay away, we’d advise you to listen. After all, there are plenty of similar sites and of course, lots of legal options.
Filed under: Internet, Software
Source: Torrent Freak
Achievement unlocked: Samsung has shipped 10 million Galaxy S6 handsets
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Samsung‘s confidence in its latest flagship devices, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, is sky high, and in news that shouldn’t surprise anyone at all, that confidence has been translated into 10 million Galaxy S6 handsets shipped just after a month after the devices were officially released. In fact, a “high ranking Samsung official” allegedly said that sales, not shipments, have already surpassed 10 million and that the 10 million devices shipped mark was passed some time ago. I’m sure we’ll hear about exactly how many devices Samsung has sold so far sooner rather than later, but its impressive nonetheless.
None of this is particularly surprising considering the interest that both these devices have garnered since they were announced at MWC 2015. The only other time Samsung has experienced such popularity was with the Galaxy S4 which met the same target in its first month – arguably, though, the Galaxy S6 is in a much tougher market and has done much better to stand out among fierce competition from all corners of the smartphone world.
What do you think about Samsung shipping 10 million Galaxy S6 handsets in its first month? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Yonhap News via SamMobile
The post Achievement unlocked: Samsung has shipped 10 million Galaxy S6 handsets appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
User Agent Profile reveals that Samsung Galaxy S6 Active will have a QHD Display
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User Agent profiles are often a sneaky way to get an early look at a device, and they have served us well again after they were used to confirm a few details about the upcoming rugged Samsung Galaxy S6 Active. First and foremost, the User Agent profile gives the model number SM-G890A which we have heard will be the model number for at least one of the S6 Active variants. The other interesting tidbit from this excerpt is that the screen resolution is going to be 1440×2560 – or in other words, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active will have a QHD Display.
This all matches up with earlier rumours about the device, and we’ve since seen official renders of the device that AT&T will release. We’ve also heard that the S6 Active’s battery is going to be 3.500mAh, a significant jump up from the 2,600mAh on the vanilla device, which we can only hope is true. Jury’s still out on when Samsung is actually going to announce the device, but from the general vibe we’re getting, it shouldn’t be much longer before it is official.
What do you think about the fact the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active will have a QHD Display? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Ubergizmo via SamMobile
The post User Agent Profile reveals that Samsung Galaxy S6 Active will have a QHD Display appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Oculus names VR Jam finalists, and here are some of them
Oculus VR’s apps and games contest for the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition is in full swing. The 2015 Mobile VR Jam contest received quite a number of interesting submissions, including a game that puts you in the POV of a bullet, one that wants you to fight blind, and another that lets you text and drive without putting real people in danger. Alas, the company has no choice but to narrow the entries down to 61 finalists for the competition, 37 of which are games and 24 are apps or experiences for the virtual reality headset. Before any of them wins part of the $1 million prize pool, though, a panel of ten judges will examine them further in the next few days until they come up with a list of winners for June 3rd. You can browse through a select few of the finalists below (in addition to the ones we listed above, all of which made the cut), but you can also look at the full list on the contest website.
Filed under: Wearables, Mobile, Samsung, Facebook
Source: Oculus Mobile VR Jam 2015
Galaxy S6 reportedly hit 10 million milestone in “about one month”
Korea’s Yonhap news agency reports that the Galaxy S6 series (S6 and S6 Edge) hit the 10 million sales milestone in “about one month” from its release. The publication cites an unnamed “high-ranking Samsung official.”
“The sales of the Galaxy S6 series have already surpassed 10 million,” according to the Samsung executive. Samsung typically trumpets such milestones, and no other Korean outlet covered the news, suggesting that this is not an official announcement. That will probably follow over the next days.
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The Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge started shipping on April 10 in 20 countries, and became available in markets from around the world in the weeks that followed.
Last year, Samsung boasted that it managed to sell 11 million Galaxy S5 units in the same time it needed to sell 10 million Galaxy S4 units a year before (about a month). Despite the strong start, the Galaxy S5 eventually turned out to be a disappointment, as Samsung sold 40 percent fewer units that it anticipated, according to the Wall Street Journal.
With the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, Samsung effectively rebooted the series, and the enthusiastic reception suggests the move has been successful. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that the S6 will break the records set by the Galaxy S4, even if analysts think it will.
The fact is, the days of explosive growth are over in most smartphone markets (case in point, China) and the competition is much stronger now. That explains why, despite great reviews, the Galaxy S6 does not appear to be doing much better than its predecessors.
Samsung will probably make an official announcement on this pretty soon, but until then – are you surprised by this report in any way?
LG announces mid-range G4 Stylus and G4c
LG has unveiled two new smartphones under its G4 nametag, the G4 Stylus and the G4c. The two are positioned as less expensive, mid-range alternatives to the company’s latest G4 flagship.
The G4 Stylus is a re-branded G Stylo, which has already arrived the US and Korea, and will be available on T-Mobile later in the summer. The handset features a 5.7-inch 720p display and a quad-core processor in the LTE model, which we’ll assume is the same Snapdragon 410 processor as before. The handset also comes with 1GB RAM, 8GB ROM with microSD support and a removable 3,000mAh battery. As the name implies, the handset also supports a stylus pen for handwriting.
The 3G-only model of the G4 Stylus lists an unspecified octa-core processor, possibly a MediaTek chip. The LTE model also comes with a 13MP rear camera and 5MP front facing snapper, while the 3G model bumps this down to an 8MP camera on the back. The handset comes in a choice of either Metallic Silver or Floral White.
As reported last week, the G4c is a smaller version of the G4, but we hesitate to call it a “mini”. The handset features a 5-inch 720p display, an unspecified quad-core SoC (again likely to be the Snapdragon 410) and the same 1GB RAM, 8GB ROM and microSD card as the G4 Stylus. The handset also comes equipped with an 8MP rear and 5MP front camera combination, LTE data, and a 2,540mAh removable battery. The G4c will come in Metallic Gray, Ceramic White and Shiny Gold color options.
To differentiate its new phones from the wide choice of other mid-rangers, LG has chosen to borrow a few features from its flagships. The handsets both support Knock Code, Gesture Shot and Glance View, while the G4 Stylus’ camera also makes use of laser autofocus.
We’re still waiting for an exact release schedule and regional prices, which should be confirmed in the coming weeks. Have either of these two caught your eye?
Apple and Google push Obama to prevent encryption backdoors
Apple, Google and other major tech companies have urged President Obama not to give the FBI backdoor access to smartphone data, according to the Washington Post. The publication obtained a letter signed by no less than 140 major tech players, security specialists and privacy groups stating that “strong encryption is the cornerstone of the modern information economy’s security.” All of the players feel that it’s impossible to build a backdoor for governments in email, cellphone encryption and other communications without creating vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers or hostile nations. Obama previously said that while he’s in favor of stronger encryption, “the only concern is our law enforcement is expected to stop every (terrorist) plot.”
The letter is a direct response to FBI Director James B. Comey, who demanded access to user data after Google and Apple said they were going to create unbreakable encryption. He said, “there’s no doubt that all of us should care passionately about privacy, but we should also care passionately about protecting innocent people.” He added that the FBI and DoJ support encryption, as long as officials also get access to communications. However, the letter is also signed by three out of five members of an Obama-appointed review group, one of whom declared “if they couldn’t pull it (backdoor access) off at the end of the Cold War, they sure as hell aren’t going to pull it off now.”
If they couldn’t pull (backdoor access) off at the end of the Cold War, they sure as hell aren’t going to pull it off now.
Paul Rosenzweig is another letter signatory and normally a national security stalwart, according to the Post. But he said “if I actually thought there was a way to build a US-government-only backdoor, then I might be persuaded. But that’s just not reality.” Ronald L. Rivest, the ‘R’ in RSA encryption, feels that while standards can be tweaked for law enforcement, “you’ve done great damage to our security infrastructure if you do that.” Instead, the privacy activist who organized the letter, Kevin Bankston, said “it’s time for America to lead the world toward a more secure future rather than a digital ecosystem riddled with vulnerabilities of our own making.”
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet
Source: Washington Post
Using Netflix on your hotel TV sounds pretty painless
Surprise! Netflix built into hotel-room TVs doesn’t seem awful. When Mariott announced that it’d add streaming apps including the House of Cards outfit, Crackle, Hulu Plus, and YouTube into its in-room entertainment options, there was reason for concern. Would it require any separate fees? What about account security? As Cord Cutters News reports, you need to use your personal logins for ‘flix and Hulu and you can either clear your credentials manually, or the hotel will do it for you automatically at the time of check out. The apps apparently run without a hitch and are the most up to date versions like you’d use on Amazon’s Fire TV and the Roku 3. Oh, and the remotes have built-in Netflix buttons like you’d find at home and abroad. Now I’m curious when RIchard Branson will implement something similar into his Virgin Hotels.
[Image credit: Manybits/Flickr]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Via: Zatz Not Funny
Source: Cord Cutter News
Researchers discover a ‘partial workaround’ for blindness
When your eyes’ photoreceptors (the so-called “rods and cones”) fail either due to illness or injury, so to does your vision. And until very recently, few options to correct the condition existed — typically in the form of a bulky and intrusive wearable. But now, a long-researched gene therapy is finally ready for human trials and could pave the way for at least partial restoration of a patient’s sense of sight.
The technique, which was developed by a team led by Zhuo-Hua Pan of Wayne State University in Detroit, is part of a growing scientific field known as optogenetics. It doesn’t target the dead photoreceptors themselves — in fact, it bypasses them entirely — instead focusing on the ganglion cells behind them. Ganglion cells carry electrical signals from the rods and cones to the optic nerve which then shuttles the information to the brain. Researchers have found they can control the function of the ganglion cells by inserting light-sensitive molecules (derived from algae and other microorganisms) and then shining specific wavelengths of light at them. Specifically, they’ve inserted channelrhodopsin-2, or ChR2, into ganglion cell membranes. In the dark this protein remains closed but, when exposed to blue-wavelength light, it opens a channel through which ions can flow and triggers cells around it to do the same.
While optogenetics is technically a form of gene therapy, it functions very differently than the CRISPR/Cas9 technique that recently made headlines. Instead of knocking out a specific gene (or set of genes) to restart photoreceptor function, this technique simply converts transmitter cells into light-sensitive ones. This cleanly sidesteps the medical and ethical pitfalls of conventional gene therapy. It also could potentially be applied to the roughly 200,000 people in America alone suffering from blindness caused by any of the 250 known gene mutations. Human trials are expected to start as early as next year.
[Image Credit: Tim Flach – Getty]
Filed under: Wearables, Science
Source: Science News
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