Apple reportedly scrapped a Sonos-like Beats speaker
Shortly after it acquired Beats, Apple spiked one of Dre and Co.’s pet projects, according to a report from Variety. The product was supposedly a WiFi-connected speaker that could directly play internet subscription music, similar to offerings from Sonos or Google’s Cast. Beats wanted to make a large speaker supporting WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC, that would play as soon as you walked into the room or paired it with your phone. The plan was to later introduce smaller satellite speakers for other rooms, exactly like Sonos. The price was reportedly as high as $750.
So what happened? Well before Apple acquired it, Beats reportedly decided to build the speaker itself rather than contracting it out. But it had component problems and other development issues, forcing it to push the launch back several times. After Apple purchased Beats and saw all the problems with the project, several sources said it decided to either ditch it completely or, at a minimum, put it on hiatus.
Variety noted that nearly half of Beats employees have left since the acquisition, including its chief product officer and speaker engineering head. When Apple purchased Beats, many believed that it was far more interested in its music service than the headphones and speakers. That’s backed up by the fact that Apple just launched Beats 1 as part of Apple Music, but hasn’t introduced any major new Beats hardware products recently. Apple also offered full refunds for the recalled Beats Pill XL speaker (rather than replacing or repairing it), and appears to have permanently pulled it from its Store.
So now that Apple Music is here, how are you supposed to listen to it? Sonos, for one, said that the new service doesn’t support its hardware for now, so the only way to stream over WiFi is via AirPlay. Apple may well be working on its own speaker system, though it obviously hasn’t revealed anything yet. But it’s generally as patient as it needs to be with development and proved again that it’s also perfectly willing to kill projects that aren’t up to snuff.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless, Apple
Source: Variet
Germany calls off probe into whether the NSA spied on Angela Merkel
We might never know if the NSA truly spied on German chancellor Angela Merkel. And if the agency did, the details might never come to light, because her government has decided to stop investigating whether Merkel was actually a target. The country’s chief federal prosecutor Harald Range has announced in a German-language statement that investigators failed to find sufficient evidence that would hold up in court. Apparently, none of the documents Edward Snowden released contained concrete proof that Merkel’s phone was tapped. Range also said that “vague remarks from US officials about US intelligence surveillance of the chancellor’s cellphone — i.e. ‘not any more’ — are insufficient evidence.”
Range might have been talking about a previous statement by White House spokesman Jay Carney vowing that the US “is not monitoring and will not monitor” the chancellor’s phone. Carney couldn’t answer reporters when asked if that meant the country spied on Merkel in the past. Despite abandoning the probe into whether the US used to eavesdrop on one of the most powerful women in the world, Germany’s NSA committee will continue its activities. The team, which was formed to look into how America’s notorious intelligence organization collected info from/on Germany, promises to resume the inquiry if it finds “new investigative leads.”
[Image credit: World Economic Forum/Flickr]
Filed under: Misc
Via: Ars Technica, The New York Times
Source: Der Generalbundesanwalt
‘Dota 2 Reborn’ will make playing or just watching easier next week
E3 isn’t even under way yet, but Valve (which will not be presenting at the event) is starting things early by revealing a new client for its massively popular PC game Dota 2. Dota 2 Reborn is being revealed in three blog updates before it launches in a beta test later next week, but what we can see so far should impress both fans and those still trying to get into these types of games (check out our primer here for a heads up). The dashboard players use to enter games is completely redesigned, with buttons to launch a session from anywhere, and easier ways to join up and play with friends. It’s all running on a new engine (not specified, but presumably Source 2), and also adds support for Custom Games, which Valve will talk more about next week.
For newbies, tutorials that teach various game mechanics are returning, while the addition of Guided Bot Matches claims it’s a “fun and educational” way to learn to play. Of course, MOBAs like Dota 2 and League of Legends are big spectator eSports, so the built-in DotaTV feature will be updated with DVR-style pause and rewind for its Steam Broadcasting-powered 1080p 60fps streams. According to Valve, the in-game HUD is staying the same, at least for now, but there are too many other changes mentioned (like the new Hero browser shown above and chat rooms that can hold up to 5,000 people) for us to break down here. Check out the new website for more updates, and stay tuned for more news as we report from E3 2015 next week.
Filed under: Gaming
Source: Dota 2 Reborn
Samsung Galaxy S6 Active officially available through AT&T
Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Active definitely didn’t surprise anyone this year, but after several months of waiting it’s finally available exclusively through AT&T.
If you’re interested, you can sign a 2-year contract to pick up the Active for $199, or start up an AT&T Next financing plan for upwards of $23.17 a month.
Aside from the ruggedness and waterproofing of the Active, the phone isn’t that much different from Samsung’s current flagship Galaxy S6. You’ll find the same hardware inside, so performance should supposedly be nearly identical to the Galaxy S6. A key addition is the significantly improved 3,500 mAh battery you’ll find in the Active, however, so we can all expect to see much improved battery life out of this variant.
Anybody going to be picking one of these up, or are you sticking with the normal Galaxy S6? That bigger battery is definitely tempting.
source: AT&T
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy S6 Active officially available through AT&T
MetroPCS follows T-Mobile, gives all customers mobile hotspot options
MetroPCS has followed suit with parent company T-Mobile’s recent decision to allow all of their customers to tether their phones to other wireless devices. All customers will have the mobile hotspot feature added at no additional cost, but things are structured a bit differently than how T-Mobile did things.
First off, if you have a capped data plan, your mobile hotspot usage counts towards your typical monthly allowance. You won’t get anything extra, so if you burn up all of your data streaming Netflix to your tablet, you’ll have to go up to the next data tier or wait until next month to keep going. Unlimited data users are limited to just 6 GB of tethering per month.
The move isn’t as flashy and aggressive as T-Mobile’s promotion, but hey, free stuff is awesome.
source: Android Central
Come comment on this article: MetroPCS follows T-Mobile, gives all customers mobile hotspot options
Realdoll invests in AI for future sexbots that move, and talk dirty
Tired of your $10,000 anatomically-correct sex doll just lying there? Well, now RealDoll, purveyors of alarmingly lifelike silicone sex partners — and apparently not movie buffs — plans to give them personalities. According to the New York Times, RealDoll founder and CEO Matt McMullen has hired a team away from Hanson Robotics for the new project, dubbed Realbotix, for the express purpose of animating these dolls. The team is reportedly developing an artificial intelligence system capable both of following commands and verbally responding to its user. What’s more, RealDoll is also working on an animatronic head (complete with blinking eyes and movable mouth).
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/bcvideo/1.0/iframe/embed.html?videoId=100000003731634&playerType=embed
Additionally, the team plans to potentially incorporate a mobile app that would act as a Tamagotchi-like companion as well as a VR headset that could either replace (or at least augment) the doll itself. The company has already sold more than 5,000 RealDolls (which run from $5,000 to $10,000 each) since its founding in 1996. According to McMullen, the key to avoiding a creepy Uncanny Valley while adding the new movement and reaction is making sure the dolls still look like dolls, instead of detailed copies of real people — we’ll just have to take his word on that one.
[Image Credit: Getty]
Filed under: Handhelds, Robots
Source: New York Times
Facebook tweaks your newsfeed by how long you read each post
In an unsurprising revelation, it turns out your Facebook news feed is watching you almost as much as you watch it. The Menlo Park-based company announced today that it is “improving” its news feature by taking into account not just whether someone liked or commented on an article but also by how much time they spent reading it. “Just because someone didn’t like, comment or share a story in their News Feed doesn’t mean it wasn’t meaningful to them,” Facebook explains.”There are times when, for example, people want to see information about a serious current event, but don’t necessarily want to like or comment on it.”
This relevance weighting adjustment is more than just a fancy digital timer. To account for slow internet connections, the system will compare how long you look at a particular story versus your general browsing habits. The company says that this way, it can better identify which posts are actually important to you. The feature is currently rolling out and will continue to do so over the next few weeks, so you can judge for yourself its impact on what you see.
[Image Credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Filed under: Internet, Facebook
Source: Facebook Newsroom
Torchlight Mobile coming to Android in 2015, to be unveiled at E3 2015
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PC game Torchlight has had a remarkably successful run after its 2009 release, emulating the gameplay style of other classic PC RPGs like Diablo to great effect. After an equally successful Torchlight II, developer Runic Games has decided to turn their attention to mobile platforms, announcing Torchlight Mobile just prior to the start of E3 2015 which will arrive on Android and iOS sometime in 2015.
It’s unknown exactly what form Torchlight Mobile will take, whether it’s the purely single player experience of the first Torchlight, or multiplayer fun of Torchlight II, but it is hinted that Torchlight Mobile will feature “highly robust online gameplay in the unique art style of the series”. Torchlight Mobile is due to be shown off at E3 2015 so we’ll have to wait and see if some gameplay footage drops sometime next week.
Are you excited for Torchlight Mobile? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Press Release
Torchlight Coming to Handheld Devices Later This Year!
Bestselling action RPG to feature online play, makes its debut at E3 2015
San Francisco–June 12, 2015–The award-winning action RPG series Torchlight is heading to mobile devices in 2015! Torchlight Mobile is an entirely new game from Perfect World due to release in 2015 for iOS and Android.
Similar to its predecessors,Torchlight Mobile is an action RPG featuring highly robust online gameplay in the unique art style of the series.
Torchlight is an award-winning action RPG franchise originally developed by Seattle-based Runic Games Inc., a veteran team composed of designers and project leads on titles such as Diablo, Diablo II, Mythos, and Fate. Torchlight’s 2009 release was met with a shower of accolades, including numerous review scores of 90% and above. The highly anticipated 2012 sequel, Torchlight II, introduced new classes and multiplayer support for both online and LAN play. It was met with similar acclaim and has sold over 3 million copies.
As a much-beloved classic series, Torchlight’s appearance on mobile platforms will surely be a well-received event by RPG and action fans alike.
For more information, please visit the Torchlight Mobile website:
www.torchlightmobile.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/torchlightmobile
Twitter: www.twitter.com/TorchlightMAbout the Torchlight Series
Torchlight is an action role-playing game released in 2009 by Runic Games, Inc. Set in a mining establishment called Torchlight, players set out into the depths of the mines to discover the full extent of Ember’s influence on the civilizations of ages past. Torchlight II, which debuted in 2012, launched players into a multiplayer adventure that spanned the continent of Vilderan. Torchlight Mobile, set for release in 2015, takes place in another faraway land where Ember is still being harvested by powerful civilizations. Players begin their adventure as one of three new character classes charged with fighting off the corruption that has maligned this land.
The post Torchlight Mobile coming to Android in 2015, to be unveiled at E3 2015 appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Your phone is probably filthy so you might just need the PhoneSoap Charger
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When you really think about it, we put our phones through hell. Not torture tests per se, but we never really consider the kind of germs and filth that our phones pick up over the course of a day – who doesn’t use their phone in the bathroom? For those that are now concerned by their phone’s hygiene, PhoneSoap says they have exactly the right product for you, the PhoneSoap Charger. Basically a ultraviolet light bed for your device, the PhoneSoap Charger allows you to feed through your devices charging cable into the chamber and let your phone be cleansed by UV rays, a process which PhoneSoap says completes in 4-5 minutes. It’s also designed so that you can hear notifications from inside the chamber and is designed so that the UV lights are never on when the Charger is open.
It would be extremely interesting to know exactly how much the PhoneSoap Charger helps in cutting down possible hazardous germs and grime, but you get the feeling that there is at least some truth to the story. Seeing as some devices, tablets in particular are quite large (and used quite frequently), we’re disappointed not to see a bigger version for these devices, but as it stands, the PhoneSoap Charger is available in the one size for $59.95 USD.
What do you think about the PhoneSoap Charger? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: PhoneSoap
The post Your phone is probably filthy so you might just need the PhoneSoap Charger appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Which US wireless carrier offers the best customer support?
While we may have some of the most draconian wireless carriers in the world, we can’t deny these US corporations sure do know how to handle competition. This war is not limited to device availability, data speeds and network coverage, either. Us Americans tend to be quite picky about the small details and really want the companies we patronize to treat us well.
Customer support is a big deal in this market, and if you are looking for the wireless carrier that will treat you the best you should definitely keep reading. The folks at Tom’s Guide have conducted a study on the level of customer service quality from all major US carriers. And yes, the list does include a bevy of prepaid carriers. Let’s take a look at the strategy before digging into the results.
How the test was conducted
The experiment was simple. The Tom’s Guide staff went undercover to see how the top 9 carriers in the USA handled online, social media and phone support. The time of a support call was also taken into account. They only asked 2 questions: “how do I get photos off my smartphone?” and ” how do I change my data plan?”.
Each calling test was attempted twice – once during peak hours and once late at night. They also went through online support and social media services to see how quick and effective they were.
The results!
So we can clearly see AT&T took the top spot, owning most of the factors taken into consideration. They offer the best online, social media and phone support, bar none. Every other manufacturer is either lower or equal in these categories. The only area AT&T loses in is in its average support call time, which averages at about 11:30 minutes. On the other hand, the winner in this category is Metro PCS, which averages at about 3:40 minutes.
It’s not surprising to see Metro PCS doing better in this segment. They have less customers and can probably handle the stress of unsatisfied users with more ease. We do have to say T-Mobile is doing pretty well here, though. They may be the third biggest carrier in the USA by now, yet they still managed to cut call times to a level much closer to the little guys.
Is there a direct correlation to price?
One would assume that the more you pay for your service, the better one will be treated by the carrier, and this is mostly true. After all, the top 4 in the list are the best and most expensive carriers around. The only discrepancy is that if we shall follow that logic, Verizon should be either second or first, but Sprint managed to beat Big Red here.
Now, this does makes sense if we take a look from another angle. Keep in mind Sprint’s network is really struggling to compete, which means they probably make a bigger effort to keep customers and bring in more people. Not to mention, Verizon has always been a bit more secure about its position in the industry. While their customer service is still awesome, they also know people will be hard pressed to leave their unbeatable cell phone coverage.
How much do you care about customer support?
To be honest, I have never worried too much about wireless customer support. Sure, I like when the big carriers bend over backwards to keep you satisfied, but it has never been a true deciding factor for sticking around with, joining or leaving a company. As long as I get what I paid for, I am happy.
Of course, this is mostly because I have never been one to really need too much help with my device or services. I tend to figure things out on my own or turn to awesome websites (like Android Authority!) for all my needs. I even get weirded out when representatives start playing around with my phone! This approach usually allows me to go with more affordable alternatives, too!
I do understand that is not the best scenario for all of us, and some of you prefer walking out of a store with everything in place. Are you one of those users who place high value on quality customer care, or do you prefer to walk on the wild side like me?
AIVAnet 