Uber poaches former Google Maps chief for its self-driving car project
Uber’s poached plenty of robotics experts from Carnegie Mellon and now we know who it’s snagged to lead that team to produce something worthwhile. According to Re/code, Uber’s new Advanced Technologies Center will be led by former Google VP Brian McClendon, a 10-year veteran of the company. The name may not ring a bell, but McClendon is most famous for co-founding the startup that eventually became Google Earth before making Google Maps what it is today.
Right now, Uber relies upon other businesses’ mapping services for its various transport services, something that the company clearly can’t rely upon. That’s why it’s doing its best to build its own super-powerful location platform, and recently purchased deCarta, the firm that powers OnStar’s navigation technology. The company also showed off its desire to own a premium GPS technology after tabling a $3 billion bid for Here, the Nokia-owned mapping firm.
As we know, the Advanced Technologies Center is the anodyne name for the Uber’s self-driving car project. Given that the company is now on the hook for its employees’ expenses, it’s clear that human-free hardware can’t come fast enough.
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Re/code
Microsoft watched gamers at home to design the new Xbox Elite controller
By now, if you’re an Xbox One gamer, you know that Microsoft has a pretty badass controller on the horizon. But what’s truly interesting about the new Elite controller, announced at the company’s major E3 press event this week, is that it’s the product of several in-home research sessions. According to Xbox Hardware Project Manager David Prien, the company realized that today’s gamers are all about “customization and personalization.” And so Prien’s team enlisted pro-gamers picked from leaderboards on the company’s own Xbox titles to help mold this new modular controller design.
But if you thought that the Elite controller was just for gaming’s cream of the crop players, you’d be mistaken. Prien assured us that it’s “not just for the pro-gamer. The idea here is that everyone can benefit from this.” He also said that the hardware team had a “laundry list of over 100 feature sets,” though, understandably, not all of that made it into the final design. We had an opportunity to get some close-up time with the new Elite controller here on the showfloor, so be sure to watch our interview with Prien below.
Samsung vulnerability exposed with over 600 million devices affected worldwide
NowSecure security researcher Ryan Welton has exposed a security risk that affects over 600 million Samsung devices world wide. The risk comes from the pre-installed Swiftkey keyboard. Samsung gave the app system user privileges, which is one step away from root. The app cannot be uninstalled or disabled in the system.
“If the flaw in the keyboard is exploited, an attacker could remotely:
- Access sensors and resources like GPS, camera and microphone
- Secretly install malicious app(s) without the user knowing
- Tamper with how other apps work or how the phone works
- Eavesdrop on incoming/outgoing messages or voice calls
- Attempt to access sensitive personal data like pictures and text messages”
Samsung issued a patch to mobile network providers early 2015, but it is unclear if the carriers have provided the necessary update to patch the vulnerability at this point. Check the list below to check if your device is affected
| DEVICE | CARRIER | PATCH STATUS |
| Galaxy S6 | Verizon | Unpatched |
| Galaxy S6 | AT&T | Unknown |
| Galaxy S6 | Sprint | Unpatched |
| Galaxy S6 | T-Mobile | Unknown |
| Galaxy S5 | Verizon | Unknown |
| Galaxy S5 | AT&T | Unknown |
| Galaxy S5 | Sprint | Unknown |
| Galaxy S5 | T-Mobile | Unpatched |
| Galaxy S4 | Verizon | Unknown |
| Galaxy S4 | AT&T | Unknown |
| Galaxy S4 | Sprint | Unknown |
| Galaxy S4 | T-Mobile | Unknown |
| Galaxy S4 Mini | Verizon | Unknown |
| Galaxy S4 Mini | AT&T | Unpatched |
| Galaxy S4 Mini | Sprint | Unknown |
| Galaxy S4 Mini | T-Mobile | Unknown |
What to do:
- Avoid insecure wi-fi networks
- Use a different mobile device
- Contact carriers for patch information and timing
Source
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HTC One M9+ and One E9+ launch on Amazon in the U.S.
Were you pretty torn by the fact that HTC launched a better version of the One M9 shortly after its release and out of your reach? Well, we got some good news today, with the help of Amazon.
The One M9+ just popped up on Amazon via a third-party seller (sorry Prime subscribers), in either gunmetal grey or silver gold. The asking price? It ain’t cheap, at $799 (plus shipping). To compare, the price of the vanilla One M9 is $649.
If the extra $150 doesn’t deter you by your desire to have it all, we’re looking at some worthy upgrades from the M9: 5.2-inch screen (vs 5.0-inch), QHD (vs 1080P), Duo camera sensor (like on the M8), and a fingerprint scanner. For better or worse, the M9+ uses a MediaTek Helio X10 octa-core SoC, since it was made for the Chinese market.
Amazon is also providing us the cheaper, plastic variant of the flagship, the E9+, in either grey or rose white at $499. This guy is as powerful as the M9+, but subtracts the second Duo sensor, the fingerprint scanner, and metal build. However, the screen size is bumped up to 5.5-inches.
Note that because these are not U.S. models, like usual there is no CDMA frequency support. So if you’re on Verizon or Sprint, you’re out of luck if you want one of these. They should work on AT&T or T-Mobile, but unfortunately it is said their LTE radio won’t work in the U.S.
Source | Source | Source | Source
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T-Mobile offering free tablet promotion for Father’s Day
Need to get dad something nice for Father’s Day? T-Mobile thinks he’ll appreciate a new tablet. What’s more, it also believes you’ll appreciate the pricing.
T-Mobile is giving away an LG G Pad F 8.0 to customers just so long as they purchase a qualifying data plan. Yes, T-Mobile will pay for the tablet itself provided you pay for at least 1GB of data per month for two years.
Essentially, you agree to pay $10 per month for 24 months for the data and the tablet’s free. Cancel before the two year period and you’ll have to pay for the remaining tablet balance of up to $239.76.
The LG G Pad F 8.0 is an Android 5.0 Lollipop tablet with an 8-inch display. Internal specifications include a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 16GB storage, and microSD expansion. You’ll also find a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter.
Note that this promotion is limited to a select number of tablets and once they’re gone, they’re gone. Also worth pointing out, a credit check is required as well.
Don’t forget to check out our Dads and Grads Buyer’s Guide for 2015!
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AT&T Fined $100 Million by FCC for Unlimited Data Throttling Practices
The United States Federal Communications Commission today announced plans to fine AT&T $100 million for misleading customers about its unlimited mobile data plans. Following an investigation, the FCC is accusing AT&T of severely slowing down the data speeds of customers with unlimited data plans and failing to adequately warn them about the slower data speeds.
In 2011, AT&T implemented a “Maximum Bit Rate” policy and capped the maximum data speeds for unlimited customers after they used a set amount of data within a billing cycle. The capped speeds were much slower than the normal network speeds AT&T advertised and significantly impaired the ability of AT&T customers to access the Internet or use data applications for the remainder of the billing cycle.
The FCC says AT&T violated the 2010 Open Internet Transparency Rule by falsely calling its plans “unlimited” and by not informing customers of the maximum speed they would receive under AT&T’s Maximum Bit Rate policy. Millions of customers suffered slow data speeds, with some seeing speed reductions for 12 days per month on average.
On the decision, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler had this to say: “Customers deserve to get what they pay for. Broadband providers must be upfront and transparent about the services they provide. The FCC will not stand idly by while consumers are deceived by misleading marketing materials and insufficient disclosure.”
AT&T ceased offering unlimited data plans years ago, but it continues to have customers with grandfathered unlimited data plans. AT&T previously throttled all of those customers after they exceeded 5GB of LTE data, but in May, AT&T implemented a policy change that sees customers being throttled only when connected to a cell tower experiencing network congestion.
Along with facing a $100 million fine levied by the FCC, AT&T is also involved in an ongoing lawsuit with the Federal Trade Commission over the same issue.
Report: Comcast engaged in talks to acquire T-Mobile
This summer, Deutsche Telekom could have a bidding wars on its hands as competition builds to acquire its United States subsidiary. The parent company of T-Mobile has been engaged in talks with Comcast about acquiring the carrier.
Comcast will have to work against Dish Network’s proposed merger and any other potential companies interested in making an offer for T-Mobile. Deutsche Telekom apparently views Comcast as a more attractive buyer and that is likely due to the media company’s deep pockets. Comcast is now the largest cable provider, has a massive portfolio covering national and regional cable networks, and walked away from a $45 billion purchase of Time Warner Cable. The money set to be used for the Time Warner Cable purchase can be redirected for a deal with Deutsche Telekom.
The Dish Network merger would allow T-Mobile CEO John Legere to remain in his current position. However, Comcast gaining control of the carrier could reassign Legere to another position or even remove him from the company. Comcast is a operates very tightly and Legere’s blunt personality may not be a match for the two.
An unnamed source told Ars Technica that Comcast is not interested in buying T-Mobile. Neither company has yet to publicly comment on the report.
Source: Manager Magazin
Via: Reuters
Come comment on this article: Report: Comcast engaged in talks to acquire T-Mobile
LinkedIn revamps its Pulse news reader app to bring you news powered by the professional world
Since the app’s acquisition by LinkedIn back in 2013, the popular Pulse news reader application has seen little to no notable improvements when it comes to both design and functionality. That’s all changing today, as the LinkedIn team has just released a much-needed update that rebuilds the application from the ground up.
Pulse learns from every topic, person and company you follow
Akshay Kothari, co-founder of Pulse, says that back in 2013, Pulse was struggling to find its identity and readership, which is exactly what today’s update is addressing. Along with a major redesign, the app now functions as a one-stop shop to consume your daily news that’s powered by your personalized professional world. After opening the app for the first time and adding in your LinkedIn account, you’ll be able to check out what your network and peers are reading, read the top news in your specific industry, and also get notifications if one of your connections happen to make the news.
Pulse will now also learn from your connections, allowing the app to get smarter and recommend more relevant articles to you on a daily basis. The idea here is to not only educate you on topics in your field, but also to give you something to talk about in the workplace.
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Speaking from experience, Pulse used to be my go-to news reader application, thanks in part to its sleek and intuitive design. Judging by the app’s previous design and what I’ve seen of the new version so far, I’m pretty sure LinkedIn hit it out of the park with this one.
If you’re interested, the newest version of Pulse is available now in the Play Store for free.
Deutsche Telekom reportedly in talks with Comcast about a T-Mobile sale
Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile’s parent company, is reportedly in talks with Comcast regarding a sale of the wireless carrier. According to a report from Reuters citing an article out of Manager Magazin in Germany, Deutsche Telekom is not only in talks with Comcast, but also multiple other companies including satellite provider Dish Network. Out of the possible T-Mobile buyers, though, the report states that Comcast is the most attractive buyer as it is financially stronger and has the resources to purchase all shares of T-Mobile at one time.
Read more: T-Mobile’s largest shareholder reportedly not interested in Dish Network merger
Deutsche Telekom’s plans to merge with Comcast may be holding T-Mobile back from any real progression
This news shouldn’t really come as a surprise, though. Just last week, we heard about the rumored T-Mobile/Dish Network acquisition, only to later find out that Deutsche Telekom wasn’t actually interested in the merger. As we explained previously, Timotheus Höttges, chief executive of T-Mobile’s parent company, would much rather merge with another wireless carrier such as Sprint, in hopes to become more attractive to Comcast in the long run. T-Mobile has tried to merge with Sprint in the past, but that deal was thankfully shot down by the FCC so we could keep our “four main carrier” ecosystem in effect. But now, according to this new report, it looks like Deutsche Telekom is skipping Sprint altogether and heading straight for a Comcast acquisition.
Although no official comments have been made by any of the involved parties, a “source familiar with Comcast’s thinking” told Ars Technica that Comcast is actually not interested in a T-Mobile acquisition. Ars says that the source asked to remain anonymous because “the company tries to avoid making official comments on rumored mergers.”
If the past is any indication as to what we can expect out of this rumor, Comcast will likely pass on the deal, if it was even presented in the first place. Even though the wireless carrier is proving itself successful in the United States, Deutsche Telekom’s unrealistic goals for T-Mobile seem to be holding it back from some major progression.
V-MODA announces worlds first 3D printed custom designed headphone shields for the M-100 and XS line-up
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Looking to make your headphones stand out in a crowd? V-MODA is the pioneer in giving you that option with the launch of the world first 3D printed custom-design headphones. You may have read our review of the V-MODA Crossfade M-80’s a while back. They are a great set of headphones with a lot to offer consumers including custom laser engraved shields for the outside of the ear cups. V-MODA is now stepping up the customization game with all new options using a variety of materials including Fiber, Stainless Steel, Raw and Plated precious metals. Yes, you can get a set of 14K gold plated shields that say and look however you want, for a price.
“This new offering is not merely a game changer, it is the first time in history mass customization merges jewel-grade 3D printing with consumer electronics,” says Val Kolton, CEO of V-MODA. “Additive manufacturing for wearable technology is not only a product, but a 360-degree service and paradigm-shift for design and manufacturing.”
“3D printing has captured the imaginations of people, but this is the first application that can be worn every day on an award-winning product. This technology ends the ubiquity of carbon copy, plastic consumer electronics and ushers in an era of bespoke designs and metals that transform products into hand-crafted designer relics,” says Val Kolton. “What seemed impossible is now a reality with V-MODA’s new platform.”
Specialized customization isn’t going to be cheap though. Depending on the material you select and if you upload your own design or not (still in beta) you can put some serious hurt on your bank account. In the end though, you will have a truly unique and personal look for your headphones. Here is the break down –
Price
Sterling Silver: $430 for on-ear, $650 for over-ear shield kits; $620 with XS, $900 with Crossfade M-100.
Solid Gold: $4,000-5,500 for on-ear including XS, $9,000-12,800 for over-ear including Crossfade M-100;
Platinum: $12,000-16,000 for on-ear including XS, $27,000-40,000 for over-ear including Crossfade M-100.All precious metal offerings include a lifetime warranty on the headphones and the option to upload your own design for 3D sculpting by V-MODA’s Italian designers.
Raw, Rhodium and Gold-Plated Metals – Luxury within reach. Personalized shields offer sophisticated designs at an accessible price point. Available in raw brass and raw bronze that patina over time as well as brilliant rhodium plated, 14k gold plated and 14k rose gold plated.
Price: $180-$330 for on-ear, $350-$550 for over-ear shield kits; $370-$520 with XS, $600-$800 with Crossfade M-100. Upload your design (Beta) is included.
Stainless Steel – Steel shields feature a distinctive “Damascus steel” effect that allows you to proudly showcase the advanced 3D technology. Available in matte black, stainless steel, polished gold, polished bronze and matte bronze.
Price: $100 for on-ear, $150 for over-ear shield kits, $270 with XS, $400 with Crossfade M-100. Upload your design (Beta) is included.
Fiber – Available in nine matte and vibrant colors, 3D printed fiber is lightweight and features a matte touch.
Price: $40 for on-ear, $50 for over-ear shield kits (add $20 for upload your design); $200 with XS, $270 with Crossfade M-100.
To get a better look at V-MODA is doing and to gt your order started, direct yourself over to V-MODA.com
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