NASA’s iconic images are now easier to find
NASA has just launched a mega photo library that masses more than 70 different collections together, with 138,000-plus images in total. Created by an archiving company called Luna Imaging, it includes plenty of famous photos from sources like Hubble, JPL and the Apollo missions. There are also wonderful and crazy images dating back as far as the early 20th century showing things like early rocketry attempts and pre-Gemini space suits. The whole thing is searchable by archive, year, mission and other keywords.
Luna previously hosted a viewer for NASA-sourced images, but had to drop the partnership several years ago when NASA moved the bulk of its images to a defense contractor’s website. The only downside to the new archive is the apparently limited resolution of the images (up to 1536 pixels wide only), considering that many of the originals are much larger than that. There’s no word if noted NASA web design consultant Tom Cruise had anything to do with the site, but you can check it out here.
Filed under: Science
Via: Gizmodo
Source: Luna Imaging
Cyberattack grounds 10 flights from Warsaw airport
It may be, statistically, the safest way to travel, but that doesn’t mean that flying isn’t immune to technology’s most persistent irritation. According to Reuters, a group of hackers managed to ground 10 flights out of Warsaw Airport on Sunday after executing an effective cyberattack against LOT, Poland’s national airline. It’s believed that the nefarious types went after the computer system that’s responsible for producing flight plans, causing numerous delays in addition to the aforementioned cancellations.
Spokesperson Adrian Kubicki told journalists that his company uses “state of the art” computer systems, and hinted that other airlines could be similarly at risk. Subsequently, the business added that the attack was now “under control” and that flight plans were being prepared remotely at LOT’s operating center.
It’s been a bit of a recurring theme of late, as the air travel industry publicly comes to terms with some harsh truths. After all, the sheen of invincibility they’re obliged to project is being scratched away each time their digital systems are found to be vulnerable. Back in April, the FBI began warning companies to start looking for holes in their IT infrastructure. But not, unfortunately, before security researcher Chris Roberts claimed that he was able to hijack a plane while in-flight from his seat. Hopefully a solution to these issues can be found before Hugo Tesso is able to carry out his long-promised smartphone-based hijacking.
Filed under: Transportation, Internet
Via: ZDNet
Moto G 2015 to sport 13MP rear/5MP selfie cameras and just 1GB of RAM: Leak
Yeah, you heard it right – the new Motorola Moto G may not pack more than 1 GB of RAM, if the latest rumours are to be believed. On the upside, however, it could sport a 13-megapixel rear snapper and a 5-megapixel selfie camera.
Like every year, Motorola leaks and rumours have begun surfacing with the advent of summer. And the most recent of them are a series of images posted to Google+ revealing many specifications of the popular mid ranger. Going by the images, the new Moto G will feature the same 5-inch display as its predecessor along with similar minimalistic design. The only difference in the design, however, seems to be a textured back panel and a vertical strip featuring a 13-megapixel camera, LED flash an groovy Motorola logo.
The Google+ post reportedly lifted photos of the device (model number XT1543) from an unspecified Chinese forum. Separately, a YouTube video showing the prototype the handset revealed its specifications including Android 5.1.1, 5-inch screen, Snapdragon 410 processor, 13MP rear and 5MP front cameras, 1GB of RAM, 8GB on board storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot.
Source: Google+ Via: Android Police
Come comment on this article: Moto G 2015 to sport 13MP rear/5MP selfie cameras and just 1GB of RAM: Leak
Crime Coast wants you to build a gangster’s paradise and defend it
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“We keep spending most our lives… livin’ in a gangsta’s paradise”
There are almost too many city-building, tower defense games to count so you have to stand out somehow to make it big. One of the latest to join the ranks of this burgeoning genre is Crime Coast by Pixel Squad which sets you up with a little town to grow and nuture as your own. It’s much the same story as city-building, tower defense games that have come before it – build up your defenses and army, run raids on other players and make alliances. Check out the launch trailer below:
From what we can see in the trailer, Crime Coast looks well made and has stamped its own unique art style on the game. Whether or not it’s actually good to play or not is another question, but early signs are good with most of the reviews in the 5 star region at the moment. We’ll keep an eye on this one to see if it can make a run at Clash of Clans, or War of Clans, or Clan of Clans, or whatever…
Like other games in its genre, Crime Coast is completely free to download and start playing, but there are in-app purchases to tempt you into being badder than bad. If you think you’re a budding criminal, hit the Play Store link below to download Crime Coast.
What do you think about Crime Coast? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Crime Coast wants you to build a gangster’s paradise and defend it appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Acer Iconia Tab 8 review; A great budget tablet
- Premium aluminum body
- Fast performance
- mini-HDMI port
- MicroSD support
- Not running latest Android version
- Heavy body frame
- Low megapixel cameras
- Low quality display
After the advent of the iPad, there was a scramble of major corporations trying to get into the game by introducing their own tablets, many of them running on Android. WHile this spurred creative and there came many great tablets from this arms race, there were also some very abysmal products that were produced. From a bad display, poor performance and overall bad design, these tablets were created for who knows what reason. Well, I am happy to state that the Acer Iconia Tab does not fall into that category as it is great little budget tablet that at times might make you forget you didn’t spend a small fortune to procure one.
Design
Acer did not try to innovate where the design of the Acer Iconia Tab 8 is concerned, as it retains the conventional square, white design of most of its competitors. Crafted from nothing more than glass and aluminum, the Acer Iconia Tab 8 feels like a premium product and is a joy to have in the hand. Again, definitely not something that you would see in similarly priced tablets.
The front side of the Acer Iconia Tab 8 is completely coated in glass and keeps the 2-megapixel camera, the 8-inch WVGA display and the Acer logo nice and safe. That is also all that is on the front, which makes the Acer Iconia Tab 8 a very nice, sleek device to look at, as nobody want their device to have a million things going on when you are trying to play Angry Birds!
The side panels are where you are going to find the power and volume buttons, on the right, the micro-SD slot, on the left, and the mini-HDMI port, aux jack and USB port, all on top. The micro-SD slot is a great boon, as many OEM’s are slowly making the transition to removing this feature in all of their devices, to the chagrin of many consumers. The mini-HDMI port will be welcomed by heavy duty media users, especially when they want to show their friends that funny video they found on the ever famous YouTube but don’t have their computers handy.
Last but not least, the aluminum back panel is where you will find a 5-megapixel camera, the speaker system, and a silver Acer logo in the middle. Nothing to detract from the device, minus the certifications and serial number located on the bottom half of the device. You can always remove these though, if you just hate having them there (though we don’t recommend that you do.) Overall, the design of the Acer Iconia Tab 8 is definitely on par with higher priced products with its aluminum body and all glass front.
Hardware
The Acer Iconia Tab 8 runs on an Intel Atom Z3735 1.3 GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM. Also included is 16gb of internal storage and an 8-inch 1920×1200 display. Powering all of this hardware is Android 4.4. As you can see from the specs, there is nothing make your mouth water. All of these specs are a bit outdated, as most tablets today are going to have Android 5.1 and at least 3GB of Ram. The specs on the Acer Iconia Tab 8 though are still good enough to get most tasks done in a quick and timely manner, just don’t expect the device to zoom if you have too many apps open or a plethora of widgets. Another thing to note is the battery. While the overall specs didn’t impress us, the battery could have been bigger to provide more than 7 hours of battery life. While we don’t expect to be able to use the Acer Iconia Tab 8 for days on end, it should still last longer than the 6 hours we were able to get out of it, and that is goign through our normal routine of usage. Keep that in mind if you need a device with a bit more juice.
Features
This is one area that the Acer Iconia Tab 8 falls short, in that it does not come with any groundbreaking features to set it apart from other tablets. You do get what you pay for, and this is the area where it shows. Other than the mini-HDMI port, the Acer Iconia Tab 8 is just a plain cut tablet, that does what it’s supposed to do and nothing else. That is not to say that the Acer Iconia Tab 8 is a bad piece of hardware, but buyers who are looking for something extra are going to want to look elsewhere.
Performance
The Acer Iconia Tab 8 ran very smoothly, which we were at first surprised at, as we didn’t think it would with the hardware that it was packing. While we didn’t expect the device to run slow by any means, we will be honest and say that we didn’t think it would run as well as some of our newer devices. This is great news for those of you that wanted to procure a new tablet but didn’t want to spend a week’s salary to get one.
“Built to entertain and designed to impress with its intricate and sophisticated metal cover, the Acer Iconia Tab 8 is ready for your next adventure.“
Final Thoughts
The Acer Iconia Tab 8 surprised us, in a good way. It proved to be a decent, mid-range tablet that would make a great gift for kids or those that don’t need the latest and greatest. With smooth performance, a reasonable price and okay hardware, the Acer Iconia Tab 8 will feel right at home and will make a great last-minute Father’s Day gift. Those looking for newer features, faster performance and overall more in a tablet, however, are going to want to look elsewhere.
The post Acer Iconia Tab 8 review; A great budget tablet appeared first on AndroidGuys.
LG to invest $155m on R&D in India, could begin producing phones
LG has announced plans to begin producing smartphones in India once its market share reaches 10 percent in the country, which is expected to happen by the end of the year thanks to the just-launched LG G4. The Korean manufacturer also plans to invest Rs 1,000 crore (approx. $157.4 million) this year on Research & Development (R&D) and marketing in India.
Soon Kwon, Managing Director at LG India, told the EconomicTimes,
“I reckon G4 is one of the best smartphones introduced in India lately. Leveraging this, my aim is to double our market share and increase the contribution of the mobile business to 15 per cent towards our overall revenue. Once we hit the 10 per cent market share (in cellphones), manufacturing will eventually follow.”
According to market research firm Gfk, LG has a market share of just under 5 percent in India but the LG G4 – which launched on Friday at a cost of Rs 51,000 (approx. $802) – is expected to be a big seller. Kwon said the company aims to sell 100,000 G4 smartphones in the next three months and the company will also add around 20 handsets to its portfolio across a range of price points before the end of the year in a bid to reach its target market share of 10 percent.
Indian R&D contributed significantly towards development of this device. It’s the first premium phone with dual 4G SIM support.
Opening manufacturing and R&D operations in India will see LG join the likes of global players such as Xiaomi, Motorola and Asus and local companies such as Micromax, Lava and Karbonn who have invested in manufacturing in India. One reason behind this is that the Indian government applied levies against imported devices meaning companies are now looking towards local manufacturing plans and knowledge to circumnavigate the large taxes due if imported into the country.
LG currently offers eight LTE-enabled smartphones in the Indian market which Kwon said makes the company the largest single LTE handset provider in the Indian market. Other players such as Micromax, Xiaomi and Lenovo all offer 4G devices in India – with Lenovo recently introducing the cheapest LTE device in the country – but LG’s vast range of LTE devices gives it the best chance of capturing the expanding LTE market.
The LG G4 tops the list of devices and offers the most credible alternative to rival flagship devices. Featuring a specs list that includes a Quad HD display, Snapdragon 808 processor, 16MP camera with color spectrum sensor and laser autofocus and an overall impressive experience, LG will be hoping the G4 does sell in the volume required to give the company ten percent market share.
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The biggest challenge for LG however, is that the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Apple iPhone 6 are both available for cheaper – at 49900 and 42489 respectively – than the G4 and with a new iPhone due in a few months, the larger selling price could be a potential stumbling block for LG’s plans.
Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge 2015 sales predicted at 45 million
The Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are impressive flagship smartphones, but exactly how well they’ve been selling is still a contested subject. While initially expected to shift around 70 million units, early sales reports suggested that consumer adoption was slower than anticipated. The latest revised forecast for Samsung’s latest flagship predicts that it will sell around 45 million units by the end of 2015, according to the Korea Herald.
The 45 million mark is the magic number for Samsung, as this is the current record for units shipped held by its older Galaxy S4 flagship. The S5 failed to live up to the success of its predecessor and resulted in a remarkable decline in Samsung’s smartphone shipments and company profits last year. Strong sales for its Galaxy S6 would help prove to skeptics that Samsung is still capable of producing desirable high-end hardware.
The Galaxy S4 is currently Samsung’s best selling smartphone, while the Galaxy S5 fell far short of expectations.
This latest report is the most conservative estimate that we have heard so far but other analysts are still predicting much higher numbers. Although this could be a sign that firms are beginning to reign in their expectations. Yonhap still anticipates the handset to put in a performance around the 70 million mark, while industry tracker DRAMeXchange had estimated combined sales of 55 million and Couterpoint Research puts the number at around 50 million.
The consensus seems to be that combined sales of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will surpass those of the Galaxy S4. The unique curved display of the S6 Edge is said to be one of the major driving factor in the handset’s popularity. We will just have to wait for some official figures.
Although a bit lower than some expectations, 45 million units sold would still likely be seen as a success for the Galaxy S6, especially as the Galaxy S5 missed its sales target by some 40 percent.
Do you think that Samsung’s S6 range will put the company back on top?
Virgin Media’s superfast UK broadband expansion kicks off in Manchester
Despite recent growth, Virgin Media has work to do if it’s to make inroads into BT’s broadband dominance. The company knows this, so in February it launched “Project Lightning,” a £3 billion investment to bring cable broadband to 4 million additional UK homes over the next five years. Today, Virgin Media announced that the expansion has begun, with 150,000 homes and businesses in Manchester set to become the lucky recipients of Virgin Media’s 152Mbps internet and other associated services.
Project Lightning is a big deal for Virgin Media. It’ll boost the company’s infrastructure by about a third, allowing up to 17 million Brits to connect to its services by 2020. Its expansion doesn’t only affect new customers, existing subscribers may also enjoy the fruits of Virgin Media’s DOCSIS 3.1 trials, which can theoretically reach speeds of 10Gb. Work will begin on the first 20,000 Manchester addresses this week but the company says it will prioritise its next locations based on demand. If you’re eager to get connected, the provider has set up a “Cable My Street” website allowing you to register your interest and possibly see your area moved further up the list.
Filed under: Household, Internet
Via: Virgin Media
Source: Cable My Street
Sony launches its range of Ultra Thin, 4K televisions with Android TV baked-in, starting from $2,499
While 4K content might be a little thin on the ground at the moment, Ultra HD televisions with Smart services are gaining in popularity as consumers attempt to future-proof their purchases. Sony is hoping this continues to be the case, avoiding the false dawn that was 3D. Today, the Japanese company is finally launching its range of ultra thin 4K Ultra HD TV’s with Android TV baked in that first appeared back at CES in January of this year.
The two models on offer are the X900C and X910C, both of which feature 4K resolution and Android TV. Where they differ is in size, with the X900C being available in both 55- and 65-inches, and the X910C a massive 75-inches. You can see from the image above how thin the X900C and X910C Ultra HD televisions are, just .19-inch thick (5.08mm).
Other than being ultra thin and offering Triluminos displays with 4K resolution, the range of television’s other claim to fame is Android TV which brings access to content from the usual suspects. Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Pandora, SlingTV, CBS Sports and over 600 other providers are on tap, with games available to download and play on the TV. And if that isn’t enough, Android TV brings GoogleCast with it, meaning you can stream content such as HBO Go from your smartphones, tablets or computers straight to the television.
Because 4K content isn’t exactly widespread at the moment (other than Netflix and Amazon Instant Video), the televisions are able to upscale HD content to 4K quality thanks to Sony’s 4K X-Reality Pro up-scaling technology.
Finally, as you would expect from Sony, you can stream your PlayStation 3 games directly to the X900C and X910C televisions.
You are probably wondering what the damage is for Sony’s latest 4K televisions. As you might expect, you wallet is going to cry a little. The 55-inch X900C is priced at $2,499, the 65-inch version is a bit more at $3,999 and the 75-inch is going for $5,499. The TV’s are set to become available from June 21st, with full availability from Sony Stores, Amazon and Best Buy scheduled by the beginning of July.
What do you think? Are you racing out the door to buy one? Is having Android TV baked in the TV set something that would appeal to you or would you prefer a separate set-top box that you can upgrade as and when you want to?
Full Press Release:
WHAT: As part of its 2015 4K Ultra HDTV lineup, which includes six new series, Sony Electronics announced today pricing and availability for the X900C and X910C series 4K Ultra HD TVs.
- X900C 4K Ultra HD TV – [$2,499, $3,999] 55” class (54.6” diag) , 65” class (64.5” diag)
- X910C 4K Ultra HD TV – [$5,499] 75” class (74.5” diag)
WHEN: Pre-sales on the X900C begin Sunday, June 21, 2015, with full purchase availability beginning July 2015. The X910C will be available this summer. Reseller price may vary.
WHERE: Sony stores and online at store.sony.com, Best Buy stores and bestbuy.com/SonyExperience and Amazon.com/Sony.
About the X900C and X910C 4K UHD TVs:
The X900C combines 4K clarity and brilliant color with an incredibly thin design. At just under 0.2 inches thin, the X900C model is thinner than a smartphone and is Sony’s thinnest TV yet, and the X910C is the thinnest TV of its size ever made. The ultra-thin profile is virtually frameless and mounts flush to your wall, leaving only a stunning 4K picture for an unparalleled viewing experience.
Powered by the X1 processor engine, the X900C and X910C feature maximized contrast, color and clarity in both HD and 4K content. The X-Reality™ PRO Picture Engine upscales all existing HD content to super clear 4K quality, and colors come alive on the screen in the widest range ever thanks to TRILUMINOS™ display technology.
Lastly, the X900C and X910C are powered by Android TV. Android TV delivers great content, streaming apps and Android games to the TV to provide a personalized and easy-to-use entertainment experience. It allows users to easily access content from favorite apps like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube, Hulu, CBS News, CBS Sports, Crackle, NBA Game Time, Pandora and SlingTV and over 600 other apps or access a huge selection of games and additional content from the Google Play™ store right on the TV. With Google Cast™, users can cast their favorite entertainment apps such as HBO GO from their Android or iOS device, Mac or Windows computer or Chromebook to the TV. The voice search feature helps users find content or a wide variety of information quickly and easily, and the Android TV home screen provides personalized content recommendations from Google Play, YouTube and supported apps.
This summer, gamers can also bring the immersive world of PlayStation® direct to the TV with PlayStation® Now. PlayStation® 3 games can be streamed to the TV and played with a DUALSHOCK® 4 controller.
Come comment on this article: Sony launches its range of Ultra Thin, 4K televisions with Android TV baked-in, starting from $2,499
Samsung on track to sell 45 million Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets this year
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Samsung‘s primary aim with this year’s flagships was presumably to recover lost ground after releasing the Samsung Galaxy S5, and it looks like they’re going to manage it. Just. According to a report from Deutsche Bank, 45 million Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets are going to be sold before year’s end, which puts the flagships on par with the Samsung Galaxy S4 which sold the same number two years ago. Luckily, the Galaxy S6 Edge commands a bit more of a profit margin, and while we probably won’t know what kind of profit margin Samsung was able to achieve with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, it’s suffice to say that Samsung is on top of their game again.
Despite this, Samsung might still fall short of its original expected targets, and it’s not like its other product lines are helping with the report citing “struggles” in Samsung’s mid and low end devices. Samsung probably isn’t completely out of the woods yet, but it’s definitely looking better than this time last year, and we’re sure the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (and Edge companion) is going to make some waves later this year in September.
What do you think about Samsung selling 45 million Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Yonhap News via SamMobile
The post Samsung on track to sell 45 million Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge handsets this year appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
AIVAnet 