The AP adds 550,000 old newsreel clips to YouTube
The Associated Press has teamed up with British Movietone to share more than a century’s worth of newsreel footage with the denizens of the internet. The pair will upload more than a million minutes of archival clips to YouTube with the intention of creating a “view-on-demand visual encyclopedia” for the world. The 550,000-plus stories range from footage of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake through to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It’s not the first time that a news organization has used YouTube to take its archives online. Last year, British Pathé uploaded more than 85,000 newsreel clips from between 1896 and 1976 to the site. Users can feel free to embed the clips in whatever story they’re working on, but we assume that re-editing the work isn’t permitted. Which is a shame, because we were hoping for some cheeky dance remixes of the footage of Prince Charles getting frisky at the Rio Carnival. Which, for no reason at all, we’ve embedded below…
Filed under: HD
Via: The Guardian
Source: AP
Immigrating to the US was hard, but tech will make it easier
When I arrived in the US just after New Year’s Day in 1999, I didn’t think I would stay. I came here for school and fully expected to return to Malaysia after I was done. Except I didn’t. I met my future husband, found new friends, stumbled onto an exciting career and I knew, deep in my heart, that there was no way I could leave. So I began the long and arduous process of making this country my home. Finally, on February 22nd, 2010, I became a citizen of the United States. The entire process cost me hundreds of dollars, required multiple trips to the immigration office and had me filling out lots and lots of forms. I kept thinking the entire time that there had to be an easier way. It turns out the US government thinks so too.
Last week, the White House released a report entitled “Modernizing and Streamlining our Legal Immigration System for the 21st Century” after a month-long assessment on how current visa applications work. In it, the White House outlined the problems in the existing immigration system and offered a series of recommendations and guidelines on how to improve the process going forward. Not only were the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department involved, but also the White House called on the US Digital Service team — which was created late last year to salvage Healthcare.gov — to bring the entire process to the electronic age.
Indeed, it’s already started. Earlier this year, the government launched myUSCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), an online platform that sees you through the immigration process easier and faster than ever before. It provides helpful information about what steps you need to take and offers different ways to apply depending on your qualifications. The idea here is that with the help of US Digital Service, myUSCIS will eventually be the primary portal where visa applicants and would-be immigrants can manage their entire online application process, from start to finish. Some changes have already taken place. For example, Form I-90 — the application to renew your green card — can now be filed fully electronically. As of May of this year, over 40,000 people have filed Form I-90 this way.
A small sampling of the correspondence I received during my immigration process
But it’s not just about reducing paperwork. Last week’s White House report focused on improving and streamlining the process as a whole, thus reducing complexity and making it more user-friendly. For example, applicants currently have to pay fees several times — there’s a separate fee for the initial visa application and for the green card itself (also called the USCIS Immigrant Fee). Instead of paying them separately, the White House proposes that applicants be able to pay all of it at once: “Paying multiple fees should be as simple as buying multiple items in an online shopping cart. Separating the fees for different processes should happen entirely on the back end.”
Additionally, according to the study, many immigration documents change hands no fewer than six times among different offices, adding unnecessary complexity. Going forward, the White House hopes to cut down redundancy by implementing a better back-end technology and creating a “cross-agency digital services team” so that users no longer need to shuttle documents back and forth. There are plenty more recommendations in the report. They include suggestions for a “Known Employer” program to expedite certain immigrant worker applications, improved opportunities for foreign investors and the simplification of humanitarian relief efforts.
When I was first looking to apply for a green card (which I had to get before becoming a citizen), I was overwhelmed by the number of different steps involved, particularly because of all the forms and required documentation. I had to fill them out by hand and make sure to address them to the appropriate USCIS office (there are different filing addresses depending on which state you live in and depending on which form you’re sending). Most of my friends who did this hired an immigration lawyer to help them. I didn’t have the money for an attorney, so I just did all of it myself, looking for advice from books and websites and keeping meticulous notes (I have two filing boxes full of correspondence and documentation). I can’t imagine how much harder it is if you’re a non-English speaker or if you don’t have the time and money to go through it all.
US consulates in Montreal, Buenos Aires (Argentina), Rio de Janeiro, Frankfurt (Germany), Hong Kong and Sydney are already testing some of the report’s recommendations in new immigrant visa pilot programs. Of course, it’ll likely take months if not years to see any real changes to our broken and convoluted immigration system. But it’s all still a good sign that, at the very least, the days of immigration forms filled out in triplicate will soon be behind us.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Filed under: Misc
Via: Wired
Source: White House, White House
ICYMI: Jedi sword fighting, Chrysler car hacking and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: A Chrysler with a smart entertainment system was proven to be hackable and the company is releasing software to patch it. A martial arts company in Singapore is teaching swordplay with light sabers. And a new MIDI device for musicians will let them sync work over Bluetooth.
Today’s bonus shows a robot crow that can shoot lasers and release fog, like a crow in your worst Westeros dreams.
If you come across any interesting videos, we’d love to see them! Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag @engadget or @mskerryd.
Filed under: Misc, Meta, Peripherals, Transportation, Wireless, Internet, Software
According to a Sprint document, the Galaxy Note 5 could have a MicroSD card slot after all
So…there’s been much discussion of late about Samsung’s rumoured decision to omit MicroSD card support for its upcoming Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus handsets. Opinions are polarized, with some fans of the Note series saying they will look elsewhere for their next phone, while for others (myself included), the lack of MicroSD card support isn’t something we care about (the lack of removable batteries is another matter though). At this point, I think most of us have pretty much accepted that MicroSD card support will not be present, right? But, hold your horses because now there’s a chance that Samsung has decided to include it after all.
This alleged turnabout comes care of a document from the US carrier, Sprint, detailing a Samsung smartphone with model number: SM-N920P which is widely held to be a Galaxy Note 5 model. In the document, one line states that 32GB of internal storage is included, with “external memory slot” and the word “Yes” next to it. The document then goes on to state that the slot will allow users to expand storage by up to 128GB. If true, and it’s a big if, it will be interesting to see how Samsung has got around the performance gap between MicroSD cards and the UFS 2.0 technology it was believed to be using. Most of the other specifications mentioned in the document seem to be correct when compared to the earlier rumours.
Except for a couple of things…the Sprint document says that the device will have 3GB of RAM, where we’ve had previous rumours confirming that the Note 5 will indeed carry 4GB of RAM. It’s also been accepted that the Note 5 will be powered by one of Samsung’s own Exynos processors, but the document mentions Qualcomm.
There are a few explanations for these apparent discrepancies. One is that the Sprint document is wrong about MicroSD card support and that someone has just copied and pasted some of the specs from the previous model, the Note 3. Another could be that Samsung has decided not to use UFS 2.0 with the Galaxy Note 5 for some reason. Thirdly, it might be a carrier variant, which, considering that it’s a leaked document from a US carrier, does give it some credibility. US carriers are renowned for wanting slightly different versions of Android smartphones. Lastly, some of the specifications could merely be placeholders in a document that was never meant to see the light of day.
So, them’s the choices, what do you think of this alleged u-turn of Samsung’s to include MicroSD card support? Do you have theories of your own about why slightly different specifications are mentioned? If the rumour is correct that the Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus will be announced on August 13th, we (thankfully) don’t have long to wait to be put out our misery. Until that day arrives, though, you can expect the leaks to become even more plentiful.
Source: Tablety
Via: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: According to a Sprint document, the Galaxy Note 5 could have a MicroSD card slot after all
We now know what the OnePlus 2 will look like
After months of speculation, and OnePlus releasing one feature of the new device every day leading up to the Reddit AMA with the OnePlus, team we now know what the OnePlus 2 will actually look like. The OnePlus 2 went through China’s TENAA certification this week, and we’ve learned what the device will finally look like.
We have provided some extensive coverage of what the OnePlus 2 will have under the hood and now have the pictures to go with it. Here is a list of what we know so far, leading up to the announcement on July 27th:
- Qualcomm 810 V2.1 processor
- Adreno 430 GPU
- 4GB of RAM
- OxygenOS based on Android Lollipop
- USB Type-C port for data transfer and syncing
- Fingerprint scanner that is “faster than TouchID”
- 3300 mAh battery
- 13MP camera
We also know that the OnePlus 2 will be available through an invite system, similar to what happened with the OnePlus One with a few changes. However, after the debacle that surrounded the OnePlus One, we can only hope that things will run a bit smoother this time around.
The biggest surprise for me is the addition of the home button. I’m assuming that this is to help with the addition of a fingerprint scanner, but it’s still a bit surprising. Let us know what you think about the OnePlus 2 and whether you will definitely be TRYING to pick one up when released next Monday, July 27th.
Source: Android Central via: TENAA
The post We now know what the OnePlus 2 will look like appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Sprint user-agent profiles hint at Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge Plus specs
We have heard plenty of leaks and rumors regarding the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge Plus smartphones lately, and now a user agent profile has popped up on US carrier Sprint’s website. The leak seems to confirm a few expected details about the phones and reveals a few other interesting points.
Delving right on in, the model number for the Sprint Galaxy Note 5 looks set to be SM-N920P, while the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus has the model SM-G928P. The specifications inside the two are apparently very similar, as we would expect.
For the N920P, we can see references to the expected 2560×1440 (QHD) display, 3GB of RAM, a 16 megapixel rear camera with 3840×2160 resolution video capabilities, a 5 megapixel front facing camera, and Android 5.1 Lollipop on board, all of which matches up with previous expectations. The screen-shot below shows the interesting bits from the UAP, just in case it goes off-line.
The SoC is not mentioned in the data for the Note 5, but there are several mentions of Qualcomm when it comes to the OS and media playback capabilities, suggesting that a Snapdragon chip may feature in this particular model. The handset will also feature a Qualcomm MDM9635M LTE modem. Previous rumors have suggested that the Note 5 may be packing a Snapdragon 808 chip, while an Exynos 7420 SoC is reserved for the S6 Edge Plus, which may have something to do with powering the display’s curved edges.
Another important point worth noting; the device on Sprint’s site comes with 32GB of flash storage but also supports an external microSD card slot for an additional 128GB of internal storage. A microSD card slot was missing from the smaller Galaxy S6 flagship, but Samsung doesn’t appear to be dropping this feature from its larger smartphones. This is sure to come as a relief to Note fans. We are expected internal memory options along the lines of the S6, such as 32GB/64GB/128GB options.
Of course, these aren’t the official specifications and they might not reflect the final product that Samsung releases. Speaking which, the latest news from Korea suggests that the release date has been moved up to August 13th, so we might not have long to wait for all of the the juicy official details.
GoPro is making a mobile video-editing app
Creating short reels out of GoPro footage requires video editing knowledge, that’s why some casual users don’t even bother. Well, that could change soon enough — or at least as soon as the company’s new mobile app launches. According to TechCrunch, GoPro president Tony Bates has revealed to investors that the action camera maker is developing an app, which will give users the capability to edit and trim footage straight from a phone or tablet. It’s in the final testing phase and could be out by the end of summer, so don’t be surprised if you find your News Feed filled with friends’ surfing, swimming or hiking videos.
GoPro’s ultimate plan, however, is to launch a cloud service that can automatically generate highlight reels. Bates has told investors that it’s already being developed — in fact, the company has begun testing an early version that can view videos captured not only by GoPro devices, but also by other cameras. It has no editing features yet, but that’ll likely come later on, especially since the company clearly has money to support its development: According to GoPro’s latest financial earnings report, its revenue for the second quarter of 2015 ($420 million) is ~71.7 percent higher than last year’s ($245 million).
Source: TechCrunch
YouTube for Android will play vertical videos in full screen
There comes a time in every person’s life when they realize that they can’t get people behave properly. As much as we all might want to stop people from recording vertical videos, the Periscopes and Snapchats of this world have made these clips so prevalent that, sadly, they’re just not going to go away. Giving in to the inevitable, YouTube’s Android App is getting the ability to play vertical videos in full screen, rather than constraining them to an awkward letterbox designed for landscape clips. The feature was found by AndroidPolice in version 10.28 of the app, which is likely to hit Google Play at some point in the near future. Before you sprint to download the APK ahead of its official launch, however, just remember that this means that the bad guys have won.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Internet, Google
Via: AndroidPolice
Source: APK Mirror
Rumours of Google buying out LG send LG stocks through the roof
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Sometimes rumours are so random that people start to believe them – that was the case today after rumours of Google buying out LG sent LG stocks 14% higher in Korea. This is the first time a rumour like this has ever surfaced, but apparently it was enough for investors to bite – as the rumours goes, Google was allegedly going to buy a 35% stake of LG which equates to about $2.2 billion USD. While it wouldn’t have been a controlling share, Google has already dabbled in ownership of a device manufacturer – Google parted ways with Motorola Mobility last year after a short and bittersweet tenure together – and we can’t say that Google would have been rushing head over heels to get back into it.
So surprising a rumour is it that LG has had to come out and publicly deny these claims, but it can’t be denied that there would be some logic to this kind of deal. Google has worked with LG on multiple occasions to make Nexus handsets, a partnership that is set to go ahead again this year – a closer relationship would only benefit this. On top of this, LG is at the peak of its smartphone game this year with the LG G4, a shoe-in for phone of the year, though LG also has other products such as TVs and home products that Google could be interested in. All the same, this speculation is purely a pipe dream as we’re about as sure as LG that this isn’t going to happen anytime soon.
What do you think about rumours of Google buying out LG? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Korea Herald via Phone Arena
The post Rumours of Google buying out LG send LG stocks through the roof appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Android 5.1 Lollipop rolls out for the Xperia Z3 and Z2 ranges
Following an array of handset updates to Android 5.0, Sony has begun rolling out Android 5.1 Lollipop to a range of is Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z2 branded smartphones, bringing a selection of software improvements and some new customization options.
The update applies to the Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet. The change log below gives an idea of what Sony has packed in with this latest update.
- Increased customisation options – so you have even more control over the way volume, silent modes and your alerts function
- Brand new LinkedIn integration – be more productive with intuitive contact synchronisation in your Calendar
- Camera improvements – with faster, more accurate Superior Auto Mode focus for great images, regardless of conditions
- Enhanced enterprise support – with our latest Xperia in Business features for work
- SmartWear integration – selfie snapping made that bit easier, with SmartWatch 3 as a remote shutter button
Sony states that a similar update will be heading to its two Xperia Z1 handsets next, along with the Xperia Z Ultra in the coming weeks. After that, the T2 Ultra and C3 are in line for an update, followed by the original Xperia Z range, the M2 and M2 Aqua sometime later.
As is always the way with updates, timing and availability will vary depending on your region and carrier. Keep an eye out for that update notification in the coming days.
AIVAnet 