Comcast’s new online TV service is called Stream and will cost you $15 a month
Comcast has just announced its new live TV streaming service called Stream that will begin rolling out at the end of summer. Xfinity Internet customers will be able to just sign in on their laptops, tablets and smartphones to access live TV from around a dozen networks.
Major networks such as HBO are included in the streaming package, along with access to thousands of on-demand movies and programs that you can watch at home or away. Stream will soft-launch in Boston by the end of the summer, with Chicago and Seattle lined up shortly afterward. Comcast says that the Stream service will be available everywhere by early 2016. Getting access to Stream will cost you $15 monthly, although it does come with access to TV Everywhere and a cloud DVR.
When Stream becomes available in your area, you’ll just need to sign in online and download Comcast’s Infinity TV app to begin viewing your favourite shows.
Source: Comcast
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WSJ: Apple had 92% of smartphone industry’s profits in Q1 2015
Despite the countless advantages of Android, Apple has absolute control over smartphone profits.
According to The Wall Street Journal, there are now approximately a thousand different companies producing smartphones. That number is absolutely staggering, and should without a doubt infer that there are OEMs above and beyond the scope of knowledge of just about anyone.
But Apple it seems, receives almost all of the profits from the industry according to Mike Walkley, Canaccord Genuity managing director. Specifically, in the first quarter of 2015, it earned 92% of the total operating income from the world’s leading 8 OEMs, an impressive 65% increase over the same period last year. Samsung, on the other hand, received only 15%. (Because many companies actually lose money in the smartphone business, the total share of those who profit is bigger than 100%.) In light of all those other manufactures who aren’t mentioned, Canaccord estimates that they are essentially irrelevant (from this perspective) given that they “broke even or lost money.”
Apple’s market
The report explains that Apple “sells less than 20% of smartphones, in terms of unit sales” and that “the disparity reflects its ability to command much higher prices for its phones”, something that is no longer true of Android OEMs as they face an increasingly crowded marketplace. The result is a lack of core differentiation which has forced many companies to slash prices in order to appeal to consumers. This trend is totally alien from Apple’s attention, as last year the iPhone “sold for a global average of $624, compared with $185 for smartphones running Android, according to Strategy Analytics.”
It should be note that Canaccord’s data “doesn’t include privately held companies including Xiaomi and India’s Micromax Informatics Ltd.” however, “Mr. Walkley said those companies’ profits—if any—are unlikely to alter the industry-wide profit picture.” While some might be eager to speak otherwise, given the extremely low retail prices for these OEM’s products, it is basically assumed they are selling them at-or-around production costs, and thus what little profit to be had comes from selling massive numbers of product, or even from value-added services, offers, or accessories.
Google’s gain (as OEMs feel the pain)
While this report may enrage Android fans, especially those with more antagonistic views of Apple, this is little more than a reinforcement of just how profitable Cupertino’s business model is, and exactly why companies like Samsung are so eager to try and break free of Android. Indeed there is a certain element of irony at play here: many view Google’s “open” OS as pro-choice, yet Google’s overall business strategy is largely self serving. In other words, Google makes a lot of money of Android, even if actual most phone makers don’t.
It matters very little who makes Android phones, as long as the phones being made are running Google Play Services
Google wants Android on as many devices as possible, because each one is a potential profit center for the company’s main business: advertising. To Google, it matters very little who makes their phones, as long as the phones being made are running Google Play Services. This fractured reality is exactly why the “China situation” is such a pain in Mountain View’s side, and why it’s looking more likely 2015 will see the release of a Huawei Nexus.
Indeed as Android has gradually matured, Google has sought to exercise tighter control over the OS. Likewise, the once-flourishing sales of Samsung are ultimately of little concern now that Android has achieved its absolute market share dominance. Whereas the Galaxy series was once – arguably – the sole contender against Apple’s iPhone, the tables have turned and now any random would-be OEM can make a pretty decent smartphone.
Each Android phone is a potential profit center for Google’s main business: advertising.
Notice, however, just how rare it is to find any given one (or tablet for that matter) that doesn’t run Google Play Services, something that used to happen on a somewhat frequent basis in the early days of Android and budget-friendly products. This is not to say they don’t exist, not at all, but rather there are just so many smaller-scale tablets that do support Play Services, the problem is nowhere near as pressing as it might once have been.
Profit pictures
Had HTC released the One M9+ as its flagship, perhaps the financial fall-out would have been somewhat lessened…or even staved-off entirely.
As far as key Android OEMs go and their potential for profits, the sad reality is that things don’t look good at all. Samsung had an extremely favorable reception when the Galaxy S6 was announced which prompted almost unreasonable projections of potential sales. Reports began to come in that painted a different picture, and in the more recent past it’s become quite clear that the Korean smartphone manufacturer will ultimately fail to live up to the lofty expectations many had set up. HTC is in a similar boat, largely due to its decision to release the One M9 as its flagship, despite an absolute menagerie of other prime products exclusively available in Asia. LG is also facing scrutiny given that the G4 has, by all accounts so far, failed to live up to its sales potential.
Meanwhile, over in Apple-land, rumblings of rumors couldn’t be more rosy. The WSJ points out that “events last week highlighted the lopsided financial picture [with] Apple…asking suppliers to make a record number of new iPhone models.” Given that the products expected to launch this year, the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus are – based on past releases – going to retain the same design but instead offer upgraded internals, it truly just shows how much power Apple has when it comes to products, purchases, and profits.
Unlike Apple, HTC or Sony can’t get away with releasing iterative products.
HTC by all accounts, did the exact same thing with its One M9 and yet has met with disastrous results. Even Sony has faced intense scrutiny for this strategy given that the Xperia Z4 is basically a retread of the Z3, a reality that has literally forced the company to re-brand it as the Z3+ outside of Japan. How the tables might have turned had HTC at least had the foresight to release the One M9+ as its flagship, or had Sony deemed it fit to launch the Verizon-exclusive Z4v on a global scale.
Forecasting the future
Even were it to feature a teleportation beam, it’s unlikely the upcoming Galaxy Note 5 would ever be able to transport Samsung back to its former finances.
It is unlikely that things will improve for legacy Android OEMs in the future. New rumors are suggesting that Samsung will launch its upcoming Galaxy Note 5 earlier than in the past, simply because it doesn’t want to compete with the iPhone’s juggernaut-strong offensive. Likewise, the company is expected to bring to market a super-sized Galaxy S6 Edge as clear competition for the new iPhone. The Note series has always been a less mainstream affair, and thus it is unlikely to move massive numbers enough to bring Samsung back to positive growth on a mass-scale, the likes of which it used to enjoy on a quarterly basis for year-upon-year in the past.
With even Android’s largest OEM facing slowing sales, the potential for smaller players is all the more marred, baring a major upturning of strategy. In their place will be dozens of companies from China, such as Huawei, Xiaomi, ZTE, who will be the ones to truly take advantage of the world’s emerging markets. These companies are not hell-bent on mass profits, nor do many of them have speculators or investors governing the decisions that go on behind the scenes the way that publicly traded companies do.
Tablet sales plateau as phablet demand strengthens
Tablet sales have been predicted to slow for some time, but the latest data from Forrester Research suggests that sales have finally hit a plateau. It seems that consumers might be falling out of love with the little portable computers.
Following a sharp rise to popularity over the past few years, growth expected to decline to less than 50 million units over the next four years. This plateau can apparently be attributed to a number of factors. Forrester suggests that a combination of market saturation, falling prices and the rise of phablet smartphones are to blame.
Apparently the growth in 5-inch and larger display smartphones has made an impact on tablet sales, as consumers look for substitute devices that can fulfill both rolls. The data states that 41 percent of workers use a 5-inch or larger smartphone and 11 percent of respondents using a tablet indicated that they were in fact using a larger smartphone to meet their tablet needs.
To makes its case, Forrester points out that 4.5 million Galaxy Note 4 units were shifted in its first month, while Samsung’s tablet sales fell by 5 percent in Q2.
The market is also full of sub $200 products that offer consumers everything they need for their tablet experience. Enough processing power for web browsing, checking up on social media and watching the occasional video doesn’t have to come in an expensive package
Furthermore, there have been few must have new tablet features to drive strong sales of devices in the $500 price bracket. Combined with the growth in larger handsets, consumer tablet refresh cycles are substantially slower than that of smartphones.
IDC Research suggests that Q1 tablet shipments fell compared with last year
The report does point out one remaining avenue of growth in the tablet market – business. Forrester’s data indicates that around 29 percent of businesses provide tablets for use at work. Lenovo has apparently already been one of the winners from this trend, as it has focused on providing productivity solutions and larger displays suitable for work purposes.
Of course, a slowdown in sales doesn’t indicate that consumers are dumping their tablets, just that many are quite happy with what they already own. The global tablet install base is expected to rise to a substantial 800 million consumers by 2018 and should reach 1 billion sometime after 2020.
Turing Phone first look: a focus on security, inside and out
Security-focused Android phones have been popping up left and right over the years, but they always leave us wanting more. Today we’re looking at a device that truly takes a different approach and gives us a unique addition to the Android ecosystem. Enter the Turing Phone, a smartphone promising a set of foolproof security measures inside and out.
It can be said this device looks like it’s made by a boutique brand like Vertu, but Turing made a handset without those excessive price points such niche products are usually plagued by. As we mentioned above, this phone prioritizes security, offering a full set of features and characteristics that will ensure your data is completely safe.
Turing Phone specs
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
- 5.5-inch 1080p display
- 2.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor
- 3 GB of RAM
- 16/64/128 GB of internal storage
- 13 MP rear-facing camera
- 8 MP front-facing camera
- 3000 mAh battery
Hardware, design and build quality
Looking at the hardware, we can begin by contemplating the material choices Turing Robotic Industries (TRI) chose for their unique handset. The phone is made of a very specific type of metal that goes above and beyond our current industry standards. This metal goes by the name of liquidmetal, an amorphous metal alloy created by a mixture of zirconium, copper, aluminum, nickel and silver.
Combining this unique variety of metals results in one of the strongest materials we have seen any smartphone being built out of. I was given a small sample of this material, to play around with, and found that it was nearly impossible to break or bend. Dropping this metal to the floor really gives off a unique sound that corroborates its quality. This is not the only material protecting the Turing Phone, though. Look around the device and you can find some pieces of polycarbonate and aluminum, as well.
This is a very solid phone that should withstand enough shock to handle some tough drops. Furthermore, the Turing Phone is able to take a dive into the pool, but this is no usual waterproof application. Turing made sure to coat both the outside and inside of this handset. Every single piece within the smartphone is protected, so even though there are ways water can get into the innards of the phone, all the user would need to do is shake off excess liquids and go on with his day.
The Turing Phone features a fingerprint reader, but it is placed in a unique area of the phone. Turing has decided to put this reader on the side of the device, which works well when you consider it is placed in the general area where fingers usually rest.
Turing Robotic Industries wants this phone to be as secure as possible, and ports can be a vulnerability. The Turing Phone comes with no excessive hardware ports or standard technology. They have gotten rid of the micro-USB port and replaced it with a proprietary magnetic charger that only works for charging the device (no data transfers). In addition, the device comes with no 3.5 mm headset jack, as Turing would prefer that users stick to Bluetooth for their listening needs.
Unique software features
In an effort to keep the Turing Phone experience truly private, the phone maker has decided to also take a whole different take on the Android OS. For starters, there is a 2-step verification to keep anyone from accessing your device. One would need to use the fingerprint reader, as well as inputting an on-screen code.
We can’t tell you too much about the actual software, as Turing Robotic Industries had nothing but some prototypes. A design language that could be appealing to some is present, but not finalized. The manufacturer tells us the UI will change once the phone is released, but we did get to see a bit of the current software state, which might be similar to what we see once the phone hits the streets.
Needless to say the interface looks completely different to what we are used to. You can swipe between home screens and pages by sliding your digit left and right. And it’s possible to swipe halfway to access certain settings and action buttons, making for a very convenient shortcut area that doesn’t waste space at all times. I have to say it does look very sleek, and it’s refreshing to see someone giving Android a unique look.
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Wrap up
The Turing Phone certainly assimilates the look and feel we see in certain sports cars. It’s a beautiful device, but we are more impressed by its build quality and complete security measures. Security was the #1 focus for Turing, and they have gone all out to protect users from any attack possible. Of course, a closer look will be needed to see whether the promised security measures are as effective as Turing claims.
Assuming it’s the right phone for you, it will also be a pleasure to learn about the prices. Phones with this kind of attention to detail and specifications come in at a pricey range, but Turing’s prices start at $610 for the 16 GB version. Meanwhile those who need 64 GB or 128 GB will have to pay $740 and $870, relatively. You will be able to pre-order them beginning on July 30th, which is not that far off.
We are getting a review unit in due time and will make sure to put this phone through the paces. Interested in this unique piece of technology? Make sure to keep it tuned to Android Authority for our full take on the Turing Phone.
How many of you feel the need for this type of security? I can certainly see certain high profile companies adopting these phones, especially considering their accessible pricing.
Gallery
‘Very British Problems’ Twitter feed gets a TV show
If you grew up in Britain, you’ve probably picked up a few odd societal quirks. Passive aggressive remarks, an inability to deal with extreme weather and an addiction to tea, for instance. For years, the Twitter account “Very British Problems” has been posting tweets that poke fun at these British mannerisms, attracting countless followers, retweets and favourites in the process. Now, Channel 4 is taking the concept and transforming it into a TV show. It’s commissioned a three episode mini-series that will debut later this summer with a combination of amusing anecdotes, animations and archive footage. A wealth of British comedians have signed on to the project, including Jonathan Ross, James Corden and Ruth Jones. It’s not the first show to take inspiration from social media, but hopefully Channel 4 will find a little more success than Selfie and $#*! My Dad Says.
Suddenly remembering your tea and necking it like a massive, lukewarm shot
– VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) July 7, 2015
“Ooh, late night?” – Translation: You look awful. “Haha, yeah, something like that” – Translation: No. Thanks a bunch.
– VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) June 19, 2015
7pm: “Right, shall we start making a move?” 10pm: Drive away while everyone waves from the front door
– VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) May 31, 2015
[Image Credit: Philip Toscano/PA WIRE]
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Via: British Comedy Guide
Source: Channel 4
Hacking Team helped Italian police to hijack internet addresses
The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is used to route traffic across the Internet – and it’s a pretty old, creaky protocol that’s open to abuse. Back in August 2014, an Italian web hosting company faked ownership of 256 IP addresses, under the direction of a special arm of Italy’s Military Police and Hacking Team. The police were trying to use the latter’s remote control system malware to monitor targets of interest, but certain IP addresses were unreachable as their true owners, Santrex, kept them locked down for criminal use. Then, when Santrex apparently went out of business, the police remained locked out of these addresses.
As Filippo Valsorda, an engineer on the CloudFlare Security Team, told Ars Technica, BGP is “a stupid, old, insecure core protocol of the Internet… The affected IP class, 46.166.163.0/24, was unannounced (dead) at the time. However, the BGP trust game is delicate and critical and this reckless irresponsibility undermines the trust that the Internet survives on (and makes it sorely clear how it needs to move on from it).”
Due, to the loss of those IP addresses, the Italian police were unable to tap into several computers that had the Hacking Team’s malware. Emails from the recent leak show the Hack Team discussing how reclaim control. It’s apparently the first known case of an ISP fraudulently announcing it owns IP addresses that it actually doesn’t, although it’s certainly not the first problem that’s come from BGP. Back in 2008, YouTube was locked down unreachable to large portions of the Internet.when Pakistan Telecom tried to use BGP to reroute Youtube addresses elsewhere. This somehow got pushed to its Hong Kong ISP, and then to the rest of the world. Oops.
“BGP is a stupid, old, insecure core protocol of the Internet”
More recently, in 2013 Dyn Research showed that a large amount of internet traffic from financial institutions, government agencies, and ISPs had been diverted to strange, unauthorized locations – possibly being monitored or edited before reaching where it was meant to be sent. With the Hacking Team’s attempt, the fake routing table spread around Italian telecoms companies, then spread around the world. BGP has been noted as a weak point of the internet, but the Hacking Team proved there’s ways to manipulate the protocol, intercepting and affecting internet traffic in the process.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Ars Technica, MD at Debian
Android Wear could soon offer watch to watch communications
The next big version of Android Wear looks set to bring a couple of new features that have been present on the Apple Watch, if a new report is to be believed. According to information obtained by Phandroid, the next version of Android Wear will have a collection of cool, new features and was originally due for launch on July 28th but looks to be delayed until August.
The first of the new features is interactive watch faces, which will bring a new single tap gesture to Android Wear. Currently, developers are using a hacked method to offer watch faces that support the single tap gesture but this can lead to conflicts with the system.
The introduction of interactive watch faces means Google will officially support the single tap gesture but will also result in a change in the way you activate the launcher on Android Wear. Since the Android 5.1.1 update, the launcher on Android Wear can be activated by swiping from right to left and once Google brings out the next Android Wear update, this will be the only way to open the launcher.
Android Wear in video:
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In Google’s documentation, the company details four example cases of when you might want to use the single tap gesture. The gesture can be used for everything from making aesthetic changes to the watch face and state changes to revealing more information and even launching an activity. Google is actively working on the update and should be launching an API for the new interactive watch faces in the coming weeks.
The next version of Android Wear is also expected to bring another big new feature; cross-device communication. Users of the Apple Watch are able to send heartbeats and doodles to each other and it seems that Google wants to get into the action. From the next version of Android Wear, a new communication method called Together will let Android Wear users send each other messages, sticks, emojis and doodles but this seems to be limited to just one watch face at the moment.
The string below reveals more about Together:
“Stay together by sending messages directly to your friend’s watch face”
<string name=”wc_doodle_message_received”>%1$s sent you a doodle with %2$s</string>
<string name=”wc_photo_message_received”>%1$s sent you a photo with %2$s</string>
<string name=”wc_emoji_message_received”>%1$s sent you an emoji with %2$s</string>
<string name=”wc_sticker_message_received”>%1$s sent you a sticker with %2$s</string>
<string name=”wc_message_received”>%1$s sent you a message with %2$s</string>
If Google does limit the Together feature to just a single watch face (and doesn’t make it system-wide like on the Apple Watch), this will be unintuitive for users, as you’re likely to need the watch face enabled to send or receive messages. However, Google’s rapid development cycle means there’s no guarantee that Together will make it to Production and if it does, how it will be implemented.
There’s also good news for LG G Watch R users – like myself – as the update will also enable Wi-Fi on the watch. Like many users, I was quite disappointed to see that WiFi was left out of the 5.1.1 update on the G Watch R but it looks like LG will finally roll out the feature in the next version.
With the Apple Watch offering a credible alternative to Android Wear, the next version of Google’s wearable platform could be the most crucial in its development cycle yet. Features such as the single tap gesture and Together will offer additional features to improve the appeal of Android Wear but it remains to be seen whether this is enough to combat the impressive adoption of the Apple Watch.
Spotify account leads cops to alleged child abductors
Authorities tracked down two children in Mexico thanks to their alleged abductors’ Spotify habit, according to the Coloradoan. The 4- and 6-year-old girls were reportedly taken from Colorado by Peter Barr and Brittany Nunn after Nunn, their mother, lost a custody battle in court. Authorities were unable to find them until Sheriff’s investigator Drew Weber tried a decidedly new-school tactic. Nunn was apparently a Spotify user, so Weber demanded a search warrant for her account and tracked it to an IP address in Mexico.
He also tracked Nunn’s Netflix account, and eventually found her in Cabo San Lucas after she received a package there. Authorities then watched the couple for months while they worked out how to extradite the fugitives and get the children safely home. They were eventually arrested in Cabo San Lucas and brought back to the US, where they’re awaiting custody violation charges in Larimer County. The children were reunited with their fathers last week, with one saying “I just hugged her. It was just a surreal moment.”
Filed under: Home Entertainment
Via: Ars Technica
Source: Coloradoan
Here’s your closest look yet at Pluto’s largest moon, Charon
Sure, Pluto may be hogging the spotlight (if deservedly so), but what about its largest moon, Charon? Don’t worry, NASA hasn’t forgotten about checking in on this celestial neighbor. The New Horizons probe has delivered one of the first true close-ups of Charon, and it’s clear that this is much more than a nondescript chunk of ice. It’s full of chasms and craters that make Earth seem flat by comparison — the largest crevice is “miles deeper” than the Grand Canyon, for a start. There’s also a curious, 200-mile “dark region” around its northern pole. The moon will play second fiddle once again when New Horizons flies by Pluto on the 14th, but it’s at least getting its moment in the (very distant) sun.
[Image credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI]
Filed under: Science
Source: NASA
[Deal] Get an entire year of BodBot Plus for free
People take an increased interest in health and fitness during summertime, so it would only make sense to take a look at the Play Store’s myriad of options. Among them is BodBot, a service that has assisted users in losing two million pounds of fat and gaining two hundred tons of muscle. BodBot acts as a digital personal trainer focusing on either losing fat or gaining muscle. The service tailors an individual workout plan for every user and adapts along the way.
Sounds like a good service to get and remain healthy, right? Go ahead and try its premium subscription at absolutely no cost.
The app, which already delivers a solid set of tools, received an update earlier this month to enhance the experience. Aside from usual bug fixes and performance improvements, BodBot’s update included tablet support and timers continue counting when the device is locked.
Here’s how you can get an entire year of BodBot Plus for free:
- Install BodBot Personal Fit Trainer
- Use redemption code TalkAndroid13th by July 13, 2015 at 11:59PM ET
- Save $120 and enjoy!
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Get an entire year of BodBot Plus for free
AIVAnet 