Samsung ready to spend 100 billion won to compensate cancer-affected employees
It’s no secret conditions at factories are not always optimal, often even bringing health risks to the workers that make our beloved devices. Even the biggest Android manufacturer has been involved in issues like this one. You may have not heard of it much, as it was a 12-year old dispute that was only resolved last year, when Samsung issued an official apology to affected employees and families.
As you can expect, though, these long lawsuits are not resolved simply by saying “sorry”. Money is absolutely in between – Samsung is creating a 100 billion won fund to compensate cancer-stricken workers and their families, as well as improving working conditions in their chip and display factories. This amount equates to above $85 million USD.
But just how big was this ordeal? According to Sharps (South Korean activist group), there’s around 200 victims acquired illnesses such as lymphoma and leukemia, thanks to prolonged exposure to radiation and other chemicals Samsung factories had in use. Around 70 of them have been deceased.
By the way, Samsung factory issues are not only a thing of the past. Like with many other factories across the world, Samsung has been under significant fire for their working conditions. They have been recently accused for child labor and poor working conditions. Not the best thing to be recognized for, but this is an issue that expands far beyond a single company. It’s something that needs to be tackled industry-wide, and across the globe.
Zettaly Avy review – the Android music box you didn’t know you needed
The folks at Zettaly have been busy in the last couple years, taking to crowdfunding to help get a few products to market. One device that has succeeding in finding its way to a retail outlet near you is the Avy, an Android powered 7-inch tablet built right into a speaker dock.
We’ve been playing with the Avy for the better part of the last month, and we are prepared to offer up our verdict, join us as we explore if the Zettaly Avy is the device for you.
Design
You will notice straight away that the Avy is not your typical tablet. Despite providing a competent 7-inch display and offering up the full Android KitKat experience you might find on an outdated Nexus 7, Avy is more music box than tablet.
A pair of speaker grills sandwich the display, creating an almost 14-inch by nearly 5-inch flat front surface. The large half circle designed casing of Avy is made more for optimal audio and posture, it is certainly not made for comfort in the hand, unless you count the convenient finger slot handle on the back side, which makes carrying Avy simple and comfortable.
The overall design gives the display and speakers a slight upward slant, making Avy ideal for setting on the table beside you. The back side houses an arrangement of ports you are not likely to find on a typical tablet, including a microSD slot and HDMI port. There is also a headphone jack, micro USB port and a power plug, but we’ll talk more about that later.
The back casing has a shiny plastic finish to it, which looks pretty nice in white, but we haven’t seen the black version up close just yet. As mentioned, there is a comfortable slot-style handle near the top of the back that makes carrying Avy very easy. The bottom of the device has three rubber pads to land on, providing a sturdy and quiet stance, but also allowing Avy to transfer sound vibrations into the table, enhancing the lower tones of your music.
The top edge of Avy houses three buttons, simply your power and volume controls.
Display
The 7-inch display offers up 1024×600 screen resolution, which is again fairly comparable to your first generation Nexus 7 tablet. Display brightness ranges from not too bright when viewed in the dark of night, to slightly visible in direct sunlight.
Although the brightness abilities are a little lacking as compared to modern tablets, the viewing angles are right on the mark. That is, viewing side to side and from the top down is crystal clear, but viewing from the bottom up does fade out a bit. Assuming you have your Avy sitting in its proper position, this shouldn’t cause you any problems.
Performance
The Zettaly Avy is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core SoC made of ARM Cortex A7 chips. Combined with 1GB of RAM, Avy is capable of processing 3D acceleration and up to 1080p video. I did put 1080p video to the test and it performed flawlessly, even if the display is not 1080p itself. The same can be said when pushing the same video over HDMI out to a proper 1080p external monitor, making Avy a surprisingly good set-top box.
Now, to the point of Avy, music playback. With the built-in 10 Watts of power pumping to two speakers, audio is crisp and clear. The device is more than capable of pumping out your favorite mp3s for hours on end. This performance does not change when you are plugged to the wall or running off the internal battery, which is enough to keep your screen on for a couple hours, or music playing for over 5 hours at a moderate volume, at least in my testing.
It is important to note that we all have different tastes in sound when determining quality. For me, Avy is a wonderful device that pumps out pleasant sounds at lower volume levels, it sits beside me now playing my normal ‘thinking’ playlist of instrumental and low-impact music.
I choose to plug my favorite headphones into Avy when I need to listen to my ‘get-stuff-done’ playlist, Avy’s built-in speakers distort more than I’d like when you really push them, and overall bass output is less than you might find from the more expensive Sonos or Bose speaker systems.
I suppose those conclusions are to be expected, Avy is a unique device with no real direct competition from mainstream manufacturers. So, allow me to say that, as a gut reaction, I would rank Avy as good as a typical $50-$60 Bluetooth speaker dock, in terms of sound quality.
Hardware
In the hardware department, Avy rocks that 7-inch TFT display, quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. As this is a music player, it is good then that you can expand storage with up to 32GB microSD.
Audio is driven by 2x5W speakers, and a built-in microphone. Enabling video conferencing from the device, Avy packs a front facing VGA camera. Do not expect miraculous quality out of it, but it is more than enough to say hi to mom.
Rounding out the specs list is that HDMI port, headphone jack, microSD slot, and micro USB port. The device is powered by a proprietary plug, leaving that micro USB port exclusive to OTG connections for peripherals or external storage. On the inside you’ll find Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity.
Finally, and possibly something I should have mentioned much sooner, Avy comes with a 15 button remote control. Control your music, volume and more with a single press, or use the directional buttons to manually navigate your device. Speaking for myself, I use the remote a lot more than I thought I would, and I think you will too.
Software
We’ve already mentioned that the Zettaly Avy is powered by Android 4.4.4 KitKat. This version of Android did not change during a very recent OTA update, but the smattering of bugs proves the company is backing their device. They informed me that Android 5.x Lollipop is in the works for the device, but no ETA was provided.
In addition to your standard Android KitKat experience for tablets, Avy adds a few little tricks. Hidden in the Settings menu you’ll find a HDMI section, to take control of your external display settings. You will also find a Screenshot Settings entry. Avy does not take screenshots by way of pressing physical buttons, instead there is a software button that lives with the added volume control buttons alongside your Home button and more in the navigation bar.
The folks at Zettaly have been very receptive and responsive to a few little concerns I have had with Avy. Bug reports have been submitted for a little issue with Android’s Daydream feature not keeping the display turned on. Just one of those cases where the default actions of Android are not good enough. Considering how great of a digital photo frame Avy makes, I am happy to see this update sooner rather than later.
From there, they were very patient helping me diagnose a frequent audio skipping issue, turns out it was my fault, I must have just had a corrupt file on my microSD card. Of course, it possibly relates to a headphone audio routing issue that they are already working on repairing.
Expanding on your expectations, I will specify that Avy provides access to the full gamut of Google software. This includes Google Play Services, the Google Play Store and everything in between. My point is, whatever your other Android devices can do, Avy can also handle.
When all else fails, try ignoring the fact that Avy has its own operating system, connect to it via Bluetooth and stream your favorite music straight from your phone.
Pricing and final thoughts
The Zettaly Avy is a very respectable first entry from a new company. Especially one that found its start on Kickstarter and is now producing gear on scale to sell through Amazon. As I can best describe Avy as a dream product from and for its designers, it is easy to see the passion that has gone into it, but I can also see the acceptance of some lower-end hardware to make this product a financial viability.
Despite the compromises, Avy is a solid unit that provides a complete and fluid Android experience as well as providing great sound for your small audience settings. The going price is $199.95, and can be had from Amazon.com or Amazon EU.
Bottom line, if you are picky about your audio quality and accustomed to high-end audio gear, please give Avy a listen before you expect it to perform as well as similarly priced portable speakers. Remember that Avy includes a display and all the benefits of Android, in addition to being a set of speakers, which makes the overall package well worth your consideration.
Have you seen the Zettaly Avy in action yourself, what did you think of it? Are you willing to buy an all-in-one Android tablet and music player?
For more details, visit http://www.zettaly.com/avy/
This post originally appeared on our sister site TabTimes.
EFF is building a stronger ‘Do Not Track’ browser setting
Despite “Do Not Track” being a standard option on Firefox, Chrome and Safari (but not Microsoft Edge), many unscrupulous advertisers are still secretly tracking the browsing habits of internet users. That’s why the Electronic Freedom Foundation has teamed with Adblock, Medium, Mixpanel and DuckDuckGo to create a stronger standard.
“The failure of the ad industry and privacy groups to reach a compromise on DNT has led to a viral surge in ad blocking, massive losses for Internet companies dependent on ad revenue, and increasingly malicious methods of tracking users and surfacing advertisements online,” Disconnect CEO Casey Oppenheim said in a statement. “Our hope is that this new DNT approach will protect a consumer’s right to privacy and incentivize advertisers to respect user choice, paving a path that allows privacy and advertising to coexist.”
The new standard will work hand in hand with ad- and tracker-blocking software to more fully protect users against commercial snooping attempts. It basically allows domain operators to declare that they’re onboard with DNT so that privacy-protecting software knows how aggressively to block or anonymize communications with the site.
Filed under:
Internet, Apple, Microsoft, Google
Source:
EFF
Tags: adblock, advertising, apple, browser, chrome, DoNotTrack, edge, EFF, firefox, google, microsoft, privacy, projectspartan, safari, security, standards
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 to be sold in Gold color variant (at least for Taiwan)
Despite the fact that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2 was leaked in various forms for months on end, it was just a few weeks ago that the Korean conglomerate took the wraps off the product officially. It has long been established that the device in question will come in two color variants: Black and White. Now it seems however, that Samsung will in fact be releasing a Gold color variant, at least in select markets.
White or Gold? Taiwanese consumers seemingly will be unable to chose a Black color option.
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Galaxy Tab S2 Book Cover
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Should Google Play Edition devices come back? What went wrong?
Android users often love their phone’s hardware, but wish that they had a choice over what software it ran. This was in fact a driving force in creating the Google Play Edition (GPE) devices a couple years ago. Google worked with some of our favorite OEM’s to give their fans a choice on whether to use that manufacturer’s UI or stock Android.
But alas, something went wrong with the GPE system and it is now gone. Some may argue that it was doomed from the beginning. But I still can’t get past the idea. There are so many folks who care about a pure, stock Android experience. Of course, there’s the Nexus every year, but what if you’re not a fan of the manufacturer Google picked that year? Shouldn’t the stock-only users have a hardware choice as well?
What exactly went wrong with the GPE program?
I’d argue that LG may have been the problem, or rather, the budget Nexus. The GPE devices had to compete with a $300-$400 Nexus, which offered fantastic bang for the buck. Although the OEM’s stripped away their UI’s from the GPE variant, they didn’t strip any of the cost. It’s hard to convince someone to pay double solely to have that preference in hardware.
Another issue was sales. Because GPE devices were only offered through the Play Store, it only appealed to the minority of people who buy their phones unlocked and full price. Most people sign a contract to get a subsidized price or nowadays do financing. I don’t see how a phone can be successful ignoring a large chunk of the market.
One last theory is the lack of support. There weren’t a multitude of devices that were a part of the program. Over the year or so that it ran, here was the portfolio:
This is a pretty pitiful list considering all the phones within the timeframe. Although the Sony Z Ultra was there, the more reasonably-sized Xperia Z1 (or Z2) was not. The GPE Galaxy S5 never made it. There was no sign of an LG G2 or G3 variant. A program just can’t be successful without substance.
With all this said, I come to the question: Should GPE devices come back?
One thing we can’t ignore is that the “value” Nexus went away last year. The Nexus 6 was priced just as high as the rest of the flagships. If GPE phones were still around, this would’ve given them more of a fighting chance. Heck, everyone freaking out about the only Nexus being a ginormous phablet would’ve settled down knowing that they still had a choice elsewhere.
The other issues I’ve raised would also have to be addressed. But look at what Motorola has done with the Moto X Pure Edition. They’ve completely sidestepped the carrier/contract way and are doing phone purchasing the way they think it should be done. This is a step in the right direction, and if the industry follows, I believe that GPE phones would fit right in.
I hope that Google hasn’t deleted the GPE idea from their mind. A great idea is nothing without proper execution. GPE phones should make a comeback when the time is right.
Do you agree, or still think that GPE is a lost cause?
The post Should Google Play Edition devices come back? What went wrong? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Xbox Live and ID@Xbox indie games coming to HoloLens
Microsoft’s promise of unifying its disparate platforms with Windows 10 has even more going for it with some surprise announcements ahead of this week’s Gamescom show in Germany. We knew that Xbox Live was coming to the desktop — for free, even — but that extends to HoloLens too. That’s right: online multiplayer, friends lists and your achievements (anything tied to Redmond’s gaming service, from the sounds of it) will be available on the augmented reality headset, according to VRFocus. The site also reports that HoloLens, Windows 10 and Xbox One will share a universal store for apps and the like “in time.” Some purchases will also apparently be pay-once-play-anywhere affairs too. And similar to Microsoft’s push to get Android and iOS developers to bring their apps to Windows 10, the ID@Xbox program will work to court indie game developers and extend across Redmond’s latest operating system, HoloLens and Windows Phone.
No, the news isn’t earthshaking on its own, especially if you’ve been paying attention to what Microsoft’s big push with Windows 10 has been. But, it is interesting and presents a look at just how deep the concept of a shared platform and resources model runs at Windows HQ.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Filed under:
Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source:
VRFocus (1), (2), (3)
Tags: augmentedreality, gamescom, gamescom2015, gaming, gdceurope, hd, hdpostcross, hololens, id@xbox, microsoft, universalapps, vr, xbox, xboxlive, xboxone
HTC One M9 receiving Android 5.1 in select regions tomorrow
Many have been waiting for the release of Android 5.1 Lollipop for the HTC One M9 and it looks like for some of you the wait is over. Starting tomorrow the 5.1 update will be rolling out to the EMEA.
For those of you unaware, EMEA stands for “Europe, Middle East and Africa”. This news comes directly from HTC Product and Service Director at HTC EMEA Graham Wheeler’s Twitter.
Android 5.1 coming to EMEA HTC One m9 devices tomorrow…enjoy😃
— graham wheeler (@wheelergd) August 3, 2015
Source: Graham Wheeler (Twitter)
Come comment on this article: HTC One M9 receiving Android 5.1 in select regions tomorrow
Motorola’s Moto G (2015) ad proves that the phone is always there for you
Traveling through the desert on a camel can be a pretty lonely activity. Just ask the guy in Motorola’s advertisement for the Moto G (2015). After hours of traveling in the sun, our camel-riding star launches a dating app on his Moto G to see who’s around. The only problem is that not a single person is within fifty miles of him. Expanding his search radium to one hundred miles causes the lone match, Sara, to appear. From there, he sets out on a journey to find her while listening to R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix).”
Fingers crossed that Sara appearing is not a mirage.
Hit the break for the video.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Come comment on this article: Motorola’s Moto G (2015) ad proves that the phone is always there for you
Telstra Giving Away Free 12-Month Trial of Apple Music with Go Plans
Australia’s largest mobile carrier today announced that it would give away a free 12-month trial of Apple Music with a 12 or 24 month Go Mobile plan on iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. The deal marks the first time the new music service will be given away with a mobile plan.
Additionally, the carrier’s notes on the promotion indicate that the service will use carrier billing. When users sign up and agree to the terms and conditions Apple Music’s payment will be paid via the Telstra rather than Apple directly. This means that users have to renew or cancel their trial through their carrier bill.
Last week, T-Mobile announced that it would add Apple Music to its Music Unlimited service, allowing Simple Choice customers to listen to the streaming music service without the cellular data counting against their 4G LTE data plan. Unlike the Telstra deal, users are not given a free trial to the service by T-Mobile.
Gunjack puts Samsung Gear VR gamers in charge of a turret
Surely, Samsung Gear VR owners are not putting their $200 investment to waste. There is more than enough fun to be had with this VR headset, but today’s new addition to the list of upcoming games will have you blasting through space. CCP Games has announced a new title called Gunjack, a VR arcade shooter that puts you in charge of a gun turret.
The user will be flying around the nullsec region of Outer Ring, trying to protect the rig from any attackers. As expected, you will be fully immersed in the experience, thanks to the Samsung Gear VR and all it has to offer. The turret reacts to your head movements, so getting the hang of controls will probably take some getting used to, but oh so worth it.
“Our goal was nothing less than creating the best game yet for the Gear VR headset. Our team has focused on delivering the most action-packed, graphically-stunning game possible on this new virtual reality platform.” -Jean-Charles Gaudechon, studio manager at CCP Shanghai
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By the way, CCP Games is no rookie. The developer has created games like EVE Online, EVE: Valkyrie and DUST 514. Gunjack happens to be a side addition to the EVE series, based on the same universe and featuring a similar background.
Want in on this game? Sadly, you will have to wait a bit before the title is released to the public. Gunjack is launching alongside the Samsung Gear VR platform, once the headset loses its “Innovator Edition” moniker and goes full steam ahead. This should happen this Fall, so you don’t have much longer to wait.
How many of you will be blasting enemies through space? I really can’t wait.
AIVAnet 