The international version of the Lenovo-backed ZUK Z1 runs Cyanogen 12
There’s a lot to like about the ZUK Z1, a Chinese flagship smartphone backed by the folks at Lenovo — it has a USB Type-C port with support for audio output, a huge 4,100 mAh battery, a multi-function fingerprint reader and an attractive 1,799 yuan ($280) sticker price. If Cyanogen is your favorite flavor of Android, it just got a little better: today ZUK announced that the international version of the handset will come loaded with the commercial version of Cyanogen OS 12.1.
This international version of the phone will feature the same specs as its Chinese counterpart, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU, 3GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a 5.5-inch 1080p display — but it’ll cost a tiny bit more. In Europe, the US, southeast Asia and the middle east, the ZUK Z1 will retail for $299 and up. Sound good? Sit tight: the Z1 is scheduled to launch internationally sometime in September.
Filed under:
Misc, Mobile, Lenovo
Via:
Fone Arena
Source:
ZUK
Tags: android, changcheng, china, Cyanogen, lenovo, mobilepostcross, phone, smartphone, snapdragon801, type-c, usb3.0, usbtype-c, usbtypec z1, z1, zui, zuk
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Active with 4,100mAh battery could be on the cards
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It’s not an unfamiliar sight to see a Samsung Galaxy S device ruggedized into an Active device, however the treatment has been absent from the Galaxy Note family of devices over the years. That might be able to change, however, as rumours of an Active version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 have started to circulate. A device that would presumably be called the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Active would also feature a 4,100mAh battery, a huge boost over the middling 3,000mAh battery that comes in the Note 5 vanilla.
The report continues, saying that the Note 5 Active would have IP68 certification and will be released on November 8th, though no information about pricing or availability has been suggested. If we had to guess what hardware the Note 5 Active would have, we’d assume it would be the same hardware as the Note 5 – the Galaxy S6 Active was a big surprise as it was literally a beefier version of the standard Galaxy S6, something of a change from previous years, and we’d assume a Note 5 Active would get the same treatment.
What do you think about a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Active? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Phone Arena via TalkAndroid
The post Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Active with 4,100mAh battery could be on the cards appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Foursquare is bringing back leaderboards for Swarm
Foursquare is bringing back the old leaderboards for Swarm. Swarm 3.0 will bring leaderboards which will put you against your friends by ranking you by the number of coins everyone has.
Every time you check in you will earn coins, but the amount will be different depending on each location. You may check in at a location and receive many coins or another one, but only receive a couple. You can also get bonuses for check-in streaks, mayorships, or any out-of-the-ordinary check-ins.
For now the coins are basically just a point system to score you, but Foursquare says they might be used for something in the future.
If you are not number one this week, don’t worry as the leaderboard will reset each week.
Source: Foursquare
Come comment on this article: Foursquare is bringing back leaderboards for Swarm
Ashley Madison hackers bash the site’s security practices in Q&A
Impact Team, the hackers that stole a massive amount of data from infidelity hookup site Ashley Madison earlier this week, have come forward to tell their side of the story. In an email Q&A with Motherboard, the hack’s perpetrators first and foremost shamed Ashley Madison’s parent company Avid Life Media for the lax security that made such a hack a surprisingly simple matter. “We worked hard to make fully undetectable attack [sic],” Impact Team said, “then got in and found nothing to bypass.” The hackers further called the security levels “bad,” saying that “nobody was watching” and there was “no security” to speak of. The fact that Ashley Madison isn’t the most secure site out there isn’t news, but it’s still a bit shocking to see just how cavalier a site that makes its living trading on infidelity is about protecting customer info.
Other revelations include the extent of the data Impact Team was able to make off with — the existing releases are just the tip of the iceberg, though the group says it isn’t planning on releasing everything. The group has allegedly pulled 300GB of employee emails and internal documents as well as “tens of thousands” of Ashley Madison user pics. A whopping third of those pictures are supposedly “dick pics,” but fortunately for the hacking victims, those pictures aren’t going to be released. It sounds like the group doesn’t plan to release most employee emails either, though some executives might not be so lucky.
Earlier today, Impact Team re-released yesterday’s data because the file containing Avid Life Media CEO Noel Biderman’s email was corrupted, though it looks like the latest release is similarly inaccessible. Whether or not we’ll see more sensitive user information released remains to be seen — the group says no further dumps are “guaranteed” at this point, but that’s some language that certainly leaves things open for the future.
[Image credit: Carl Court / Getty Images]
Source:
Motherboard (1), (2)
Tags: AshleyMadison, ashleymadisonhack, hack, impacteam
Alphabet names its first new company to oversee
The first company formed under Alphabet’s control will focus on life sciences.
Alphabet President Sergey Brin announced on Google+ that the team behind Google’s smart contact lenses is graduating from the Google X lab. The standalone company, which has yet to be officially named, will be led by Andy Conrad. Before becoming the life sciences team’s CEO, Conrad was actually in charge of Google Life Sciences at the Google X lab. So the move for this team will not bring much change. Corporate structure seems to be the only thing experiencing noticeable change.
A Google spokesperson sent Gizmodo the following description of the new team:
The life sciences team at Google is focused on helping to move health care from reactive to proactive. Combining expertise from the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, medicine, electrical engineering, computer science, we’re developing new technology tools for physicians that can integrate easily into daily life and help transform the detection, prevention, and management of disease. Current projects in development include a smart contact lens with miniaturized glucose sensor; a nanodiagnostics platform to help with early detection of disease; and Liftware utensils for people with tremors.
The products being worked on by the life sciences team are not yet available to the public; therefore, Alphabet is presumably going to be funneling a lot of resources into their projects. With time, Alphabet hopes to see those projects become consumer-ready and generate new revenue. Brin noted that the goal for this team will be to “transform the way we detect, prevent, and manage disease.”
Source: Sergey Brin (Google+)
Via: Gizmodo
Come comment on this article: Alphabet names its first new company to oversee
More leaked images of the Sony Xperia Z5 emerge
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The Sony Xperia Z5 will be Sony‘s latest attempt to right the ship after its continued poor financial performance, but from the leaked photos of the upcoming device, it looks like not much as changed. The latest photos of the device from from NoWhereElse.fr who have gotta photos of a Xperia Z5 dummy, but gives us a good look at the device from all angles. Unfortunately, there’s not much difference between this device and the Xperia Z4/Z3+ before it, apart from the elongated power button which replaces the traditional circle power button. Check out the new leaked photos below:
Although it’s difficult to see from these images but the Xperia Z5 is rumoured to be a 5.5-inch device, a sizeable increase since its predecessors have been closer to 5-inches. It’s also alleged that the Xperia Z5 will introduce a fingerprint scanner, suspected to be embedded in the new power button – this seems to be standard faire given every manufacturer is adopting the feature in their latest devices. We’re suspecting that Sony will announced the device at IFA 2015, but the Japanese outfit has given no indication that it is even going to be holding a press conference yet.
What do you think about the Sony Xperia Z5? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: nowhereelse.fr via XperiaBlog
The post More leaked images of the Sony Xperia Z5 emerge appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Amazon’s Echo now works with SmartThings hardware
Quite rapidly, Amazon has been expanding the products and services that work with its Echo digital assistant. SmartThings, the home automation platform purchased by Samsung last year, is now supported by the Echo. The only requirement is that the SmartThings hardware is setup and connected through the company’s apps before asking the Echo to detect devices on the same network. Controls for different appliances are then accessible by the Echo and you can use your voice to control them.
SmartThings’ new hub and sensors will be available starting next month, so now could be the perfect time to pair your Echo with a home automation platform. Your other option is to invest in Wink’s products.
Source: Amazon
Come comment on this article: Amazon’s Echo now works with SmartThings hardware
Buyer’s Guide: Discounts on Retina MacBook, MacBook Air, Apple Accessories, and More
It’s still back to school season, so deals continue to be decent as retailers attempt to lure customers into their stores for school supplies. For the first time, Best Buy is offering discounts on the Retina MacBook, dropping the price by up to $80. Several models of the MacBook Air are also available at a discount, some at the lowest prices we’ve seen.
Apple’s Back to School promotion is still going on both in stores and online, with Apple offering a free pair of Beats Solo2 headphones with the purchase of an eligible Mac. Eligible Macs include the iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook, and Mac Pro.
As always, we’ve rounded up discounts on some useful Apple accessories and we’ve found plenty of deals on apps and games this week.
iPad Air 2
Discounts on the iPad Air 2 are mediocre this week, so it may be best to hold off on purchasing. For those who need a new tablet immediately, however, there are a few minor deals.
B&H Photo is offering a discount on some of its iPad Air 2 models, dropping prices by $30 to $75. With the discount, the 64GB Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 is priced at $569. MacMall is offering many of the same discounts, also dropping the price on the 64GB Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 to $569.
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Apple Launches iSight Camera Replacement Program for iPhone 6 Plus
Apple today launched an iSight Camera replacement program for the iPhone 6 Plus, which will see the company replacing the camera module in a small percentage of iPhone 6 Plus devices that have a faulty rear-facing camera.
According to a new support page dedicated to the replacement program, some iPhone 6 Plus units that were sold between September of 2014 and January of 2015 could have a component that can fail and cause photos to look blurry.
iPhone 6 Plus units that are producing blurry photos and have an eligible serial number will get their cameras replaced from Apple at no charge. Replacement units can be obtained through Apple’s online support team, an Apple retail store, or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.
Dr. Dre’s ‘Compton’ makes its way to Google Music, Rdio and Tidal
Apple Music’s exclusive grip on Dr. Dre’s new album lasted two weeks. Compton: A Soundtrack by Dr. Dre is now streaming from the likes of Google Play, Tidal, Rdio and Rhapsody based on our quick look through music services. It’s still absent from Spotify, though, perhaps due to its free tier that many artists aren’t too thrilled about. If you didn’t sign up for Cupertino’s free trial, you can now give it a spin from the aforementioned repositories — just in time for the weekend. We’re curious to see if the Apple Music exclusive period in the future remains at 14 days or if it changes with each release.
16 years after the last check-up. Listen to Dr. Dre’s “Compton: The Soundtrack” http://t.co/cjZeKmioU6 pic.twitter.com/NhhJwyp9eR
— Google Play Music (@GooglePlayMusic) August 21, 2015
Filed under:
Portable Audio/Video, Internet
Tags: album, applemusic, compton, drdre, exclusive, googlemusic, rdio, rhapsody, tidal
AIVAnet 