Netflix’s most popular streaming plan now costs $10 a month for new customers
Netflix last raised the price of its most popular streaming plan in May of 2014, but it looks like new customers will now have to pay a little bit more. As noted by Bloomberg and confirmed by a quick look at the Netflix sign-up page, the company’s standard streaming plan now costs $9.99 a month, up from $8.99 previously. Customers who are currently paying less appear to be grandfathered into their earlier plans — looking at your account page will show you just how long you’re guaranteed to keep your current price for.
Netflix confirmed the price increase with the following statement:
“To continue adding more TV shows and movies including many Netflix original titles, we are modestly raising the price for some new members in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. As a thank you to existing Netflix members — who aren’t already benefiting from a previous price guarantee — we will maintain their current price for a year.”
As of now, $9.99 will get you HD streaming to two devices simultaneously; stepping up to the $11.99 “premium” plan adds the ability to stream in 4K and across four devices at the same time. There’s also still a basic $7.99 plan that only lets you stream to one device in standard definition.
It seems that Netflix isn’t letting existing customers keep their lower prices for as long it did with the last price increase. In 2014, it let current customers stay at the $7.99 price point for two full years. At this point, it seems likely that those customers will be moved to the $9.99 price, and those currently paying $8.99 will get to keep that price for another year.
[Image credit: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images]
Via: Bloomberg
Source: Netflix
BlackBerry could quit hardware as early as next year
At a panel interview at Code/Mobile, BlackBerry CEO John Chen has said that the company might quit the hardware business if it isn’t profitable by next year. He said that he “never says never” to shutting down its device business and perhaps focus entirely on providing security services to other platforms. Indeed, BlackBerry’s Enterprise Servers is already compatible with both Android and iOS, so it won’t be a significant pivot. That said, Chen is bullish on trying to make the hardware business work. On stage, he showed off the new BlackBerry Priv, which isn’t only the firm’s first ever Android product, but also BlackBerry’s first ever device that uses an operating system that isn’t its own.
The Priv, Chen says, stands for privacy and privilege. It addresses three key factors that Chen believes is necessary for BlackBerry to succeed. First, is that he believes BlackBerry needs to go cross platform and accommodate all ecosystems. Second, the Priv helps to solve the lack of apps that BB10 has historically been plagued with. And thirdly, it leverages BlackBerry’s strength in security solutions, which is something that Chen says he’ll never let go of.
“We want to bring the BlackBerry security knowhow to Android,” he said, adding that the Priv will likely be one of the most secure Android phones on the market, with possibly only the Blackphone being equally or more secure. He also acknowledged the strength of Samsung Knox, which he says is a good competitor in the mobile security space. Of course, what with recent Android vulnerabilities like Stagefright and so forth, he can’t guarantee complete security, but he said “We’ll be more resilient than eveyrybody else.” He says the Priv will be available later this year at a comparable price to other high-end smartphones.
Even though he says that BlackBerry’s hardware business is in a make-or-break phase, he is confident that it’ll succeed. “Android in the enterprise is a very underserved space,” he said. “With our connections, our accounts, our security knowhow, this has expanded our market.” He also isn’t ready to give up on BB10, which he says is even more secure. Indeed, he says there’ll be two new BB10 releases coming up. As for new BB10 devices, that “will be dictated by market needs.” He said that BlackBerry is still widely used in government and other arenas that require higher security. “The market wants privacy and security, and they also want apps,” he said about the Priv’s marketability.
Answering a question on whether his audience is a consumer or enterprise one, he says it’s anyone who wants high-end productivity and security. “I’m building a software business that focuses on endpoint security. My audience goes beyond just enterprise,” he said, adding that it also involves hospitals, banks, government agencies and consumers too. “We’re focusing on the high-end,” he said.
Illustrated ‘Harry Potter’ novels come to iBooks
Apple fans are used to getting the latest and greatest before others, from apps all the way through to, uh, U2’s latest album. But, they’ve also had to learn how to be patient, for instance, when it took several years before the Beatles released their back-catalog onto iTunes. That’s why it’s a red letter day for Harry Potter fans, since Apple has signed an “exclusive” detail with JK Rowling’s people. For the first time, the digitally-enhanced versions of the world-famous novels are available on iBooks complete with high-quality illustrations and animations. The texts are still on sale at the official Pottermore website, but should you want to read them on your iPhone or iPad, you can grab each one for $9.99 a pop.
Source: Apple
DNA nanomachine detects HIV antibodies in minutes, not hours
Current methods for detecting the antibodies that indicate HIV infection are agonizingly slow and cumbersome. However a new DNA nanomachine developed by an international team of researchers (and funded, in part, by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) could shorten the process to a matter of minutes.
The DNA-based nanomachine is designed and synthesized to recognize and bind with a specific target antibody, even within biologically-dense and complex samples like blood. When these “machines” do bind with the target antibody, the joining causes a structural change that generates a little burst of light. A test that used to require hours of careful, complex and downright expensive prep-work could now take as little as five minutes. And the sooner that doctors are aware of the infection, the sooner they can start treating it. What’s more, these nanomachines can easily be customized to detect a wide variety of antibodies.
“Our modular platform provides significant advantages over existing methods for the detection of antibodies,” Prof. Vallée-Bélisle of the University of Montreal, a senior co-author of the paper, said in a statement. “It is rapid, does not require reagent chemicals, and may prove to be useful in a range of different applications such as point-of-care diagnostics and bioimaging.”
The team hopes to further develop the technology, making the signals even easier to detect. “For example, we could adapt our platform so that the signal of the nanoswitch may be read using a mobile phone,” Simona Ranallo, University of Rome PhD student and first-author of the paper, said in a statement. “This will make our approach really available to anyone! We are working on this idea and we would like to start involving diagnostic companies.”
[Image Credit: lede – LightRocket via Getty Images, inline – Marco Tripodi]
Source: University of Montreal
Lyft partners with Hertz to offer its drivers affordable rental rates
If you’ve been trying to become a driver for Lyft, but your car doesn’t have four door or is too old, the company has a solution. It’s partnered with Hertz car rentals for what it’s calling “affordable” daily, weekly, and monthly rates. In addition to giving new drivers a chance to earn some extra cash, the partnership is also meant to help current drivers whose cars may be in the shop or is otherwise unavailable. The partnership has already launched in Las Vegas and should be rolling out to other cities by the end of the year. At driver event this morning, the ride-sharing platform also announced a partnership with Shell for gas rewards. Drivers get a unique PIN code that offers discounts fuel depending on how often you fill up. The more gas you use, the cheaper your fuel. Power drivers could earn free gasoline with the system. It’s launching in San Francisco, Chicago and Boston and will be available at all Shell stations nationwide by the end of the ear.
Just to keep the driver love going, the company also announced a product for immediate cash out of funds. Express Pay will transfer funds immediately from a driver’s account into their bank account if they have a minimum balance of $50. The new insta-cash feature will launch at the beginning of November.
Source: Lyft
DirectTV launches first VR app for boxing fans
In its first ever attempt at virtual reality (VR), DirectTV has launched a new app that would take boxing fans directly to the ringside during matches.
The Big Knockout Boxing (BKB) VR app is available for Google Cardboard as well as Samsung Gear VR headset-compatible smartphones. While live boxing fights are not available on BKB yet, you can catch the immersive VR highlights after downloading the app from Google Play, the App Store or Oculus™ Store.
To provide immersive experience through the app, DirectTV filmed the fight by a five-camera system designed to capture the event from the audience’s perspective earlier this summer. DirecTV is also making 360-degree footage of the fight available on Samsung’s Milk VR.
“We know that VR can be a deeply engaging entertainment medium. It delivers a compelling sense of ‘being there’ that’s unmatched by any other technology. We believe that much of VR’s growth will be mobile driven. As the technology evolves, we hope to find new ways to use VR to enhance not just BKB, but all sports experiences,” DirectTV vice president Jon Molod said.
Full Press Release
DIRECTV Launches First Virtual Reality App
New Big Knockout Boxing Virtual Reality App Delivers Immersive, 360 Degree Sports Experience to Consumers; Now Available for Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition and Cardboard Viewers
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Oct. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — DIRECTV, now part of the AT&T* family, is taking its first jab at Virtual Reality (VR). We’re giving boxing fans a ringside seat with the new Big Knockout Boxing (BKB) VR App.
The new app delivers highlights from the June 27 BKB fight event at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. You can experience the blows and knock downs on your VR ready smartphone as if you were actually at the fight.
The BKB VR app is now available for Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition and Cardboard (Android and iOS) headsets. You can also watch immersive BKB fight highlights in Samsung Milk VR, a premium virtual reality service. With the BKB VR app on the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition, you can select different fight highlights and close up camera feeds. Download the BKB VR app now from the Oculus™ Store, Google Play, and Apple App Stores.
“We know that VR can be a deeply engaging entertainment medium. It delivers a compelling sense of ‘being there’ that’s unmatched by any other technology,” said Jon Molod, vice president of Digital Entertainment Products Group, DIRECTV, part of the AT&T family. “We believe that much of VR’s growth will be mobile driven. As the technology evolves we hope to find new ways to use VR to enhance not just BKB, but all sports experiences.”
The BKB VR app was designed as a short form immersive experience focused on presenting a selection of the most exciting fight moments. The app’s immersive content was filmed by a five- camera system designed to capture the event from the perspective of a fan in the audience.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high speed Internet and voice services. We’re the world’s largest provider of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. In the U.S., our wireless network has the nation’s strongest 4G LTE signal and most reliable 4G LTE. We offer the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless provider*. And we help businesses worldwide serve their customers better with our mobility and highly secure cloud solutions.
Come comment on this article: DirectTV launches first VR app for boxing fans
Amazon launches new Handmade at Amazon store
Amazon announced today the launch of a new store within their ecosystem called Handmade at Amazon. The new storefront features genuine handmade items sold directly from the artisans who create them. All of the products are guaranteed to be factory-free and will be available from artisans in more than 60 countries around the world.
Artisans will be able to sell their goods through several product categories like Jewelry, Home Décor, Artwork, Stationery and Party Supplies, Kitchen and Dining, and Furniture. Amazon says they are providing artisans who sell through the program a profile that describes how products are made. In a statement Amazon says, “knowing an item has a unique story behind it creates a personal experience that customers have told us makes owning handmade items special.”
Amazon customers can access the new store using the Handmade link in the Shop by Department navigation menu. Prime members will find there are already more than 600 items that are Prime eligible and more will be added from the catalog of over 80,000 items offered.
You can read Amazon’s full press release below and if you are interested in checking out what is available, head on over to amazon.com/handmade.
Debuting the Home for Artisans: Handmade at Amazon
Handmade at Amazon items are factory-free, handcrafted
Shop for handmade items from more than 60 countries around the world
Artisans are adding thousands of new items daily
SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced today the launch of Handmade at Amazon (www.amazon.com/handmade), a new store featuring genuinely handmade items crafted and sold directly from artisans. With Handmade at Amazon, customers can discover artisans from around the world, and shop local from artisans based in their community with the familiar Amazon experience they know and trust. Handmade at Amazon was designed to provide customers and artisans a tailored store specifically for handcrafted items. All products available on Handmade at Amazon are factory-free and must be made by hand. Handmade at Amazon features a variety of product categories including Jewelry, Home Décor, Artwork, Stationery and Party Supplies, Kitchen and Dining, and Furniture.
“We have designed a custom shopping experience for customers looking for handmade items by bringing together many of the best artisans in the world, and they’re adding thousands of items daily”
“We have designed a custom shopping experience for customers looking for handmade items by bringing together many of the best artisans in the world, and they’re adding thousands of items daily,” said Peter Faricy, VP for Amazon Marketplace. “Knowing an item has a unique story behind it creates a personal experience that customers have told us makes owning handmade items special. Handmade at Amazon offers customers more than 80,000 quality handcrafted items from around the world, and over 30 percent can be personalized by artisans to delight customers.”
Handmade at Amazon offers customers:
- Genuinely Handmade: We only approve artisans whose products are handcrafted. We are factory-free. Customers will enjoy on-trend jewelry like modern earrings, interlocking rings necklaces and tassel statement earrings.
- Explore the World: Shop by country to find products from artisans in more than 60 countries. International items include walnut cufflinks from Australia and handcrafted wooden lamps from Italy.
- Discover the Artisan: Every artisan has a profile that describes how their products are made. Shop locally by finding artisans in all 50 states. Customers can experience music-themed artwork from a New York artisan that’s been playing music and doing art for over 25 years, to adorably cute heirloom quilt, bib and burp cloth baby collections from a Wisconsin artisan initially inspired to make handmade heirloom treasures that would forever remind her of the first precious months with her children.
- Shopping Made Easy: What you love about Amazon, now for Handmade. We’re bringing the friendly experience, convenience and value you love and trust about Amazon to the world of handmade items. To start, more than 600 handmade items are Prime eligible with more being added each day.
Every Handmade product page contains a location icon identifying where the artisan is based, along with a link to the artisan’s profile. To find the Handmade at Amazon store from the Amazon.com homepage, customers can click on the “Handmade” link in the “Shop by Department” navigation or type in terms including “handmade,” “handmade home décor” or “handmade jewelry” into the search bar.
Handmade at Amazon features a growing collective of artisans. Here’s what artisans are saying:
“Handmade at Amazon will change the customer shopping experience because Amazon has made the artisan profile personal, and customers like personal. Feeling like they know who made the item, the process behind how each piece is made, and how much time and effort went into every item will bring customers back to shop for even more Handmade items!” – Carlee, AmazziRoots
“Amazon will know how to do handmade right.” – Chuck, Down to the Wire Designs
“I think that Handmade at Amazon is a really great platform to put our products in front of a big audience, a big diverse audience.” – Eve and Kristen, Bright Beam Goods
To explore products and view highlighted artisan videos on Handmade at Amazon, click here.
About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
Come comment on this article: Amazon launches new Handmade at Amazon store
Google Play Movies & TV crosses one billion installs
Another app made by Google itself has generated more than one billion installs.
Head over to the Play Store and you’ll see that Google Play Movies & TV has between 1,000,000,000 and 5,000,000,000 installs.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that Play Movies & TV comes pre-installed on many devices.
Come comment on this article: Google Play Movies & TV crosses one billion installs
How beefy is the IntoCircuit Power Castle Power Bank?
We all know and understand the struggle of trying to keep your devices charged throughout the day. Some of us have the luxury of being close to a charger all day long. Whether it’s at your desk at work, in the car, or when you get home, you never really have to worry about charging your devices.
When we hit those desperate moments where we need to make sure we are going to have a charge because we know that we won’t be near a charger, is when things get hairy. At AndroidGuys we look at and review a wide variety of portable chargers. Something we haven’t really looked at before is a portable charger that can also charge your laptop.
Today, we’ll be taking a look at the IntoCircuit Power Castle Power Bank. This bad boy has a 26000mAh battery packed into it, and can literally charge anything that needs a charge.
Features
- 26000mAh capacity, provides one full charge to most laptops, or approximately 12 charging cycles for most smartphones.
- AAAA Li-Polymer battery ensures reliability and safety and will last over 1000 recharge cycles over the life of the battery.
- If the output ports are not connected to any device, or the device is already fully charged, the Power Castle will shut down automatically and will go into a sleep mode to conserve power.
- Output ports:
- 1 – USB Port; rated at 5V/2.1A
- 1 – DC port; rated at 12V/4A, 16V/3.5A or 19V/3A
- Stylish quality design with aluminum alloy body, safer and more sturdy than plastic
- Package includes:
- Intocircuit PC26000 Battery
- 12 connectors for most laptops
- 10 connectors for phones and other devices
- 1 DC power wire/ 1 USB spring power wire
- 1 – 18.5V 2A AC Adapter (A full charger only takes 5-6 hours using the provided charger)
Design
In the box you get the Power Castle, a carrying case, and 22 different adapters for your wide variety of devices. There are twelve different connectors, depending upon what your laptop/Chromebook will take, and the rest are for those random charging options for your devices.
Upon first inspection of the Power Castle, you will notice how heavy this bad boy is. Weighing in at almost 1.5 pounds, this is heavier than some Chromebooks and laptops that can be found nowadays. Granted, none of those devices have a battery that nears 26000mAh but it’s still worth noting nonetheless.
The Power Castle features a brushed aluminum alloy finish that contributes to the heavy weight. On the top there are three LED lights which let you know what voltage the battery is using to charge your devices. To the right of those three are five other LED lights which serve as a battery life indicator and a single button to turn the device on and off.
Charging Capabilities
The switch on the side serves to change the voltage output on the battery.The voltage required to charge your laptop is not the same as the voltage required to charge your smartphone.The different voltage outputs are 12V, 16V, or 19V. Normally, you’ll use either 12V or 16V when charging your mobile devices, depending on if you need a fast charge. The 19V option is primarily for charging your laptops and your higher powered tablets.
On either side of the voltage switch, there is a USB 2.0 port, and two round ports. The USB port is used for what you would expect, plugging in your USB cable to charge your lower powered mobile devices. The two round ports on the opposite side are for charging the Power Castle and for charging your higher powered laptops or Chromebooks.
Compatibility
Laptop compatibility requirements(All must be met), Please check to ensure compatibility before purchasing:
1) Voltage input: 11.5-12.5V, 15.5-16.5V or 18.5-19V
2) Current input: 4A max(12V), 3.5A max(16V), 3A max(19V)
3) A laptop connector that fits your device’s power input port, see the below detailed tip size(outer x inner diameter in mm)
A – 6.00×4.25 – Sony VAIO
B – 6.25×3.00 – Toshiba Satellite A105, M35
C – 5.50×2.10 – Toshiba T1950, T4700
D – 4.75×1.70 – ASUS Eee 900, 1000
E – 5.50×1.70 – Acer Aspire One AO722
F – 5.50×2.50 – Toshiba Satellite C650, Asus A52
G – 4.00×1.70 – HP Mini 1000/1100
H – 5.00×3.25 – Samsung R519 RV510 RV511
I – 7.40×5.00 – HP Pavilion DV4 / HP G60 / HP Compaq CQ60 / Dell inspiron PA-12 1525
J – 7.90×5.40 – ThinkPad T60, X60, R60
K – 3.00×1.00 – Samsung Ultrabook: Chromebook Series 5, 7, 9
L – 2.50×0.70 – Asus Eee PC900 PC1000
Compatible Models:
12V /16V Optional Voltage Compatible With:
-Smart Phones/iPhones/iPads/Tablets/Digital Cameras/NDS, PSP and Laptops requires 16V output(65w max)
-Not Compatible with Samsung/Surface Tablets
Don’t OverCharge
Something pretty awesome about the IntoCircuit Power Castle is the technology built into it to protect your electronics. There are portable chargers that don’t take into account that your device actually stops charging when it is full. This can cause overcharging and cannot only heat up your device, but can also damage the battery. The Power Castle has the ability to recognize when your device has reached 100% and will stop charging even if you leave it plugged in.
Standby Time
From the day that we got the Power Castle, until the day of this review, the Power Castle has seen little drain. We have put it through its paces, which includes multiple phones, a Samsung laptop, and a Chromebook, and have yet to see any drop in capacity. Also, we have intentionally not touched the Power Castle for about a week, and there was no sign of the Power Castle losing any battery while in standby. So, from what we can tell so far, you’ll be able to keep this bad boy with you for quite awhile before having to recharge it.
Speaking of recharging the Power Castle, we haven’t been able to run this thing down to 0%, so we can’t really speak about how long it will take to recharge the Power Castle back to 100%. According to IntoCircuit, it will take about between five and six hours to recharge the Power Castle using the provided charger.
Testing
Now after all of that, how does the IntoCircuit Power Castle actually perform? We tested the Power Castle with a Series 5 Samsung laptop, and the Power Castle was able to keep the Samsung laptop at 100% without having to worry about the battery form your laptop draining.
Additionally, we tested the Power Castle with our brand new Samsung Galaxy Note5 and were able to charge the 3000mAh battery from 0 – 100% in about an hour and 45 minutes. This is about 15 minutes longer than it takes to charge the Note5 from 0-100% with the OEM charger that comes with the device. So we were generally happy with the charging capabilities that the Power Castle brings to the table.
Conclusion
All in all, the IntoCircuit Power Castle is a great option for those who need a lot of portable juice all of the time. Just be mindful of carrying this around in your computer bag due to how heavy it is. If you’re interested in picking one up, you can head over to the device page, and grab it from Amazon on sale right now. Usually, priced at $299.99, you can purchase the Intocircuit Power Castle for only $99.99 with free shipping.
What do you think about the IntoCircuit Power Castle external battery? Is it overkill, or do you think it can be useful to have a portable charger with this much power under the hood? Drop us a line in the comments below, and let us know what you think.
The post How beefy is the IntoCircuit Power Castle Power Bank? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung might ship three Galaxy S7 variants, all with different processors
The Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge have been out for more than six months now so rumors are heating up over their successors, the Samsung Galaxy S7. The rumor spreading around the web today is that Samsung could possibly release three different variants of the Galaxy S7, all with different processors.
In the past, Samsung has released two variants of their Galaxy S line with different processors focused on different areas of the world. Normally we’d see a version with an Exynos chip for Asia and Europe and a Snapdragon chip for China and The United States. The rumor is now that the US and China will see the S7 with a Snapdragon 820, India will see a version with the Exynos 7422 chip that was rumored for the Note 5, and Korea, Japan and European markets will see Samsung’s new Exynos 8890 (also referred to as the Exynos M-1).
We recently learned that Qualcomm is nearing the finish of their in-depth testing of the Snapdragon 820 which points to phones launching with it in early 2016. After the massive debacle that was the Snapdragon 810, they need a win or competitors like Intel are going to start eating into their market share. The Snapdragon 820 is rumored to have a new X12 LTE Modem that will boast the fastest WiFi and LTE speeds available on any mobile chip. The quad-core 64-bit chip will be clocked at 2.2GHz, have a next generation Adreno GPU and QuickCharge 3.0, which will allow customers to charge their phones from 0 to 85% in 30 minutes.
The Exynos 8890, or M-1 has been using the codename Mongoose and it looks like Samsung is using an entirely new CPU architecture. Pictures and benchmarks have been leaking out on Weibo and even though they aren’t the most reliable of sources, there is smoke so there could be fire. According to the leaks, the Exynos 8890 is being clocked at 2.3GHz and scored an impressive 2,294 points in single core and 6,908 points in multi-core tests using the GeekBench benchmark test.
Source: SamMobile
The post Samsung might ship three Galaxy S7 variants, all with different processors appeared first on AndroidGuys.
AIVAnet 