Sony opens up experimental AOSP camera to developers
Sony has become increasingly open regarding software development and third parties, as well as taking on extra feedback from the community, with its Open Device program and the company has just released a new open source camera application for use with AOSP Xperia devices.
Before you all run to try it out, Sony clearly states that it does not recommend the app for daily use, as the app is not calibrated and will produce worse looking shots that Sony’s regular camera app. Instead, Sony stresses that the goal of the project is to allow developers to get behind the scenes to come up with innovative new camera applications and will hopefully improve support custom ROMs with basic camera functionality. It’s going to be interesting to see what comes out of it.
The open source camera is based on Qualcomm framework and works with a number of Xperia devices, including the Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra (MSM8974), Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet (MSM8974AB), Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Z3, Zperia Z3 Tablet Compact (MSM8974AC) and Xperia Z3+, and Xperia Z4 Tablet (MSM8994). Support for the Xperia Z5 range, Xperia M2, E3 and T3 will be added in at a later date.
Sony’s Open Device program saw early Marshmallow binaries arrive for a number of its Xperia devices back in October, giving custom ROM development a good head start over handsets from other manufacturers. If you would like to learn more about the program, you can read all about it over on Sony’s official site.
Qualcomm faces fines in Korea over anti-competitive licensing practices
Qualcomm has had a tricky 2015, financially, and the company has seen its share price tumble a further 10 percent, hitting a four year low, following revelations that an antitrust investigation in South Korea has raised issues over its licensing practices.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission has found that Qualcomm’s licensing practices violate the country’s competition law. More specifically, the issue is to do with the way Qualcomm calculates its licensing fee on the overall value of the mobile product, rather than on the associated cost of the chips that use the company’s intellectual property.
The South Korean investigation has not yet decided exactly what action to take, but heavy fines are likely and forcing a change to its licensing arrangements could severely dent the company’s income, as IP is the biggest earner for Qualcomm. Qualcomm has said that it will contest the conclusions of the report and that is views the allegations as a “serious misapplication of law”.
“Our patent licensing practices, which we and other patent owners have maintained for almost two decades, and which have facilitated the growth of the mobile communications industry in Korea and elsewhere, are lawful and pro-competitive,” – Qualcomm
Qualcomm also had to settle a very similar case in China earlier this year, where the company paid out around $1 billion to put an end to a 14 month investigation into what the country viewed as anti-competitive licensing policies. Qualcomm is also facing two antitrust cases in the EU for predatory pricing of its 3G modem chips and whether it offer anti-competitive financial incentives to some of its customers.
Considering that Qualcomm has used a similar policy for a number a years, the decision to clamp down on the company in various countries is perhaps a little odd. The highly competitive smartphone market has been putting a squeeze on manufacturers, so protectionism in countries with a large manufacturing base may be a contributing factor.
Read more: Qualcomm to pay $1 billion to settle China antitrust dispute
Either way, Qualcomm looks to be in for a difficult time in 2016. Expensive court cases are sure to add extra pressure on a company already restructuring its business in an attempt to save more than $1 billion in costs.
Beats Solo2 Wireless and urBeats Headphones Now Available in Rose Gold
Apple has released Beats Solo2 Wireless On-Ear Headphones and urBeats In-Ear Headphones in a new Rose Gold color to match the iPhone 6s lineup and select Apple Watch models. The headphones remain available in Gold, Silver and Space Gray colors released earlier this year.
The Solo2 Wireless on-ear headphones, $299.95, were released in November 2014 as the first Beats product since Apple’s acquisition of the company officially closed. Beats launched new Solo2 Wireless headphones in Gold, Silver and Space Gray, colors that match several Apple products, last April.
Beats urBeats In-Ear Headphones, $99.95, were first released long before Apple acquired the company in 2014.
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HTC sends out press invites for November 25 in India, thought to be launching the One A9
HTC has just sent out invites to a press event to be held in India on November 25th, where it is thought to be launching its One A9 handset (reviewed here). The One A9 is available in Europe and the US so far, with a lower-spec variant somehow costing more in the UK than the higher-specced model in the States. It must make sense to HTC, you would hope it does anyway.
Other than asking its fans to ‘Save The Date’, the invite doesn’t really give out much detail other than appearing quite similar to the A9’s announcement invite last month. The invite doesn’t actually mention a model number, and while it’s believed to be the One A9 that HTC is launching, it is possible that it might be the One M9s that launched in Taiwan recently. There isn’t too long to wait to find out, which model would you prefer to see launched on November 25?
Source: FoneArena
Come comment on this article: HTC sends out press invites for November 25 in India, thought to be launching the One A9
Oppo releases almost stock Android OS for global users
Let’s face it – most Android loyalists don’t really like the modifications manufacturers make to the Google-made operating system, and the customized OS developed by Chinese OEMs is outright unbearable for most global users. Therefore, Oppo has released an operating system that is very close to the stock Android, and comes with only a few factory installed apps such as camera, screen off gesture and audio support.
Based on Android Lollipop, Oppo’s new OS is being called Project Spectrum and it can be installed on the Find 7 and Find 7a handsets. The Chinese manufacturer is going to release an updated version of the software, which will be based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, sometime early next year.
However, those buying Oppo smartphones should not be surprised if their devices still come installed with ColorOS, and those who don’t like it can install the cleaner Android version on their own. With its new release, Oppo is aiming to “better connect to consumers in Western markets,” and it is possible that its handsets will come preloaded with the almost stock software version in the near future.
Here is a video to give you a detailed idea as to what the Project Spectrum is all about.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Source: Oppo
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The UK government is getting its own ‘Air Force One’
UK Prime Minister David Cameron and cabinet ministers are set to get their very own Air Force One under new government plans. Reuters reports that as part of a spending review due next week, Chancellor George Osborne will announce that £10 million will be spent on retrofitting an RAF Voyager A330 aircraft (pictured above), which usually operates as an air-to-air refuelling and transport aircraft, so it can be used for official government trips.
Source: Reuters
Sky told it doesn’t have to give BT a discount on Sky Sports
BT Sport is no longer the David to Sky Sports’ Goliath. When it launched in August 2013, the underdog TV service weighed heavily on less popular football leagues such as Serie A in Italy and Ligue 1 in France. But BT has slowly expanded, spending large amounts for the Champions League, the Europa League and a highly sought-after batch of Premier League fixtures. That’s triggered Ofcom to re-evaluate what’s known as a “wholesale must-offer” between Sky and BT. Its final decision, announced today, means that Sky is no longer forced to offer its flagship sports channels, Sky Sports 1 and 2, at a discount to BT.
LG throws its hat into the crowded mobile payment game
You might not be terribly excited about mobile payments, but there’s a reason why there are so many out there, including Apple Pay, Android Pay and, yep, Samsung Pay. All of those companies get a cut of every user purchase, which can add up to a lot of much-needed extra revenue. So it’s not terribly surprising that LG has launched a mobile payment system of its own called (wait for it) LG Pay. The company didn’t provide a lot of details, other than saying it will only be available in Korea for now. However, LG promised Techcrunch it would reveal more in the “coming weeks,” so it may have plans to launch the service in other markets later on.
Via: Techcrunch
Source: LG
Amazon expands its Prime Same Day delivery service to more parts of the UK
Same day delivery is a service that is just beginning to catch on in the UK, with Argos’ Fast Track Delivery being the most widely available option, as opposed to Amazon’s Prime Same Day service which, up until now, has been limited to Greater London and select Berkshire and Hertfordshire areas. That is about to change, though, as Amazon has announced that its Same Day service is now available in a number of new locations in England and Scotland.
The following locations are now able to enjoy Prime Same Day deliveries:
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Dudley
- Milton Keynes
- Northampton
- Walsall
- Wolverhampton
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
More than 1 million products can be ordered using the Prime Same Day delivery service. Orders placed before noon are eligible to be delivered between 6pm and 10pm that day, seven days a week with no minimum spend, although naturally you need to be a Prime subscriber.
Full Press Release:
Amazon expands Prime Same Day in the UK – Prime Members in the Midlands, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Milton Keynes now receive unlimited free same-day delivery on one million items
Orders placed by noon will be delivered between 6pm and 10pm the same day, seven days a week.LONDON – 18 November 2015 – Amazon.co.uk today has expanded its recently-launched Prime Same Day service, offering Prime members free same-day delivery on one million items. The service launched in Greater London and parts of Hertfordshire and Berkshire earlier this month is now available to residential addresses in Birmingham, Bristol, Dudley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Amazon will continue to expand Prime Same Day to other areas of the UK in 2016.
Prime members who place an order for same-day delivery by noon, on any day of the week, will receive their delivery between 6pm and 10pm on that same evening. There is no minimum order value and a wide range of items are available, from TVs to toasters, DVDs to books, and coffee makers to children’s toys.
“Prime members are telling us that they love the convenience of free same-day delivery so we are quickly introducing it to many new areas of the UK. And we continue to invest in our delivery network to expand our fast delivery options to even more Prime members,” said Christopher North, Managing Director of Amazon.co.uk. “Prime Same Day adds to the range of benefits available to Prime members, like unlimited streaming of movies and music, unlimited photo storage and more.”
Look for Prime Same Day while shopping
Prime members can now find and purchase products for same-day delivery on Amazon.co.uk, whether they’re using their PC, tablet or mobile device. Members can simply look for the Prime Same Day logo on eligible items, add these items to their shopping basket, and then choose the FREE Same Day option at checkout. Alternatively, members can tick the new Prime Same Day check box located in the filter menu while browsing or after performing a search.Expanding customer choice for fast delivery
The choice of fast delivery services for Prime customers now includes:
Prime Now: Members can choose delivery to selected London and Birmingham postcodes within one hour of ordering for £6.99, or free delivery within a choice of two-hour delivery windows between 8am and midnight the same day, seven days a week on thousands of daily essentials, gifts and more. Prime Now is available through the Prime Now mobile app, available to download at http://www.amazon.co.uk/primenow
Prime Same Day: Members can order before noon for same-day delivery on one million items, seven days a week, to residential addresses in Birmingham, Bristol, Dudley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Walsall and Wolverhampton as well as Greater London and AL, HP and SL postcodes
Prime One Day: Members across the UK continue to enjoy unlimited one-day delivery on millions of items across all product categories
Prime Now and Prime Same Day are made available through Amazon Logistics, which empowers independent local, regional and national delivery companies across the UK to deliver Amazon parcels to customers seven days a week.
Same-day delivery is also available for non-Prime customers at a cost of £9.99 per order. To learn more and check for eligible postcodes, visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/sameday.
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Amazon brings one-hour Prime Now deliveries to Newcastle
Just a day after it expanded its same-day delivery service to more of the UK, Amazon has added another big city to its list of Prime Now locations: Newcastle. The Northern city joins London and Birmingham in offering Prime customers one-hour deliveries, allowing locals order up to 15,000 products including electronics, food and possible Christmas for £6.99 or for free if they’re willing to wait two hours. Amazon says selected postcodes in Gateshead, Durham and Sunderland are now eligible, but you should probably check Amazon’s delivery checker first before filling your online basket.
Source: Amazon Prime Now
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