O2 also considers blocking phone ads
More than one UK network is weighing up whether to offer its customers mobile ad-blocking tools. After EE stepped forward over the weekend, O2 is doing the same through an interview with Business Insider. Robert Franks, managing director of digital commerce at O2, says the carrier is “absolutely” looking at the practice. “When I say we are looking at these technologies, we are not just paying lip service to them,” he explains. “We are absolutely having conversations which are well-advanced in terms of what that technology would do in our network…and how we would position this with customers.”
Source: Business Insider
LG Ray with 5.5-Inch HD display, Octa-core processor and 13MP rear camera launches in select 3G markets
While 4G is available in many countries (and we look forward to the arrival of 5G), it’s easy to forget that some of us have to make do with 3G. With this in mind, the LG Ray has just been announced, with the South Korean manufacturer making the entry-level handset available in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) sometime this week and Latin America later on.
The LG Ray’s power and volume controls are placed on the rear panel that features a brushed metal finish. Let’s take a look at what else the LG Ray has under the hood.
- Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- 5.5-Inch HD display (1280 x 720), 267ppi
- Octa-core processor @ 1.4GHz
- 1GB RAM
- 16GB Internal storage
- MicroSD card support
- 13MP Rear camera with flash, Gesture Shot
- 8MP Front camera
- Network: HSPA+ 21Mbps (3G)
- Single/Dual SIM
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Battery: 3,000mAh (Removable)
- Dimensions: 152.5 x 76.4 x 9.3mm
- Weight: 158 grams
- Available in Gold, Silver, and Titan Black
As you can see from the specifications above, the LG Ray is a curious blend of both entry and mid-level components. How much the LG Ray will cost is unknown for the moment, with the Korean manufacturer stating that “price and availability will be announced locally at the time of launch”.
Full Press Release:
SEOUL, Nov. 25, 2015 — LG Electronics (LG) will begin rollout of LG Ray1 to key global 3G markets, starting with the CIS region this week followed by Latin America. LG Ray features a stunning metallic design and comes loaded with best-in-class features such as an expansive 5.5-inch HD display and an 8MP front camera, features unavailable in competing devices.
With its impressively large display powered by a 1.4GHz Octa-Core processor, LG Ray enables users to enjoy multimedia content seamlessly. Thanks to LG’s superior optical technology, this device captures impressive images with its 13MP rear camera and 8MP front camera unmatched by other smartphones in its category. Gesture Shot, LG’s exclusive UX inherited from its G Series, delivers an easier way to take selfies and LG Ray also features a removable battery with a capacity of 3,000mAh for longer usage time between charges.
“Customers in 3G markets continue to be a priority for LG so we will continue to develop new products with these consumers in mind,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “No matter the country or the device, every LG customers will receive a unique user experience with a balance of design, performance and value.”
Details such as price and availability will be announced locally at the time of launch.
Come comment on this article: LG Ray with 5.5-Inch HD display, Octa-core processor and 13MP rear camera launches in select 3G markets
Temp tech tattoos can monitor your health and location
Chaotic Moon, a start-up known for conjuring fun projects like a shark-punching virtual game, has a wide range of applications in mind for the temporary tattoo technology it’s developing. Called “Tech Tats,” they’re quite literally stick-on tattoos that look a bit embossed against the skin, since they contain electronic components, including a microcontroller and LED lights. Company CEO Ben Lamm called them “the new wearable” during his TechCrunch interview, pointing out that they can be a slightly more permanent version of Fitbit and other fitness trackers. They can, for instance, detect if you’re stressed, monitor your body temp, blood pressure and heart rate, and then transmit all those data through their electroconductive paint.
Via: Techradar
Source: Chaotic Moon, Motherboard
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016) spotted at China’s TENAA
As another week passes, it’s time again for more digital dreams to pass through China’s TENAA. This time we are greeted with another look at the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016), said device having leaked a short while ago.
The device, which goes by the model number SM-7100, looks oddly reminiscent of last year’s Galaxy Alpha, though some have also said it looks similar to this year’s Galaxy S6. It is still unclear as to just what the rear material is made out of: some have reported aluminum (metal) though it often looks reflective and thus glass-like in most photos.
Here as well, looking at the way the back surface reflects light along the perimeter would further lend support to the belief it’s another “glass sandwich.”
The “old” (current) Galaxy A7.
The Galaxy A7 (2016) as detailed by the TENAA contains a 5.5-inch Full HD SAMOLED display, an Octa-Core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615, 3GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage, a 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera, and supports microSD. It is to run Android 5.1.1 out of the box and, while no information was listed, is believed to have a battery around 2600mAh or larger.
The device supports Cat. 4 LTE, and includes NFC as well. It measures 151.5 × 73.95 × 6.95 mm and weights 155 grams.
Please note that while Samsung itself has yet to formally unveil this device, it is expected to be launched imminently, at least in Asia or China specifically. As is often the case, the specs may be altered for global markets; for example an Exynos SoC may ultimately be substituted in Korea, or other territories.
What do you think? Does the Galaxy A7 (2016) look like your next device? Let us know in the comments below!
Go to Google and type this sentence to see the most awesome Star Wars Easter egg ever
The new Star Wars movie is only some weeks away and everything out there seems to be getting in the spirit (and we don’t mean the holidays). There are all kinds of Star Wars toys, clothing, collectibles accessories and decorations, among other things. Now Google has decided to join the fun with one of the coolest Easter eggs we have ever seen.
Just go into Google.com and type in “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away”, without the quotation marks, of course. It will literally seem like you have been transported to another galaxy!
You will be presented with the usual search results, but not in a traditional way. Instead, the results will scroll up like Star Wars’ most iconic intro, along with the colors and music from the movie. Just give it a go!
The page will scroll continuously, but you can always take over and scroll the results on your own. And please do turn the sound on in the top-right corner.
This is totally the coolest thing I have seen today, and I know fellow Star Wars fans will agree! By the way, reports say this doesn’t work with Firefox for some reason. Please do hit the comments to let us know if this works for you and which browser you are using!
OnePlus 2 open sale commences in India
The OnePlus 2 has been on the market for a little while now, albeit with that pesky invite system still in place, but Indian consumers will be able to pick up the smartphone without the need for an invite this Wednesday to Friday.
If you’ve been looking to get your hands on one, you should head on over to Amazon India, the main portal for OnePlus sales in the country. The sale is already live and you can grab the 64GB Sandstone Black model for RS. 24,999. Purchases are restricted to just one per customer, due to the limited availability of stock, and the sale ends at 11:59pm on November 27th.
This is pretty good news for Indian consumers, as supply of OnePlus 2 invites doesn’t appear to have trickled through quite as far as was promised. The company has received its share of criticism after stating that invites would be more readily available than they were with the OnePlus One. To help shift more units, OnePlus already held an open sale in India last month.
Find out more: OnePlus 2 review
A couple of days ago, OnePlus also announced that its latest flagship smartphone would appear for sale invite-free on Black Friday, when purchasing through its OnePlus.net website. The company will also be offering a selection of discounts on its range of accessories.
Is anyone planning on picking up a OnePlus 2 before the year is out, or has the hype passed already?
Samsung UK: No Lollipop or Marshmallow for the Galaxy TabPRO 8.4
For a significant segment of the Samsung supportive, updates to their device’s Android version is an on-going and, at times trying, battle. Comment sections are often filled with angry users complaining about their product of choice being “abandoned”, and unfortunately today’s news is not going to alleviate any terse tensions: Samsung UK has announced, via a post on Twitter, that last year’s Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 will not be updated past Android 4.4 KitKat:
@JSmoove_12 We really don’t like bringing you news you don’t want to hear, but the TabPRO 8.4 will not be getting Lollipop. ^ES
— Samsung UK (@SamsungUK) November 24, 2015
Before the outcry starts, please be aware that (1) this announcement is specifically for the UK region and that (2) it does not necessarily mean that other products, such as the TabPRO 10.1 or 12.2 will also fail to see future updates. It is also unclear what will ultimately happen to the Galaxy NotePRO 12.2 as well.
Suffice to say however, GSM Arena already has two pages full of comments, and basically all range the spectrum of anger. As the Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 released in early 2014, some have found it perplexing that Samsung has not provided any major firmware updates for it. Some have assumed the problem is the device’s 2GB of RAM which would possibly cause slowdown should it be updated to Lollipop or Marshmallow.
While the news may be disappointing for some, do keep in mind that TouchWiz itself often has features and UI elements that core Android doesn’t. Likewise, just because the device may not be updated in the future – at least as far as Android version numbers go – it shouldn’t drmatically change one’s ability to enjoy the tablet provided everything works smoothly.
It is also worth pointing out that, while those who read a story like this will inevitably be quite upset, the vast majority of the general public has no interest and/or awareness of OS versions and thus are unlikely to care either way with respect to this new development.
With that said, we are interested in hearing your reactions. Has Samsung created an unfortunate new precedent by terminating support so soon after release? Or was the TabPRO 8.4 overshadowed by the Tab S 8.4 that was announced shortly after? Leave us your comments below and let us know!
Google’s fast mobile pages coming (with ads) in early 2016
Google revealed the “AMP” endeavor last month to accelerate mobile page-loading times, the slowness of which is a huge user bone of contention. It now says the fast-loading mobile pages will hit search results by early next year, and also gave more details about the project’s raison d’etre: ads. The list of partners supporting the effort include its own AdSense, Outbrain and AOL, Engadget‘s parent company. The AMP project will cut mobile data use and wait times, but Google’s not just being altruistic — it’s trying to curb ad-blockers, which heavily impact the company’s ad revenue. Apple recently gave ad-blockers a big boost when it revealed it would support them for Safari on iOS 9.
Via: Marketing Land
Source: Google
Apple buys motion-capture company that worked on ‘Star Wars’
Apple’s latest startup pickup is Faceshift, a company that specializes in facial motion capture — often doing it without any need for physical “markers” on the model’s face. Cupertino confirmed the deal to Techcrunch, which also discovered that several Faceshift employees are already working for Apple in Europe. While a lot of Faceshift’s technical demos have focused on real-time animation based on camera-based motion capture, it also works on improving facial CGI animation in movies and other media. (That’s where the Star Wars connection comes in.) It’s a bit of a reach to figure out exactly how the startup’s work will dovetail into Apple’s machinations for the future — but at least it’s something a little more interesting than another map company.
Source: Techcrunch
TalkTalk hack: Police make fifth arrest on blackmail charges
Now that we know the full extent of the TalkTalk hack, the whole affair has started to quieten down. Police are still pursuing the people responsible though and now, we’ve been told that a fifth suspect has been arrested. Officers used a search warrant on a property in Llanello, Wales, before apprehending an 18-year-old boy on suspicion of blackmail. Unlike the other four suspects that have been arrested — a 15-year-old from Northern Ireland, a 16-year-old from Feltham in London, a 16-year-old from Norwich and a 20-year-old man from south Staffordshire — he hasn’t been released on bail, at least not yet. At this time, he also isn’t suspected of any Computer Misuse Act offences.
TalkTalk confirmed the hack on October 23rd, meaning 4 million customers were potentially at risk. Chief executive Dido Harding later confirmed that the company had received a digital ransom note, although the sender and terms were never disclosed. Police quickly launched an investigation and within a few days, TalkTalk was able to confirm the stolen data was “materially lower than initially believed.” Eventually we got some ballpark figures, followed by definitive numbers: 156,959 customers had their personal details stolen, of which 15,656 bank account numbers and sort codes were accessed. Furthermore, 28,000 credit and debit card numbers were taken, but these were obscured and TalkTalk claims they can’t be used for any financial transactions.
While the police continue their investigation, the UK’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee has launched an inquiry into the attack. TalkTalk and its defences are clearly the focus — the company will no doubt be required to give evidence — but there’s also interest in the wider telecoms and ISP industry, and whether it can do more to protect customer data.
Source: Metropolitan Police
AIVAnet 