8tracks and Samsung’s Milk Music are going data-free with Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile’s Data-Free Music streaming debuted in early October with three services being supported. Virgin Mobile has plans between $35-$55 per month and each, though unlimited as a whole, includes a limited amount of data coming from its 4G LTE network. Music streaming is a huge hog on data and the carrier recognizes this by implementing Data-Free Music streaming. It allows customers to stream music from select services without having an affect on their monthly allotment of high-speed data.
Now the carrier, which is owned by Sprint, is adding two new services to the mix.
8tracks and Samsung’s Milk Music are both now supported by the carrier’s Data-Free Music streaming. 8tracks consists of activity- and mood-based playlists while Milk Music is a radio streaming service that has over two hundred curated stations. These two are joining Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Slacker Radio as the the five music streaming services used freely with Virgin Mobile.
Virgin Mobile is also adding two phones from LG to its lineup. The G Stylo and Tribute 2 are being sold for $199 and $99, respectively.
Source: Sprint
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Pushbullet now allows you to browse your files remotely from any of your devices
Pushbullet has just been updated with a new feature that is sure to please many. You can now browse your files remotely from all of your devices. Basically, what this means is you will be able to browse files on other devices and request access to them through different devices.
This sounds like a pretty awesome feature, but by default it is turned off. Obviously, there may be some privacy concerns, and not everyone will be comfortable using it. However, those who are, on Android, can simply swipe from the left in Pushbullet and head to “Remote Files”, then check off the enable box.
Once that is done, you will see a list of devices that have Pushbullet installed and will be able to click one to browse all of its files. Once you have found a file you want, tap it to request access to it. You can also do this from literally anywhere in the world. Perfect for those who may have forgotten a file on their computer and now need it at work or school.
The big question everyone is probably wondering is, is this a free or paid feature? Luckily, it’s for everyone… sort of. Like Pushbullet does with answering text messages now, the free version will have a limited number of files per month they can send, and obviously the paid version is unlimited.
Source: Pushbullet
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This could be the OnePlus 3… but it’s probably not
A leaked render emerged online earlier today allegedly showcasing the appearance of OnePlus’ upcoming flagship smartphone of 2016. If these images are anything to go by, it looks like the OnePlus 3 has undergone a comprehensive design change from previous OnePlus devices.
The handset pictured above features a brushed metal back as opposed to the signature sandstone removable panels that OnePlus favoured for its first- and second-generation models. The dedicated fingerprint scanner that made its debut on the OnePlus 2 seems to have disappeared from the front of the unit in favour of dual forward-facing stereo speakers.
In terms of hardware, speculation suggests that the OnePlus 3 will be one of the first devices on the market to sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset. This processor is expected to come paired with 4GB of RAM, along with a QHD display. Other rumored specifications include a 20MP rear-facing camera, an 8MP selfie shooter and a 3,330mAh battery.
Unfortunately, as with all leaks, rumors and speculation, we have to take this information with a large pinch of salt until OnePlus provides us with some solid evidence with regards to what it has in store for its next smartphone.
Come comment on this article: This could be the OnePlus 3… but it’s probably not
Google squashes irritating MMS bug with Android 6.0.1
A few days ago, Google began rolling out the Android 6.0.1 update for Nexus smartphones and tablets. Unfortunately, at the time of release, it wasn’t clear what exactly the upgrade bundled aside from compatibility for the brand new emoji set.
We now know that this version of Marshmallow also transports a much-needed patch for the incredibly annoying Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) bug, which caused picture messages to unsuccessfully download from servers.
It’s certainly nice to see Google take user feedback on board and create a fix for the issue in such a short time frame. If you haven’t received the upgrade yet, you could always flash the firmware onto your device. For more information on how to do this, click here for our guide.
Source: Google
Via: Android Police
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Apple Now Allowing Personal Pickup for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard
Stock of the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard remains low, but Apple is now allowing customers to use its Personal Pickup feature to order the devices online and arrange to pick them up in a local Apple Store. Enabling Personal Pickup may make it easier for customers hoping to get an Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard to locate one nearby, as it lists retail stock that’s shipped to stores each day.
Both the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard were unavailable on the day the iPad Pro launched, with the earliest November 11 buyers receiving their accessories a week or two later. Those who were not lucky enough to order right at midnight when the iPad Pro launched were stuck with delivery estimates that ranged into late December. Orders placed today list a delivery estimate of mid-January.
Though it’s impossible to get an Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard online, Apple has been sending small shipments of the accessories to its retail stores each day, allowing some lucky customers to purchase in store. Prior to today, the only way to get an Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard was to show up shortly after a shipment was received, as there was no way to track supplies online. With Personal Pickup, it’s now possible to see exactly which stores have which devices in stock in the United States and other countries.
It appears that the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard are not available in many stores across the country at the current time, with stores in many of the major cities we checked listing it as “Unavailable for Pickup.” A couple of MacRumors readers have been able to purchase an Apple Pencil for pickup, so stock levels may just be fluctuating based on the retail shipments received.
The Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard are priced at $99 and $169, respectively, and are designed to work solely with the iPad Pro, Apple’s most powerful tablet device.
(Thanks, Noire!)
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Google: We have proof that our quantum computer really works
Google announced a breakthrough in the field of quantum computing Wednesday. The company thinks it’s found a quantum algorithm that solves problems 100 million times faster than conventional processes. If confirmed, this discovery could not only lead to iRobot-style artificial intelligence but also advance the US space program by light years.
Back in 2013, Google and NASA went halvsies on a D-Wave X2 computing system. The D-Wave is supposedly the world’s first functional quantum computer, though experts both within and without the company have never been able to conclusively prove that the machine actually taps into the quantum realm to produce its calculations. That is, until now.
Google’s announcement Wednesday centers on “quantum annealing“, a technique that determines the global minimum for a given function when presented with a set of potential solutions. In English, it figures out the best (ie most efficient) overall course of action to complete a task when given a set number of options. Scientists have been working on quantum annealers for a while now, though the two primary techniques, “simulated annealing” and “quantum monte carlo” are both just simulated systems running on conventional hardware. The D-Wave system, on the other hand, is hard-coded to run the quantum annealing algorithm on its quantum array.
The company recently tested the new QA algorithm in a proof-of-concept trial against conventional systems running the simulated annealing and monte carlo methods. The results are more than impressive. As you can see from the graph above, Google’s method beat out the other two quite handily, solving a function with 1000 binary variables up to 100 million times faster.
Google qualified these results as “intriguing and very encouraging” in its announcement, though the company has a long way to go before this research is ready for the consumer market. But once it is, hoo boy, get ready for a technological revolution. With it, AI researchers may be able to develop smarter, more responsive computer learning systems, NASA could use it to simulate rocket launches (or entire space missions) — heck even the mundane material sciences could get a boost from this technology.
Via: MIT Tech Review
Source: Google Research
Google Play Music’s family plan goes live this week
Back in September, Google announced that it would offer a family plan for its Play Music subscription service, and today it’s finally launching. Just like Apple Music, $14.99 every month will get you and up to five additional family members access to the Google Play streaming music library. That includes access to 35 million songs on demand, ad-free playback (naturally) and the ability for each family member to stream simultaneously on their own devices.
This ends up being a better deal than Spotify if you want to get more than two people on the same plan. Spotify charges $14.99 a month for two family members and lets you add on additional users for $5, while Google and Apple both keep you at a flat $14.99 even as you add more people. In fact, Google Play Music has quietly become one of the best deals in streaming music. Beyond access to Google Play Music, a subscription will also get you the benefits of YouTube Red and will unlock the full features of the just-launched YouTube Music app. That’s a pretty impressive deal for $14.99.
Google says that you should be able to sign up for a family plan on Android this week, and it’ll work across Android, iOS and the web. We don’t expect signups in the iOS app to go live (as Apple would take its 30 percent cut of that subscription revenue), but it seems logical that you’d be able to sign up over the web. We reached out to Google to check on that last point. If you’ve been waiting for this subscription option, just keep your eyes peeled — users in US, Canada, the UK, Australia, France and Germany can sign up this week, and more countries should be added soon.
Source: Google
6 futuristic appliances from the house of tomorrow
By Cat DiStasio
What will the home of the future look like? Designers are running wild envisioning appliances that could become reality in 10, 20 or 50 years. Some are highly efficient and use less (or zero) electricity while doing whatever it is we rely on them to do. Others open up exciting new possibilities — what if you could print your own clothes, cook with sunlight and cool food with bio gel? Although these next-gen appliances might not hold a candle to Back to the Future‘s pizza rehydrator, we love them all the same.Slideshow-346766
Microsoft officially launches Cortana on Android
After a few months of beta testing, Microsoft has finally launched its Cortana digital assistant application on Android. Microsoft launched a closed beta test for the app back in July, then opened it up to the public later in August. Now the voice assistant is available for all to download from the Google Play Store.
With Cortana on Android, you’ll be able to set location and time reminders, track packages, and get all kinds of information and answers whenever you need it. And if you own a Windows 10 PC, Cortana will help you out even more. The voice assistant will allow you to send text message replies from your PC, which will definitely come in handy for many users out there. If you’ve been using Cortana beta for the past few months, there aren’t really any notable new features that come along with this stable release.
See also: “Hey Cortana” may give “OK Google” a run for its money on Android
Additionally, Microsoft has announced that Cortana will be included in the OnePlus One’s upcoming Cyanogen OS 12.1.1 OTA update later in December. This means Cortana on the OnePlus One will be able to toggle network modes, power down your phone, and even turn on Quiet Mode. OnePlus One users will also be able to say “Hey, Cortana” from any screen (even from within another app) and the voice assistant will answer. Other Android users can use this functionality as well, though they need to be in the Cortana app or on their home screens.
Cortana is now available in the Play Store, so hit up the link below if you’re interested! Have you been using Cortana? If so, how are you liking it?
Volkswagen ‘concludes’ CO2 emissions are not a problem
Volkswagen has “largely concluded” that its CO2 emissions problem is smaller than suspected. Based on an internal investigation, the automaker claims that there’s no evidence that the fuel consumption numbers had been illegally changed. Their measurement checks reveal that there were only minor discrepancies in a few models that add up to 36,000 vehicles, as opposed to the 800,000 cars that were under initial suspicion. According to a statement “almost all of these model variants do correspond to the CO2 figures originally determined.” The models that did reveal false CO2 figures were only off by a few grams and can be readjusted without a recall.
The German auto giant will have its conclusion verified by a “neutral technical service under the supervision of the appropriate authority” by the end of the month. If the numbers check out, the company could be in a lot less trouble than it first anticipated. It will still need to bounce back from the staggering recall (about 11 million vehicles) and loss of trust from its diesel emissions cheating scandal. But, the impact from the CO2 controversy, which could’ve cost the company $2.2 billion according to its own estimates, might turn out to be a minor scratch.
[Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: Volkswagen
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