Report: Samsung will start building chips for AMD
With falling smartphone sales, Samsung has been trying to boost its chip manufacturing business. AMD, meanwhile, builds CPUs and GPUs for PCs and both major consoles, but doesn’t have a fab business anymore. According to Korea’s Electronic Times, that kind of synergy was too good to ignore, so Samsung will manufacture CPU and GPU chips for AMD on its 14-nanometer chip foundry starting in 2016. All of AMD’s chips are currently manufactured by GlobalFoundries, an Abu Dhabi-owned firm that once belonged to AMD. Both Samsung and GlobalFoundries will reportedly manufacture AMD’s latest “Greenland” GPUs and “Zen” CPUs using a 14-nanometer process, which will make them faster and more energy-efficient than previous AMD chips .
AMD is, of course, behind Intel and NVIDIA in CPU and GPU sales, respectively, and is still struggling financially. The company is laying off 5 percent of its 9,700-strong workforce, and two key hardware gurus, Jim Keller and Phil Rogers, recently departed. Despite all that, the company has built itself a niche supplying all the chips used by Microsoft and Sony in the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.
Samsung has been struggling against Apple with smartphone sales. At the same time, it manufactures a good chunk of the chips for Apple devices, and also builds GPUs for NVIDIA and other manufacturers. AMD’s incoming CPUs should be more competitive with Intel thanks to the smaller 14-nanometer process, and could be as much as 40 percent faster and more efficient than its current generation. If AMD continues to work with Samsung (assuming the rumors are true), it might actually get a leg up on Intel in the PC market, because Samsung expects to ship even more efficient 10-nanometer chips by next year, while Intel recently confirmed that its own 10-nanometer chips won’t arrive until 2017.
[Image credit: GlobalFoundries]
Via: Reuters
Source: ET News
Genius for Android shows lyrics for whatever you’re playing
Genius is all about digging up lyrics for that song you’re listening to, so it would only make sense if it brought up those lyrics at the very moment the song comes on, wouldn’t it? Sure enough, you’re getting that feature now. A recent update to the Android app introduces lyric matching for whatever you’re playing, in any app — whether it’s Apple Music, Google Play Music or Spotify, you’ll get those verses as soon as they’re relevant. They’ll only be as good as the crowdsourced material allows, of course, but it beats scratching your head when an unintelligible line comes up mid-tune.
Via: Lisa Wray Zeitouni (Google+)
Source: Google Play, Genius
Apple Confirms 12-Inch MacBook Shown on ’60 Minutes’ as Fake ‘iPhone 7’ Video Surfaces
Apple has confirmed to Tech Insider that the notebook pictured behind Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell during the 60 Minutes special Inside Apple is the 12-inch MacBook released in April, debunking some users on Reddit and social media who speculated the notebook could be an ultra-thin MacBook Pro.
12-inch MacBook pictured behind Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell (Image: CBS)
The chances of Apple leaving an unreleased MacBook in plain sight for a national TV program were slim to begin with, especially in a room full of Apple’s top executives. In a later segment, Apple even covered desks in its secretive design studio so that cameras could not capture what the company is working on next.
The rumor mill is also abuzz after a fake “iPhone 7” leaked video circulated on Chinese social media overnight. The exact source of the sketchy video is unknown, but it falsely depicts an alleged Foxconn employee handling a purported next-generation iPhone prototype that seemingly lacks a home button.
The staged video shows a metallic device with an Apple logo, but it is noticeably thicker than the iPhone 6s and includes regulatory information that is questionable for such an early prototype. The prototype more closely resembles an HTC One M9 with thin bezels along the top and bottom of the screen.
Foxconn has been the source of iPhone leaks in the past, including the iPhone 6 rear shell and dimensions, but it is unlikely Apple has provided the supplier with an assembled “iPhone 7” prototype over nine months ahead of its expected release. No other physical components for the next-generation iPhone have leaked to date.
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Microsoft bans adware that use man-in-the-middle techniques
Starting next year, Microsoft will be a lot stricter when it comes to adware. In a post on the Technet blog, Redmond has announced that it will block advertising programs “that take choice and control away from users.” The company’s talking about adware that use “man-in-the-middle” (MiTM) techniques, in particular. Those include injecting ads and promotions by proxy, as well as changing DNS settings, without your express consent. They aren’t safe, because they could be used to introduce malware into your system, or even to spy on encrypted data and communication.
In order to keep those types of adware off your computer, Microsoft has made it a policy that programs that show ads on the browser can only install, disable or execute programs through the browser itself. That means any ad software that doesn’t notify you via your browser that it wants to download or install something will be blocked off and marked as malware. The company says it will enforce the new rule on May 31st, 2016 and asks developers to comply with the new policy.
If all these sound vaguely familiar, it’s because Lenovo’s controversial Superfish adware worked the same way. The PC-maker shipped out laptops with the pre-installed software, which not only injected sponsored links into users’ search results, but also installed man-in-the-middle certificates that would allow third parties to see users’ sensitive data, such as their bank details. After getting a lot of flak, Lenovo eventually agreed to stop preloading its computers with Superfish and provided a tool that can remove it completely from the units that already shipped out.
This change by Microsoft effectively bans the root method that Superfish used to hijack Lenovo customer traffic.
— SecuriTay (@SwiftOnSecurity) December 21, 2015
Breaking: Microsoft bans all adware use of proxies/Winsock/MitM to inject ads. Violators will be marked malware. https://t.co/kVYfKYJP15
— SecuriTay (@SwiftOnSecurity) December 21, 2015
This is a problem. #superfish pic.twitter.com/jKDfSo99ZR
— Kenn White (@kennwhite) February 19, 2015
[Image credit: Nils Geylen/Flickr]
Source: Microsoft Technet
Google’s interactive ‘Spotlight Stories’ come to YouTube
Google’s Spotlight Stories started life as a partnership with Motorola. The made-for-mobile 360-degree videos let viewers dive into animated worlds created by engineers and movie makers. The latest film, “Special Delivery,” arrives just in time for the holidays and was created by Aardman Animations (of Wallace and Gromit fame). Unlike most VR video, Spotlight Stories use the sensors in your phone for a more interactive experience. Look away from the main character and the main story pauses, while you unlock mini stories that only play when you focus on them. Previous shows required a special app to view them, but Special Delivery is launching on directly on YouTube — as the ubiquitous video site bolsters its VR library.
Special Delivery follows a caretaker, who is disturbed by a mysterious stranger on the roof (who could it be at this time of year?). Follow him to find out who the visitor is, or cut your own story as you look elsewhere. The only downside is that the video is only optimized for a handful of Android phones (though a good number of flagships and tablets are covered), on a plus note, you can enjoy in 3D with Cardboard whatever phone you have. Check the YouTube description for the full list. If your phone didn’t make the cut, you can still watch the story — just without any of the clever stuff. Expect more videos from the project to launch on YouTube, making them more accessible, even if you don’t have the right hardware.
Source: Google (Blog), YouTube
BlackBerry to consider a mid-tier Android phone if the Priv is a success
The BlackBerry Priv, the company’s first Android smartphone, marked a new page in BlackBerry’s history and the handset could just be the start of a longer chapter. In a recent interview, BlackBerry CEO John Chen stated that the company will consider moving into the mid-range Android market as well, providing that the Priv is seen as a success.
Chen stated that the Priv’s results over the next three to four months are going to be key when determining what the company does next. Chen mentioned that he’s looking at results for the Priv in terms of margin and not necessarily just in terms of sales volume.
If the Priv is well received, and Chen seems rather optimistic that the phone is on the right track, BlackBerry will consider developing a new mid to high end smartphone that could launch sometime in the 2016 calendar year. We are probably looking at a launch in the later half. A low cost smartphone from BlackBerry seems rather unlikely, but its next handset could take the form of the reasonably priced “super-mid” tier of products that have become increasingly popular in Asia and Europe.
See also: BlackBerry Priv review
When questioned about a further hardware partnership with Samsung, which manufactures the AMOLED display for the Priv, Chen insisted that the two companies continue to work together but don’t have any confirmed long running deals for physical product development. However, the two continue to run joint products in the security space and with Samsung’s Knox products for mobile.
BlackBerry looks to be taking its mobile strategy just one quarter at a time and isn’t making any long term commitments. Given the competitive nature of today’s mobile market, this strategy may pay off.
Why everyone should learn to code
If you’re planning on creating an Android app, then you should of course learn to code. While it is possible to create apps using other means, building it yourself will give you by far the most flexibility and control over the finished product.
But that is only one of many scenarios where learning to program is hugely beneficial. App or no, it is my belief that everyone can benefit from learning to code. Programming is like a superpower that allows you to do all kinds of amazing things, while simultaneously being highly rewarding and great for your brain. Allow me to try and persuade you…
See also: Writing your first Android app – everything you need to know
Learning to code lets you build tools
The first thing I’m going to do to try and convince you that coding is worth your while, is to show you this other guy telling you why coding is worth your while…
In this TEDx talk, Christian Genco explains his views on why you should learn to program. The main argument he puts forward is that you can use coding to do anything better. He recounts a story from Reddit about a guy who was hired to do some large data entry task. What did the guy do? He wrote a script that would handle the data entry for him and thereby save him countless hours. He was in a room with a team of other guys who were also employed to do the very same thing and in a matter of hours he had rendered their jobs obsolete.
Okay, so that story didn’t end well for his new colleagues but the guy undoubtedly would have been able to sell that piece of code to the company for a rather princely sum!
And this isn’t all that rare either – I’ve actually used similar strategies in my own coding career. As a freelance writer, I was once hired to write titles and descriptions for hundreds of web pages selling different products. For each page, I had to create a title and a description that would include the product name, the quantity and the price. So again, I wrote a program to do it for me. The script took about an hour to write but it completed more than 20 hours of work. I earned several hundred GBP in the space of an hour, all thanks to programming!
And once you learn to code you’ll find there are tons of situations just like these. Countless times I’ve written programs to carry out little random jobs for me (like sorting numbers or lists), a friend even made an app for their Christmas quiz! We’re all different and we all find ourselves in unique situations where we could use a tool that no one else would ever find useful. As a programmer, you can build that tool and complete all kinds of work more quickly and efficiently.
Think about your own career. What part of your work flow could be made faster and more efficient with the right piece of software? Could you make your own job obsolete? As Christian suggests, we need more coders in other lines of work to help streamline and automate other industries.
Don’t assume that coding means making an app for other people – sometimes it means building something you need. Of course sometimes that does mean you accidentally create the next YouTube or Feedly…
It’s good for your brain
Programming is also good for your brain. In this study programmers scored an average of 16% higher across a number of different cognitive tests as compared with non-programmers. There are plenty more examples of studies with similar results.
Programmers scored an average of 16% higher across a number of different of different cognitive tests.
There is some dispute over precisely which parts of the brain are used most during programming. Some theories say that it is more similar to using languages, whereas others liken it to using math. Recent brain imaging scans of programmers meanwhile, suggest that the areas used are those associated with language processing, working memory and attention, including the ventral lateral prefrontal cortex.
(What’s often missed out in these studies though is just how varied programming tasks can be. Working on a huge project as part of a team trying to find bugs is very different from being a solo app developer.)
See also: I want to develop Android Apps – What languages should I learn?
Either way, this is highly challenging work that really requires you to think abstractly, solve problems and concentrate for extended periods. As ‘brain plasticity’ dictates, the more you use specific areas of the brain and specific skills, the more those areas develop and our skills improve. Conversely, if your work requires you to carry out the exact same actions day in and day out, then those abilities not being used will wane and the related brain areas will atrophy. Coding is generally agreed to be good for the cognitive development of children and it’s probably safe to presume it has neuroprotective properties as we get older too. If your job no longer challenges or stimulates you cognitively, then programming is an excellent pastime to keep your mind limber!
Leaving the neuroscience aside for one moment, programming also simply teaches you to think in a different manner. Programming requires you to be resourceful, to handle abstract concepts and to apply ‘systems thinking’. It presents the kinds of problems that we rarely face otherwise and prepares us to approach challenges in all walks of life in a far more efficient manner.
Or as Steve Jobs put it: “Everyone should know how to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think”
It’s highly rewarding
This one you’re really going to have to experience for yourself… but another amazing thing about programming is how rewarding it is.
Coding allows you to imagine something you want to create and then see it slowly emerge in-front of you as a result of your own ingenuity and problem solving skills. Every time you fix a bug or add a new function, you get a real sense of accomplishment and a rush of dopamine. Likewise, there’s nothing quite like seeing your friends playing the game you made, or better yet, seeing someone on the train using the app you released!
And it’s not just the results that are rewarding either. Coding is actually rather addictive in itself once you get into the flow because it has such a tight ‘feedback loop’. Each time you make a change you can test your code and see how it affected it and this makes it very hard to switch off at the end of the evening. You’ll always want to get one more thing working or fix one more bug.
Believe it or not then, programming is fun once you get the hang of it in the same way that playing games is fun. And it kind of feels… futuristic, too. Add a cool keyboard, caffeine, a pair of headphones and some really awesome music and you’ll be ‘wired in’ in no time.
It’s a great career move
And finally, let’s not dance around the fact that learning to code is an excellent career move. Not only is there the possibility of creating that world-changing app as an entrepreneur; you’ll also find it helps you to land any job you can think of (near enough).
A lot of people in their mid-twenties are whining at the moment about being born ‘too late’ for the digital revolution. Saying that they missed the opportunity the younger generation had by being raised around tablets and smartphones and thus are being overlooked for all the best jobs.
The number of jobs that require basic programming abilities will only increase
But there’s nothing stopping you from learning to code right now (and actually, being brought up in a time of ZX Spectrums and Tatung Einsteins was far more conducive to learning to program). The number of jobs that require basic programming abilities will only increase and even jobs that don’t directly require programming skills will benefit from the ability. Tell your potential employer that you’re also capable of creating a web app for them and you probably just put yourself ahead of the competition. If you want to progress your career and turn yourself into a viable candidate for a raise, learn to program. And if you want to avoid your job being taken by a robot in ten years? Learn to program!
So there are tons of reasons that learning to code is an excellent idea… pick one! Even if you don’t have an idea for the next big mobile app, just have a play with it and you might be surprised by how rewarding and enjoyable it is. And once you know how to code, a ton of uses will present themselves. Guaranteed.
How about starting here?
At least six vendors to release Cyanogen powered phones in India next year
Cyanogen Inc is still dreaming of big things for its unique take on the Android operating system and is planning an aggressive expansion strategy in India next year, which is one of if not the world’s fastest growing mobile market.
In order to help grab itself a notable foothold in the Indian market, the company is teaming up a number of mobile manufacturers that are planning to launch phones in the country. Building on its early partnership with Micromax’s Yu brand, Cyanogen OS will be powering smartphones from at least six domestic and international handset suppliers next year. Although no names have been mentioned just yet.
“One of the reasons we partnered with Micromax because they understand the market and consumers in India… It’s really important for Cyanogen to go beyond the enthusiasts’ community. We want to take the value of this community to mass market,” – Kirt McMaster, Cyanogen
Furthermore, Cyanogen’s Bengaluru team in the country is expanding. There are currently 11 employees on site, but this will grow to 60 people by the end of 2016. Much of the company’s $80 million investor financing is being spent on expanding into the Indian market and the company is also apparently mulling over potential acquisitions of a number of other businesses in the country.
See also: Cyanogen teases multiple cheap devices for next year, CM13, and maybe a flagship
Looking further ahead, the company also seems to have plans for some bigger products over the next 12 to 18 months. The company is looking into new platforms such as machine intelligence and plans to make an announcement about one of its ventures at the 2016 Mobile World Congress. There are certainly interesting times ahead for Cyanogen.
Buy a Champagne OnePlus X without an invite today, in some countries
OnePlus recently announced that it was ditching invites for its OnePlus X smartphone every Tuesday and also unveiled its Champagne color variant of the handset just last week. Well, the two have now crossed paths, for today you can grab a Champagne version of the handset without the need for an invite, but only in select countries and at specific times.
A limited amount of stock will go up for open sale at 4pm local time in Hong Kong, Europe and North America. European and Hong Kong customers will have their pick of Onyx, Champagne and Ceramic models. However, North American customers will only be able to buy the Onyx version and will have to wait until January before the Champagne model becomes available.
Click the button below at the designated to time grab yourself a Champagne OnePlus X. If you miss out this time, don’t forget to check back every Tuesday for your chance to purchase a handset without having to bother with those pesky invites.
Oculus begins shipping the finished Rift to developers
Oculus has announced that it’s shipping “early builds” of its Rift VR headset to developers, along with the developer kit SDK 1.0. According to the company’s blog, “the Rift SDK 1.0 and runtime include features tied to the consumer product, so we’ve currently limited the release to developers putting final touches on launch titles.” Companies now getting the much-anticipated headset are technically not the first to have received it, since Oculus has already delivered engineering samples to privileged developers. It promised to ship more developer headsets “every week in the run up to the launch.”
As for that launch, so far Oculus has so far stuck to its line that the headsets will ship to the public sometime before April 2016 at a price north of $350. The competitor to the PC-driven Rift will be HTC and Steam’s Vive, but those companies recently said it would be delayed until April 2016. In exchange for the delay, however, HTC’s Cher Wang promised a “a very, very big technological breakthrough” on the hardware.
Via: Road to VR
Source: Oculus
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