Spotify’s unpaid royalties have caught up to them in $150 million lawsuit
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Spotify‘s music streaming business has been the subject of intense scrutiny over the last few months and it appears one part of that scrutiny is coming to a head. A class action lawsuit submitted by Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker’s David Lowery is seeking $150 million from Spotify for damages from “knowingly, willingly, and unlawfully reproducing and distributing copyrighted compositions without obtaining mechanical licenses”. The lawsuit stems from Spotify’s policy of only providing royalties when it can identify who the royalties should go to – otherwise, the money goes into a “royalty bank” for when the copyright owner can be identified. In Spotify’s own words:
“We are committed to paying songwriters and publishers every penny. Unfortunately, especially in the United States, the data necessary to confirm the appropriate rightsholders is often missing, wrong, or incomplete. When rightsholders are not immediately clear, we set aside the royalties we owe until we are able to confirm their identities. We are working closely with the National Music Publishers Association to find the best way to correctly pay the royalties we have set aside and we are investing in the resources and technical expertise to build a comprehensive publishing administration system to solve this problem for good.”
Lowery is seeking up to $150,000 for each infringed song, so you can see how quickly this all adds up if Spotify is found guilty of intentionally withholding royalties. It does beg the question of whether more music streaming services are also guilty of similar charges, and if so, the outcome of this lawsuit could have far-reaching consequences for the industry.
What do you think about Spotify’s predicament? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Billboard via TalkAndroid
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TrainCrasher is a new anime-themed beat ’em up game that’s out now on Android
You might think they’re all pretty similar, but there’s just something about side-scrolling fighting games that draws you in. So if you’ve been looking for a new fighting game for your Android device, look no further. Developer Softmax has just released a new anime-themed beat ’em up title called TrainCrasher to the Google Play Store.
In TrainCrasher, you’ll be fighting against other characters on a speeding train on a quest for revenge. There are four unique characters to choose from, each with different playing styles. As of right now you can play as Ron, the sword fighting warrior; Mei, the axe wielding treasure hunter; Zett, the vengeful warrior that fights with his bare fists; and Hound, the mysterious masked hunter that wields a gun in each hand. The developer says more characters are on the way, so stay tuned for an update to arrive in the future.
Of course, you’ll be able to upgrade your characters’ skills and armor as you play through the game, and you can also upgrade and purchase new weapons. You can either purchase upgrades or new weapons with the in-game currency, or you can win weapons by defeating the huge boss creatures that stand between you and the next level.
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See also: 32 Best RPGs for Android
TrainCrasher is now available for free from the Google Play Store. There are quite a few in-app purchases in this game, but it’s pretty easy to play through without spending any real cash. If you’re interested, follow the Play Store link below for more information.
Download TrainCrasher from Google Play
Next: 70 best Android games
Brazil’s biggest city wants to charge fees for Uber rides
Many cities try to limit or ban ridesharing services like Uber, but Sao Paulo is trying an uncommon strategy to keep the companies in check: skimming a little off the top. The major Brazilian city has proposed a requirement these services have to buy government credits to cover their distance traveled, with rates changing based on when and where the trip takes place. App makers would also have to support a service that picks up multiple passengers headed in the same direction, although that won’t be hard when options like UberPool already exist.
Believe it or not, Uber is happy with the concept. It sees the credit model as “innovative,” and plans to contribute to the proposal’s 30-day public comment period. It’s not hard to see why the firm is so happy, mind you. Although Uber is determined to keep costs down whenever possible, it’s most concerned with preserving business as usual — it’d rather pay a small fee than face something like Rio de Janeiro’s attempted ban. Sao Paulo’s taxi drivers aren’t nearly so pleased (they’ve protested in favor of heavy regulation or bans), but they might not have much choice if the proposed measures stick.
[Image credit: Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images]
Source: Reuters
AVG’s Chrome security add-on had a big security hole
You’d normally expect antivirus software to improve your web browser’s security, but just the opposite was true for AVG until today. The company has fixed an exploit in its protective Chrome extension, WebTuneUp, that would let maliciously-coded websites compromise your PC to a “trivial” degree. It could read your email on the web, for example. AVG was quick about fixing the issue within days of getting a heads-up from Google, but there is a real concern that millions of people were vulnerable for considerably longer.
The discovery reinforces worries that antivirus makers are struggling to keep up with security issues, whether it’s shielding you from attacks or vulnerabilities in their own code. Simply put, there’s a ton of malware out there — it’s difficult to promise a completely airtight security solution, even if it’s a relatively simple web add-on.
Via: Hacker News, Geek
Source: Google Security Research
Twitter updates rules on abusive behavior and hateful conduct
Twitter issued a statement earlier on its blog that they’re still fighting abuse and will not tolerate any harassment.
One of the major downsides of social media is the amount of abuse and harassment that takes place. Twitter has updated its policy multiple times to better enforce its rules against abusive users and has updated its service terms yet again. Twitter added a “hateful conduct” section which further exemplifies the issue and indicates what could happen if a user breaks these terms.
Earlier this year, Twitter made it easier to report trolls and harmful behavior. Today, the company sent out an important reminder that it hasn’t forgotten about these issues and will continue to take them with all seriousness.
Source: Twitter
Come comment on this article: Twitter updates rules on abusive behavior and hateful conduct
Google Cardboard used to save a baby’s life
I remember the day Google gave out the Google Cardboard and everyone thought it was a joke. A device made of cardboard, how good could it really be? Well, good enough to be used by doctors to save a baby’s life.
A four-month-old was born with no left lung and a deformed heart, any chance of survival was not looking good. However, doctors in Miami, Florida, managed to look “inside” the baby to save her life.
Heart surgery is no joke and is especially difficult on such a small baby. Normally, the doctors would just look at the scans of the heart, but the pediatric surgeons at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital decided to try something new. They uploaded the images into a phone, and placed it in a Google Cardboard to view them in 3D.
Dr. Redomond Burke, a cardiovascular surgeon at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital said:
“The old VR images we used to get were just too grainy not specific enough for the fine detail you need to do open heart surgery on a baby,”
After the Doctors planned everything out to get a clear understanding of what needed to be done, the 7 hour surgery began. Thankfully, the surgery was a success and baby Teegan Lexcen is recovering.
Source: CBSMiami
Via: Engadget
Come comment on this article: Google Cardboard used to save a baby’s life
Gionee F105 passes through TENAA
Gionee appears to have another handset in the works with model number F105. The handset obtained its certification from the Chinese regulatory agency TENAA yesterday.
The Gionee F105 is a mid-range model with a 5-inch display and a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. The handset is powered by a quad-core 1.3GHz CPU backed with 2GB of RAM. On the back is an 8MP camera and on the front is a 5MP camera for video chats and taking selfies. The handset has 16GB of internal storage and is expandable via a built-in microSD card slot, which can supply an additional 128GB of space.
Android 5.1 is running the Gionee F105 and a 2,400mAh battery is sealed at the back. It won’t be long before the handset becomes official in China. The images from the TENAA listing show off a gold color variant, but the handset is expected to launch is white as well.
Source: TENAA
Via: Times News
Come comment on this article: Gionee F105 passes through TENAA
Data shows consumers gravitated to larger screens over the holidays
The percentage of phone-tablet hybrids distributed in the week leading up to Christmas nearly doubled from last year, data shows.
In 2014, according to Flurry Insights, 13 percent of new device activations were phone-tablet hybrids (e.g. the size of a GS6 Edge+ and higher). 2015’s numbers show a significant increase, with 27 percent of new activations being from larger smartphones. 54 percent of new activations in 2015 were medium-sized phones, while full-size tablets and small tablets each came in at 9 percent of new activations.
Additionally, consumers are preferring larger smartphones over smaller sizes. The Korea Times reports that Samsung sold about 100,000 units of the Galaxy Note 5 just three days after its launch in South Korea, with numbers only continuing to grow worldwide.
But those numbers don’t tell the whole story. When it came to Android devices, 50 percent of new activations were phone-tablet hybrids in 2015. For comparison, only 12 percent of new iOS device activations were of the larger size.
Source: Flurry Insights
Come comment on this article: Data shows consumers gravitated to larger screens over the holidays
How to stop Android apps running in the background
Feel like your smartphone or tablet just isn’t getting the same mileage that it used to? Is your battery conking out by 3pm when it once lasted all the way to bedtime? Is it sluggish and less responsive than in the past? You may have some rogue apps sucking your system’s resources in the background.
Never fear! In all but the most dire cases, shutting down Android apps running in the background is a fairly easy process. To long-time Android users, this walkthrough might be a bit remedial, but we’re going to move through this slowly to make sure to keep even the newbiest of newbies on the same page.
Identify the culprits
The first step to shutting down renegade applications is to know thine enemy. A surgeon doesn’t just cut into a patient willy nilly! He has to know whether it’s the appendix or the spleen that’s acting up before he ever picks up a scalpel. These are your diagnostic tools:
Check battery use
The most common symptom of background apps run amok is a hit in battery life. To see which apps are hogging juice, go to Settings > Battery to get an overview of what apps have been draining your battery the most since your last full charge.
Check process stats
If you’re looking for a bit more information than just battery use, you can get a log of how much processing power each app has a tendency to use. But first, you’re going to have to get Developer Access.
Becoming a Developer is kind of a hidden option. You won’t find “Unlock Developer options” anywhere in your Settings menu. What you’ll need to do is go to Settings > About Device and scroll down to Build number. Tap Build number a few times. You won’t get any response, but if you tap enough times, you’ll get a notification congratulating you on your promotion to Developer.
Now head back to your Settings menu and you’ll see a new selection is available: Developer options! Access Developer options to see a whole slew of new toys to play with (but be careful messing around with these settings unless you know what you’re doing).
The option you’re looking for is Process stats. Tap that to see how much RAM your apps are using. Choosing a specific app will let you screw down on it and get a lot more technical information, if you’re interested.
Choose your targets
So now you’re equipped with your diagnostic tools, but how do you know which ones to shut down? Not all background applications deserve to die – many of them are important for your device’s everyday functionality. For instance, if you’re thinking about shutting down Google Play services, Google Search, Google Keyboard, the Google Play Store… hell, basically anything with “Google” in the name, you’re probably barking up the wrong tree. Leave those guys alone: it’s healthy for them to keep doing their thing in the background.
The real villains you’re looking for are usually games or music players that you’re not actively using. You might also have some other app that’s sucking a lot of RAM or battery and you can’t think of a reason why it should. Some apps need to be constantly sending and receiving packets of information to perform their intended function, but if that Spot the Difference game you haven’t played for weeks is showing up on your battery list, it’s time to put that sucker down.
See also: How black wallpaper can save your Android battery
Kill the traitors
The quickest way to stop a runaway app in its tracks is just to kill it. If you’re running Lollipop or greater, then the fastest way to kill an app is to tap the Recent Apps button (that little square on the bottom right) and find the app in the stack of ‘cards.’ Swiping the card left or right will kill it dead.
Alternatively, you can always Force Stop an app. Go to Settings > Apps and then tap the app you want to murder. Once in the menu, tap Force Stop to continue the execution. You may get a warning that doing this may make the app misbehave, but if it’s sucking resources in the background, it’s already misbehaving.
Unfortunately, death isn’t permanent in the Android universe. These apps will spring back to life the next time they are launched. If you have a repeat offender, you may have to take more drastic measures.
Shun the non-believers
If an app has proven itself to be wholly untrustworthy, the best step is to just delete it from your device. Go to Settings > Apps and tap the one you want to get rid of. Say goodbye and then tap uninstall.
However, many of the apps most likely to hog background resources are the bloatware apps that came preinstalled on your device. Without rooting, you can’t actually uninstall these. You can, however, disable them. Settings > Apps, choose the bloatware you despise, then tap Disable. The app will stay on your phone or tablet, but it won’t be able to misbehave any more.
Conscript outside help
If all this seems a bit tedious to you, you can always do the equivalent of hiring a digital maid service to keep your device’s background neat and tidy for you. For this, we recommend Greenify.
Greenify is a lightweight little app that automatically force-closes apps whenever you’re not using them. The language Greenify uses is ‘hibernating,’ but it effectively just kills background apps so you don’t have to bother with it. Do note that a lot of these solutions, including Greenify, may require root to use.
If you really want to take full control of your device, however, the best solution is to root it. Root users will be able to unlock Greenify’s full automation capabilities and get rid of bloatware for good.
Conclusion
If you’re a new Android user frustrated with resource-draining apps running wild in the background, hopefully we’ve given you the tools you need to eradicate the varmints. If you’re a long-time Android user, what kind of advice do you have for people struggling with recurring background app problems? Let us know in the comments!
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