AT&T pushes BlackBerry Priv update with improved camera, performance and more
We often see a first software update like a 1-year birthday. We make a big deal about it, but it’s usually for no real reason, as these tend to offer very little improvements and chances are you won’t really enjoy it that much. The first BlackBerry Priv update has just hit unlocked devices over a week ago, but as we know, carrier subscribers usually have to wait a bit more to get anything.
See also: BlackBerry Priv review
It turns out BlackBerry Priv users on AT&T didn’t have to wait too long, though. The carrier has just started pushing out the first OTA update to the BlackBerry Priv. Weighing in at about 475 MB, it is certainly not as tiny as we would expect an initial update to be. And it isn’t; this does add a few convenient improvements.
The update seems to be nearly identical to what unlocked users got. Camera improvements should make taking a picture faster, and quality is improved by all the photo processing tweaks. Overall system stability and performance should also be superior after a few squished bugs. And finally, BlackBerry has also improved security by adding the latest available patches. This is, after all, a security-focused smartphone, right?
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This OTA update is not the only treat you have lined up, though. Plenty of BlackBerry apps are also getting a handy update in the Google Play Store. The Keyboard, Hub, Contacts and DTEK apps are all getting added support and their fair share of improvements.
AT&T BlackBerry Priv users should already start seeing those update notifications, so go check your phone if you haven’t updated it yet. As always, keep in mind these updates usually roll out in stages, so you may not see yours coming in yet. Just sit tight and be patient!
Rumor: Sony to have two Xperia Snapdragon 820 flagships for 2016
Sony’s Xperia line has been around for some time, though in recent years hit a bit of a snag as its flagship line has failed to produce a bankable hit. This has, in turn, resulted in rumors the Japanese OEM would shed its skin, similar to what happened with VAIO. Rumors have surfaced in the past few weeks suggesting there would be no less than five Xperia Z6 variants. Today, a new rumor makes five specific claims:
- There will be only two flagship Xperia devices in 2016.
- No flagship will be announced at CES 2016.
- The first flagship will launch in July, and the second in October.
- The devices will make extensive use of metal.
- The devices will both sport the Snapdragon 820 SoC.
We want to caution readers that this information should not be taken as fact. The very idea that Sony will “only” release 2 flagships in 2016 seemingly isn’t even news in-and-of-itself. Rather, it has become such due to wild speculation the company would produce a handful of Z6 devices. In truth, either claim could be “logical” given Sony’s recent releases.
Much to do about…nothing?
The claim of 5 devices stems from reports that 2016 will see a more familiar Z6, a Z6 Premium, and a Z6 Compact, but also a Z6 Mini and a Z6 Ultra. While the latter two are at odds with current trends from the OEM, the past few months has seen Z5-variants of the first three. Putting aside the logic of releasing a flagship Mini when there would already be a flagship Compact, Sony has not released a flagship “Ultra” since the very first Z series, the Z Ultra.
With that said, giant phablet devices do still hit the market these days, however they tend to be of a decidedly lower-spec affair. Sony itself has the 6-inch Xperia C5 Ultra, Huawei has the 6.8-inch P8max, Lenovo has its 7-inch PHAB Plus. Yesterday footage of Samsung’s upcoming 6-inch Galaxy A9 leaked.
None of these devices might be considered a top-tier flagship however, and save for last year’s Motorola Nexus 6, this is arguably the industry trend. For Sony to buck this pattern and release an Xperia Z6 Ultra would arguably result in questionable sales potential, however it is now a commonly circulating belief that Samsung will in fact, have two 6-inch Galaxy S7 devices.
Ultimately only time will tell what Sony actually plans to do. For now however, industry sources are seeking to indicate there will be only two flagship Z devices next year.
Sony’s sore spot
The canceled Sony Xperia Z4v for Verizon would have had a QHD display.
While the promise of a new, metallic pair of products in 2016 has a lot of potential, the more fundamental question is one of logic: While the Xperia brand may be relatively successful in some markets, in others – such as the United States – it is nearly invisible to mainstream consumers. Sony’s fundamental problem is typically cited as being a lack of marketing, a lack of appropriate marketing, and a lack of availability. Even unique variants such as the Verizon Xperia Z4v, which was set to be the only Sony smartphone with a QHD display, have met an unfavorable demise thus further limiting potential exposure.
This trifecta of tribulation is in direct contrast to the high-end flagship devices the company actually produces. The Z series’ camera, for example, is often praised in reviews as having one of the best in the industry. The Z series is made of premium materials, packs top-tier specs, and with the latest entry has even adopted a fingerprint sensor embedded in the side-mounted power button. Here in Japan it, along with other Xperia devices, it can be seen everywhere, but that is hardly the case elsewhere.
Framed in metal?
LG is also expected to use metal on its 2016 flagship, the LG G5.
Critics of the Z-series also list the design as another sore spot. It has remained relatively unchanged since the first model released years ago. In the case of the Z4 specifically, the design and specs were so similar that it was branded as the Z3+ for international markets. The potential of a metal body for the Z6, at the very least, offers a new hope and sufficient excitement that Sony will truly rethink the way its flagship smartphone looks.
Less is more
In addition to the aforementioned topics, Sony’s frequency of hardware refreshes is also deemed problematic for any singular success. The Z4, which released in July, was replaced by the Z5 just three months later. While this was extremely fast even for Japan, at the very least it made some sense here given new product release cycles. Overseas however, Sony clearly knew a problem was at hand hence the Z3+ branding.
Unfortunately today’s rumor ultimately does very little to reassure potential buyers of any deviation from this pattern. Were the purported plan to suggest two different flagships would be released, it might lend some reassurance to longer singular product lifespans. For example, the Z6 releasing in the Spring and then a Z6 Ultra releasing in the fall. Instead, there is seemingly no reason Sony wouldn’t put out a Z6 and Z7 next year, and indeed the report itself cites July and October as launch targets for the new pair of products.
Wrap up
In the coming months, more specific rumors and leaks will begin to flow from their sources and Sony’s plans for the new year will become more apparent. For now however, it is too early to say anything specific. We are very interested in what you have to say, however: Sony is often a rather contentious topic with some being loyal fans and others having less favorable things to say.
Would you consider a Z6 next year if it is made of metal? Would the possibility of a newer flagship releasing just three months later dissuade you? Please feel free to take our quick survey below and then leave your candid comments!
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Seattle votes to let Lyft and Uber drivers unionize
The Seattle City Council’s voted unanimously (9 – 0) that drivers for Lyft and Uber can form unions. The decision is much more complex than the drivers simply being able to organize and collectively bargain for better wages or benefits, though. The ruling is actually illegal, but it’s up to a federal court to rule against it for the law to be reversed. The Seattle Times editorial board writes that the decision breaking national anti-trust laws was something that city officials knew about when voting during tonight’s lame duck session, while The New York Times acknowledges that the decision is something that’s likely to be challenged in court.
This isn’t a clearcut issue at all. On one hand you have the federal law that prohibits unionization of contract workers (as the law’s written, NYT says that this amounts to price fixing); federal law trumps city laws. On the other you have Uber and Lyft which have lowered the pay for drivers, and based on those hundreds of members of the App-based Drivers Association, the main hope is to give the drivers more say about how much they’re paid.
As one might expect, Lyft isn’t exactly pleased by the outcome. A spokesperson for the company told NYT that if the ordinance passed the ruling would threaten “the privacy of drivers, impose costs on passengers,” reminding that the city law conflicts with federal law. An Uber representative tells us that the company “is creating new opportunities for many people to earn a better living on their own time and their own terms,” trying to put a positive spin on opposing the unionization by saying that its drivers appreciate the current flexibility that working for themselves provides.
On the other side of the debate, the deputy director for the National Employment Law Project Rebecca Smith says that the passage of the policy is “a positive step to help make sure the growing on-demand industry works for our economy and our workers.”
Prior to the vote, a representative for Seattle’s teamsters Local 117 Dawn Gearheart told NYT that the current system is “really attractive” for employers in this case, but “that doesn’t mean that all the rights workers have fought for over the past century should go out the window.”
As for its impact (if it isn’t successfully appealed), this could have some serious ripple effects. The NYT specifically cites union leaders in California keeping a close eye on the decision, noting that previous precedents set by Washington state, like the $15 per-hour minimum wage, have started nationwide conversations about certain legislations. That mention of California wasn’t an accident either — Uber’s staring down a class-action lawsuit there because a group of drivers wants to be thought of as full-time employers rather than freelancers.
This isn’t the last we’ll hear of the decision — you can count on it.
Source: The New York Times (1), Uber
Philips Hue won’t work with third-party light bulbs for now
Bad news if you’re planning to slip a few non-Philips light bulbs into your Hue setup: they won’t work, at least not for a while. Philips has dropped support for third-party bulbs after noticing that a growing number of them had “interoperability issues” preventing them from playing nicely with official Hue gear. Support will come back, but only through a Friends of Hue program that will certify lighting. Any existing lights you’re using will work, Philips is quick to note — it’s only new, untested additions that are getting the boot.
Philips maintains that it’s still committed to open technology, and its Hue bridge will continue to work with ZigBee-compatible hardware. Even so, this isn’t going to please the home automation crowd. If you want any Philips gear in a new setup, you’ll have to go all-Hue in the short term… and when third-party support is ready, you may miss out on bulbs that are cheaper or more flexible. Only a “minimal fraction” of users are likely to be affected by this, Philips says, but it’s still unfortunate.
[Image credit: Jasper Juinen/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Via: CNET
Source: Philips
The US wants to check visa applicants’ social media posts
Getting a US visa might soon become even harder for some individuals. In addition to the 5939582 requirements applicants need to enter the country, the United States government wants to start inspecting their social media posts. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Department of Homeland Security is currently devising a plan to make that stage a part of visa applications “before certain people are allowed entry into the nation.”
Homeland Security has already begun looking at select applicants’ posts earlier this year as part of a pilot program, but the agency has become more serious after authorities found that they missed one of the San Bernardino shooter’s pro-jihad social media posts. She passed three background checks during her visa application process when she moved from Pakistan to the US.
At the moment, details about Homeland Security’s new program are scarce, as the government doesn’t want to reveal how it finds and identifies posts considered as threats. As the WSJ said, though, it’s not entirely clear how quickly the agency can insert social media checks into the visa application process, so we can’t say for sure which (and when) applicants will have to go through the process.
[Image credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/GettyImages]
Source: The Wall Street Journal
OnePlus mystery device shows up on GFXBench
OnePlus appears to have two new smartphones in the pipeline. We already saw a leaked render surface for a device alleged to be the OnePlus 3. Now an unnamed OnePlus device has shown up on GFXBench.
The information for this latest devices revealed by the GFXBench entry appears to put this smartphone along the bottom tier of top end devices. This new device comes equipped with a Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 12MP camera and 5MP front-facing camera. By contrast, most flagship devices for 2016, including the OnePlus 3, are thought to be shipping with a Snapdragon 820 or similar competing chipset.
The device has a full HD resolution screen, but only measures 4.6-inches in size, which is smaller than many new devices that seem to have settled at a 5-inch screen on the low end. One possibility is that this device is a “mini” version of the OnePlus 2.
source: GFXBench
via: G for Games
Come comment on this article: OnePlus mystery device shows up on GFXBench
Samsung appeals to Supreme Court regarding Apple design patents
Earlier this month it was revealed Samsung agreed to pay Apple over half a billion dollar settlement from their historic patent battle of a few years ago. Samsung said they reserved the right to claw back some of the payment if a planned appeal to the Supreme Court was successful, indicating the case would continue despite the payment. Today Samsung filed an appeal with the Supreme Court concerning how the court handled design patent violations in the Apple case.
Although Samsung is appealing specific findings in their case with Apple, their arguments are based on a wider front in which they claim courts are mishandling design patents at contention in lawsuits. Samsung says judges are only providing limited guidance to juries about how to interpret design patents and what they may apply to. This is contrasted with utility patents in which very specific instructions are provided.
Samsung also claims the way damages are calculated could result in companies paying damages that are several times larger than the profits made on a product found to infringe on a design patent if multiple patents are violated. The end result is a situation in which design patent trolls are encouraged to engage in litigation. This will also result in stifled innovation and fewer choices for consumers, a point Samsung has tried to make in the past.
source: Re/code
Come comment on this article: Samsung appeals to Supreme Court regarding Apple design patents
What’s on your HDTV: ‘Fargo’, ‘The Expanse’ and ‘Luther’
It’s hard for me to think of a better show than Fargo, and tonight its season finale airs on FX. While there’s a collection of other season and mid-season wrap-ups on TV, the one to watch is Syfy’s The Expanse. Based on a popular book series, it premieres over tonight and tomorrow night, however you can watch the first episode right now. Netflix also has a palate cleanser for last week’s Adam Sandler movie, as it presents Bill Burr’s new series F is for Family. Finally, fans of Luther can expect a one-night only return from Idris Elba on BBC America Thursday night and Minecraft is premiering on the Wii U. Look after the break to check out each day’s highlights, including trailers and let us know what you think (or what we missed).
Blu-ray & Games & Streaming
- Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
- Ted 2
- Fantastic Four
- Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
- The Car
- Triumph of the Will
- Roger Waters: The Wall
- Marco Polo (S1)
- Ark: Survival Evolved, (Xbox One)
- Minecraft (Wii U)
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate – Jack the Ripper DLC (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Monday
- Childhood’s End (Part 1 of 3), Syfy, 8PM
- The Great Christmas Light Fight, ABC, 8PM
- Supergirl (fall finale), CBS, 8PM
- The Voice, NBC, 8PM
- WWE Raw, USA, 8PM
- Monday Night Football: Giants/Dolphins, ESPN, 8:15PM
- Very Semi-serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker Cartoonists, HBO, 9PM
- Jane the Virgin (fall finale), CW, 9PM
- Major Crimes, TNT, 9PM
- Scorpion (fall finale), CBS, 9PM
- Minority Report, Fox, 9PM
- The Expanse (series premiere), Syfy, 10PM
- Adele Live in NYC, NBC, 10PM
- Telenovela, NBC, 10PM
- NCIS: LA (fall finale), CBS, 10PM
- Legends, TNT, 10PM
- Fargo (season finale), FX, 10PM
Tuesday
- Childhood’s End (Part 2 of 3), Syfy, 8PM
- The Voice (season finale), NBC, 9PM
- NCIS (fall finale), CBS, 8PM
- NCIS: NO (fall finale), CBS, 9PM
- Inside the NFL, Showtime, 9PM
- Manhattan (season finale), WGN, 9PM
- The Expanse, Syfy, 10PM
- Limitless (fall finale), CBS, 10PM
- Finding Carter (season finale), MTV, 10PM
- Being Mary Jane (season finale), BET, 10PM
- The Profit, CNBC, 10PM
Wednesday
- Rocketjump: The Show, Hulu, 3AM
- Childhood’s End (Part 3 of 3), Syfy, 8PM
- Survivor (season finale), CBS, 8PM
- Kingdom (season finale), DirecTV, 9PM
- The Real World/Road Rules Challenge, MTV, 10PM
- The Ultimate Fighter, Fox Sports 1, 10PM
- American Horror Story, FX, 10PM
- The Illusionists, NBC, 10PM
- The Magicians, Syfy, 10PM
- NFL Turning Point, NBC Sports Network, 11PM
- True Life: I’m Living Anime, MTV, 11:30PM
Thursday
- WWE Smackdown, Syfy, 8PM
- The Big Bang Theory /(fall finale), CBS, 8PM
- The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, CW, 8PM
- Buccaneers/Rams football, NFL Network, 8:25PM
- Life in Pieces (fall finale), CBS, 8:30PM
- Luther (special presentation), BBC America, 9PM
- Mom (fall finale), CBS, 9PM
- 2 Broke Girls (fall finale), CBS, 9:30PM
- Running Wild with Bear Grylls, NBC, 10PM
- Elementary (fall finale), CBS, 10PM
- Haven (series finale), Syfy, 10PM
- Nightwatch, A&E, 10PM
Friday
- F is for Family (S1), Netflix, 3AM
- Making a Murderer (S1), Netflix, 3AM
- Care Bears and Cousins (S2), Netflix, 3AM
- Glitter Force (S1), Netflix, 3AM
- Mike Epps: After Dark, Netflix, 3AM
- Home for the Holidays, CBS, 9PM
- Dr. Ken, ABC, 8:30PM
- World’s Funniest (season finale), Fox, 9PM
- The Knick (season finale), Cinemax, 10PM
- Z Nation (season finale), Syfy, 10PM
- Satisfaction (season finale), USA, 10PM
Saturday
- New Hampshire Democrats Debate, ABC, 8PM
- UFC Fight Night 17, Fox, 8PM
- The Spirit of Christmas, Lifetime, 8PM
- Da Vinci’s Demons, Starz, 8PM
- A Countdown to Christmas, Hallmark, 8PM
- Ash vs. Evil Dead, Starz, 9PM
- Imagine: John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert, AMC, 9PM
- Returned (season finale), Sundance, 10PM
- Saturday Night Live: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler / Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, NBC, 11:30PM
Sunday
- Sunday Night Football: Cardinals/Eagles, NBC, 7PM
- The 64th Annual Miss Universe Pageant, Fox, 7PM
- Flesh and Bone, Starz, 8PM
- The Librarians, TNT, 8PM
- Agent X, TNT, 9PM
- Homeland (season finale), Showtime, 9PM
- Into the Badlands (season finale), AMC, 10PM
- CSI: Cyber (fall finale), CBS, 10:30PM
- The Affair (season finale), Showtime, 10PM
- StarTalk, National Geographic, 11PM
CarPlay Helping Some GM Dealers Close Deals on New Vehicles
CarPlay made its wider debut in a range of 2016 vehicles from over a dozen U.S. carmakers this month, including General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and others, and Apple’s in-dash software appears to be paying early dividends for at least one of those major auto manufacturers.
General Motors said it has “anecdotal evidence” that CarPlay, available in over two dozen 2016 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC models, is helping sell new vehicles to customers, according to The Wall Street Journal. A pair of GM dealers confirmed CarPlay is “helping to close the deal” on purchases.
GM officials say they have anecdotal evidence of an impact, and agree the offering has been well-received. Phil Abram, executive director of connectivity an infotainment at GM, said customers have been asking for the feature for years and the company plans to expand it to as many more models as soon as possible. […]
“We’ve had people coming in because they’ve heard about it, and once they see it, they really do like it because it mirrors the look and feel of the devices they use,” said Chris Hemmersmeier, chief executive of a chain of Jerry Seiner Dealerships in Salt Lake City, Utah. “It’s helping to close the deal once they see it.”
GM experienced sales growth during October and November, but the spurt cannot decisively be attributed to CarPlay. At the very least, GM’s early adoption of CarPlay is helping draw some customers away from automakers that have yet to commit to the software platform, including the world’s best-selling automaker Toyota.
Gavin McGrath, the general manager of Pat McGrath Chevyland in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been advertising CarPlay availability and it has drawn in customers.
“It certainly has helped us,” he said. “The biggest thing that it has brought to the retail front is…navigation is going to cost $900 [to] $1,000 [as an option]. Here you have Apple CarPlay, and boom your nav is there. That has already helped us close deals.”
Chevrolet supports CarPlay on all vehicles with 7-inch or 8-inch MyLink screens, including the 2016 Camaro, Colorado, Corvette Z06, Corvette Stingray, Cruze, Impala, Malibu, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500HD, Silverado 3500HD, Suburban, Tahoe and Volt. Our list of 2016 U.S. CarPlay vehicles covers Buick, Cadillac and GMC models.
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UK police try to scare teen hackers by visiting them at home
As you might have noticed, many teen hackers aren’t easily deterred. Why would they be when they have a lot to prove, loads of peer pressure and little sense of the damage they’re doing? British police think they have a way to scare those hackers straight, though. They’ve been visiting teens in person when the kids are near committing a crime that involves jail time, such as when they get access to a tool for denial of service attacks. Naturally, the hope is that they’ll realize the police (and soon afterward, their parents) are watching and back off before they face charges.
It’s not certain how effective the strategy (which includes ads, like the one below) really is. Hackers can’t get house calls if they’re good at covering their tracks, and there will always be some teens who are convinced they’ll never get caught. However, there is reason to believe that it should work. Former teen hackers (like LulzSec’s Jake Davis) describe being blind to the real-world consequences of their actions — they felt like they were attacking computers, not people. Police visits could remind them that there’s a potential victim on the other end.
[Image credit: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images]
Source: Bloomberg
AIVAnet 