YouTube accuses T-Mobile of throttling video streaming
On Tuesday, YouTube, the world’s largest video-sharing service, pointed its finger at T-Mobile to accuse the carrier of throttling video streaming.
YouTube is claiming that T-Mobile is interfering with its video traffic, likely due to the introduction of Binge On. The carrier introduced Binge On in November as an initiative that alleviates customers’ hesitation to stream video and consume the capped amount of 4G LTE data allotted each month. The catch is that streams from partnering services are in a downgraded resolution. YouTube, though, is not an official partner of T-Mobile for Binge On. So it seems that YouTube believes the quality of streaming on T-Mobile’s network is downgraded without permission.
Here’s what a YouTube spokesperson had to say:
“Reducing data charges can be good for users, but it doesn’t justify throttling all video services, especially without explicit user consent.”
T-Mobile is saying that YouTube is not a partner for Binge On due to a technical problem. Apparently, T-Mobile cannot always detect YouTube as a video streaming service; however, the two parties are said to be working together on a solution.
John Legere, T-Mobile’s CEO, has not tweeted about the matter at the time of publishing. Either T-Mobile knows it’s guilty of something or Legere isn’t aware of YouTube’s accusation. But the carrier, despite not directly addressing YouTube’s accusation, told The Wall Street Journal that customers “love having free streaming video that never hits their data bucket.” Seems like T-Mobile is dodging the matter for now.
Things are rather confusing. Let’s wait and see how this one plays out in the coming days and weeks.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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[Deal] Get three months of Google Play Music for $1
Just in time for the New Year, and the inevitable awesome party that precedes it, Google has an incredible deal on all the music you could ever need. A three month subscription to Google Play Music is only $1! Don’t worry, it’s not just you, I also thought I read that wrong when I first saw it.
If you are interested, make like me and hit the link below to claim your three months at this incredible rate.
Source: Google Play Music (Twitter)
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Motorola’s Moto X (2016) could have fingerprint scanner… obviously
The next version of Motorola’s Moto X could have a fingerprint scanner, following the current trend in the mobile industry of having a better form of security.
PLACE your FINGER (“cough”) on this #powerful device… #motox #comingsoon 😉 pic.twitter.com/AO3BFTaNLH
— Ricciolo (@Ricciolo1) December 22, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The last Motorola phone to offer a fingerprint scanner was the Atrix 4G from 2011, which was the first smartphone to offer that feature.
The potential fingerprint scanner was not the only detail revealed about the Moto X (2016) on Tuesday. A picture leaked earlier in the day revealed that the new version may incorporate a heat pipe, which could indicate a shift to a metal and glass chassis.
Source: @ricciolo1
Via: Phone Arena
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California approves Flywheel’s attempt at modernizing taxis
Flywheel’s plan to bring taxis into the 21st century just got the all clear. California regulators have approved TaxiOS, the smartphone-based Flywheel platform that lets cabbies ditch their clunky conventional meters in favor of GPS and other modern luxuries. While the company had been limited to trying out its software in just 70 San Francisco cabs, this lets it expand to virtually everywhere in the state. All 200-plus Flywheel-badged San Francisco cabs will be using TaxiOS by February, and it won’t be surprising if its other Californian coverage areas (currently Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Diego) follow suit.
This is really just a stepping stone, for that matter. Flywheel is aiming for New York City approval in early 2016, and the goal is to spread TaxiOS “across the country.” If it’s successful (it faces stiff competition from rivals like Verifone), it could become the de facto platform for taxi services hoping to fend off ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber. Whether or not it’s victorious, that’s good for everyone — you won’t have to turn to ridesharing just to get the latest creature comforts.
Source: TechCrunch
Full-body TSA scans are mandatory for ‘some passengers’
The Transportation Security Administration was under pressure to establish rules regarding airport body scanners, and well, the Department of Homeland Security’s weighed in. Now the Advanced Imaging Technologies (AIT) using Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) will be mandatory in certain cases. Slashgear notes that prior to this the scanners were opt-in, and one could go through a contactless, non-imaging scan instead. That option will exist, but security agents can insist on mandatory screening “for some passengers.” The argument the DHS gives (PDF) is that these scanners are more capable of detecting prohibited, non-metallic items that could be hidden under a few layers of clothing than a metal detector wand would be.
Of course, there are lingering privacy concerns over previous clothing-penetrating scanners. The Department writes that the new ATR system replaces photographs of the person in the machine with a generic body, indicating where possible foreign objects are on the image. If any appear, that’s when a further physical search will be conducted. Automatic Target Recognition apparently can’t store any images and the DHS says that the AIT gear “does not generate or retain an underlying image of the individual.” Moreover, the physical scans will only target the area on a person’s body where it’s indicated the contraband is. If there are multiple alerts, a full screening might take place. So that’s settled at least.
Compared to so many other government documents, this one is actually pretty short and readable. If you want to take advantage of that, hit the source link below.
Via: Slashgear
Source: Department of Homeland Security
LG introduces the G Pad II 8.3 LTE, stylus included
LG launched a new variant of the G Pad II today, which is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 615 SoC. After launching 8-inch and 10.1-inch variants earlier this year, the Korean company has introduced an 8.3-inch tablet dubbed LG G Pad II 8.3 LTE. Wow, that’s quite a mouthful.
The new G Pad II 8.3-inch variant is equipped with a Full HD (1920 x 1200 pixels) display, which is easily driven by the octa-core processor and Adreno 405 GPU running under the hood. LG has paired the 64-bit chipset with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and a non-removable 4,800 mAh battery.
See also: 10 best Android tablet apps that all tablet owners should have
The G Pad II 8.3 LTE has an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front shooter, which is kind of odd since most people use the front camera of tablets, say for video calling, more than its rear camera.
Measuring 216.8 x 126.5 x 8.8mm, the G Pad II 8.3 LTE weighs at a not-so-heavy 366 grams. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, and 4G LTE. The tablet comes with a built-in stylus, which is sure to make many users cheer. Microsoft Office apps come pre-loaded with the software, which is essentially a lightly skinned version of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.
Local carrier LG U+ will begin selling the tablet G Pad II 8.3 LTE in South Korea from tomorrow, i.e. December 23. Pricing details are not known as of yet.
Google building a new, intelligent messaging app
Just last week a rumor surfaced claiming that Google is looking to remove SMS messaging capabilities from Hangouts. Now, this week, a new rumor involving Google messaging clients has surfaced. According to The Wall Street Journal, Google is working on a completely new, smart messaging platform.
What is going to make this new messaging app “smart” is the rumored use of a system of chatbots. Along with allowing users to message their friends, users will also be able to message a multitude of chatbots with their questions. These chatbots will then use Googles extensive system of algorithms to scour the web and answer user questions with a simple, friendly message. Outside developers can then build and implement their own chatbots into the app giving Google a sort of new search platform.
Unfortunately for Google, its two messaging apps, Hangouts and Messenger, have never been able to reach anywhere near the user base of rivals like WeChat or Facebook’s Messenger and WhatsApp. Most people choose their messaging platform based on where their friends and family are. It just so happens that the majority of people using messaging services have already chosen the one they use, creating a major issue for Google in their battle to gain ground. If Google can make a truly smart messaging system worth using, and successfully utilize the enormous Android user base by baking it in at the system level, they could win over many users form these rival clients.
If Google can successfully employ this new messaging system it could also help to further solidify Google’s dominance in internet search. Messaging apps are some of the most widely used apps across the billion plus smartphone users in the world. The convenience of being able to have your questions answered without having to leave your messaging app could be huge for many users, keeping them tied in the Google search ecosystem.
This is just a rumor and nothing has actually been made official from Google, but the timing of this rumor does bode well for those of you hoping it is true. As I mentioned above, this rumor comes just a week after the we heard Google may be removing major functionality from Hangouts. On top of that, it is rumored that Google Veteran Nick Fox is heading up the unit tasked with making this new app, and it was just in October where Mr. Fox offered to buy 200 Labs. 200 Labs has been working with chatbot technology for a while now, including the ability to search and choose which chatbot is best to answer a certain question.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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All NHL games will stream on TuneIn for free in the new year
Hockey is once again gaining popularity in the United States and fans are trying to find content from the NHL wherever possible. NBC Sports carries the league’s games on television, experiencing a climb in ratings and proving that the sport does have a place in the country just below its homeland. While NBC Sports and NHL Center Ice are covering the video side of professional hockey, audio has been somewhat inaccessible. SiriusXM Radio carries the games for subscribers, but not everyone wants to pay for that service to listen to hockey games. NHL fans will be happy to hear that they can stream live radio feeds of NHL games for free starting in 2016.
TuneIn has partnered with the NHL to bring live play-by-play home and away feeds to its listeners without the need for subscription on a premium account.
Kevin Straley, TuneIn’s Chief Content Officer, said this about the partnership with the NHL:
“Over the past three months, we’ve seen increased interest and growth in TuneIn’s sports offerings. NHL fans are some of the most loyal and passionate in all of sports. We are thrilled to deliver home and away play-by-play to fans here in the US and with our global platform expand the listening to select international territories where many of these players call home.”
The partnership also gives TuneIn content beyond live games. Listeners can enjoy on-demand content that includes replays of every game. And an around-the-clock hockey channel will also be launched for superfans, which will see content come from the official NHL site.
NFL games were added to TuneIn Premium in October, joining MLB and the Barclays Premier League as the professional sports leagues giving TuneIn listeners access to games for $7 per month. But if you’re an NHL fan and just want to listen to hockey games, you won’t need to pay that monthly fee. Games from all thirty NHL teams in the United States and Canada are available for free.
TuneIn’s listeners can expect to see NHL content go live on January 1 when the puck drops at the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, a game between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
TuneIn Partners with National Hockey League to Bring Content to TuneIn for Free
Adding Another Major Sports League to the World’s Largest Audio Network
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — TuneIn, the world’s largest network and number one service for listening to real radio, today announced a partnership with the National Hockey League® (NHL) to bring live play-by-play of NHL home, away and foreign language feeds to TuneIn for free.
“Over the past three months, we’ve seen increased interest and growth in TuneIn’s sports offerings,” said, Kevin Straley, Chief Content Officer for TuneIn. “NHL fans are some of the most loyal and passionate in all of sports. We are thrilled to deliver the home and away play-by-play to fans here in the US and with our global platform expand the listening to select international territories where many of these players call home.”
The partnership gives TuneIn users access to home, away and select foreign language feeds for every game – from exhibitions, 1,230 regular season games, and every playoff game including the Stanley Cup Final. TuneIn will kick off its NHL events coverage on January 1st with the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic live from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough with the Original Six rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins. NHL fans can also listen to special coverage of the 2016 All-Star Game in Nashville and the Coors Light Stadium Series.
Other hockey content on TuneIn’s free platform includes:
- On-Demand Content – Users will be able to listen to replays of every single in-season NHL game on-demand if they can’t catch the live broadcasts.
- 24/7 Hockey Channel – TuneIn will have a live 24/7 channel where users can listen to live and recorded hockey audio.
- 24/7 Team Channels – All 30 NHL teams will have a team specific radio station that will give fans access to daily recaps, analysis, press conferences, replays of historic games and other action-packed team content.
- NHL.com – Starting January 2016, TuneIn’s player will also be embedded on NHL.com making it easier for fans to listen to their favorite NHL content straight from the NHL’s homepage.
TuneIn’s hockey content is available globally, excluding Canada, for free via its desktop, iOS, Android and Windows apps. To learn more about TuneIn, visit www.tunein.com.
About TuneIn
TuneIn is the most popular way to listen to streaming audio from around the world. With over 60 million monthly active users, TuneIn lets people listen to the world’s sports, news, talk, and music from wherever they are. TuneIn has over 100,000 radio stations and more than 5.7 million on-demand programs stemming from every continent, and is available for free across 200+ connected devices. TuneIn Premium lets subscribers listen to the NFL, MLB, over 40k audiobooks, and commercial-free music stations. TuneIn has venture funding from IVP, Sequoia Capital, Google Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, and Icon Ventures, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
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‘Battlefield 4’ hides an incredibly elaborate Easter egg
You’ve probably seen some clever gaming Easter eggs in your day, but few of them are likely to be this… involved. Gamers playing Battlefield 4‘s new Dragon Valley map have discovered an Easter egg that requires a massive, multi-step sleuthing campaign to complete. How massive? Well, it starts with translating Belarusian Morse code and moves on to hidden objects, logic puzzles and audio editing. The kicker is that this isn’t repeatable — even if you pay close attention to the video below, you’ll have to do some of the hard work yourself.
The effort might be worth it if you’re a hardcore fan. Besides hearing nods to Battlefield fan videos, you’ll unlock a special uniform that’s otherwise available only to DICE’s Los Angeles team. You’ll be the talk of any server you play on, at least among in-the-know veterans. This isn’t the first Battlefield Easter egg (creator Julian Manolov is known for them), but it might be the series’ most legendary prize before long.
Via: Shacknews
Source: Jackfrags (YouTube)
What’s on your HDTV: ‘Marco Polo,’ and ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’
Sure you’re got your list of things to binge, but for a quicker meal Netflix has a one-hour special for you this week. Marco Polo: One Hundred Eyes focuses on one character from the series, and should provide a quick hit of the action in between seasons. I’m also keeping an eye out for more episodes of The Expanse as it keeps airing on Syfy, everything up to episode four is available via streaming on video on-demand, and it gives a better idea of the show than just the first episode or two. The final episode for Starz’ Da Vinci’s Demons is also airing this week, while BBC America has a Doctor Who special. 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
- War Room
- Pan (3D)
- Dominion (S2)
- 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship
- MineCraft: Story Mode Episode 4 (Everything)
- Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday Star (PS4)
- Frizzy (PC, Xbox One)
- Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power (PS4)
Tuesday
- The Year: 2015, ABC, 9PM
- Inside the NFL, Showtime, 9PM
- The Expanse, Syfy, 10PM
- Adam Ruins Everything (season finale), TruTV, 10PM
- The Profit, CNBC, 10PM
Wednesday
- Rocketjump: The Show, Hulu, 3AM
- I Love Lucy Christmas Special, CBS, 8PM
- The Real World/Road Rules Challenge, MTV, 10PM
- NFL Turning Point, NBC Sports Network, 11PM
- True Life: I’m A Cyborg, MTV, 11:30PM
Thursday
- Dawn of the Croods (S1), Netflix, 3AM
- WWE Smackdown, Syfy, 8PM
- Chargers/Raiders football, NFL Network, 8:25PM
Friday
- The Andy Griffith Show Christmas Special, CBS, 8PM
- Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song, BBC America, 9PM
- A Football Life: Ken Stabler, NFL Network, 9PM
Saturday
- Marco Polo: One Hundred Eyes, Netflix, 3AM
- Da Vinci’s Demons (series finale), Starz, 8PM
- Washington/Eagles football, NFL Network, 8:25PM
- Ash vs. Evil Dead, Starz, 9PM
Sunday
- Sunday Night Football: Cardinals/Eagles, NBC, 7PM
- Flesh and Bone (series finale), Starz, 8PM
- The Librarians (season finale), TNT, 8PM
- The House Sitter, Lifetime, 9PM
- Agent X (season finale), TNT, 9 & 10PM
- StarTalk, National Geographic, 11PM
AIVAnet 