Apple Expands Lower App Store Pricing Tiers to Canada and New Zealand
Apple today followed through with plans to expand its lower pricing tier options for the App Store to Canada and New Zealand. Introduced in 2014, alternate pricing tiers A and B allow developers to charge lower prices in countries like China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, and Australia.
With the new pricing tiers, apps in Canada and New Zealand can be priced as low as $0.99 (CAD and NZD). Apple first announced upcoming Alternate Tier A and Tier B pricing options for Canada and New Zealand just over a week ago, when it raised App Store prices in the two countries due to exchange rate fluctuations.
On January 18, the Tier 1 minimum App Store price was raised to $1.39 CAD in Canada and $1.49 NZD in New Zealand. For reference, Tier 1 pricing in the United States is set at $0.99, meaning apps and in-app purchases priced at $0.99 in the U.S. cost $1.39 in Canada and $1.49 in New Zealand. With alternate pricing tiers, developers will now be able to charge $0.99 in the United States while charging a lower price in Canada, New Zealand, and the other countries listed above.
Lower price tiers, Alternate Tier A and Alternate Tier B, now let you offer paid apps and In-App Purchases at $0.99 (CAD) and $0.99 (NZD). Existing apps that already use these price tiers have been automatically updated.
App Store pricing was also raised in Israel, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, and South Africa, with several of those countries already able to take advantage of lower Tier A and Tier B pricing.
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EasyAcc 10,000mAh Power Bank (2nd gen) review
Smartphones are wonderful gadgets, and we use them for almost everything, from sending messages and emails, checking bank accounts, to using them as sat nav devices, and sometimes, we even use them for making calls. But a smartphone’s usefulness ends as soon as the battery dies, after which they basically become a brick until a new power source is found. This is where portable charging devices such as the 10,000mAh EasyAcc Power Bank (2nd Gen) come in handy, with its slim design, two USB ports, and smart charging technology.
Design
The EasyAcc Power Bank is a sleek, sturdy device that is available in a variety of color schemes ranging from black and orange/gray/purple/green to white and gray. The outer casing is made out of a durable plastic, and there is a center frame aiding rigidity. The casing has a fair amount of grip, and it’s easy to tell which end is which in the dark. There is a Micro-USB port on the left-hand-side, with the flashlight button on the opposite side. Because it only weighs 226 grams, it’s quite portable. At no point are you going to be listing to one side from the weight of carrying the device in a coat pocket or bag
The EasyAcc Power Bank is easy to hold and tends to stay where you put it. I know it’s an odd thing to say, but I used to use a cylindrical power bank which was most annoying, often rolling off of counters, taking the attached handset with it. Safe to say, the EasyAcc Power Bank doesn’t have that problem.
Besides having two USB ports on the top edge, the EasyAcc Power Bank also features 4 LED lights adjacent to the flashlight button that indicates the amount of charge remaining in the device, as well as a flashlight that is surprisingly useful.
Specifications:
- 10,000mAh
- 2 x USB ports
- Output: 5V/2.4A (max)
- Input: DC 5V/2A
- Dimensions: 144 x 75 x 14.8mm
- Weight: 226 grams
- In the box: Power Bank, Micro-USB charging cable and user manual
Over the space of the last few months that I’ve tested the EasyAcc Power Bank, it’s been thrown into a rucksack innumerable times, dropped on both carpeted surfaces and concrete floors with no discernible damage other than a couple of minor scratches. While I wouldn’t recommend throwing the device onto the ground on purpose, it is comforting to know that it can withstand life’s daily knocks. Or at the very least, someone as clumsy as I am with my devices.
Functionality
Seeing as the EasyAcc Power Bank has a 10,000mAh capacity, you might be wondering how long it takes to recharge when completely spent. The answer to this question is around 6 hours with a 2A adapter. While we were on holiday last month, power sockets were in short supply, so I would use the Power Bank to keep my Galaxy Note 4 and Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact charged up and ready to go, as well as using the built-in flashlight to get around in the middle of the night. After charging the phone and tablet, there was usually enough capacity left over to charge the phone again to around 60%. Regardless of which device you connect, the EasyAcc Power Bank will identify the type of device, and ramp up the current appropriately, to imitate the charging rate of the original charger. The Fast Charge function can either charge 2 smartphones or an iPad at full speed.
Turning the flashlight on and off is done by pressing the side button twice in quick succession. Rather than a sharp, focused light source, the flashlight emits an ambient type of light, which makes it handy for gently lighting up a tent or a small room. It probably isn’t the feature that one would buy an external battery pack for, but it is a nice-to-have feature. And unlike most torches, the Power Bank can last for hours without needing to be recharged, even when charging other devices.
As with anything that carries a charge, it’s important that it is safe and EasyAcc have built-in several safety precautions. The Power Bank has built-in protection against high temperatures, short circuits, over voltage (both input and output), as well as being safeguarded against overcharging and over discharging. If anything was to go pear-shaped, EasyAcc offers a hassle-free replacement or money-back guarantee for an 18 month period, which provides for peace of mind.
Closing
The EasyAcc Power Bank (2nd Gen) has been a pleasure to use over the last few months. The 10,000mAh capacity allows it to charge a device a couple of times over, and it’s light and sleek design give it portability, which is about all the features necessary in an external charger. You can pick up the EasyAcc Power Bank 10,000mAh (2nd Gen) for just $17.99 from Amazon for $17.99 in the U.S. or £12.39 in the UK.
Come comment on this article: EasyAcc 10,000mAh Power Bank (2nd gen) review
Alphabet working to create smartphone-friendly tech that recognizes faces on the fly
Right now, Google Photos offers some pretty impressive facial recognition capabilities. Not only faces, but objects as well: from flowers, to cats, to beaches. However, the way Photos analyzes your pictures and organizes them to be searchable leans heavily on remote data centers that process and catalogue images using deep learning technology. In the future, Alphabet wants to make that kind of computing capabilities available right on your handset.
The Google-owning tech company Alphabet is seeking to make built-in image recognition. This would allow for such futuristic things as being able to point your camera at a friend and it be able to recognize her on the fly. Bypassing the upload process currently required by services like Google Photos would open the doorway for a number of practical uses such as identifying faces for transaction authorization.
See also: Google Photos gets shared albums in latest update
See also: Google Photos gets shared albums in latest update
Google’s machine intelligence group is teaming up with Movidius, a unit and semiconductor startup also owned by Alphabet, to make this vision a reality. Google has purchased a number of Movidius chips called the MA2450 as well as the chip’s associated software to begin development. Google made no indication regarding a timeline for when we might expect to see this tech in the commercial market, but Movidius Chief Executive Remi El-Ouazzane did note that, “This collaboration is going to lead to a new generation of devices that Google will be launching. And they will launch in the not-too-distant future.”
What are your thoughts regarding Alphabet’s initiative to bring face and object recognition to portable devices? Is this heralding an end of privacy and the beginnings of an Orwellian dystopia, or are we looking forward to some seriously awesome and exciting technology? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
Flash pronounced terminal, dead within two years
She’s had a good long life. Back in the pre-YouTube days of the early 2000’s, Flash was the internet’s go-to medium for video content. From Albino Blacksheep to eBaum’s World, it seemed Flash was everywhere you turned. Now, with the rise of video streaming services and the all-powerful gif-killer webm, Flash has become and cumbersome and decrepit medium that’s becoming less and less relevant. Adobe has announced that they believe Flash will be completely dead by 2018.
We should remember her as she was, however. After all, who could forget the enigmatic joys of Badger Badger Badger Badger Mushroom? Still, with Android dropping Flash support all the way back in 2012, the writing was on the wall. A 2016 global media format report released by Encoding.com revealed that Flash only represented six percent of mobile and web video in 2015. That’s a massive plunge from the 21 percent the medium held in 2014.
See also: How to install Adobe Flash Player on Android
So what comes next? Well, the H.264 video codec has been around for 13 years, and it’s still going strong. As of 2016, the codec is responsible for fully 72 percent of online videos. However, the International Telecommunications Union is looking to succeed H.264 with H.265, also called HEVC. Right now it only represents six percent of the market, and it’s getting trounced by WebM which, unlike HEVC, is royalty-free. Nevertheless, since HEVC can reproduce identical content at half the bitrate as H.264, it’s expected that this will eventually become the next dominant mainstream codec.
What are your thoughts regarding the demise of Flash? Share with us some of your fondest memories of the old girl in the comments below.
US government says Theranos lab jeopardizes patients’ health
Federal regulators have sent a letter to troubled Theranos Labs and the news is not promising. The (CMS) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services states in a letter that it conducted a CLIA recertification survey of the lab and found it that it was not in compliance. In the letter signed by Karen Fuller, manager of state oversight for CMS, the agency noted that in regard to the hematology portion of the lab “it was determined that that the deficient practices of the laboratory pose immediate jeopardy to patient health and safety.”
CMS says the company has 10 calendar days from date of receipt (January 25) to correct all the issues in question. If it doesn’t, the lab may not be certified to perform tests under the CLIA program. Information about the letter leaked earlier this week.
The agency also highlighted issues with the analytic system and lab personnel performing high complexity testing.
That’s bad news for the startup that’s been criticized about its finger-prick testing technology. In October it was reported that the FDA only certified one out of the hundred or so tests the Theranos’ technology was supposed to be able to get from a drop of blood. Plus, it was also reported that the company wasn’t even using its proprietary technology to conduct most of those tests.
Concerning the letter from the CMS, Theranos sent Engadget an email with the following statement:
This survey of our Newark, CA lab began months ago and does not reflect the current state of the lab. As the survey took place we were simultaneously conducting a comprehensive review of our laboratory’s systems, processes and procedures to ensure that we have best-in-class quality systems. We value engagement with our regulators, and are committed to ensuring that all our labs operate at the highest standards. We are still reviewing the report, but we addressed many of the observations during the survey and are actively continuing to take corrective action. A full plan of correction will be submitted to CMS within days.
It also pointed out that the notice is only about its Newark, California facility and does not affect its lab in Arizona.
Via: The Verge
Facebook’s growth is apparently unstoppable
Facebook continues its upward trajectory with a very successful fourth quarter last year. Today, the social network reported that it made $5.84 billion and had about 1.59 billion monthly active users in last quarter alone. This is a decent increase over the previous quarter, where it had 1.55 billion users, and an impressive 14 percent increase over this time last year. And that $5.84 billion? It’s a whopping 52 percent increase year-over-year. Taken as a whole, that means Facebook made $17.93 billion in 2015, which is a 44 percent increase from 2014.
As always, a good chunk of that money comes from mobile: About 80 percent, to be exact. Which isn’t surprising, considering that Facebook also enjoyed 1.44 billion mobile monthly users last quarter. What’s even more impressive is that Facebook kept the trend for daily active users — as of last quarter, an average of 1.04 billion people used Facebook every day, and 934 million of those people were on mobile.
On the earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg went further into a few details. He said that more than one billion people used Facebook’s Groups last year, and brought up the trend of folks using the social network to connect over the big events of the year like the refugee crisis and the Paris attacks. In particular, he said that more than 950 million people used a Safety Check feature to let folks know they were safe. He also said that 500 million people use the site for Events every month and about 123 million events were created in 2015.
Much of the growth last quarter also had to do with Facebook connecting the developing world. Zuckerberg said that 80 million people use Facebook Lite, which is the lightweight version of the site for less sophisticated mobile phones. COO Sheryl Sandberg also pointed to the recent efforts made to increase video advertising for lower bandwidth mobile devices, which tend to be more prevalent in those countries.
Speaking of video, Zuckerberg said that video continues to be an “important part of the Facebook experience” and will invest more in the area. He said that people have watched over a 100 million hours of video on Facebook and the company is working on ways for users to discover even more. There could even be a dedicated section for people who just want to watch videos, he said.
Of course, Facebook is more than just the big blue app; it also owns Whatsapp, Instagram and there’s Messenger too. Last quarter, the company reported that Whatsapp now has 900 million users, Instagram has 400 million users and Messenger has 800 million users. The Messenger platform seems especially intriguing, as it’s now more than just a place for conversations — Facebook is now testing it so you could use it with the M digital assistant and you can even order transportation through it thanks to a partnership with Uber. Zuckerberg said that the company is even working with airlines so you could potentially check-in with a flight reservation just by using Messenger.
Last but certainly not least, it’s also worth noting that Facebook owns Oculus. Zuckerberg has said he’s very pleased with the initial reactions to products like the Samsung Gear VR as well as the new consumer-grade Oculus Rift, which has recently announced its pre-order price. “VR is going to be a big area of investment for us. It’s going to change how we’re going to communicate, work and play games,” he said. “We’re off to a good start.”
Source: Facebook
Apple reportedly plans to launch a new iPad in March
Apple’s oft-rumored March event is quickly becoming a smorgasbord… you know, a little bit of everything. Sources for 9to5Mac say that Apple now hopes to introduce a new 9.7-inch iPad as part of the mid-March gathering. Just what that tablet will do isn’t clear, but tipsters suggest that it may borrow a page or two from the iPad Pro. The Cupertino crew has supposedly been testing a 9.7-inch screen with Pencil support, for one thing. There’s also talk of better speakers and a rear camera flash, and it’d only make sense to get a faster processor like the iPad Pro’s A9X.
So, what else is on the cards? We’ve already touched on the fabled 4-inch iPhone redesign, but 9to5 has tossed out hopes of seeing an Apple Watch 2 in March — that would have to wait until September. Instead, the upcoming gig would introduce new Watch bands (mostly for the Hermes and Sport lines), including one made from a “new material.” This wouldn’t be an Earth-shattering event, then, but it would cover a lot of ground.
[Image credit: Noah Berger/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Source: 9to5Mac
More than 5 million Google Cardboard viewers have been shipped to date
Proving to you that virtual reality is indeed taking off is Google and its rundown of Cardboard’s performance in nineteen months of life. This afternoon, Google detailed what the virtual reality platform has accomplished since launching at I/O 2014. Millions of Cardboard viewers have been sold, people are downloading apps at a rapid pace, and hundreds of thousands of photos and videos are being consumed in virtual reality. In addition, nearly 1 million students have used Google Cardboard in their classrooms to see parts of the world that are usually otherwise inaccessible. The company is showing everyone the simplicity of getting involved in virtual reality with the large potential of what it can be used for.
The two most important figures released by Google today are the Cardboard viewers shipped and the numbers of supported apps in the Play Store. In less than two years, more than 5 million Cardboard viewers have been shipped to be used with over 25 million apps on Google Play. The previous two months saw the latter statistic jump by 10 million apps alone! So, clearly, people are getting Cardboard viewers and then trying out as many apps as they can as quick as they can.
Chair In A Room, Vrse, Lamper VR: Firefly Rescue, Caaaaardboard, and Proton Pulse are the top five apps that work with Google Cardboard. If you need to see an even bigger list, I recommend reading our list of the best virtual reality apps available in early 2016.
When it comes to virtual reality-based videos on YouTube, the world has watched more than 350,000 hours worth of content. And people are using their phones to create virtual reality photographs, eclipsing 750,000 photos taken with Cardboard Camera since December. The app allows you to use your phone to capture the environment around you and display it in a Cardboard viewer for an immerse experience from anywhere.
To me, Google’s biggest Cardboard success is in the classroom. The Expeditions Pioneer Program, which expanded in November, provides classrooms in the United States and internationally with the equipment necessary to send students on virtual reality field trips. Students, almost 1 million of them, have gone to about 150 places worldwide through the Expeditions Pioneer Program.
Google is telling everyone to keep an eye on new creative, entertaining, and educational experiences in virtual reality.
Source: Google
Come comment on this article: More than 5 million Google Cardboard viewers have been shipped to date
Downwell finally arrives on the Google Play Store
Retro graphics, check. Rapid platforming action, check. Old school difficulty, check. Downwell is a nostalgic game that doesn’t hold your hand but always plays fair. When it hit iOS and Steam in 2015, reviewers went nuts over it. Now that unforgiving, teeth-grinding gameplay is finally hitting Android.
Downwell is game in which you, and try to keep up here, fall down a well. It’s a rouge-like vertical scroller in which you collect gems, equipment, and upgrades in procedurally generated levels. The game was designed by a single 23-year-old developer Ojiro Fumoto, and it is singularly intense. Although many have compared it to Spelunky, Downwell is far more action-oriented, requiring laser focus on the part of the player.
Sorry for the wait! Android version will hit tomorrow 😉 pic.twitter.com/FyZKW6l4zJ
— Ojiro (@moppin_) January 26, 2016
It’s one of those games that, in Polygon’s words, makes you feel like “an actual goddamn ninja.” In addition to the breakneck gameplay speed, you’re also forced to make constant decisions that will affect your playthrough.
For instance, health is bundled with weapon pickups. You might be carrying an awesome weapon, but be low on health. You chance upon a side room and are gleeful to so a plump and rejuvenating heart, but what’s this? If you pick it up, you’ll have to trade in your bazooka for a peashooter. What’s your call? Keep the bigger gun and chance going forward with that sliver of health, or set aside Ol’ Trusty in favor of that extra damage cushion?
See also: 10 best action games for Android!
For hardcore players, there aren’t a whole lot of options on the mobile gaming environment that demand this much skill and focus of the player. The vertical orientation makes it a natural fit for smartphones, and the simple-yet-elegant on-screen controls become second nature after just a few playthroughs.
Downwell is currently available in the Google Play Store for a one-time payment of $2.99. There are no advertisements or in-app purchases, and forking over the cash or Google Opinion Rewards credit will go toward funding a young and inventive developer, so we highly encourage you to give it a whirl.
Google Play Store adds a thumb for quick positive feedback
It’s a just tiny little change. Google has snuck a single thumbs up button into the Google Play review section and packed the spam button into a side menu. This replaces an old, Reddit-like system that allowed for both thumbs up and thumbs down.
Now that they’re using a setup much closer to Facebook’s, this Like-like thumb icon lets Google Play users nod in agreement with reviews that say what they would have said about an app. To maintain simplicity of design, and perhaps to discourage its frivolous use, Google has relegated the spam flag to a small menu beside the thumb. This makes it a two step process to flag something as spam, but giving positive feedback is just one touch away.
See also: 15 best Android apps of 2016
This is part of an ongoing process of tweaking that the Google Play dev team has been working with lately. For instance, they recently released the ability for game and app devs to add promo codes, which gave devs the option to run promotions that let users download their items for free. Previously, the primary place to get free apps was with the third-party store Amazon Underground.
Again, as we said, these are small alterations, but they could prove to be very useful. What are your thoughts regarding Google Play’s new review rating system? Is there anything about the store’s current setup that you find particularly irksome? What can Google do to make their it better in the future? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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