Swiftkey updated with support for 184 new emojis on Android 6.0.1

Swiftkey has today pushed out a stellar little update for its incredibly popular third-party keyboard  via the Play Store. The upgrade brings compatibility for the 184 new emojis which are currently only available on devices running Android 6.0.1, together with currency input for several countries that weren’t previously supported, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Estonia and Germany. All other changes come in the form of bug fixes and stability improvements, which are aimed at improving the overall stability of the application.

The full changelog can be seen below:

New features and fixes in SwiftKey 6.2

• Support for new emoji (for devices on Android 6.0.1)
• Support for Android Marshmallow
• You can now input currency for: Russia, Argentina, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovakia, Germany, Canada & Australia
• Improvements to typing behaviour when backspacing

Fixed

• Autospace now works with Japanese enabled
• Evernote personalization won’t cause repeated listing in settings
• We no longer autocorrect if you start typing a URL at the start of a message or capitalise the first “w”

If you’re a Swiftkey user and would like to install the update on your smartphone or tablet, simply open up the Play Store, toggle the hamburger menu by swiping in from the left-hand side of the screen, select ‘My Apps’ and click on the application, then tap the update button. Alternatively, you can queue the installation from your desktop by hitting the link below and selecting your handset from the list of devices that will appear on the screen.

Play Store Download Link

Come comment on this article: Swiftkey updated with support for 184 new emojis on Android 6.0.1

Convert your tired table into a powered standing desk for $400

NextDesk has long offered standing desks, which are argued to have health benefits over regular desks that you sit at. Its latest product is a powered desktop solution that can “convert” your regular desk to a standing one.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/152621229?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0

Okay, so it’s not actually converting the desk. Instead, it’s a workstation that can support up to 100 pounds (45kg). At the press of a button, it can raise up to 20.75 inches (53cm), and with an optional keyboard accessory it can raise up your keyboard and mouse also.

The NextDesk Crossover comes in six wood finishes, and a choice of three metals from the mechanism. It starts from $400 (£279), but with optional extras that entry price quickly escalates. With a programmable controller, keyboard holder and monitor bracket, for example, it’ll set you back $574 (£400). If you’re interested, you can head to NextDesk’s store to check it out. Pre-orders are live now, with an estimated ship date sometime in March.

Source: NextDesk

Driverless pods to hit the streets of Greenwich

As you stroll past the Royal Observatory in Greenwich and that place where Thor fought in The Dark World, you’ll soon see driverless pods gliding next to you. That’s the plan, anyway. The GATEway project, which has already been experimenting with a self-driving shuttle around the O2, will soon be taking some unusual vehicles onto south London’s streets. They’ll be repurposed Ultra Pods — electric four-wheelers that already operate at Heathrow Airport. Until now they’ve been locked to tracks, but project organiser TRL wants to upgrade them so they can navigate Greenwich independently. Furthermore, the new trial will be used to record exactly how the public reacts to self-driving vehicles.

To help with the project, TRL has recruited a handful of experts. These include Westfield Sportscars, a West Midlands company that builds classic automobiles. TRL says it was will act as an “integrator and manufacturer,” designing and testing the vehicles to ensure they meet road safety standards. Joining them are Oxbotica, a research-based team that was spun out of Oxford University’s Mobile Robotics Group. In short, they’ll be working on the autonomous bits — the software and hardware that deals with mapping, localisation and perception. Finally there’s Heathrow Enterprises, the company that operates the UK’s busiest airport and has plenty of first-hand experience with the dome-shaped pods.

The current batch of Ultra Pods have a top speed of 40kph (roughly 25mph) and can carry up to six passengers at once. They’re not the sleekest or most exciting vehicles to look at, but presumably they get the job done at Heathrow and have shown potential as a fully-fledged mode of public transportation. TRL’s expanded consortium is aiming to start the Greenwich trial this summer, before moving on to additional experiments related to autonomous valet parking and automated deliveries.

Source: Oxbotica, TRL

Sky Q launches February 9th starting at £42 per month

Sky Q is almost, nearly ready for public consumption. We’ve heard all about the functionality and features of the new Q family of hardware, and have taken a top-level tour of the user experience. But how attractive Sky’s next-gen service ultimately is hinges on how much customers are expected to pay for it. Today, Sky’s shared those all important details, starting with the official launch date of February 9th, though home installations won’t kick off until the end of that month.

For new and upgrading customers, the top of the range, 4K-ready Sky Q Silver box starts at £54 per month and includes one Sky Q Mini for multiroom viewing (another can be added to the bundle for a £99 one-off payment). The regular Sky Q box, with its smaller hard drive, fewer tuners and no Ultra HD or multiroom support, will start at £42 per month.

Both include access to over 300 channels and Sky’s Box Set catalogue as standard, with Sky Movies and Sky Sports packages costing an extra £17 and £25.50 per month, respectively. You can also add the pair for a discounted rate of £34.50 per month. All possible configurations come with an 18-month contract term.

Those are the monthly costs, but there are a fair few set-up charges, too. First and foremost, every Sky Q package carries a £50 installation fee on top of the cost of the hardware itself. If you don’t want to take Sky broadband or either of the movie or sports channel packs, you’re looking at £249 for the basic Sky Q box.

You can actually opt for a Q Silver box to pair with the regular bundle for £299, which will prepare you for the launch of Sky’s 4K content later this year. You won’t, however, be able to add any Sky Q Mini boxes to your account for multiroom viewing, though the Silver technically supports it. The Sky Q Silver bundle that comes with one Q Mini also requires a £299 one-off payment.

Should you be willing to take out Sky broadband — which includes a free Sky Q Hub router that adds powerline networking and WiFi repeater functionality to any Q box — or either of the channel packages, you’re in for a serious discount. Under these conditions, a normal Q box costs £99, a Silver box on the regular bundle costs £149, and a Silver box plus one Mini on the premium package costs £99.

Though you have to pay for the Sky Q hardware, you’re technically leasing it and must return everything to Sky at the end of your subscription. The one benefit to this is that servicing and repairs due to technical failure are free.

Source: Sky

BT’s acquisition of EE is complete

For BT and EE, the moment has finally arrived. All of the relevant regulators have given their approval, allowing BT to acquire the UK’s largest mobile network. It’s a £12.5 billion deal that will have huge ramifications for the broadband, TV and telephone industries. Both brands will be left alone in the short term, but there’s obvious potential to combine their respective proficiencies — EE in mobile, BT in broadband and TV — to take on providers like Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk.

For the time being, there will be some crossover between the two businesses. BT is experimenting with mobile deals after a long hiatus, while EE has been tinkering with a basic TV service and home broadband. There’s no indication that any of these services will be shut down, but it would make sense for BT to eventually trim or merge some of these operations. EE TV hasn’t made much of an impression, for instance, while BT’s offering continues to grow with an ever-expanding sports package.

While BT decides the best course of action, we’ll be diverting our attention to two of EE’s biggest rivals — O2 and Three. Telefonica agreed to sell O2 to Hutchison Whampoa, the owner of Three UK, for £10.25 billion in March last year. If the pair can gain similar regulatory approval, they’ll have a combined subscriber base that dwarfs both EE and Vodafone. The deal is a long way from being finalised, but if they’re successful we can expect a fascinating mobile power struggle over the next few years.

Source: 4-traders