Amazon job posting reveals it’s forming a VR team for Video

Amazon is cooking up a virtual reality initiative, a job posting on Glassdoor has revealed. In the ad spotted by UploadtoVR, the company wrote that it’s looking for a Senior Software Development Manager to lead a team that will build a VR experience within Amazon Video. It’s still not clear what Bezos and cohorts are planning, and if it’s more than just an app for VR headsets similar to Netflix’s and Hulu’s.

This part of the ad, however, indicates something bigger:

Entertainment is evolving rapidly. The future will not be limited to passive 2D experiences. The Virtual Reality team will explore and create the platform and interface for immersive storytelling. This will include an ingestion and playback platform for Virtual Reality experiences.

As UploadtoVR noted, that makes it sound like Amazon wants to do more than just create VR experiences. The second and third lines, in particular, hint at building a platform à la YouTube where people can watch VR videos, similar to Wevr’s Transport. Either way, it was only a matter of time before a behemoth like Amazon got into the VR game, so the move isn’t surprising. We just have to wait and see what kind of virtual reality offering the company comes up with.

Via: UploadVR

Source: Glassdoor

Add a kickstand and some protection to your Droid Turbo 2 for just $16.95

Cases can do more than just protect the phone, and that is why you will want to check out Seidio’s Surface Case for the Droid Turbo 2. Beyond adding protection with its hard plastic design, it also has a kickstand, which will allow you to prop the phone up without having to constantly hold it. Today, you can save 43% on the purchase, making it just $16.95.

Verizon HTC One M8 now receiving Marshmallow update

Android 6.0 Marshmallow is now rolling out to the HTC One M8 on Verizon. According to Verizon’s support documents, it looks like the bump up to Marshmallow is the second portion of a pair of updates, culminating in software version 6.21.605.3. Do keep in mind that the update has just begun rolling out, so it may take some time to land for everyone. Once updated, however, users will be able to take advantage of features like Doze Mode, Google Now on Tap and more.

In other update news, Verizon’s update tracker indicates that a few other, more minor updates are now rolling out to the Samsung Gear S and Nexus 7 on the carrier. For the Nexus 7, you’re looking at a bump up to the latest security patches, while the Samsung Gear S update fixes some issues with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

HTC One M8

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Newer model: HTC One M9

Cyanogen’s MOD integrations explained and the global expansion of IDEAA events

In case you missed it, we recently sat down with Big Android BBQ creator and IDEAA President Aaron Kasten to talk about all of the developer/enthusiast hybrid events happening around the world this year. We talked a little about March of the Droids in Edinburgh, the Big Android Meat and Greet/Code Kitchen in Virginia, and a way to win some Udacity scholorships by participating.

We were also joined by Cyanogen’s Ed Mancebo, who answered some questions we had about the new MOD system. For the uninitiated, MOD makes it easier for Cyanogen software partners to embed features in Android so they feel more native. This makes it so more apps can feel as embedded as Google Now or your default dialer app, and if more developers jump on board with this program it could be a really big deal for folks who want to create their own experience.

Here’s the full Hangout on Air so you can hear all the details yourself. If you’re planning to attend either of these events, be sure to shout out in the comments below!

White House launches neighborhood-building open-data project

The White House announced on Monday that it is launching an ambitious online program that aims to help families and communities alike by giving them the tools to access a package of federal and local data-sets. The Opportunity Project, as it’s been dubbed, will help families and community organizations to “navigate information about critical resources such as access to jobs, housing, transportation, schools, and other neighborhood amenities” the White House release reads.

The face of the program is Opportunity.Census.gov, which will enable people to access the Opportunity Project data-sets. This information currently covers eight American cities — Baltimore, Detroit, Kansas City (MO), New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington DC. It provides details about civic resources and amenities at the neighborhood level — everything from local home prices to the locations of nearby grocery stores and playgrounds. The data is sourced from public institutions including the Census Bureau, the departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Commerce and Agriculture.

Primarily, this data archive will power a tool developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The tool will act as a “resource for communities to make more informed, data-driven investments that expand access to opportunity and reduce segregation, fulfilling long-standing obligations under the Fair Housing Act.” Additionally, the government is inviting software developers to create new tools as they see fit. More than a dozen of these tools are already available including ones from Redfin, Zillow, GreatSchools, PolicyLink and Streetwyze. An additional 30 non-profits have also signed on to develop more.

Source: The White House

Microsoft’s SQL database software now runs on Linux

Remember when Steve Ballmer likened Linux to cancer, and the notion of Microsoft courting the open source crowd was virtually unimaginable? The company has come a long, long way since then. Microsoft has unveiled a version of SQL Server, a flagship database program, for Linux. That’s right — you can get a major Microsoft data center app without having to touch Windows. The company is even working with the creators of key Linux distributions (such as Red Hat and Ubuntu maker Canonical) to get the program running smoothly. SQL Server for Linux won’t officially ship until mid-2017, but there’s already a preview for corporations that want a peek.

If you’ve been following along in recent years, the release isn’t that much of a shock. Microsoft has been much more willing to support competing operating systems under CEO Satya Nadella, who was quick to acknowledge that Windows was no longer the center of the computing universe. Its Azure cloud service is explicitly Linux-friendly, for example, and many of Microsoft’s mobile apps arrive on Android (itself Linux-based) and iOS before they reach Windows phones.

As the executive tells the New York Times, this is all about “market expansion.” Microsoft would rather corner the server software space, which has been shifting toward Linux, than insist on a Windows-only policy out of stubborn pride. It’s tough to know if the Linux server crowd will warm up to its longtime arch-rival, but those more open-minded firms are now free to integrate Microsoft without making a wholesale switch.

Via: New York Times

Source: Official Microsoft Blog

Google Photos now shows Live Photos from your iPhone 6s

If you frequently snap Live Photos with your iPhone 6s, you now have an easy way to preserve those photo/video hybrids for the ages. A fresh Google Photos update for iOS lets you both back up and view Live Photos, so you shouldn’t have to choose another cloud storage service or (gasp) resort to taking still shots. And it’s still a useful update even if you aren’t in a rush to get a 6s — there’s better navigation (fewer times accessing that omnipresent hamburger menu) and lower cache use when you’re tight on device space. Grab it now if you’re determined to keep your Live Photos for posterity.

Via: Google Photos (Twitter)

Source: App Store

The USAF’s new ‘cyber weapon’ hunts network vulnerabilities

The US Air Force’s Space Command recently announced that its latest cyber weapon, dubbed the Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter (CVA/H), has come online and is “fully operational”. The CVA/H is designed to perform threat assessment and compliance within the Air Force’s command network. Basically, it tracks down and fixes potentially exploitable network security flaws that may hamper USAF missions.

Though it is referred to as a “weapon” the CVA/H will primarily be utilized as a defensive measure. It offers “in-depth assessment of information system assets such as computers, infrastructure, applications, data, and cyberspace operations,” Air Force Space Command said in a statement.

This launch is part of the DoD’s larger efforts to modernize and develop its cyber capabilities. The CVA/H launch comes just a month after the Air Force’s first cyber weapon, the Air Force Intranet Control Weapon (AFINC), which acts as a first-line firewall moderating the flow of traffic into and out of the Air Force’s network. The USAF also recently fired up its Cyberspace Defense Analysis Weapon System, which monitors unsecured traffic out of the USAF network to ensure that classified information is not being transmitted. These tools are under the command of the 26th Network Operations Squadron, who reportedly block roughly a billion instances of suspicious network activity every week.

Via: ZDNet, FCW

Source: USAF Space Command

Apple Approves ‘FlexBright’ iOS App That Adjusts Display Temperature

FlexBright, an app that allows the user to manually adjust the display temperature of an iOS device, was recently approved by Apple, marking one of the first third-party apps that’s able to function in a manner similar to the company’s own Night Shift mode, set to be released in iOS 9.3. The only catch is it must be triggered somewhat manually in response to a notification, rather than continuously, like Night Shift or f.lux.

Currently available for download in the App Store, FlexBright was created by Intelligent Apps, who worked with Apple to find a way to implement blue light reduction capabilities. The app includes controls that allow it to both dim an iPhone or iPad’s display and adjust the display temperature to cut down on blue light exposure.

FlexBright runs in the background on an iPhone or iPad, sending notifications to prompt users to change the brightness or the blue level on the display at sundown or at user-specified times. After tapping on the alert, FlexBright launches and changes the brightness or blue light filter to a preset value, which can introduce a lot more yellow light than Apple’s own Night Shift mode in iOS 9.3. FlexBright’s screen adjustments work throughout the iOS operating system, in third-party apps and on the Home screen.

According to one of the developers behind FlexBright, using this notification system was the only way Apple would allow the app to change brightness or blue light while running in the background. The app does not use private APIs to change the screen temperature, instead utilizing a “native objective-c library that filters the blue light from the iOS screen.”

In the app, which has an admittedly confusing interface, there are toggles to turn the screen yellower on demand and adjust alert times for the notifications that will allow it to work on an almost-automatic basis. There are also alerts for adjusting brightness and there’s a toggle for a “Dark Mode” that turns the screen black and white, similar to (but not identical to) the Grayscale mode under Accessibility settings.

FlexBright is notable because it offers display temperature adjustments for devices that are not compatible with Apple’s Night Shift mode. FlexBright is available on devices running iOS 7 or iOS 8, while Night Shift is limited to devices running iOS 9.3, and it’s also available on non-64-bit devices like the iPhone 5 and earlier.

Left Photo: Coolest, Center Photo: About half way, Right Photo: Warmest
Apple’s decision to allow FlexBright into the app store is interesting because just a few months ago, there was a controversy over f.lux, a similar app. F.lux is a well-known blue light reduction app for the Mac that allows users to adjust their screen temperature, shifting it towards the warmer yellow spectrum in the evenings. In November, the developers behind f.lux launched an iOS version that was side-loaded on devices using Xcode due to its private APIs, something Apple quickly said was not allowed. F.lux’s developers have said that it is not possible to introduce a f.lux app for iOS using Apple’s existing tools and has asked the company to “open up access” to Night Shift features.

FlexBright has a primitive interface, and current color schemes seem yellower than Apple’s implementation of Night Shift, but it opens up an interesting option, especially for those who have devices that won’t be supported by Night Shift. FlexBright is available from the iOS App Store for $2.99. [Direct Link]
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HTC One M10 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

.@OnLeaks Can I play too? pic.twitter.com/aIRC8Zd9Y5

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) March 4, 2016

Though no details have been officially announced, the Internet rumor mill has started gurgling about the forthcoming debut of the HTC One M10, the expected successor to the One M9, which was released back in March 2015. Given the relatively chilly reception garnered by the One M9, and its sibling the One M9+, expectations will be high for the next generation of HTC’s flagship smartphone.

Reportedly code-named Perfume, the One M10 is being billed as HTC’s “most advanced smartphone ever.” Assuming it’s scheduled to appear sometime in the next month or two — more on that below — it will certainly have its hands full of competition: Samsung’s Galaxy S7, LG’s G5, Sony’s Xperia X line and Xiaomi’s Mi 5 were all announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last month.

Announcement and release dates

Though the previous version of the One, the M9, was launched at Mobile World Congress last year, HTC held off on debuting the M10 at this year’s show, and rumors have suggested that it will appear sometime in March or April.

HTC

HTC has teased an upcoming event in a February 24 email to journalists, with “The Power of 10” caption being an obvious reference to the new phone. But the company has yet to specify the date.

Design

With chairwoman and CEO Cher Wang citing the company’s plans to launch a “hero product” last June, HTC may be swinging for the fence with the next version of the HTC One.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

According to Venturebeat, the handset may have a unibody aluminum design and a fingerprint scanner. A number of sources have suggested that the case could possibly be waterproof. (Waterproofing appears to be the feature du jour, as a slew of forthcoming phones: the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are water-resistant, and the Apple iPhone 7 may add the feature, too.) VentureBeat’s source says that the One M10 will be skinned with HTC’s Sense 8.0 UI and that its display will feature a 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution; others have suggested the possibility that it will have an Active Matrix OLED display.

Under the hood

Though details about the HTC One M10’s specs have been scarce, two reliable Twitter sources recently leaked photos and specs. Exhibit A, a tweet from @OnLeaks, delivered pictures of a prototype phone that looks to have a fingerprint scanner, dedicated menu and back buttons, a matte black design and a USB Type-C charging port.

#HTC10 (prototype specs) 5.15″ QHD / SD820 / Adreno 530 / 4GB RAM / 12MP / USB Type-C pic.twitter.com/I8P0Mjlz8M

— OnLeaks (@OnLeaks) March 4, 2016

The tweet claims the phone has a 5.15-inch QHD display, Snapdragon 820 processor, Adreno 530 graphics chip, 4GB RAM and a 12-megapixel camera. Longtime leaker @Evleaks responded to @OnLeaks’ tweet with a promotional photo of the alleged HTC One M10, showing a very similar design, but with a silver-and-white finish. The new information is consistent with previous murmurs suggesting that the HTC One M10 will come equipped with the Snapdragon 820 — the same chip that is powering most of the new Android phones mentioned above.

HTC has pledged an improved camera for the M10. Chief Financial Officer Chialin Chang told CNET in February: “We can confidently say that HTC will have a very, very compelling camera experience. We’re making this comment after we’ve seen what’s going on in the market.”

No word on the battery, which was an Achilles heel for the M9, equipped as it was with a 2,840mAh cell. We would welcome an upgrade to a larger, 3,000mAh cell ostensibly capable of delivering a full day of run time.

Scroll down for a reverse-chronological look at the latest rumors.

March 4, 2016

CNET: Could this be HTC’s next high-end phone?

Leaked photos of HTC’s next smartphone spring up with impressive-sounding specs.

February 25, 2016

CNET: HTC: You’ll find our next phone camera ‘very, very compelling’

Top execs talk with CNET about phones, virtual reality and whether the company will ever make a true smartwatch.

January 29, 2016

CNET: Rumored HTC One M10 flagship could catch up to today’s rivals — but maybe not tomorrow’s

HTC’s big phone of the year could boast a 2,560×1,440-pixel display and a fingerprint scanner on the front, but it’s expected to arrive later than 2016’s other major phones.

January 28, 2016

VentureBeat: HTC Perfume to offer QHD AMOLED display, laser-assisted 12 UltraPixel camera

HTC is preparing its most advanced smartphone ever, keen on recapturing lost market share after stumbling with successive annual flagships that underwhelmed the marketplace.

January 21, 2016

CNET: HTC’s flagship M10 could come later than expected

The phone maker’s next high-end phone is now rumored to miss its expected launch at the Mobile World Congress show in late February, and arrive as late as March.

June 3, 2015

Taipei Times: HTC chair apologizes to shareholders

Wang said the company plans to launch a “hero product” in October, and make significant improvements in innovation and design for the next flagship model next year.