E! has a live daily newscast on Facebook

E!, your one-stop source for news about which vapid celeb is making out with another, or who is hanging out with another famous person’s kids, is taking its brand of journalism to Facebook. Live From E! is the network’s stab at bringing gossip and entertainment news to the world’s largest social network with a daily newscast. Variety reports that each episode will be between 15 – 20 minutes long (today’s premiere is just under 22 minutes) and that they’ll be shot entirely with an iPhone 6s Plus. The clips air each weekday at 12:30 PM Eastern / 9:30 AM Pacific and will also be available on E!’s website and mobile app.

The debut episode already has over 162,000 views, but only 256 Likes — pretty paltry numbers compared to the page’s 9 million Likes. If the network promised to bring back Jules Asner, I could guarantee exactly one additional viewer every day.

On a more serious note, the big question here is what the live viewership will look like over time. The modern viewing audience expects programming to fit its schedule, not the other way around. In case puffy gossip isn’t your thing, well, ABC has you covered with hard news on the social network.

Harry Styles and Kendall Jenner Pics Leaked, Ben Affleck Praises “Superhero Mom” Jennifer Garner & More – Live From E!

Posted by E! Online on Monday, March 21, 2016

Via: Variety

Source: E! (Facebook)

Apple wants to know how the FBI will hack its phone

This afternoon the Department of Justice asked the courts to vacate tomorrow’s hearing concerning the iPhone 5C in the custody of the FBI. The government had asked for Apple to help it circumvent the phone’s security. But at the last minute, stated that it had found another party to help it get what it wants out the of phone. Apple would like to know who that is and what they plan to do with the phone.

At approximately 2:30pm this afternoon, Apple was informed that the government wanted to vacate the hearing. The judge cancelled the event but also suspended the original motion for Apple to help the FBI get into San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone. At this point, the company is no longer under any obligation to help the agency get into the phone.

The DoJ will use an unknown third party to access the phone’s data. The government refused to name the party and Apple says it has no idea who it is or what the exploit may be. But, if the Justice Department wants to pursue the case it might have to share that information.

During a conference call with reporters, Apple attorneys indicated that they would insist on talking to the whoever is providing the exploit and wants to know about the vulnerability if the government insists on keeping the case alive. Which it probably won’t.

Apple attorneys also noted that at this point it’s impossible for the government to argue its original case that only Apple could get past of the security of the iPhone in question. If the DoJ drops the case, Apple has no legal way of asking for that information.

Whether or not the FBI discloses the vulnerability to Apple after it uses it on iPhone 5C is unknown. But you probably shouldn’t hold your breath.

What’s on your HDTV: ‘Day of the Tentacle,’ March Madness

This week Double Fine is releasing Day of the Tentacle Remastered, on PS4 and PC (OS X / Mac version arrives tomorrow), complete with updated art and new developer commentary. Beyond watching your brackets get torn to shreds, there’s also the last Hunger Games movie on Blu-ray, and the series finale of Lost Girl. Star Wars Battlefront players also have DLC to look forward to, and a new season of Stitchers gets started this week. 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

• The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2
• Daddy’s Home
• Brighter Summer Day (Criterion)
• Bandits
• Michael Collins
• Freaks and Geeks
• Fear the Walking Dead (S1)
• Lost Girl (S5 & 6)
• Star Wars Battlefront: Outer Rim DLC (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
• Day of the Tentacle Remastered (PC, PS4,)
• The Elder Scrolls Online: The Thieves Guild DLC (Xbox One, PS4)

Monday

• 11.22.63, Hulu, 3AM
• Dancing with the Stars (season premiere), ABC, 8PM
• The Voice, NBC, 8PM
• Gotham, Fox, 8PM
• Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, CW, 8PM
• The Fosters, Freeform, 8PM
• WWE Raw, USA, 8PM
• American Dad, TBS, 8:30PM
• Bates Motel, A&E, 9PM
• Everything is Copy, HBO, 9PM
• Lucifer, Fox, 9PM
• The Magicians, Syfy, 9PM
• James May’s Build a Car in 24 Hours, BBC America, 9PM
• Damien, A&E, 10PM
• Blindspot, NBC, 10PM
• Better Call Saul, AMC, 10PM
• Billion Dollar Wreck, History, 10PM
• Lost Girl (series finale), Syfy, 10PM
• Bitten, Syfy, 11PM

Tuesday

• New Girl, Fox, 8PM
• Fresh Off the Boat, ABC, 8PM
• NCIS, CBS, 8PM
• Real O’Neals, ABC, 8:30PM
• Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., ABC, 9PM
• The Outsiders, WGN, 9PM
• Brooklyn Nine-nine, Fox, 9PM
• Shadowhunters, Freeform, 9PM
• Heartbeat (series premiere), NBC, 9PM
• Moonshiners, Discovery, 9PM
• NCIS: New Orleans, CBS, 9PM
• The Grinder, Fox, 9:30PM
• Stitchers (season premiere), Freeform, 10PM
• Awkward, MTV, 10PM
• Crowded, NBC, 10PM
• Limiless, CBS, 10PM
• Beyong the Tank, ABC, 10PM
• Tosh.0, Comedy Central, 10PM
• American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson, FX, 10PM
• Not Safe with Nikki Glaser, Comedy Central, 10:30PM
• Faking It, MTV, 10:30PM

Wednesday

• This is Not Happening, Comedy Central, 12:30AM
• The Middle, ABC, 8PM
• Heartbeat, NBC, 10PM
• Unsung Hollywood, TV One, 8PM
• Survivor, CBS, 8PM
• Rosewood, Fox, 8PM
• Young & Hungry, Freeform, 8PM
• The Goldbergs, ABC, 8:30PM
• Baby Daddy, Freeform, 8:30PM
• Modern Family, ABC, 9PM
• Criminal Minds, CBS, 9PM
• Law & Order: SVU, NBC, 9PM
• Face Off, Syfy, 9PM
• Black-ish, ABC, 9:30PM
• The Americans, FX, 10PM
• Internet Ruined My Life, Syfy, 10PM
• The Carmichael Show, NBC, 10PM
• Hap & Leonard, Sundance, 10PM
• Catfish, MTV, 10PM
• Broad City, Comedy Central, 10PM
• CSI: Cyber, CBS, 10PM
• Nashville, ABC, 10PM
• Underground, WGN, 10PM
• MTV Suspect, 11PM

Thursday

• NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Regional Semifinal, CBS, TBS 7PM
• You, Me, and the Apocalypse, NBC, 8PM
• Grey’s Anatomy, ABC, 8PM
• American Idol, Fox, 8PM
• WWE SmackDown, USA, 8PM
• Scandal, ABC, 9PM
• Prey, BBC America, 9PM
• The Catch (series premiere), ABC, 10PM
• The Real World: The Big Leap, MTV, 10PM
• Baskets (season finale), FX, 10PM
• Portlandia (season finale), IFC, 10PM
• Shades of Blue, NBC, 10PM
• Nightwatch, A&E, 10PM
• Adam Devine’s House Party, Comedy Central, 12:30AM

Friday

• NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Regional Semifinal, CBS, TBS 7PM
• Veggie Tales in the House, Netflix, 3AM
• Sleepy Hollow, Fox, 8PM
• Last Man Standing, ABC, 8PM
• Spring Broke, Showtime, 9PM
• Grimm, NBC, 9PM
• Second Chance (season finale), Fox, 9PM
• Shark Tank, ABC, 9PM
• Vice, HBO, 11PM
• Animals, HBO, 11:30PM

Saturday

• NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Elite Eight, CBS, 6PM
• The Perfect Daughter, Lifetime 8PM
• Black Sails (season finale), Starz, 9PM
• Party Over Here, Fox, 10PM

Sunday

• NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Elite Eight, TBS, 6PM
• Madam Secretary, CBS, 8PM
• Once Upon A Time, ABC, 8PM
• Little Big Shots, NBC, 8PM
• Grantchester (season premiere), PBS, 9PM
• The Carmichael Show, NBC, 9PM
• Vinyl, HBO, 9PM
• The Walking Dead, AMC, 9PM
• Crowded, NBC, 9:30PM
• Mr. Selfridge (season premiere), PBS, 10PM
• Elementary, CBS, 10PM
• Girls, HBO, 10PM
• Talking Dead, AMC, 10PM
• Quantico ABC, 10PM
• Togetherness, HBO, 10:30PM

(All times listed are ET)

First Impressions Roundup: iPhone SE and 9.7″ iPad Pro

Apple today provided members of the press with hands-on time using the iPhone SE and 9.7″ iPad Pro, and first impressions of the new products are beginning to surface across the web. Below is a roundup of some of the more interesting observations and opinions about the new smartphone and tablet.

iPhone SE

The Verge said the iPhone SE “finally makes a small phone feel powerful,” which is unsurprising given it is essentially an iPhone 6s shrunk down into an iPhone 5s form factor. The 4-inch smartphone is powered by a 64-bit A9 chip with M9 motion co-processor, which is up to twice as fast as the iPhone 5s. Other features are outlined in our iPhone SE announcement coverage.

Usually, getting a small phone has meant getting a phone that skimps on power or on the camera (or, most likely, both). That’s absolutely not the case with the iPhone SE. It feels every bit as fast and modern as an iPhone 6S, able to move quickly through screens and web pages. Obviously we weren’t able to test the camera very extensively, but we can say that it launches quickly and takes photos just as fast.

TechnoBuffalo described the iPhone SE’s top five new features as its 4-inch screen size, $399 starting price, 4K video recording, Live Photos support, and full Apple Pay support without needing an Apple Watch.

That’s going to be a nice bump for folks with the iPhone 5s who otherwise weren’t able to use Apple Pay due to the lack of an NFC chip in the smartphone. Also, Touch ID should be much, much faster than the sensor originally included in that device.

Business Insider highlighted how Apple used more scratch resistant materials for the iPhone SE shell, meaning it should not be prone to scratches and scuffs as easily as the iPhone 5s. This includes matte-chamfered edges and a slightly different aluminum backing with a color-matching Apple logo.

The good news: The iPhone SE gives you everything great about the iPhone 6s for $250 cheaper.

The bad news: Despite all those great features, it still feels a lot like the iPhone Apple unveiled 2.5 years ago.

More: Ars Technica, Engadget, TechRadar, and SlashGear

9.7″ iPad Pro

AnandTech went hands on with the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro’s True Tone Display, which Apple says adjusts the color temperature of the display by measuring ambient light conditions. There is a toggle switch for True Tone in the iPad’s settings, as shown in the short demo video below.

It turns out that this is something that you can toggle on and off on the fly, and the result that it produces seems to be designed to make the display more consistently neutral while other Apple mobile devices tend to end up with a colder white balance in most conditions. I didn’t see a toggle for color gamut, so it’s likely that the iPad Pro 9.7” is using either color management to enable a wider gamut on the fly or just displaying a wider color gamut all the time.

CNET tested the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in a brief hands-on video that summarizes the tablet’s features and tech specs and provides a quick look at the Apple Pencil and resized Smart Keyboard. The tablet features a Smart Connector that will allow it to be paired with many other keyboards and accessories.

TechnoBuffalo was able to get a look at the new iPad Pro and has a video depicting its four speakers, rear camera, and Apple Pencil compatibility, along with a quick rundown on all of the included features.

SlashGear also received time to test the smaller iPad Pro, and declared “it’s enough to make you throw your iPad Air 2 into the trash.” The first impressions also spoke highly about the Apple Pencil.

Really, the iPad Pro 9.7 is about taking the iPad Air 2 form factor and supercharging its guts, and hopefully encouraging a wider wallet in return. On that front, it’s undoubtedly the best all-round iPad you can buy, but only time will tell if it can turn around tablet sales for Apple.

More: The Verge, Engadget, AppleInsider, CNET

Related Roundups: iPad Pro, iPhone SE
Buyer’s Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

Popular Indian mobile wallet MobiKwik goes hyperlocal with ‘Explore Nearby’

The latest update to Indian digital wallet app MobiKwik brings a new hyperlocal aspect: “Explore Nearby.” MobiKwik is one of the leading independent mobile payments networks in India, connecting 30 million users with 50,000 retailers.

This new feature enables discovery of neighborhood stores, restaurants, cafes, et al that accept digital payments. Right away, more than 10,000 MobiKwik partner retail stores — merchants such as Big Bazaar, Barista, Domino’s Pizza, WHSmith India, Archies, Sagar Ratna, and more — are now visible to the users on the Explore Nearby tab. Potential shoppers can also view existing offers at these outlets and pay via MobiKwik to redeem it.

MobiKwik users can also use Explore Nearby to locate the nearest cash-loading point for topping up their wallet balance, since many of MobiKwik’s offline retail partners (such WHSmith India and ICICI Bank) also assist the users to top up their wallet using hard cash.

The map-based Explore Nearby interface is the first implementation of online-to-offline (O2O) strategy by any mobile wallet in India as the company continues to move towards a more cashless ecosystem. MobiKwik is one of my frequently used apps/service, since they offer some unique advantages over other mobile wallets in India. Give it a whirl, and let us know how you like it.

Download MobiKwik from Google Play Store

Android N Developer Preview? It’s exciting for most of you

In last week’s poll we asked If you were excited about Android N. There are plenty of new features to explore if you opted into Google’s Android Beta Program. However, since only Nexus devices have access to the preview right now, most of us are still sitting at our computers devouring every new piece of information about Android N. That’s why we wanted to know whether you guys are excited for Android N.

In a smashing move, “Yes, I’ve read all about it” dropped into first place with a solid 38 percent of the vote. “Yes, I opted in.” crashed into second place with 22 percent. In third we saw “No, I’ll wait for Google to release it.” pick up speed with 18 percent of the vote. Just behind, in fourth place, is “No, I don’t have a compatible device” with 15 percent of the vote. In last place, with only 7 percent of the vote, was “No, I wasn’t that interested.” So overall a whopping 60 percent of voters this past week were excited for Android N, while the other 40 percent just weren’t as interested.

What do you think, is Android N worth all the hubub? Let us know in the comments below!

Android N Developer Preview

The Android N Developer Preview is just that — a developer preview. It is not intended for daily use. That doesn’t mean it’s not cool, and that you shouldn’t poke around. But know that things will break. Tread carefully. (And have fun!)

• What’s new in Android N
• All Android N news
• About the Android Beta Program
• Download system images
• Android N easter egg
• Join the Discussion

Here’s your first (unofficial) look at ‘Pokemon’ on smartphones

You no longer have to guess what Pokémon Go will look like when it finally reaches smartphones. An attendee at a SXSW panel led by Niantic Labs CEO John Hanke recorded footage of the mobile game in action, and it’s definitely not just a 3DS game writ large. You’ll see Pokémon on a map of your surroundings; tap them and you’ll zoom into an augmented reality view that plunks the critter into the real world. The clip doesn’t show fighting, alas, but it does show staples like different capture balls (up to the surefire Master Ball) and a mysterious Crystals button that might refer to an in-game currency. As for a release date, prices and other details? Those will have to wait, unfortunately, but at least you have a sense of what you’re in for.

Via: Phandroid, The Verge

Source: Eric F (YouTube)

FBI backs off Apple, finds another way into iPhone 5c

The Department of Justice just asked the courts to vacate tomorrow’s hearing with Apple concerning the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook. Apparently, the FBI will use alternative methods to get into the locked phone without Apple’s help.

In a document filed with the courts, the DoJ states:

On Sunday, March 20, 2016, an outside party demonstrated to the FBI a possiblemethod for unlocking Farook’s iPhone. Testing is required to determine whether it is available method that will not compromise data on Farook’s iPhone. If the method is viable, it should eliminate the need for the assistance from Apple Inc. (“Apple”) set forthin the All Writs Act Order in this case.

This doesn’t mean this is over. The DoJ proposes filing a progress report on its tests to unlock the iPhone with the courts on April 5. If the method doesn’t work, it’s probable that Apple and the FBI will be in court at a later date arguing the merits of unlocking that phone.

The government would not name the party that could potentially unlock the phone. It did note that the individual or group is not part of the government.

Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym has scheduled a conference call this afternoon with both parties about the government’s motion to vacate tomorrow’s hearing. Judge Pym might still ask Apple and the DoJ to show up to tomorrow’s hearing.

Apple and CEO Tim Cook have spent the last month making its case that this is not only a undue hardship on the company to create what it called a GovtOS, but more importantly, an over-reaching use of the All Write Act and a violation of the company’s first amendment rights. Between motions and briefs, Apple has spoken with reporters multiple times and Tim Cook has appeared on ABC News to explain the company’s position. At the start of today’s iPhone event, the Cook talked about the ongoing case.

The DoJ and FBI Director James Comey have contended that this is about a single iPhone that may (or may not) have information that could result is thwarting future terrorist attacks or give insight into whether Farook conspired with members of ISIS.

Update: Tomorrow’s hearing has been vacated by the courts. It will have to file a status report on April 5.

The Court has reviewed the government’s Ex Parte Application for a Continuance. GOOD CAUSE HAVING BEEN SHOWN, the Court hereby ORDERS that the hearing in this matter set for March 22, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. is vacated, and the government is ORDERED to file a status report by April 5, 2016.

Developing

Everything you need to know from Apple’s ‘Loop You In’ event

Apple squeezed a surprising amount of news into an hour-long press conference, but hey — not everyone has time to sift through the day’s events. If that’s you, well, we’ve got a handy video recap of the new/neat/off-the-wall stuff unveiled in Cupertino earlier today.

What’s that? You’ve got more than two minutes to spare after all? Never fear: we’ve also trimmed the fat from the press conference as a whole, so you can plow through the most important bits in under ten minutes. And if you’ve got even more time than that, you may as well just check out our hands-on impressions of Apple’s new iPhone SE and smaller iPad Pro too. As an enormous faux-stone face with glowing eyes once said, the choices are yours and yours alone.

Existing iPhone 5 and 5s Cases Fit Apple’s New iPhone SE

Ahead of the launch of the iPhone SE, there were questions about just how closely it would resemble the iPhone 5s, but as it turns out, the two devices are almost identical physically aside from the matte chamfered edges on the iPhone SE.

Rumors suggesting the two devices would be close enough in design to share cases were correct — existing iPhone cases designed to fit an iPhone 5 or 5s will also fit an iPhone SE.

Product listings for iPhone 5 and 5s cases, screen protectors, and other accessories on Apple’s online store have all been updated to note their compatibility with the iPhone 5, 5s, and SE. Customers who previously owned an iPhone 5s and are planning to purchase an iPhone SE will not likely need to purchase new cases for the device.

The iPhone 5s has been discontinued in favor of the iPhone SE, and pricing on the new device starts at $399 for the 16GB model. Apple will begin accepting orders for the iPhone SE on Thursday, March 24, with an official launch coming on March 31.

Related Roundup: iPhone SE
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