BlackBerry 10’s new Facebook app lives only on the web

BlackBerry 10 is on life support, with few sales and fewer devices. It’s in such a bad state that the company has switched its attention to Android, giving developers little reason to support its own operating system. Facebook jumped ship earlier this month, announcing that it would end support for its apps later this year. But wait! BlackBerry has announced a new, replacement Facebook app. Unlike the old one, however, it’s just a web app. That does mean a few extra features, such as the ability to reply to comments (yes, really), but it’s far from a like-for-like swap.

Want to stick it out with the native app? Tough. BlackBerry says the old version will stop working on March 31st, meaning the web app replacement will be mandatory almost immediately. In this scenario, something is better than nothing, although it’s hard to shake the feeling that BlackBerry is just saving face here. Some people do swear by Facebook’s mobile site though, because it drains less battery than the official iOS and Android apps. So maybe, just maybe, this will actually be an improvement?

Source: Inside BlackBerry

Apple’s latest Safari browser is built for developers

You no longer have to try an OS X beta (or a WebKit nightly build) to see where Apple is going with Safari’s under-the-hood features. The tech firm has released a Safari Technology Preview that helps developers work with the latest in web technology. Don’t expect to see any major interface shake-ups as a result — the big improvements in the initial version revolve around newer, faster JavaScript support, and the rest are smaller things like minor HTML updates and a better web inspector. If you craft websites for a living, though, this makes it easy to test your work without living too close to the bleeding edge.

Via: The Next Web

Source: Apple

The Feds are demanding that Google unlock phones as well

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) compiled and released a map of where the federal government is currently taking Apple, Google — and in some cases, both — to court in order to compel the companies to unlock a suspect’s phone. There are reportedly 70 cases in which federal prosecutors have invoked the All Writs Act, according to court records from October. The ACLU managed to turn up 63 of them — nine of which targeted Google; the rest, Apple.

Not all of these procedings involve the same issue as the recent Apple-FBI court battle over the San Bernardino shooter’s phone. In some cases, the companies have complied with the warrant (that is, the phone wasn’t encrypted or anything), however it should be noted that the Feds leveraged the All Writs Act, a statute they claim is used only as a measure of last resort, in every single one of these cases. Not unlike how they’ve managed to exploit PATRIOT Act provisions in the War on Drugs.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: ACLU

Apple Outlines Milestone on Eliminating Conflict Minerals in 2016 Supplier Responsibility Report

Apple today released its 2016 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report [PDF] and updated its accompanying Supplier Responsibility website to offer a look at its 2015 efforts to improve the lives of the workers that produce and assemble its products.

Apple’s focus in 2015 was on cutting down on excessive work hours and addressing bonded and underage labor practices. Work-hour compliance on Apple’s 60-hour maximum workweek mandate reached 97 percent, up from 92 percent in 2014.

For its 10th annual progress report, Apple conducted 640 total audits and 21 unannounced audits, plus it closed 250 requests for environment, safety, and labor cases and conducted 25,000 follow-up interviews to ensure employers did not retaliate against workers for participating in Apple audits.

Apple’s auditing process, in addition to assessing work conditions and interviewing workers, seeks out core violations like underage workers, involuntary labor, document falsification, retaliation against workers, unsafe working conditions, and significant environmental issues. Noncompliant suppliers are placed on probation and if issues are not addressed immediately, Apple terminates contracts.

In 2015, Apple suppliers paid out $4.7 million to reimburse workers that were contracted through unfair and excessive recruitment fees. Since 2008, Apple has forced its suppliers to pay out more than $25.6 million to workers to put an end to bonded labor.

Apple discovered three instances of child labor in 2015 at a single supplier. When suppliers are found hiring underage employees, they are required to return children to their homes, fund their education, and pay for basic living expenses.

In 2015 we found one facility, which was audited for the first time, in violation of employing underage labor. The number of audited facilities with underage labor dropped to 1 in 2015 from 6 in 2014 despite nearly 20 percent of facilities audited being new to the process.

There were 3 active cases of underage labor at this single facility. All three underage workers were 15 years old and the minimum age requirement is 16 years of age.

A full chart outlining labor and human rights violations at Apple supplier facilities gives an overall overview of how suppliers are living up to Apple’s requirements. Apple has made progress on the prevention of underage labor and the prevention of involuntary labor, but wages and benefits continue to be an area where suppliers are underperforming.

Apple’s reports include an environmental component, and in 2015, Apple succeeded in getting 100 percent of identified smelters and refiners in its supply chain to participate in a third-party conflict minerals audit program to ensure suppliers are not financing armed conflict. In an interview with BuzzFeed, Apple operations chief Jeff Williams said achieving that goal required kicking out 35 suppliers that “we were unable to convince to do things in the way we think are appropriate.”

Apple also improved conditions in tin mines in Indonesia, which were previously environmentally unsound and unsafe for workers.

In 2015, Apple and the Tin Working Group conducted investigative research on the ground, and worked with civil society organizations and mining companies to define a five-year regulatory reform strategy of tin mining best practices. Together we are also drafting standards and guidelines to help buyers of tin identify responsible sources in the global marketplace.

The Indonesian government is now evolving its own policies for tin production and the environmental impacts of mining.

Over the course of 2015, Apple reduced carbon emissions by 13.8k metric tons and diverted 73.7k metric tons of waste from landfills through a new waste diversion program. Since 2013, 3.8 billion gallons of freshwater have been saved through a Clean Water Program, and 100 percent of chemicals at Apple’s final assembly facilities are free of Apple-prohibited substances.

Apple’s Supplier Responsibility report is a surprisingly interesting read, with the full document accessible through Apple’s dedicated Supplier Responsibility website.

Tag: supplier responsibility
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Fullscreen video service will take on YouTube and Netflix on April 26

After launching first on YouTube, the content company Fullscreen will be introducing its own video streaming subscription service, similar to Netflix, on April 26. It will offer a mix of older TV shows and movies with original content for $4.99 a month, with a 30-day free trial

Fullscreen’s channels already generate 5 billion video views a month on YouTube. The new service, which will be available on web browsers along with iOS and Android apps, will target Fullscreen’s younger audience. According to the Los Angeles Times:

Some of the original lineup comes from YouTube personalities, such as “Electra Woman & Dyna Girl,” a comedic Sid and Marty Krofft reboot starring Grace Helbig and Hannah Hart, and “Jack & Dean of All Trades,” a workplace comedy starring and created by Jack Howard and Dean Dobbs. Acquired content includes favorite TV series like “Dawson’s Creek” and “Daria,” as well as films “Cruel Intentions” and “Can’t Hardly Wait.”

The new service will partner with AT&T which will promote Fullscreen to its mobile and broadband customers.

Verizon Galaxy S7 review: What to expect on America’s largest carrier

We’ve been using the best Android smartphone on America’s largest operator for a month. Here’s what we’ve found …

Not every Samsung Galaxy S7 is created equal. OK, they’re mostly created equal. That is, you’re going to get the same hardware no matter which U.S. operator you go with. Same Snapdragon processor. Same 32GB of on-board storage. Same look and feel.

Like so many (or too many, depending on how you look at it) phones these days, it’s what’s on the inside that changes things. Especially when the U.S. operators get involved.

First place to start: Read our comprehensive Galaxy S7 review, which goes more in-depth with the phone itself. And we’re now taking a loser look at each carrier model. I’ve been using Verizon Galaxy S7 (two of them, actually) for a month. Let’s take a look at where Verizon’s version stands out from the rest.

Software differences

Let’s talk bloatware! Like the other carrier variants of the Galaxy S7, the core software experience remains the same. Samsung’s user interface is, for the most part, consistent whether you’re using Verizon’s or T-Mobile’s or Sprint’s or whatever.

Verizon does have a few additions, however, mostly in the settings menu. A longstanding feature is a full icon glossary, which is great if you’re new to smartphones or spot something that simply doesn’t make any sense. (The NFC icon comes to mind, right?) You’ll also find links to the My Verizon Mobile app (for all your account needs), and there are a few other settings that Verizon has tweaked for whatever reason. The emergency alerts section (at Settings->Privacy & emergency->Emergency Alerts) is another one that tends to deviate, but not in a bad way.

Where things definitely change is with bloatware, which the carriers pronounce “pre-installed applications.” These can come in a couple forms. The Amazon suite of apps is pre-installed by Verizon, and those arguably can be helpful and may well be something you’d install anyway. Kindle, Amazon Music, Shopping, etc. On the other hand, if you don’t want to use them (I never use Amazon Music, for example), they’re just in the way. You can disable them, which I do, but not uninstall them — which wouldn’t save any space anyway because of the partition they’re on in the first place. (While apps pre-installed to the System partition are annoying, that’s not space you can use for your own stuff anyway.) Verizon also includes the Slacker app, which is a pretty good audio (music and news and such) application. But, again, it’s not one I use, so it’s in the way. And Verizon still has the exclusive on the NFL Mobile app, which sucks for anyone not on Verizon. It’s a decent app, though, so it stays. (That doesn’t mean it’s not bloatware, of course.)

It’s not like Verizon ruined the GS7 or anything — but its bloatware doesn’t make the product any better.

More annoying is Verizon’s own suite of duplicative apps. There’s VZ Navigator, which I’d never in a million years use instead of Google Maps. Disabled. Message+? Disabled. There’s already a text messaging app from Verizon. (And I use Hangouts in any event.) Verizon has its own voicemail app, too. Fine. I’ll deal with that one, not that I’ll ever use it. Go90? I’m told that’s Verizon’s mobile video app. Disabled. Verizon Cloud? Hell, no. Disabled. Support & Protection (aka VZ Protect)? Nope. I’ll handle that one myself. (Though I will allow that if you’re not going to use something like Google’s Android Device Manager or a third-party app to do this sort of thing, then maybe Verizon’s app is fine. Virus scanning, however, is still mostly snake oil.)

Samsung’s got its share of things that I won’t use, too. Milk Music? Disabled. Samsung Gear (for its smartwatch)? Disabled until I decide to use a Gear smartwatch again. S Health? Disabled. Memo? Disabled. (I’ll use Google Keep, thanks.)

Point is, there’s still a lot of stuff on the GS7 that you might or might not use. And that’s before you get anywhere near the crap Verizon’s loaded on there. It’s not a deal-breaker. It’s just (unfortunately) something we’ve had to deal with because Samsung doesn’t directly sell the GS7 outside of carrier control in the U.S. Again, we call for Samsung to do something about this.

One thing that’s missing out of the box, strangely, is Samsung’s own browser — which a lot of folks like. Odd that a single duplicative app would be left out, but you can download it from Google Play just fine.

And seriously, Verizon — just how much time do you think I’ll be spending in your stores? This is not OK.

Call quality and features

This one’s a bit subjective and a good deal anecdotal — you don’t live where I live or work where I work. And I haven’t had any major complaints about the GS7 on Verizon. It still seems to be a little more power hungry than GSM phones — that’s par for the course, though — and what Wifi wonk I’d seen appears to have been cleared up with a recent update. (There are a lot of variables in that sort of thing, though.)

Verizon still has Wifi calling, of course. I’m not a big fan of the feature in general, but it’s there if you want it. And now’s a good time to remind folks that if you want simultaneous voice and data, you’ll need to have Advanced Calling turned on.

One call-related thing I wouldn’t bother with is the included “Caller Name ID” app. Oh, it works great for showing you who’s calling, even if they’re not in your contacts, during the free trial. But for Verizon to want $36 a year for the pleasure of using what should be standard on every phone. This is a basic piece of functionality that Verizon’s trying to make an extra buck off of, and it’s ridiculous.

Pricing and financing

Verizon offers the Galaxy S7 a couple ways. If you’re buying outright, it’ll run you $672 off contract. That’s comparable to the other carriers — just about in the middle, actually.

If you want to do the monthly payments thing, it’ll cost you $28 a month on you bill. If you’re not normally a fan of paying for phones this way, Verizon’s got a bit of an incentive. If you’re paying for the GS7 monthly, you’ll be able to trade it in for a new model after a year. (Technically, after 50 percent of the cost has been paid.)

As for which plan is for you, it depends on how much data you’re going to use. Verizon starts at $30 for 1 gigabyte and goes up to $18GB for $100 a month. That’s for new plans — there are myriad options. Don’t be afraid to adjust things to better suit your usage. You might well find out that you’re paying for more than you’re actually using.

The bottom line

Verizon is still the largest mobile operator in the United States. You don’t get to be that by not doing a lot of things right. And like the other U.S. operators, that means Verizon’s going to do things how Verizon wants to. Bloatware, for sure. App that you’ll never use, and that you can only push out of sight and out of mind.

Verizon’s also broken one feature that’s still pretty niche, but important — we’re having major issues getting this Galaxy S7 to connect to Android Auto. Other models work great, but not Verizon’s.

One final perk, however, is that Verizon’s phones are all SIM unlocked. That’s less of a benefit while you’re in the U.S. because of how radio bands work — but it can be great when you’re traveling overseas, especially since Verizon’s international plans remain unimpressive. But pick up a local SIM once you’re on the ground, and you’re good to go. No worrying about SIM unlocking. (That’s a big reason why I’ve been taking a Verizon phone with me while I travel, actually.)

In about a month of use on Verizon, I’ve not seen anything I’d consider to be a showstopper — even with the software headaches. You’re going to find that on any carrier, really. If Verizon’s your jam, and the Galaxy S7 beckons, this is a match we can easily recommend.

See at Verizon

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

• Galaxy S7 review
• Galaxy S7 edge review
• Galaxy S7 edge with Exynos: A Canadian perspective
• Here are all four Galaxy S7 colors
• Details on the Galaxy S7’s camera
• The SD card is back on the GS7
• Join our Galaxy S7 forums

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Google’s new VR view lets you easily add 360 degree images to websites and apps

Google just made it a whole lot easier to show off VR photos on just about everything.

Anyone who has successfully taken a 360 degree photo with Google’s Cardboard Camera app or any of the 360 degree cameras that are available to purchase today know that the act of capturing these photos and video is a lot of fun. Where the fun seems to stop is when you want to share those photos. The recipient either needs the app installed that can view the photo, or you have to pass your phone over so the photo can be fully appreciated. To address this sharing problem, Google has implemented multiple methods for sharing 360 degree photos both in apps and all modern browsers.

Starting very soon, sharing VR photos is going to be something just about everyone can appreciate.

Google’s calling this new photo option VR View, and as the name suggests it lets you click a button in your browser or tap a photo in an app and be taken to a photo that is happening all around you. The combination of an update to the Google Cardboard SDK and an open-source JavaScript solution for browsers means VR view can be implemented with relative ease on just about anything.

Out of the box, VR View supports photos taken with Cardboard Camera and Ricoh Theta cameras natively. Anything else is going to require some adjustment on behalf of the developers responsible for those cameras. Since the JavaScript embed option is open sourced, any manufacturer can adopt this software to suit the images taken by their cameras.

Android Wear could learn a few things from Samsung’s Gear S2

Smartwatches are constantly improving. But Android Wear could stand to borrow a little from Samsung.

Android Wear does a lot of things right. As a wearable platform, it’s easily the more feature-complete and functional of those currently available. Being the best wrist-mounted notification dumpster isn’t enough, though, and there are some key ways for Android Wear to improve.

It turns out a fantastic place to look for some improvements to this platform is the Samsung Gear S2. Samsung’s smartwatch is a massive departure from what had previously been available under this brand, and many of the things this watch does right should be paid attention to.

Here’s what we’re talking about.

Hardware navigation options

Google’s user interface is built on touch, voice, and gestures. Touch control generally works well enough, but the limited screen size means your finger is frequently in the way of the things you’re trying to see. Voice control works if you’re in a place that makes sense to talk to your wrist — which isn’t most places. Gestures are relatively new, and still fairly limited. Also, shaking your arm around in public can be a little odd.

Samsung’s use of a scroll wheel around the display makes navigating the UI and messages a breeze. A scroll wheel may not be appropriate on every Android Wear watch, but the idea of a hardware navigation option is something that could make using Android Wear a lot more interesting. Scrolling through messages, zooming in and out on maps, and discrete navigation would all be made easier through a physical connection to the UI.

Multiple vibration patterns

Every smartwatch has a vibration motor in it to let you know when a message comes in, but few use them as well as the Samsung Gear S2. There are different vibration patterns for the different kinds of notifications you get, and more impactful ticks from the sensors when you reach the end of a menu through the scroll wheel. These dynamic changes in vibration are significant, and make a big difference when you’re using the watch every day.

It’s the difference between looking down at your wrist every time there’s a buzz because you feel like you have to, and knowing what messages can be looked at later. Smartwatches are supposed to be all about notification control, and this this something Android Wear doesn’t do quite as well as it could.

Better notifications

Notifications on your wrist are tricky, and it’s the kind of thing that you either demand control over, or sit back and enjoy the flow on your wrist.

The first thing you do when pairing the Gear S2 to the Galaxy S7 is a walkthrough of which notifications are passed on from the phone to the watch. You can quickly toggle obvious things off, and make it possible to only get the messages you want. Android Wear lacks this up-front setup, but it offers a similar set of tools if you go looking for them. It’s personal preference to have one setup or the other, but the notifications themselves are also noticeably better on the Gear S2.

Android Wear takes the notifications from your phone and presents them as cards for you to flick around and expand as necessary. It’s great for a quick triage of multiple emails, but for expanding a long text email or messages in a busy chat there are limits to this design. Samsung’s layout makes it easy to jump through long messages and easily separates the individual notifications so you don’t accidentally dismiss something.

When it comes to information density, Android Wear has it nailed. When it comes to ease of use, Samsung’s setup is better.

Control over the app list

Google’s app list for Android Wear is alphabetical, with exception of two frequently used apps that float to the top of the list. It’s a single list that you scroll downward through, which means the things at the bottom of the list frequently take multiple swipes to get to. This is less of a problem if you only have a few apps installed, but since Android Wear automatically pulls in watch counterparts from the apps on your phone this isn’t as easy to control as it seems.

The Samsung experience is different in several ways, but the most important one is the ability to control where apps live so you can access frequently used apps whenever you want. Arranging those icons is a little clumsy, but the end result is noticeably better than what we see on Android Wear.

More complete watch complications

Android Wear has no shortage of watch faces, but volume doesn’t necessarily equal quality. Google’s default watch faces, the ones that come with every Android Wear watch, don’t do much to integrate the rest of the watch into the face. There are separate watch faces for things like Google Fit in Android Wear, but nothing that allows for integration with other apps on the watch.

Samsung’s “complications” are a significant step forward on this setup. The design of several default watch faces make it possible to drop in widgets from many different apps on the watch. You can add in a battery meter, step counter, app shortcuts, weather, and so much more. It’s a deeply personalized series of watch faces, and something that is only available in limited capacity across a series of third-party apps. Motorola has offered something similar with some of their included watch faces, but they are limited to developers that work with Motorola for those watches.

How do you think Android Wear should continue to improve?

Samsung still has a long way to go to make the Gear S2 as functional as your average Android Wear watch, but the implementation of a bunch of their features shows promise. It’s clear Google and Samsung are both looking at watches as a platform for connected and standalone notification systems, and with that comes a lot of unique challenges. What we know for sure is things are going to keep improving for both platforms, which is great.

While we wait for what happens next, share what you’d like to see next from Android Wear or the Gear S2 in the comments.

New Cortana features include tracking notifications across Android phones

During today’s Build 2016 keynote address, Microsoft showed off some upcoming features coming to the Cortana digital assistant. One of them will allow it to track notifications across devices, including from Android phones.

In addition to tracking notifications, Cortana will also be able to respond to SMS messages from PC to Android. Many more additional Cortana features will be added to Windows 10 as part of its upcoming Anniversary update that will be released by Microsoft this summer. Stay tuned as we will have more news from the Build 2016 keynote throughout the day.

Microsoft shows off Xamarin tools to write apps for Windows, iOS and Android

During today’s Build 2016 keynote address, Microsoft showed off an example of how developers can make apps with Xamarin’s tools. They allow app makers to create software with shared code that can run on Windows, iOS and Android platforms. Microsoft acquired Xamarin just a few weeks before Build 2016.

The example shown at the keynote featured the Windows 10 UWP Microsoft Health app that was first built in Visual Studio. The Xamarin tools can create a layer over C#, which allows for “reverse porting” the app to iOS and Android. That allows developers to make a cross-platform app completely in Visual Studio, with the exception of the app’s user interface.

Stay tuned as we will have more news from the Build 2016 keynote throughout the day.