iPhone 7 leaks in Rose Gold, starting at 32GB minimum
As sure as England is to have rain in the summer, the iPhone 7 is going to get a Rose Gold variant – and now it’s leaked.
The rear casing of what’s claimed to be an iPhone 7, and looks like previous leaks, has appeared online in Rose Gold. The leak, via China’s Weibo and Steve Hemmerstoffer’s keen eye, shows the phone minus a dual rear camera.
The photo also shows the top and bottom bumper style finishes where the antennas are reportedly going to appear. The current plastic bands sit around the middle of the phone. Knowing Apple this move is likely a way to offer better reception, as opposed to simply being an aesthetic choice.
Also coming out of the rumour mill today is word from analyst Kevin Wang, that Apple will only be supplying the iPhone 7 from 32GB and upwards. That should mean anyone looking to save a buck and get the 16GB variant will be out of luck. Of course Apple may be getting memory for less now and can keep the price low, so this could actually be a winner.
Apple leaks so far have pointed to 2GB of RAM and memory options ranging from 16GB up to 256GB so we’re taking this all with a pinch of salt.
READ: Apple iPhone 7: What’s the story so far?
Asus Transformer 3 and Transformer Mini debut at Computex 2016
Alongside the powerful Transformer 3 Pro, Asus also launched the Transformer 3 and Transformer Mini at this year’s Computex in Taiwan.
The Transformer 3 is a super thin 2-in-1 at just 6.9 mm thick and weighs in at 695g. With the keyboard dock you’re looking at an additional 500g or so according to floor staff, but that’s still reasonably light. The display is 12.6-inches and the whole package is pleasingly smaller than a sheet of A4 paper.
The device comes in Icicle Gold and Glacier Grey with Asus’ trademark spun metal finish. There’s also a choice of 4 colours for the backlit 1.4mm keyboard sleeve.
The sleeve folds up to create the stand, which does mean it lacks the versatility of the Mini and Pro’s impressive viewing angles, which are afforded by their flip out kickstands.
Pocket-lint
Asus Transformer 3
For the Transformer 3’s specs, we’re looking at an Intel Core i7 CPU, up to 512GB SSD and 8GB of RAM. The USB Type-C connector supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 devices at speeds up to 10Gbps, and Thunderbolt 3 allows for damn fast 40Gbps data transfers and support for dual external 4K UHD displays.
The display is a respectable 2880 by 1920, with 275ppi, and nice, thin bezels give an 80 per cent screen-to-body ratio. There’s a good colour gamut of 121 per cent RGB and 450 nits of brightness promises for great outdoor viewing.
READ: Asus Transformer 3 Pro preview: Gives the Surface a run for its money
Quad surround speakers provided by Harmon Kardon promise an immersive audio experience, at least for a tablet. The direction of the speakers also auto adjusts depending on the device orientation, which is a nice touch.
Asus promises up to nine hours of battery life on the Transformer 3, but we’d need to wait to put it through its paces to confirm that.
We got to play around with the fingerprint reader on the Transformer 3 and it took around a minute to build up a comprehensive profile which let us log on at pretty much any angle.
Pocket-lint
Asus Transformer Mini
The all-metal Transformer Mini comes in a shocking neon orange option alongside others, denoting that it is aimed toward the student end of the market. While it weighs in at 790g including the backlit keyboard dock (520g without) we did find that the keys were, well, mini. It wouldn’t allow for the most comfortable or accurate typing experience, we feel.
The viewing angles parallel the Pro at 170 degrees though, with a sturdy hinge which is pretty versatile.
The Mini runs on a quad-core Atom x5 chipset, as you might expect for an entry-level device. This does offer a longer battery life, quoted as 11 hours.
There’s up to 4GB RAM and 128GB of storage. Again, as you’d expect, the 10.1-inch display is nothing special but usable enough. There’s a full size USB (presumably 3.0), micro USB, Micro HDMI and micro SD slot.
A fingerprint scanner is included for that extra cachet value and despite the garish orange, the other colour options looked very smart.
Although the Mini has a tag for the stylus, neither device comes bundled with one. It will be available for a quoted price of $59, making it a very reasonable 40 quid or so by our estimation.
Staff informed us that the Transformer 3 should be out around the end of September in the UK and it was quoted as starting at $799 or around £550. There was no availability or pricing available for the Mini which is perhaps unsurprising since most of the specs were left up in the air as well.
Digital Storm’s latest gaming all-in-one packs a 10-core CPU
The trend of gigantic all-in-one gaming PCs isn’t ending any time soon. Digital Storm has unveiled a new version of the Aura, a 34-inch curved system that packs some truly high-end hardware. To begin with, it’s one of the first PCs to use Intel’s enthusiast-oriented, Broadwell-E-based Core i7 Extreme Edition processors — you can equip it with up to a 10-core chip if you’re bent on juggling multiple apps at the same time. You can also stuff in a GeForce GTX 1080 to make sure games play smoothly at the Aura’s ultra-wide 3,440 x 1,440 resolution.
As with other all-in-ones of this caliber, you’re not giving up hardware upgrades to save space. Digital Storm promises that you can replace just about everything, including the graphics card and the motherboard. It even supports liquid cooling, in case you hate the idea of a noisy (or just hot-running) rig. Just be prepared to open your wallet if you like the concept. The Aura starts at $1,999, and history suggests that you’ll be paying much more to get your dream machine.
Source: Digital Storm
Europe enlists tech companies to help end online hate speech
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Microsoft have signed up to stop the spread of hate speech online. The group have committed to a European Commission (EC) code of conduct that ensures their respective platforms “do not offer opportunities for illegal online hate speech to spread virally.”
As the quote suggests, many EU member states have stipulations in their freedom of speech laws that make, for example, expressions of hate based on race, skin color, nationality, religious belief or sexual orientation illegal. A quick search of your social media platform of choice will tell you that all of these expressions are commonplace.
The code of conduct isn’t legally binding, but it does include public commitments that Facebook et al. will try to stick to. They’ll need to ban hate speech in their community guidelines for the region, and implement “clear and effective processes to review notifications regarding illegal hate speech.” Dedicated teams in each company will review potentially offensive content against their own community guidelines and relevant national laws, targeting the removal (or regional disabling, if appropriate) of illegal hate speech in less than 24 hours.
The code should standardize companies on a simple reporting process for online hate speech that will hopefully be more effective than those currently in operation. This process will be there for the public, but also for governmental bodies to act as “trusted reporters.” There will also be some crossover between the companies and law enforcement agencies in the region. The EC wants such agencies to be familiar with the reporting process, for obvious reasons. A two-way dialog will help police know how to remove illegal content, and could also see something like a death threat for delaying a game be actioned on more swiftly by local police.
In addition to adhering to the new reporting guidelines, the companies will share their methods with one another and other social media companies not signed up to the code of conduct. This, it’s hoped, will help spread “best practices” beyond the four companies directly involved. They’ve also committed to raise awareness of the new rules and reporting processes, support educational programs in the field and promote “independent counter-narratives” to hateful rhetoric and prejudice.
The EC, for its part, will be working with the companies to aid them in meeting the code of conduct, and will also be promoting its efforts in an effort to get other companies to sign up.
Source: European Commission
BT’s football final coverage attracts 3 million on YouTube
BT Sport’s YouTube experiment turned out to be quite successful. As the Guardian reports, the broadcaster attracted three million people to its live coverage of the Champions League and Europa League finals on the platform. Anyone in the UK was able to watch these streams, regardless of whether or not they were a BT Sport subscriber. It was offered alongside BT Sport Showcase, a free-to-watch Freeview channel that BT is forced to provide as part of its Champions League and Europa League TV rights deal. It was the first time both finals have been shown for free on YouTube.
Three million might not sound like a lot given the total number of people that are interested in football in the UK. But bear in mind this was the first time BT Sport has ever offered free coverage on YouTube — not everyone will have known about it, or known where it was being hosted. Furthermore, the Champions League final was, while nail-biting at its conclusion, a subdued end for many British football fans. All of the English clubs had been knocked out months ago, and an all-Madrid fixture is something fans see numerous times a year in La Liga. Liverpool’s clash with Sevilla in the Europa League final was, of course, a different story.
So three million is still a pretty good turnout. It represented a quarter of BT’s viewership, which could have also tuned in through BT TV, the BT website, the BT Sport apps and a number of other TV platforms. For BT, there’s no immediate gain from showing matches on YouTube, however it could be an effective way of marketing its paid sports package. If viewers are impressed by the quality of the stream, the commentary or the pundits — it might be the push they need to subscribe to the full BT Sport experience.
Source: The Guardian
Microsoft has its own venture capitalism division
Microsoft has started its own venture capital division. The new group is called Microsoft Ventures, and it will focus on early-stage startup investments. Confusingly, Microsoft Ventures was already the name of a startup accelerator initiative at Microsoft, and that group is being rebranded as “Microsoft Accelerator” — one of the problems with having a massive, 41-year-old company is running out of names, apparently.
In an article announcing the change, Nagraj Kashyap, the corporate vice president of the new Microsoft Ventures, says that while the company has done a lot of investment in the past, it’s not been focused on early stage, instead investing alongside commercial deals. The new division will be more like Google Ventures, which takes risks on young companies for a potentially huge return.
One company that Microsoft invested in early was Facebook, which it pumped $250 million into back in 2007. But that was an investment in preferred stock at a $15 billion valuation, and more about ad sales than venture capitalism.
The new division will have an initial presence in San Francisco, Seattle, New York City, and Tel Aviv, Israel. “… We were not a part of the early industry conversations on disruptive technology trends,” said Kashyap, but “with a formalized venture fund, Microsoft now has a seat at the table.” Expect to see Microsoft to invest in more companies at a nascent stage, especially those focused on those that complement the company’s existing products and services, and those focused on machine learning and security.
While the announcement talks a good talk, it’s not clear how much this is a rebrand and reorganization versus a real effort to step up investment. Kashyap said that the division is “not aiming to hit a specific number of investments annually,” but “in the coming days and weeks ahead and beyond, you will see us showing up as an investor in companies that complement these spaces and those that aim to disrupt how business is done today.”
Source: Microsoft
BBC Micro:bit computer now available to all for £13
After a couple of unforeseen delays, the BBC finally began delivering Micro:bit computers to Year 7 students across the UK in March. With the objective of distributing free microcomputers to an entire year group nearing completion — around 80 percent of schools have received theirs to date — it’s time to let anyone else with an interest in coding loose on the little device. Pre-orders open today at element14, which manufactures the palm-sized ‘puters, Microsoft’s online store and many other resellers, with the first shipments expected in July.
A lone Micro:bit costs £13, while a starter bundle with battery pack, USB cable and a handful of introductory activities goes for £15 — you can also get 10 of these for a discounted price of £140. Beyond these official options, there are several kits available at retailers for more elaborate projects, though element14 is the place to go for bulk orders.
The Micro:bit is small microcomputer with programmable buttons, an LED array, various sensors, several I/O rings and Bluetooth connectivity. Developed by the BBC with the help of many partners including Microsoft, Samsung and ARM, it was initially intended to introduce children to the basics of coding and computing. You only have to look at the incredibly popular Raspberry Pi boards to see there’s an appetite for cheap hardware you can tinker with at home, however, so the plan was always to make Micro:bits more widely available.
Now anyone can pre-order the device, but better yet, there’s a wealth of resources available for free online to help you master the Micro:bit, including apps for iOS and Android that mean you only need a smartphone to get started.
Source: element14 (1), (2)
The most followed account on Twitter has been hacked
Social media accounts get hacked all the time, but last night the victim list included the current most-followed (at 89 million, the @Twitter account itself only has 55 million) Twitter user: Katy Perry. After briefly spewing a few vulgar and racist tweets the incident was quickly cleaned up, with no indication of exactly what went down. The first tweet indicating anything was amiss pointed to a still-active account (@sw4ylol) that posted a few email screenshots, while also dismissing a claim the hack occurred as a result of an old MySpace leak. The pictures posted included password resets (with one by Twitter itself) and the screenshot of a SoundCloud takedown notice for a song “Witness 1.3” that could be an unreleased track.
Lol. pic.twitter.com/DfqUOjE45Z
— sway (@sw4ylol) May 31, 2016
It appears Katy Perry’s Twitter — with her more than 89 million followers — has been hacked… pic.twitter.com/VmTVKJYGqj
— Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) May 31, 2016
Whatever happened, it should be a good reminder to all about protecting our online accounts: enable two-factor authentication where possible, make sure your email and phone number info is up to date, disconnect unused/shady apps and make sure password reset questions aren’t too easy to guess. We’ve contacted Twitter about the incident and will update this post if there is a response.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, The Ryan Parker (Twitter)
Come join us for the first Engadget UK Meetup!
We love summer. The days are longer, the evenings are lighter, and we feel much better about working into the night to bring you the tech news you crave. So that got us thinking — what better time than now to host our very first Engadget UK meetup?
We’ve roped off part of a lovely pub in central London (The Yorkshire Grey) and we’d like to invite you to join us to discuss some thoroughly geeky topics.
As well as chatting with your fellow readers and Engadget editors, there’ll also be an opportunity to hear from an industry heavyweight. Dan Gray is head of studio at Ustwo Games, the team behind Monument Valley and Land’s End, and he’ll be giving a small talk on the emergence of virtual reality and how it’s “enabling a new dawn of escapism.”
Entrance will cost £5, and that’ll include your tipple of choice (so long as that’s a beer, a wine, or a soft drink). Everyone is welcome, whether you’re in the industry, want to be, or just love reading about it — but places are limited. Sadly, because of the venue, only those aged over 18 will be admitted, and if you’re lucky enough to look younger, then you will be IDed.
If you’re under 18 and frustrated that you can’t join in, let us know — we’ll try to plan a more inclusive meetup in the future.
Source: Engadget UK Meetup Tickets
Sony’s Xperia X hits the US on June 26, but you don’t need one
After a confusing introduction at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Sony is finally gearing up to bring its new Xperias — the Xperia X, X Performance, XA and XA Ultra — to the US this summer. Alas, the Xperia X is set to land here first (on June 26th for $550), though it’s arguably the least interesting of the bunch. It’s a handsome little phone and channels many of the Xperia Z5’s design and construction strengths, but after a week of using it, one thing is clear: There isn’t a great reason to actually buy one.
I’ve been playing with the 32GB Lime Gold version, because really — how often can you go out and buy a cute green phone? The correct answer: “Not often enough.” Sony went all out with the color too. In fact, the only splashes of not-green you’ll find are the silver Sony logo, a silver sleep/wake button and a sticker indicating the NFC touchpoint is next to the 13-megapixel front-facing camera. There’s a micro-USB port on the bottom edge (sadly, not everyone has embraced the USB Type-C revolution yet) and a nano SIM tray that also has a spot for microSD cards as large as 200GB.
Expandable memory is always a nice touch, but it doesn’t make up for the Xperia X’s two most troubling omissions. Unlike global versions of the Xperia X, the US model’s power button doesn’t double as a fingerprint sensor. And unlike the Xperia X Performance, which will hit the US on July 17th, the bog-standard X isn’t waterproof either. D’oh.
Speaking of mild disappointments, the Xperia X’s main rear shooter is a reminder that it takes more than just megapixels to make a good camera. The 23-megapixel sensor is quick to shoot and there’s virtually no downtime between snapping photos, but there’s some noise to be found in detail-heavy pictures — it seems like Sony’s software goes a little heavy on the processing. While there is a full Manual mode and camera effects like an AR mode and artificial bokeh available for download, most of the time you’ll be shooting in the Superior Auto mode.
As usual for smartphone cameras, the Xperia fares best in bright shooting conditions. Though colors are usually punchy and expressive, they can get washed out in harsh lighting. As you might expect, the Xperia X also suffers from blur and muddiness in dimmer light; indoor shots on a cloudy day came out a little hazy. On the flip side, though, the 13-megapixel front camera consistently churned out detailed selfies.
Those selfies look great on the Xperia X’s 5-inch, 1080p IPS LCD screen, by the way. That shouldn’t come as a surprise: Just about everything looks great on this display. More importantly, it’s absolutely fantastic in direct sunlight; the sweltering summer weather we’ve had in New York these past few days couldn’t keep the Xperia X from letting me see all the sweet, sweet social updates that make modern life a waking nightmare. Colors (including Sony’s custom wallpapers) look vivid, and blacks are surprisingly deep by default, too. Not your style? Fair enough: You can make colors look even more vibrant, or turn off image enhancements entirely. Nicely done, Sony.
So far the Xperia X feels like a mixed bag, but surprisingly enough it’s the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 that makes the phone feel so premium. It’s a hexa-core chipset in the vein of the classic Snapdragon 808, albeit with two cores clocked at 1.8 GHz and four clocked at 1.4GHz. Throw in 3GB of RAM, an Adreno 530 GPU and a relatively uncluttered version of Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and we’ve got a slick little package that never stuttered or felt sluggish during my week of testing. A brief aside: My only beef about Sony’s Android skin is that swiping down to search for apps from the launcher brings up a list of apps the phone thinks you should install, including a few sponsored options. Get. Out.
Anyway, there’s enough horsepower here to satisfy most people’s daily routines, but the Xperia X still lags behind last year’s Xperia Z5 when it comes to graphical performance. It feels a little weird to recommend a months-old phone over a brand-new one for mobile gamers, but that’s the long and short of it. On the other hand, though, battery life has been surprisingly good so far — I’ve been getting over a full day of pretty frequent usage out of the X, and it sat patiently on my desk for nearly three days waiting for me to do something with it before dying.
It’s easy to write off Sony as a smartphone also-ran, a company that could’ve been a mobile giant if not for years of questionable decisions. The Xperia X stands as a reminder that, even after all that, Sony still knows how to make a fine handset. That doesn’t, however, mean you should rush out and buy this thing. While there might have been production and supply issues at play, I’m a little disappointed we’re getting this model instead of the far more interesting Xperia X Performance, which comes out July 17th.
The price feels a little silly too: You could spend $549 on the really-rather-nice Xperia X, but the Z5 Premium and its heartbreakingly nice 4K screen will set you back just as much. Frankly, the argument to buy an Xperia X is pretty flimsy, but hopefully, it does well enough that Sony doesn’t change its mind about launching the phone(s) we really want later this summer.
AIVAnet 