BBC White Paper: what you need to know

The UK government has published a White Paper today setting out its proposed changes to the BBC Charter. If approved, the new Charter — which guides and regulates the BBC’s operations — would abolish the BBC Trust and hand oversight to Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator. In addition, a new board would be established to avoid “confusion of governance issues.” The new setup would, the government argues, make the broadcaster more accountable and less susceptible to mismanagement. The BBC broadly agrees with the decision to make Ofcom its watchdog, but has some concerns with how the new BBC board members would be appointed.

Closing the iPlayer loophole

The new BBC Charter would run for 11 years, rather than 10, to take debates out of the UK’s election cycle. During that period, the licence fee would be mostly protected, rising in line with inflation for five years, starting in 2017. The government is also keen to close the so-called “iPlayer loophole” which means people can watch BBC programming online, on-demand, without paying the licence fee. Currently, viewers only have to pay if they watch the BBC’s TV channels live. To help low-income families, the BBC has also proposed “more flexible payment plans” so that everyone, should they wish to, can support and enjoy the broadcaster’s work.

No subscription model in the UK, yet

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale. Credit: Toby Melville / Reuters

For years, the BBC has been cutting back to meet saving targets. BBC Three has moved online, while sporting coverage such as Formula 1 has been abandoned. To maintain the broadcaster’s high quality programming, the government seems open to the idea of a subscription model. In the White Paper, it suggests “a more sustainable funding model in the future by empowering the BBC to consider and explore the scope for additional sources of commercial income, including testing whether some elements of subscription — in combination with the licence fee — could achieve this.”

Any subscription model would, for the time being, be limited to some kind of extra service or functionality. Furthermore, it couldn’t be used to “top-up” or replace any service that viewers already get with the licence fee. In its White Paper, the government has also stressed there are “no plans” to replace the licence fee with a subscription, at least in the next charter. However, it wants the BBC to consider whether “elements of subscription could provide a more sustainable funding model in the longer term.” The broadcaster’s ideas will then be considered in the next Charter renewal.

Taking the BBC abroad

For some time, UK politicians have been hinting at legislation that could allow Brits to take their favourite services and content abroad. It’s a common gripe — you travel across the English Channel, only to find that BBC iPlayer is now unavailable, or that half the shows you were watching on Netflix have disappeared. In its White Paper, the government suggests making BBC content “portable” so that licence fee payers can enjoy their regular service abroad. Such a mechanism would, the theory goes, help the BBC to keep the public on side while it closes the iPlayer loophole.

On the flip-side, the government is also keen to block individuals that are currently accessing iPlayer for free from abroad. VPNs and other location-masking tools are growing in popularity, reducing the BBC’s revenue from international distribution. To combat this, politicians are keen to implement a verification system tied to licence fee payments. “The government will discuss verification and other options with the BBC and look at the best way of implementing this, including through regulations if needed,” the White Paper reads. “It will be up to the BBC to determine whether this is an appropriate means of charging international viewers.”

Disclosing BBC stars’ salaries

Match of the Day host Gary Lineker. Credit: REUTERS/Luke MacGregor

It’s widely assumed that the BBC spends a fair chunk of change on big stars such as Chris Evans and Gary Lineker. Under the new Charter, the broadcaster would need to disclose the names of actors and presenters paid more than £450,000 — a somewhat arbitrary threshold based on the salary of Tony Hall, the BBC’s current Director-General. The Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale, has hinted that these salaries would be published in broad bands in order to protect stars’ exact income.

What next?

The government is now accepting feedback on its proposals. A draft version of the new Charter will be published in the coming months, before it’s finalised and enforced from January next year. Many fear that the UK government is trying to “dismantle” the BBC — Whittingdale only fuelled those flames when he said the BBC’s demise was “a tempting prospect.” It’s spawned a wave of protests from high-profile media personalities, including Gary Lineker and numerous attendees at the BAFTA TV awards.

Source: Gov.uk

NOAA’s supercomputers can make hourly weather forecasts

NOAA’s US Global Forecast System has gone 4D, thanks to the power of its new supercomputers. The agency has added “time” as a fourth dimension to its weather and climate model, allowing GFS to make hourly forecasts for up to five days out. Before the upgrade, GFS could only deliver forecasts for every three hours, which isn’t exactly bad. But hourly forecasts allow first responders and disaster relief operators to plan their best course of action. Not to mention, people can use that kind of info in their daily lives, say to plan their commutes and avoid being on the road in the middle of a raging hurricane.

NOAA’s National Weather Service director Louis Uccellini explains:

“The GFS is the foundation for all of our weather and climate models, so today’s upgrade will add skill across all NOAA’s forecast mission areas, including hurricanes and other high-impact weather. Current investments in more powerful supercomputers, advanced modeling capabilities, and better earth observing systems are creating more precision in the forecast process and strengthening America’s resiliency to extreme weather, water and climate events.”

The upgraded GFS will be able to use images of weather patterns and storms that will be taken every 30 seconds by a satellite called GOES-R when it launches later this year. It can also predict rainfall in continental US and the intensity of tropical storms better than before. Hopefully, the upgrade makes a big enough bump in overall accuracy, so we can trust the weatherman more.

Source: NOAA

Fender is making headphones the way it builds guitars

When an established brand enters a new product category, skepticism begins to creep in. It’s fairly common for a company to license its name to a third party to make gadgets, and that was indeed my first thought when I learned Fender was making headphones. Fortunately, that’s not the case here. The company’s approaching its new in-ear monitors and $99 buds the same way it does guitars: by making them in-house, with strong attention to detail.

At January’s NAMM show, Fender revealed its line of wired in-ear monitors, signaling its entry into the headphone market for pro musicians and more casual listeners. As part of that announcement the company explained that it purchased headphone maker Aurisonics to handle production. Unless you’re an audiophile or aspiring musician, chances are you haven’t heard of Aurisonics. For those not in the know, then, the small Nashville-based company had cultivated a following in the pro audio and audiophile space, with in-ear monitors that didn’t require a visit to a specialist to have custom molds or a 3D scan made.

Fender isn’t the first guitar brand to try its hand at consumer audio. Gibson, which has a much wider reach than just instruments, owns both the Onkyo and Philips audio lines. While headphones bear the Gibson logo, the Onkyo and Philips brands are still alive and well, with new products added each year. Fender’s approach is a bit different, though. Sure, it acquired an outside company to produce its new line of headphones, but that same workshop-like mindset from its guitar-making operation still applies.

“At Fender, we’re makers and craftsmen,” said Jim Ninesling, Fender’s vice president of amplifiers and pro audio told Engadget. “We kept this very close to home. Our best guitars are made in California and these in-ear monitors are made in Nashville by our own employees. This is a core value that we wanted to stick to as we got into this business.”

Before Fender nabbed Aurisonics, the audio company had already developed what it called DHT or Digital Hybrid Technology. To ensure a universal yet snug fit for a range of ear shapes and sizes, Aurisonics scanned thousands of ears to create the shape of its headphone shells — a process that allowed it to construct an in-ear device that fits 95 percent of people. Those shells are 3D-printed as well, with a sparkle finish that pays homage to the same paint schemes featured on Fender guitars. The guitar maker didn’t just put its logo on an existing product and release it, either. Instead, the drivers and other components were “reconfigured and improved” before launch, Fender’s Andy Rowley explained to Head-Fi back at NAMM.

With a design that serves pro musicians as in-ear monitors, Fender is targeting everyday consumers as well. I had dreams of a record deal several years ago, long before in-ear monitors were commonplace — or affordable, for that matter. The range of prices and models here immediately grabbed my attention, then. For $99, you can have a solid set of in-ear monitors or headphones that offer lifelike audio with no distortion. Even at the high end, the $500 FXA7s cost a fraction of a pair of custom-molded IEMs.

“One thing that we knew going into this was that we knew that we didn’t want to just make an inexpensive consumer headphone,” said Ninesling. “It had to be pro-grade quality, but also be totally applicable to a consumer who just wanted to listen to music on their phone.”

Fender’s desire to market these pro-grade in-ears to consumers is all well and good, but how do they perform off-stage? Quite well. I’ve been using the $400 FXA6 as my primary headphones for a few weeks and in terms of sound, they rival wired on-ears that cost the same or even a little more. Fender’s new in-ear monitors work admirably as everyday headphones, and the clarity of the audio is one of their biggest strengths. The sound is crisp and clear across a wide range of genres, making them a good choice for a vocalist. Indeed,my colleague Roberto Baldwin plans to put them through their paces on stage soon, the next time his band has a gig.

“All of these products provide ample dynamic range and full frequency response,” Ninesling explained. “What you can expect as you move up the price range is higher-end driver configurations and more detail in the high frequencies.” He went on to explain that instrumentalists might favor the $200 FXA2 while a singer may prefer the pricier FAX6s that I tested for their increased clarity. I can attest that vocals stand out in nearly every style of music I listened to during my time with the $400 model.

From the hit of the the snare drum to a layered lead guitar part, you can hear sound a song has to offer, including some things you may not have noticed before. That said, I found when listening to hip hop that the FXA6 favors the highs and vocals, somewhat at expense of bass notes. When it comes to bluegrass, rock other styles that aren’t as bass-heavy, but that’s where Fender’s in-ears shine. Fittingly, guitar-driven genres sound the best coming from these IEMs.

That clarity is certainly something that you’d want in a pair of in-ear monitors for the stage. Fender says these devices are tuned to “deliver music in its purest form,” including 6Hz-22kHz frequency response and 109dB @1mW sensitivity to keep distortion at bay. The resulting sound may seem lacking in bass for those who are accustomed to the heavy dose of low end most consumer headphones offer these days. Still, I found the EQ to be generally well-rounded.

Another attractive feature for Fender’s new in-ear line is that 3D-printed universal shell. In addition to accommodating most listeners, the shape also helps with the noise isolation alongside SureSeal rubber tips. Before the music even starts, any ambient noise is drastically reduced, offering an opportunity to tune out what’s going on around you. Again, this is welcome feature for the stage too, but it’ll serve us regular folks who need to focus in the office or while working at a busy coffee shop.

“We can block out a huge amount of noise just with the housing — how it’s created and how it fits in your ear,” Ninesling continued. “It’s not only comfortable, but it provides an amazing isolation from outside noise as well.”

A product billed as in-ear monitors isn’t the most obvious choice as regular headphones. Fender’s new IEMs feature an over-ear hook similar to a lot of fitness earbuds also have, only these allow you to bend the top of the cable to fit the curve on the back of your ear as snug (or loose) as you’d like. “It goes in your ear pretty much the same way as an in-ear headphone; it just has a unique shape to it, and it’s like that for a reason,” Ninesling explained. “It’s not that much of a step for a consumer.”

Ninesling says that professional musicians have kicked their expensive, custom-made in-ears to the curb in favor of this universal fit option. “They found them more comfortable and they liked them better,” he said. He also reiterated that the goal is to win over as many of the Fender faithful as possible with a product that fits a wide range of people, but that it’s offering its family of artists a custom-molded solution as well. He didn’t go so far as to confirm that the option would eventually be available for consumers, but he did admit that “it would make sense” for the company to consider it.

ICYMI: Sea drones, Pigeon pollution patrol and more

Today on In Case You Missed It: A more affordable ocean-going drone is about to hit the market for about $3,000. We doubt it can reach the amazing things continually being sighted along the Mariana Trench, but it’s fun to dream. People at the Science Museum in London are trying to rebuild the first British robot. And this happened a month ago but we just discovered it and can’t stop talking about it: Pigeons in London were sent on test flights to collect pollution stats in their tiny air quality smart vests. Please take in the splendor of this image and share with every animal freak you know.

If you’re into art, you might appreciate these modern pop-up books. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.

Canon’s latest EOS M lens has a built-in ring flash

Canon’s first EOS M may have landed with a thud, but things are getting much better for the mirrorless system. The company launched the excellent EOS M3 late last year, and just revealed a very interesting lens, the EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM. A new EOS M macro lens is a big deal, since there are only seven in the family so far. What’s especially exotic about the 28mm model is that it packs a “ring flash” that can fire from the left and right sides.

The light provide gentles illumination for close-up subjects and lets you create left or right shadows by using just one side of the flash. It also helps eliminate shadows from the lens itself, considering you have to get closer than normal for a shot (Canon’s other macro lenses tend to be telephotos). Canon also says the “tapered lens top shape makes it easy to capture high-quality images at close range without casting shadows.”

At 28mm, the lens provides a 45mm full-frame equivalent field of view, which is exactly one-to-one. Given the relatively simple three-element design, I wouldn’t be surprised if it has excellent optics — the 60mm EF-S macro has a spectacular rating on B&H, for instance. It’s also got Canon’s hybrid IS stabilization system, a stepping focus motor and a “super macro” mode that gives you 1.2 times magnification.

Most importantly, Canon clearly put a lot of thought into designing the model, which is a strong sign for the EOS M system. Hopefully, it will soon launch some other much-needed lenses, especially some fast primes, so serious users won’t have to rely on an EF lens adapter. The EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM lens will arrive in June for $300.

Via: The Verge

Source: Canon

Taylor Swift Dances Like No One’s Watching in Newest Apple Music Ad

Taylor Swift this morning tweeted out a new ad for Apple Music, this time showcasing a playlist called “Friday Night Rocks!” recommended to the singer within the For You tab of the music streaming service.

The new commercial plays out in a way similar to Swift’s previous ad, which saw her lip syncing to Jimmy Eat World as she prepared for a night out. This time, however, she dances around her living room alone to the tune of The Darkness’ “I Believe In A Thing Called Love.”

Dance like no one’s watching @AppleMusic @thedarknesshttps://t.co/QfX9l0EXX7

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 12, 2016

After the last ad, Apple Music head of content Larry Jackson confirmed that the company had created a series of commercials with Swift, and would continue a steady rollout of them, akin to the release of singles on a record.

Read More: Apple Music is ‘Distractingly Good’ for Taylor Swift in New Ad

Tag: Apple Music
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LG’s new Action CAM LTE will let you record in 4K and stream to YouTube

LG has added a new action camera to the company’s Friend ecosystem. The Action CAM LTE supports mobile networks and allows for remote access, ideal for use as CCTV, YouTube, or even a dash camera. The best part is you can do all this without having a smartphone at hand.

The camera unit itself is IP67 rated and can be immersed in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes. The onboard 1400mAh battery allows for up to four hours of recording in 4K. The camera is a 12.3MP shooter, which can record in 30 frames-per-second in 4K or stream in 30FPS in HD. 2GB of RAM is available, alongside microSD support for up to 2TB cards.

LG will launch the Action CAM LTE next month in South Korea, followed by select markets worldwide including Europe and the U.S.

Press Release

SEOUL, May 12, 2016 ― The newest addition to LG Electronics’ (LG) Friend ecosystem is the first action camera to be available globally with LTE connectivity built-in, allowing users to stream directly to sites such as YouTube Live without a smartphone. The device, LG Action CAMLTE, will launch in South Korea next month followed by key markets worldwide including North America and Europe.

In addition to its live streaming feature, LG Action CAMLTE will offer remote access* functionality via 3G and LTE which will enable the device to be used as a CCTV camera for home monitoring or as an automobile dash camera. Action CAMLTE users can download recorded images and videos on their paired smartphones.

With a rating of IP67, the LG Action CAMLTE is completely protected from dust, sand and can be immersed in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. A completely waterproof case (available in the third quarter) will enable the camera to participate in more vigorous activities such as surfing and scuba diving. With the optional mount, the LG Action CAMLTE can capture smooth videos while attached to helmets, bicycles, cars and other fast moving objects. With a generous 1,400mAh battery the camera boasts an industry-leading Full HD recording time of up to four hours.

“We are committed to expanding the LG Playground ecosystem with both modules and standalone accessories and Action CAMLTE is one of many more that we plan to announce this year,” said Juno Cho, LG Electronics and Mobile Communications Company president. “Action CAMLTE is an example of the kind of innovation we will be bringing to market, devices that offer features unavailable in other competing products.”

Prices, specifications and carrier details will be announced locally at the time of launch.

Key Specifications:

• Camera: 1/2.3-inch 12.3MP / 1.55 x 1.55㎛pixels
• Connectivity: LTE / 3G / Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n / USB Type-C 2.0 / Bluetooth 4.1
• Video Recording: UHD 30fps / FHD 60fps / HD 120fps
• Video Live Streaming: HD 30fps
• Memory: 2GB RAM / 4GB ROM (OS only) / microSD (up to 2TB)
• Size: 35 x 35 x 77.9mm
• Weight: 95g
• Battery: 1,400mAh
• Others: IP67 / GPS / Accelerometer / Gyroscope
• Color: Light Gray

You can now pre-order the Sony Xperia X at Mobiles UK

Mobiles UK has the Sony Xperia X ready for pre-order on contracts costing £32 per month with Vodafone. If you don’t mind paying £25 upfront, O2 contracts are available from £28 per month, but you’ll only be able to enjoy 1GB of data compared to the 3GB with Vodafone.

Specifications include a 5-inch full HD display, Snapdragon 650 processor, 23MP main shooter, 32GB of internal storage, 3GB RAM, and a 2620mAh battery. Hit the link below to learn more and to place an order.

See at Mobiles UK