Apple Introduces Apple Music Student Membership Option With 50% Discount at $4.99 per Month
Apple will today introduce an Apple Music student plan that discounts the streaming service by 50 percent for those who are enrolled in an eligible college or university (via TechCrunch).
The new plan means any academic student in the United States can now pick up an individual Apple Music membership for $4.99 a month, rather than pay the standard $9.99 subscription rate.
U.S. students won’t be the only ones to benefit though, as the plan is also open to students in the U.K., Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. The actual cost is expected to vary slightly from country to country, but all markets will see 50 percent off the standard subscription rate.
The student discount is offered for up to four continuous or non-continuous years after sign-up, so students are able to take gap years or breaks between semesters and still sign up again when they return to study. Additionally, the plan is open to all students of all ages, regardless of degree.
The membership tier will be available starting today to both new and existing subscribers. Students can sign up or change their membership online, or go through the Apple Music mobile app. Apple is using student verification technology provider, UNiDAY, to ensure that those who are signing up as students are actually enrolled at a supported institution.
News of the student plan comes two days after it was reported that Apple is planning to overhaul its year-old music streaming service to make it more intuitive. The company is set to redesign the user interface, which will be “bolder, yet simpler”, with an emphasis on black and white backgrounds and text as well as more of a focus on album art.
Additionally, the “New” tab in Apple Music is being replaced with a “Browse” option with better organizational tools for finding new content, and Apple will encourage users to use a simplified “For You” section. The new Apple Music app will reportedly debut at WWDC in iOS 10 and will be introduced through an iTunes update on the Mac.
Tag: Apple Music
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TSMC Reportedly Completing Designs for 10-nm A11 Chip With Early 2017 Availability
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has begun to “tape out” the design for Apple’s A11 processor built on a 10nm FinFET process, according to industry sources (via DigiTimes). Taping out refers to the initial design of the chip having been completed for creation of the masks that will be used to print the actual chips, although further tweaks are likely as test production is carried out.
Following the final result of the design cycle for the A11, TSMC is expected to achieve certification on its 10nm manufacturing process in the fourth quarter of 2016, and deliver product samples to Apple for validation in the first quarter of 2017. TSMC is expected to obtain about two-thirds of its overall A11 chip orders directly from Cupertino.
The same sources indicate that TSMC could begin small-volume production for Apple’s A11 chips as early as the second quarter of 2017, which would generate revenue for the company in the following quarter.
Apple currently operates a two-year upgrade cycle for its smartphones. All things remaining the same, that would mean the A11 would be headed for the “iPhone 7s”, the likely successor to the next-generation iPhone 7 which is slated to launch this fall. However, last month Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz speculated Apple will skip its traditional “S” upgrade cycle next year altogether.
Citing industry sources, Moskowitz said the Cupertino company won’t debut a spec-bumped, internally upgraded “iPhone 7s” in 2017, but a completely overhauled “iPhone 8” with “major design changes” and new, next-generation features like wireless charging. Either way, the A11-powered iPhone models would therefore be expected to launch in the second half of 2017.
In February, TSMC reached a deal with Apple to be the sole manufacturer for the A10, which is expected to be the processor included in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The deal was thought to have been motivated by TSMC’s advanced device packaging techniques capable of higher-width memory buses and lower-power operation, which for consumers means better performance and efficiency.
Tags: TSMC, iPhone 7s, A11 chip
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Pre-ordered the HTC 10? You’ll receive a ‘small token of appreciation’ from HTC shortly
HTC is sending out emails to customers that have pre-ordered the HTC 10, stating that they will receive a “small token of appreciation” from the company for purchasing the handset.
From the Reddit thread:
There’s no mention as to what the surpise gift may be, but it could turn out to be an accessory like the Ice View case, or the HTC Active Earphones. It could even be the Hi-Res Audio Earphones, which aren’t bundled in the U.S. edition of the phone.
What are you guys hoping the mystery gift will be?
Thanks Steven!
Google: Android One program now a part of Rick Osterloh’s hardware division
Google has failed to make strides with the Android One platform in India, but the search giant isn’t giving up on the initiative. The program is now “a part of the broader hardware strategy” and will be under the control of Rick Osterloh, who recently returned to Google to lead its hardware efforts.
In an interview with Economic Times, Mike Hayes, director of business development for Android and Chrome partnerships said:
Android One has become a part of the broader hardware strategy, under which Motorola’s Rick Osterloh has joined Google recently. Google is taking a broader view of its hardware business. So you should expect to see a position around what we are doing on low-end devices all the way through.
We still continue to support a number of OEMs (original equipment makers) that partnered with us on the programme. However, speeds at which the devices are coming to the market are completely dependent upon the OEMs.
We still have interest from a number of OEMs wanting to work with us on programmes like the Android One. The program is about mass market low-end devices, more affordability and to drive services into the market, and the premium things that we are working on with a number of OEMs.
Hayes confirmed that new Android One handsets will launch in due course of time, and that Google will continue to partner with local vendors Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice.
The executive also talked about carrier billing, which was enabled for Idea Cellular subscribers earlier this week. Google is currently in talks with other carriers to bring the feature to more customers in the country:
We are actively engaging with other major carriers. I can’t give a specific date but we expect that in the short term, there will be several announcements that we would announcing with them. We have learnt a lot and are able to talk intelligibly what those opportunities are with the carriers.
We’ll likely hear more about what’s planned for Android One at I/O 2016, which starts on May 18.
Oculus exec Mary Lou Jepsen resigns to create new MRI tech
Dr. Mary Lou Jepsen is well known for her work in pioneering display technology as a co-founder of OLPC, former head of the display division at Google X and lately Oculus VR, which she joined about a year ago. Tonight during the Anita Borg Institute’s Women of Vision awards banquet, the founder and former CEO of Pixel Qi capped off a keynote speech by announcing she will resign her post as Executive Director of Engineering and Head of Display Technologies at Oculus. Instead, she will focus on “curing diseases with new display technology,” by bringing MRI machines to every doctor’ office in the world. It’s an ambitious goal, but a peek at Dr. Jepsen’s history shows why she’s the person to tackle it.
“If we let one gender, race or age group create tech, those solutions won’t benefit everyone.” @mljmljmlj #WoV16
— Anita Borg Institute (@anitaborg_org) May 6, 2016
“I have decided to leave Facebook and Oculus to cure diseases with new imagery technology.” @mljmljmlj #WoV16
— Anita Borg Institute (@anitaborg_org) May 6, 2016
“After incubating this idea for a decade, I can barely wait to begin.” @mljmljmlj #WoV16
— Anita Borg Institute (@anitaborg_org) May 6, 2016
Source: Anita Borg Institute (Twitter)
U of M’s Marlo robot uses algorithms to conquer uneven terrain
Robots walking unaided on flat ground is tough enough as it is — just look at last year’s class of DARPA Challenge failures — so when one can handle uneven terrain in any direction (not just a straight line), we take notice. The latest example is Marlo, a joint project between University of Michigan’s Jessy Grizzle and Oregon State University’s Jonathan Hurst. The key difference here is how it achieves this feat: a bank of algorithms containing different instructions for different walking styles.
Analyzing data from sensors in the biped’s knees, hips and torso, Marlo adjusts walking style on the fly, pulling from a library of 15 pre-programmed gaits and blending them based on ground-cover or inclination angle.
Marlo’s speed and direction is determined by a user holding an Xbox controller, but anything other than that — like movement speed — is handled by the bot itself. What’s more, the school says that this algorithm is general enough that other robots could use it as a baseline for movement. And more than just fueling your nightmares of the impending robocalypse, this has implications for us fleshy humans too: The team says that this tech could extend to robotic prosthetics that’d make walking easier for lower-limb amputees.
Source: University of Michigan
The most common Wi-Fi problems and how to fix them – CNET
Josh Miller/CNET
Internet speeds and Wi-Fi have both improved significantly over the last several years. Data speeds are faster across the board and wireless connections are more reliable than ever.
However, Wi-Fi isn’t without issue. Hang out at a Starbucks long enough and you can experience it firsthand.
Once you’ve set up your home network, here are some very common issues you may run into with Wi-Fi and how to correct them.
Slow connection
Despite faster speeds reaching most homes around the globe, wireless (and often wired) networks can get bogged down. If your Internet connection is still working but the speeds are slower than normal, there is usually a logical explanation that can usually be fixed.
Cause: The most obvious problem with Wi-Fi speeds slowing down is being too far from the router. The further you are from the router, the more unreliable the connection and its throughput will become.
Fix: To fix this, just get a little closer. If the router is located in a different room, try going into the room where the router is located and see if that fixes the issue. If this is a consistent issue, try to position your router higher (up on a shelf), away from other devices, which can interfere with it, and in a central location in your home.
If that doesn’t work, consider purchasing a second router and a set of powerline network adapters to extend your network.
Cause: Another cause for slowdowns is a lack of bandwidth. If everyone is home and using their computers, phones and televisions for data-hungry applications, your typically speedy Internet is being spread thin and shared across multiple devices.
Fix: Disconnect any devices that you aren’t actively using. If multiple people are trying to stream videos from, say, YouTube and Netflix, while someone else is trying to game online, you can try connecting one or more of the devices directly to the router using a Cat-5 ethernet cable to free up some of the wireless bandwidth. But the problem may be that you just don’t have fast enough Internet speeds to support everything at once.
There is also the possibility that someone nearby is leeching off your Internet. To prevent this from happening, be sure to setup security for your network and give out the password sparingly.
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Cause: Interference can be a real issue, especially in crowded areas. When most people first get their Internet set up, they leave settings unchanged, which means default wireless frequency channels — like 1, 6 and 11 — become very crowded.
Fix: Fortunately, many newer model routers are capable of automatically selecting the least crowded frequencies upon rebooting. Perform a power cycle on your router or, log in to the admin panel and manually select a different channel.
Additionally, if you have a dual-band router, try enabling both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Keep the 5GHz channel open for your most important connections.
Cause: During peak hours, Internet speeds can slow for everyone, especially in crowded, urban areas.
Fix: All you can really do when this is the case, if possible, is try to schedule your usage outside peak hours to get the best speeds.
Cause: Wireless technology has changed quite a bit over the last 10 years. New wireless standards have been put in place, speeds are faster than ever, fiber is being offered in more areas and devices you never thought would require an Internet connection need Wi-Fi — televisions, speakers, refrigerator, printers, lights and more. The problem could easily be an outdated router.
Fix: If you think the limitation lies with your router, it may be time to start saving up for a new one. Upgrading your router every two years or so is good practice and can help you avoid certain issues altogether.
No Internet connection
Cause: Periodically, something glitches and the router or modem (or combination) just stop communicating. There isn’t always an explanation. It just happens.
Fix: The best place to start is pulling the plug. Disconnect the modem and router from power and wait at least 30 seconds before restoring power to both.
Cause: For me, one of the most common problems that occurs with my Internet is the connection dropping completely — not due to a hardware issue on my end, but rather a massive service outage.
Fix: Not much you can do here. You can go to the nearest coffee shop or get on the phone with your Internet service provider (ISP) and let them know you’re affected. Sadly, this usually won’t do much to speed up the recovery time, but it can help the ISP know more about which areas are affected by an outage.
Why hiding your router is a terrible idea – CNET
If you hide your router in a book it may overheat.
Alina Bradford
Do-it-yourself blogs and Pinterest users love sharing the idea of hiding Wi-Fi routers in hollowed-out books or pretty boxes, wrapping them in gift wrap, or putting them in drawers.
Here’s why that’s a terrible idea.
Take a look at your router. You’ll notice the enclosure has vents on the sides, which allow hot air to flow out of the router and cool air to flow in. Those vents prevent overheating the delicate circuitry inside.
A pretty box, a hollowed out book, a drawer or a basket can prevents hot air from circulating out of the router, raising the temperature of the device. Ultimately, it could cause your router to overheat.
Even if your router doesn’t overheat, tucking it away may slow down your connection. Obstructions around your box can make the signal weaker or spotty throughout your home.
A better way to blend your router in with the decor is to place it behind a picture frame, or set it on a bookshelf. Just make sure that the modem or router has at least 4 inches (10 centimeters) of clearance on each side to give it good air flow.
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What is a bot? Here’s everything you need to know – CNET
You’ve probably heard about bots a lot lately, how they are here to make our lives easier and replace apps. Bots made a splash at Facebook’s developer conference in April and now, despite being around since the beginnings of the Internet, they are getting their time in the spotlight.
Let this primer take you through everything you need to know about bots and why they matter now.
So, what is a bot exactly?
Imagine texting a number to order pizza and having it delivered without ever talking to a real human — that’s what bots are all about. Specifically, a bot is an application that performs an automated task, such as setting an alarm, telling you the weather or searching online.
Siri and Cortana are bots, as was Microsoft’s Clippy and AOL Instant Messenger’s SmarterChild. And who can forget Tay, the teenage chatbot designed by Microsoft who wound up tweeting racist and offensive messages?
Bots are everywhere in technology, ranging from malicious bots that come with a virus to search engine spiders that crawl the Internet looking for new Web pages to add. In this context, we’re talking about chatbots, which can hold a conversation with you to accomplish a task.
What can bots do?
Today’s bots can help us order food, shop for clothes, save money and find restaurants. For example, Digit helps you manage your money by showing your bank balance, upcoming bills and helping you save money through text messages. The Hi Poncho chatbot available in Facebook Messenger tells you the weather around you.
Many bots are programmed to act like humans when you talk to them so it feels like asking a person for help instead of just typing in a search engine.
How smart are these bots?
Not very smart at this point. While artificial intelligence keeps getting better, we all know how frustrating it can be to ask Siri or Cortana something only to have them not understand. Chatbots aren’t doing too much better either, as my colleague Sean Hollister found while testing some of them on Facebook Messenger.
Where can I find bots?
You can find chatbots on many messaging apps, including Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Kik, and Telegram. Even the more work-focused service Slack has its own built-in bot that helps you set reminders and jot down notes. Twitter has bots too which will reply to you, but usually not offer any assistance. I’ve rounded up some of the top chatbots on each platform in the list below.
Facebook Messenger
- CNN — Shows top news headlines
- Uber —
- 1-800-Flowers.com — Order flowers
- HealthTap — Get health advice from real doctors
Enlarge Image
Facebook’s CNN chatbot.
Screenshot by Sean Hollister/CNET
SMS
- Digit — Automatically save money and get your bank balance with a text
- Magic — Order (almost) anything and it gets delivered to your door
- Cloe — Find restaurants, shops and services around you
- Assist — Order food, message a business, mail a letter, find hotels and other tasks (also available on other platforms)
- Invisible Boyfriend/Invisible Girlfriend — Fake a relationship with a bot
Kik
- H&M — Get outfit ideas and shop looks from the store
- Vine — See Vine videos based on keyword (like kittens or funny)
- TheScore — Real-time sports scores and updates
- Sensay — Connect to real humans to get advice
Telegram
- National Geographic Bot — Sends you photos from Nat Geo photographers.
- Amazon Bot — Search for products on Amazon
- MyPokerBot — Play Texas Holdem poker in a chat
Are bots the future?
Yes and no. Some developers and companies believe that people are tired of apps and would rather use bots. Instead of having many different apps on your phone, you could have one with multiple bots that can help with different tasks, like ordering food or checking sports scores.
It’s a good argument, but apps aren’t going anywhere soon. What we’re more likely to see in the future are smarter bots at home (like Amazon’s Alexa), on our phones and in our car that will help automate our lives. But anyone who’s been fed up with Siri when looking up something knows we’re just not there yet.
2016 Mazda Mazda6 review – Roadshow
The Good The Mazda6’s stellar handling dynamics make it the most engaging vehicle in the segment. Skyactiv drivetrain packs a punch, and delivers impressive fuel efficiency. Features handsome looks both inside and out.
The Bad Firmer suspension tuning and 19-inch wheel and tire package on upper trim levels provides a slightly harsher ride quality. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities are not available on the Mazda Connect infotainment system.
The Bottom Line The Mazda6 is better equipped to appeal a broader audience, while staying true to its sporty roots and remaining the midsize sedan choice for the enthusiast crowd.
For years, I’ve recommend the Mazda6 to anyone shopping the midsize sedan class who wants a vehicle that’s actually entertaining to drive. And with the third-generation model fixing many of the weak points afflicting previous iterations, I can’t help but throw my hands up in the air and wonder why more people aren’t buying Mazda’s midsize sedan.
Last month, Toyota sold 34,039 Camrys, Honda moved 31,526 Accords and Nissan saw 28,484 Altimas find homes. This while only 3,929 Mazda6s were sold in April, peanuts compared to the competition.
A driver’s midsize sedan
A week with a 2016 Mazda6 i Grand Touring again reaffirmed my belief that Mazda builds the most engaging vehicle in the segment. Crisp steering responds nearly instantly to inputs. The tight suspension along with the 19-inch Dunlop SP Sport 5000 tires on my test car keep body motions tidy around corners and through bends, with understeer not showing its ugly head until you push really hard. It feels light on its feet, and, like a well-trained dog, does everything you tell it almost immediately.
The cream of the midsize sedan crop when it comes to handling dynamics.
Jon Wong/Roadshow
It also manages to be the sportiest of the midsize sedan bunch without packing a high dose of power. Its Skyactiv 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque isn’t going to set the world on fire, but is zippy enough to confidently merge onto expressways, and have a good time on twisty back roads. The six-speed automatic transmission smoothly cracks through gear changes, and it’s fun to play with the responsive manual shift feature. However, for the highest entertainment value, a slick six-speed manual transmission is available on base Sport and midgrade Touring models.
The 6’s fuel efficiency game is also strong, receiving 28 mpg city and 40 mpg highway EPA ratings with the automatic and optional i-Eloop brake energy regeneration system, which captures electricity under braking in a capacitor to help power the car’s electrical systems. Best of all, the brake pedal doesn’t suffer from the wonky feeling of many other regenerative braking systems.
Everything comes together in a package that’s genuinely fun to toss around, which isn’t real common in the segment. I honestly believe you can show up at an autocross in this and have a blast, while turning in respectable times. That’s not to say all of the other entries in the class are total snoozers because the Honda Accord, Ford Fusion and Kia Optima are also good drivers, while the efforts Toyota and Nissan have put in to tightening up their cars are admirable. Dynamically, though, all of them still trail the Mazda.
But if you’re looking to win a drag race, the others have the upper hand with available turbocharged I-4 or V-6 engine options, while the Mazda6 is only packing a naturally aspirated four-banger. Mazda previously said a diesel engine was on the way for the 6, but those plans have since been delayed, and there are no signs of it landing in the US anytime soon. Given the diesel headaches Volkswagen has been dealing with, it may be wise for Mazda put those plans on the back burner for a bit, anyway.
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Mainstream struggle
With the class-leading Camry outselling the Mazda6 by a ratio of nearly 9:1 last month, Mazda still has a long way to go before achieving mainstream acceptance. And that’s not for a lack of effort on Mazda’s part, because it has taken steps to broaden the appeal of the latest Mazda6. In addition to its strong fuel economy hand, the flowing Kodo exterior design language is handsome and sharp without being overdone like the previous Hyundai Sonata. It’s easily the most visually attractive entry in the segment, with small styling tweaks arriving during a midcycle update for the 2016 model year that brought a new three-dimensional grille, headlights and fog light surrounds.
AIVAnet 