Brazilian government blocks WhatsApp for 72 hours

A Brazilian judge has order local cellphone carriers to block WhatsApp on their networks for 72 hours, effectively locking out over 100 million users from the Facebook-owned messaging service.

The ban, which started Monday afternoon local time, appears to be a result of a dispute over WhatsApp’s move to encrypt 100 percent of messages on its service. As TechCrunch reports, Judge Marcel Montalvo ordered WhatsApp to hand over chat records related to a drug investigation, but the company argued that it does not keep such records and could not decrypt the data even if it did. Therefore, it can’t deliver something it does not have access to.

This is actually the second time the Brazilian government has temporarily shut down WhatsApp. In December of last year, Judge Montalvo ordered the service be shut down for 48 hours, reportedly because it refused to take down illicit photos of minors. That ban only lasted for 12 hours after a different judge ruled it was “not reasonable that millions of users be affected by the inertia of the company.” As Engadget noted at the time, Brazilian telcos have been hemorrhaging subscribers as more and more people ditch their phone lines for services like WhatsApp.

In March, Brazilian authorities attempted again to force Facebook and WhatsApp to hand over user data by arresting Facebook’s Latin America VP Diego Dzodan. Facebook called the move an “extreme and disproportionate measure,” while pointing out again that it cannot access end-to-end encrypted data that it doesn’t keep. (Not to mention, WhatsApp operates as a separate entity from Facebook.) A judge agreed, calling the move “unlawful coercion” and ordered Dzodan’s release just a day after his arrest.

Of the latest ban, a WhatsApp exec told TechCrunch, “This decision punishes more than 100 million Brazilians who rely on our service to communicate, run their businesses, and more, in order to force us to turn over information we repeatedly said we don’t have.”

Apple Music for Android adds the videos iOS users already enjoy

Apple Music subscribers with iOS devices have been privy to the service’s music videos as part of the monthly plan. Those visuals haven’t been added the Android version of the app since it arrived last November, despite regular updates to deliver new features. After the additions of offline SD card storage and a handy widget, the Apple Music software for Google’s OS now features videos. When you’re browsing the list of what’s new or looking for a specific artist, you’ll now see the new additions as part of the search results.

Family plans aren’t new to Apple Music either, but with this update to the Android app, you can now sign up for that shared option on your mobile device. If you’re in need of a refresher, $15 a month will open up access for up to six people. That’s the same pricing Google offers for Play Music and the cost of two users on Spotify. Keep in mind that there’s a five user max to stream tunes via a family plan from Spotify, and you’ll have to pay $30/month to do so. If you’ve yet to test drive Apple Music, though, a 3-month trial is available alongside the update that adds those music videos via Google Play.

Via: Techaeris

Source: Google Play

Apple Design Chief Jony Ive Attends ‘Manus x Machina’ MET Exhibition Opening

The Metropolitan Museum of Art today opened its “Manus x Machina” Costume Institute Exhibition, which is being sponsored by Apple. The show focuses on the dichotomy between handmade haute couture and machine-made fashion, featuring pieces that juxtapose traditional hand techniques like embroidery, pleating, and lacework with technologies like laser cutting and thermo shaping.

Apple Design Chief Jony Ive, who is serving as co-chair alongside pop star Taylor Swift and actor Idris Elba, was on hand at the opening and gave an introductory speech, a portion of which was captured on social networking site Periscope.

Image via Jim Shi

We are thrilled at Apple to help bring to life Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology. When Anna and Andrew first talked to me about the exhibition, I was particularly intrigued that it would stimulate a conversation exploring the relationship between what is made by man and what is made by machine. That it would challenge the preconception held by some that the former is somehow inherently more valuable. Not only in the context of today, but also the future.

The Chanel dress that Tom mentioned, which was Andrew’s inspiration for the exhibition is a wonderful example of artisan like craft executed with the deepest consideration yet enabled with the very latest technology. The most breakthroughs in craft were once, of course, perceived as truly innovative. Often shockingly so. Once even the simple metal needle challenged the conventional thinking of the time. Now I’m humbled by the innovations of the past in the same way that I am humbled by the work that we can see here today.

It’s easy to think a craft can’t change, but important to remember all craft process was at some point new. At some point, challenged convention. Not to be contrarian, but enabled by some breakthrough. Some newly discovered principle or sometimes some wonderful accident.

The opening of the Costume Institute Exhibition comes ahead of the 2016 MET Gala, a fund raising event that draws hundreds of celebrities. The MET Gala will take place tonight, and along with Jony Ive, Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to attend, sitting alongside fashion icon and honorary MET Gala chair Anna Wintour.

Tags: Tim Cook, Jony Ive
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Apple CEO Tim Cook to Speak With Jim Cramer on CNBC’s ‘Mad Money’ Tonight

Apple CEO Tim Cook will appear on CNBC’s Mad Money this evening, where he will speak with host Jim Cramer. On the show, Cook is expected to discuss Apple’s future in China, his outlook on innovation, what’s next for the iPhone, Apple Watch, and Apple services, and whether Apple is pursuing any potential acquisitions.

GUESS WHO’S BACK? The man behind the BIG Apple CEO @tim_cook, is here for an exclusive with @JimCramer tonight! pic.twitter.com/ve5VrWPB91

— Mad Money On CNBC (@MadMoneyOnCNBC) May 2, 2016

Cook last spoke with Cramer in March of 2015, where he discussed topics like ResearchKit, health, and the “next frontiers” of development.

Mad Money will air at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.

Tags: Tim Cook, CNBC
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When Can AppleCare Replace a MacBook’s Battery?

MacRumors forum member MBP* posted this question about his 2014 MacBook Pro’s battery under Mac Basics and Help:

“I have a 2014 13” Retina MacBook Pro which I used extensively on a daily basis. I purchased AppleCare for the sole reason of protection against battery depletion over the coming years.

It’s hard for me to tell whether my battery has lost capacity, but I’m sure it has against the original figures when I first got the machine.

My question is, when will AppleCare be willing to replace the battery due to loss of capacity? Is there a percentage? How can I test it?”

The MacBook Pro’s battery has almost certainly lost some battery capacity if it has been charged and depleted regularly over the past two years. A quick way to check is by clicking on the Apple logo in the top-left menu bar and choosing About This Mac. Click on System Report… and select Power from the left-hand menu.

The resulting page displays various information about the MacBook’s battery, including its max capacity and charge remaining, both of which are expressed in milliampere hours (mAh). The battery’s cycle count and condition, ranging from Normal or Replace Soon to Replace Now or Service Battery, are also listed.

Apple describes the battery status indicators as follows:

– Normal: The battery is functioning normally.
– Replace Soon: The battery is functioning normally but holds less charge than it did when it was new. You should monitor the health of the battery by checking the battery status menu periodically.
– Replace Now: The battery is functioning normally but holds significantly less charge than it did when it was new. You can safely continue using your computer, but if its lowered charging capacity is affecting your experience, you should take it to an Apple Store or Apple-authorized service provider.
– Service Battery: The battery isn’t functioning normally. You can safely use your Mac when it’s connected to an appropriate power adapter, but you should take it to an Apple Store or Apple-authorized service provider as soon as possible.

In June 2015, Apple modified its AppleCare Protection Plan for the MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro to cover batteries that retain less than 80-percent of their original capacity within the extended warranty period. Apple will replace batteries under that threshold for no charge so long as the notebook remains covered under AppleCare, which costs between $249 and $349 depending on the MacBook model.

MacBook batteries are designed to retain up to 80-percent of their original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles, similar to the iPad and Apple Watch.

There are also several free OS X apps, such as Battery Health or coconutBattery, that can determine whether your MacBook meets this criteria, and provide additional details about your battery’s temperature, manufacture date, power usage, and more. A 2012 Retina MacBook Pro with a current max charge of 7,171 mAh, for example, has retained nearly 85-percent of its original 8,460 mAh capacity.

If the MacBook is not covered by AppleCare, or the extended warranty period has expired, replacing the battery carries an out-of-warranty service charge ranging between $129 and $199, plus applicable taxes, based on U.S. pricing. Battery service and troubleshooting can be arranged by contacting an Apple Authorized Service Provider or scheduling a Genius Bar appointment with a local Apple retail store.

AppleCare for Mac extends a MacBook’s warranty coverage and telephone technical support to three years from the original date of purchase. Without an AppleCare Protection Plan, Mac customers are covered by a limited one-year warranty and 90 days of complimentary phone support. AppleCare can be purchased only while the Mac remains covered under Apple’s standard one-year limited warranty.

Tag: AppleCare
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Lord Of Shapes/Shape Eater: Eat them Shapes (Review)

Overview

All Android users find themselves looking for a game at one point or another. Some look for high-quality, high-RAM games (such as Asphalt). However, some users don’t have an abundance of RAM to go around. That’s where Arcade games come in. These games are very casual, and usually have no end goal or destination. In this case, the game is called Shape Eater. As the title indicates, the mission is to eat some shapes.

Impressions

Music

Shape Eater is set to some very quirky 8-bit music that will bring back nostalgia for any vintage video game player. Along with the 8-bit, there is an undulating bassline that will make anyone who enjoys dubstep feel right at home. I found myself bobbing my head on numerous occasions when I wasn’t fangirling over the retro sound.

Graphics

Shape Eater is an arcade game, and as such, you cannot expect any advanced graphics magic. That being said, it still manages to be very cute. In the basic level, it’s set across a blue hexagonal background with multi-colored strings and shapes surrounding you. As you advance, the hexagons and colors change slightly, which I find to be very cool.

Gameplay

As with any arcade game, Shape Eater has a very simple premise with a very complex twist. Yeah, you just eat shapes, but you have to eat the specific shape pictured on the cord or face death. After you eat enough shapes(indicated by the large one filling up), the shape you are supposed to eat changes. Also, if you don’t eat shapes that are pulsating, they explode and you die. All these factors make a perfect addictive game that’ll quickly frustrate the crap out of you.

Conclusion

Shape Eater is a fun game that definitely keeps the player engaged. Classic Gamers and Dubstep lovers alike will love the music, with a nice bass line and some loveable 8-bit. All arcade game lovers will enjoy the bit of complexity it brings and the opportunities for advancement. However, it may prove too complex to some users and they may get quickly frustrated. All that in mind, definitely try it out.

Download Shape Eater on the Play Store

SaferVPN: A solid VPN choice [App Review]

Overview

It can be somewhat daunting to find the correct VPN provider for you. Some offer a ton a features that cost a ton as well, while others have basic services with more reasonable pricing. SaferVPN is a VPN service that happens to tick both these boxes as well as the ones in-between, offering extensive services suitable for anyone’s wallet.

Developer: Safer Social Ltd

Cost: App is free, service is paid

Highlights

• Different tiers for different budgets
• Great user interface
• Excellent connection speeds

Setup

Due to the nature of the service, you are required to create an account before you can use the app. You can start off with a free trail that lasts 24 hours once registered, and, if you’re happy with it, purchase a package to use it further.

Impressions

Once set up, I was ready to roll. There are 24 countries worldwide that each host several servers to chose from, spread more or less evenly across the globe. However, me living in South Africa posed a bit of a problem as the nearest server is in Israel. As it turned out later, this is not really a problem as the speeds are still super fast regardless of your position on Earth. The Brazil server outputted similar speeds, much like most of the other servers did. You’re looking at a speed loss of around 10% on a 4mbps line which is menial and won’t make much of an impact. 

The connection itself was stable and was on for as long as I wanted it to be. Very often VPN’s disconnect for no reason and take a minute or two to get you back online. This was not the case with SaferVPN.

Depending on your price plan, you can also use the VPN on several devices. There’s a dedicated Chrome extension for simple PC connection, as well as apps for iOS, MacOS, and, of course, Android. Expanding on the price plans, you can get Basic with one connected device at any time for $8.99 p/m, Premium with up to five simultaneously connected devices for $14.99 p/m and Small Business with up to ten simultaneously connected devices for $29.99 p/m. As of May 2016, there is a limited time deal.

But with the vast amount of VPN providers available, it’s hard to find one that offers something that stands out from the rest. This is a downfall with almost all providers and SaferVPN is, in the broader picture, really no different. Why should I chose it over a slightly cheaper one that does the same thing? As it turns out, my time with SaferVPN was hitch-free. Everything worked like it was supposed to and this is perhaps the factor that some other companies can’t seamlessly offer. Why worry with petty, non-essential features when you have something that works, and works well like SaferVPN?

Conclusion

SaferVPN offers a solid VPN service for someone who isn’t into complicated settings and services. Although SaferVPN does offer in-depth controls, you can simply login and press “Connect”, while staying connected. At a decent speed.

The pricing may not be the most competitive, but that doesn’t mean it can’t put up a fight.

Download on the Play Store

Samsung Galaxy Tab E pre-orders begin for AT&T on May 6

AT&T has announced that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab E will go up for pre-order on its network beginning Friday, May 6. The 8-inch tablet will be available for no money down and $10 per month with an AT&T installment plan.

The Galaxy Tab E on AT&T will run Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, and is powered by a 5000mAh battery, which AT&T claims will provide up to 13 hours of LTE use. It’s powered by an unnamed 1.3GHz quad-core processor, features 1.5GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage, which you can expand with an microSD card.

This variant of the tablet will also feature software from the AT&T-owned DIRECTV pre-installed, and also comes with Samsung’s KNOX security software pre-installed.

While AT&T has announced the installment plan for the Galaxy Tab E, the has yet to provide an up-front price for the tablet.

Hulu may take on Sling TV with cable-like streaming service

A new report claims Hulu is developing its own internet-based cable TV service, which would provide access to live TV in addition to on-demand viewing of network shows. The service could launch sometime in the first quarter of 2017.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the currently unnamed service will be similar to Sling TV and PlayStation Vue. It may offer a cloud-based DVR to record live shows. It will also likely have some kind of targeted advertising:

Disney’s ABC, ESPN and Disney Channel are expected to be available on the service along with the Fox broadcast network, Fox News, FX and Fox’s national and regional sports channels. Preliminary conversations with other programmers have begun, but the service isn’t looking to offer all the hundreds of channels found in the traditional cable bundle, according to the people familiar with the plans.

While pricing has yet to be confirmed, it is estimated that Hulu’s new internet cable TV service could cost around $40 a month.

European HTC 10 gets a pre-launch tune-up

Update to version 1.30.401.1 includes camera, Wi-Fi and stability enhancements.

Ahead of the phone’s official European debut later this week, HTC has pushed out the first over-the-air update for the HTC 10. The OTA, weighing in at just under 85MB, brings the phone up to software version 1.30.401.1, while tuning up camera and Wi-Fi performance, and general system stability.

This is the first camera-specific update to push out since we published our HTC 10 review, so we’ll be sure to point out any differences once we’ve had a chance to tinker with the new firmware. (Some U.S. devices have also been seeing an update to the HTC camera app in recent days, separate from the camera performance tweaks in this update.) That said, as we noted a few weeks back, there’s nothing much that needs fixing in HTC’s best camera to date.

The HTC 10 goes on sale in the UK this Friday, May 6, and it’s due to start hitting carriers in the U.S. from the end of next week.

MORE: Where to buy the HTC 10 in the UK

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