Apple Finalizes $7 Billion Five-Part Bond Sale
Apple has raised $7 million in debt through a five-part bond sale of both fixed and floating rate notes, according to the company’s final pricing term sheet filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday.
The five-part sale includes:
- $350 million maturing in 2019 with a floating interest rate based on three month LIBOR plus 14 basis points
- $1.15 billion maturing in 2019 with a fixed 1.1% interest rate
- $1.25 billion maturing in 2021 with a fixed 1.55% interest rate
- $2.25 billion maturing in 2026 with a fixed 2.45% interest rate
- $2 billion maturing in 2046 with a fixed 3.85% interest rate
The transaction was underwritten by Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan Securities, MLPF&S, and Deutsche Bank Securities, among others.
Apple held $231.5 billion in cash and marketable securities, partially offset by $68.9 billion in long-term debt, as of the fiscal third quarter, but a significant portion of that money is held overseas and would be subject to high U.S. taxes upon repatriation. By raising debt through bonds, Apple can pay for its U.S. operations at a much lower rate, particularly given its low-risk Aa1/AA+ bond credit rating.
Apple typically uses the capital raised to fund dividend payments to shareholders and its share buyback program, which the company expanded to $175 billion in April. At the time, Apple said it expects to spend over $250 billion in cash under its capital return program by the end of March 2018. It also uses the capital for general corporate purposes, such as the repayment of earlier debt and acquisitions.
Tags: bonds, SEC
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How to set up and use Google Drive on Android
How do I use Google Drive on Android?
Google Drive is one of the handiest cloud storage services around, giving you 15GB of free space, which you can access from just about any device with an internet connection. The age of USB thumb drives is over.
When you set up your Android phone, you would have been prompted to add your Google account, which is all you need to use Google Drive. Here’s how to set up your personal Google Drive and use some of its main functions.
- How to add an account your Google Drive on Android
- How to upload files to your Google Drive on Android
- How to view files in your Google Drive on Android
- How to share files from your Google Drive on Android
- How to view files that were shared with you via Google Drive on Android
- How to download a file from Google Drive
- How to check your storage in Google Drive on Android
- How to delete files from your Google Drive on Android
How to add an account your Google Drive on Android
If you’ve already set up your Gmail account on your phone, then you’ll just have to launch Google Drive and perform steps 1-3 below. If you’d like to add another account, like a work email address, continue on after step 3.
Launch Google Drive from your home screen or from the app drawer.
Tap the next arrow in the bottom right corner through the start screens.
Tap Done in the bottom right corner of your screen.
Tap the menu button in the top left corner of your screen. It looks like ☰.
Tap the dropdown arrow next to the current account that’s associated with your Google Drive.
Tap Add account.
Tap the type of account you’d like to use. You can even use Twitter!
Enter your security measure if you have a pattern lock or PIN lock on your phone.
Enter your email address or login credentials, depending on what type of account you chose to add.
Tap Next.
Type in your Password and tap Next in the bottom right corner.
Tap Accept.
Tap the circle next to a payment option.
Tap Continue.
The account will now be added to your phone and can be used with other Google apps, like Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and more!
How to upload files to your Google Drive on Android
You can upload Microsoft Word documents, Google Docs, photos from your Gallery, and tons more!
Find the document on your phone that you’d like to upload to Google Drive. In this example, we’re using a photo from the Gallery.
Tap the share button. It’ll usually look like a left-pointing triangle, with a dot at each point.
Tap Save to Drive.
Tap Allow if prompted to allow Google Drive access to your files.
Add a title to the document if you’d like and tap Save in the bottom right corner of your screen.
Your file will now be uploaded to your Google Drive where you can view it from any device on which you can access Google.
How to view files in your Google Drive on Android
Viewing your files in Google Drive on Android is as easy as launching the app from your home screen or app drawer. That’s it! When you launch the app, you’ll be brought to your Drive with all of your files right there for you to scroll through and view. Just tap a file to open it.
You can search for files by name by tapping the search icon (usually looks like a magnifying glass) and typing the name of the file you’d like to view.
How to share files from your Google Drive on Android
You can share any file from your Google Drive, either by sending the physical file or by sharing a link that will allow someone to view the file in your Google Drive (they won’t be able to see anything else).
Launch Google Drive from your home screen or from the app drawer.
Tap the more button on the file you want share. It looks like three vertical dots.
You have two ways to share your file:
- Tap Share link to send someone a link to this file in your Google Drive.
- Tap Send file to send someone the physical file.
Tap a sharing method. You can share files via email, Facebook, messaging, and much more!
Now you can just share the file or the link via the method you’ve chosen normally. If you’re sending it as a message, just tap the send button like you would for a text message. If you’re sharing it via email, you can add a message and add multiple recipients, just like normal!
How to view files that were shared with you via Google Drive on Android
If you have notifications for Google Drive turned on (which they usually are by default), you can just tap the notification and it’ll open right to the file that’s been shared with you. If you dismissed the notification by mistake or just didn’t get one, here’s how to view files that have been shared with you!
Launch Google Drive from your home screen or from the app drawer.
Tap the menu button on the top left of your screen. It looks like ☰.
Tap Shared with me.
Tap the file you’d like to view.
How to download a file from Google Drive
If you’re transferring files via Google Drive and want to save a hard copy to your phone, you just have to download the file.
Launch Google Drive from your home screen or from the app drawer.
Tap the more button on the bottom right of the file thumbnail. It’s the three vertical dots.
Tap Download.
The file will now be downloaded to your phone. You’ll receive a notification when it’s downloaded, and you can tap that to view it or look in your file storage.
How to check your storage in Google Drive on Android
Google Drive starts you off with 15GB for free, and if you find you’re saving a lot to your Google Drive, it’s probably best to keep an eye on your storage.
Launch Google Drive from your home screen or the app drawer.
Tap the menu button on the top left of your screen. It looks like ☰.
Tap Settings.
The first item in the Settings list is Storage and beneath it, it’ll tell you how much of your 15GB you have used. If you’re just using your Drive to save Google Docs, it’s going to take you a very long time to fill it up.
How to delete files from your Google Drive on Android
If you do find your Google Drive is getting a bit full because you’ve been using it to save photos, videos, music, and a ton of other stuff, you can choose to pay to upgrade your storage or take the frugal route and delete some stuff!
Launch Google Drive from your home screen or the app drawer.
Tap the more button on the file you’d like to delete. It’s the three vertical dots in the bottom right corner of the thumbnail.
Tap Remove, which is at the bottom of the options.
The file will now be removed from your Google Drive, but you can always re-upload it if you need to.
Galaxy Note 7 tipped for Euro release in September, new colors and updated Gear VR pictured
And there’s a rose gold/blue version too!
We’re just days away from the official unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, and the pace of leaks is starting to build. The latest sortie of information and images comes from French outlet NoWhereElse and Steve Hemmerstoffer, also known as @onleaks on Twitter.
Hemmerstoffer gives weight to previously rumored specs for the phone, with highlights including:
- Dimensions: 153.5mm x 73.9mm x 7.9 mm
- Weight: 168g
- IP68 water-resistant
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS
- 5.7-inch 2560×1440 SuperAMOLED display with edge screen
- Octa-core 2.3GHz processor in the international model (likely the same Samsung Exynos 8890 used in the global GS7)
- 4GB of RAM
- 64GB of storage as standard, microSD up to 256GB
- 3,500mAh battery
- USB Type-C
- Iris scanner
- “Dual-Pixel” 12MP camera with OIS, f/1.7 lens; 5MP front-facer (same as the GS7)
- S Pen with 4096 levels of pressure, <50ms response time
Assuming this is accurate, we’re effectively looking at an S7 edge-class phone with a larger display, an S Pen, a slightly smaller battery, USB-C and an iris scanner. All of which lines up with the general direction of Note 7 leaks over the past few weeks.
Today’s leak shows the phone we’re now familiar with in a variety of colors and from just about every angle, in the form of official renders. Most interesting of all is a sky blue/rose gold variant with blue glass and a pink metal trim — certainly one of the more unusual color combos we’ve seen from Samsung.
We’re also getting our first look at the updated Gear VR model for 2016, which will purportedly will be compatible with the USB-C-toting Note 7 as well as the micro-USB GS7 and GS6 series. Besides that, the biggest changes to Samsung’s VR headset are the color and size — it’s black, and less bulky than the current micro-USB-only Gear VR. The visor on the front appears to have been redesigned too, as does the head strap.
Hemmerstoffer says the Galaxy Note 7 will go on sale in France in early September, possibly the week of Sept. 2, following its Aug. 2 unveiling, with the updated Gear VR coming “next month.” Start saving your pennies now, because it’s claimed the European model will sell for €850 ($940, £710).
Source: NoWhereElse
Microsoft is laying off 2,850 more workers
Microsoft is cutting an additional 2,850 jobs on top of 1,850 announced in May 2016, meaning it has laid off over 10 percent of its workforce in the last two years. Most are ex-Nokia employees from its mobile hardware division, it said in its annual SEC filing. That means Microsoft has almost nothing left of its $7.2 billion Nokia acquisition, originally intended to make it a smartphone hardware player. The software giant has already notified 900 of the employees and will complete the remaining layoffs by mid-2017.
Microsoft’s mobile phone plans are a big question mark, as sales are in a free fall. The only ray of hope for Windows Phone fans (if there are any left) is that Microsoft hinted last year that it needs to make a mobile device as good as the Surface line. A “Surface Phone,” however, is still nothing more than a rumor and if it does come along, would likely be aimed at Microsoft’s core business market and not consumers. With layoffs now totaling 12,100 in two years, however, Microsoft seems to want nothing to do with building smartphones.
Via: Gizmodo
Source: SEC filing
Steam’s latest weekend sale slashes VR game prices
Steam tossed some VR experiences into last month’s summer sale, but this time, it’s throwing a party exclusively for virtual reality enthusiasts. The gaming platform has just announced a VR weekend sale, where it’s selling 175 titles for up to 80 percent off. Sure, the selection isn’t as extensive, but don’t forget that we’ve only just begun exploring the world of virtual reality. The games and experiences in the list will work with the the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, which, if you’ll recall, was a collaboration between the Taiwanese company and Steam’s creator Valve.
You’ll find a diverse offering when you browse the event page, from first person horror games to space simulators. Steam bundled some of the best its library can offer as a single package, though, so you can grab them all in one go. The VR Weekend Sale is already live, so you can head over to the platform and see what’s available until Monday, August 1st, 10AM Pacific/1PM Eastern.
Source: Steam
Nest Update Lets Users Control Smart Thermostat From Their Apple Watch
Hinted at by the company earlier in the month, Nest recently debuted a minor, but notable, update for its iOS app, introducing a few user interface tweaks and ways to share live videos from the company’s indoor and outdoor cameras. For those users with a Nest Thermostat and an Apple Watch, the 5.6.0 update should be of particular interest, since it brings with it the ability to let you adjust the temperature of your home, right from your wrist, without needing to open the iOS app (via The Verge).
Additionally, there’s a new “Spaces” grouping feature that provides an organized way to place Nest products by which room of the house they’re in, and lets users view all of their live camera feeds at once, if on Wi-Fi. Additional viewers can be added into these live streams now, as well, thanks to a new web-based site, video.nest.com (which doesn’t appear to be up-and-running at the time of writing), where a password can be shared to a trusted third party who might need to check in on the cameras.
Image via The Verge
Nest detailed the full list of updates in the App Store:
We have several new features for you.
- Spaces groups your Nest products by room and lets you see all your cameras at once. And if you’re connected to Wi-Fi, shows you all of their live views.
– Share a password protected live view of your camera. Now grandma can see what the kids are up to at video.nest.com.
– 1080p support for Dropcam Pro.
– Automatic video quality adjustment helps make sure you get a continuous, clear picture.
– We’ve also added support for Apple Watch. You can now control your Nest Thermostat from your wrist.
Nest has faced a few public-facing appearance issues in the past, centered around the lengthy gaps between product releases, and some software issues with the Nest Protect line of smoke detectors that ultimately led to a product-wide recall. In June, Nest co-founder Tony Fadell announced that he was leaving the company to “create and disrupt other industries,” while speculation from workers inside the company suggested many Nest employees “complained publicly about Fadell’s management, while claiming the business had missed sales targets, botched upgrades and delayed future products.”
The Nest iOS app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 2, watchOS 3
Tag: Nest
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Sony’s mobile division (sorta) makes a profit
Sony’s most recent financial report is out and, if you squint, things almost look good for its moribund mobile division. Sony Mobile posted a profit of $4 million, which the company attributed to the fact that it’s fired enough people to get its costs to break even. If you want to put a positive spin on things, it looks like a greatly-slimmed down phone business might generate just enough money to keep it going. Given that Sony’s had to cover Mobile’s losses with PlayStation’s gains for the last few years, some executives may be reaching for the champagne.
But this is Sony, so there’s no silver lining without some pretty dark clouds covering the horizon in the form of Japan’s currency. The Yen has been getting stronger of late, which means that Sony’s exports are more expensive, and less competitive. That’s important because Sony needs to sell its products to the world — something it expects to get harder in the near future. As for Mobile, the company expects sales of Xperia (and its successor) devices to fall once again, because fewer people are buying smartphones — and when they are, they’re going for cheaper Chinese brands.
Overall, the picture for the company isn’t looking particularly rosy, with falls in performance noted across almost all of its divisions. The only bright spot was PlayStation, which saw profits increase thanks to more people buying PlayStation 4 games. But a drop in image sensor sales, TVs and the fallout from April’s Kumamoto Earthquake mean that profits are down pretty much across the board. So, it’s one step forward, three back for Sony which, at this point, most people would call business as usual.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Sony (.PDF)
Sony records $205 million profit in Q2 2016, mobile unit finally in the black
Sony has posted its financial results for the quarter ending in June, announcing a modest $205 million (¥21.2 billion) operating profit. That’s down from the $780 million (¥84.2 billion) recorded during the same period last year. One of the company’s image sensor factories was affected by an earthquake earlier this year, leading to an overall revenue decline of 11% to $15.6 billion (¥1.61 trillion).
Sony’s mobile unit saw a 33% decrease in sales, with the division netting a revenue of $1.8 billion (¥185 billion). However, Sony’s decision to focus on the high-end segment has paid off, as the mobile business turned in a modest profit of $4 million (¥400 million). During the same period last year, the mobile unit recorded a $188 million loss.
The company’s image sensor division recorded a revenue of $1.18 billion (¥122 billion). Sales declined by 25%, leading to a massive hit in profits to the tune of 57.7% to $73 million (¥7.5 billion). The game and network services unit — which includes the PlayStation and digital game sales — saw profits soar by 126% to $426 million (¥44 billion) over revenues of $3.2 billion (¥330 billion).
In the home entertainment segment, Sony was able to offset a 6.8% decrease in sales by focusing on high-end TVs and reducing running costs, which led to a profit hike of 85.3% to $197 million (¥20.2 billion).
PixelPhone app for Android makes light work of phoning people
The default phone and contact apps on Android are good, but they only get you so far. They don’t allow a huge amount of customisation for example, nor do they look to support international business travellers in the way that you might need.
PixelPhone is an Android app that aims to replace your default Phone and Contact on Android offering you a number of features to speed up and improve using your phone on a daily basis.
The app features:
– Easy-to-use launch and go and allows you to quicking search and fast dial by QWERTY & T9 dailer.
– Fully customised interface that lets you change the font size, photo size, theme colors and SIM card icon to suit your style and needs.
– Various themes and plug-ins that can be downloaded for free so help you make the app suit your style.
– Dual mobile phone SIM-card that allows up to three SIM cards including auto selection of mobile phone SIM-card based on rules (mobile phone mask and contacts.
– Quick dial Support that allows you to swipe for call or message.
– Blacklist feature to help you block unwanted callsand report harassing calls.
Looking to expand on what the default offering delivers already, the new app, which is now free, allows things like easy grouping of contacts so you can create groups for different types of contacts, as well as, assigning that group custom ringtones or be able to send them all an image or message at the same time.
It means talking to your family or co-workers at the same time becomes much, much easier.
Pocket-lint
But it’s not just about speeding up talking to others. The app allows you to fully customise the apps interface, from changing the font size to the compactness of the dial pad, as well as, letting you enjoy the variety of themes available to change the look and feel of the app.
For international travelers, there is a support for a multilingual dialer that gives audio and vibration feedback, and dual mobile phone SIM-card support that allows up to three SIM cards. The app automatically selects the right mobile phone SIM-card based on rules you’ve set (mobile phone mask and contacts for example).
Users can create a blacklist to block unwanted calls and the app even goes as far as letting you report harassing calls so you don’t get constantly bombarded with unwanted interruptions.
The most exciting features are:
– Contacts and group management support for group message; photo and ringtone modification, organisation.
– Customized gestures to give you even more control, like swipe left-right to call/message/SIM1/SIM2.
– Customized multilingual dialer with vibration/audio feedback.
– Merged call history by date, contacts and call.
– Concise dial pad.
– Adjustable dial pad size.
– Group of frequent contacts and quick dial.
– Customized frequent operations of contact.
– Number missed call.
– diacritics-insensitive search.
In the future, Russian developers Felink, say they will add a call recording feature and the ability to see not only who is calling, but where they are calling from.
You can get the PixelPhone app from the Google Play store here
NASA’s new satellite will look for Earth-sized planets nearby
The Kepler mission scopes out stars and galaxies thousands of light-years away to find exoplanets. NASA’s upcoming planet hunter, however, will keep an eye on solar systems closer to home. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite or TESS will find planets by observing stars and looking out for shadows cast by transiting planets. It will be programmed to compute for a planet’s size and the time it takes to orbit its star, because those are the information astronomers need to determine if it’s habitable. Since Earth- and even super-Earth-sized planets are tiny, though, TESS will observe small bright dwarf stars only hundreds of light-years away.
The satellite is slated to blast off to space in 2017 or 2018 and is expected to observe 200,000 stars within its two-year lifespan. It has the power to detect other celestial bodies and cosmic phenomena, though, so NASA will also use it to observe supernovae, binary stars and even supermassive black holes.
Source: NASA
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