Kim Dotcom hopes to livestream his extradition appeal
Megaupload creator Kim Dotcom is in the fight of his life as he appeals his possible extradition to the US, and he wants everyone to know it. He’s requesting that the Auckland, New Zealand court hearing his case should let him livestream the hearing on YouTube. Dotcom and his lawyer Ira Rothken argue that this is the definition of a “public interest” case. Megaupload’s abrupt shutdown over allegedly facilitating piracy, and the resulting criminal action, supposedly had a far-reaching effect on the internet.
The hearing judge is seriously considering allowing the stream despite the late notice, and you may learn about the decision within a matter of hours. Whether or not it happens is another matter. The US is reportedly opposed to a livestream, possibly because it could reveal sensitive information. Dotcom’s defense has offered to delay the stream by 10 minutes to prevent any details from getting out, though, so arguments for secrecy might not hold much water.
Would the livestream a publicity grab? Probably. However, it could help shed light on a legal fight that has largely taken place behind closed doors. And this is one of the biggest battles Dotcom will face. If he loses, he goes to the US and faces the very real risk of prison time for his purported role in illegal file sharing. If he wins, however, the US is stuck — the one person it most wanted to catch in the Megaupload saga will remain a free man.
My lawyers are currently in court making argument for live streaming of my entire hearing. If granted I will post the link here. #popcorn
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) August 28, 2016
Via: Mashable
Source: Reuters, Kim Dotcom (Twitter 1), (2)
‘Dead or Alive’ VR is basically sexual assault, the game
PlayStation VR is going to launch with a game that allows players to sexually assault a woman who is actively asking them to stop. Yes, that’s exactly as gross as it sounds and yes, of course the game is Dead or Alive Xtreme 3. The game’s virtual reality update is slated to launch on the same day as PlayStation VR, and features a handful of experiences designed to let players ogle the female body. A video from Gamer.ne.jp shows that one of these game modes features active harassment — allowing a player to continually touch a woman who is verbally protesting.
Watching a grown man grope a bikini model in virtual reality is awkward enough in its own right, but listening to the video’s dialogue makes it worse. As the player pokes and prods Kasumi’s body with the PlayStation 4’s motion controller, she tells him “I don’t like it,” and uses a word that directly translates to “bad” that is often used to flatly deny permission. The player persists, and the character naturally recoils. We did too — it’s a blatantly sexist and aggressive experience.
We’ve come to expect over-the-top, sexist gameplay from Dead or Alive’s beach volleyball spinoffs, but denial of consent being part of Xtreme 3’s VR gameplay takes the series to a new low. For the target market, this may well be part of the fantasy, but seeing that power fantasy played out on this console cycle’s biggest hardware platform is pretty disturbing. The developers know it, too — Koei Tecmo long ago decided that Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 might be too sexist for the US market. Well, they’re not wrong.
Via: Polygon
Source: YouTube
Siri Offers Witty Responses About September 7 Event
Ahead of Apple’s “See You on the 7th” special event next Wednesday, September 7 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, Siri is now offering up some traditionally witty responses to users that mention the tagline for the upcoming event. iPhone users can test Siri themselves by saying “see you on the seventh.”
Apple sent out media invites earlier today for the event, to be held at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. There, Apple CEO Tim Cook and other senior executives are expected to announce the iPhone 7 and possibly a second-generation Apple Watch. Less likely is a new MacBook Pro, expected later in the year, but a September announcement cannot be ruled out entirely.
Apple will also likely provide an update on the prospective launch dates of iOS 10, macOS Sierra, watchOS 3, and tvOS 10.
Tags: Siri, September 2016 event
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Apple Seeds Eighth Beta of macOS Sierra to Developers and Public Beta Testers
Apple today released the eighth beta of macOS Sierra, the newest operating system designed for the Mac, to developers. Public beta testers have also been provided with their seventh beta version. macOS Sierra beta 8 comes one week after the release of the seventh beta and more than two months after the software was first unveiled at Apple’s 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference.
Developers and can download today’s update through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store or from the Apple Developer Center.
macOS Sierra is a major update that brings Siri to the Mac for the first time, allowing users to conduct voice searches to quickly find files, look up information, and more. New Continuity features offer an “Auto Unlock” option for unlocking a Mac with an Apple Watch and a “Universal Clipboard” for copying text on one Apple device and pasting it on another.
Deeper iCloud integration allows files stored on the desktop or the Documents folder of a Mac to be accessed on all of a user’s devices, and Photos features deep learning algorithms for improved facial, object, and scene recognition. There’s also a Memories feature for displaying photo collections, and Messages has rich links, bigger emoji, and “Tapback” response options.
Apple Pay is coming to the web in macOS Sierra, with payments authenticated through an iPhone or Apple Watch, and new features like multiple tabs, Picture in Picture multitasking, optimized storage, and revamped emoji are also available.
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macOS Sierra is currently available to developers and public beta testers, and it will see a wider public release this fall, with Apple possibly announcing a release date at its September 7 media event. For full details on all of the new features included in macOS Sierra, make sure to check out our macOS Sierra roundup.
Related Roundup: macOS Sierra
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Blu Pure XR review: All the flagship you need and only $300
Miami-based Blu has released its latest smartphone, the Pure XR. Worthy of the title of flagship, it features just about every hardware detail you’d need or expect in some of today’s best Android phones. And, why not? It’s the first sibling to the Pure XL, a powerful device with a big screen and kick-ass hardware.
What makes this one different? For starters, it’s got a price tag that you’ll have a tough time beating. At $300 it’s much lower than what you might find in other flagship models. Even when compared to devices like the $400 ZTE Axon 7, it’s a wonderful value proposition.
We’ve spent the last few weeks using the Blu Pure XR as a daily driver, replacing our main phone. Rather than carrying around a secondary phone, we swapped this one in as the phone we lived with for all needs. Why? Because it’s the sort of package that appeals to us. The specs are right in line with just about anyone’s needs; it’s not just for first-time buyers, but for those with a more demanding mobile lifestyle.
General Impressions
From the second we picked up the box we knew that the Pure XR was a cut above other Blu models. Whereas you might find a thin and cheaply made cardboard box in the R1 HD, this one is solid. We’re talking a thick, white box that signals a more premium device inside.
Opening it up we see that Blu brought its A-game with the phone and its accessories. Inside are the phone, a charger, a pair of headphones, and semi-clear (frosted) plastic protective case. We can see that Blu put extra care in the accessories as they don’t look or feel generic. Sadly, it’s not everyday that you get the headphones with a smartphone at this price.
Picking up the Pure XR, we noticed it was really thin but with just the right amount of heft. The metal unibody design looks gorgeous; there’s nary an antenna line to break up the look. The model we reviewed features a white front and gold rear, but there’s also a grey version to choose from, too.
We liked the chamfered edges on both the front and back, though they aren’t quite as pronounced as what the HTC 10 offers. Nevertheless, the bevel cut certainly catches the light and your eye in the process.
Hardware
On paper, the Blu Pure XR lines up very nicely with phones that fetch $400-$500. This means you’ll get more than enough to run today’s top games and apps, with breathing room for a good year or two as well. It largely depends on what kind of user you are, or end up being, as to how long it will last. We venture to guess you’ll have no problem holding on to this one as long as any other phone you’ve considered.
Power comes from a MediaTak (Helio P10) 64-bit 2.0GHz octa-core processor with a Mali-T860 GPU and 4GB RAM. Storage comes in at 64GB internally, with a microSD card slot good for another 64GB.
Other key hardware includes a 16-megapixel rear camera with phase detection autofocus, laser autofocus, and F/1.8 aperture. Around front we find an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera.
As an unlocked phone, the Pure XR is compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, and their respective GSM networks [4G LTE, (2/4/7), 4G HSPA+ (850/1700/1900/2100)]. Like other Blu models, this one comes with support for two SIM cards so feel free to mix and match, especially if you travel.
In terms of design, the Pure XR looks more expensive than it actually costs. The color palette works well together and we like the choice in material.
The right side of the phone houses the power button and volume rocker with the former sitting below the latter. Across to the left is where you’ll access the SIM cards and microSD expansion card slot. Down below is (from left to right) the speaker, USB Type-C port, microphone, and 3.5mm headphone jack.
The home button doubles as a fingerprint reader while there are two tiny buttons to the left and right. By tiny we mean there are small dots which light up to indicate location. But, in reality, there’s a rather decent amount of space around them which respond to presses. A software setting lets the user define which is the back button and which is the recent apps option.
Display
At 5.5-inches, the Super AMOLED display falls right on the border of super comfy and plus-sized. Its 1080×1920 pixel resolution (401 ppi) screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 so it can withstand scuffs and scratches that come with life. Speaking of the glass, there’s a gently curved edge to the screen which not only looks great, but responds to touch well.
One area where lower priced smartphones tend to cut corners is the resolution; often they’ll dial down to 720p to keep price down. We’re glad to see that Blu went with a full HD image, especially as others are pushing into the 2K resolution.
The Pure XR delivers a gorgeous and accurate picture in all lighting situations. Pictures pop off the screen and reading text was easy in an scenario. With software in the settings users can define particular options and configure to their liking. Want something more warm in tone? Need a larger font? There’s an easy way to toggle these.
One area where the Pure XR stands out from its competition comes in the 3D Touch technology. Indeed, it’s possible to press, long press, or push down on the screen to pull up different options.
There are a handful of places where we encountered the ability to leverage the 3D Touch. Icons for apps like phone, contact, file explorer, and camera yield quick-access shortcuts to functions within the respective titles. A hard press on the camera icon puts you one tap away from selfie, video, or snapshot modes. The file folder does the same for browsing music, documents, videos, or pictures.
To say that the 3D Touch is invaluable would be a stretch. While we were pleasantly surprised at how it was implemented on the Pure XR, we didn’t find that use case where we simply had to use it. It might take some time, but we do see it being helpful and handy. It’s likely going to have to be an Android standard or supported at the platform level before we’re using it on a regular basis.
With all of that said, some of the default apps from Blu were fun to play with and figure out. It’s quite convenient once you figure out which apps take advantage and in what manner. It’s not unlike having one icon on your home screen that pulls triple duty (or more). We look forward to seeing this rolling out to Google apps down the road.
Camera
When it comes to cameras, the Blu Pure XR offers up one of the best experiences we’ve seen this year. And, when you factor in the $300 price tag, it gets even more appealing. We were consistently impressed with the handling of photos, in nearly all scenarios.
The depth of field was downright incredible, and even managed to trick a few of the others here into thinking the images came from some other source. Thanks to macro mode, we really enjoyed taking tightly focused shots and close ups.
Other modes included in the camera software include HDR, night, panoramic, time-lapse, HDR, and a text recognition. Yes, the last one can actually snap a photo of text in a magazine or book and it can be converted to something you can copy or share using Android’s built-in sharing options.
Camera Samples (Flickr)
Time and again we found ourselves tinkering with the options, creating gifs, and other fun stuff. When it came time to editing with apps or sharing on social media, the pictures looked just as good as anything else we’ve taken.
Can you get a better photo from a smartphone? Yes, of course. But, you’re going to spend at least $200 or more for that privilege. The Pure XR is not a perfect camera, but it far exceeds what you should expect from an unlocked $300 phone.
Software
As is to be expected with a Blu smartphone, there’s very little done to distract from the stock Android experience. There are some extra tweaks done here and there, and there are a couple of added apps, but it’s largely the same Android you might get from a Nexus phone.
Among the apps that Blu installs on the Pure XR are McAfee Security, Opera, NextRadio, a couple of Amazon titles, and its own clients for music, sound recorder, notes, and file explorer.
There are also a couple of apps for UI (Chameleon, Theme Park), which give the user control over the aesthetics for menus, wallpapers, icons, widgets, and more. They’re not necessary but they do make for a fun experience that can be refreshed in a matter of moments. If anything, we liked using Chameleon to pull real-world colors into our menus, giving us a palette that speaks directly to us.
Users will also find an option in the software for the 3D Touch which toggles a Force touch “Edge Bar”. When pressed on the edge of the screen it pulls up shortcuts to user-defined apps. It’s not unlike what you might get from a Galaxy S Edge model, but without the edge display. Just press harder on it than you would for a tap and there you go. Speaking of 3D Touch, you can adjust its sensitivity so you don’t feel like you’re going to smash it like the Incredible Hulk.
Interestingly enough, Blu opted to put the shortcuts to system settings at the bottom of the screen. Instead of swiping down from the top as you might in any other setup, this one reveals itself from a bottom up swipe. Doing so reveals your shortcuts to sound, vibration, location, screen rotation, settings for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and more.
Expand the menu and you get deeper into things like alarm clock, camera, calculator, torch (flashlight), and airplane mode. Indeed, there’s even a “fake call” button that triggers a 15-second timer which rings and gives you a recorded message on the other end, prompting you to get out of your current situation.
For those who have ever wanted to take a long, full page screen shot, the Pure XR has you covered. Instead of piecing together multiple images in a row, or sending separately, the software gathers it all up in one neat picture.
Whether or not the Blu Pure XR ends up with the recently introduced Android 7.0 Nougat release remains to be seen. We wouldn’t necessarily hold our breath on it, but thus far we don’t see many things you need to have. Sure, there are features which are definitely enjoyable, but it’s not like the major updates from years back.
At the very least, we hope to see Blu keeping pace with security updates and patches. Given there’s nothing major going on with the UI, this should not be a problem. But, this is the double edge sword that you end up with on unlocked smartphones.
Were we talking about a $100 phone we would say forget it and move on to a new phone a year or so down the road. But, when discussing a potential flagship model, you hope to see more than the minimum amount of support. Here’s hoping that Blu doesn’t “set it and forget it” with the Pure XR.
Performance
As a daily driver for someone who uses their Android for a little bit of everything, the Pure XR performed admirably. We’re always reluctant to install a bunch of apps and games until we’ve gotten a sense for the out of box stuff; a few weeks into using the Pure XR and we’re back to business with the games, apps, and other settings we’ve become accustomed to using.
One of the first things we tend to do with our phones is to swap out the launcher and software experience for Nova or something else. Why? Because it does away with the carrier or branded stuff and gets back to what we’ve defined over the years. Icon packs, wallpapers, widgets, and other settings are a breeze to import; it’s the UI we want.
Strangely enough, going the custom launcher route with the Pure XR was a mixed bag. On one hand we liked going back to the familiar software setup from our previous phones. On the other, doing so turned off the 3D Touch and Edge Bar. In just the two weeks we had with the phone we came to appreciate being able to access select apps and shortcuts from the sidebar.
If you’re not a custom launcher type, you won’t know or care much about this. Go with the stock Blu setup and enjoy yourself. The only real complaint we have with the standard setup is that it removes the app drawer in favor of placing icons on the home screen panels. In other words, you could have multiple pages of icons to swipe through. Yes, you can rearrange them and group into folders, but it can be a little off-putting to users who have come to expect a certain way of organizing things.
As we ramped up the number of apps and games we kept an eye on performance. We’re happy to say that the Pure XR works very well as a daily driver for a seasoned user. The hardware stands up to everything we tossed at it, be it a bunch of apps, GPS, camera, games, or a mixture of all of the above.
Battery life was great as well. The 3,000mAh power source gets us through far more than a day’s worth of usage without us breaking into a panic at dinner time. The included 9V/2A Quick Charger (USB Type-C) lets users juice up quickly so you’re not stuck to a wall for long at all.
Blu says a 10 minute charge is all you need for one hour of talk time and we’d tend to agree. It’s hard to rate talk time anymore since we use our phones for everything but the reason they were first invented. We tend to throw ours on a charger at lunch for an hour and we’re back in business with a full charge to get us home. Watching a variety of YouTube videos, playing a couple of games, and checking email on a regular basis seemed to have the same impact as what you’ll get in much more expensive flagship phones.
The fingerprint scanner home button was quick and very accurate. Whether you want to set this up for your lock screen or other security settings is up to you, but we totally recommend it. We’d like to have been able to simple touch our thumb to the home button to go back to the home screen, but it’s a trivial point. Instead, you have to press into it to activate the home shortcut.
Conclusion
We’ll cut right to the chase: there’s no reason for us to switch to another phone after using this. Sure, there may be some more exotic looking models out there, but they come at a price. Yes, there those with 6GB RAM or heavier specs, but those, too, don’t come cheaply. You’ll have to do your best to convince us to part with more money after having used the Pure XR for a few weeks.
As the second model in the Pure line from Blu, we really like where it’s headed. It’s considerably more of a flagship series than the Energy, Dash, Studio, Life, or Vivo line yet it doesn’t stray from the company’s roots. In other words, there’s tremendous bang-for-buck in the Pure XR.
We would recommend that anyone getting into the first Android consider going the Blu route. If for no other reason that carrier flexibility and price, it’s hard to beat ’em. More savvy or experience smartphone users should definitely consider the Pure XR as a replacement to anything from the last few years.
On paper, the phone lines up quite nicely with the Samsung Galaxy S7 or Motorola Moto G 4 Plus. But, only one of these is going to leave you with money left over for accessories, games, or a nice dinner.
- Shop for the Blu Pure XR at Amazon
- Shop for the Blu Pure XR at Best Buy
Best wireless charging pads for Galaxy Note 7
What’s the best wireless charger for Galaxy Note 7? Any that are Fast Charge-enabled!
The Galaxy Note 7 has a big ol’ 3500 mAh battery, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to last you all day if you push the phone hard. That huge 5.7-inch screen and high-end specs take a lot to power and you might need to charge up throughout your day.
A wireless charger lets you remain free of annoying cables, so you can just pick up your phone, do what you need to do, and put it right back on the charger. There are a ton of wireless charging stands, but not all of them are compatible with Samsung’s Fast Charge.
We’ve rounded up the best of the best and all of these chargers are Fast Charge-enabled so that you don’t have to wait around all day for a fill-up.
Note: For all of these charging stands and pads (except Samsung), you must use the wall adapter that came with your Note 7. Otherwise, you’ll be getting regular Qi charging and not Fast Charge.
- Samsung Fast Charge Qi wireless charging stand
- Seneo Fast Charge wireless stand
- Pleson wireless charger
- Nekteck Fast Charge wireless charger
- Itian Qi charging stand
Samsung Fast Charge Qi wireless charging stand
The best route to go when looking at proprietary charging methods is the manufacturer itself and Samsung’s Fast Charge Qi wireless charging stand is the sure-fire way to true Fast Charging for your Note 7.
Samsung Fast Charge wireless charging stand review
This model is upright, so that you can keep an eye on your Note 7 and keep it on display without having to stop charging.
The Samsung Fast Charge stand even comes with a Fast Charge wall adapter, just in case you lost the one that came with your phone or would rather keep it by your bedside and have an extra to carry around with you.
See at Amazon
Seneo Fast Charge wireless stand
Seneo’s stand is another great option that lets you keep using your Note 7 without having to interrupt charging. It’s a larger charger (rhyme time!) than Samsung’s, but that just means more support for your Note 7 and less rocking back and forth if you’re using the S Pen or texting with your thumbs.
The nice part about this stand is the way the coils are placed – you can charge your Note 7 vertically or horizontally, so you can keep your movie or YouTube video while charging.
An excellent safety feature is the LED indicator which turns blue when the stand is receiving power and turns green when it begins charging your Note 7.
If you like your Note 7 to remain upright while charging so that you can remain productive, then check out Seneo’s wireless stand.
See at Amazon
Pleson wireless charger
Pleson’s wireless charger is your typical wireless charging fare in a stylish, clear package that has a sleep-friendly LED indicator that turns on to let you know your Note 7 is charging and turns off after 10 seconds.
The neatest thing about the LED indicator is that it tells you whether or not you’re charging normally or Fast Charging. Blue is normal and a green indicator means Fast Charge.
This charger also features surge and short circuit protection, so you won’t fry your big, beautiful, expensive phone.
If you like an unobtrusive wireless charging pad that allows you to make sure you’re fast charging, check out the Pleson wireless charger.
See at Amazon
Nekteck Fast Charge wireless charger
Nekteck’s Fast Charge wireless charging pad is your classic black wireless charging pad that reliably gets the job done.
It’s got a rubber ring on the bottom so that it isn’t slipping and sliding all over your desk or table and its LED indicator will let you know when your Note 7 is charging.
If you want a sharp-looking, reliable wireless charging pad, check out this one from Nekteck.
See at Amazon
Itian Qi charging stand
Itian’s upright charging isn’t just Fast-Charge compatible — it’s only for Samsung phones with Fast Charge capability. That’s probably a bit downside for some who may have other Qi phones now or in the future, and something to seriously keep in mind.
This is a 10W charger, so you’ll want to be somewhat careful with it, but don’t fear it. It does exactly what it’s supposed to: Fast Charge your Note 7. It will only work if you place your phone on it vertically; horizontal is a no-go.
If you want an exclusively Fast Charging wireless charging stand, then Itian’s stand is the only way to go.
See at Amazon
What keeps you charged?
Are you using an awesome Fast Charge wireless charger not mentioned here? Sound off in the comments below!
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
- Here are all four Note 7 colors
- Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
- Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!
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LG V20: What we know so far about the first Nougat phone
The successor to the LG V10 is just around the corner. Here’s a primer on what we know so far.
In any other year, the LG V20 might have been just another Android phone. But the follow-up to the decent but underappreciated V10 has one unique trick up its sleeve — it’ll be the first handset to arrive with Android Nougat preloaded. And that turns what might’ve been just another Android “phablet” into a milestone device for the platform.
Ahead of the September launch event, let’s take a look at what we know so far about LG’s next big thing.
1. The first phone shipping with Android 7.0
Google’s Nexus devices are already starting to get Nougat, but the honor of first phone shipping with the new version of Android goes to the LG V20. LG — a company that’s proudly boasted of software “firsts” in the past — has announced that its device, not any future Nexus phone, will be the first with Android 7.0.
The V20 is even prominently promoting the V20 on its Android Nougat website, showing a holographic cutout of the phone.
That render also pours cold water on hopes that the LG might have switched to a more barebones UI atop Nougat; instead the screenshot shown on Google’s page looks almost exactly like the UI of the LG G5.
Android 7.0 Nougat
- Android 7.0 Nougat: Everything you need to know
- Will my phone get Android Nougat?
- All Android Nougat news
- How to manually update your Nexus
- Join the Discussion
2. It’ll probably be modular
One of the more reliable leaks to surface thus far points to the V20 being LG’s second modular phone, following in the footsteps of the G5. While that handset didn’t achieve universal acclaim — our Phil Nickinson described it as “great cameras attached to a modular mess” — LG was likely already committed to a modular V20 by the time the first reviews emerged.
Expect a cross between a V10 and a G5.
CAD renders of the phone leaked by Steve Hemmerstoffer (a.k.a. @onleaks) show a G5-style camera protrusion, a secondary display and another release switch for plug-in modules.
If the renders are accurate — and Hemmerstoffer has a decent track record here — then we’re looking at a more angular handset than the G5, but with a similar dual-lens camera setup around the back, a larger display (estimated around the 5.6 to 5.7-inch mark) and secondary ticker display, along with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. But the real surprise? It’s looking increasingly likely that the V20 will be LG’s second modular phone.
The renders show a G5-style release switch on the bottom right side of the phone, and what appears to be a clean join between the bottom section of the phone and the body. It sure looks like we’re in for another LG phone with swappable modules.
MORE: LG V20 could be another modular phone
3. Big screen, secondary ticker display
Of course the whole point of the V20 is that it’s a big-screened counterpoint to the G5, and as such we’re expecting a similar 5.7-inch screen size. (And, we’d hope, a battery that at least matches its predecessor’s 3,000mAh cell.) The V10 was also the first mass-market phone to feature a secondary ticker display above the main screen which can be used for app shortcuts, notifications or cutesy messages. This feature got a mixed reception last year, but it looks like LG is undeterred, as leaked renders from Evan Blass reveal a similar setup in the V20 — alongside a relatively subdued dark grey chassis
It’s difficult to make out fine details in an image of this size, but it also appears that the V20 will lose its predecessor’s twin selfie cameras, instead most likely using two cameras around the back, like the G5.
MORE: LG V20 leak confirms secondary ticker display
4. Killer audio output
As LG continues to trickle out nuggets of information ahead of the V20’s launch, one of the more interesting revelations has centered on the phone’s audio capabilities. It’ll purportedly be the first smartphone with a 32-bit quad DAC (digital to analog converter) for improved high-resolution music playback. The component comes from audio firm ESS, which provided the 32-bit DAC for the V10.
LG is also talking up a continuation of the partnership with Bang & Olufsen, which created the B&O Play module for the G5. The company claims the V20 will “feature best-in-class audio functions developed in partnership with B&O PLAY.” It’s possible that means another plug-in module from B&O, though that’s not explicitly mentioned.
5. Launching September 6 in San Francisco
LG’s launch is sandwiched between IFA and the new iPhone.
LG will hold the V20’s launch event in San Francisco on Sept. 6, within days of the major announcements taking place at IFA 2016 in Berlin, and perilously close to Apple’s expected iPhone 7 launch event. That means we can expect the phone to be widely available in the U.S. — and likely LG’s home country of Korea as well.
However we’ve heard nothing official on any Euro release plans for the V20, and given that the V10 never got a widespread European launch, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
LG V20
- Google gives us a good look at the V20’s interface
- The V20 will have a secondary display ticker
- A Quad DAC will improve the V20’s audio output
- LG V20 could be modular like the G5
5 things to know about Honor 8 in Europe
Picking up an Honor 8 in Europe? Here’s what you need to know.
The Honor 8 is the latest affordable flagship phone from the Huawei-owned brand, having officially broken cover in Europe on Aug. 24. The European model is a little different to the Honor 8 that’s coming to the United States however, so it’s worth taking a quick primer on what exactly UK and Euro buyers get for their £369.
1. It’s a dual-SIM phone
Unlike its U.S. counterpart, the European Honor 8 (model FRD-L09) features Huawei’s hybrid slot, which can take either two nano-SIMs, or one nano-SIM and a micro-SD card. That means you get the option of using a second SIM or augmenting the phone’s 32 or 64GB of internal storage. (Unfortunately you can’t use two SIMs and a micro-SD at the same time, like you could with the Honor 5X.)
If doesn’t really matter which slot you load your SIMs into (unless you care about the order of signal bars in the corner of the screen.) You can choose which card gets to use 3G/4G, and which is the default for mobile data Settings > Dual card management. (You’ll almost always want to set those two options to the same card.) The card management menu also lets you choose whether to use one SIM as the default for calls, or whether to show two “call” buttons in the dialer app, one for each SIM.
A dual-SIM phone can be useful if you’re traveling and want to use a local SIM for data while also receiving calls and texts on your normal phone number — or if you need to be reachable on a work and personal number at the same time.
2. It supports a bunch of LTE bands
The European Honor 8 supports 7 bands of 4G LTE, meaning you’re good for 4G coverage across most of Europe and Asia. The 4G SIM slot supports LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 38 and 40, along with 3G (HSPA) on 900, 1900 and 2100MHz.
In practical terms that means you shouldn’t run into any problems using 3G or 4G services on any carrier that uses those bands.
Unfortunately for those traveling to the United States, the major coverage gaps include basically all the U.S. LTE bands, so you’ll be limited to 3G speeds on T-Mobile or AT&T, provided you’re in an area with 1900MHz coverage.
In China, support for TDD-LTE (bands 38 and 40) as well as FDD-LTE on band 3 should allow for good 4G coverage on China Telecom or China Unicom.
3. There’s a choice of freebies depending on where you buy
Honor’s latest marketing push has given buyers a wide range of incentives to pick up the new phone, with the Huawei-branded vMall letting customers “mix and match” any combination of coupons up to the value of £69.99. Vouchers from Gameloft, Elex, Truecaller and Deezer are available.
Meanwhile Honor has announced that orders placed with Amazon will receive a free Amazon Fire TV stick while stocks last.
4. Buy on PAYG with Three, use anywhere
In the UK, Three is the exclusive carrier partner for the Honor 8. Fortunately for anyone wanting to buy on the high street and use with another carrier — or carriers, given the dual SIM slot — all of Three’s phones are sold SIM-unlocked. That means once the Honor 8 goes on sale with Three in the coming weeks, you’ll be able to walk into a store and pick up the handset (with a Three PAYG SIM, of course) and use it anywhere else.
5. Black, white and blue are your main color options
Wherever you’re buying the Honor 8 your main color choices are black, blue or white. (Our favorite by far is the blue model, for what it’s worth.)
There are also gold and pink models, but these are harder to track down. The gold Honor 8 will be focused on the Russian and Middle Eastern markets to begin with, while we’ve yet to see the pink version outside of China.
By the same token, the only storage option available at present is the 32GB version. The more expensive 64GB variant hasn’t shown up anywhere in the few days since launch.
Anyone picking up an Honor 8 in Europe in the coming weeks? Shout out in the comments!
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Facebook is working on user-activated Safety Checks
Facebook’s Safety Check has proven an invaluable tool for people to contact their friends and families in the immediate aftermath of large scale disasters. At a public Q&A session in Luiss University in Rome on Monday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the crowd that his company is also working on a means of letting any user activate the emergency system on their own.
“If we’re building a community product, this is one of the moments of truth for us,” Zuckerberg explained. “When Safety Check got started a couple of years ago, it was only for natural disasters. Unfortunately since then we’ve had to expand it to terrorist attacks too, because that’s just been too common over the last few years. The next thing we need to do is make it so that communities can trigger it themselves when there is some disaster.”
There’s no word yet as to when the feature will actually go live, nor did Zuckerberg expound on how users would be able to activate it or what events would qualify for a Safety Check.
Source: Venture Beat
European Commission Rules Apple Received Illegal State Aid From Ireland, Owes Billions in Back Taxes
The European Commission on Tuesday will rule that Apple received illegal state aid from Ireland, according to a 130-page judgment seen by Financial Times.
Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager circulated the final ruling to her counterparts in the EU’s executive branch only on Monday morning, deploying a fast-track procedure in a bid to minimize leaks. The usual notice period is two weeks.
The ruling follows a three-year investigation into Apple’s tax arrangements in Ireland, where it has reportedly paid around 2% or less in taxes compared to the country’s headline 12.5% corporate tax rate.
The commission’s ruling asks Dublin to raise a new tax assessment on Apple, which could have to restate its accounts as a result of the ruling, according to the report. One area of focus is Apple’s tax arrangements for its intellectual property assets, which is “a hotly disputed area likely to lead to a large claim for back taxes.”
The ruling means Apple could owe several billions of euros in back taxes. JPMorgan estimated the company could be forced to pay up to 19 billion euros ($21.2 billion) in back taxes, although a previous study placed the figure around $8 billion, and some analysts believe the amount could be a comparatively lower $1 billion.
Europe’s competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager will provide an actual estimate of Apple’s potential tax bill when the European Commission’s findings are publicly released on Tuesday, according to the report.
Apple declined to comment on the matter, reiterating that the company fully complies with international tax law and that it is the largest taxpayer in the world. Apple said last month that both the company and Ireland would appeal any unfavorable ruling in European courts.
Apple joining the ranks of Starbucks, Fiat Chrysler, Amazon, Google, IKEA, and McDonald’s as one of several large corporations accused of tax avoidance in Europe recently. Starbucks in particular is currently appealing its case in Netherlands, where it was ordered to pay as much as 30 million euros in back taxes.
Last week, the U.S. Treasury department warned that an adverse ruling against Apple could “set an undesirable precedent.” It also said the European Commission is becoming a “supranational tax authority,” going beyond acceptable enforcement of competition and state aid law and singling out U.S. companies.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Tags: corporate tax, European Commission, Europe, Ireland
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