Cuba has been filtering texts containing political dissent
Cuba’s struggles with modern telecommunications have been many. Now, it looks as though the Communist country has another problem on its hands: text message censorship. SMS sent with words including “human rights,” “hunger strike” and the name of dissident José Daniel Ferrer García aren’t reaching their intended recipients according to Reuters and Cuban blog 14ymedio (Spanish). The news came to light when some Cubans noticed they were being charged for messages that never were delivered.
Reuters also tested sending messages containing “democracy” and the name of opposition youth group Somos Mas and had the same results — texts appearing delivered, but not showing up on the recipients’ phone. Apparently, there are at least 30 flagged words, but that could be a low estimate.
“We always thought texts were vanishing because the provider is so incompetent, then we decided to check using words that bothered the government,” Somos Mas leader Eliecer Avila says. “We discovered not just bus, but the entire country is being censored. It just shows how insecure and paranoid the government is.”
The island nation is currently under a monopoly with telco Cubacel, despite many US carriers offering data roaming there. 14ymedio says Cubacel’s terms of service includes language barring the service’s use for “carrying out criminal activities.” When the government is as infamous for human rights violations as Cuba’s is, that definition is going to be pretty wide.
Via: Reuters
Source: 14ymedio (Spanish)
Michael Kors Dylan Access review: Android Wear for everyone
Can the Michael Kors brand command the same influence when it comes to smartwatches as it does when it comes to fashion jewelry?
The Android Wear market has been relatively quiet for the past few months, but as we near the back to school season, the release schedule is set to pick up pace. And as we’ve seen from so-called fashion brands like Fossil, as well as well-known mainstream watch brands like Casio, Android Wear has found its way into practically any and every retail opportunity. Like Android itself, its versatility is its biggest strength.
Another such fashion brand looking to capitalize on the (admittedly slowing) smartwatch trend is Michael Kors, releasing two lines of its Access smartwatches today starting at $350. And despite some minor issues, the watches are destined to be successful largely because of Michael Kors’ existing distribution model of watch dealers and box stores and every mall in between. But next to the ultra-sleek Huawei Watch, Moto 360 and upcoming Asus ZenWatch 3, is the Access smartwatch right for you?
About this review
I (Daniel Bader) am writing this review after using the black stainless steel / black silicone band Michael Kors Dylan Access model for two weeks. It is running Android Wear version 1.5.0 based on Android 6.0.1 with the July 5, 2016 security patch.
Michael Kors Access Specs
| Size | 46mm casing x 14mm thick |
| Color | Black stainless steel (reviewed), Silver stainless steel, Gold stainless steel |
| Display | 1.5-inch 320×290 pixel transflective TFT LCD display (287.9 ppi) |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC |
| RAM | 512MB |
| Storage | 4GB |
| Battery | 360mAh |
| Sensors | Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Strap | Silicone (reviewed), Leather |
| Weight | 112 grams (reviewed) |
Michael Kors Access Hardware
Keep in mind that I am only reviewing one style of one model of the Access line; like all things department store, there is a color and style for everyone. Specifically, I have been using what is clearly the least provocative of the options — black stainless steel with a comfortable, textured black silicone band — that include multiple shades of gold-casing-on-gold-band and a snakeskin-style embossed leather.
More than a few times during my testing period, several people came up to me to ask about the watch on my wrist.
But between the two overarching styles and multitudinous color and strap variations, one thing is clear: this is a big, heavy, imposing piece of jewelry. At 112 grams, and a chassis that despite its round face juts out at angles to meet a set of 28mm lugs, the Dylan Access is present. When compared to the subtle, minimal and delicate design of last year’s Moto 360, it’s clear Michael Kors intends for this to be worn by people who want it to be noticed. And noticed it was.
More than a few times during my testing period, several people came up to me to ask about the watch on my wrist. Aside from my early days with the Pebble, and a few times with the original Moto 360, this has rarely happened to me. It appears the size gambit worked.
The Michael Kors branding is subtly entwined into the product itself; the crown to the right of the watch face has a clear MK emblem, giving texture to the button that, though it appears designed to twist like a regular crown, can only be depressed. Its function is limited to waking the screen from sleep or, when held down, activating Android Wear’s app drawer (behavior that is set to change drastically with the release of Android Wear 2.0). On the other side is a set of microphones to enable Android Wear’s excellent voice-activated “OK Google” support.
Underneath the watch is a metal plate sans heart rate sensor, an omission not mourned for due to its unreliable nature in previous Android Wear devices. In the silicone strap, with is surprisingly comfortable despite the heft of the metal, my wrist felt comfortable and, in the time I normally took to warm to an analog watch, I grew used to the Access on my wrist at all times. That strap can be swapped out with other silicone or leather options, but the lugs are specific to the Dylan Access line itself, which precludes the use of standard 28mm bands.
Like the Sony SmartWatch 3 before it, the Access has a transflective display, which denotes a reflective layer just above the LCD backlight meant to make it easier to read in direct sunlight. And while this is true, the relatively low-resolution 320×290 pixel screen appears to have a muddy sheen atop it in most all other situations, with poor viewing angles and blacks that appear milky. It’s actually a better display than the SmartWatch 3 despite the lower pixel density — colors are more vibrant and, straight on at least, it offers a pleasant enough experience — but after using the Huawei Watch and Moto 360 (2015), this just doesn’t cut it anymore.
There’s even a “flat tire” towards the bottom of the screen just to reiterate just how far behind the watch’s display chops are. That flat tire area doesn’t even include an ambient light sensor, so you’ll be adjusting brightness manually (though the transflective screen somewhat makes brightness a moot point).
After using the Huawei Watch and Moto 360 (2015), this kind of low-resolution display just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Internally, the Dylan is a mix of new and old: it is running Qualcomm’s specialized Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC, which offers a slightly more power-efficient mix of Cortex-A7 cores than the Snapdragon 400 in most Android Wear watches to date, a chip that was built for phones and coopted for wearables.
At 1.2GHz, the Wear 2100 cores are clocked identically to the Snapdragon 400s found in most Wear devices, and it is built on an identical 28nm process, so it’s no surprise that the Access lasted roughly the same amount per charge as any previous Android-based wearable I’ve used. The main difference is the optional integrated X5 baseband, which will allow future watches 3G connectivity, a feature Michael Kors clearly doesn’t care for. There is also 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage — standard on Android Wear devices since their debut.
While battery life is on par with other smartwatches in its class, the charging experience certainly isn’t. Taking design cues, without the know-how from Apple, the Access line charges wirelessly from its underside via a white, circular magnetic cable. While this allows the watch to be water resistant up to 10 meters (33ft), it is otherwise near-useless. The magnets are not nearly strong enough to latch on for any length of time, and I was forced to weigh it down the entire bundle with a book to get keep it connected. Even then, the orientation is such that it often slips off. I woke up to more than a few mornings of the Access fully dead despite being ostensibly attached to its charger.
Michael Kors Access Software
If you’ve used Android Wear since its inception, the experience here is a known quantity. While Michael Kors bundles its “Access” app, which allows for customizations of its varied and colorful watch face collection, there are no particularly unique tricks to note. It’s also interesting that this is one of the least fitness-oriented Android Wear watches I’ve seen, with no native exercise or tracking app to speak of other than Google’s own Fit experience.
The Access app is at once confusing and ultra-simple, and more than a little useless.
Like all Android Wear devices running the latest version, the Access supports a number of gestures to navigate through its Google Now cards — twist up or down to scroll through the cards; push down or pull up to move in and out — and I’m happy to report they work as well here as they do elsewhere. Similarly, the newly-implemented app drawer, which is accessed by swiping to the right of the watch face or holding down the crown, is alive and well. The dark theme, at least on my review unit, somewhat encourages a dark watch face, and thankfully most of the pre-installed options err towards an evening palette.
Those watch faces are not my personal liking — I am more of a spare, minimal kind of watch wearer — but unlike the Apple Watch, Android Wear supports downloadable third-party faces. Still, I settled on one that I liked, called Speedometer, and changed up the colors to suit my style. Most people won’t get much out of the included Access app, though: it is at once confusing and ultra-simple, and more than a little useless. Many of the included faces also include support for complications, which Michael Kors calls Subeyes, that include shortcuts for alarms, a pedometer, calendar, and battery count.
Michael Kors Access Bottom line
The Michael Kors Access line is available September 6 starting at $350 for the model above (metal/silicone), going up to $395 for the more exclusive gold-tone Bradshaw varieties. Bands begin at $40, rising to $50 for the embossed versions). (In Canada, watch prices begin at $420, rising to $475, with bands running $50 to $60.)
Despite the issues with the charger, and the imperfect display characteristics, I grew to enjoy the Access, and would certainly recommend it to anyone looking to engage with the more fashion-forward varieties of Android Wear. Like the Fossil Q Founder, this smartwatch is more about the brand than the product, and it’s clear that certain decisions were made to reinforce its place alongside similarly-designed analog watches in endless glass displays.
But somehow it works: it is both fashionable and functional, the comfortable enough (with a sizeable battery) to wear all day.
See at Michael Kors
Samsung’s smart belt lands on Kickstarter
Remember that health-tracking smart belt Samsung showed at its CES booth in January? You can score one for yourself. Spinoff company Welt has started a Kickstarter campaign to fund the launch of its namesake belt. Drop $119 ($69 or $99 if you’re early) and you’ll get a subtle wearable that tracks your waistline, eating habits, step counts and the time you spend sitting. Higher-priced Classic and Premium models mainly up the style quotient. Provided the crowdfunding run is successful, you should get your Welt as early as January — just in time to track your efforts to shed weight after the holidays.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Kickstarter
Scientists build a laser using human blood
No, this isn’t one of your childhood sci-fi dreams brought to life — it’s real. University of Michigan researchers have developed a medical observation laser where human blood is a key ingredient. When the team shined a laser into a small cavity full of dye-infused blood, they discovered that they could process the laser’s light according to their needs. They could amplify the light to exaggerate small changes in cell activity, or filter it to reduce background noise. Existing techniques combine dyes with infrared or visible light in a way that makes it difficult to spot tiny differences.
This isn’t the first time biological lasers have come to fruition. Harvard used proteins and kidney tissue for a laser back in 2011, and Michigan itself has worked with chlorophyll and gelatin. However, this latest breakthrough could be particularly helpful for doctors. It’d do a better job of tracking changes in cells or bodily tissues, for one. Surgeons could also use it to spot the very edge of a tumor, helping them remove every last bit of cancer. All told, the blood laser is far from creepy — that unusual material choice could save lives.
Via: Mental Floss, Gizmodo
Source: University of Michigan
Michael Kors Access smartwatches’ value is face deep
Not gonna lie. I’m a giant smartwatch nerd, and an even bigger Michael Kors fan. So when I received the invitation to review the company’s new Android Wear timepieces, I was stoked. The Michael Kors Access range falls in line with partner company Fossil Group’s mission to smarten up its range of wristwatches across its brands such as Fossil (duh), Kate Spade, Emporio Armani, Diesel and Skagen. And that should only mean good things for the fashionable wearable industry. But, try as I might, I’m having a hard time staying excited about the new MK smartwatches.
Hardware
The Bradshaw and Dylan models that I received already exist as analog timepieces. In reworking them to accommodate the components that make a watch smart, Michael Kors had to make the cases bigger. The Bradshaw’s face went from 36mm to 44.5mm, while the Dylan is now 46mm (previous size unknown). Both watches are also less water resistant — dropping from being able to withstand pressure of up to 100 meters (330 feet) to just 10 meters (33 feet). Now, the timepieces can survive just rain and splashes instead of swimming and surfing.
Because of the additional components, the connected Bradshaw and Dylan are pretty heavy. The case alone (for both) weighs 51 grams (1.17 ounces). Even though that heft made me feel like I had an ankle bracelet latched onto my wrist, I still loved the style and quality of both wristbands. The straps are some of the most sturdy and premium that I’ve seen on a smartwatch so far, making them feel a lot more like real chronographs. And, perhaps thanks to careful craftsmanship, the fully stainless-steel Bradshaw and silicone Dylan succeed in looking classy and glamorous without crossing over into gaudy, as some wristwear is wont to do.
Inside the polished metal cases sit a Snapdragon 2100 CPU, 4GB of storage, a 360mAh battery and a variety of sensors, while a 1.5-inch face with a 320 x 290 resolution sits on top. Notably absent is a heart rate monitor on the underside that most Android wearables at this price sport.
Software
Until Android Wear 2.0 arrives, there is nothing really new to say about Google’s wearable platform, which powers many of the devices we’ve reviewed. Although it’s improved a lot in the two years since its debut, the OS is still somewhat limited in what it can do. The 2.0 update, which Michael Kors says the watches will get once Google release it publicly, brings improvements such as an onscreen keyboard, third-party complications and better iPhone support.
On the Bradshaw and Dylan, Android Wear is basically the same as it is on every other smartwatch, with the exception of the Michael Kors Access app and custom watch faces. The former lets you do two things: save your favorite watch faces and set up two looks (day and night) that will automatically change at a specific time of your choosing. Frankly, even though the auto changing of faces is nice, the whole app is incredibly basic, and I could just as easily do the same by pressing down on the home screen.
The handful of custom watch faces are slightly more interesting (and not to mention very pretty). You can tweak the Michael Kors ones by changing the background, dial and crystal colors. On some themes, you can add information to make the watch more useful at a glance. For instance, the Notes profile lets you display up to four time zone differences (as in, how many hours ahead or behind), your local time and temperature, as well as your steps progress.
In use
Here’s where the Access line really falls short. On paper, everything seems decent. It’s got most of the same specs as other Android Wear devices, save for the slightly smaller battery. But, that resulted in a much shorter runtime than its rivals; the Dylan went from 80 percent charged at 2:30 PM to just 35 percent by 8 PM after a few hours of heavy use. The Bradshaw lasted about the same. On average use without many notifications and interaction with the Dylan, though, it lasted slightly more than a day.
Worse than the disappointing battery life is the glitchy performance. Despite sporting capable processors, the Bradshaw and Dylan struggled to respond quickly to my commands. While the watch’s microphones accurately picked up my requests most of the time, it occasionally misheard what I was saying, even in a dead quiet room. Then, when it correctly spelled out my request to remind me of an upcoming task, the Dylan never alerted me at the appointed time. It’s as if I sent my reminder request into a black hole.
The Bradshaw was similarly finicky; I tried to enable brightness boost from the slide down shortcut panel, and was constantly redirected to the Settings page while the feature remained stubbornly off. Both watches were also sluggish to respond to my swipes, compared to the instant reactions I’m used to on competing Android watches. I had to swipe three or four times on average to dismiss a card.
I reported these issues to Michael Kors, who, after verifying that I had the latest software and build, sent me two other units to test out. The replacements worked better, were more responsive and didn’t exhibit the abovementioned brightness boost problem. It’s worth noting that they arrived with a software upgrade already installed, whereas I had to run that update on the devices I initially got. I still had trouble getting Ok Google to reliably set a reminder, though; sometimes the new Dylan buzzed at the appointed time, but more often it never alerted me.
But there are some problems that aren’t as easily fixed. The watches’ screens wash out when you’re not looking at them straight on. And as much as I loved the chunky style of the timepieces, Michael Kors needs to make them lighter. After an hour, my (admittedly very weak) arm began to ache, and the Dylan felt like it was literally dragging me down. I had to very unwillingly take the watch off to continue typing in peace.
The competition
Pictured above: Samsung’s Gear S3 Frontier and Classic.
Man, has Michael Kors got some serious competition. From its own partner company alone, the Access line has to contend with Fossil’s Q Founder. That wearable is similarly chunky, but has a sharper screen for a cheaper $275. On the other end of price spectrum sits the Tag Heuer Connected, which is stupendously well-built and still manages to be lightweight. But it also costs a ridiculous $1,500.
Then, there are offerings from more traditional tech companies, like the second-gen Huawei Watch, 2015 Moto 360 and LG Watch Urbane. These have crisp displays and modest style for about the same price as the Access, but also offer onboard heart rate monitors and more software features that make their wearables more functional. For example, the Moto 360 offers Live Dials, which let you access specific apps directly from the watch face without all the excessive swiping.
Look outside the Google ecosystem, and you’ll find even more contenders. If you own an iPhone, the Apple Watch is a no-brainer. It’s the most seamless option for iPhones, with better messaging integration and a ton of apps you can launch from your wrist. Its squarish face may be a little, well, square, so those who want a little more style should look elsewhere.
That somewhere else might be Apple’s biggest rival, Samsung, which just unveiled the Gear S3. The new wristwear features a rugged, country aesthetic that wouldn’t look out of place whether on a lumberjack or an investment banker. They’ve got rotating bezels that makes navigating the interface much easier, and run Samsung’s Tizen OS, which should offer about 10,000 apps and watchfaces than the mere 1,000 it did when the Gear S2 launched. That could give Android Wear a run for its money.
Speaking of wearable platforms that could topple Google, industry pioneer Pebble also has some solid options that are both attractive and functional. The Pebble Time Round is one of the slimmest smartwatches on the market and offers longer-lasting battery than Android Wear, Apple and Samsung devices for just $200. But it doesn’t have a touchscreen, and its display is nowhere near as vibrant as the rest.
Wrapup
In the end, the Michael Kors Access line is just another option in the Android Wear market. Michael Kors might sell plenty of Access watches based on the strength of its brand alone, but it doesn’t do much that’s different from its competitors. Don’t get me wrong: these watches are truly gorgeous, and, bugs aside, generally do what they promise. But there’s nothing here that sets it apart from being yet another smartwatch that married Android Wear with a fashion house’s good looks.
The thing is, it’s difficult to fault Michael Kors for the functionality of the Access line — it’s limited by what Google offers in Android Wear. That means it ultimately suffers the same plight as all the fashion and horological brands out there that are struggling to deliver a decent, good-looking smartwatch. At least Michael Kors had the good sense to not charge an arm and a leg for its pieces (*cough* Tag Heuer *cough*). Besides, having another designer get in on the growing market is an encouraging sign, and I can’t wait to see what (one of my favorites) Kate Spade delivers. In the meantime, I’ll keep saving up for a smartwatch worth splurging on.
Netflix, chill and learn English with Fleex’s clever subtitles
Movies and TV shows can be useful tools to learn a new language. The actors might be speaking in an unfamiliar tongue, but with a decent set of subtitles you can follow along and begin to recognise specific words and phrases. Fleex — a service for people who want to learn English — takes this to the next level by subtly switching and, eventually, removing the subtitles as your comprehension improves. Better yet, the service is now compatible with Netflix, meaning you can naturally learn the language while watching House of Cards, Daredevil and Stranger Things.
First, you’ll need to sign up for an account and download the Fleex Chrome extension. Then, while you’re watching a stream on Netflix.com, you can hit the toolbar icon to trigger Fleex’s tweaked video player. There are three difficulty settings — Standard, which is identical to regular Netflix, Dual, which shows both subtitle languages simultaneously, and Mixed, which intuitively switches between the two. Select the latter and Fleex will show you English subtitles for “easier” scenes and your preferred language for trickier bits. The balance will then change as you improve, switching more of the subtitles to English and eventually turning them off altogether.
At any point you can pause the video and review the various subtitle options. It’s a simple, but effective study tool — and if you’re really stuck, you can click on a specific word to see a dictionary-style translation and definition. As an English speaker, I just wish it worked in reverse — I would be curious to see if a service like this can improve my Japanese.
Apple Music for Android Surpasses 10 Million Downloads
Apple Music for Android today surpassed 10 million downloads on the Google Play store, nearly ten months after it was released on the platform. Specifically, the app’s total number of installs is now between 10 million and 50 million, up from between 5 million and 10 million, as of some point in the past day.
Apple Music expanded to Android in November 2015, around four months after the streaming music service debuted on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The app, which is no longer in beta as of August, has a similar design and features as its iOS counterpart, including the same three-month trial and prices.
Apple’s streaming music service had 15 million paying subscribers as of WWDC 2016 in June. Industry leader Spotify, by comparison, had 30 million paying subscribers at around the same time period. On iOS 10, Apple has completely revamped the app with improved organization and a new design centered upon bold, large text.
Apple Music for Android is available as a free download on Google Play for devices running Android 4.3 or later.
Tags: Android, Google Play, Apple Music
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‘Duke Nukem 3D’ re-release adds new levels from the original team
If Duke Nukem Forever convinced you that cheesy one-liners, bad puns and juvenile action-hero humor is best left in the 90s, you’re in luck. Gearbox Software just announced that it’s bringing back the original Duke Nukem 3D in a special 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour that packs in 8 new levels, a ton of freshly recorded voice lines and a modest graphics update. Even better, all this new content was designed by much of the 1996 classic’s original team.
In addition to the original game, Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour (what a mouthful) features a new episode created by Allen Blum and Richard “Levelord” Gray (two level designers from the original game), new music from original composer Lee Jackson and a ton of fresh “duke talk” from voice actor Jon St. John. Not good enough? Okay there’s a little more. The game’s 20th anniversary release will also feature a 2.5D option that gives the graphics a modest update. The game’s 2D sprite look isn’t going anywhere, but the actual level environment will use real 3D rendered graphics instead of the pseudo-3D effect the original game used. Even that is only an option, though. Gearbox promises the original 1996 graphics experience will be available to purists.
The whole experience will set Duke fans back $20 when it launches on October 11th. That a pretty steep price increase from when the game could be had on Steam for about $4 — but at least there’s a ton of new content. It’s not just for PC gamers either: Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour will be available on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Source: Gearbox Software
AMD ships its extra-efficient 7th-generation processors in PCs
While Intel is busy revamping its laptop processors, AMD is focused on the desktop side of personal computing. The chip designer has started shipping its 7th-generation A-series processors in desktop PCs, starting with machines from HP and Lenovo. The CPUs are based around as many as four Excavator cores, rather than the coveted Zen cores you’ve heard about lately, but that should still get you a lot of performance per watt. If you believe AMD, its 35- and 65-watt processors deliver the kind of speed that previously took over 90 watts — the A12-9800 is about as fast in a general computing benchmark (PCMark) as Intel’s Core i5-6500, and roughly twice as fast in graphics (3DMark) if you’re relying on integrated video.
As you might guess from the testing, visual performance plays a big role. On top of a newer DirectX 12-friendly graphics architecture, the new processors tout native video decoding for 4K video in both H.264 and H.265 formats, taking a large load off of your system while you’re watching Ultra HD movies.
The efficiency angle is a familiar one for AMD, and not surprising given that it’s the company’s main advantage. You’re still looking at higher-end Intel Core i5 and i7 chips if you’re focused on raw performance in a desktop. With that said, this may be worthwhile if you want a glimpse at AMD’s future. The 7th-gen A-series is the first processor line based on AMD’s new AM4 platform and the interfaces that come with it, including support for USB 3.1 and NVMe solid-state drives. At least some of the technology you see here will carry on for multiple hardware generations.
Via: VentureBeat
Source: AMD (1), (2)
LG V20 liveblog: Join us from San Francisco at 9pm ET Sept 6!
What does LG have in store for us at its V20 launch event?
LG has already told us a lot about its upcoming phone, the V20, including that it will be the first new phone to run Android 7.0 Nougat). We also know that it will include a Quad DAC for incredible audio performance, along with branding collaboration with famous audio outfit, B&O. And, based on the most recent leaks, it will likely herald the return of LG’s Second Display ticker.
All the goodness kicks off at 6pm PT / 9pm ET from beautiful Pier 27 at San Francisco’s Embarcadero.
Bookmark this page and we’ll see you then!
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
AIVAnet 