Vevo pauses its music video subscription plans

You probably aren’t champing at the bit to pay for a music video subscription service, but if you are… well, you’ll have to keep champing. Vevo chief Erik Huggers tells Variety that his company is putting its subscription plans on hold in favor of international expansion. Paid viewing is “still in the cards,” but Vevo wants to lay the groundwork for it through a larger presence on the world stage.

Huggers notes that about 80 percent of Vevo’s viewers are from outside the US, but that it only has localized content in 14 countries. The streaming service wants to double or triple that footprint by the end of 2017.

The pause also gives Vevo a chance to build up an original library that extends beyond music videos. It won’t try to challenge Hulu or Netflix, but it’s already working on short-form clips that include animated short films, interviews and mini documentaries. Think of this the way you might Apple’s expansion into video originals — it’s about giving you a steady stream of exclusives that make it more than just a straightforward music service.

But is it enough? That’s hard to tell. There are still many factors up in the air, such as price and the perks you get besides the occasional singer Q&A. Music videos typically aren’t as important to fans as the music itself, and it may be hard to break the habit of a generation used to watching music videos on YouTube for free. Whenever Vevo’s paid service launches, it’ll have to be both a significant improvement and inexpensive enough that people won’t mind the video-only focus.

Source: Variety

California Republicans want to block high-speed rail funding

A 14-member contingent of the California GOP have sent a letter to newly-installed Transportation Secretary, Elaine Chao, asking that the DOT halt approval of a $650 million dollar grant for a proposed bullet train running between San Francisco and San Jose. That grant would have gone to California’s Caltrain agency (as early as this week) and be used to install a power system for the future train system. The letter cites cost increases and a lack of private funding as reasons to defund the project.

The GOP letter points out that the high-speed rail plan, one of Governor Jerry Brown’s signature projects, was originally slated to run from Sacramento to San Diego and cost around $33 billion. However, the plan has since been revised to stretch from San Francisco to San Jose, while costing $64 billion. The letter also cites concerns from the Federal Railroad Administration that warns against a potential $3.5 billion bump in the first part of the project, running from Merced to Shafter.

“Providing additional funding at this time to the authority would be an irresponsible use of taxpayers dollars,” the GOP letter reads. “In light of the new revelations from the confidential FRA report, we request no further monies be granted to the [California High-Speed Rail] Authority or the state of California for high speed rail until a full and complete audit of the project and its finances can be conducted and those finding be presented to the public.”

The Democrats quickly fired off their own letter to Secretary Chao, arguing that the GOP letter was filled with “inaccuracies and innuendo” and that defunding the project would hamper Californians’ mobility within the state. Defunding the plan would make getting from Silicon Valley to The City “dirtier, slower and more crowded,” their letter read.

This grant is part of a larger $2 billion grant that would electrify the route and enable Caltrain to convert its entire system from diesel power to electric. The problem is that the high-speed rail project has already signed contracts that require it provide formal notice to begin work by March 1st. If this grant isn’t approved by then, the penalties that would be invoked would make the project nearly impossible to fund. At best, the bullet train project would have to electrify the route with private financing to the tune of $2 billion in the coming years. This outcome would hamstring the state’s efforts to improve commutes for its residents for decades to come. At least we still have HyperLoop.

Source: LA Times

Tesla’s Model 3 won’t have a 100 kWh battery to start

Tesla’s started off 2017 with a bang, officially opening its Powerpack-filled 20-megawatt energy storage station in Mira Loma, California last week as it looks to start production of its Model 3 at the end of the year. Just don’t expect its new, more affordable electric car to come with the larger batteries they stuck in their existing vehicles last year: CEO Elon Musk himself finally confirmed that the Model 3 won’t initially come in 100 kWh.

@jovanik21 @Veidit No, will be lower. Wheelbase can’t fit 100.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 7, 2017

For its Model S and Model X cars, Tesla expanded beyond the 60 kWh baseline batteries, which get about 218 miles of EPA range, into the larger 100 kWh version last August, extending it to 315 miles. But the Model 3’s economical design has a smaller wheelbase, which won’t fit the bigger power source, Elon Musk said. Neither he nor the company specified which size battery their new vehicle will ship with.

Source: SlashGear

Apple vs. Samsung Case to Return to Lower Court for Possible Damages Retrial

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit today ruled that a lower district court must decide whether a damages retrial is required in the long running legal battle between Apple and Samsung, reports CNET.

The case will return to the same San Jose, California court where it was originally heard by Judge Lucy Koh. From today’s ruling:

Both parties filed statements urging us to take different actions. While Apple requests continued panel review, Samsung requests that we remand to the district court for a new trial on damages. For the reasons explained below, we adopt neither suggested course of action. Instead, we remand this case to the district court for further proceedings, which may or may not include a new damages trial.

Apple’s dispute with Samsung dates back to 2011, when Apple sued Samsung for copying the iPhone’s design. Apple was initially awarded nearly $1 billion in damages, but a significant part of that decision was reversed in 2015, leaving Samsung owing $548 million.

Samsung paid the $548 million in 2015, but also asked the Supreme Court to hear the case in the hopes of reimbursement, claiming it was asked to pay a “disproportionate” sum for violating Apple’s design patents. $399 million of the $548 million was awarded for the design patent violation, and in December, the Supreme Court sided with Samsung, overturning that particular damages ruling.

The Supreme Court remanded the case back to the U.S. Court of Appeals to reconsider the $399 million portion of the ruling, and the lawsuit was officially reopened in January of 2017. The U.S. Court of Appeals was charged with redetermining the amount Samsung owes Apple for infringing on the design patents, a task that will now fall to the district court because the appeals court says the district court is better suited to make such a decision.

The original damages award was calculated based on the profit Samsung earned from the sale of infringing galaxy devices, but Samsung has claimed the amount should not have been based on the total profits of each device, but rather the individual components that violated the patents, which the Supreme Court agreed with.

The District Court for the Northern District of California will now consider arguments from both Apple and Samsung and determine what additional proceedings, if any, are necessary in the case.

Tags: Samsung, Patent lawsuits
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Tim Cook Visits ‘Kitchen Stories’ Developers and Furniture Maker Dula on German Trip

Following a trip to France, Tim Cook today toured Germany, where he made a number of stops to visit furniture maker Dula, the developers behind the Kitchen Stories app, and the team at Refinery29.

Cook has been documenting his trip on Twitter, sharing a number of photos at each site. Before leaving France, he made one last stop to visit the Marché Saint-Germain Apple Store, where he met with staff, iOS developers, and Apple customers. It was his second visit to an Apple Store following a stop in Marseille earlier this week.

He then headed to Vreden, Germany, where he met with Dula. Dula is a furniture manufacturer that works with Apple to create some of the furniture and hardware used in Apple’s retail stores.

Bewundernswerte, außergewöhnliche Handwerkskunst bei unserem Zulieferer Dula heute Morgen in Vreden 🇩🇪. Vielen Dank für die Tour! pic.twitter.com/va4n6oqtCn

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 7, 2017

Cook took a tour of the factory and then headed to Berlin to meet with the developers behind the Kitchen Stories app. Created by two women in 2014, Kitchen Stories is a recipe app that walks users through each step using photos and videos.

During his time at Kitchen Stories, Cook also met with Refinery29 for an exclusive interview where he talked about women in the workplace, diversity, wage gaps, and more.

Cook was specifically questioned about the German start up scene, where just 13.9 percent of lead roles are held by women. According to Cook, improving that rate hinges on a work environment that “encourages and motivates women to participate.” He went on to say that it’s a problem that needs to be tackled early in life, in schools, with young women encouraged to enter the STEM field.

Pay equality was also a subject, and Cook explained that Apple pays all employees equally regardless of gender, something all companies should do.

You know, we’re probably an outsider, but we pay well and we pay 100% the same. We make a long-term evaluation every year, in order to maintain that. And if we only notice once that someone earns only 99.8% of the salary of another, then we do everything we can to make up for it. I think every company should try to do it. It’s just not right and not fair that women still earn so much less than men.

Cook’s full comments can be read over at Refinery29, but the original interview is in German and will need to be translated.

Following his short trip to Germany, Cook will head to Scotland on Wednesday where he will accept an honorary degree from the University of Glasgow.

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.
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New 2018 Dodge Durango SRT Includes CarPlay Support and BeatsAudio Sound System

Ahead of the Chicago Auto Show, Dodge today announced that its new 2018 Durango SRT will come equipped with support for Apple CarPlay, making it the first Durango model to offer the feature.

Branded as the “fastest, most powerful and most capable three-row SUV,” the Durango SRT includes a 475-horsepower engine, a new exterior design, new interior options, and more.

It will include an 8.4-inch Uconnect touch screen media center with CarPlay support, Android Auto, HD Radio, downloadable apps, and a 5-year trial of SiriusXM Travel Link and Traffic, plus it will be equipped with a BeatsAudio-branded premium sound system with nine speakers, a subwoofer, and a 506-watt amplifier.

Dodge has previously implemented support in the 2017 Challenger and the 2017 Charger. The 2018 Durango SRT will be available from dealers starting in the summer of 2017.

Related Roundup: CarPlay
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PayPal’s Slack bot makes recouping the office bar tab easy

Slack is a popular way for teams to communicate in the office and bots make the app a lot more helpful with a number of tasks. Thanks to PayPal, there’s a simple way for you to send money to a colleague or friend if they grab your coffee or pick up a bar tab after work. With the PayPal Slack bot, all you have to do is type “/PayPal send $5 to (insert username here)” and the funds will be on their way.

You can also include a reason for the payment, like “for Friday’s beers,” but it’s not a requirement. To take advantage of the PayPal bot, you’ll need to install it in Slack, connect your account and configure transaction settings — like when you want to review and approve any funds that are about to change hands. For now, the bot is available to Slack users in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. To see the feature in action, take a gander at the video down below.

Source: PayPal

Apple’s Website Drops ‘Late’ From ‘Late 2016’ MacBook Pro Model Names

Ever since the original MacBook Pro, Apple has identified the notebooks based on the time of year in which they were released.

• Early: January-April
• Mid: May-August
• Late: September-December

The first MacBook Pro with a Retina display, for example, has a “Mid 2012” model name because it was released in June of that year.

Apple continued this trend when it launched its latest MacBook Pro lineup in October. Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, along with the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with a standard row of function keys, were described as “late 2016” models on Apple’s website and support documentation.

Just recently, however, Apple’s website appears to have largely dropped the “late” portion of “late 2016” when referring to its latest MacBook Pro models, as spotted by Apple blog Pike’s Universum. Apple now simply identifies all of its latest MacBook Pros as “2016” models on its tech specs pages and elsewhere.

There are some exceptions to this rule, as the latest MacBook Pro models are still identified as “MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2016)” or “MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2016)” under “About This Mac” on macOS Sierra. Apple also has a few support documents that still refer to a “late-2016 MacBook Pro” on its website.

Given that Apple only refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup once last year, it is reasonable to assume that “late” was an unnecessary descriptor; however, Apple still refers to its latest 12-inch MacBook as “Early 2016” despite there being no other updates to that notebook last year. The same applies to the “12-inch MacBook, Early 2015.”

Apple has also yet to remove “Mid” from its “Mid 2014” MacBook Pro, despite the fact that it was the only MacBook Pro model released in 2014, so this appears to be a clear deviation from the company’s traditional nomenclature. We’ve reached out to Apple for an explanation, and we’ll update this article if we hear back.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer’s Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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Channel your inner Magneto with these 7 captivating ferrofluid gadgets

Ferrofluid is mesmerizing to behold. It has the fluid properties of a liquid and also the magnetic properties of a solid state of matter. The term itself is a portmanteau of “ferromagnetic” and “fluid.” This is because ferrofluid is made up of microscopic magnetic solids suspended in a liquid form.

More: 5 tech trends that will change the world in 2017

Ferrofluids were originally created by NASA to better control liquids (namely rocket fuel) in zero gravity. Combined with rocket fuel, ferrofluids can be easily controlled and directed towards a pump via a magnetic field. Of course, most of us non-spacefaring humans won’t be using the stuff to power a rocket anytime soon, but luckily we can still enjoy the material’s incredible properties via a multitude of spellbinding ferrofluid gadgets.

So without further ado, here are seven of the coolest ferrofluid gizmos that money can buy.

Ferrolic clock

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Most clocks are woefully utilitarian. They serve but one purpose: illustrating the passing moments of our fleeting existence. The Ferrolic clock, designed by Zelf Koelman, utilizes a ferrofluid screen to more aptly display these ephemeral moments.

The Thinker

Sometimes the slightest distraction is the best ways to get the ol’ cognitive cogs turning. This is where The Thinker by Inspired Designs comes into play. Unlike some of the bulkier ferrofluid desktop items out there, The Thinker uses a compact, elegant design that can be easily stored in a drawer rather than being perpetually displayed.

Ferrofluid lamp

The Ferrofluid Lamp is another product from Inspired Designs. The 450 milliliter tube uses a bulb similar to a lava lamp enabling the ferrofluid to rise and fall. The lamp also comes with magnets so you can manipulate the ferrofluid via magnetic field as well.

zKULL

The zKull is a product from Concept Zero. If at first glance you thought the zKull was oddly similar to Dan Aykroyd’s Crystal Skull Vodka bottles, you weren’t mistaken. For some reason, the company uses Crystal Skull Vodka bottles filled with water (not vodka — sorry) and ferrofluid. You can choose from black, blue, or gold colored ferrofluid. So metal…

RIZE Spinning Ferrofluid Display

The RIZE is another smaller ferrofluid gadget perfect for a desktop. A black screw is positioned in the middle of the glass display and acts as the magnetic conduit for the sculpture. Once the vial is placed on the magnetic base, the magnetic field causes the ferrofluid to spin around the groves of the screw. The Rize is available with gold, red, blue, or purple ferrofluid.

Rhei clock

The Rhei clock is another solid ferrofluid clock. Like the Ferrolic clock, the Rhei uses a ferrofluid display and a series of internal magnets to display the time. While the Ferrolic has a rather clunky metal housing, the Rhei features a wooden back, clean lines, and rounded edges for a more low-profile, modern look.

Ferroflow

The Ferroflow is similar to The Rize, albeit on a much larger scale. The Ferroflow uses magnets inside of the stainless steel base and also on top of the glass display to activate the ferrofluid inside. You can also manually manipulate the fluid using Rize’s detachable neodymium magnet.

Research firm: When it comes to mobile payments, Apple Pay reigns supreme

Why it matters to you

While there are plenty of players in the mobile payments game, it looks as though Apple Pay is surging ahead of the competition.

If you’re making a digital payment, chances are you’re doing so by way of Apple Pay. Despite a highly competitive landscape, it looks as though the iEmpire reigns supreme when it comes to adoption in the U.S. According to new research from Boston Retail Partners (BRP), Apple Pay boasts the largest percentage of supporting U.S. merchants. As of today, 36 percent of sellers accept the mobile payment service, an increase of 20 points from last year.

This proportion is expected to grow, as 22 percent of retailers say they have plans to accept Apple Pay within the next year, while another 11 percent will aim to do so within the next one to three years.

Also popular is PayPal, which enjoys a 34-percent acceptance rate in the U.S. Coming in a surprising third-place finish (given how little we tend to hear about it), is Mastercard PayPass, which is accepted by a quarter of merchants. Android Pay certainly has its work cut out in terms of catching up to Apple Pay, with 24-percent acceptance, whereas the slightly newer Samsung Pay has 18-percent acceptance.

These percentages, however, are also expected to grow, as 18 percent of surveyed retailers had plans to add Android Pay within the next 12 months, with 11 percent planning to accept Samsung Pay in the same time period.

More: Apple accuses Australian banks of seeking a free ride in Apple Pay battle

“There are a multitude of mobile wallets and payment apps on the market today, and the arena keeps changing,” BRP said of its research. “In the past year, we have seen the demise of the merchant-backed CurrentC and rise of Walmart Pay. PayPal has been bumped out of its top spot in this year’s survey, with Apple Pay now being accepted at 36 percent of the retailers participating in the survey.”

And as the arena changes, so too are retailers’ plans. Only 11 percent say they are steadfastly refusing to accept mobile payments within their stores, whereas nearly a quarter of respondents say that they’ve already added the technology and that it is “working well.”

“One of the critical factors for any mobile payment success going forward is education. We have found repeatedly that not only are consumers unsure of how and when mobile payments can be used but, even more telling, associates are unsure,” BRP added. “For mobile payments or mobile wallets to succeed, there must be further education at the point of sale to ensure that a transaction using a mobile device is not longer or more complicated than traditional payments methods for either the customer or associate.”