Evernote is getting faster thanks to Google’s Cloud Platform

You might see Evernote’s pages load faster than usual going forward, now that the service is almost fully done moving 3 petabytes of data to Google Cloud Platform. The team only has to transfer some user attachments before the migration is complete. Once that’s done, then the service will have a new layer of protection called “encryption at rest,” which protects your data even if it’s not being accessed or moved. Further, GCP provides better disaster recovery planning that will make it easier for Evernote to recover data in case of a major mishap.

Ben McCormack, Evernote’ VP of operations told PC World:

“We have seen page loading times reducing quite significantly across some parts of our application. I wouldn’t say it’s everywhere yet, but we are starting to see that benefit of the Google power and the Google reach in terms of bridging traffic over their global fiber network.”

After the company signed a contract with the tech titan in October 2016, the big G sent over a team of engineers to help with the transition. It only took the combined team 70 days to move the bulk of Evernote’s data, when it would’ve typically taken nine months to a year to move such a huge amount of information. The note-taking service compared the feat to “moving enough content to fill up 10+ copies of all the books ever published in all of modern history.”

Evernote has its own data center, but its executives decided to move to the cloud because the company has quite a small team. They’ve been having a hard time getting consumer-facing features done on time when they also have to maintain the data centers. “We were always going to be playing catch-up,” McCormack said, “and it’s just a crazy situation to be in.”

As for why the company chose Google instead of Amazon’s Web Services or Microsoft’s Azure, it’s all because Evernote is developing a new set of features based on machine learning. The big G’s pitch focused on how its offerings like the Cloud Machine Learning API can help Evernote develop those capabilities and achieve its goal. The note-taking service is alpha testing some of Google’s upcoming services, as well, so you can expect new capabilities based around those in the future.

Source: Evernote, PC World

B&O Play Announce $299 Wireless Beoplay H4 Headphones With Apple Watch App

Bang & Olufsen brand subsidiary B&O Play has announced a new pair of wireless headphones called the Beoplay H4, which “focus on pure essentials”.

At $299, the over-ear Bluetooth headphones offer a less costly alternative to the company’s pricier wireless models, like the the H8 and H9, and instead of a touch interface they feature traditional physical buttons to control volume and playback.

The headphones adopt B&O Play’s signature premium braided textile and aluminum construction, and come with lambskin-covered memory foam ear pads for comfort and isolation.

B&O Play says the headset can be used for up to 19 hours on a single charge (via micro-USB) and can also be used wired with the 3.5mm jack and provided cable. An omnidirectional mic is built in for taking calls.

The listening experience can be tweaked using the Beoplay app and the H4’s also offer an Apple Watch app for adjusting settings from the wrist.

The Beoplay H4 are available to buy now from the Beoplay website for $299.

Tag: Bang & Olufsen
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SpaceX is delivering a lethal superbug to the ISS (it’s OK, the astronauts know about it)

Why it matters to you

The space-based experiment could lead to a major breakthrough with the potential to help us all.

SpaceX is just days away from launching a dangerous bacterium toward the International Space Station (ISS).

Fortunately the folks aboard the ISS know about it, and will be ready to receive it when it arrives next week.

The special delivery will be used for a space-based science experiment aimed at helping researchers better understand the impact of near-zero gravity on gene expression and mutation patterns, Forbes reported.

The pathogen, that fingers-crossed won’t wreak havoc on the ISS and inspire a hellish horror movie about a lethal pathogen wreaking havoc on the ISS, is methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, better known by its shorter “superbug” name: MRSA.

For those not in the know, MRSA is resistant to many widely used antibiotics and therefore can be tricky to treat effectively, making it a serious threat to public health. That’s why scientists are desperate to find a way to deal with it.

Lead researcher Dr. Anita Goel believes that the near-zero gravity environment aboard the space station could cause the mutation rate of MRSA to accelerate.

While that may sound like more fodder for the horror flick that they probably won’t make, the acceleration would give scientists the opportunity to stay ahead of the unfolding MRSA situation on Earth, as they’ll be able to glimpse mutation patterns that are yet to occur back on the ground.

“Our work in microgravity on the ISS is both very practical and fundamental,” Goel told Forbes. “We are pushing the envelope of personalized, precision medicine, enabling better prediction of drug resistance and hence smarter drugs.”

It’s an exciting time for Goel and her team, with the space station experiments potentially leading to a significant breakthrough in the study and handling of MRSA. With more than 80,000 invasive MRSA infections and some 11,000 related deaths occurring in the U.S. every year, such a breakthrough can’t come soon enough.

B&O Play wireless Beoplay H4 headphones come with Apple Watch control

B&O Play, Bang & Olufsen’s full and funky consumer brand, has launched a wireless pair of Beoplay H4 headphones.

They have been “designed from the ground up” using lambskin, braided textile and aluminium and are now available from the Beoplay online store for £249.

The lambskin leather covers the earcups and headband, while memory inside the cups conforms to the shape of your ear. It forms passive noise isolation rather than noise cancelling, but should still keep plenty of ambient sounds out – and the music in.

The aluminium elements are polished and anodised, with a laser etched logo.

B&O Play

They pair to your iOS or Android device using Bluetooth, with a dedicated Beoplay App available that can personalise your listening experience. The app is also available for Apple Watch, so you can adjust settings from your wrist too.

You can change the tonality and sound staging from the app, which is stored on the headphones until your change the settings again. This ensures you can still use the Beoplay H4 even when you don’t have your Watch or mobile device to hand. A 3.5mm jack and cable are supplied for wired use too.

Battery life is claimed to last up to 19 hours on a single charge, which generally takes two-and-a-half hours. The app also monitors battery life so you know when to charge the headphones.

Apple could charge over $1000 for the iPhone 8

Apple will unveil new iPhone models in September, that much we know, but we’re still not entirely certain on the naming pattern. Because this year will celebrate 10 years of the iPhone, many analysts are expecting Apple to skip the ‘S’ range and go straight for iPhone 8.

• iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: What’s the story so far?

However, Fast Company has cited a source familiar with Apple’s plans as saying the company will in fact release three models: iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus and an iPhone 8. The iPhone 8 will sit at the top of the range and will be the only one to feature an OLED screen and more premium features, and a premium price tag to match, to the tune of $1000.

Some industry analysts have said the high-end iPhone may actually be called iPhone X, and with X being 10 in Roman numerals, it’s certainly possible. The premium model is said to come with a 5.8-inch OLED display, which will cost Apple more to produce than the LCD displays on current models, while the 4.7in 7s and 5.5in 7s Plus will retain the same LCD screens as their predecessors.

• All iPhone 8 models will have curved OLED screens made by Samsung, says report
• Huge leak seemingly confirms three iPhones for 2017
• Apple iPhone 8 with 5.8-inch AMOLED display could debut alongside iPhone 7S models

The iPhone 8/X’s 5.8in OLED screen will allegedly cover the entire front of the phone, a rumour we’ve heard before, and would see Apple ditch the home button for the first time since the iPhone’s introduction 10 years ago. It’s now not clear if the 7s models will also lose the home button too.

If the high-end iPhone is real, it’s said to be Apple’s most feature rich yet, and along with the OLED display and no home button, could lose the side buttons too, with touch sensitive controls embedded into the metal sidings instead. Fast Company’s source adds that Apple has been working with a company called Lumentum, which specialises in 3D-sensing technology. It’s not clear how Lumentum’s technologies will be used in the upcoming iPhone, but it’s thought it could enable face-unlock authentication as an added security measure or for augmented reality purposes.

While we’ve heard several times Apple will implement an OLED display, we haven’t heard too much about three models. Of course, until Apple officially unveils any products itself, we have to take these claims and rumours with a pinch of salt.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs Tab S2: What’s the rumoured difference?

Samsung is reported to be unveiling its next iPad-rival during Mobile World Congress 2017 at the end of February. The new tablet has leaked on numerous occasions over the last couple of months, giving us some indiction as to what we might be able to expect.

Here is how the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 compares to 2015’s Galaxy Tab S2, based on the speculation.

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 rumours

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs Tab S2: Design

• Same 5.6mm slim build rumoured 
• S Pen rumoured to be coming with the Tab S3
• USB Type-C expected for Tab S3

Leaks regarding the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3’s design have been a little thin on the ground in comparison to its hardware, though it has been claimed the new tablet will offer the 5.6mm slim build of its predecessor. A premium metal finish is expected and we’d also expect USB Type-C and a fingerprint scanner.

There have also been talks of Samsung including the S Pen Stylus within the Tab S3 box, though its been claimed there won’t be a dedicated slot for it on the tablet itself, as there is on the Note range of smartphones. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 comes in two sizes and it offers a lovely metal build with rounded corners and a fingerprint sensor within the home button on the front of the device. 

The smaller model measures 198.6 x 134.8 x 5.6mm and weighs 265g, while the larger model has a footprint of 237.3 x 169 x 5.6mm and weighs 389g.

• Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus rumours

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs Tab S2: Display

• Tab S3 expected to come with 9.7-inch display
• Two variants rumoured, like Tab S2
• Same Quad HD resolution expected

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is claimed to be coming in two screen sizes, though so far only one has been detailed in leaks. A report has said we would see a 9.7-inch display with a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution for the Tab S3, which would be the same as the larger Tab S2.

The Tab S2 also comes in an 8-inch variant, again with a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution, which would be a logical size guess for the second Tab S3 device.

Both the Tab S2 models used Super AMOLED displays, which we would expect Samsung to use for the Tab S3 too. There has been no talk of curved displays or better screen-to-body ratios for the Tab S3, like there has been for the Galaxy S8 smartphone, but we’d expect a couple of display improvements over the Tab S2 anyway.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs Tab S2: Hardware

• Tab S3 expected to have faster processor
• Tab S3 expected to have more RAM
• Better camera rumoured for Tab S3

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is rumoured to feature either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset or the company’s own Exynos 7420 processor, both of which are rumoured to be coming with 4GB of RAM. It is expected to be available with at least 32GB of internal storage and in Wi-Fi and LTE variants.

The new slab is also said to be coming with Universal Flash Storage 2.0 for quicker file and app access, a 12-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel rear camera.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 comes with either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor or the Exynos 5433 chip, depending on the region. Both have 3GB of RAM and they both come in 32GB or 64GB storage options with microSD support.

The larger Tab S2 model has a 5870mAh battery, while the smaller model has a 4000mAh capacity, both of which are charged via Micro-USB. Both models also have an 8-megapixel rear camera, 2.1-megapixel front camera.

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs Tab S2: Software

• Android Nougat expected for Tab S3
• Potential S Pen features for Tab S3

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is said to be launching Android Nougat from the box, while the Tab S2 launched on Android Lollipop and will eventually get updated to Nougat in the first half of 2017.

There are likely to be several new features on board the new Tab S3, especially if the S Pen is included in the box. It’s not yet clear what the differences in user experience will be so expect familiar but not identical.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs Tab S2: Conclusion

Based on the rumours, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 will bring a number of updates compared to the Tab S2, including processing power, camera improvements and hopefully software experience, 

Everything is speculation for now but we will update this feature when the official specs are unveiled. For now, you can read our Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 rumour round up.

Missed Tom Hardy’s Taboo? You can watch the entire box set on BBC iPlayer for free

Taboo, starring Tom Hardy, has been one of the BBC’s most talked about drama series for years and if you’ve missed it you’re in for a treat; the entire box-set will be available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer for more than a month.

The eight-episode series will remain on iPlayer for 30 days after the last show has aired – which is scheduled for 28 February.

Executive produced by Ridley Scott, series creator Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) and Hardy himself, Taboo also stars Stephen Graham (Boardwalk Empire, This is England) and Jonathan Pryce (Game of Thrones). It is set in the 1800s, with Hardy’s James Delany returning to London after being presumed dead in Africa only to be embroiled in conspiracy, intrigue and bloodshed.

• BBC iPlayer to embrace Ultra HD as part of the Beeb’s ‘long term plans’

The Beeb’s decision to offer the box set for a prolonged period is part of the broadcaster’s plans to make more content available for longer on the streaming platform. It will also do the same with Apple Tree Yard, another hard hitting drama currently being screened in the UK.

“Taboo and Apple Tree Yard have both been huge hits on TV and on BBC iPlayer. Now viewers will be able to enjoy them as full box sets – and we want to do the same for more shows in the future,” said Dan Taylor-Watt, head of BBC iPlayer.

“It’s giving viewers what they want – and it’s just the start of what we can do to ensure BBC iPlayer is the UK’s number one online TV service.”

Wikipedia issues near-total ban on Daily Mail sources

As a rule, Wikipedia accepts most any publication as an article source. If the information is credible and verifiable, it doesn’t usually matter where it comes from. However, it just made one giant exception. The online encyclopedia has issued a near-total ban on using the Daily Mail as a source after editors came to the consensus that the British tabloid is “generally unreliable.” It has a history of “poor fact checking, sensationalism and flat-out fabrication,” editors say, and things it reports as true can usually be found elsewhere.

There will be exceptions, of course. If the Daily Mail was more accurate in the past, those older stories may be useful. And of course, it only makes sense to cite the paper in articles that are about the Daily Mail and its staff. Virtually everything else is forbidden, though, and editors are encouraging volunteers to look at and potentially replace roughly 12,000 existing links.

The move doesn’t come out of nowhere. Editors have been discussing the reliability of the Daily Mail since 2015, and the decision to give it the boot only came after a month-long debate that began in January. It’s a dramatic step for Wikipedia, however. Even conspicuously biased outlets like Russia Today, which is backed by the Russian government, don’t see blanket bans like this. With that in mind, the editors say they aren’t playing favorites. They’re open to similar discussions for other “poor sources,” so you could see similar culls in the future.

Wikipedia certainly has an incentive to clean up. It depends on donations to get by, and those won’t be forthcoming if too many people question the accuracy of its stories. And like Facebook or other internet mainstays, it’s under increasing pressure to combat fake and flawed news on at least some level. If Wikipedia were to do nothing, it could raise concerns that the organization relies more on the size and influence of a source than its authenticity.

Via: The Guardian

Source: Wikipedia

B&O adds a $299 option to its wireless headphone line

When it comes to Bang and Olufsen’s audio gear, you have to be willing to shell out some extra cash to get the company’s mix of design and sound. The Beoplay line does offer some more affordable options and today the over-ear Beoplay H4 wireless headphones make their debut. Priced at $299 (£249/€299), the H4s are $100 less than B&O’s current most affordable wireless option: the over-ear H7.

The new Beoplay H4s feature a new design that’s made with materials like lambskin and aluminum. That aesthetic also includes exposed braided cables to complete the look. Rather than having touch controls on the outside of the earcup like B&O’s pricier models, the H4’s controls are a trio of physical buttons. With those, you can adjust volume, skip tracks, take calls and pair the headphones with your phone or another device via Bluetooth.

Unfortunately, the new design doesn’t feature the removable battery that was an interesting feature for B&O’s previous wireless headphone models. In terms of battery life, the company says you can expect up to 19 hours of playback on a 2.5-hour charge. What’s more, the H4s are compatible with B&O’s Beoplay app for Android, iOS and Apple Watch. With that piece of software, you can adjust sound settings on your own or choose from one of four presets the company’s engineers created specifically for this model. The app also keeps tabs on battery life, controls music and handles any software updates for the headphones.

If all of that sounds too good to pass up, the B&O Beoplay H4 is available starting today at both the company’s retail stores and from its website. You can expect to nab the headphones at select third-party retailers as well. If you’re looking to active noise cancellation, you’ll want to consider the company’s Beoplay H9s (over-ear) or H8s (on-ear). Either of those headphones will set you back $499.

Source: Bang & Olfusen

Facebook will try fighting ad discrimination with algorithms

Facebook is making changes to its advertising policy following last fall’s revelation that ad purchasers could discriminate by race. The social network’s solution at the time was to use algorithms that would weed out posts that used “ethnic affinity” for ads offering housing, employment or credit. Now, the anti-discrimination methods are going further.

The first step is educating advertisers that they are not to discriminate based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender, gender identity, genetic or medical condition, national origin, race or religion.

The next is another implementation of machine learning that flags ads for employment, housing or credit. Should one run afoul of anti-discrimination guidelines the advertisement will be disapproved. In the process of creating an ad, the social network will also remind the creator of the new rules and ask them to verify that the ad isn’t discriminatory

Whether these new methods will actually cause any change is up for debate. Putting it in the hands of advertisers to ensure they aren’t violating anti-discrimination laws seems like a lazy form of regulation. And, given that this is using algorithms to look over ads versus the humans that Facebook seems to despise so much, there’s even more room for error. Or excuses when the code inevitably doesn’t work as advertised. Just ask all those not-dead people or folks marking themselves safe following the Bowling Green Massacre.

Source: Facebook Newsroom