Drone Racing League lands a title sponsor for the 2017 season

It doesn’t quite have the cachet of something like the Winston Cup (yet), but the Drone Racing League says its 2017 campaign will be called the Allianz World Championship Series. In another move cribbed from traditional motorsports, the drone pilots will have sponsors too. This season is airing on TV again with 12 hour long episodes that will come to ESPN/ESPN2. Those identical DRL Racer 2 drones will fly through 3D courses at more than 90mph, with the league promising bigger courses and faster drones this season. The action kicks off in June, but for now, there’s a preview trailer to feast your eyes on.

Source: Drone Racing League

HBO’s ‘Silicon Valley’ returns April 23rd

HBO’s tech-industry satire Silicon Valley will return for its fourth season on April 24th. Despite its usual lead-in Game of Thrones likely getting a late start on its seventh season, Pied Piper & Co. are returning in their usual spring window. We don’t have any details on what they’re getting up to over the next ten episodes or even a teaser trailer, but we did get a quick visit with some of the cast members via Instagram.

“Sleep is so important. Food is so important. We think we are sophisticates but really we’re just beasts.” Silicon Valley is back, April 23rd at 10PM on @hbo.

A video posted by Thomas Middleditch (@tombini) on Feb 10, 2017 at 10:04am PST

Source: Thomas Middleditch (Instagram), HBO

Android’s instant tethering is now officially available

Instant tethering started making its way to some Android users in late January, allowing them to set up an automatic hotspot connection between devices. Now that the feature is officially available, more people should have access to it — but it still only works with Pixel and Nexus devices. The new FAQ section dedicated to the feature confirms what was reported before: Pixel and Nexus phones running Nougat can act as hosts or the source of internet connection. Tablets like the Pixel C and Nexus 9, as well as phones running Android Marshmallow, however, can only use shared data connections and can’t act as hosts.

To be able to use the feature, all your devices must share the same Google account. You can then activate Instant Tethering in the Settings menu: tap “Provide data connection” to set up a host device or tap “Get data connection” to set up a non-host phone or tablet. After the initial setup, your non-host devices will automatically connect to your host devices when you need an internet connection. It’s a pretty sweet deal if you’re always busy on the go, since manually tethering devices all the time can be time consuming. Another plus is that your receiving device will automatically disconnect after 10 minutes of no activity to save power and make sure your tablet/phone doesn’t die too quickly.

Via: 9to5Google, Droid-Life

Source: Google

Harvard creates a renewable battery that can last for 10 years

Why it matters to you

Imagine if your home’s electricity was powered entirely by renewable energy. This flow battery is a step in that direction.

Imagine if your house ran on a giant, low-maintenance rechargeable battery. Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) developed a new flow battery capable of lasting more than 10 years. Along with its 10-year lifespan, the researchers also successfully designed the battery to remain inexpensive, non-corrosive, and non-toxic. Led by professors Michael Aziz and Roy Gordon, the groundbreaking research boasts the potential of changing the way people utilize power all over the globe. Aziz and Gordon devised a way to take advantage of the benefits of a flow battery without the energy degradation that occurs while maintaining a traditional flow battery.

A flow battery uses liquid electrolytes to store charges. Two chemical components dissolved in liquids are typically separated from each other in external tanks, with bigger tanks storing more energy than a smaller tank. Generally with flow batteries, all that’s required to recharge them is replacing the liquid electrolytes — the chemical compound that allows for an electrical charge when dissolved. Each time someone replaces the electrolyte liquid, however, the battery grows weaker, making it one of the major drawbacks of flow batteries. They also tend to be expensive to develop and maintain, due in part to the fact the tanks and membranes have to withstand toxic or corrosive liquids.

More: Lightweight, flexible solar panels may be more efficient than competitors’

Harvard researchers found they had the ability to change the chemical composition of the positive and negative electrolyte solutions, making them water-soluble and pH neutral.  This makes the battery rechargeable, without the huge amount of energy degradation. The Harvard battery loses only one percent of its capacity every 1,000 cycles. In turn, the battery could last more than a decade with minimal maintenance and upkeep.

“Because we were able to dissolve the electrolytes in neutral water, this is a long-lasting battery that you could put in your basement,” said Gordon in a Harvard news article. “If it spilled on the floor, it wouldn’t eat the concrete and since the medium is noncorrosive, you can use cheaper materials to build the components of the batteries, like the tanks and pumps.”

The Department of Energy (DOE) aims to achieve the goal of creating a battery capable of storing energy for less than $100 per kilowatt-hour, as this would make renewable energy competitive with energy produced by traditional power plants.

“If you can get anywhere near this cost target, then you change the world,” said Aziz.

Microsoft wins partial victory, can pursue lawsuit against U.S. government

Why it matters to you

Microsoft is one step closer to making sure it can tell us when government accesses our private online information.

In April, Microsoft sued the U.S. government over the right to let its customers know when authorities had requested access and are going through their email accounts. According to Microsoft, government gag orders that prevent the company from keeping customers informed infringe on Constitutional rights and should be prohibited.

A little less than a year later, Microsoft has won a small victory, with a federal court ruling that the company can continue its lawsuit. In a recent ruling, federal judge James Robart upheld Microsoft’s First Amendment assertions but turned down the company’s claim to Fourth Amendment protection, ZDNet reports.

More: Microsoft sues over the right to inform customers of U.S. gov’t spying

According to Microsoft, it originally brought the case “… because its customers have a right to know when the government obtains a warrant to read their emails, and because Microsoft has a right to tell them.” In the 18 months prior to its issuing its lawsuit, Microsoft notes that it received 5,624 warrants for access to customer information under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, with 2,576 of those including a gag order that prevented Microsoft from saying anything about them.

Robart’s ruling basically denied part of the government’s motion to dismiss Microsoft’s case, specifically that Microsoft had grounds to proceed with its lawsuit that the gag orders violated its First Amendment rights to free speech. However, Robarts granted the government’s motion to dismiss Microsoft’s claims based on the Fourth Amendment, stating that his court does not have the authority to overturn precedent that says Fourth Amendment lawsuit cannot be brought on behalf of a third party.

In response to the ruling, Microsoft’s chief legal officer Brad Smith said, “We’re pleased this ruling enables our case to move forward to a reasonable solution that works for law enforcement and ensures secrecy is used only when necessary.” In other words, while not a complete victory, the ruling allows Microsoft’s lawsuit to proceed at least on part of its original assertions.

Photo of Magic Leap AR prototype leaks out, backpack and all

In December, a report by The Information indicated that well-funded startup Magic Leap wasn’t nearly as close to producing its vaunted augmented reality headset as demo reels had suggested. CEO Rony Abovitz responded by claiming it had completed a “PEQ (Product Equivalent) build of our target form factor,” and now Business Insider has what it says is “the first public photo” of the device. Delivered by an unnamed source, it shows a person wearing not only a headset, but also a backpack-like setup with an exposed circuit board and processor, and apparently holding the battery pack.

If this is the current hardware, then it’s in rough shape, but hardware prototypes often are, and what’s most important is what one sees in that headset. According to BI’s source, next week the company’s board will see a demo unit with belt loops instead of a backpack that looks “more finished.”

TIP @techmeme “This is the first-ever public photo of Magic Leap” https://t.co/6hPEMe6eCg pic.twitter.com/i9iKJ8TyvH

— Alternative Dave (@redletterdave) February 11, 2017

Source: Business Insider

Sprint Offering Unlimited Data on Five Smartphones for $90 Per Month for a Limited Time

Sprint today introduced a limited time promotion that offers new customers—existing customers do not qualify—unlimited talk, text, and data for $50 per month for the first line, $40 per month for the second line, and no additional cost for up to three additional lines. A family of five, for example, would pay $90 per month as a base cost—but there’s lots of fine print and caveats to consider.

First, the plan itself is only good through March 31, 2018, at which point Sprint’s former pricing goes back into effect: $60 per month for the first line, $40 per month for the second line, and $30 per month for each additional line—a family of five would pay $190 per month. Fortunately, you can cancel before then without paying any fees beyond the remaining balance of any financed smartphone.

Additionally, Sprint’s pricing is not inclusive of taxes and surcharges, which can cost anywhere from $5 to over $25 extra per month based on our math. These fees typically include a $2.50 administrative charge, 40 cent regulatory charge, state and local taxes, and other regional surcharges if applicable. T-Mobile recently revamped its pricing to include taxes and fees, but AT&T and Verizon do not.

On top of the taxes and surcharges is a $30 activation fee per line, amounting to a one-time charge of $150 for five lines. T-Mobile does not charge activation fees, while AT&T and Verizon charge $25 and $30 per line respectively.

The rest of the fine print is similar to T-Mobile: video streams at up to 480p+ resolution, music streams at up to 500 Kbps, and games stream at up to 2 Mbps. Data de-prioritization applies during times of congestion, and customers that exceed 23GB of data in a billing cycle may be throttled until the next billing cycle. The prices also require electronic billing with AutoPay enabled.

Sprint’s pricing is competitive, at least until the promotion expires next year, as seen in the chart below.

T-Mobile’s unlimited ONE plan costs $70 per month for the first line, $50 per month for the second line, and $20 per month for each additional line, with taxes and fees included. For comparison, a family of five would pay double—$180—per month. AT&T is even more expensive, since a DirecTV NOW or U-verse subscription is required for unlimited data. Verizon does not offer unlimited data plans.

Sprint said new customers have limited time to sign up to receive the discounted pricing. While five lines are advertised, purchasing one to four lines is allowed—and it doesn’t matter if it’s family members or friends as long as each person falls under one bill. 5GB of high-speed Mobile Hotspot tethering, VPN, and P2P data is included per month. Tablets can be added for an extra $20 per month per line.

Keep in mind that Sprint ranked last in download speeds and so-called network “availability” among fellow “Big Four” competitors AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile in OpenSignal’s latest “State of Mobile Networks” report.

Tag: Sprint
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NBC: Russia ‘considers’ sending Snowden back to US

A report by NBC News cites unnamed US intelligence sources claiming that Russian officials are deliberating a handover of Edward Snowden as a “gift” to the Trump administration. Since leaking information on the NSA’s “PRISM” surveillance, the former government contractor has been living in Russia since 2013 on a permit and is a year away from being able to apply for citizenship. He still faces federal charges, and previously, Donald Trump has called Snowden a “traitor,” and a “spy who should be executed.

Snowden himself tweeted out the NBC report, along with a claim that it represents “irrefutable evidence that I never cooperated with Russian intel. No country trades away spies, as the rest would fear they’re next.”

Finally: irrefutable evidence that I never cooperated with Russian intel. No country trades away spies, as the rest would fear they’re next. https://t.co/YONqZ1gYqm

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) February 10, 2017

Interestingly, this claim comes at the same time CNN reports that for the first time, US investigators have verified “some” of the details in the 35-page dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent, and released by Buzzfeed. The details verified don’t relate to the more explosive details, but confirm that certain conversations mentioned in it did happen at the times listed.

Source: NBC

Samsung Galaxy A7, A5, and A3 (2017) news

Why it matters to you

The Samsung Galaxy A series shows Samsung is dedicated to continuing to build midrange phones.

The Galaxy Note 7 recall isn’t stopping South Korean tech giant Samsung from continuing to make and release devices. Following months of rumors and speculation, Samsung has taken the wraps off of the 2017 Galaxy A series.

Samsung first launched the A3, A5, and A7 in 2015, and has updated the device each year since then. The 2017 versions of the devices are the latest and greatest, and boast some very decent specs for a midrange products. Here’s everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy A3, A5, and A7.

More: Samsung launches the Galaxy C7 Pro in China, but there’s no C5 Pro in sight

Battery

The battery life is one of the main differences between the three phones, but Samsung says that they should last for quite some time on a single charge. In terms of raw specs, the A7’s battery sits at 3,600mAh, the A5’s at 3,000mAh, and the A3’s at 2,350mAh.

The A5 in particular is touted as having quite a long battery life, providing 13 hours of web-browsing time. That’s long enough to where they needed to be tested — and Phone Arena has done just that, confirming that the battery does indeed last as long as Samsung claims. Safe to say, if you’re looking for a device that lasts a while, the A series may offer the phone for you.

Specs

All three devices feature almost the same specs, but those specs aren’t actually all that bad. Both the A5 and A7 offer a 1,080 x 1,920 resolution display, with the A5’s display sitting at 5.2-inches and the A7’s display at 5.7-inches. The A3, on the other hand, has a 720 x 1,280 resolution display that sits at 4.7-inches.

Apart from the display, the A5 and A7 are almost identical in specs. They both feature a 1.9GHz processor, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage, which can be updated to 256GB through the included microSD card slot. The cameras on the phone sit at 16MP on both the front and back.

The A3 is a little different than the other two — it offers a 1.6GHz processor and 2GB of RAM, along with 16GB of storage, though it also has a microSD card slot. Unlike the other devices, the A3 offers a 13MP rear-facing camera and an 8MP front-facing camera.

Design

The design of the phones has also been completely revamped, and all three of the phones feature an almost identical design apart from their size. They offer a distinctly “Samsung” look, with a fingerprint sensor/home button combo, along with rounded corners and a simplistic and flat back.

The phones actually look quite nice — especially as the midrange devices that they are.

Pricing and availability

The phones are currently only available in Russia, but it’s likely that they’ll eventually come to other markets. But how much do they cost? Well, the A7 comes in at RUB 32,990 ($567), the A5 at RUB 27,990 ($481), and the A3 RUB 22,990 ($395), which actually isn’t all that bad for a phone like this — though you can probably get a better phone for less, like the OnePlus 3T.

Updated on 02-10-2017 by Christian de Looper: Updated article to reflect that phones have been released and added news of battery test.

HP improves its already excellent Spectre x360 13 with 4K display, active pen

Why it matters to you

HP just gave you an even better Windows 10 2-in-1 option with a 4K UHD display version of the Spectre x360 13.

The late 2016 version of the HP Spectre x360 13 is an excellent Windows 10 2-in-1 that provides good performance and great battery life in a thin and light chassis for a reasonable price.

In our review, we noted the lack of a 4K UHD display as one of the Spectre x360 13’s only weaknesses. It would have been nice to have an active pen option as well for taking notes in the machine’s tablet mode. Now, HP has addressed both of those concerns, shipping updated Spectre x360 13 models with 4K UHD displays and active pens, as Neowin reports.

More: HP Spectre x360 2-in-1 (2016) Review

Best Buy is the first retailer to carry the new models — it appears that even the HP web store doesn’t offer the options. If you head over to the retail chain, you’ll find three machines listed, including the new Ash Silver color scheme:

Full HD display, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, active pen: $1,200

Full HD display, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, active pen: $1,350

4K UHD display, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, active pen: $1,600

This pricing is interesting because the new Spectre x360 15, which comes with a larger 15.6-inch, 4K UHD display, larger battery, and Nvidia GeForce GTX 940MX graphics is priced at $1,500 for the 16GB/512GB model. Pricing could be adjusted in the future — it doesn’t make much sense that the 13.3-inch version would cost more than the 15.6-inch version with similar specs.

In any case, the upgrade to 4K UHD and the addition of an active pen option significantly improves the Spectre x360 13 and likely makes it one of the leading Windows 10 2-in-1 options available today.