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

‘Castlevania’ is getting a Netflix animated series

Vampire-themed shows are a dime a dozen, but you might have a better-than-usual reason to care about this one. Producer Adi Shankar (of Dredd and The Grey fame) has revealed that he’s working on a Castlevania animated series for Netflix, with a first season due in 2017 and a second due the following year. Not only that, but you may be familiar with some of the contributors. Warren Ellis (from the Red graphic novel and numerous comic book imprints) is writing, while Adventure Time’s Kevin Kolde is also involved.

Details like the plot or voice cast aren’t available, although Shankar has dribbled out a few hints in the past. In 2016, he suggested that his in-progress show would be “dark, satirical” and “flip the vampire sub-genre on its head.” Ellis even talked about writing a show (then titled Castlevania: Dracula’s Curse, based on Castlevania III) back in 2006.

Shankar isn’t shy about drumming up hype, at least. he’s vowing that the series will be the “western world’s first good video game adaptation.” That’s a tall order when even the most promising adaptations have fallen short. Look at it this way, though: it’s not the highest bar to clear, and producing for Netflix gives the Castlevania team the kind of creative freedom it might not have if it had to conform to the length and subject matter limitations that you often see with conventional movies and TV.

Via: Glixel

Source: Adi Shankar (Facebook)

‘NBA 2K eLeague’ eSports squads will be owned by NBA teams

In 2018, the NBA will team up with Take Two (maker of the NBA 2K videogame series) for a groundbreaking eSports league. That’s because this time, the actual NBA franchises will own eSports teams competing for the championship, similar to the way teams can own, or even share, Development League squads. There’s no word on which teams will be the first ones to own virtual teams in the “NBA 2K eLeague.” Each one will feature five human players and the plan is to eventually have one for each of the league’s 30 teams.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told the Wall Street Journal that it won’t require competitors to travel, since the internet “gives us enormous flexibility to find the best players.” We don’t know when or how tryouts will take place, but each player will participate as a custom-created avatar. Expect to see a heavy dose of promotion for the eSports matchups during regular NBA broadcasts, as NBA commissioner Adam Silver also told the Journal that coverage should include both online and television broadcasts.

The NBA & Take-Two are announcing a partnership forming the #NBA2KeLeague – the first competitive gaming league of its kind! pic.twitter.com/UqcSyKsnam

— NBA (@NBA) February 9, 2017

BIG NEWS: @NBA & Take-Two announce #NBA2KeLeague! The 1st competitive gaming league of its kind anchored around a professional sports league pic.twitter.com/KtqwGaKnsE

— NBA 2K 2K17 (@NBA2K) February 9, 2017

Source: NBA (Twitter), NBA 2K (Twitter)

Intel pumping $7B into Arizona plant, with goal of building ‘most advanced’ processors

Why it matters to you

Embroiled in a race to maintain its position as a market leader, Intel is investing $7 billion in an Arizona plant that will produce the “most advanced semiconductor process technology used in the world.”

Intel will invest $7 billion in a semiconductor factory in Chandler, Arizona, where it will build its next generation of processors.

CEO Brian Krzanich made the announcement on Wednesday alongside President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The existing plant, named Fab 42, will take three to four years to complete, and will be “the most advanced semiconductor factory in the world,” according to Intel. It will be the company’s third factory in Arizona, and will employ up to 3,000 people.

More: Intel’s Core i7-7700K CPU reached 7.3GHz using liquid nitrogen and liquid helium

If those construction goals go according to plan, Fab 42 will be the location where Intel builds and develops its highly anticipated 7nm chips, which Intel has called the “most advanced semiconductor process technology used in the world.”

Intel is in a race to maintain its position as a market leader for processors. Ryzen, the new processors from AMD, one of Intel’s chief competitors, is hot on the chipmaker’s heels, according to recent leaks. This fiercer competition will force Intel, as well as Nvidia, to react by improving the performance of their chips or even cutting costs. Just this week, reports surfaced that Intel will be rolling out updates for its Kaby Lake processors, as well as reducing costs in response to Ryzen.

The eventual construction of this new production facility is poised to make an impact even further into the future. It will be a vital move for Intel if it hopes to get a leg up on competition by getting a 7nm processor to market as soon as possible.

“Intel’s business continues to grow, and investment in manufacturing capacity and [research and development] ensures that the pace of Moore’s law continues to march on, fueling technology innovations the world loves and depends on,” Krzanich said in a press release.

Speculation regarding the announcement in conjunction with Trump had been simmering for a few weeks. Krzanich said announcing the deal at the White House was a sign of support for the “tax and regulatory policies that we see the administration pushing forward.”

Reuters reports that discussions in the Oval Office focused solely on the plant — the fact that Intel had joined a legal case against Trump’s travel ban did not come up.

“America has a unique combination of talent, a vibrant business environment, and access to global markets, which has enabled U.S. companies like Intel to foster economic growth and innovation,” Krzanich added. “Our factories support jobs — high-wage, high-tech manufacturing jobs that are the economic engines of the states where they are located.”

NEC’s new 34-inch curved display offers high resolution and solid color

Why it matters to you

Anyone looking for a larger curved display with solid color support and high resolution should consider NEC’s 34-inch EX341R.

A few trends are dominating PC displays lately, including curved screens, higher resolutions, technologies aimed at reducing eye fatigue, and high dynamic range (HDR). NEC has announced a new monitor that fits all but one of those trends.

The MultiSync EX341R is a new 34-inch ultrawide SVA display aimed at the commercial market that features a curved panel and ultra-narrow 1.55mm bezels on three sides. The display’s curvature measures out at 1,800R, one of the “tightest curvatures on the market” according to NEC and featuring full 178-degree vertical and 178-degree horizontal viewing angles. Resolution is pegged at 3,440 x 1,440 in a 21:9 aspect ratio.

More: Rise of HDR and 4K on display in the top 5 monitors at CES 2017

In terms of colors, the EX341R supports 77.5 percent of the NTSC color gamut and 99.5 percent of sRGB, and factory calibration and uniformity correction combine with NEC’s optional SpectraViewII software to ensure uniform and accurate colors. Meanwhile, the company’s ColorSync technology works with DisplayPort daisy-chaining to ensure that multiple monitor configurations maintain consistent colors across each display.

“Our new MultiSync EX341R curved display delivers cutting-edge technology with one of the tightest curvatures in the market for business, finance, command & control users, and others who need an immersive environment to do their jobs,” said Art Marshall, NEC’s senior product manager for Desktop Displays. “The ultra-wide workspace is crucial for power users who work in multiple spreadsheets or web development, and the factory color calibration is ideal for video and online photo editors.”

Other features of the EX341R include a “human presence sensor” that can turn the display off when a user isn’t present, and Low Blue Light Content and Flicker-Free certification from international service group TUV Rheinland aimed at reducing eye fatigue. Connectivity is provided by two HDMI ports, four USB 3.0 ports, and DisplayPort 1.2 input and output, while the USB hub incorporates NEC’s DisplaySync Pro technology to control two computers with a single keyboard and mouse.

The EX341R-SV-BK bundle that includes the monitor and SpectraViewII software retails for $1,149, while the EX341R-BK display by itself is priced at $999. Both are available this month from NEC retailers, and they come with a 3-year parts and labor warranty.