Prince’s Music Reportedly Coming to Apple Music February 12

Prince’s catalog of songs is headed to Apple Music and other streaming services, like Spotify, Pandora, Google Play and more, on February 12, reports the New York Post. Currently, Prince’s songs are only available to stream on Tidal.

It would be the first time in 19 months the singer’s music would be available on that many streaming networks. Prince pulled his music from all streaming services except for Tidal 9 months before his death. Since his death, Prince’s estate has been working on deals with various services to make his music available for streaming again.

The music will go live on streaming services during the Grammys on February 12. The award show will feature a tribute to Prince featuring music artists Rihanna, Bruno Mars and The Weeknd. While the music that will become available on streaming services falls under the late artist’s Warner Music contract, the Post says music from his secretive “vault” is also being negotiated.

Tags: Apple Music, Prince
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Facebook is reportedly building a streaming TV app

Facebook hasn’t been shy about its recent push into video. The social network has been rolling out new video ad products and going so far as to reward longer and more engaging videos with better distribution on its platform. Now, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, Facebook is going all-in on TV and developing its own app for streaming TV boxes.

Although the report is short on specifics for the new app, the Journal notes that it would prioritize video content rather than simply act as a big-screen portal into your news feed. Facebook is also reportedly in talks with media companies to license a variety of long-form, TV-style content ranging from scripted shows to sports and entertainment. Naturally, the app would be a platform to distribute this new content alongside TV-style advertisements that can fetch a higher asking price than display ads on the news feed.

It’s currently unclear how user generated video will factor in to the TV platform, but according to the Journal’s sources, a Facebook TV app has been in development in some form or another for years. The latest incarnation got a boost when Facebook execs renewed their video efforts in 2016 and while there’s no word yet on which streaming boxes Facebook will be coming to, the Apple TV was named as the obvious starting point.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Hard disks from Toshiba and HGST make it through 2016 without a drive failure

Why it matters to you

Hard disks aren’t as popular as they once were, but results like these suggest they are more reliable and cheaper than ever.

Cloud storage provider Backblaze released its drive reliability numbers for the last quarter of 2016, illustrating that two hard drive manufacturers just might produce the most reliable drives on the market. So, who are the lucky hardware manufacturers?

That honor goes to a few server pods using Toshiba and HGST hard disks. Specifically, Toshiba-brand and HGST-brand industrial sized 4TB and 8TB hard disks which Backblaze uses in custom-built pods — essentially massive stacks of hard disks used to store your cloud data.

According to Ars Technica, each pod is comprised of 45 to 60 identical hard disks and the pods which used the Toshiba and HGST hard disks (three pods running 4TB Toshiba hard disks, and one 45-disk pod running 8TB HGST drives), managed to make it through an entire year of heavy usage without a single drive spindle failing.

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Altogether, the Toshiba drives managed 1.2 million hours of aggregate usage in 2016, all without a single drive spindle failure. That failure rate eclipses even Toshiba’s most optimistic manufacturer estimates, which suggest that you should see at least one failure per million hours of aggregate usage.

Backblaze’s findings for 2016 show an overall failure rate — including all of their hard disks — just under 1.95 percent, which is the lowest the cloud storage provider has ever seen. So what does that mean for you? Well, there are two takeaways here.

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One, hard disks — despite the supremacy of solid-state drives — are getting more and more reliable as manufacturers gear their highest-storage options toward the needs of cloud service providers like Backblaze. Secondly, cloud storage providers are becoming more reliable as their hardware and storage methodologies improve.

Not to mention hard disks are getting massive. Backblaze employs a number of hard disk pods which employ 8TB hard disks from Seagate and HGST, the storage space equivalent of a jumbo-jet hangar.

Revisit ‘Stranger Things’ with Atari-inspired game from Netflix Hack Day

Why it matters to you

Netflix has actively encouraged fans and enthusiasts to hack their products and try to improve them with events like the Winter Hack Day. The resulting creations could end up serving as a proving ground for new features.

Everyone loves Stranger Things, right? Well, in case you’re tired of binge watching the first season over and over while waiting for season two, Netflix has a little surprise for you. First unveiled during the Netflix Hack Day on January 30, a Stranger Things-themed retro-browser game from creator Joey Cato is now available.

The game allows players to revisit scenes from Stranger Things and play Atari-style versions of Frogger and Pac-Man that have been revamped to feature characters from the popular Netflix series. For instance, you can dodge vans as Eleven, or try to rescue kids from the Upside Down without being caught by the Demogorgon.

More: The Godzilla sequel just added a monster-fighting Stranger Things star

Because you play the games on TV screens placed in screen grabs from the show itself, it’s a bit of a rough experience. Some screens are awkwardly placed, and make for a very difficult playing experience. Still, it’s worth checking out, particularly if you have a couple minutes on hand and you want to experience a period-accurate game based on one of the hottest shows of 2016.

The Netflix Hack Day also featured another Stranger Things-themed project, a lighting system built into a Christmas sweater. The sweater imitates the famous Christmas-light alphabet wall from the series that was used as a way to communicate with the displaced Will Byers.

Similarly, the hack day featured other Netflix-inspired projects like a mind-controlled interface, and a picture-in-picture prototype that allows you to see which friends are watching the same shows. Another project shown off at the hack day was a plugin that would allow you to donate to relevant causes after watching a socially conscious movie, like a documentary film, or TV series.

Stranger Things made a splash in early 2016, capitalizing on ’80s nostalgia by sending up and subverting some popular film tropes from that era. Rather than simply imitate sci-fi and kids-in-peril films, Stranger Things creators, the Duffer Brothers, created a modern story using familiar components that felt fresh and familiar all at once.

NASA displays the most detailed images of Saturn’s rings yet captured

Why it matters to you

The latest images from Cassini are giving scientists plenty of details — but they’re also incredible to look at.

Saturn is known for the beauty of its rings — but now NASA is getting an even closer look at the detail inside the planet’s iconic feature. Monday, NASA released the highest-quality views yet of Saturn’s ringlets of ice and debris, giving researchers the chance to observe details that look remarkably like abstract photography.

The close-ups are courtesy of the Cassini spacecraft, a project launched in 2004 from NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency. Starting in November, the Cassini’s task switched to studying the planet’s rings. The spacecraft will continue to study the planet’s ring formation until April, when it will photograph the rings from in between the planet and the orbiting ice and debris.

More: NASA is going to fly the Cassini spacecraft through a geyser on Saturn’s moon Enceladus

The latest images from the spacecraft show twice the level of detail in the rings as earlier photographs, NASA says. That closeness allows researchers to study objects as small as .3 miles — which is about the size of the tallest buildings on earth.

The new images are allowing scientists to study what they’re calling straw, or clumped ring particles, and propellers, or small “moonlets.” The straw and propellers were first recognized shortly after Cassini arrived, and although at that time the spacecraft was closer, the photographs were not as detailed.

That first pass only looked at the rings while backlit, and, to prevent blur from the planet’s movements, used shorter exposures that created more grain in the images, obscuring some of the finer details. Now, Cassani is making several passes and studying both the backlit and sunlit portions of the rings.

“As the person who planned those initial orbit-insertion ring images — which remained our most detailed views of the rings for the past 13 years — I am taken aback by how vastly improved are the details in this new collection,” said Cassini Imaging Team Lead Carolyn Porco, of Space Science Institute, in Boulder, Colorado. “How fitting it is that we should go out with the best views of Saturn’s rings we’ve ever collected.”

Next, Cassani will capture inside views of what the rings look like while orbiting between the rings and the planet. The spacecraft’s “Grand Finale” task, which involves traveling between the rings and the planet for another 22 orbits, is expected to begin at the end of April.

Microsoft jazzes up the Surface Pro 3’s performance with a new firmware update

Why it matters to you

Owners of the Surface Pro 3 may have a faster-running computer with the latest firmware combined with Windows 10.

Microsoft released a new firmware update on Monday for Surface Pro 3 devices running Windows 10. Listed as version 3.11.2050.0, the update merely improves the overall system performance, providing a more stable, secure Windows 10 experience. The update will be installed automatically unless Surface Pro 3 owners have automatic updates switched off. If that’s the case, the manual route includes going into Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and selecting the “Check for updates” option.

In addition to the new firmware, there are also two new updates for the Surface Pro 3 provided by Intel. Owners will see the Intel HD Graphics Family 20.19.15.4568 update and the Intel Display Audio 6.16.00.3197 update, both of which improve Miracast and docked video performance. Like the new firmware update, customers running Windows 8.1 on the device likely won’t see these updates as an install option.

More: Microsoft does have plans to release a Hololens headset for consumers

January’s update for the Surface Pro 3 follows the system update released in November that addressed a specific component of the firmware. The patch fixed an issue that caused the battery’s full charge capacity to be misreported to the device firmware and operating system, preventing the Surface Pro 3 from completely relying on the battery.

“Think of this like a fuel gauge in a car, where the car looks to the fuel gauge to determine how much to fill the tank,” Microsoft said. “In this case, if the fuel gauge isn’t working right, the car would also not be able to fill the tank — even though the tank is fine.”

The Surface Pro 3 hit store shelves in June 2014 and was replaced by the Surface Pro 4 in October 2015. The company has yet to unveil a fifth-generation model but instead introduced the Surface Studio all-in-one PC and updated Surface Book (with Performance Boost) in October. Microsoft may be waiting to reveal the Surface Pro 5 when Creators Update makes its debut on Windows 10 this spring.

As of this publication, Microsoft has reduced the price of its Surface Pro 4 model packing the Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of system memory, and 128GB of internal storage to $799, down $200 from its original price. Microsoft doesn’t say when the price reduction will end, so now may be a good time for Surface Pro 3 owners to upgrade their aging device.

Here are the specs:

Operating system:
Windows 10 Pro
Display:
12.3 inches
Resolution:
2,736 x 1,824 (267 ppi)
Processor:
Core i5-6300U
Graphics:
Intel HD Graphics 520
Memory:
4GB
Storage:
128GB
Connectivity:
Wireless AC
Bluetooth 4.0
Battery:
Up to 9 hours of video playback
Cameras:
5MP (front)
8MP (back)
Ports:
1x USB 3.0 Type-A
1x Micro SD card reader
1x Headphone jack
1x Cover port
1x Surface Connect port
Size:
11.50 x 7.93 x 0.33 inches
Weight:
1.73 pounds

Solar-powered water purifier may be three times as efficient as current models

Why it matters to you

Researchers at the University at Buffalo have come up with a way of making solar-powered water purifiers cheaper and far more efficient.

The idea of using solar power to turn undrinkable water into drinkable water isn’t new. But researchers at the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have come up with a way of making the technology far more efficient — and it involves dipping paper in carbon.

“Our project aims to address the clean water problem, which is really a global problem,” Qiaoqiang Gan, associate professor of electrical engineering, told Digital Trends. “Ninety-nine percent of the water on this planet is in the sea, but that water can’t be drunk. Because of different types of environmental pollution, the stress on clean water is more and more significant. People are on the lookout for new technologies that can help.”

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

There is a good reason why Gan and his colleagues stuck with the basis of a solar-powered water purifier concept that’s been around for years: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Solar stills are portable and cheap, and best of all don’t require any electricity to run.

These are all positive traits, but Gan and his colleagues thought they could improve efficiency in terms of the amount of heat loss that takes place during the process. “Our question was how could we enhance the energy efficiency and accelerate the vapor generation speed?” he said.

The “solar vapor generator” the team has developed cleans or desalinates water through evaporation, before it is collected in a separate container free of any salt or contaminants. Rather than using an optical concentrator like a mirror or lens to concentrate the sunlight, however, the team used insulating polystyrene foam for the device’s body, and porous paper coated in carbon black. The paper absorbs the water, and the carbon black absorbs the sunlight and then turns the solar energy into heat.

“Conventional solar heating for solar stills have an efficiency of only 30 to 40 percent,” Gan said. “Only that percentage of the solar energy is converted. In our solution, on the other hand, it is 88 percent — and we’re getting closer to a solution which will give 100 percent efficiency.”

Based on test results, the researchers think the new solar still could produce 3 to 10 liters of water every day, which compares favorably to the 1 to 5 liters produced by the majority of commercial solar stills. And at $1.60 per square meter, water would also be significantly cheaper to produce than it is using systems that require optical concentrators, which come in at $200 per meter.

At present, Gan said that the team is looking to attract investors to commercialize the device. He estimated that prototypes could be manufactured and brought to market within about a year.

“This could be very useful in disaster areas where people don’t have easy access to clean water,” he said. “This could also work very well in the hiking market, where people want an emergency device to produce clean water in a resource-limited area, as well as in the military.”

Surging sales: Apple sees record revenue, sells its most iPhones ever

Why it matters to you

Apple’s growing App Stores and iTunes revenue could mean larger investments in original content.

Apple is back in business. The Cupertino, California-based phone maker reported record revenue in its first quarter to the tune of $78.4 billion, which beat earnings of $75.9 billion in the same period last year. It walked away with a profit of $17.9 billion, reversing a three-quarter trend of year-over-year sales declines.

“It was a dynamite quarter,” CEO Tim Cook said during a call with investors.

More: If iOS 9.3 bricked your iPhone or iPad, download this update from Apple

The iPhone sales are largely to thank. Apple shipped 78.29 million iPhones in the period from November to January, beating projections of 77.42 million. Cook credited particularly strong sales of the iPhone 7 Plus, the pricier of Apple’s two top-tier smartphones. But Apple’s Services division contributed, too. Revenue from the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud hit $7.17 billion in the first quarter. Purchases in the App Store alone hit a record $3 billion and revenue double that of the Google Play store.

During the earnings call, Cook said he expects the size of services revenue “to be equivalent to a Fortune 100 company” this year and said Apple plans to double Services revenue within the next few years.

When it comes to smartphone sales, Apple beat the market trend. In September, analysts at Gartner projected that global growth phone shipments would slow to seven percent after 14.4 percent growth last year. It blamed a combination of factors, including saturation in major developed markets and lengthening upgrade cycles.

More: Apple iPhone 8 rumors and news

Apple experienced no such decline, but noted a dip in China. Sales were $16.2 billion, down 12 percent from the same quarter a year ago. Analysts blame stiff competition from local manufacturers like Huawei, Oppo, ZTE, Vivo, and Xiaomi.

And the company’s other ventures were just as successful, more or less. Apple said Apple Watch revenue hit a record this past quarter despite a year-over-year decline in its “Other products” category, which includes the company’s Apple Watch, AirPods, Beats headphones, and other accessories.

Despite the dip in sales, Cook called the AirPods “magical,” and said they were “off to a good start.”

More: Could Apple’s next iPhones be made in the USA?

Sales of the company’s Mac computer line, meanwhile, stayed relatively steady. Apple shipped 5.4 million units, up slightly from the 5.3 it sold in the year-ago quarter. And iPad sales continued a long decline, falling 20 percent to 13.1 million units from 16.1 million in the same quarter a year ago.

Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri stressed that customer satisfaction with iPads, and especially the iPad Pro, was “very high.” He predicted strong growth going forward.

The future is looking a little dimmer, unfortunately. Apple is projecting revenue of $51.5 billion to $53.5 billion, slightly below analysts’ expectations. Despite those gray clouds on the horizon, though, Apple ended the quarter with $200 billion in cash. Company stock is currently up 2.7 percent in after-hours trading.

With the Anker 5-port speed charger, you’ll never be left without power ($30)

If you’re regularly on the go, having your tech run out of juice can be a frequent annoyance – particularly if you tend to carry several devices throughout the day. There are many portable chargers and power banks currently on the market, but busy consumers have been demanding faster charging speeds — and manufacturers like Anker are answering the call. With the popular and highly rated Anker 5-port speed charger, now available on Amazon for just $30, you won’t be left scrambling for an outlet or waiting for hours before your gear is ready.

Five 63-watt USB ports give you plenty of charging points for multiple devices. Two ports feature Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, which, when combined with Anker’s own PowerIQ and VoltageBoost technology, offer rapid charging so you’re not left waiting when your phone or tablet needs some juice. Extra charging ports are always useful when carrying multiple devices, and this five-port charger will make you popular when others need a boost and charging points are in short supply.

More: The best iPhone 7 deals for every carrier, including free offers

The Anker 5-port speed charger is compatible with iPhones, iPads, Samsung Galaxy devices, and virtually any other mobile tech that uses standard USB ports. The black housing features a smooth matte finish that won’t pick up unsightly fingerprints. The two high-speed charging ports are colored blue for easy identification and make for a nice visual accent, and a matching blue LED light emits a soft glow when the charger is in use.

Anker is a well-known manufacturer of batteries and charging devices, and the Anker 5-port speed charger has an impressive 4.7-star Amazon rating with more than 220 customer reviews. Available for 67 percent off, this affordable high-speed charging unit can be had for $30. As portable tech tends to get knocked around a bit when you’re on the move, Anker products come with an 18-month warranty for some extra peace of mind.

$30 on Amazon

Windows 10 Creators Update will bring a much-improved Microsoft Edge browser

Why it matters to you

If you’ve been holding off on switching to Microsoft’s new Edge browser, you may finally take the plunge thanks to changes that are due when Windows 10 Creators Update rolls out in April 2017.

The Windows 10 Creators Update promises a host of new features aimed at creatives types and gamers, such as new 3D capabilities, a Game Mode, and enhanced Windows Holographic support for low-cost VR headsets. The update is expected to arrive in April 2017 and should offer Windows 10 users some nice new functionality.

Microsoft’s Edge browser team hasn’t been standing still either, and the company’s newest browser product is also slated for some nice updates. Microsoft posted a summary of all of the new Edge features coming with Creators Update, many of which are already available to Windows Insiders.

More: Microsoft says Edge is safer than Chrome or Firefox

According to Microsoft research, nearly 50 percent of the typical Windows user’s time is spent surfing the web, with a significant amount of that time spent doing nothing but organizing and sorting through search results, sites, and other content. With that in mind, Microsoft is working to improve Edge’s organizational features to make it easier for Windows 10 users to keep their browsing organized.

Tab management is the primary area that Microsoft is attacking with the Windows 10 Creators Update. Users will be able to quickly access a thumbnail view of all of their open tabs, and retain a set of tabs quickly while getting rid of the rest for a cleaner browsing experience. Those tabs can be picked up later, leaving users free to perform other tasks, then return to a specific group of tabs when convenient.

This feature joins the new tab preview bar that will make it easier to see what tabs are currently open. Clicking on a chevron opens a scrollable thumbnail view that can be controlled with touch, the mouse wheel, or touchpad. Edge will also receive new Jump List functionality to make launching new windows from the Taskbar icon easier via a simple right-click.

Microsoft also introduced a new ebook catalog in the Windows Store that uses Edge as the viewer for both purchased e-books and EPUB-formatted books without DRM. Windows 10 will support ebook features like customizable fonts and layouts along with Cortana integration, all of which will be coming to the Windows Store and Edge with Creators Update.

Next up are a number of other new initiatives, including WebVR support to enable 3D browsing. Online shopping in Edge is also being enhanced, with Payment Request API implementation and support for Microsoft Wallet on Windows 10 PCs. The Edge extension platform will continue to be expanded, with additional APIs to let developers do more things like access favorites and manage roaming data.

Clearly, Microsoft is serious about making Edge a more competitive browser and an important element of Windows 10. The company has a difficult road ahead if it wants to catch up to Google’s dominant Chrome browser, and it’s taking some important steps toward that objective in Creators Update.