Production on ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ is finally underway

Thanks to delays at the network, CBS’ latest addition to the small screen Star Trek canon obviously didn’t make its scheduled release date of January 2017. But there’s some good news from the network today: production has officially begun on the set of Star Trek: Discovery.

Production has begun on the next chapter. #StarTrekDiscovery is coming to CBS All Access. https://t.co/b1uni2YyKp pic.twitter.com/19pmY4JBFd

— Star Trek: Discovery (@startrekcbs) January 31, 2017

While the fact that the cameras have started rolling on the bridge of the USS Discovery is obviously good news for fans of the franchise, CBS noted earlier this month that there’s no set premiere date for the show at the moment. “It’s more important to do this right than to do it fast,” the company said at the time, noting that the streaming-only format and the network’s All Access platform have freed the team from a normal delivery schedule.

On the other hand, more details about the show’s story arc have been slowly escaping from the network’s containment field. In November, CBS cast Michelle Yeoh as the show’s main character and the Lt. Commander of the titular starship. In January, the team also revealed that James Frain will play a younger version of Spock’s father Sarek, the Vulcan astrophysicist and ambassador to the Federation.

Chevy stops making the Spark EV following the Bolt’s arrival

It’s hard not to take a look at the Chevy Bolt and ask: why on Earth would anyone buy the Spark EV over this? And GM feels the same way, apparently. The automaker has confirmed to Detroit News that it quietly ended production of the Spark EV in summer 2016, about 3 years after it hit the scene. The company hasn’t explained why besides saying that it will “build on the great experience of our electrification program,” but it’s not hard to see why — the Spark just wasn’t as compelling as the Bolt and other modern electric cars.

Aside from its tiny size, the Spark’s biggest limitation was its 82-mile maximum range. The Bolt, with a 238-mile range, is much more practical if you want to do more than commute to work. It has newer in-cabin tech, too. And while the Bolt is thousands of dollars more expensive even after tax credits (the Spark started at about $26,000), it’s hard to say that the savings would be worthwhile given what you’re losing. It won’t shock you to hear that only 7,400 Spark EVs have been sold since 2013, while GM expects to have sold 1,800 Bolts by the end of January.

With that said, this leaves the Chevy badge with precious few electric choices. The Bolt is the only pure EV in the lineup, and the Volt plug-in hybrid won’t help much if you’re determined to avoid using gas. It’ll likely be a long while before Chevy treats EVs as more than niche products and gives you a range of body styles.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Detroit News

Samsung will unveil something at MWC on February 26th

Samsung just sent out its invites for the Mobile World Congress 2017, however, unlike previous years, the big news is what won’t be there. As a knock-on effect of the whole Galaxy Note 7 mess, its introduction of the flagship Galaxy S8 is delayed from its usual February reveal to (likely) March. Still, Samsung has a show to put on and sent out this curious image to pique our interest.

We’re not sure what it shows, and your guess probably hinges on whether you think the marker in the center is a home button or a USB-C port. Of course, this being the “Mobile” event, and considering the devices already ruled out, it could be some new (albeit oddly-shaped) Galaxy Tab. Whatever it is, you have a month to get your guesses in.

Source: Samsung

Apple CEO Tim Cook: We Have a ‘Toe in the Water’ Testing Original TV Content on Apple Music

During today’s earnings call covering the first fiscal quarter of 2017, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked about Apple’s next moves when it comes to the television, such as original programming, where the company has been experimenting with content for its Apple Music service.

Cook didn’t have too much to say on the subject, but he said Apple has a “toe in the water” and will see how things play out going forward. Cook believes the media industry will continue to evolve as the cable model breaks down, perhaps leading to new opportunities.

In terms of original content, we’ve put our toe in the water doing some original content for Apple Music, and that will be rolling out throughout the year. We’re learning from that and we’ll go from there.

He went on to say that the Apple TV has gone a long way in the year that it’s been available for purchase, and has provided Apple with a “clear platform” to “build off of.” Earlier in the call, he said Apple now has 150 million paid subscriptions for first and third-party services, and that’s an area where Apple “participates economically” by providing the platform.

Apple is working on several shows that will be used to promote Apple Music, including Carpool Karaoke, a reality television series based on James Corden’s Carpool Karoke bit during the “Late Late Show,” and “Vital Signs,” a drama that will star Dr. Dre. Neither show has an air date as of yet, but as Cook says, they’re coming soon.

Cook ended the question by saying “With our toe in the water, we’re learning a lot about the original content business and thinking of ways we could play in that.”

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Tags: Tim Cook, Apple Music
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)
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iPhone 7 Plus is Most Popular ‘Plus’ Model Apple Has Released

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus, released in September of 2016 alongside the smaller 4.7-inch iPhone 7, is the most popular “Plus” model Apple has released, outselling the 2014 iPhone 6 Plus and the 2015 iPhone 6s Plus.

Apple’s Plus lineup has always had differentiating factors compared to the smaller iPhones Apple offers, but in the iPhone 7 Plus, the dual camera appears to have been particularly popular with customers. The iPhone 7 Plus features both a standard wide-angle lens and a 56mm telephoto lens, which can be used to improve photos.

It also features a “Portrait” mode that’s used with the 56mm lens to create high-quality DSLR-style images with blurred backgrounds to highlight subjects, a unique function that may have drawn more interest.

Customers may also be getting used to the larger form factor in general. In 2014, with the switch to the 4.7 and 5.5-inch sizes, going from the 4-inch iPhone 5 line to the 5.5-inch size was a huge jump, but with two years to adjust to the new display sizes, it’s not such a leap.

Cook said that Apple had underestimated demand for the iPhone 7 Plus, leading to supply and demand issues with the device that impacted sales. Despite that, Apple saw record iPhone sales during the quarter, selling a total of 78.3 million iPhones.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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Facebook Developing App for Set-Top Boxes Like Apple TV

Social networking site Facebook is currently working on an app for set-top boxes like the Apple TV, reports The Wall Street Journal. The new app is said to be part of a series of projects aimed at expanding Facebook’s video content offerings and expanding revenue sources.

Citing sources with knowledge of Facebook’s plans, The Wall Street Journal says Facebook is speaking with media companies about licensing long-form TV-quality “premium” programming that would be shared in a Facebook app on set-top boxes. Media companies say Facebook is aiming for videos that are upwards of 10 minutes in length and are created specifically for the social network, with a focus on everything from sports to scripted shows.

Late last year, some employees at Facebook started referring to the platform’s future as a type of “mobile TV,” one of the people said. The social network is hoping to cut into the time Americans spend watching live television–around four hours a day on average, according to media measurement firm Nielsen.

Facebook has been delving heavily into video content in recent years, promoting both short videos and live video capabilities that allow people to broadcast content live to their friends and family. Facebook is said to be ready to move on from shorter videos and live video to longer form higher-quality videos, including original programming.

There’s no word on when Facebook’s app designed for television sets could be released, but work on the app has been in high gear since the second half of 2016.

Tag: Facebook
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Caseable: Device Protection with style [Review]

I don’t know about you, but I never take my phone anywhere without some sort of case. I once had no case for 3 days after purchasing my Galaxy S7 and in those 3 days, you guessed it, I broke the screen. Cases not only allow us to protect the financial investment we put into our phones but they also allow us to personalize the items that we keep on us all day, every day. Caseable provided us four cases, two hardback and two pouch, that we are using for this review.

Function:

I figure we should start with the main purpose of the cases, protection. Both of the shell cases we were provided with leave the top and bottom of the device exposed, undesirable if you are rough on your devices like I am. There are also cutouts for side buttons that leave ample space for proper functionality. There is also a piece of felt’ish material on the inside of the case, which, I can only assume is to prevent slipping of the device while in the case. The only real issue I have with the shell cases is the that the case does not have a very tight fit. One of the cases we received is designed for my Galaxy S7 and, as you can see in the picture, there is some overhang when installed on the device.

Casable also sent us two of their pouch style cases to check out. These cases feel like they are made of quality material. There is nice stitch work and some quality elastic on the sides. the real selling feature for these cases is that they have a pull tab that allows you to easily remove your phone from the case. This feature works great, provided your device does not have any rubberized material on it. My biggest complaint with the pouches is who uses pouch cases any more. Seriously though, I think Casable is going to have a difficult time marketing this case. I couldn’t name one guy who wants to pull the case our of their pocket then out of the case or a girl who wants to do the same in their purse. At least add a clip for belt/pocket/purse attachment. That being said, your screen is protected from scratches and scuffs.

Form:

This is where Casable makes their case (yup, i really did that) for their product line. Every one of their products has the potential to be whatever you want it to be, from some artwork they have of up and coming designers to a collage of images you upload yourself. After taking a look through their design tool i would say the possibilities are endless depending on how you choose to design and manipulate your images. With cases starting as low as $24.99 (at least that’s the lowest I could find) not a bad price for personalized images.

Overview:

Casable makes some decent device protection. I think their application of the hard cover cases could use a little refinement and the pouches would be a hard sell to anyone I know. The ability to completely customize the design is what sets them apart from other case companies.

If you’re interested in picking one up, head over to Caseable.com and start your customization right away.

What iPhone sales decline? Apple breaks records again

The big story over the last six months in regards to Apple earnings has been that iPhone sales are declining. Well, that ends today.

Apple just posted strong financial results for the first quarter of 2017. In a letter to investors on Tuesday, CEO Tim Cook said: “We’re thrilled to report that our holiday quarter results generated Apple’s highest quarterly revenue ever, and broke multiple records along the way. We sold more iPhones than ever before and set all-time revenue records for iPhone, Services, Mac, and Apple Watch.”

Apple sold 78 million iPhones during the 90-day period. Cook also said revenue from services grew strongly over last year, thanks to record customer activity on the App Store.  It had a services revenue of $7.2 billion, which actually exceeds Facebook’s total revenue of $6.8 billion in the most recently reported quarter.

As for iPhones, last October Apple reported weak fourth-quarter sales. At the time, iPhone sales had dropped 13 percent year over year to 45.5 million units. Some critics questioned Apple’s ability to innovate, while others noted smartphone sales have softened for everyone. 

Still, it was hard not to notice that Apple — after more than a decade of revenue gains — was no longer posting record setting sales not only for iPhone, but also the iPad. Now, however, it seems that the introduction of the iPhone 7 has put an end to that slump (for now, at least). 

Sketchy adoption app Adoptly is a hoax after all

A few weeks ago, a company called Adoptly stated a Kickstarter for an app that promised to make adoption easier — with the help of a ridiculous, Tinder-style interface for swiping left and right on children. We immediately questioned whether something like this was even real, although it did seem to be legally plausible if extremely ill-advised. But now, the truth comes out: Adoptly was part of an “ongoing satirical art project” from Ben Becker and Elliot Glass, the duo who brought us the “Pooper” hoax of last summer.

Becker and Glass used almost the same strategy with Adoptly as they did with Pooper. News releases were sent out to various media organizations, including Engadget, and a “spokesperson” did his best Silicon Valley CEO impression and sold reporters (including this one) on the app. We tried but ultimately failed to discern whether Adoptly was a hoax, and we regret the error.

But this time, Becker and Glass roped in innocent people that may have actually been looking for help with adoption via a Kickstarter campaign. In doing so, they blurred the lines between satire and hoax, and not in a good way. It might be easy in retrospect to see how Adoptify was just a joke, asking for real money from unsuspecting, would-be parents is a pretty cruel prank. Even if you’re not looking to adopt, using fake news as a joke seems like the kind of thing that helps exactly no one.

Becker and Glass said they were going to refund any donations, and both Kickstarter and eventually Indiegogo canceled the Adoptify campaigns before they finished. That means backers never had to worry about giving up funds to the project. No harm, no foul right?

In a purely practical sense, sure. But if even one hopeful parent was emotionally hoodwinked by the Adoptly scheme, that’s one too many. But this prank preyed on the emotions of people who are often desperate to adopt and might consider any option to help their chances — even an app that seems too ridiculous to be true. Messing with the press is a time-honored tradition, but potentially involving people looking to adopt is just mean-spirited.

That’s not to totally dismiss Becker and Glass’s idea for satire. Silicon Valley is always breathlessly introducing revolutionary apps that will change users’ lives. The Adoptify website copy and video all nailed the sometimes-clueless tone as companies large and small introduce minor updates or products that people simply have no need for. In that sense, the Adoptly satire was on point — even if plenty of people were skeptical about it, it so closely mimicked the hundreds of similar campaigns we’ve all seen.

However, Adoptify’s satire wouldn’t have really been diminished if it was done in the style of the many April Fool’s Day PR pranks that are pushed out by companies every year. The Adoptify website could have really sold the idea and pulled back the curtain at the end of the experience, letting people in on the joke quickly. Of course, the press would have been less likely to write about it, if that was how it operated. But when using adoption as a tool for satirical gains, perhaps a little bit of extra sensitivity would be warranted.

GitHub rallies Silicon Valley companies to oppose Muslim ban

GitHub plans to meet with a number of Silicon Valley tech companies to discuss filing an amicus brief in lawsuits targeting Trump’s immigration and refugee ban.

Those invited, according to a Reuters report, include Google, Netflix and Airbnb. All four of the companies declined to comment on the meeting. Kickstarter, Box, AdRoll and Twilio have voiced their interest in participating as well. Amicus (“friend of the court”) briefs are legal documents made by parties not directly involved in a litigation but have a strong interest in the matter. Last year, for example, the tech industry rallied behind Apple in its lawsuit against Samsung and stridently opposed North Carolina’s inhumane HB2 legislation.

The group hasn’t specified in which cases the document could or would be filed. If it were to file such a brief, it would place the industry squarely in opposition of the administration. While Silicon Valley has made overtures to Trump’s team during the transition — going so far as to sit through the president’s theatrics during a meeting at Trump Tower in December — the industry has increasingly objected to his actions through the first two weeks of the presidency. Amazon, Microsoft and Expedia have voiced their support for Washington State’s lawsuit against Trump’s administration. Google employees staged a work stoppage and protest on Monday.

Source: Reuters