Apple Transitions App Store Pricing to Local Currency in 9 Countries

Apple is in the process of transitioning App Store pricing from the U.S. dollar and euro to local currencies in nine countries. The announcement was made last week on Apple’s iTunes Connect resource page, and the first reports are coming through that the price changes are equating to small savings in some countries, owing to favorable exchange rates.

App Store pricing in Romania is now showing in the country’s Leu currency, which has made books, apps, and songs a little cheaper, according to iTutorial.ro. For example, an individual music track that cost 15,42 lei before the change, now costs 14,99. Small savings also extend to Apple Music and iCloud subscriptions.

Similar subscription savings have been reported by ThinkApple in Poland, where many prices have been converted at a rate of 1 euro to around 4 zloty, which is currently lower than that offered by banks. Savings in the region aren’t as forthcoming in the App Store, however, with some prices actually a little higher.

As well as Poland and Romania, Apple is switching store currencies in Bulgaria (Lev), Czech Republic (Koruna), and Hungary (Forint). In addition, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, and Peru are changing to local currency from the U.S. dollar. Developer proceeds will also be paid out in local currencies as and when the transitions complete.

(Thanks, Alex!)

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Apple Design Chief Jony Ive Appointed Chancellor of London’s Royal College of Art

Chief Apple designer Jony Ive has been appointed chancellor of London’s Royal College of Art (RCA), it was announced on Thursday. Ive is set to take up the role in July and will replace British engineer Sir James Dyson, who has been provost of RCA since 2011.

“I am thrilled to formalise my relationship with the RCA, given the profound influence the college has had on so many of the artists and designers that I admire,” Ive said in a statement.

“Our design team includes many RCA alumni, who embody the fundamental values of the college. I look forward to advising both the college and students, hoping that my experience proves useful in their work.”

In his unpaid five-year term as head of the college, Ive will preside over meetings and help to govern RCA, which in 2017 was ranked the world’s best institution for art and design for the third year in a row by QS University World Rankings.

“We are delighted to welcome Sir Jony Ive as our new chancellor,” said Paul Thompson, RCA’s rector. “It is a great honor to be joined by the world’s leading designer of his generation, who has produced consistently innovative and commercially successful technology and design.”

The designer of the iMac, iPod, and iPhone received an honorary doctorate from the RCA in 2009. Ive also holds honorary doctorates from Oxford and Cambridge Universities, and has received several other accolades from leading British institutions.

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Acer unveils two Iconia tablets, including Tab 10 with Quantum dot display

Following the launch of the Switch 2-in-1s and Swift notebooks, Acer has unveiled two new 10-inch Iconia tablets; the Iconia Tab 10 and Iconia One 10.

• Acer debuts new 2-in-1s in Switch 3 and 5, and all-new Swift notebooks

Both share many of the same specs: MediaTek processors, Android 7.0 Nougat, a claimed eight hours battery life and DTS-HD Premium Sound. But even with their shared specs, the new Iconia tablets have very different uses.

The Iconia Tab 10 (A3-A50) is targeted at media-heavy users, thanks to a screen with Quantum dot technology. Samsung championed Quantum dot technology in 2015 with its then latest range of Ultra HD TVs. The tech has been carried over to the latest QLED flagship TVs too. Quantum dot TV tech works by placing a layer of Quantum dots over the regular screen panel, in the Iconia Tab 10’s case, an LCD panel. Each dot is a different size and so can emit various amounts of light. The theory is that this helps the screen to produce a wider colour range for better accuracy. Good films and TV shows are made better with good sound, and so the Tab 10 has a subwoofer to partner up with the DTS-HD Premium Audio for some added low-end grunt and Acer’s own MediaMaster software lets you set preferences for different types of movies and music.

The Iconia One 10 meanwhile has connectivity and productivity in mind. It comes with two Micro USB ports, so you can charge the tablet up, while having it connected to an external device such as an external hard drive or even a mouse. Bluetooth in onboard for connecting an external keyboard, and Android 7.0 brings with it multi-tasking and quick app switching. The One 10 tablet loses out on the Quantum dot display and improved audio system.Both tablets have Acer’s EZ software tools, which include EZ WakeUp which opens a preselected app with a hand gesture, EZ Snap takes a screenshot with a three-finger pinch on the screen and EZ Mode lets you customise the interface to keep certain apps and settings hidden from other users. Pricing and availability of both Iconia tablets has yet to be revealed but we’ll update this story as soon as we know.

Acer

The Iconia One 10 meanwhile has connectivity and productivity in mind. It comes with two Micro USB ports, so you can charge the tablet up, while having it connected to an external device such as an external hard drive or even a mouse. Bluetooth in onboard for connecting an external keyboard, and Android 7.0 brings with it multi-tasking and quick app switching. The One 10 tablet loses out on the Quantum dot display and improved audio system.Both tablets have Acer’s EZ software tools, which include EZ WakeUp which opens a preselected app with a hand gesture, EZ Snap takes a screenshot with a three-finger pinch on the screen and EZ Mode lets you customise the interface to keep certain apps and settings hidden from other users. Pricing and availability of both Iconia tablets has yet to be revealed but we’ll update this story as soon as we know.

API Documentation Browser ‘Dash’ Returns to iOS App Store As a Free Download

Last October, popular API documentation browser Dash was removed from the iOS App Store after Apple accused the app’s developer, Kapeli, of fraudulent conduct involving hundreds of fake reviews.

Kapeli’s Apple developer account was terminated in the controversy, and with no way to sell the app on the App Store, the Dash code was subsequently made open source.

However, according to a Wednesday blog post on Kapeli’s website, open sourcing Dash for iOS led to some people submitting it to the App Store in violation of its GNU GPL License:

Quite a few “developers” have even added it to the App Store themselves, violating the GNU GPL license in the process. Apple has been very responsive in removing these apps, but the developers kept adding it back in different shapes and forms and I got tired to fill the same copyright claim forms over and over.

In an effort to stem the tide of copycat apps appearing in the App Store, Dash developer Bogdan Popescu decided to create a personal developer account with Apple and submit Dash for iOS to the App Store.

I’ve made a personal developer account which Apple accepted and the review for Dash for iOS went through without any issues. I hope this will somewhat stave off the pirated copies of Dash from appearing on the App Store. We’ll see.

Dash was approved and is now available as a free download. [Direct Link] The macOS version of Dash continues to be sold exclusively on the developer’s website.

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This smart mannequin aims to improve pat-down procedures at airports

Why it matters to you

Airport security frisks can occasionally upset passengers, so it’s good to know the TSA is looking at how to improve the procedure.

Airport security is tighter than ever these days and for some passengers it can include a pat-down by airport security personnel to ensure they’re not carrying anything they shouldn’t be.

Getting the pat-down right can be a delicate affair for the Transport Security Administration (TSA) officers that carry out the procedure. Frisk too lightly and they might miss something important, but go in too hard and a pat can feel like an offensive poke or fumble, potentially leading to one very upset and angry passenger.

Enter PATT, a smart mannequin being developed by the TSA and Homeland Security to help teach officers how to perform the perfect pat-down

The “Pat-down Accuracy Training Tool” is a highly sensitive soul, though it won’t sound off should a trainee officer get a bit heavy-handed during their early physical checks. The smart mannequin contains a “sensored” layer that’s able to measure the amount of applied pressure during a pat-down procedure.

PATT is hooked up to a computer and works with software that offers visual and objective analysis of the pat-down, with the provided data helping the officer to learn about how they can improve their technique.

There are two smart mannequins — for the male and female body shapes — with up to 2,000 sensors covering the entire surface area to provide the best possible feedback.

The training procedures, together with the objective feedback, aim to make frisking consistent and effective, thereby improving the security of the traveling public, the TSA said in a release.

Commenting on the new training kit, S&T First Responders Group program manager Ajmal Aziz said in a release, “As I … start conducting a pat-down, the trainer will be able to use the PATT technology to see where I’m applying pressure. Is it the right amount of pressure? Am I missing areas I should be looking at?”

David Band, PATT TSA technical monitor, said that “training without feedback is akin to learning how to drive a car with no working gauges.”

Band added, “While an experienced driver could give you some helpful guidance, a speedometer providing real-time feedback is a much better indication of how fast you are actually going.”

He said PATT will “vastly improve a TSA officer’s ability to apply pressure within an ideal range, to cover all areas in their searches and to reduce the time needed for new officers to achieve a high level of proficiency.”

Trials to evaluate PATT’s effectiveness will be launched at the TSA Training Academy in Glynco, Georgia, as well as at select airports such as Los Angeles International Airport.

Makerball is a pinball machine that you build yourself

Why it matters to you

If both DIY and pinball are a passion, you’re likely to have some serious fun with the Makerball pinball kit.

If you like to tinker with your tech and have a penchant for pinball, the DIY “Makerball” kit is something of a no-brainer.

Described by its Swiss creator as an “affordable, stable, mutable, pure and simple pinball machine,” the Makerball kit lets you add pretty much anything you want to the layout, and with a few tweaks even lets you perform a digital upgrade.

The starter kit includes the base, mechanical flippers, a number of basic obstacles, and a set of wires and conductive copper foil to make sensors. With the aid of a microcontroller (not supplied) and the free “Make & Play” app, you can link those sensors to your smartphone and start playing for points.

“On our website, we’ll provide you with all instructions required to set up the electronics,” creator Alain Schibli said. “It’s no biggie, even if you have no prior experience. Makerball is also an easy way of entering the maker universe and starting to experiment with microcontrollers.”

For super-simple gameplay, you can discard the techie bits and just have fun with the flippers and whatever creation you build for the board. Check out the video above for some inspiration.

While Makerball clearly features few bells and whistles (in every sense of the term), fun can be had as much from designing and building your pinball machine as actually playing it. Parents with a bit of tech know-how can have a blast setting it up with their kids, or perhaps some of the more switched-on littl’uns can teach Mom and Dad a thing or two about tech.

Zurich-based Schibli said it’s been a long-held ambition to design his own machine.

“I’ve always liked playing pinball and wanted to own my own pinball machine, but I never had the means to buy one,” he explains on Makerball’s Kickstarter page. “Used models weren’t an option either because I wouldn’t know how to repair them. And I couldn’t decide which kind of machine I wanted anyway. So I came up with the idea of Makerball, an affordable, simple and versatile DIY pinball machine.”

Makerball was born out of a Master’s design project at Zurich University of the Arts and morphed into the launch version via six prototypes created over the last two years.

The Makerball kit is available for pre-order for $245, though this particular early-bird option doesn’t include the legs. To have those as part of the package costs about another $100. If the project gets funded and everything goes to plan, shipping will begin in November, 2017.

Traveling to India? Here’s how you can pick up a local SIM card

A local SIM card is essential to staying connected in India.

India’s handset market is seeing a meteoric rise thanks to an influx of affordable devices and wide availability of 4G data, and with the country becoming a mobile-first market, having a local SIM card is mandatory for accessing the plethora of digital services available.

A local number comes in handy not just for staying connected, but also for undertaking basic tasks like payments and money transfers. To curb corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi demonetized high-value currency notes at the end of the last year, and the country still doesn’t have adequate cash reserves. The move has led to a drastic rise in digital wallet services like Paytm, but to register and use the service, you need a local SIM card.

Thankfully, the Indian government is making it easier for foreign travelers visiting the country by providing a pre-activated SIM card on arrival. The SIM card is issued by state-run BSNL, and comes with 50MB of data along with a ₹50 credit (90 cents) for making calls. You can top up the data and get additional balance for calling by recharging online.

SIM card on arrival

The SIM card comes with a kit that contains maps, brochures for popular tourism destinations, along with contact information for a 24-hour tourist helpline number that’s available in 12 languages, including Russian, German, and Japanese.

All you need to do to pick up your SIM card is show a copy of your e-visa at the immigration counter. An e-visa is the easiest way to get a short-term tourist visa to India, and the facility is available to citizens of over 150 countries.

That said, not all airports offer a SIM card on arrival. Right now, the service is limited to ten airports in the country, with more being added regularly:

• Bengaluru
• Delhi
• Mumbai
• Chennai
• Panjim (Goa)
• Ahmedabad
• Amritsar
• Jaipur
• Lucknow
• Varanasi

If you’re landing at an airport that doesn’t offer the service, your best recourse is to purchase a SIM card directly from a retailer. But before we get to that, a primer on LTE bands in India.

LTE bands in India

If you’re looking to use LTE in India, you’ll need to make sure your phone has the following LTE bands: Band 3 (1800MHz), Band 40 (2300MHz), and Band 5 (850MHz). Band 5 is predominantly used by Jio, a recent entrant in the segment that has amassed over 65 million customers in the space of eight months.

Even if you don’t have Band 5 support, you will be able to access LTE from Airtel, Vodafone, and others. BSNL — the service provider with the free SIM card on arrival — delivers LTE on Band 40 (2300MHz). Coverage varies wildly across states, so if you’re looking for a detailed breakdown of the state of LTE in India, you should take a look at our detailed guide:

LTE in India: Everything you need to know

Picking up a SIM card from a retailer

Airtel is the leading carrier in the country, with a userbase of over 275 million subscribers. The carrier also has the most robust network for LTE, 3G, and calls. To pick up an Airtel SIM, you’ll need to head to a retail store near your location with a copy of your passport, visa, and a photograph. You’ll be able to walk out with a SIM card in under 10 minutes, and the number will be activated in an hour or two.

The carrier has very affordable tariffs, but not all plans are available in all regions. That said, you’ll be able to select a plan that gives you 3GB of LTE data and unlimited calls within the country for as low as ₹300 ($6), with a validity of 28 days from the time of purchase.

Airtel is your only viable option for a local SIM card, as other carriers have fairly stringent requirements. Jio, for instance, requires you to submit details of a local reference as well as your residence details within the country. You won’t be able to get a SIM card unless you submit these details.

Then there’s Vodafone and Idea, which aren’t worth your time. Neither carrier offers nationwide LTE coverage, so if you’re looking to travel from one state to another, there will be times when you’ll switch over to 2G.

Questions?

Got any questions or queries? Let us know in the comments below.

OnePlus 5 confirmed to have Snapdragon 835 processor

OnePlus’ mission statement has always been to “Never Settle”, as it constantly strives to compete with the very best flagship smartphones on the market. The OnePlus 5 looks set to continue that trend following CEO Pete Lau’s confirmation that the phone will have the very latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor.

• OnePlus 5: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know

The 835 has only showed up in a few flagships this year, most notably the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, and the Sony Xperia XZ Premium. The Xiaomi Mi 6 has it, and there’s rumours suggesting a flagship Nokia 8 phone will arrive in June running on it too.By including the Snapdragon 835 processor in the OnePlus 5, the affordable flagship should run quickly and efficiently. But Pete Lau has also said that OnePlus’ engineers have gone beyond just installing the best processor in the phone, they’ve made sure it’s fully optimised to deliver the very best possible performance.

Great minds think alike! Glad to partner with you to make our next flagship ???? https://t.co/L5z2MwUQgI

— OnePlus (@oneplus) 25 May 2017

Touch latency was measured during the testing process, to find out why response to touch from a finger could differ between phones. A high-speed camera was used in the measuring process, and from its findings, OnePlus now says apps on the 5 “respond quickly to your touch for a seamless user experience”.A new app management feature has also been added to OxygenOS, OnePlus’ customised version of Android. Apps that are commonly used, social media and an internet browser for example, will be ready to launch as soon as the phone is turned on. Apps that you don’t use very often will be deprioritised, so they’re not affecting performance in any way.

There’s still no word on when we can expect the OnePlus 5 to be unveiled, but with droplets of information coming in from the company itself, we can’t imagine we have long to wait.

Egypt blocks Al Jazeera and other sites for ‘supporting terrorism’

People living in Egypt will have to put their VPNs to work accessing 21 websites the the country has banned. According to state news agency MENA, Egypt has blocked Al Jazeera’s main website and 20 other publications and online destinations, accusing them of supporting “terrorism and extremism as well (as) publishing lies.” The government will even be taking legal action against them. While local media didn’t list all the affected URLs, Reuters sources said the government blocked them, because it believes they’re affiliated with Qatar — Al Jazeera is based in Doha, the country’s capital — or the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Brotherhood used to be the most influential religio-political organization in Egypt until its fall from power in 2013. It’s what caused bad blood between the two countries: Egypt is accusing Qatar of supporting the group after it was ousted from power. However, Reuters found that even websites with no known affiliation with either, such as progressive Egyptian news publication Mada Masr and The Huffington Post’s Arabic website, have been blocked, as well.

A lot of people probably have workarounds in place to be able to access the blocked URLs, though, seeing as Egypt is notorious for censorship. It once shut down the internet in 2011 and blocked VoIP services like Skype and Viber in 2015. Last year, it also blocked Facebook’s Free Basics and encrypted chat app Signal, which found a way to circumvent the ban one day later.

Source: Reuters

Google’s AlphaGo is the best Go player in the world

In the latest round of man versus machine, machine has come out on top. Google’s AlphaGo beat Go world champion Ke Jie for a second time in as many days, taking an unassailable lead in the three-part series. By rights, Deepmind’s AI can now be considered the world’s best Go player, having beaten the game’s two biggest names in a little under a year.

Although today’s result wasn’t as “close” as the first match, where AlphaGo won by just half a point, Deepmind CEO Demis Hassabis said that Ke Jie played “perfectly” for much of the contest before he resigned, at least according to AlphaGo’s evaluations. “For the first 100 moves it was the closest we’ve ever seen anyone play against the Master version of AlphaGo,” Hassabis confirmed in the post-game press conference.

“Today’s game was different from the first,” Ke said, reported by The Verge. “AlphaGo made some moves which were opposite from my vision of how to maximize the possibility of winning. I also thought I was very close to winning the game in the middle but maybe that’s not what AlphaGo was thinking. I’m a little bit sad, it’s a bit of a regret because I think I played pretty well.”

#AlphaGo wins game 2. What an amazing and complex game! Ke Jie pushed AlphaGo right to the limit.

— Demis Hassabis (@demishassabis) May 25, 2017

AlphaGo is in China visting the Future of Go Summit, a five-day forum hosted by Google and the China Go Assocation. It’s brought together some of the world’s best Go players and AI experts to “explore the mysteries” of the ancient board game. The banner event is the match-up between AlphaGo and Ke, who will meet for the final time on Saturday, but the AI player is due to play two back-to-back matches on Friday. This will include a game of Pair Go, where Chinese pros face off against each other but alternate moves with AlphaGo, and a Team Go match, where the AI will battle a five-player team to test its “creativity and adaptability.”

This latest version of AlphaGo, which has been given the moniker Master, is said to use 10 times less computational power than the computer that beat Lee Sedol. All it needs is a single PC connected to Google’s cloud server.

Via: The Verge