Apple May Build Purchasing and Receiving Facility in Downtown Reno

Apple may be planning to purchase half a city block in downtown Reno, Nevada, for the purpose of creating a purchasing and receiving facility, reports Reno’s KRNV.

The Reno City Council will discuss Apple’s plans to purchase the property, located at 6th Street and Evans Avenue, at a Wednesday meeting. Apple is planning to build the facility alongside a planned data center at the Reno Technology Park, which Apple has been pursuing since 2012.

A filing from an assistant city attorney states that Reno and Urban Development have a reimbursement agreement to allow Apple to buy the land. The agreement would have Apple getting sales tax reimbursements through Urban Development for the cost of buying and adding to projects in the city’s Téssera district.

Apple already operates one data center in Reno, and has been expanding on it for several years. When finished, the site will encompass 14 buildings and 412,000 square feet.

Apple is also planning to build a second data center adjacent to its existing center and requested permission from the city for the project back in early 2016.

Tag: Reno
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Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers make paid apps free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money, and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

More: 200 Awesome iPhone Apps | The best Android apps for almost any occasion

DayGram

Daygram is a simple, electronic-ink-themed diary. Unlike many complex and unwieldy diary apps, Daygram embraces minimalism. Its simple and intuitive interface will allow you to focus on your writing. Get in the habit of writing about your daily events and thoughts.

Available on:

iOS

MovieSpirit

Through MovieSpirit, you can combine all media elements such as video, photo, music, text, and voice with your creative ideas. What’s more, you can add a range of effects to them (scene switching effects, text animation, and more).

Available on:

iOS

Moodnotes

Capture your mood and improve your thinking habits through an innovative approach to journal-keeping. Moodnotes empowers you to track your mood over time, avoid common thinking traps, and develop perspectives associated with increased happiness and well-being.

Available on:

iOS

Adrian James Bootcamp

Adrian James Bootcamp has been named the toughest 15-minute bootcamp on the planet. Download the chart-topping app to increase strength, burn fat and boost your energy levels.

Available on:

iOS

Blink

Apply stunning filters to your photos in a manner that is easier than ever. Choose between a beautiful collection of stunning filters to make your photos achieve the specific look and glow you want.

Available on:

iOS

Week Cal Widget

See your week events right from the notification center. Scroll up and down or scroll previous weeks and future weeks, or visit your full calendar at your fingertip, all without unlocking your device.

Available on:

iOS

How to install Android O on your Nexus and Pixel devices

As it did last year, Google has released a developer preview for Android O two months before the company’s developer conference. While there wasn’t a public over-the-air update at first, requiring users to manually flash the system images to their phones, the Android O Beta program is said to be launching “soon.” Once this happens, you ought to be able to download O over the air.

Google has posted factory images for the Nexus 5X, 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel C, Pixel, and Pixel XL. We should caution, however, that the first developer preview is often the buggiest. There could be bugs that brick your device, so make sure you back up your data before you do anything. In early May, Google announced the imminent availability of a public beta (as well as the conclusion of the Android Nougat beta program). Still, if you want to take a crack at seeing Android O now, we have put together this comprehensive guide detailing each and every step.

How to flash the factory image

Flashing the factory image differs from installing the over-the-air (OTA) update in that the factory image contains the full system files for your device, whereas the OTA update contains only the upgrade information. In other words, flashing a factory image is more like completely deleting all the software on your device and replacing it. The OTA will only replace what is being changed since your last update.

Some people prefer to install the OTA update since you don’t have to do a factory reset, while others like the factory image method because it’s like starting from scratch with a fresh install of the entire system. It’s more of a pain to factory reset your device, but you are less prone to some of those annoying bugs that seem to crop up after an OTA update.

Remember to make sure all your data is backed up, because you will lose all your data on the device when you unlock the bootloader, which is required for flashing. There is no way to unlock a bootloader without a factory reset. However, if you happen to already have an unlocked bootloader, then you can forgo the factory reset if you wish. We will show you how later on, but we still recommend that you back up your data in case something goes wrong.

Installing ADB and Fastboot

In order to flash the factory image to your Nexus or Pixel device, you must have ADB and Fastboot installed on your desktop computer. ADB stands for Android Debug Bridge, and it allows you to send commands to your Android device over USB through a terminal/command-line interface such as Windows Command Prompt. Fastboot allows you to unlock the bootloader on your Android device.

There are two methods to getting ADB and Fastboot on your computer. The first is to download and install the Android SDK tools from the Android developer site. This method will work on Windows, Mac, and Linux machines. If you’re a Windows user, you can download and install Minimal ADB and Fastboot instead, which is actually the easiest method. However, we recommend installing the Android SDK tools because the download will also give you the Google USB drivers at the same time, which you will need in order for your computer to recognize your device. If you do decide to install Minimal ADB and Fastboot, you can still download the Google USB drivers separately. We will show you how to do that later.

Follow the instructions below for either installing the Android SDK tools or Minimal ADB and Fastboot.

Download and install the Android SDK tools

Click here to download and install the Android SDK Tools from Google’s developer site. There are choices for Windows, Mac, and Linux. These instructions are for Windows machines.
When asked what directory to install the software to, we recommend that you set it to C:android-sdk. If you choose a different location, just make sure you remember it.
Once the Android SDK Tools are installed, launch the download from the Start Menu.
The SDK Manager will open. Just uncheck everything except Android SDK Platform-tools and Google USB Driver. Android SDK Platform-tools is at the top and Google USB Driver is toward the bottom.
Click on Install 2 packages at the bottom right.
Check Accept license and click Install.

ADB and Fastboot will now reside in the C:android-sdkplatform-tools folder if you followed step 2 as outlined. If you chose a different directory, than ADB and Fastboot will reside in the platform-tools folder under whatever location you chose to install the Android SDK Tools to in step 2.

Download and install Minimal ADB and Fastboot

Click here to download minimal_adb_fastboot_v1.3.1_setup.exe from the XDA forums. Note: the version number could be different if a newer version is released after this post has been published.
Launch the minimal_adb_fastboot_v1.3.1_setup.exe file.
When asked which directory to install the software to, we recommend that you set it to C:android-sdkplatform-tools, since we will be using that location for the rest of this guide. If you choose a different location, just make sure you remember it.

Downloading the Android O Developer Preview factory system image

Now it’s time to grab the most recent version of the Android Nougat or Android O Developer Preview factory image. Please click on one of the following links to download the appropriate file for your device.

• Google’s Developer Preview site – Android O updates

Just make sure to select the version that matches your device. This is very important, because you must flash the Nexus 5 image on a Nexus 5. A Pixel XL image won’t work on a Nexus 5.

You will notice that each device has a bunch of links under it. Google makes it easy to revert back to an older update if you wish. The most recent update is generally at the bottom of the list. The Android O developer preview is available for the Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, Nexus Player, Nexus 6P, and Nexus 5X.

Note: Google will post factory images for each and every update moving forward. This means that you can follow this guide again and continue to get the latest preview of Android O right away without the need to wait until your device receives the OTA update automatically.

Best smartphones and data plans for grandparents who just want to stay in touch

Picking the right smartphone can be a tedious, and sometimes overwhelming, task. There are scores of phones to choose from at any given moment, and many of them look the same, but differ in terms of storage and performance. If you’re not a tech-savvy grandparent, or you’re shopping for a grandparent that doesn’t know or care about the differences between iOS and Android, simplicity is probably what you want the most out of a modern smartphone.

Sure, the iPhone only has a few physical buttons, but upon startup, the sheer number of icons on the home screen can be intimidating. Similarly, while you can go into the settings and customize various aspects of the device to suit anyone’s needs, navigating the back end can be frustrating when it’s unfamiliar.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves anymore than we already have. For those grandparents that aren’t in touch with their tech side, how much do you want to spend on a smartphone, if you only need one to stay in touch with family, a handful of friends, and to send pictures of your dog to your grandchildren? Or how much are you willing to spend on a phone for grandma and grandpa? Do they need data? Are they aware of what data is and what it’s for?

These are all valid questions and concerns, but we have you covered. Don’t like sifting through phones, and comparing wireless carriers and phone plans? We’ve already done the work for you. Below, you can find the best phones not just for the tech-illiterate senior citizen, but also the best phones and plans for the grandparents that know what’s what. Heads up: They’re surprisingly similar to the best phones and plans for everyone else.

Best smartphones and plans for non-techie grandparents

If you’re not worried about having the latest-and-greatest smartphone, or prefer functionality over features, you can’t go wrong with a prepaid phone. In most cases, you can still get an attractive phone, but the benefit to prepaid phones is that they’re often more affordable that going the pay-per-month route.

For starters, there’s very little chance of being hit with unexpected charges or having to deal with overages, since you pay upfront for the prepaid phone and minutes. If you’re only using the phone to call and text loved ones occasionally, you shouldn’t use more minutes than you actually have at your disposal. In the event you do run out of minutes, however, you can buy prepaid/refill cards, which are readily available at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and a number of other retailers and websites, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint. Watch out, though — if you don’t buy more minutes before your current plan runs out, you can end up paying a higher rate or get hit with overage charges — conditions vary from carrier to carrier.

Here are some prepaid phones from each of the four big carriers, all of which come with the necessary prepaid cards to get you going.

ZTE Cymbal Z-320 ($30+)

Let’s break the traditional mold right out of the gate with the ZTE Cymbal from T-Mobile, a phone that looks nothing like a modern smartphone. Instead, it’s a flip-phone that has no touchscreen or digital assistant, but does offer the basics, such as the ability to make calls, send texts, and take pictures. If you’re more into functionality than other aspects, like aesthetics, the ZTE Cymbal is a good way to go if you’re looking for a straightforward phone for a grandparent. The price of the phone from T-Mobile is $63, but nabbing a SIM card and prepaid card will bring the price to $83.

Buy one now from:

T-Mobile Amazon Walmart

Samsung Galaxy Express 3 ($50+)

Now for something that resembles the norm, we have the Samsung Galaxy Express 3 from AT&T. For $50, you can have a decent smartphone that comes with a 4.5-inch HD display, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. You know, in case you have, or are, a grandparent who has their selfie game on point. Being an Android phone, a wide variety of apps are available through the Google Play Store, and it doesn’t take technical know-how to find apps such as Netflix, YouTube, and the like. Plus, if you get this particular phone by June 22 and buy a $30 prepaid card, you can get the Express 3 for a mere $20.

Buy one now from:

AT&T Best Buy Walmart Amazon Target

LG Tribute HD ($60+)

The LG Tribute may cost more than the aforementioned Galaxy Express 3, but for the additional $10, you get a better 5-inch display, a more effective pair of cameras (8-megapixel rear, 5-megapixel front), and all the power and features afforded by Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The smartphone’s 2,100mAh  battery allows for 15 hours of talk time, and the 16GB of storage with MicroSD card support means you’ll have a decent amount of space for housing personal videos and photos.

Buy one now from:

Sprint Amazon Best Buy Walmart Target

LG Optimus Zone 3 ($30+)

The Optimus Zone 3 isn’t the most futuristic-looking phone, but that’s okay because that’s not why it’s here. The Zone 3 is here because it has a lot in common with the previous two phones, and even though it doesn’t do anything particularly better than either, you can look at it as another option that can hold its own. It has a 4.5-inch display, front and rear facing cameras, and battery life that allows for up to 11 hours of constant use. The internal storage of 8GB wouldn’t be enough for most people, but it might be enough for grandma or grandpa. If not, it still supports MicroSD cards up to 32GB, which should end up being more than enough space.

Buy one now from:

Verizon Amazon Best Buy Walmart

Other alternatives for non-techie grandparents

Getting a prepaid phone from a major carrier isn’t your only option, however, as there are multiple companies out there that dedicate themselves to giving seniors more convenient ways of buying phones, plans, and refill cards. Places such as Seniors Wireless, Greatcall, and TracFone are a few of the services that make shopping for a phone less of a hassle, and their plans are easy to sift through and compare to one another. Greatcall, specifically, has the Jitterbug smartphone and Jitterbug flip phone, both of which are designed to be simple to use and navigate thanks to their large buttons, screens, and unique emergency buttons.

Best basic pay as you go plans

Average Price
Talk
Text
Data
AT&T (GoPhone)
$45/month ($40 with AutoPay)
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited up to first 6GB, then throttled to 128Kbps
T-Mobile
$43/month
$3 for any combination of 30 minutes of talk or 30 texts ($0.10 per additional minute or text)
$3 for any combination of 30 minutes of talk or 30 texts ($0.10 per additional minute or text)
$10 for up to 1GB of 4G LTE per week
Seniors Wireless (Simplicity Plan)
$20/60 Days ($10/month)
400 mins for talk, text, and internet
 400 mins for talk, text, and internet
 400 mins for talk, text, and internet
Greatcall (Jitterbug Flip Phone)
$18/month
200 mins
 300 texts
 None
TracFone (basic Airtime service plan)
$20/90 days (About $6.66/month)
60 mins for talk, text, and internet
 60 mins for talk, text, and internet
 60 mins for talk, text, and internet

Snapchat’s stickers could be coming to AR, patent filing suggests

Why it matters to you

Patents don’t always become real things, but a recently published patent application suggests Snap Inc. is looking at a way to place stickers in augmented reality.

Snapchat’s stickers allow users to place colorful virtual drawings on photos and video — but a recently published patent application suggests that Snap Inc. is also working on an augmented reality version that places two-dimensional stickers on a camera feed in real time. The patent, filed in 2015 when Snap Inc. was still Snapchat, but only published last week on May 4, describes a method for placing virtual objects from a large database into camera data from a smartphone or pair of virtual reality goggles.

The patent application tackles the idea of a sticker-like database for two-dimensional virtual objects, and simplifies the process so that it doesn’t require so much computing power. The system would mix GPS data and a set of images of the location provided by the user to generate depth estimates. That “structure facade data” helps place a two-dimensional “sticker object” pulled from a large library of similar graphics in a realistic way, the patent suggests.

The patent filing appears to tackle still objects and adds moving virtual objects to the scene. Using user-snapped photos simplifies the process of depth mapping, while the database of stickers is pre-designed to be placed into scenes mapped with the camera. The GPS determines where you are looking so the processor can focus on just the direction you are viewing. That potentially translates into a virtual reality system that doesn’t require so much processing power, theoretically making it accessible across a number of devices.

The patent documents says the system could work with mobile phones or from augmented reality helmets, visors, or glasses — the paperwork even includes what appears to be a drawing of an updated Spectacles that would work with the virtual reality system.

Many filed applications for patents don’t ever actually make it to reality, but the paperwork gives us a glimpse into what Snapchat has been researching. Snapchat’s stickers are one of the app’s popular features, now imitated on other apps, and the paperwork suggests a similar sticker database could make it possible for anyone to create an augmented reality scene.

Comcast and Charter embark on a new partnership in the wireless arena

Why it matters to you

Two of the nation’s largest cable companies are looking to get into the wireless business, and it looks like they’re open to working together.

On Monday, two of the nation’s largest cable companies are planning to announce a deal involving not cable, but rather communications. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Comcast and Charter Communications are forming a wireless partnership in which both companies will agree “not to make a material merger or acquisition in wireless without the other’s consent for one year.” That could signal that the media giants are looking to make their way into the mobile service providing space by purchasing a company like T-Mobile or Sprint. But under the terms of the new deal, neither company would be able to buy such a company without the other’s involvement or sign-off.

Companies in both the mobile service and cable industries have found themselves at something of a crossroads. The “big four” mobile service providers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint) are fighting desperately for customers, driving down each others’ prices, whereas cable companies must reckon with the continued popularity of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, which are contributing to the rise of the cord-cutting generation.

But perhaps in collusion there is salvation. As the Journal notes, “The cable companies view wireless phone service as an opportunity to create a new product to make their bundles more appealing and better retain existing customers.” Indeed, AT&T has already attempted such a bundled service, offering DirecTV to some of its customers.

Comcast and Charter, however, could be planning something even larger. As per the terms of the new partnership, the two firms would be able to “share technology and work together to use their combined scale in vendor negotiations,” according the Journal’s sources. The goal would be to establish some sort of a knowledge-sharing agreement, thereby achieving the most efficient business plan. The deal is also said to apply “only … with respect to other commercial arrangements with the national wireless carriers, such as in wireless airwave reseller deals like the one they already have with Verizon.”

Full details of the deal are expected to be announced later on Monday.

TripAdvisor partners with GrubHub to offer online food delivery options

Why it matters to you

The next time you’re on the road and looking for a decent meal, you might want to look to TripAdvisor for an easy method of sourcing top notch takeout.

TripAdvisor already offers users assistance in booking flights, accommodation, activities, and restaurant reservations, and soon the site will also provide an easy means of ordering food online. The service is partnering with GrubHub to implement instantaneous access to delivery menus from its website and its mobile app.

When TripAdvisor started out, it was a destination for user reviews pertaining to all aspects of travel. Offering bookings directly from the site was an obvious evolution, and now the company is seeking to expand the services it provides to users who are visiting an unfamiliar place.

Whether you’re away on business, or traveling for pleasure, TripAdvisor wants to be your first port of call for anything and everything you may need during your excursion. That means that if you decide to skip room service and grab some takeout, the site will give you options on what’s good in the local area, and the ability to order your meal.

However, you won’t be ordering directly via TripAdvisor, according to a report from VentureBeat. The service will instead link to GrubHub, with eateries that have signed up for the delivery platform being accompanied by an “order online” button when they’re included in TripAdvisor search results.

This seems to be a mutually beneficial arrangement for the two companies. TripAdvisor benefits from being able to serve users with another strand of recommendations for the place they’re visiting, and GrubHub stands to pick up a chunk of extra business from travelers in search of good eats.

Of course, the fact that GrubHub is a tried-and-tested food delivery platform will inspire confidence from the hungry user making the order, whereas ordering food directly from TripAdvisor might seem a little strange.

At least to begin with, this functionality will be restricted to restaurants within the United States. Tens of thousands of eateries across 1,100 cities are set to be included in TripAdvisor’s listings.

The FBI paid nearly a million dollars to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone

Why it matters to you

Exploits don’t come cheap. The FBI paid roughly a million dollars to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone.

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation paid almost a million dollars to break into the San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) said this week.

“I was so struck when San Bernardino happened and you made overtures to allow that device to be opened, and then the FBI had to spend $900,000 to hack it open,” Feinstein said. “And as I subsequently learned of some of the reason for it, there were good reasons to get into that device.”

In 2016, the FBI contracted an unnamed third-party security firm to unlock the password-protected iPhone 5c of San Bernardino, California shooter Syed Rizwan Farook, who along with his wife killed 14 people in an attack in December 2015. But the agency later refused to reveal how much it paid.

The Associated Press, Vice Media, and USA Today took the FBI to court over the agency’s nondisclosure, arguing that it had lacked “adequate justification.” FBI director James Comey hinted at a ballpark range last year, saying that the agency paid “more money than he would earn in his remaining seven years on the job” — or roughly least $1.3 million.

Last year, Apple challenged a judge’s order to help the Justice Department in its investigation of the San Bernardino shooter, arguing that an FBI to build a backdoor into the locked iPhone’s operating system would threaten its customers’ privacy.

The FBI dropped its case after it gained access to the iPhone.

The agency later stated that it didn’t find any evidence that Farook coordinated the attack with members of a terrorist organizations, and that it was unable to recover encrypted communications during an 18-minute gap in the agency’s knowledge of Farook’s location after the attack. But it maintained that the information was “helpful.”

Privacy advocates and tech experts argue that the FBI should disclose its method to Apple so it can repair any bugs in its operating system. Exploits discovered by federal agencies are typically reported to the Vulnerabilities Equities Process, a step the agency has so far refused to take.

Disclosure of this information could make the investigators’ decryption efforts more difficult, the FBI argues. Comey said that roughly 12 percent of consumer devices were inaccessible to FBI investigators, and that encryption would cause that number to grow.

“We are increasingly finding devices … that we can’t open,” he said at a keynote address at the annual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in May 2016.

In response to the controversy, Senator Feinstein and Senator Richard Burr (R), drafted an encryption bill in April that would force companies to comply with the government’s demands for access to encrypted services.

Learn to code apps for Amazon Alexa with this $19 bundle

There’s no arguing that what once was the smart home trend is slowly becoming the smart home norm, and there is high demand for apps that work with virtual assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa. The problem is, learning to write these types of apps isn’t an easy task, and the cost of doing so isn’t usually affordable.

Learn to create your own Amazon Alexa apps for only $19! Learn more

Imagine a course that starts with the absolute basics of coding; a course that works through to the advanced techniques of building voice apps. Right now, Android Central Digital Offers has a deal on an Amazon Alexa coding bundle that covers everything you need to know about building apps for Alexa. Instead of paying the usual price of $316, you’ll instead pay only $19. That’s 93% off the regular price.

This bundle includes two courses:

• Alexa Development For Absolute Beginners
• Advanced Alexa Skills Kit

You will learn to build a whole host of voice apps for Alexa, you’ll be able to take a mock exam at the end of each course, and you’ll even learn how to create your own Alexa device. Access stays open forever, so you can work these courses into your schedule.

Become an Amazon Alexa coding wizard with this $19 bundle! Learn more

Ready to start coding apps for Alexa? Even if you’ve never worked with code before, this course teaches you everything you need to know. Don’t wait too long; grab this deal and start creating apps today!

Here are our favorite things to do in Google Earth VR

What is there to do in Google Earth VR?

Now that Google Earth VR is available for Oculus Rift alongside the Vive, a whole new batch of explorers have entered the ring. With the April Rift release also comes a bunch of updates, including the ability to search for cities, points of interest, and keywords and be transported immediately to them.

If you haven’t yet given Google Earth VR a go, drop what you’re doing, boot up your PC, and put on your Vive or Rift; this is one of those experiences that can’t be ignored. The sheer magnitude of what you’re seeing, coupled with the ability to fly and even walk around on the ground, does something special to the human mind.

Google Earth VR can also be a bit overwhelming at the start. It’s easy to just fly around a bit, visit your old hometown, and leave without too much experimentation. To help you focus and to bring some really neat stuff to your attention, we’ve put together this guide.

Read more at VR Heads!