‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ and other Sega classics are coming to the Switch

Sega’s latest nostalgia trip isn’t limited to a mini Genesis and Shenmue ports. In the wake of a Japanese announcement, Sega has confirmed that it’s releasing a swath of classic Master System and Genesis games on the Nintendo Switch in North America and Europe this summer. The titles will fall under the Sega Ages bundle, and most of the initial roster are titles you’ll recognize: Sonic the Hedgehog, Phantasy Star, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, the arcade version of Gain Ground and Thunder Force IV. The new series should ultimately include over 15 titles.

It’s not certain what these titles will cost, although they’ll be available individually. There are promises of new features, although it’s not certain what those entail.

Yes, this is clearly yet another bid on Sega’s part to cash in on fuzzy feelings for its brand on a system that seems tailor-made for quick bursts of retro gaming. At the same, it’s hard to completely balk at the idea. Many of these games would eventually vanish (outside of emulators) if ports like these didn’t exist, and it underscores the diversity of the Switch’s lineup when retro ports are readily available alongside triple-A blockbusters.

#セガフェス 2018で発表した、Nintendo Switch™「SEGA AGES」。

オリジナルを忠実に楽しめることはもちろん、追加要素を盛り込み、より快適に、より魅力的なプレイを体験できます。セガフェス 2018で発表した5タイトルの他、多数のタイトルを続々と展開予定です。#SEGAAGEShttps://t.co/iuprgP2AId pic.twitter.com/hENDBHhBcf

— セガ公式アカウント (@SEGA_OFFICIAL) April 16, 2018

Via: Kotaku, Polygon

Source: Sega (Twitter)

Porsche is building a speedy EV charging network across the US

Porsche knows that it can’t just compete against Tesla by producing fast electric cars — part of Tesla’s advantage stems from a Supercharger network that gives you the confidence to drive long distances. To that end, Porsche’s North American chief Klaus Zellmer has revealed to Automotive News that his company is planning to complete a network of 500 fast charging stations in the US by the end of 2019. About 189 of those stations will reside at dealerships, while the rest will sit along highways. You might need only brief pit stops (Porsche’s system charges the Mission E to 80 percent capacity in less than 20 minutes) to continue on a cross-country journey.

Tesla, for context, had 443 Superchargers in the US as of November 2017.

To no one’s surprise, Zellmer noted that it’s “pretty certain” these chargers will cost money. Porsche hasn’t sorted out the business model, the exec said, but it’s not necessarily locked to a pay-per-charge model. You could have a membership card, for instance, or an all-inclusive package. Dealerships might also offer free charging to reel in customers. In the long run, Porsche is also looking at chargers near the places you’d expect to find Porsches, such as golf courses and hotels. These ‘bonus’ locations wouldn’t need to have fast charging, though.

The charger arrays will be expensive — Zellmer warned of “six-digit” costs for dealers. Porsche isn’t going into this alone, though, as it has three potential partners (ChargePoint, EVgo and VW’s Electrify America) in mind for building the non-dealership locations.

This won’t necessarily be great news for the automotive world. EV charging is already complicated due to a mix of formats and speeds, and this risks creating a future where your choice of car frequently limits where you top up. Even so, it’s hard to deny the allure of a network that virtually eliminates the pain of slow charging — you may be more likely to ditch your gas-powered 911 or Macan if you know you won’t have to wait hours to get a full battery.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Automotive News

T-Mobile will pay $40 million for failing to fix rural calls

T-Mobile has agreed to pay (PDF) the FCC $40 million for failing to fix ongoing call failures for rural customers. The carrier previously claimed that it had resolved the problem, but the Commission kept getting complaints about calls that weren’t going through. The company also admitted it had committed another grave FCC sin: Injecting false ring tones while customers are on the line, which misleads them into thinking the carrier isn’t to blame if a calll fails.

Per the agreement, T-Mobile admits fault and will pay the fine, though it’s far from the first time the company has done so. In 2015, it settled with the FCC for $17.5 million around a pair of 911 outages, which prevented customers from contacting emergency services. The carrier also paid the Commission $48 million in 2016 over its misleading data plans, which throttled users consuming the most information without properly disclosing such a policy.

Source: FCC

Spotify lures away Apple Music’s head of hip-hop programming

The war between Apple Music and Spotify is clearly heating up. Variety has discovered that Spotify recently poached Carl Chery, Apple Music’s Head of Artist Curation for hip-hop and R&B programming. It’s not certain when he’s leaving or what he’ll do next (we’ve asked both Apple and Spotify for comment). However, it could be a big coup — Chery has been influential not just at Apple, but in the music industry at large.

Chery is best known for securing Apple Music exclusives from Chance the Rapper, including the Grammy-winning album Coloring Book. He can also take credit for helping to break artists like Cardi B, Post Malone and Khalid. Combine that with his oversight of key A-List playlists on Apple Music and it’s evident that Chery is a tastemaker who can find relatively unknown artists and give them global recognition.

Given his history, there’s a good chance he may oversee equivalent playlists at Spotify, including the influential RapCaviar. It also won’t be shocking if he presses for exclusives that would normally go Apple’s way. Spotify needs whatever edge it can get to keep growing as a public company, and that’s likely to involve recruiting the best talent the streaming music business has to offer.

Source: Variety

Google launches digital skills training for Arabic speakers

As part of Google’s focus on supporting digital literacy and STEM advocacy, the company has launched Maharat min Google (“Building Capabilities with Google”). This program is aimed at helping women and young people in the Arabic-speaking world “get ready for future job opportunities, advance their careers, or grow their businesses.” The examples Google cites are training for social media, video, online marketing and e-commerce.

According to the World Economic Forum, digital skills aren’t widely available in Arab-speaking countries, yet one in five jobs will require them by the year 2020. Google is hoping to close that gap with this latest initiative, especially because many young women in the region outperform young men in STEM fields according to the World Bank. However, employment rates for women are low because of social expectations and gender norms.

Google hopes to alleviate some of this disparity through Maharat min Google. It will consist of free courses, tools and in-person training to job seekers, educators, students and businesses. The organization is also partnering with INJAZ Al-Arab, with a $1 million grant to help the non-profit continue its work in helping students (especially women) with hands-on training for digital skills. What’s more, Google is working with the MiSK foundation to provide training for 100,000 people in Saudi Arabia (50,000 of which will be women).

This certainly continues Google’s work in building digital skills and STEM advocacy. It’s interesting that the organization has chosen to focus on the Arab-speaking world. It’s nice to see that the company truly understands the meaning of “global” and isn’t solely in a US/English speaking mindset when it comes to the people it helps.

Source: Google

Netflix subscriber count hits 125 million

Netflix’s first quarterly report for the 2018 financial year shows that after notching its most subscriber additions in Q4 2017 (8.33 million) it barely slowed down. Over the last three months, it added another 7.4 million subscribers (1.96 million of them in the US), its second-biggest quarter ever and enough to hit 125 million subscribers on the dot. The ongoing flood of new content certainly helps, including stunts like its Super Bowl Sunday release of The Cloverfield Paradox. Despite the response from critics Netflix still said: “the event showcased how a big branded film can be marketed and delivered to consumers instantaneously across the globe without a wait for the theatrical window.” Meanwhile, the Spanish series Money Heist became its “most-watched non-English series on Netflix ever.”

While confirming that it will spend between $7.5 and $8 billion this year on content, there isn’t much new to announce. Netflix touched on its expanded agreement with Comcast briefly, and while it didn’t reveal bundle prices it said “We believe that the lower churn in these bundles offsets the lower Netflix
ASP.”

Developing…

Source: Netflix Q1 2018 (PDF)

Spotify Snags Former Apple Music Hip-Hop Programming Head

Carl Chery, Apple Music’s head of hip-hop programming, has left Apple to work for Spotify, reports Variety.

As head of hip-hop programming, Chery secured Apple exclusive releases from Chance the Rapper, including Grammy Award-winning album “Coloring Book,” and he also helped discover artists like Cardi B, Bryson Tiller, Post Malone, Khalid, Daniel Caesar, 6LACK, and H.E.R.

Image via Variety
Chery was behind several popular playlists on Apple Music, including A-List: Hip-Hop and A-List: R&B, and his absence will likely be felt at Apple Music, where hip-hop has become one of the genres the service is known for.

Chery first joined Apple in 2014 when Beats Music was acquired by the company, and prior to that date, he was a music journalist for SOHH.com, XXL, and BET. At Spotify, Chery will likely work with the service’s popular RapCaviar playlist, which lost its curator last month.

The news of Chery’s hiring comes as Spotify prepares to introduce changes to its mobile app, which will be announced next week. It’s not entirely clear what new features are coming to the Spotify app, but the company has been testing voice control and new free subscription options designed to make the streaming service easier to use.

Tag: Apple Music
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iPhone Cracking Methods Like GrayKey Box Can Guess a Six-Digit Password in 11 Hours on Average

Law enforcement agencies have a new iPhone cracking tool that works with all modern iPhones and the newest versions of iOS 11, the GrayKey, designed by a company called Grayshift.

Previous reports have suggested the GrayKey can crack 4-digit passcodes in a matter of hours and 6-digit passcodes in days, but as highlighted by VICE’s Motherboard, cracking times for the GrayKey and other similar iPhone unlocking methods can potentially be even faster and 6-digit passcodes no longer offer adequate protection.

GrayKey iPhone cracking box, via MalwareBytes
Matthew Green, assistant professor and cryptographer at John Hopkins Information Security Institute, said this morning on Twitter that with an exploit that disables Apple’s passcode-guessing protections, a 4-digit passcode is crackable in 6.5 minutes on average, while a 6-digit passcode can be calculated in 11 hours.

Guide to iOS estimated passcode cracking times (assumes random decimal passcode + an exploit that breaks SEP throttling):

4 digits: ~13min worst (~6.5avg)
6 digits: ~22.2hrs worst (~11.1avg)
8 digits: ~92.5days worst (~46avg)
10 digits: ~9259days worst (~4629avg)

— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) April 16, 2018

Apple does have built-in options to erase an iPhone after 10 incorrect passcode guessing attempts and there are automatic delays after a wrong passcode has been entered more than five times, but GrayKey appears to bypass these protections.

It’s not clear if the GrayKey can reach the fastest unlocking times outlined by Green, but even at slower unlocking speeds, it only takes days to get into an iPhone with a 6-digit passcode. Comparatively, it takes over a month to crack an iPhone with an 8-digit passcode, or more than 13 years to get into an iPhone with a 10-digit passcode.

With the release of iOS 9 in 2015, Apple switched from a four digit passcode to a 6-digit passcode as the default, making iOS devices more secure, but for those concerned about their iPhones being accessed either by law enforcement with the GrayKey or by a hacker with a similar cracking tool, a 6-digit passcode is no longer good enough.

Several security experts who spoke to Motherboard said people should use an alphanumeric passcode that’s at least seven characters long and uses numbers, letters, and symbols.

“People should use an alphanumeric passcode that isn’t susceptible to a dictionary attack and that is at least 7 characters long and has a mix of at least uppercase letters, lowercase letters, and numbers,” Ryan Duff, a researcher who’s studied iOS and the Director of Cyber Solutions for Point3 Security, told me in an online chat. “Adding symbols is recommended and the more complicated and longer the passcode, the better.”

To change your iPhone’s passcode from a simple numeric 6-digit passcode to something more secure, you’ll need to use the Settings app. Go to “Face ID & Passcodes” in the Settings app, enter your current passcode, scroll down, and then choose “Change Passcode.”

You’ll be asked to enter your new passcode on this screen, but you’ll actually want to tap on the blue “Passcode Options” text towards the middle of the display. Choose “Custom Alphanumeric Code” to enter a passcode that consists of letters, numbers, and symbols.

With an alphanumeric passcode in place, you’ll no longer be presented with a numeric keyboard when unlocking your iPhone, and instead, you’ll see a full keyboard available to type in your passcode.

There’s a definite compromise between easy device accessibility and security when using a longer alphanumeric passcode like this. It’s a lot easier to type six numbers than it is to type a mixed character alphanumeric passcode into an iOS device, but for complete security, longer and more complex is the way to go.
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T-Mobile to Pay $40 Million Fine for Faking Outgoing Calls to Rural Areas

T-Mobile will pay $40 million to the U.S. Treasury for failing to correct ongoing issues with call delivery to rural areas and fooling customers with false ringtones, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced today.

The FCC decided that T-Mobile violated the Communications Act following an investigation launched after T-Mobile subscribers were unable to reach customers served by three rural carriers in Wisconsin. T-Mobile claimed it had fixed the issue, but the FCC continued to get numerous complaints from T-Mobile callers attempting to reach at least 10 rural areas. From FCC chairman Ajit Pai:

“It is a basic tenet of the nation’s phone system that calls be completed to the called party, without a reduction in the call quality–even when the calls pass through intermediate providers. The FCC is committed to ensuring that phone calls to all Americans, including rural Americans, go through.”

According to the FCC, T-Mobile injected false ringtones into “hundreds of millions of calls” to rural areas to trick T-Mobile callers into thinking the phone was ringing on the other end of the line when it was not. False ringtones can cause a caller to hang up thinking no one is available, and it can also “create a misleading impression” that a caller’s service provider is not responsible for the failed call, says the FCC.

The FCC also said that rural call completion problems have “significant and immediate public interest ramifications,” leading to lost revenue for rural businesses, impediments for medical professionals unable to reach patients in rural areas, families who can’t reach relatives, and “dangerous delays” in public safety communications.

T-Mobile has admitted to violating the FCC’s prohibition on inserting false ringtones and failing to correct problems affecting calls to select rural areas. In addition to the $40 million payment, T-Mobile has also agreed to implement a compliance plan to fix these issues.

Tag: T-Mobile
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Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus review

When it comes to tablets, we find that we’re just not quite as excited about them as we were a few years back. Likely due to a number of factors, it’s hard for us to justify needing a tablet. Sure, we think we want them, and some of us really do. But, by and large, consumers seem to shy away from standard tablets in 2018.

When you can get a Chromebook that runs both Chrome OS and Android, the notion of a 2-in-1 seems more alluring. And, why not? We’re talking 10-inch displays or larger, and tons of flexibility on both the hardware and software fronts.

Even on the smaller side of things, at the 7-inch and 8-inch size, we are almost content skipping. In the days where we had 4-inch phones, a small tablet made a big difference in viewing size. But, now that screens routinely push 5.5-inches and above, it’s hard to justify the cost and added hardware in a smaller tablet.

Taking this further, it’s hard for a lot of users to justify a tablet of this size outside of what Amazon offers in its Fire models. Not only are they more affordable, but they tend to do everything we need. For many, this means Facebook, Netflix, email, magazines, and gaming.

With that said, there’s still a market for competing products in this space. One such model, the Lenovo Tab 4 8, seeks to fit that bill. At $130, it’s a well-received device that seems to be worth its asking price.

Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus

We’ve had the privilege of reviewing it slightly enhanced sibling, the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus. Goofy and wordy name aside, it’s a nifty unit; we’d like to share our thoughts on the experience.

Though it bears a striking resemblance and shares a number of hardware specifications with the Tab 4 8, this Plus version is noticeably different in one are – LTE connectivity. Indeed, it’s equipped with support for most (no Sprint) wireless service providers. It’s largely that that merits the inflated price when compared to other 8-inch tablets.

Priced as low as $229.99, the tablet is solid, comfortable, and feels like a well-built product. The rounded corners and matte black finish aren’t anything new, but they work well here. The size is just right for single-hand usage in both portrait and landscape orientations. It’s thin and light and we found it travels easily.

There’s nothing fancy in this model; it’s not pretentious and doesn’t try to mask performance with sexy build materials. We shouldn’t expect much at this price point and Lenovo understands this.

Specifications

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (2.00GHz)
• Operating System: Android Nougat 7.1
• Display Type: 8.0″ IPS LED LCD Touch (1920×1200)
• Memory: 2.0GB LPDDR3
• Hard Drive: 16GB
• Warranty: One year
• Battery Li-Polymer: 4850mAh
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth Version 4.2
• Camera: Front 5MP, Rear 8MP
• Wireless: 802.11 AC
• Integrated Mobile Broadband LTE

Display

We liked the 1920 x 1200 for this size screen as we anticipate plenty of video watching on Hulu, Netflix, or YouTube TV. Picture is clear, sharp, and vibrant without being punched up or oversaturated. Reading text in emails, social media, and websites was pleasurable; this is likely our favorite size for portable media consumption.

We might have preferred less bezel around the screen, both on sides as well as the top and bottom. For us, it’s a case of “once you see it, you can’t stop seeing it”. Fortunately, we were able to tune this out most of the time we used it.

Other Hardware Impressions

The two front-facing speakers feature Dolby Atmos technology and are loud and clear. Maybe we’re just used to what we get from phones but this sound was more robust than expected.

The power button and volume buttons can be found to the right of the tablet when held in portrait mode. Conveniently, the power button also doubles as a fingerprint reader. This is particularly helpful for devices that are shared in an environment.

The last thing you want is someone picking up the tablet and making a purchase on your dime or dipping into apps where they don’t belong. Android makes it so tablet users can have their own accounts with passwords, settings, wallpaper, apps, and social media accounts. The fingerprint reader is a nice roadblock to keep the wrong user out of your space.

General Performance

The Snapdragon 625 processor, paired with 2GB RAM, won’t set any benchmark records but it gets the job done. We found the tablet performed admirably in most cases, though it didn’t seem to love it when there were multiple apps and games open at once. There were no major stutters or forced closes but it seemed to slow ever so slightly.

To us, at least, tablets are more of a consumption device and not so much of a productivity or gaming rig. Sure, they can do those things, but it’s not the most pleasurable experience. If you’re looking for high-octane portable gaming, go for a console like the Nintendo Switch. If your needs necessitate turning out hundreds or thousands of words a day over email, docs, and messaging, spring for a 2-in-1 like a Chromebook.

With that said, the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus handled day-to-day tasks like a champ. It was only when we looked for the boundaries of performance that we started to find them. Most of the target demographic wouldn’t take issue with how this fares on an average basis.

The 16GB of storage space is a little on the lower end in 2018 but at least there’s a microSD card slot for up to 128GB of additional room. It will depend on how much media consumption you do versus gaming and downloading of files as to whether you might want to consider a microSD card.

Say Cheese, if You Must

The Tab 4 8 Plus features a 5-megapixel fixed-focus camera on the front and an 8-megapixel auto-focus rear camera. Both are average and work in a pinch, but we’d suggest using the one on your phone instead. Besides, nobody wants to watch you stand in a crowd and shoot graduation videos with your tablet.

In all seriousness, the front one is perfectly serviceable for video chat and a quick selfie at the coffee shop. The rear camera does feature a number of shooting modes to help with various situations; it’s capable of 1080p HD video recording.

Battery & Charging

The tablet’s battery source is a 4850mAh unit, which gave us a good 8-10 hours of usage each time. Results will vary based on whether you’re using LTE and taking the tablet out and about, of course. With that said, the device charges up rather quickly with the USB Type C charging port.

Though it runs an older version of Android at 7.1 Nougat, we were pleased to see it was predominately a stock experience. Outside of what Google gives us there are just a handful of Microsoft Office apps, FM Radio, File Manager, Sound Recorder, and a couple of extras. Because the tablet is sold on its own there are no carrier apps or bloated, branded services.

The Tab 4 8 Plus is compatible with the Lenovo TAB4 Home Assistant Speaker, an Echo-like speaker add-on. In essence, the tablet docks into the speaker and turns into an Echo Show sort of experience. You’ll pay about $80 for that unit.

Conclusion

We liked our time with the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus. Did we love it? Not quite, but we didn’t set out thinking that we would ahead of time. It’s a perfectly good tablet for a family or small office. As to whether you necessarily need the 4G LTE connectivity depends on your situation.

To us, it might make more sense to pick up the standard Tab 4 8 and save the money. You’ll lose screen resolution and camera quality, but that may be a non-starter for some. We’d be just as content sharing our mobile hotspot with the tablet when the need arises if it ever does.

We can understand how appealing a Fire tablet might be, especially when your starting criteria is cost. But, keep in mind you’ll also get the official set of Google apps and the Play Store. That’s a big deal for some of us, especially if you’re already in the Google ecosystem with Drive, YouTube, Gmail, and more.

Availability

You can learn more about the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus at its official website; you can also purchase the tablet directly for $229.99. Head to Amazon and you’ll find it going for around $215 right now.